Question Could an unstable oc damage my RAM long term?

[Fastfishy2]

Installed a 32gb kit of ddr4-3200 cl16 from g skill a couple months back with my 5800X3D and stupidly just set the speed to 3200 instead of turning on DOCP. PC ran ok but 3dmark was having some issues freezing, which seems to have been fixed by getting rid of my old boot SSD as well as doing a fresh install onto my NVME drive this time. All accompanied by a bios update and cmos clear, DOCP has been on w/ RAM speeds set to default so that DOCP is the only setting managing them, and a 4.5hr 4-pass test with memtest86 passed with no errors. However last night when I ran SFC Scannow via command prompt after a windows update, it detected and repaired some "corrupted files" (which is why I ended up running mem86) but hasn't flagged any more in subsequent scans. I always run DISCM first.

It was suggested on another forum that running my RAM wrong like I did *could* have done something, but I didn't even touch any voltages, it's just the timings that were off. It was also suggested that either my CPU, Chipset, or storage device could be to blame for these corruptions (the 970 EVO plus has been short and long SMART tested, along with CHKDSK, and runs cool under an EK passive heatsink).
I dunno how much of an issue any of this actually is and I'm having a gard time trying to understand what's going on. Can anyone help?

 

[Lutfij]

If all you did was set the frequency in BIOS manually, then the timings for the ram will be laxed/left to auto. Simple answer, no it doesn't ruin the ram and it might or might not introduce instability to the system.

What BIOS version are you currently on for your motherboard?

Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model.

 

[Zerk2012]

Installed a 32gb kit of ddr4-3200 cl16 from g skill a couple months back with my 5800X3D and stupidly just set the speed to 3200 instead of turning on DOCP. PC ran ok but 3dmark was having some issues freezing, which seems to have been fixed by getting rid of my old boot SSD as well as doing a fresh install onto my NVME drive this time. All accompanied by a bios update and cmos clear, DOCP has been on w/ RAM speeds set to default so that DOCP is the only setting managing them, and a 4.5hr 4-pass test with memtest86 passed with no errors. However last night when I ran SFC Scannow via command prompt after a windows update, it detected and repaired some "corrupted files" (which is why I ended up running mem86) but hasn't flagged any more in subsequent scans. I always run DISCM first.

It was suggested on another forum that running my RAM wrong like I did *could* have done something, but I didn't even touch any voltages, it's just the timings that were off. It was also suggested that either my CPU, Chipset, or storage device could be to blame for these corruptions (the 970 EVO plus has been short and long SMART tested, along with CHKDSK, and runs cool under an EK passive heatsink).
I dunno how much of an issue any of this actually is and I'm having a gard time trying to understand what's going on. Can anyone help?

So as of now everything is OK and you have DOCP enabled but after a windows update some files were fixed.
If so then you should be fine.

 

[Fastfishy2]

If all you did was set the frequency in BIOS manually, then the timings for the ram will be laxed/left to auto. Simple answer, no it doesn't ruin the ram and it might or might not introduce instability to the system.

What BIOS version are you currently on for your motherboard?

Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model.

-5800X3D

-NH-d15S chromax

-Asus Strix B550-A (latest standard bios from their website)

-G-skill Ripjaws DDR4-3200 CL16, 32GB (16X2)

-SAMSUNG 970 EVO plus 1tb NVME (Boot), SAMSUNG 870 QVO 2tb (bulk)

-Asus DUAL RTX 4070 12gb

-Corsair RM750X 2021 (1Mo old, previous rm750x 2018 also exhibited the freezing issue so it's not PSU related and is solved in any case)

-Phanteks P300A w/ 2x Silent Wings 4 intake fans + 1x Noctua NF-S12A Exhaust

-AOC 32" 1440p/75hz monitor (primary) , ASUS 24" ergo monitor @ 1080p60 (secondary)

All drive firmware, chipset firmware, and video drivers are total clean installs and up to date.

 

[Fastfishy2]

So as of now everything is OK and you have DOCP enabled but after a windows update some files were fixed.
If so then you should be fine.

I am definitely hoping so. But I am off work for the next week recovering from surgery so I have literally all the time in the world to throw this thing through a stability gauntlet if I see fit.

 

[Zerk2012]

I am definitely hoping so. But I am off work for the next week recovering from surgery so I have literally all the time in the world to throw this thing through a stability gauntlet if I see fit.

Really about the only way you could damage the memory is hitting it with move volts, just not being stable is no big deal but if it causes shutdowns it can mess up your OS. Any instability that causes restarts or blue screens have a chance of messing the OS up.

 

[Hotrod2go]

OP, I'd suggest testing the ram with more than just one app like MT86. I've seen OC ram stable in MT86 & even Windows memory diagnostic app but get errors in Memtest pro after 100% coverage. The author or MTP suggests 800% coverage to be confident of no ram errors. Also p95 large FFTs is another good one to run as well or in substitute to MTP, at least a few hrs.