Windows will not use more than one memory channel

[snjfyak]

I have an x58 MSI Eclipse SLI and not only does the motherboard see all 3 ram sticks (8+4+4), but CPU-Z does as well. All sticks work by themselves and they even work combined, just as long as I'm only using a single channel. I updated to the last bios and tried reseting the CMOS. Any ideas how I can get the other channels to work?

[Eigenvektor]

Slots used 1 of 5… Maybe a slot is damaged?

 

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Eclipse_SLI/Specification

This says it has tripple channel. So I assume you need three identical modules, or single channel it is? I assume you've populated the slots in the order recommended by the motherboard manual (https://download.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/E7520v1.0.zip)?

 

Quote

In Dual-Channel mode, the memory modules can transmit and receive data with two data bus lines simultaneously. Enabling Dual-Channel mode can enhance the system performance. When you have two memory modules, please always insert them into the DIMM_A0 & DIMMB0 (as way 2 shown in below).

 

In Three-Channel mode, the memory modules can transmit and receive data with three data bus lines simultaneously. Enabling Three-Channel mode can enhance the best system performance. When you have three or more memory modules, please always insert them as the way 3/ 4/ 5/ 6 (shown in below) to get the best system performance.

I assume the system does not support a type of flex mode where you have more than two modules but want to only use dual channel mode.

[glenalz81]

Here's a link to the manual, check to see if you have the dimms in the correct slots. There's various ways it will detect all the RAM but only specific ways where triple channel will work. Pages 2-7 and 2-8 of the manual.

 

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Eclipse_SLI/support#manual

[snjfyak]

15 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

Slots used 1 of 5… Maybe a slot is damaged?

 

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Eclipse_SLI/Specification

This says it has tripple channel. So I assume you need three identical modules, or single channel it is? I assume you've populated the slots in the order recommended by the motherboard manual (https://download.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/E7520v1.0.zip)?

 

I assume the system does not support a type of flex mode where you have more than two modules but want to only use dual channel mode.

 

7 minutes ago, glenalz81 said:

Here's a link to the manual, check to see if you have the dimms in the correct slots. There's various ways it will detect all the RAM but only specific ways where triple channel will work. Pages 2-7 and 2-8 of the manual.

 

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Eclipse_SLI/support#manual

I have consulted the manual and yes, the sticks are in the right positions, no it does not have a flex mode but supports 2 dimms per channel, also no, the sticks are not a set, but still, they DO work when paired on the same channel. And no, I doubt all other slots are damaged, especially considering that all sticks are detected by the mobo and can be seen in the BIOS, CPU-Z and Speccy

[Hairless Monkey Boy]

If you can't get triple channel to work with the different size modules, you may be able to at least get dual channel working by putting the two 4GB sticks in the same channel.

[snjfyak]

3 minutes ago, Hairless Monkey Boy said:

If you can't get triple channel to work with the different size modules, you may be able to at least get dual channel working by putting the two 4GB sticks in the same channel.

I tried such configurations, 2x4 works but not in dual channel, only single; and it's either those two or the 8gb dimm, dual channel between them doesn't work

[Hairless Monkey Boy]

4 minutes ago, snjfyak said:

I tried such configurations, 2x4 works but not in dual channel, only single 

I asked you to try the 8GB stick in one of the channels with the 2x4GB sticks together in another channel.

 

Are you telling me that you tried using just the 2x4GB sticks, excluding the 8GB stick, and you were still unable to get multi-channel working?

 

If multi-channel isn't working with fully matching sticks, then there is something wrong with the hardware, or you are not installing the RAM correctly.

[Eigenvektor]

5 minutes ago, snjfyak said:

And no, I doubt all other slots are damaged, especially considering that all sticks are detected by the mobo and can be seen in the BIOS, CPU-Z and Speccy

I didn't say all. I said one. Windows reports 1 of 5 slots as occupied when there should be 6 slots.

 

For dual channel with 8 + 2x4 you'd have to put 8 in one channel and the 2x4 into another channel. But since the board is tripple channel, I assume double channel with more than two modules might be problematic, because it'll want to go tripple. And that won't work with mixed modules.

 

What frequency and latency do the individual modules have? If they're not identical, that might be another reason it doesn't like to mix them.

[snjfyak]

3 minutes ago, Hairless Monkey Boy said:

I asked you to try the 8GB stick in one of the channels with the 2x4GB sticks together in another channel.

 

Are you telling me that you tried using just the 2x4GB sticks, excluding the 8GB stick, and you were still unable to get multi-channel working?

 

If multi-channel isn't working with fully matching sticks, then there is something wrong with the hardware, or you are not installing the RAM correctly.

I edited that, I tried what you suggested as well but only what's in the first channel shows up in Win10

3 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

I didn't say all. I said one. Windows reports 1 of 5 slots as occupied when there should be 6 slots.

 

For dual channel with 8 + 2x4 you'd have to put 8 in one channel and the 2x4 into another channel. But since the board is tripple channel, I assume double channel with more than two modules might be problematic, because it'll want to go tripple. And that won't work with mixed modules.

 

What frequency and latency do the individual modules have? If they're not identical, that might be another reason it doesn't like to mix them.

they are not identical but still work when in the same channel, I can get 12gb single channel working  8+4

[Hairless Monkey Boy]

2 minutes ago, snjfyak said:

I edited that, I tried what you suggested as well but only what's in the first channel shows up in Win10

Okay, well then does dual channel work if you just install the 4GB modules?

[Eigenvektor]

1 minute ago, snjfyak said:

I edited that, I tried what you suggested as well but only what's in the first channel shows up in Win10

they are not identical but still work when in the same channel, I can get 12gb single channel working  8+4

Mixed sticks working in single channel doesn't mean they will also work in dual channel.

 

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005657/boards-and-kits.html

Intel specifically says they need same MHz and latency. There's always exceptions where it'll work regardless, but it's not guaranteed.

[Somerandomtechyboi]

To make sure its actually single channel, run cb in its current state with all sticks inserted

 

Then take out all sticks except one and see if score changes or not, if triple channel is working the score should be nuked, if not then score prob not gonna change or not change by much

 

 

Also

Good god that uncore is slow, atleast run 3600mhz ~1.37v but pref 3800-3900 at 1.4-1.45v vtt/qpi, that will also boost performance, also rams are pretty slow but if you got mismatch then i wouldnt expect those to clock much

[snjfyak]

48 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

To make sure its actually single channel, run cb in its current state with all sticks inserted

 

Then take out all sticks except one and see if score changes or not, if triple channel is working the score should be nuked, if not then score prob not gonna change or not change by much

 

 

Also

Good god that uncore is slow, atleast run 3600mhz ~1.37v but pref 3800-3900 at 1.4-1.45v vtt/qpi, that will also boost performance, also rams are pretty slow but if you got mismatch then i wouldnt expect those to clock much

yes it is actually single channel unfortunately :((

[Beerzerker]

6 hours ago, snjfyak said:

I have an x58 MSI Eclipse SLI and not only does the motherboard see all 3 ram sticks (8+4+4), but CPU-Z does as well. All sticks work by themselves and they even work combined, just as long as I'm only using a single channel. I updated to the last bios and tried reseting the CMOS. Any ideas how I can get the other channels to work?

Could be a CPU pin shifted to one side causing it, my Z77 OCF has that problem and that's what I have to do to restore dual channel to it.
Doesn't mean it's bent or broken, sometimes a pin can get loose in the socket and move around enough it's doesn't make good contact with the pad on the chip it's supposed to.
CAREFULLY check the socket pins and you may see one slightly shifted to one side/out of alignment and if so, just shift it back and do remember which one it is because it will probrably do it again later, esp if you're swapping chips instead of just leaving it in.

[snjfyak]

3 hours ago, Beerzerker said:

Could be a CPU pin shifted to one side causing it, my Z77 OCF has that problem and that's what I have to do to restore dual channel to it.
Doesn't mean it's bent or broken, sometimes a pin can get loose in the socket and move around enough it's doesn't make good contact with the pad on the chip it's supposed to.
CAREFULLY check the socket pins and you may see one slightly shifted to one side/out of alignment and if so, just shift it back and do remember which one it is because it will probrably do it again later, esp if you're swapping chips instead of just leaving it in.

its funny cause I had to bend some pins back in order to get it to work at all. I'll try finding the culprit

[snjfyak]

5 hours ago, Beerzerker said:

Could be a CPU pin shifted to one side causing it, my Z77 OCF has that problem and that's what I have to do to restore dual channel to it.
Doesn't mean it's bent or broken, sometimes a pin can get loose in the socket and move around enough it's doesn't make good contact with the pad on the chip it's supposed to.
CAREFULLY check the socket pins and you may see one slightly shifted to one side/out of alignment and if so, just shift it back and do remember which one it is because it will probrably do it again later, esp if you're swapping chips instead of just leaving it in.

and could a pin be shifted and have the stick still show up in bios and cpuz?