[SOLVED] Display randomly shows 'No Signal' when I overclock RAM sticks

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Aug 24, 2021
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My config: R5 1600, 3060Ti, 650w psu, 2x f4-3200c16s-16gtzr RAMs. When I overclock the RAM sticks from 2133 to 3200Mhz by using A-XMP, system either randomly crashes or display goes blank and shows 'No signal'. I have done memtest86+ and found no error in RAMs.

Then I started tinkering with RAM voltage, at A-XMP profile, I first increased the voltage to 1.38v and did custom Prime95 test (range 448k to 4096k, 70% of RAM size, 'in-place' unchecked, this test is said to test RAM stability), the system crashed in first 3 minutes. Then I increased the voltage to 1.42, Prime95 test went smooth for nearly two hours then I closed it. I thought I've solved the issue, so I tried decompressing 25gb file (original size=110gb), the system crashed again.

After crashes, quite often the CPU led of motherboard lights up. Does CPU led indicate RAMs are incompatible with the CPU? What should I do next?
 
Solution
Do you have the latest BIOS? Are modules in slots two and four away from the CPU? With A-XMP enabled, manually set to DDR4-2933 to see if you can pass decompressing. If it can, check CPU SoC Voltage, you may need to boost this to stabilize the CPU internal memory controller.
Aug 24, 2021
13
0
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Do you have the latest BIOS? Are modules in slots two and four away from the CPU? With A-XMP enabled, manually set to DDR4-2933 to see if you can pass decompressing. If it can, check CPU SoC Voltage, you may need to boost this to stabilize the CPU internal memory controller.
I think I found the problem. The new memory stick I bought 3 days ago through Amazon is faulty. My older RAM went through both Hitman 2 benchmarks (Miami/Mumbai), tested it on OCCT and memtest64 for 15 minutes each and no error or crash. The new RAM crashed on Hitman benchmark, crashed on OCCT in less than 2 minutes. During first attempt of memtest64 it showed "memory locking failed (might be reserved by other apps/kernel)" and stopped, on second run it just crashed without showing any error. It's heatsink is also loose. Earlier I thought this RAM was okay since it passed memtest86+, which I ran for 2 hours. It's still within 7 days replacement/return warranty, gonna go for replacement.

It's a pleasant surprise to see support from your side. Can you please clarify on one thing? My older RAM which I bought in 2019 is also f4-3200c16s-16gtzr but it's manufactured by Hynix and the new RAM was made by Samsung. If after replacement I again get Samsung made chip, will there be compatibility issue while pairing it with Hynix RAM? And yes, the BIOS is up to date and there are only two RAM slots in the motherboard (MSI b450m pro-m2 max).
 

Zerk2012

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I think I found the problem. The new memory stick I bought 3 days ago through Amazon is faulty. My older RAM went through both Hitman 2 benchmarks (Miami/Mumbai), tested it on OCCT and memtest64 for 15 minutes each and no error or crash. The new RAM crashed on Hitman benchmark, crashed on OCCT in less than 2 minutes. During first attempt of memtest64 it showed "memory locking failed (might be reserved by other apps/kernel)" and stopped, on second run it just crashed without showing any error. It's heatsink is also loose. Earlier I thought this RAM was okay since it passed memtest86+, which I ran for 2 hours. It's still within 7 days replacement/return warranty, gonna go for replacement.

It's a pleasant surprise to see support from your side. Can you please clarify on one thing? My older RAM which I bought in 2019 is also f4-3200c16s-16gtzr but it's manufactured by Hynix and the new RAM was made by Samsung. If after replacement I again get Samsung made chip, will there be compatibility issue while pairing it with Hynix RAM? And yes, the BIOS is up to date and there are only two RAM slots in the motherboard (MSI b450m pro-m2 max).
This is why memory is sold in matched sets.
They use what is available.

People see the same part number and think it's the exact memory but the part number doesn't say that. It's the part number for the brand, style, speed, and cas nothing to do with using the same parts.
 
Aug 24, 2021
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This is why memory is sold in matched sets.
They use what is available.

People see the same part number and think it's the exact memory but the part number doesn't say that. It's the part number for the brand, style, speed, and cas nothing to do with using the same parts.
I did check on Thaiphoon. Part Number (under DRAM components) and manufacturer are different, everything else from frequency, latency, voltage, architecture etc. was exactly the same
 

mamasan2000

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Mixing ram is interesting, let's say. It can work, it might not. I ran 1 kit of Hynix and 1 kit of Samsung (4 total sticks) for a year, both same timings and speed, 3000 Mhz, CL15. Took me a while to get it stable at XMP-values, had to go in manually and edit timings. Mostly I didn't want to bother so I ran em at 2800 Mhz. I had played with overclocking the Hynix kit for 6-12 months so I knew what it was capable of. So that was an upperhand. The Samsung kit was disappointing, probably worse than the Hynix kit.
 
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Aug 24, 2021
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Mixing ram is interesting, let's say. It can work, it might not. I ran 1 kit of Hynix and 1 kit of Samsung (4 total sticks) for a year, both same timings and speed, 3000 Mhz, CL15. Took me a while to get it stable at XMP-values, had to go in manually and edit timings. Mostly I didn't want to bother so I ran em at 2800 Mhz. I had played with overclocking the Hynix kit for 6-12 months so I knew what it was capable of. So that was an upperhand. The Samsung kit was disappointing, probably worse than the Hynix kit.
Were you able to get both of them to run at 3000mhz or did you just stick to 2800? I'm not really mixing RAMs though, both are same modules: f4-3200c16s-16gtzr, one is manufactured by Hynix, other by Samsung. Thing is, you can't tell it's manufactured by which company until you open up the packing
 
Aug 24, 2021
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Unless all of the sticks came from the factory, together, packed in the same package, they are NOT the same and may very well not work together. Memory timings are much tighter than they were a generation or so ago and what worked then may well not work today.
Well that sucks. Guess I will only find out when replacement RAM comes. I would like to point out though, I'm not looking to overclock it. Meaning I don't intend to go beyond 3200mhz, could there be issue even then?
 

mamasan2000

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Were you able to get both of them to run at 3000mhz or did you just stick to 2800? I'm not really mixing RAMs though, both are same modules: f4-3200c16s-16gtzr, one is manufactured by Hynix, other by Samsung. Thing is, you can't tell it's manufactured by which company until you open up the packing

Yes, 3000 Mhz eventually ran. And you are mixing RAM. Just as I was.
In terms of overclocking, XMP is technically overclocking, just that you have a profile for it, made by the RAM "packagers". It might work at 3200 Mhz, you might have to drop to 3000 Mhz.
I had no problems at 2800 Mhz. XMP Timings at 3000 Mhz were 15-17-17 so when I ran 2800 Mhz I dropped all of them by one. 14-16-16. I highly recommend you run a memory tester, Testmem5 Anta or 1usmus-config, Memtest, HCI Memtest etc, pick one. You don't want a corrupt OS.
 
Aug 24, 2021
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Yes, 3000 Mhz eventually ran. And you are mixing RAM. Just as I was.
In terms of overclocking, XMP is technically overclocking, just that you have a profile for it, made by the RAM "packagers". It might work at 3200 Mhz, you might have to drop to 3000 Mhz.
I had no problems at 2800 Mhz. XMP Timings at 3000 Mhz were 15-17-17 so when I ran 2800 Mhz I dropped all of them by one. 14-16-16. I highly recommend you run a memory tester, Testmem5 Anta or 1usmus-config, Memtest, HCI Memtest etc, pick one. You don't want a corrupt OS.
Stabilizing RAM overclock has been nightmarish so far due to repeated system crashes. But that was probably because of faulty RAM. I'll give the new RAM decent try, if they don't work, I'll just sell them and get a compatible kit
 
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