Asus motherboards + G.Skill memory: Cold boot issues and possible workaround

[xPreatorianx]

I got my ram back last Monday I believe. It works perfectly! Thank you very much G.Skill

[GSKILL TECH]

Great! Glad to hear. Enjoy!

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[rgoto]

I ran with only 1 of 2 modules installed for a week and the cold boot issues were gone so I think I am definitely experiencing this issue.

Since I can't afford to be without my computer long enough to RMA, is it OK if I purchase another identical set of RAM (F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ) and then use both sets (2x2x2GB) when I get my RMA back? I'll only be running dual channel (not quad channel). I don't believe that the modules on the same channel need to be synchronized. Can you confirm this?

Thanks.

[ScavangeR]

After few month of test... No more cold boot issue with the new set of RAM

Thx G.Skill for quick and efficient support/RMA

[deavik]

Bought 2x2GB F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM, cold boot issues, 1 stick seems to be working

I have the same issue with ASUS P7P55D-E PRO. Ran fine for a few days, but then I turned by computer off for a few hours, and now it fails every memtest on a cold boot.

However after a bunch of testing, 1 of the two sticks seems to be working (has not failed yet). Would you suggest getting the whole set replaced? I am unwilling to lose my desktop for a week, would you suggest buying new RAM from newegg and then getting a refund for this? Their return policy says "Return for refund within: 30 days" but I'm not sure if this is allowed or not.

Please let me know what I should do! Thanks

EDIT: My BIOS settings are the default ASUS XMP settings, but I manually set the CPU voltage at 1.225V. This means the RAM settings are 1.6V, 7-8-7-24-2N.

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ASUS P7P55D-E PRO
Core i5 750

[justjss]

More than two years ago, I built a (for then) high-end PC for a friend's husband. I chose an Asus Maximus III Formula motherboard, an 860 I7 CPU, Windows 7 x64 and 8 GB of G.Skill DDR3-1600:

F3-12800CL9Q-8GBECO

(PC3-12800, 2GBx4)

When I built the machine originally, I could not get it to recognize more than 4GB of Ram. Ultimately, I RMA'd the motherboard back then (NewEgg.) The replacement board "saw" 8GB and I though everything was fine. I recall having some BSOD problems but fiddled withe bios and thought I was fine, G. Skill told me to set the memory at XMP and it should be good. (Original inquiries at: http://gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?p=14300#post14300)

My friend's husband loved the new PC ... but started having blue screens. I live far away ... I don't know how often. He didn't like to complain. Finally during a visit, months ago, I looked at his PC and saw the reliability monitor. It had been crashing a LOT.

It took a while for us to realize that almost all of the crashes were right after cold boots. It would take from one to four boots to get a good clean boot; then things could be fine for hours or even days. The BSOD dumps are varied and inconclusive, though many of them point to memory management errors/collisions.

This week, I've been housesitting for my friends and finally got to do extensive diagnostics and testing.

It could be the motherboard, sure. It could even be the CPU. But it's not drivers, or the OS, or the PSU. The RAM tests okay ... but I get cold boot errors, every time. One stick, two sticks and four sticks.

I came here and found this thread.

G.Skill -- help? Because I think I have the same/similar problem that a number of people here are having. I've had it for quite a while, apparently, but I was unable to do anything about it. Now I need to do so.

Please tell me what steps you want me to take (and I can tell you the results.)

Thank you.

[Tradesman]

Could you post your BIOS settings, particularly the DRAM and voltages info

[justjss]

Could you post your BIOS settings, particularly the DRAM and voltages info

The machine has been running on all the default voltages and settings. (Latest bios, 1204, for Maximus III Formula.)

The only deviation from default in the last six months was setting the RAM at XMP (1600.)

On Sunday, when I started working on this, I downloaded and ran an Asus utility called A.I. It said that I was overclocking (which of course running XMP/1600 technically is) and I cut it back to 667x2/1333. I did not change any voltages from "auto."

If you need what the settings are on voltages other than "auto" ... I will post those in a few hours, when I am back in front of the machine. Thanks for your prompt response!

[justjss]

In bios 1204 for Asus Maximus III Formula:

As I said, everything is on auto that can be on auto. I'll write down every setting available if you need, but here are what look like the relevant ones:

Current voltage: 1.111V 1.8V 1.363V

IMC Voltage: 1.35150V
Current Voltage: 1.058V

PCH Voltage (Auto)
1.349V

DRAM Voltage
1.35150V

DRAM timing auto ... everything else auto.

I don't think I've ever changed voltages from auto except when I was first setting up the PC ... I recall vaguely trying a few things when I had an initial problem booting up -- but settled on auto-everything + XMP before I gave my friend the machine. It seemed stable. Of course, when I was setting it up ... there were no cold boots after the first day, probably. I suspect this has been a problem, one way or the other, since early on. I don't know how often he had the machine off or cold booted ... he/we did not associate the blue screens with cold boots until earlier this year.

Also, I should add:
1) I've been through all the software, item by item, in startup/msconfig. Took it down to the minimum.
2) Not running any devices other than keyboard/mouse/vid (Radeon 5700) right now. Same problem as with everything attached.
3) Notable symptom, even when I get a normal boot (after a few tries or when warm) ... I often get a short mouse cursor freeze. Maybe five seconds, then boot finishes (or crashes)
4) Boot logs are uneventful. Also, running system repair gets no errors other than "unexplained ..." ...

Thanks. Let me know whatever else you need?

[Tradesman]

Try the DRAM voltage at 1.4 abd see how that does,

[justjss]

Will do. Will have result either late tonight or first thing in the a.m. ... Wish there was a way to force a cold boot. ;-)

[Tradesman]

Shut it down, let it sit and then boot

[justjss]

With DRAM Voltage set manually to 1.4V:

I tried to boot late last night, got a blue screen. Error 1A/ memory_management. Did not make it to desktop. There was a long black screen before the blue screen.

Booted up semi-normally the second time. Still had the mouse freeze/5seconds; also, action center icon takes a long time before it shows up. Even when it boots, this machine boots slower than I would expect based on specs.

Ran MS memory diagnostic (again) just to see. Came back clean. Shut it down.

Tried to boot this a.m. Got a little window/error message that said: "The procedure entry point LocalAnloc could not be located in the dynamic link library kernel ..." something. Went to blue screen/error 50/page_fault ...

Booted up second try.

In other words, pretty much same results.

[Tradesman]

If that's the IMC/VTT voltage listed above, looks way to high, might try dropping to 1.18

[justjss]

Okay will try that next ... should I leave the dram volts at 1.4?