Question ASUS Z270M-PLUS DDR4 slot shape versus shape of DDR4 RAM sticks ?

[MickH]

Group - I've come across a pretty bad problem in using the Z270M-PLUS; the RAM slots on the board have flat bottoms where as all DDR4 RAM sticks have width extension on seating edge "to make the boards easier to insert" (quotation from Internet web URL page). Therefore DDR4 boards the meet the DDR4 spec won't ever seat properly on a Z270M (the indexing slot location is correct). How are we supposed to use Z270Ms with correctly shaped memory boards? Any insights or suggestions would be very welcome

MickH
16 Mar 24
5:03 PM PDT USA

 

[rgd1101]

what?
can you upload some image of the ram and slot?

 

[MickH]

what?
can you upload some image of the ram and slot?

rgd1101 - thanks for the reply. I could probably photograph the ram but it looks like all oher DDR4; any outline drawings of DDR4 will show what my ram looks like. It would be almost impossible for me to try to picture the bottoms of the 4 ram slots; it's very dark in there and all you'd have would be direct overhead views, no way to see or judge the very slight depth change necessary for DDR4. Serious problem that I haven't come up with a solution for as yet. Sorry.

MickH
17 Mar 24
12:11 PM PDT USA

 

[SkyNetRising]

How are we supposed to use Z270Ms with correctly shaped memory boards?
Any insights or suggestions would be very welcome

Didn't understand, what exactly problem you are facing.
Watch some videos, how to install ram.

View: https://youtu.be/xqWfeOsTto8?t=72

 

[rgd1101]

don't need much on the slot as long as there are contact.

 

[MickH]

Didn't understand, what exactly problem you are facing.
Watch some videos, how to install ram.

View: https://youtu.be/xqWfeOsTto8?t=72

SkyNetRising - thanks for the reply. An examination of the outline drawings of DDR4 RAM will show a very slight increase in the width of the board roughly centered on the indexing slot on the contact seating edge, a sort of tiny "tab". Its only about 0.02 inches increase in width, easy to miss. Nevertheless if you push on one corner of the board at either end, the board corner can and does rock up and down slightly in the socket/slot. When one corner is rocked down the other is raised slightly in the socket, and I'm concerned that the edge contacts on the raised end might loose contact with the "pins" at that point, making the card inoperative. A rigorously correct memory card socket would have a shallow "well" in the bottom to accomodate this "tab", but there are certainly none in my Z270M mem card sockets/slots. My question is: what do most users do to make RAM cards work in such "mismatched" sockets.

MickH
17 Mar 24
3:12 PM PDT USA

 

[MickH]

don't need much on the slot as long as there are contact.

rgd1101 - precisely; see my reply to SkyNetRising.

MickH
17 Mar 24
3:15 PM PDT USA

 

[SkyNetRising]

An examination of the outline drawings of DDR4 RAM will show a very slight increase in the width of the board roughly centered on the indexing slot on the contact seating edge, a sort of tiny "tab". Its only about 0.02 inches increase in width, easy to miss. Nevertheless if you push on one corner of the board at either end, the board corner can and does rock up and down slightly in the socket/slot. When one corner is rocked down the other is raised slightly in the socket, and I'm concerned that the edge contacts on the raised end might loose contact with the "pins" at that point, making the card inoperative. A rigorously correct memory card socket would have a shallow "well" in the bottom to accomodate this "tab", but there are certainly none in my Z270M mem card sockets/slots. My question is: what do most users do to make RAM cards work in such "mismatched" sockets.

Still have no idea, what you're talking about.
Please show photos - illustrating your problem.
(upload to imgur.com and post link)

Did you watch the video from post #4?
Did that not show you proper install procedure?

 

[CountMike]

Group - I've come across a pretty bad problem in using the Z270M-PLUS; the RAM slots on the board have flat bottoms where as all DDR4 RAM sticks have width extension on seating edge "to make the boards easier to insert" (quotation from Internet web URL page). Therefore DDR4 boards the meet the DDR4 spec won't ever seat properly on a Z270M (the indexing slot location is correct). How are we supposed to use Z270Ms with correctly shaped memory boards? Any insights or suggestions would be very welcome

MickH
16 Mar 24
5:03 PM PDT USA

There's no way it would make any difference when RAM is seated, they are made to very exact tolerance included in standards, Only possible difference is in the way/method of installing and one or two latches at ports. Once it's in and latched, there's no other thing to consider.

 

[rgd1101]

that or create a little drawing and show us exactly what you think is not working.

 

[MickH]

that or create a little drawing and show us exactly what you think is not working.

rgd1101 - I've tried most of today 18 Mar to insert a .png image of an outline drawing of DDR4 so I could show what I think is the problem but so far all I ever get is "The image can't be posted from the entered link". I can't work on this tomorrow 19 Mar but try to get back on it Wed 20 Mar. Thanks for all the assistance so far.

MickH
18 Mar 24
4:33 PM PDT USA

 

[SkyNetRising]

I've tried most of today 18 Mar to insert a .png image of an outline drawing of DDR4 so I could show what I think is the problem but so far all I ever get is "The image can't be posted from the entered link".

(upload to imgur.com and post link)

 

[rgd1101]

rgd1101 - I've tried most of today 18 Mar to insert a .png image of an outline drawing of DDR4 so I could show what I think is the problem but so far all I ever get is "The image can't be posted from the entered link". I can't work on this tomorrow 19 Mar but try to get back on it Wed 20 Mar. Thanks for all the assistance so far.

MickH
18 Mar 24
4:33 PM PDT USA

you think there is a problem. but did you try and put the ram in like the manual said?

 

[boju]

There is a bit of pushing down when it comes to seating ram. Long as dimm clips click in both sides of the ram then it is seated properly. Motherboard and ram, it's all designed to specification, there is no error or imperfections.

 

[SkyNetRising]

My question is: what do most users do to make RAM cards work in such "mismatched" sockets.

BTW - are you sure, you are using correct type of ram modules?
May be you're trying to use DDR3 or DDR5 instead of DDR4 ?
Other types are not compatible with ASUS Z270M-PLUS.

 

[MickH]

I'll attempt the make a one-post answer to several suggestions above:

1. From Post #12 - I will try posting a link instead and image ASAP.

2. From Post #13 - I have tried using the very meagre manual illustrations (no text), and several variations on this info; no good results.

3. From Post # 4 - it is my habit to push down on each end until the board will go no further (with considerable force) or with DDR4, until the center of the board feels seated against the socket bottom and the ends may be "rocked" up and down slightly (original observation which started this thread). Does not help. New observation: I have obtained two further DDR4 4 GB modules from a different manufacturer and source; all modules appear to conform to the DDR4 spec very accurately. I now have four Modules (two 4B and two 16 GB) upon which the single end locking button for each socket will not close due to interference between the board material and the locking button top-of-slot. I intend to make this the subject of a new thread.

4. I have been very careful to obtain only DDR4 modules (sticks); all four look identical.

More info on this thread will be posted as I have it. Thanks to all for the help and suggestions.

MickH
20 Mar 24
3:59 PM PDT USA

 

[SkyNetRising]

More info on this thread will be posted as I have it. Thanks to all for the help and suggestions.

It should not be so difficult.
You're doing something wrong.

Can you provide any info about ram modules being used?
Photos?
At least - model number?

Did you watch video in post #4 ? It shows install procedure very well.
Definitely watch it.
It may help you spot details, what you're doing wrong.

 

[MickH]

SkyNetRising - thanks for the suggestions. I did watch the video from post #4; that all deals with matters of the BIOS. I can't even get a POST, just a one-long-two-short beep at turn on, indication a memory problem. See below:

Here are links to three images of the MB and DDR modules

https://imgur.com/a/bhZlvdG

View: https://imgur.com/a/bhZlvdG
- this shows all three images; the top image is of one of my DDR4 modules in a memory slot on the MB. Notice that large segments of the contact stripes are visible above the socket edge. This module is in the socket as far as it will go down, with the center width-extended portion of the contact edge firm against the socket botttom.

https://imgur.com/h6b6H9j

View: https://imgur.com/h6b6H9j
- this shows the end of the socket with its locking pushbutton and the corresponding end of the DDR4 stick. Look carefully and you can see that the upper edge of the DDR4 tab is above the top of the end of the slot in the pushbutton; the locking button won't close further over the stick tab. The stick is too high in the socket and it will not go any lower. Notice from the video that his sticks seat low enough for the tops of the contact stripes to be at or below the socket edge. Mine absolutely will not go that far down.

https://imgur.com/ouLHN6K

View: https://imgur.com/ouLHN6K
- this shows the three sticks I have:

top - Crucial 16 GB DDR4-3200 DIMM, ID number CT16GA4DFRA32A

lower - two Micron Tech 4GB 1RXB PC4-2133 P-UAB-1, ID num MTA8ATF51264AZ-2G1A2

I will use either the 16 GB alone, or the two 4GB together; they won't be mixed. All three appear to be essentially physically identical, typical DDR4 sticks.

The painful conclusion I draw from all this is that the DDR4 sockets on the MB, an ASUS Z270M-PLUS, are not the proper ones for DDR4 sticks. This MB is rated by ASUS as having "DDR4 Support", and was bought new by me without earlier use. I don't see how ASUS can claim "DDR4 Support" with the wrong sockets on the board.

I plan to buy a used MB and try to operate with that. I"ll return the ASUS MB as defective.

Thanks to you and the other forum members who joined this thread and offered suggestions or advice. I've jst got a bad MB.

MickH
21 Mar 24
3:31 PDT USA

 

[SkyNetRising]

The painful conclusion I draw from all this is that the DDR4 sockets on the MB, an ASUS Z270M-PLUS, are not the proper ones for DDR4 sticks.

Ram slots on your board have locking mechanism on single side only.
That means
first you insert ram module side, where is no locking mechanism,
only then you can push the other side of ram module in (with locking mechanism).

Watch carefully again.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqWfeOsTto8&t=128s


BTW - can you show a full photo of the motherboard?
May be it's a different model name board with different memory type support.

And DO NOT TURN ON your pc with ram modules improperly inserted!
That can cause damage.

 

[MickH]

Group - sorry for the gap in activity; been out of action for a few days.

I'm very ashamed to report that all of this is my fault. There has never been anything "wrong" with the ram sockets on my Z270M; I simply grossly underestimated the force necessary to push new RAM sticks down into the new sockets on the MB. In fact the RAM is now installed and working, MB is operating fine. We should consider this thread as finished.

MickH
31 Mar 24
3:41 PM PST USA