Very Unusual Memory Voltage / Frequency Issues

norskfyr · February 20, 2020

Hello folks, long time lurker, first time poster.

So I just got some new memory for my rig. I was running with 32gb, HyperX Fury 2666mhz memory, 2x16gb,( https://www.hyperxgaming.com/us/memory/fury-ddr4 ). I need more for work, so I got another set of 32gb, the very same ones for a total of 4x16gb sticks.
It booted fine, but once into windows, I experienced a series of BSOD, each one with a different error message. I ran Windows Memory Diagnostic, riddled with errors. I thought it is maybe faulty ram, so I swapped out my old ram and only put in the new sticks. Everything runs smooth and fine.

For the record, I am running with Ryzen 7 3700x, on a ASUS ROG B450-F Gaming motherboard ( https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-B450-F-GAMING/ ). I've never Overclocked anything, I just want a stable work machine.

From there, I did the following steps:
- Individually use each memory stick one at a time in each slot. Each boot was stable. I have not run Memtest86 because I am fairly confident my ram is not the issue.

- Went into the bios, reset all my settings there to defaults. I have a few Asus auto-tuner EZ-mode overclock settings enabled. Removed those and everything set to stock speeds.

- The stock voltage for my ram is 1.2v. It had been set to 1.35v prior to resetting to defaults. Memory frequency prior to resetting to defaults : 2745Mhz, reset this to 2666.

- I install the 4 sticks of ram again, but this time, it would not even boot. So I removed two, and it boots fine. Weird.
- I set the DRAM voltage to 1.37 (.02v more than what it had been initially, before I reset to default values in the BIOS, since I was able to boot with all 4 sticks), put all 4 sticks back in.

- After setting the DRAM Voltage to 1.37, I manage to boot just fine again. However, after running a Memtest64 memory stress test, I get many, many errors almost right away.

- I go back into BIOS, decide to lower the frequency from 2666 to 2400. It boots, I run memtest64 stress test again for 1.5 hours, not a single error. Seems quite stable. I left it alone and went to take a shower, when I came back, the screen was black, and the mouse/keyboard unresponsive, but on. Unusual, weird, but upon rebooting, I ran the memtest64 for another 45 minutes and all was good. Not perfect, but better results than I had.

- PS, I left the latency at default 16-18-18

TL:DR; At stock memory settings of 2666mhz and 1.2v DRAM voltage, I can't boot with all 4 sticks. Only 2/4. Increasing voltage, and decreasing memory frequency gives me a stable boot.

Now I've installed ram many times over the years, but never have I experienced this before. I would not consider myself to be an experienced/advanced pc builder, but this still seems... odd to me?
I have never had to fiddle with DRAM voltages before, nor had to underclock the memory frequency at all. Am I doing something COMPLETELY wrong? I think my next step is to boot into Memtest86 and really figure out if it is faulty memory once and for all.

Thank you in advance for your time!

February 20, 2020

Reset Cmos.

Increase SOC voltage, 1.18v-1.20v

you have increased memory voltage to 1.370v and had better experience. Try going a little higher.

Memory controller just got a lot of weight running all that memory, that's all.

You may be forced to run a lower frequency with all that memory installed, it's not a big deal of difference.

I'd try 16-16-16 at 2400mhz if you can't get 2666 stable imo.

Chen G · February 20, 2020

It is entirely normal for a MB to be able to run 2 sticks of RAM at higher speeds than it can with 4 sticks of the same RAM.

It is also normal to not be able to run the same speeds when you have lots of RAM, like 64GB.

It is also also normal that when you get the same RAM product after a while, they swapped to different RAM chips and it is no longer the same.

Plus, different MB and CPU cannot run RAM at the same speeds, it is entirely up to the RAM manufacturer to have a speed profile that is low enough, that every MB can do it. Sometimes they don't do that because that would mean you need better more expensive chips to sell the same advertised speed.

I'm unfamiliar with AMD but isn't B450 the lower end chipset? So I think this is probably perfectly normal.

norskfyr · February 20, 2020

25 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Reset Cmos.

Increase SOC voltage, 1.18v-1.20v

you have increased memory voltage to 1.370v and had better experience. Try going a little higher.

Memory controller just got a lot of weight running all that memory, that's all.

You may be forced to run a lower frequency with all that memory installed, it's not a big deal of difference.

I'd try 16-16-16 at 2400mhz if you can't get 2666 stable imo.

Thank you so much for the speedy reply! I will definitely give this a shot when I get home tonight.

23 minutes ago, Chen G said:

It is entirely normal for a MB to be able to run 2 sticks of RAM at higher speeds than it can with 4 sticks of the same RAM.

It is also normal to not be able to run the same speeds when you have lots of RAM, like 64GB.

It is also also normal that when you get the same RAM product after a while, they swapped to different RAM chips and it is no longer the same.

Plus, different MB and CPU cannot run RAM at the same speeds, it is entirely up to the RAM manufacturer to have a speed profile that is low enough, that every MB can do it. Sometimes they don't do that because that would mean you need better more expensive chips to sell the same advertised speed.

I'm unfamiliar with AMD but isn't B450 the lower end chipset? So I think this is probably perfectly normal.

I just purchased the initial 32gb of ram about 3 months ago, so it is unlikely that its a different RAM chip. Anything is possible though!
You are correct, B450 isn't a higher end board at all. This is the first time I've ever had this much ram installed in a machine of mine, so I am relieved to hear that it's on the more normal side of things. Thank you!