Double checking ram problems on X299

[porina]

This is an old problem that I'm looking to revisit in near future.

CPU: 7980XE

Mobo: Asus X299 TUF Mark 2 bios 3801

 

Ram was originally 8x 8GB 3000C16. That worked fine for a long time, until it didn't. I found out one stick had gone bad. While it technically had lifetime warranty, I decided not to RMA it because the ram was worth less than the time and effort to actually get that done.

 

I replaced it with 4x 16GB 3200C16 that I also had. This seemed to work fine, until I noticed I only had 48GB showing. One of the channels was dropped. Note this is actual quad channel system. I tried moving ram around, and long story short, one stick was not being picked up on this system no matter which slot I put it in. I tried cleaning the ram and CPU contacts. Didn't help. This stick works fine in other systems. Any thought on the behaviour of this stick?

 

Currently I'm running 3x 16GB for 3 channels and 2x 8GB in the 4th channel, so I have my original 64GB capacity, and maintain 2R/channel. I never tested XMP as this is mismatched so I'm just running 2133. System is used for productivity now. Video editing (Resolve) and image editing. I don't think anything currently ever gets near 64GB, so debating running 3x 16GB 3200 which with XMP should offer more ram bandwidth than currently, at the cost of lowering ram capacity which doesn't matter for current uses.

 

I notice the mobo does have one newer bios version than I currently have, so I'll try that too. Asus description doesn't really offer much:

Quote

"1. This update includes the patch for the LogoFAIL vulnerabilities.
2. Improve system stability.

 

Am I missing anything else to try?

[Skiiwee29]

Sounds like either a channel died on the memory controller or an issue with the mounting pressure potentially of the CPU.

[porina]

11 minutes ago, Skiiwee29 said:

Sounds like either a channel died on the memory controller or an issue with the mounting pressure potentially of the CPU.

The problem follows the ram stick, not the slot. All slots work with other ram. That stick works in other systems. I find it really difficult to come up with an explanation for this.

[Somerandomtechyboi]

7 minutes ago, porina said:

The problem follows the ram stick, not the slot. All slots work with other ram. That stick works in other systems. I find it really difficult to come up with an explanation for this.

is it a matched kit?

only explanation i can come up with is the ram ics on that specific stick dont play nice with your board

 

37 minutes ago, porina said:

Ram was originally 8x 8GB 3000C16. That worked fine for a long time, until it didn't. I found out one stick had gone bad. While it technically had lifetime warranty, I decided not to RMA it because the ram was worth less than the time and effort to actually get that done.

you dont just run it in 4 sticks?

[porina]

1 minute ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

is it a matched kit?

Yes. Both were bought as kits of 8x 8GB or 4x 16GB.

 

1 minute ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

only explanation i can come up with is the ram ics on that specific stick dont play nice with your board

Because the sticks were used in other systems before that point, I don't know if all 4 had ever worked in the problem system.

 

1 minute ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

you dont just run it in 4 sticks?

I originally bought it for 2R/channel which, in one of my use cases at the time, gives a nice boost to performance. Now 4 sticks of that kit is in another quad channel system.

[Somerandomtechyboi]

5 minutes ago, porina said:

Yes. Both were bought as kits of 8x 8GB or 4x 16GB.

 

Because the sticks were used in other systems before that point, I don't know if all 4 had ever worked in the problem system.

 

I originally bought it for 2R/channel which, in one of my use cases at the time, gives a nice boost to performance. Now 4 sticks of that kit is in another quad channel system.

 

nope not a clue as to why that one stick hates your board

 

49 minutes ago, porina said:

Currently I'm running 3x 16GB for 3 channels and 2x 8GB in the 4th channel, so I have my original 64GB capacity, and maintain 2R/channel

what does thaiphoon burner say for the 16gb sticks? should be able to find a matching oem stick with the exact same ic so xmp will just work though if it happens to be micron thatll be pretty annoying to source as their partnumber doesnt seem to specify ic revision

[porina]

12 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

nope not a clue as to why that one stick hates your board

Yeah, that's my position on it too!

 

12 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

what does thaiphoon burner say for the 16gb sticks? should be able to find a matching oem stick with the exact same ic so xmp will just work 

I probably have this somewhere, or could get it again, but I really don't want to spend any more money on DDR4. Since I moved to more GPU heavy workloads I'm not min/maxing that side so much any more.

[OddOod]

RAM is a bit of luck of the draw. Sucks that you got burned by it, but it IS an old platform, could just be the mobo dying

[thekingofmonks]

What if you tried with all 4 dimms but downclocked to 3066?

[porina]

5 minutes ago, OddOod said:

RAM is a bit of luck of the draw. Sucks that you got burned by it, but it IS an old platform, could just be the mobo dying

Just seems very specific as other ram works and it is just that stick of that set.

 

1 minute ago, thekingofmonks said:

What if you tried with all 4 dimms but downclocked to 3066?

I tried it at 2133. That stick doesn't get detected at all by that system.

[OddOod]

2 minutes ago, porina said:

Just seems very specific as other ram works and it is just that stick of that set.

I assume you inspected for any physical imperfections
That being said, I've had ram that works in some systems, but fails to work in others with same make and model mobo and cpu. 

[porina]

3 minutes ago, OddOod said:

I assume you inspected for any physical imperfections

At the time, nothing obvious on the contacts.

 

3 minutes ago, OddOod said:

That being said, I've had ram that works in some systems, but fails to work in others with same make and model mobo and cpu. 

Same, but normally a whole set works or not in some conditions. Not a single stick.

[OddOod]

Yeah, it's haunted. Sorry