Question memtest fails on 128GB (4x32GB) 3200MHz QVL RAM with Asus ROG Dark Hero motherboard

[Firestone]

I am using the Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero motherboard with Ryzen 5950X

ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero | Motherboards | ROG United States

AMD Ryzen 3000 series ATX motherboard with Aura Sync, SupremeFX, ROG Audio, Dual M.2, Realtek LAN, Wifi , M.2 heatsink and USB 3.2 Gen 2

rog.asus.com

I looked up the QVL list for 4x32GB RAM kits, and settled on this one; CMW128GX4M4E3200C16

CORSAIR

CMW128GX4M4E3200C16(Ver3.44)

4x 32GB

XMP

3200

3200

DS

Micron

16-20-20-38

1.35

1,2,4

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categ...Vengeance-PRO-RGB-Black/p/CMW128GX4M4E3200C16

On my first boots and setting up the OS and updating the BIOS, I left all motherboard settings as-is out of the box at stock defaults. Did not have many issues. Out of the box, the memory kit clocks around 2100MHz with this motherboard.

I ran Memtest86 overnight (about 9 hours) with these stock settings, no errors detected. Since its 128GB its gonna take a loooong time for the test to complete, so I switched over to trying out the 3200MHz speed which this RAM is supposed to be able to run at with this motherboard.

In the Asus BIOS I followed the standard instructions to enable DOCP (XMP) for the RAM. Rebooted the system, it boots just fine without issues and reports the rated 3200MHz along with the 16-20-20-38 timings and 1.35V, etc.. However when I boot into Memtest again with these settings and run the test, I get errors within the first couple minutes.

I read through the guide and I am not doing anything out of the ordinary. I have not touched any overclocking settings on the 5950X (and did not plan to, in fact I had planned to use Eco Mode instead). I have not touched any other BIOS settings at all, including RAM voltages. I have switched back the stock (non-DOCP) RAM settings and plan to run the entire Memtest again at stock settings (likely going to take 18-24hrs for this kit), just to be 100% sure the stock settings are stable and to rule out issues with the memory at stock settings. Was wondering if you guys had any thoughts or experiences with this kind of situation, before I start trying to manually adjust the RAM voltages (not ideal imo).

 

[Bob.B]

I am using the Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero motherboard with Ryzen 5950X

ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero | Motherboards | ROG United States

AMD Ryzen 3000 series ATX motherboard with Aura Sync, SupremeFX, ROG Audio, Dual M.2, Realtek LAN, Wifi , M.2 heatsink and USB 3.2 Gen 2

rog.asus.com

I looked up the QVL list for 4x32GB RAM kits, and settled on this one; CMW128GX4M4E3200C16

CORSAIR

CMW128GX4M4E3200C16(Ver3.44)

4x 32GB

XMP

3200

3200

DS

Micron

16-20-20-38

1.35

1,2,4

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categ...Vengeance-PRO-RGB-Black/p/CMW128GX4M4E3200C16

On my first boots and setting up the OS and updating the BIOS, I left all motherboard settings as-is out of the box at stock defaults. Did not have many issues. Out of the box, the memory kit clocks around 2100MHz with this motherboard.

I ran Memtest86 overnight (about 9 hours) with these stock settings, no errors detected. Since its 128GB its gonna take a loooong time for the test to complete, so I switched over to trying out the 3200MHz speed which this RAM is supposed to be able to run at with this motherboard.

In the Asus BIOS I followed the standard instructions to enable DOCP (XMP) for the RAM. Rebooted the system, it boots just fine without issues and reports the rated 3200MHz along with the 16-20-20-38 timings and 1.35V, etc.. However when I boot into Memtest again with these settings and run the test, I get errors within the first couple minutes.

I read through the guide and I am not doing anything out of the ordinary. I have not touched any overclocking settings on the 5950X (and did not plan to, in fact I had planned to use Eco Mode instead). I have not touched any other BIOS settings at all, including RAM voltages. I have switched back the stock (non-DOCP) RAM settings and plan to run the entire Memtest again at stock settings (likely going to take 18-24hrs for this kit), just to be 100% sure the stock settings are stable and to rule out issues with the memory at stock settings. Was wondering if you guys had any thoughts or experiences with this kind of situation, before I start trying to manually adjust the RAM voltages (not ideal imo).

Proper bios?

 

[Firestone]

Yes I have updated it to the latest BIOS version 4402, build date 02/03/2023

 

[Bob.B]

Yes I have updated it to the latest BIOS version 4402, build date 02/03/2023

Since all the ram comes from the same kit test them in pairs in the proper mobo slots.

 

[Firestone]

One thing I noticed is that the QVL says this is the approved RAM version:

CMW128GX4M4E3200C16(Ver3.44)

However it looks like the DIMM's I got are listed as "version 4.49"

Not sure if this is enough of a difference to make it not work? Kinda hard to believe it would be. I'm also not sure how one would be expected to buy exactly Version 3.44 anyway since its not like vendors or retailers list that detail when purchasing and its not even written on the box, but the memory sticks themselves. Also worth mentioning that the reason I chose this kit in the first place was that it was the easiest to find in stock online, most of the other 4x32GB kits on that QVL list seem pretty scarce from first-party vendors (e.g. "Sold by Amazon", "Sold by Newegg", in stock at Microcenter, etc.)

 

[Firestone]

Since all the ram comes from the same kit test them in pairs in the proper mobo slots.

running this now, one pair quickly threw thousands of errors on "Test 6" on the first pass, which I think is "Block move". The other pair got past this test and all other tests easily without any errors and is still running without issue. All at the DOCP 3200MHz setting.

 

[Bob.B]

running this now, one pair quickly threw thousands of errors on "Test 6" on the first pass, which I think is "Block move". The other pair got past this test and all other tests easily without any errors and is still running without issue. All at the DOCP 3200MHz setting.

You might just have one bad stick of ram in which case you get to return the kit and start over.

 

[Firestone]

Conclusion; i returned the original set of 128GB RAM, got a new set of the same model, it passed Memtest86 at 3200MHz, been running for a while now without any issues.

 

[--SID--]

One thing I noticed is that the QVL says this is the approved RAM version:



However it looks like the DIMM's I got are listed as "version 4.49"

Not sure if this is enough of a difference to make it not work? Kinda hard to believe it would be. I'm also not sure how one would be expected to buy exactly Version 3.44 anyway since its not like vendors or retailers list that detail when purchasing and its not even written on the box, but the memory sticks themselves. Also worth mentioning that the reason I chose this kit in the first place was that it was the easiest to find in stock online, most of the other 4x32GB kits on that QVL list seem pretty scarce from first-party vendors (e.g. "Sold by Amazon", "Sold by Newegg", in stock at Microcenter, etc.)

3.44 is Micron memory IC. 4.49 is Samsung. That's a lot of a difference and enough for incompatibility.

 

[Firestone]

Afaict it's not possible to specify which version of the RAM you get when purchasing, and there's no way to ensure you get version 3.44 instead of 4.49. Both kits I received were 4.49. Considering the QVL for this board also lists a bunch of Hyper X sku's which don't exist anymore, I think it's fair to say that this board's QVL is a minefield at this point. Can't expect anyone in the future purchasing this board to even have as much luck as I did in finally getting something to work.