Help requested with F3-14900CL9Q-16GXBL and Asus P8Z68 Deluxe/Gen3

[ggowins]

Hello all,

Here is my config:

Model of the motherboard: Asus P8Z68 Deluxe/Gen 3
Model of the memory: F3-14900CL9Q-16GBXL (4x4GB)
Model of the CPU: Core i7 -2700K

Here is the issue:
To begin, I think I possibly have two bad chips out of the 4. The chips have sequential serial numbers:
12060240052201 through 204

This machine is a brand new build, all of the components are new. I got the new machine put together, and on the first boot, I never got to BIOS, and the Q-Code on the MB showed 2E. So I started to isolate the memory. I plugged the chips in one at a time into the A1 slot on the MB. With either 201 or 202, the system would post and enter the BIOS config. With 203 and 204, the system would not post when either was installed, and continued to show 2E on the Q-Code display, even after trying the MemOK button.

So I went back to chips 201 and 202, and tried to have them both in the machine. It didn't matter if I had them in A1/B1 or A2/B2, the system would post, and I could either go the MemOK! route or manually set the timings to 9/10/9/28, but I couldn't get a MemTest86 to get past 5% before locking up. With either 201 or 202 installed in A1 by themselves, I could successfully complete a round of MemTest86.

What other tips or advice do folks have on how I can continue troubleshooting to help resolve the issue? Any help or info in appreciated. Thanks!

[Tradesman]

First thing will be to make sure you have the latest BIOS 0902, can be found here:

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Int...LUXE/#download

[ggowins]

Hi Tradesman,

Unfortunately, that bios you linked is for the regular version of the board. I have the Gen3 version. They've only released one BIOS so far for it, 301, and that's what I have.

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Int...GEN3/#download

[Tradesman]

My fault, how about try with the sticks you think are good, install fgo to BIOS enable XMP, select the profile for 1866, shutdown, install additional sticks and give it a shot.....if No Joy, then a couple of options, easiest would be if you have any other sticks around or could borrow some, you could try them in the assorted slots and see if it's a DRAM issue or a mobo issue, or try the sticks in another system and see if all is good, the time consuming check would be to run Memtest on each stick in your mobo......would attempt the other options first, it's unusual to have 2 bad sticks out of four (obviously though it could happen)

[ggowins]

Thanks for the tip. I set the BIOS setting to XMP and the 1866 profile, but still got the 2E message on the motherboard when 203 and 204 are present. I don't have any other DDR3 sticks available at the moment, but I will order some. Nor do I have another system available to try this memory in.

I did run Memtest on 201 and 202, and they passed. But 203 and 204 simply won't boot, and give the 2E Q-Code.

[Tradesman]

Try pressing the mem-ok button and holding it while booting, see if it will then find the right settings it should

[ggowins]

Yes, I have held down the MemOK button, but after it scans through the Q-Codes it always ends up back at 2E when either of those two chips are present.

[Tradesman]

As an experiment, try setting the bios manually 9-10-9-28 but set DRAM voltage 1.55 and set VCCIO to 1.13

[ggowins]

Same thing. After I changed the BIOS settings, I rebooted to make sure the settings took, then powered down and put the 203 and 204 sticks in. Shortly after power on, the Q-Code stuck at 2E.

[Tradesman]

One last try, with same settings, up the CPU multiplier to 40

[ggowins]

And, unfortunately the same thing. Made the Multiplier change, rebooted to make sure the setting got saved, powered down, put the 203 and 204 sticks in, and quickly got the 2E Q-Code, no boot. I guess I'm going to have to wait until the new memory comes in. I ordered two sets of G.Skill F3-10666CL9D-8GBRL, which is on the QVL for the mobo.

[Tradesman]

Well, let us know how it goes, the sticks should work fine, but may have a couple of bad ones, just seems really strange, 2 out of 4 consecutive....

[ggowins]

Just got the 4 new sticks of G.Skill F3-10666CL9D-8GBRL. They came right up as 16GB. So it does look like I got 2 bad sticks in the pack of 4 in the F3-14900CL9Q-16GXBL that I got originally. Should I RMA them through NewEgg, or directly with G.Skill?

[Tradesman]

I'd go through the Egg if still under the return time limit, and let them know that 2 of 4 were confirmed bad and that you don't think you should pay return shipping on a defective purchase, they will prob e-mail you a return mailing label so you don't have to pay.

[ggowins]

Will do. Thanks for all of your assistance!