Tweet
So I posted this message to MSi's support, although I am not quite sure if it was the correct channel to use in the circumstances as I came across another support page that looked slightly different. So I would appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction.
The copy paste:
I purchased my components just under 2 weeks ago and a day after putting everything together, I updated to the latest BIOS (v. 1.9) from the official website - and then proceeded to enable XMP for my memory (G.Skill F4-3200C16D-16GTZB) which put the clock speed at 3200Mhz (this was done without altering anything else). I also overclocked my CPU to 4.5Ghz at stock voltages and settings. The system ran perfectly fine for the last 2 weeks or so.
Yesterday, my system failed to start up. It attempted to boot itself three times, and only succeeded on the fourth attempt. I was then presented with the message that the default settings have been loaded due to my previous overclock settings failing.
After multiple attempts and configurations, I came to the conclusion that my system could only boot at the RAM's stock settings (2133Mhz) after isolating all my settings, changing them one-by-one. By this I mean changing the CPU settings (OC) and the RAM settings - in which my PC boots perfectly fine with my CPU at 4.5Ghz, but anything above 2400Mhz on my RAM results in the 3-step boot fail.
The things I have tried:
Note: I also put the DIMM's in slot 2 and 4 respectively when both were used, and in slot 2 when only one was used.
-Booting with each DIMM individually, at both default settings and with the XMP profile enabled.
-Booting with both DIMM's, at both the default settings and with the XMP profile enabled - and then swapping the DIMM's around with the same procedure.
-Manually setting the DRAM voltage to 1.35V with/without XMP enabled and the DRAM frequency set to 3200Mhz.
-Increasing the DRAM frequency with stock voltage in increments (2133Mhz, 2400Mhz, etc) - in every instance above 2400Mhz, the booting failed however.
-I took my CMOS battery out for a few hours and the re-inserted it.
-Attempting to boot the PC with the bare minimum components (no GPU, input devices, etc.)
-I completely disassembled my system and left it as such overnight and then rebuilt it, only to arrive at the same issue.
Booting the RAM at default settings (2133Mhz) was always a success, but whenever the XMP profile was enabled, the system would do the 3-step boot fail. This was both when one DIMM was used, and when both were used (and when swapped around).
After failing to boot in each instance, I was then presented with the message "previous overclock has failed" or something to that effect. I then pressed F1 to run the setup and then simply clicked F10 to load the settings as is (with the XMP still enabled despite the failed boot) - and my XMP settings would seemingly stick - whereby the RAM would be running at 3200Mhz. This leads me to believe that the RAM is not getting enough voltage during startup, as when I restart my system from Windows, the system starts up perfectly fine with the XMP enabled. However, the moment I shut down and attempt to start up, the PC does the 3-step boot fail thing I mentioned earlier.
I tried my best to take a screenshot of each configuration of RAM in CPU-Z with the memory tab open and the SPD tab open on each slot (one DIMM at default and XMP enabled). What I noticed was that in some instances, the RAM timings seemed off with the DIMM's, with one showing something like 15-15-15-35 at 1.20 V, while the other DIMM was at 16-16-18-38 at 1.35 V. However, the moment I start running stress tests, loading about 10GB of RAM (in Prime95 and other software), both RAM settings seem to unify and run equally at the correct XMP settings @1.35 V. However, in some instances, CPU-Z just would not load the settings, sometimes showing nothing, while other times showing "unknown" - only working after I restarted the system or ran some stress tests.
I will upload some of the screenshots to imgur and post them in this message, as I see there is a limit of what you can attach to this message. I named the pictures individually with what settings I made, but I think imgur renamed them to some alphanumeric nonsense, so apologies for the inconvenience. I uploaded whatever I could in albums:
Stick 1 at slot 2: http://imgur.com/a/BnMuI
Stick 2 at slot 2: http://imgur.com/a/leyEI
Both sticks: http://imgur.com/a/oJjfb
This was the odd CPU-Z readings I mentioned earlier where the DIMM's were at different timings and voltages in each respective slot (2 and 4): http://imgur.com/a/umlts
My system specs:
Intel i5-6600K
MSI Z170A Gaming M5
G.Skill F4-3200C16D-16GTZB TridentZ Series 16GB (2x 8GB) 3200MHz DDR4 CL16 1.35V Desktop Memory
EVGA 750W G2 PSU
Power Colour RX 480
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB
The copy paste:
I purchased my components just under 2 weeks ago and a day after putting everything together, I updated to the latest BIOS (v. 1.9) from the official website - and then proceeded to enable XMP for my memory (G.Skill F4-3200C16D-16GTZB) which put the clock speed at 3200Mhz (this was done without altering anything else). I also overclocked my CPU to 4.5Ghz at stock voltages and settings. The system ran perfectly fine for the last 2 weeks or so.
Yesterday, my system failed to start up. It attempted to boot itself three times, and only succeeded on the fourth attempt. I was then presented with the message that the default settings have been loaded due to my previous overclock settings failing.
After multiple attempts and configurations, I came to the conclusion that my system could only boot at the RAM's stock settings (2133Mhz) after isolating all my settings, changing them one-by-one. By this I mean changing the CPU settings (OC) and the RAM settings - in which my PC boots perfectly fine with my CPU at 4.5Ghz, but anything above 2400Mhz on my RAM results in the 3-step boot fail.
The things I have tried:
Note: I also put the DIMM's in slot 2 and 4 respectively when both were used, and in slot 2 when only one was used.
-Booting with each DIMM individually, at both default settings and with the XMP profile enabled.
-Booting with both DIMM's, at both the default settings and with the XMP profile enabled - and then swapping the DIMM's around with the same procedure.
-Manually setting the DRAM voltage to 1.35V with/without XMP enabled and the DRAM frequency set to 3200Mhz.
-Increasing the DRAM frequency with stock voltage in increments (2133Mhz, 2400Mhz, etc) - in every instance above 2400Mhz, the booting failed however.
-I took my CMOS battery out for a few hours and the re-inserted it.
-Attempting to boot the PC with the bare minimum components (no GPU, input devices, etc.)
-I completely disassembled my system and left it as such overnight and then rebuilt it, only to arrive at the same issue.
Booting the RAM at default settings (2133Mhz) was always a success, but whenever the XMP profile was enabled, the system would do the 3-step boot fail. This was both when one DIMM was used, and when both were used (and when swapped around).
After failing to boot in each instance, I was then presented with the message "previous overclock has failed" or something to that effect. I then pressed F1 to run the setup and then simply clicked F10 to load the settings as is (with the XMP still enabled despite the failed boot) - and my XMP settings would seemingly stick - whereby the RAM would be running at 3200Mhz. This leads me to believe that the RAM is not getting enough voltage during startup, as when I restart my system from Windows, the system starts up perfectly fine with the XMP enabled. However, the moment I shut down and attempt to start up, the PC does the 3-step boot fail thing I mentioned earlier.
I tried my best to take a screenshot of each configuration of RAM in CPU-Z with the memory tab open and the SPD tab open on each slot (one DIMM at default and XMP enabled). What I noticed was that in some instances, the RAM timings seemed off with the DIMM's, with one showing something like 15-15-15-35 at 1.20 V, while the other DIMM was at 16-16-18-38 at 1.35 V. However, the moment I start running stress tests, loading about 10GB of RAM (in Prime95 and other software), both RAM settings seem to unify and run equally at the correct XMP settings @1.35 V. However, in some instances, CPU-Z just would not load the settings, sometimes showing nothing, while other times showing "unknown" - only working after I restarted the system or ran some stress tests.
I will upload some of the screenshots to imgur and post them in this message, as I see there is a limit of what you can attach to this message. I named the pictures individually with what settings I made, but I think imgur renamed them to some alphanumeric nonsense, so apologies for the inconvenience. I uploaded whatever I could in albums:
Stick 1 at slot 2: http://imgur.com/a/BnMuI
Stick 2 at slot 2: http://imgur.com/a/leyEI
Both sticks: http://imgur.com/a/oJjfb
This was the odd CPU-Z readings I mentioned earlier where the DIMM's were at different timings and voltages in each respective slot (2 and 4): http://imgur.com/a/umlts
My system specs:
Intel i5-6600K
MSI Z170A Gaming M5
G.Skill F4-3200C16D-16GTZB TridentZ Series 16GB (2x 8GB) 3200MHz DDR4 CL16 1.35V Desktop Memory
EVGA 750W G2 PSU
Power Colour RX 480
Samsung 850 EVO 250GB