ASRock Z77 Extreme 9 + G.Skill F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR

[Astra-Coupe]

Model of the motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme 9
Model of the memory: G.Skill F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR (2x4GB)
Model of the CPU: 3570K

What is the problem?

First of all im sorry for my probably bad english. I am not a native english speaking person from germany and hope you can help me with my problem.

I have upgraded my system a couple of days before from an old Q6600 platform and now I have some problems due to my small knowledge with the new Z77.

Everytime I set the RAM to his specification of 933MHz (DDR3-1866) and timings of 9-10-9-28 @ 1.5V my system can not start anymore. I have tested different things so far:

1) set RAM voltage up slowly till 1.56v did not change anything
2) changing the slots from 1+3 to 2+4 did also result in bios beeping
3) I also have tried a single module but did not solve my problem either
4) running @933MHz with failsafe timings of 11-11-11-28-2 is also not working
5) all of it again with the newest BIOS update

the only setting that is working for me so far are the failsafe standard settings of 800MHz@11-11-11-28-1 my mainboard is loading after the failed starting attempt.

My system is up to date so I did not overclock anything on it - only thing I wanted to overclock is the RAM because press-reviews have tested this RAM up to 1080MHz@9-9-9-27-2@1,65V 24/7 stable but I do not even get the RAM to his specified settings. My target of overclocking was to get it from specified 933MHz to arround 1000MHz in the end.

XMP Profiles did not help either - everytime I load them pc isnt starting anymore.

I also was wondering about the XMP-Profiles because the first is 889MHz@9-10-9-29-35-2@1.5V and the second
800MHz@9-11-9-29-37-2@1.5V
where is the profile for
DDR3-1866 (933MHz) PC3-14900 @ 9-10-9-28 @ 1.5V like it is praised on the package?

Can you guys please help me to reach my target or at least to use the RAM within its specifications?

best regards

Markus

[Tradesman]

First thing would be to check and see if you have the latest BIOS, latest is 1.30 from about a week ago, and believe they are already working on the next release, you can find it here:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z77%2...ownload&o=BIOS

As it's a rather new mobo, the BIOS may be lacking in the XMP setup, try the latest BIOS, if no joy, get back to us with your BIOS settings and the mobo sets with XMP enabled

[Astra-Coupe]

Hey there...

as I told you before I allready flashed the newest BIOS onto the mainboard through the UEFI option for BIOS update. Checked again a couple of minutes before but till now there is no new update for me.

I think I will try out the new option to make screenshots inside UEFI so you can check out my settings by yourself. Voltages, Timings... anything else you need?

regards

Markus

[RamJam]

Do you have the DIMMs in the proper slots? Doesn't sound like the UEFI is reading them correctly or maybe you have a bad DIMM, might run Memtest on each DIMM by itself, just to be sure

[Tradesman]

Sorry, missed the BIOS update you mentioned, have a feeling their BIOS is still lacking, if you can post the BIOS setting will help, the set should be fine with stock settings and just a slicht OC on the CPU with your combo (should also be able to run 2133 @ @2133 10-11-10-28, 1.6, or even down at 1600 1.5 with 1600 8-9-8-28. if none of those work, it's possibly in the advanced timings, a bad stick, mobo or CPU...might check CPU and socket for any stray thermal compound or possible bent/broken pins in the socket

[Astra-Coupe]

Hi there!

I think I will test the dims in the next days maybe I will test them today but without removing one because my cpu-cooler was quiet tricky to mount. I have tested the mainboard socket for any damage before I installed my cpu because I have some knowledge with RMA from my last one that I had to repair by myselft because the dealer that should simply change the board somehow made it to ruin a pair of pins and sent it back to me telling me I have destroyed the board. I did not even install a cpu in it and did not remove the protection but I was called a liar because they do not ship defective boards. xD After the repair it run till my upgrade to Z77 perfectly and with high overclocking.



I will test now the settings you told me and write again later how they did. I hope my Screenshots of UEFI are helping you to give me the right settings - as I told you I tried different things but my system is currently running with those settings in the pictures.

So far...

best regards

Markus

PS: Any suggestions about the program I should use to test them? Maybe you guys have some testing rules I did not know due I am new in here.

[Tradesman]

Am heading out, will take a look and get back to you this afternoon

[Astra-Coupe]

Hi again...

I have tested my dimms with memtest86+ over the night (~9hours) and with the setting of 1600@11-11-11-28-1 and 1600@9-10-9-28-1 because everytime I change anything else the boot fails. Do I have to change anything else then just those DDR-voltages or timings to get it running? I am very annoyed that my system fails booting as soon as I change something... it does not even try to boot as soon as I get above failsave settings. :/ For a mainboard that cost me arround 300 european Euros (especially bought for good overclocking capability) this is really frustrating. I do not think the DIMMs cause those error because everyone I ask in other forums using them is telling me how great they are...

best regards

Markus

[Tradesman]

Try the sticks with the CR (Command Rate) at 2T (or 2N if it uses the N designator), also you show XMP on AUTO, change it to XMP profile 1

[Astra-Coupe]

XMP-Profile 1: fail booting
XMP-Profile 2: fail booting
CR 2 with the XMP profiles: fail booting

:/ ...every single time im going above the failsave 1600... @1600 all runs perfectly smooth also when im adjusting timings no failure - going above 1600 every single starting attemp fails immediately

[Tradesman]

Can you try the sticks in another system, can't be positive but think it's the mobo or maybe CPU,. Might try raising DRAM voltage + .05 or so

[Astra-Coupe]

Hi!

Sorry due to be the Z77 Extreme 9 my first Mainboard with DDR3 I can not try them in a different system.

I am just looking for support by ASRock themself because this are the same thoughts I had... for me all points at the mainboard because it can not be normal the board instantly crashes booting as soon I go above those "lousy" (sorry ^^) 800MHz...

Just to test if it has additional issues with overclocking I simply changed the multiplier to 40 in the Extreme Tweaker and did some stability tests with prime and superpi without changing anything in the UEFI... everything runs smoothly with 4GHz and RAM @ 1600-9-10-9-28-1.
No failures - no crashing, without additional voltage on the cpu-side my pc hangs up @ 4,3GHz at a multiplier of 43. Nice to see that this cpu has a lot of power when I need it and all runs fine so far but I really want to get the DIMMs to DDR3-2000 too so I will write ASRock support now.

I will keep you up to date an post if I get an answer from them.

regards

Markus

PS: Still got two questions

1) whats up with that XMP-data I asked before? Is that the normal XMP-Information on my sticks with XMP1@889MHz-9-10-9-29-35-2, 1.5V and XMP2@800MHz-9-11-9-29-37-2, 1.5V? Where is the 933MHz-setting for DDR3-1866?

2) might it be helpful for the RAM to tweak some other options/voltage-settings in the UEFI? there are lots of options I have never seen before so maybe I can try out something more?

[Tradesman]

That's why I think the BIOS may be off, the sticks should read 1866 (933) in BIOS, so it's not translating right, had the same problem w/ a couple of their mobos they have since corrected via the BIOS

[Astra-Coupe]

Aww my fault tradesman - you are right in the UEFI there is also written XMP-profile-data and there you can see (with my screenshots) it is all ok with the XMP-settings. I made the mistake to read them out with the newest version of CPU-Z and maybe it is not able to detect the true settings till an update was released. Sorry again - this question I could have answered myself with a bit brain.exe

What about the other UEFI-settings? Is there one that could help increase overclock abilities of RAM?

[Tradesman]

Yes, once you have them stable at their rated specs, I've OCed these sets up to 2133 with little to no problem, but you want stable settings first, to give a starting point