Question msi pro z890 XMP fails

[jzzcutler]

I've built a system with MSI Pro z890A, Intel 245K, and 4x48GB Gskill 6400 cl32-39-39-102. I've got the latest BIOS (v2.a61 12/30/2024). TLDR: how can I tell whether the RAM or the mobo is bad? It runs with the default BIOS settings, but when I turn on XMP it hangs during boot (post 4F, 7F, or others) or pops a message saying "Previous overclock settings failed". Before the BIOS update, it would always issue the message (no hangs) when attempting XMP. With XMP off, Windows memory checker (mdsched.exe) has died twice without showing results but memtest86v11 says memory is fine (at 4400MT/s instead of 6400MT/s).

I've already had a bad experience with the mobo: Win 11 installed fine but the moment I ran system update, the monitor would go black for both the board's HDMI and the RTX 3070's HDMI. Updating the BIOS to v2.a60 fixed this but the MSI site didn't have any guidance on the problem.

Ancillary question: if I bought a more expensive MSI board would the BIOS be any better or should I go with another brand of mobo?

 

[Lutfij]

TLDR: how can I tell whether the RAM or the mobo is bad?
Try the ram kit on a known working motherboard and see if the issue persists on donor board.

I've already had a bad experience with the mobo: Win 11 installed fine but the moment I ran system update
Ideally you're advised to install Windows 10/11 in offline mode(without the www) using this method;

View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_GuFH9KdHC0

for OOBE screen, then manually installing all drivers in an elevated command, i.e, Right click installer>Run as Administrator. Then once you've finished installing all drivers, is when you update the OS, after tethering to the www.

Ancillary question: if I bought a more expensive MSI board would the BIOS be any better or should I go with another brand of mobo?
The pro series of boards from MSI were always entry level. You could look into another board btu only after you've ruled out that you didn't get a bad ram kit or a bad board or perhaps the Integrated Memory Controller(IMC) on the CPU is having an issue.

Side note, if you did flash to the latest BIOS recently, did you clear the CMOS? Ideally you should disconnect from the wall and display, then remove the CMOS battery, press and hold down the power button to drain any residual power for 30secs, then replace the battery after 30mins.

 

[jzzcutler]

TLDR; read this before you buy really fast RAM. The listed memory speed on z890 mobo's is for when you have only one stick of RAM.
On all the z890 mobo's I've looked at (MSI, Gigabyte, ASUS, ASRock), it turns out the memory speed they list is only for when you have one stick of RAM. When you go to the detailed specs, you'll see something like this (from specs):
Memory Support 9200 - 6400 (OC) MT/s / 6400 - 4800 (JEDEC) MT/s
Max. overclocking frequency:
• 1DPC 1R Max speed up to 9200+ MT/s
• 1DPC 2R Max speed up to 7200+ MT/s
• 2DPC 1R Max speed up to 4800+ MT/s
• 2DPC 2R Max speed up to 4800+ MT/s
This means with 4 sticks of 6400MT/s the max speed I can hope for is around 4800MT/s. See this for details:
Why two RAM modules are better than four

 

[jeny38mark]

I've built a system with MSI Pro z890A, Intel 245K, and 4x48GB Gskill 6400 cl32-39-39-102. I've got the latest BIOS (v2.a61 12/30/2024). TLDR: how can I tell whether the RAM or the mobo is bad? It runs with the default BIOS settings, but when I turn on XMP it hangs during boot (post 4F, 7F, or others) or pops a message saying "Previous overclock settings failed". Before the BIOS update, it would always issue the message (no hangs) when attempting XMP. With XMP off, Windows memory checker (mdsched.exe) has died twice without showing results but memtest86v11 says memory is fine (at 4400MT/s instead of 6400MT/s).

I've already had a bad experience with the mobo: Win 11 installed fine but the moment I ran system update, the monitor would go black for both the board's HDMI and the RTX 3070's HDMI. Updating the BIOS to v2.a60 fixed this but the MSI site didn't have any guidance on the problem.

Ancillary question: if I bought a more expensive MSI board would the BIOS be any better or should I go with another brand of mobo?

Hello,
A higher-end MSI board (e.g., Carbon or Godlike) is more likely to handle high-speed RAM like your G.Skill kit at 6400MT/s due to:

Better BIOS tuning and compatibility with high-speed DDR5.
Improved power delivery for the CPU and memory controller.
Optimized memory trace layout for higher frequencies.
That said, MSI BIOSes have a reputation for being hit-or-miss even on premium boards. If you're frustrated with MSI, Asus (ROG Strix series) or Gigabyte (Aorus series) are solid alternatives known for better BIOS stability and memory tuning.
Four 48GB Sticks: While 192GB of RAM is impressive, this is pushing the limits of consumer-grade platforms. Using 4x48GB DIMMs at 6400MT/s puts significant strain on the memory controller and motherboard design. If you're using this much memory for workstation tasks, stability might be more valuable than raw speed, and you may want to consider scaling back to 5600-6000MT/s for reliability.
High-End CPU + Midrange Board: Pairing an unlocked Intel K-series CPU with a midrange board can sometimes bottleneck performance in areas like memory. If you plan to overclock heavily or run high-speed XMP profiles, investing in a higher-tier motherboard could save headaches. If you want to stick with MSI, you might consider their higher-end Z890 boards for better BIOS tuning and memory support. However, if you're already feeling let down by MSI, switching to Asus or Gigabyte might provide a smoother experience. As for your RAM, it's likely fine, but the 4x48GB configuration is inherently challenging to stabilize, so tuning manually or lowering expectations on speed might be necessary for now.