Question CPU causing RAM malfunctions

[Mark-Elder]

I’ve had my ryzen 7 5800x for a little over a year now and I’ve never had any problems with it, but I bought two more sticks of Corsair RGB 16GB 3200mhz RAM on top of the 16 gb I already had (same spec as the ones I bought) but when I put them in their slots the computer wouldn’t boot, I found that the computer only works with 2 or 3 ram sticks installed in different DIMM slots but when I put a 4th in it won’t boot. I’ve bought 2 new motherboards (MSI MPG B550 and Aorus B450 Elite v2) and they both exhibit the same problem as the first one (Aorus B450 Elite). On the B450 elite v2 I got a light error for DRAM on the motherboard but for the MSI motherboard I got a CPU error light. I was just wondering if this problem was due to the CPU or the RAM and if it is fixable or not.

Original Specs:
Aerocool Cylon 700w 80+ certified
Aorus B450 Elite
Zotac Gaming RTX 3060 Ti
Ryzen 7 5800x
Corsair RGB Vengeance Pro 16GB (8x2) 3200mhz
INTaiell 512gb ssd - SATA III
WD Blue 1tb M.2 NVME ssd
MSI MAG CORELIQUID AIO

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, to begin with, Ryzen does not like Vengeance memory. Not on ANY generation for the most part. It is VERY hit or miss using Vengeance memory kits with Ryzen platforms because it's nearly impossible for any kind of validation of a given Vengeance kit actually working because regardless that the part numbers might be the same Corsair is well known for using a variety of changing ICs (Memory chips) on it's Vengeance lineup. Using different ICs can drastically alter whether a specific kit or stick of memory is going to work with a certain motherboard chipset and CPU or not.

So, that's strike one.

Strike two, is the fact that you have multiple memory kits that were not manufactured together, likely do not have identical compositions and were not tested together for compatibility at the factory. It does not matter that they are the same model.

Please read the following post in it's entirety:

AMD Ram compatibility

Good Day all. Here are the parts i will be ordering soon: Asus rog strix B350-F AMD Ryzen3 1200 4Core 3.1Ghz CPU + Wraith Cooler Asus ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC 04GB GDDR5 Antec True Power Classic 550W Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (1x16GB) DDR4 DRAM DIMM 3000MHz - Intel 600p 128GB 80mm...

forums.tomshardware.com

And read section two at the following link titled "Mixed memory (Or the odd man out)":

How To - Troubleshooting problems with PC memory (RAM) and XMP profile configurations

In the beginning, there was......BIOS Before you go ANY further, go to the manufacturer product page for your specific motherboard model AND revision. Revision is an important aspect because for any given motherboard there may be more than one version of that model which will be identified...

forums.tomshardware.com

Additionally, most Ryzen systems won't support four DIMM operations without problems or without a reduction in frequency. But you also have an EXTREMELY POOR QUALITY, really REALLY bad, like, you need to replace it now because it could absolutely be contributing to EVERY problem you are having or have experienced on this build. This is a "please take it out of the system and either discard it or use it as a door stop" type of power supply, as seen here on Tier F.

PSU Tier List rev. 17.0g - Cultists Network

PSU Tier List will help you to choose the best PSU out of hundreds of models on the market. From budget to the highest end Power Supplies.

cultists.network

But also as is general knowledge for most enthusiasts. In fact, Aerocool has exactly ONE power supply lineup worth using, ONE, ONLY, and that is the Project 7 series units. The rest of their power supplies are pure garbage.

 

[Mark-Elder]

I'm aware that it has been over a year since I raised the question on this forum, but only recently have I become financially secure enough to drop €100+ on a PSU. So my question is, would it be a safe bet to assume that the Aerocool PSU is causing me problems? If so, I will go and buy a new one soon enough. It's just that I've recently started an Engineering course in college and could really use the extra memory for the likes of SOLIDWORKS.

 

[Misgar]

So, to begin with, Ryzen does not like Vengeance memory. Not on ANY generation for the most part.

Additionally, most Ryzen systems won't support four DIMM operations without problems or without a reduction in frequency.

Fascinating what you learn on Tom's.

I've just booted up my old Ryzen 3800X and checked the RAM.

Four sticks of Corsair Vengeance LPX CMK32GX4M2D3000C16, i.e. 4x16GB = 64GB, made up of two dissimilar 32GB kits, purchased a year apart. Exactly what you're not supposed to do.

BIOS is set to XMP Profile 1 DDR4-3000:

Memory Timings: 16-16-16-38 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)
Command Rate (CR) 1T
Memory Bus 1500MHz (3000MT/s)
Thaiphoon Burner shows all four DIMMs are running Micron Technology 8GB B-die. so I got lucky with my two different DDR4-3000 kits.

Although these are only DDR4-3000 DIMMs, I briefly set the motherboard to XMP 3200 and ran some stability tests with no errors, but I set the system back to 3000MT/s for stability when running long video renders. The 3800X system has remained stable with 4 DIMMs, since I built it in 2019.

I bought two more sticks of Corsair RGB 16GB 3200mhz RAM on top of the 16 gb I already had (same spec as the ones I bought) but when I put them in their slots the computer wouldn’t boot, I found that the computer only works with 2 or 3 ram sticks installed

When filling all four slots in a motherboard, disable XMP and any CPU/PBO overclocks as a starting point. Expecting (hoping) four sticks will POST at the same XMP settings as two sticks, often ends in disappointment. Four sticks place additional strain on the CPUs Integrated Memory Controllers, requiring lower frequencies.

If your two pairs have significantly different SPD settings, the BIOS might pick settings stored in the fastest pair of DIMMs, which are too fast for the second pair.

To start off, install a matched pair of DIMMs in slots A1, B1. Connect the second matched pair in slots A2, B2. Do not mix DIMMs from different pairs in A1, B1 or A2, B2.

If the combination above doesn't work, try swapping the second pair of DIMMs over to slots A1, B1 and the first pair to slots A2, B2.

If the system still won't POST with 4 DIMMs, fit just one DIMM and run MemTest86.
Repeat for each DIMM on its own. Any errors, dump the bad DIMM.
If you have any doubts about the DIMM sockets, check a single known good DIMM in each slot in turn using MemTest86

So my question is, would it be a safe bet to assume that the Aerocool PSU is causing me problems?

I doubt your PSU is causing memory boot problems.

This list does not inspire me with any great confidence about Aerocool PSUs.
https://www.techpowerup.com/reviewdb/PSUs/Aerocool/

If your PSU is more than 5 years old, change it for a Gold rated PSU from a reputable manufacturer.

 

[geofelt]

A good discussion from Darkbreeze ^^^

How much ram do you actually need?
For most, 32gb is plenty.
If you run apps that use ram as a workfile or do heavy multitasking, then, perhaps more can be justified.
Otherwise excess ram is of marginal benefit.

Ryzen is tightly tied to ram for performance.
Running with mismatched ram is asking for trouble.
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.
Ram must be matched for proper operation.

Is it fixable?
Perhaps.
You will need to get into the bios with two sticks that work and increase the ram voltage.
Then install the other sticks and test.
Run memtest86+
It boots from a usb stick and does not use windows.
You can download it here:

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

memtest.org

If you can run a full pass with NO errors, your ram should be ok.

Running several more passes will sometimes uncover an issue, but it takes more time.
Probably not worth it unless you really suspect a ram issue.

Your best bet would be to replace the ram with a kit that has been tested and found compatible on your motherboard/cpu combo.
The motherboard ram qvl list is probably best,
But,if it is explicitly supported by a ram vendor rm selection app you should be ok.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Fascinating what you learn on Tom's.

I've just booted up my old Ryzen 3800X and checked the RAM.

Four sticks of Corsair Vengeance LPX CMK32GX4M2D3000C16, i.e. 4x16GB = 64GB, made up of two dissimilar 32GB kits, purchased a year apart. Exactly what you're not supposed to do.



If your PSU is more than 5 years old, change it for a Gold rated PSU from a reputable manufacturer.

If you read my guide, or any of the hundreds of memory related threads I've posted on this site alone, then you'd know that nothing is a certainty when it comes to mixing and matching memory. It CAN work. And sometimes DOES. Even if you've done "exactly what you're not supposed to do". But, just because it has worked with somebody's "sample of one" doesn't mean it will for the next guy. Even with identical hardware. So the answer to whether it will work or not is always, maybe. The more you adhere to the recommendations when it comes to the memory configuration, the more likely it is to work. The less you adhere, well, it's a roll of the dice.

As to the PSU recommendation, I'm sorry, but that's really not very accurate. To begin with, "Gold" rated literally means nothing when it comes to PSU quality. It CAN be indicative of a quality PSU, but only if the PSU is built with otherwise quality components, design and assembly. There are plenty of "reputable" manufacturers out there with Gold rated power supplies that I wouldn't use to power a light bulb much less hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of hardware. In fact, there have even been a few Platinum and Titanium rated units that were not very good at all. But especially with Gold rated units, be sure to stick with models that you can find a reputable review for that indicates it is a trustworthy and reliable unit. And by reputable I don't mean some yahoo on youtube with tons of followers that may or may not even know wth they are talking about. I do mean reviews from places like Hardware busters (Aris), TechpowerUP, The FPS review, Tom's hardware, etc.

Specific MODEL is always the key because even within the same series you can sometimes get units that are both good or bad. The 550w model in a series might be great while the 750-850w models from the same series might suffer from issues. Specific model and finding a review for it that justifies it's purchase is key.

 

[Misgar]

As to the PSU recommendation, I'm sorry, but that's really not very accurate.

Agreed. Serves me right for speaking in generalisations, intended for lay readers. I should have been more specific.

Having designed, tested and commissioned power supplies for MIL SPEC and Aerospace applications, I should know better. I enjoy reading reviews by Aris on Tom's, plus TechPowerUp, now that Jonny Guru's site has closed.

 

[Andrew20]

A higher CPU voltage may cause overheating, resulting in memory errors that lead to system hangs/crashes. Check with the motherboard vendor for instructions on configuring CPU voltage levels. In certain cases, RAM incompability issues can be fixed with a BIOS update.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Sounds like AI mischief to me. (Ok, replaced Orc with AI, seems to work)