[SOLVED] Did I trick the BIOS? Got my 4 RAM sticks working properly.

[OttoDobler]

So I made this thread a couple of days ago.

[SOLVED] - Can't get 4 DIMMs running at 2666MHz on B450M-A

I have two Kingston 4GB 2666MHz and two Adata 4GB 2666MHz, and am going for quad-channel. My MOBO is an Asus B450M-A. CPU is Ryzen 3 3200G with stock cooler. Everything is brand-new. I tried all sorts of combinations for the DIMM slots, always after a CMOS reset, but no matter how I did it, I...

forums.tomshardware.com

Again, MOBO is B450M-A
One kit of 2x4gb Kingston and one kit of 2x4gb Adata (Summing up 16gb)
CPU is Ryzen 3200g.

After trying almost everything, I had lost any remaining hope, but suddenly a solution came about unexpectedly.
On the BIOS I went to advanced > AMD Overclock > DRAM Timing overclock
And switched DRAM Frequency from AUTO to 1333 MHz

However, on the Ai Tweak options I manually set it to 2400MHz, because I already knew that whenever I put 2666MHz on Ai Tweak while all 4 ram slots are being used, my PC just wouldn't boot. Yes, even if I put the DRAM voltage to near 1.4v even If I loosened the timings.
So all I did was that and OC a little bit my CPU an iGPU (CPU on 3.7GHz, GPU on 600MHz), increase the DRAM voltage a little from 1.20v to 1.25v, just in case it might help.

I exit the BIOS, turn off pc, install the remaining 2 rams, boot PC normally, enter task manager and go to memory, and it says memory is working at 2666mhz. ALL 4 STICKS. Same in CPU-Z.

I was, and I still am, astonished.

My theory is I tricked the BIOS out of some compatibility issue (perhaps related to the Daisy Chain topology and/or even the different RAM kits) making it think I'm running the RAM at 2400mhz when I'm actually telling the IMC to do the job the BIOS can't do properly (making the RAM run at a certain speed).

Now I'm just afraid of entering the BIOS, touching something and going back to 2400mhz... So what I basically want to know is if this
[Advanced > AMD Overclock > DRAM Timing overclock > DRAM Frequency 1333 MHz] is what did the trick. I'm a little new to all of this so I will thoroughly appreciate any 'for dummies' explanation.

 

[hi616]

The only thing I would be concerned about would be the DRAM voltage, the max for 24/7 use is 1.45 V for Hynix and 1.5 V for B-Die chips. So it would be a good idea to reduce the voltage to around that level.

 

[OttoDobler]

The only thing I would be concerned about would be the DRAM voltage, the max for 24/7 use is 1.45 V for Hynix and 1.5 V for B-Die chips. So it would be a good idea to reduce the voltage to around that level.

Sorry, I did type something completely wrong, I just corrected it. In fact if I put the DRAM voltage up to 1.4v the PC just won't boot (one beep then two beeps, or just one beep, or just no POST sound at all)

 

[Third-Eye]

Sorry, I did type something completely wrong, I just corrected it. In fact if I put the DRAM voltage up to 1.4v the PC just won't boot (one beep then two beeps, or just one beep, or just no POST sound at all)

Can you list the kit model/part numbers of each kit from CPU-Z SPD tab and also the current Memory tab settings? Maybe post screenshots of the tabs instead.

You really shouldn't need more than 1.2-1.25 DRAM voltage with 4x4GB 2400, even with garbage quality ram. Their timings may be too dissimilar to work together unless you move which slots each kit is in. You also need to make sure you are putting one of each module per channel and you may need to put the kit with the worse timings (higher CL/cas latency) in slots A2/B2.

Is it too expensive to buy a 2x8GB 3000-3200 kit to avoid the whole problem?

 

[OttoDobler]

Can you list the kit model/part numbers of each kit from CPU-Z SPD tab and also the current Memory tab settings? Maybe post screenshots of the tabs instead.

You really shouldn't need more than 1.2-1.25 DRAM voltage with 4x4GB 2400, even with garbage quality ram. Their timings may be too dissimilar to work together unless you move which slots each kit is in. You also need to make sure you are putting one of each module per channel and you may need to put the kit with the worse timings (higher CL/cas latency) in slots A2/B2.

Is it too expensive to buy a 2x8GB 3000-3200 kit to avoid the whole problem?

My memories are not 2400, they are 2666.

Memory tab

SPD tab (Slot #1 and #3 are the same kit of Kingston, and #2 and #4 are the same Adata)

And yes, it IS too expensive for me to buy the kit you are suggesting. Also, from what I saw on youtube benchmarks for this APU it's far more better performance-wise to have four ram sticks than just two. However, on those videos no one announced me I would have such compatibility problems.

 

[Third-Eye]

My memories are not 2400, they are 2666.

And yes, it IS too expensive for me to buy the kit you are suggesting. Also, from what I saw on youtube benchmarks for this APU it's far more better performance-wise to have four ram sticks than just two. However, on those videos no one announced me I would have such compatibility problems.

Is the ram actually stable though? Have you ran memtest86 or another ram tester? Also, four modules can sometimes be faster, but in most situations or games it's not much more than 1-3% improvement. 2x8GB 2933-3200 CL16 would give much a bigger improvement than running four modules at 2400-2666 CL20.

 

[OttoDobler]

Is the ram actually stable though? Have you ran memtest86 or another ram tester? Also, four modules can sometimes be faster, but in most situations or games it's not much more than 1-3% improvement. 2x8GB 2933-3200 CL16 would give much a bigger improvement than running four modules at 2400-2666 CL20.

Thank you so much for the advice and I'll surely take it into consideration when buying my next setup or upgrading this one.

Still, I'd like someone to answer my initial question, as for now, I might still have this 4 DIMM issue in the future and would like to know if I've actually come to a solution by doing what I described above, or if it was just coincidence.

 

[Third-Eye]

Thank you so much for the advice and I'll surely take it into consideration when buying my next setup or upgrading this one.

Still, I'd like someone to answer my initial question, as for now, I might still have this 4 DIMM issue in the future and would like to know if I've actually come to a solution by doing what I described above, or if it was just coincidence.

Modules are programmed with looser timings than they can handle, because often people mix ram, especially in situations where it's more cost effective to buy a cheaper "matching" kit. Since your kits are rated for 2666 at CL19 or CL20, they were already likely to work together, but with manual timings. XMP (Asus calls it DOCP) is only designed to work per kit of ram, in your case each of your 2x4GB kits have their own XMP. This is part of why you shouldn't mix kits.

The tertiary sub timings may be completely different despite the primary timings being the same and this could mean both kits won't function with the XMP timings from either kit when mixed together. So to sort of answer your question, by manually entering only the primary timings and speed, you are more likely to get the kits to work together with the motherboard setting automatic timings that will probably be looser than either kits XMP setting.

If you check in AMD Ryzen Master, you can see the sub timings with both kits installed and then if you want to, you could check the sub timings of each kit individually installed in slots A2/B2.

 

[OttoDobler]

Modules are programmed with looser timings than they can handle, because often people mix ram, especially in situations where it's more cost effective to buy a cheaper "matching" kit. Since your kits are rated for 2666 at CL19 or CL20, they were already likely to work together, but with manual timings. XMP (Asus calls it DOCP) is only designed to work per kit of ram, in your case each of your 2x4GB kits have their own XMP. This is part of why you shouldn't mix kits.

The tertiary sub timings may be completely different despite the primary timings being the same and this could mean both kits won't function with the XMP timings from either kit when mixed together. So to sort of answer your question, by manually entering only the primary timings and speed, you are more likely to get the kits to work together with the motherboard setting automatic timings that will probably be looser than either kits XMP setting.

If you check in AMD Ryzen Master, you can see the sub timings with both kits installed and then if you want to, you could check the sub timings of each kit individually installed in slots A2/B2.

Thanks, this helps a lot.

 

[scout_03]

dont go over 1.20 volt on the ram and if they work at same jedec and speed without issue to system keep them there but it is never a good option to mix ram .

 

[kwikvinny]

so in cpu-z what should my 8gb g-skill ram look like as far as ranks that says single and frequency. Basically if working correctly what should cpu-z say for numbers?