Asrock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 Error Code 38

[BenjaminPlease]

So.. Hi!
Today i've bought my watercooling, wich i had to install..
Removed rams, removed cpu to clean it up..
inserted back cpu, installed watercooling.. Inserted back all 4 of my ramsticks, and boom.
PC not booting.. Error code 38.
Sorted out that if i insert any of thoose 4 ramsticks into the 1st and 2nd slot, the pc boots up without problem, recognizing all the ram, so now im running 2 ramsticks, (8GB) and im fine. But when i insert the rest 8GB in the 3rd and 4th slot, i get the error 38 on the mobo.
Any help?
PC specs:
CX-430 PSU
I7 2600k
2x HyperX Fury 4GB / 2x Corsair XMS3 4GB = 16GB total
GTX970 4G
2x 250 HDD (sata) + 240gb Crucial SSD
Thanks.

 

[Shektron]

"0x38 Post-Memory North Bridge initialization (North Bridge module specific)"

^This is from the manual of your motherboard. You probably can't make much sense of it. It basically means the issue is with your memory. Since the problem occurred after CPU cooler installation, check if the RAM sticks are well-seated and also if you have more than one stick try them in all the combinations possible. If neither of them works, either all of them went bad(kind of unlikely) or your motherboard DIMM slots are not working suddenly.

 

[BenjaminPlease]

I tried every combination possible.. every ram stick.. if i insert one of the hyperx, and one corsair in the 1st and 2nd slot, works perfectly fine.. All the sticks work, but only the 3rd and 4th slot gives error 38

 

[Shektron]

So you tried each RAM stick in slot 3 and 4? If none of them work in either of those slots, and they work in the other slots, then slot 3 and 4 are probably bad. You'll have to RMA the motherboard, there's no fixing bad RAM slots as far as I know, unless you're an expert motherboard modder.

 

[BenjaminPlease]

But it gives me the error code 38. If it would be bad, it just simply wouldnt detect them, right?

 

[Shektron]

A lot of people apparently have the same problem as you do. It could be a bad board even if it shows the error code - it could also be your CPU. One thing I read you could do is try re-seating the CPU, it fixed the issue in another similar Tom's Hardware thread. Make sure you re-apply the thermal compound after removing cooler.

Another thing you could do is trying different RAM. Or trying the RAM you have in a different motherboard.

Or, just save yourself a lot of trouble and get the board returned, or get it looked at at a nearby hardware store.

 

[BenjaminPlease]

Here in Romania, im not really into giving my mobo to any hardware store, they aint such specialists. Btw i have 2 bent pins, when i tried reseating the cpu, i saw it. But the cpu works, so i wasnt complaining. just 2 bent pins.

 

[Shektron]

Bent pins could actually be the problem here. It says so in this thread:

https://forums.tweaktown.com/asrock/46371-z68-extreme3-gen3-fail-post-code-38-a.html

"as for the ram issue most of the time you need to bump the voltage up a notch if you are gonna run 4 sticks @ beyond 1866
other then that either you have some bent lga pins or the board is bad .."

If you can, try to make the pins straight again. You can find out how to do that on YouTube - just search for 'bent pins motherboard' and you'll get some guides.

 

[BenjaminPlease]

Oh goddamn.. I've got a message from rockstar support.
Thank you for contacting ASRock.


This case is related to your memory module, please follow the suggestions below to verify:

1. Please reboot the system then press[Delete] to enter the BIOS setup.
In BIOS setup, please press[F9] to load BIOS default setting to try.

2. Use Instant Flash to update the latest BIOS P2.30 version to try.
http://www.asrock.com/MB/Intel/Z68%20Extreme3%20Gen3/index.asp#BIOS

3. Remove the CPU then check if the CPU socket pin bent.

4. Please clean the Goldfinger parts of memory and re-connect to the motherboard, make sure it has been installed correctly.

5. Only install one stick memory module to each DRAM slot by turns to try.

6. If possible, please install another memory module/ CPU to verify.
I'll try all the possibilities i got.
Thank you.

 

[BenjaminPlease]

UPDATE: If i insert my HYPER X Fury rams, into the 3rd and 4th slot, i get error code 45

 

[Shektron]

Don't use 3rd and 4th slots simultaneously - use either 1st and 3rd or 2nd and 4th together - two consecutive slots are not to be used when you have only two sticks in a 4-slot motherboard.