XMP Causing BSOD?

kayfwee · July 15, 2015

Hey all, new LTT fan here running into some problems with my new build.

I just built my new PC with an i7 4790K on the Asrock Z97X Killer motherboard with 2x8GB of Corsair Vengeance Pro 1866 DDR3. If I enable XMP or manually set the RAM speed and timings to its rated specification (1866 9-10-9-27) the computer would BSOD (0x124) a few minutes into an AIDA64 stress test. The CPU isn't overclocked yet and I've tried using different RAM slots or using one stick at a time with no difference. I've ran Memtest86+ on the XMP profile for a couple of hours without errors. With the RAM speed on the default 1333mhz however it seemed to remain stable in AIDA64.

The rated voltage for the RAM kit is 1.5V, which I've tried manually setting. But the BIOS would always display 1.6V regardless of my changes, not sure if that's an issue.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

79 Potatoes · July 15, 2015

Only change to XMP, don't change clock speed and latencies.

If it's the same increase RAM voltage to 1,65 V

The same? Faulty stick (in that case you've to test each one)/Sticks aren't stable at that XMP Profile (you'd try increasing timings or RMA)

TheMcSame · July 15, 2015

I can't really say those are timings I'm used to seeing for a CL9 kit. Normally it's something like 9-9-9-24, Anyway, personally I'd just knock the voltage up to 1.65v and see if it's stable. If not it could be poor testing, heat or a hardware problem.

ProKoN · July 15, 2015

BSOD x124 is typically an unstable cpu

what cooler are you using? stock \ low end cooler + xmp enabled = bad results

when you say you didnt overclock that leads me to believe your cpu voltage is set to auto. it is also set for adaptive voltage mode by default. aida overvolts on adaptive mode

when you enable xmp you also enable turbo boost. all cores will boost to 4.4ghz at an unknown voltage (stock vid dependent). this will dump 1.27 -1.35V into the chip. aida64 will add 0.035V on top of that if used on adaptive voltage mode.

if your using the stock cooler

enable xmp

disable turbo boost

as mentioned above try going up to 1.65V on the Dram voltage if still no luck

kayfwee · July 15, 2015

Thanks for the replies guys!

This is the RAM I have: http://www.corsair.com/en/vengeance-pro-series-16gb-2-x-8gb-ddr3-dram-1866mhz-c9-memory-kit-cmy16gx3m2a1866c9

Also using the Raijintek Themis cooler with max temps around 65 (mostly hovering in the 50s) under the AIDA64 stress test, but you are right that all of the CPU voltage related settings in the BIOS are set to Auto as per default. With XMP disabled the CPU is getting 1.208v under load, but I haven't paid attention with XMP enabled as I tend to walk away once I start the stress test and then come back later to check on the results.

With the DRAM Voltage setting however, as per my original post the BIOS seem to always use a value of 1.6V regardless of if I manually provide a number or leave it on Auto, as every time I go into the BIOS it would display 1.6V as the active value, even if I've set the actual value to 1.5V for example. I'll try 1.65V too to see if it makes any difference..

kayfwee · July 16, 2015

A couple of updates..

The motherboard is definitely refusing to set the DRAM Voltage to whatever I choose regardless of BIOS setting or through their own F-Stream tuning software, overriding back to 1.6V (at least visually) every time.

BUT it gave me a BSOD a couple of minutes into stress testing with BIOS in all DEFAULT settings and the only difference being I had 1.5v entered for DRAM Voltage rather than Auto (despite it stating that it's still on 1.6V regardless). This is making me believe that the setting IS changing something even though it doesn't display so. Changed DRAM Voltage to 1.6v manually afterwards and ran a stress test with default speeds after and it seemed fine.

Tried to run at the RAM's rated 1866mhz after with a manually entered 1.65v and after maybe 20 minutes (longer than usual, so there's that) of stress testing it eventually BSOD'd as well.