Question Not sure if this should be in MB, cpu or memory forum

[pyrateprime]

I have a old MSI Xpower gaming AC X299 board (socket 2066) with a 7800x in it. It has 4 8gb sticks in quad channel in the correct slots.
Recently I went and gave it a good cleaning and replaced the water cooler and all of a sudden the CPU wont access any dimms in A1-D1 (in fact c1 causes memory beep errors). BUT the BIOS sees all 4 sticks, hwinfo shows there's 32GB but the bios reports 16GB in dual channel and windows only sees 16gb.
I did take the cpu out so I could clean all the old compound off it and what spread to the socket bracket. I did notice some of the connectors on the cpu are really dark. So I'm wondering if either the socket or cpu got messed up somehow and if so which do you think it is? I looked at the socket and none of the pins looked bent but I dont have a spare lga 2066 cpu to test.

Here are pics of hwinfo showing it sees all 4 dimms, and here's windows showing it only sees 16gb (same with the bios, bios sees all 4 dimms when you go look in the memory section but only reports 16GB and only will see 16GB even if i move all 4 dimms to the right slots). All the dimms tested fine, just looking for advice on if it's the CPU, socket or something with the board.

Bios is up to date, I've tried the hard clear with removing the battery for 5 mins, pulling the power, holding power button to discharge the power supply but the bios still says 16GB but reports with board explorer and under advanced -> memory (in the bios) there are 4 8GB dimms. I dont have pics of the bios but here are the pics I have. If you guys think the cpu is the issue, thats cheap enough to replace for the role this machine is in but I'm looking for advice/help

https://imgur.com/4NEXREo

https://imgur.com/Ps1b2rY

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

I did notice some of the connectors on the cpu are really dark.
Would've served you well if you included an image of what you had seen. With the CPU's bottom side facing you,

take an eraser and then rub the contacts until you reveal the gold contact points. You can maybe use isopropyl alcohol to give the CPU a wipe but make sure you've removed any little bits of eraser.

I've tried the hard clear with removing the battery for 5 mins, pulling the power, holding power button to discharge the power supply
Ideally you disconnect from the wall and display, then remove the CMOS battery, then press and hold down the power button to discharge any residual power off the system. Replace the battery after 30 mins.

I went and gave it a good cleaning and replaced the water cooler
How did you perform the clean? What cooler were you on and what cooler did your replace it with? Might want to see if loosening the fastening on the cooler's mount helps alleviate the issue, as in - don't tighten all the way. Often times too much pressure can cause some pins to not make contact and as such can produce memory errors. Might want to see if the cooler resting on the CPU after the CPU's been reseated gently alleviates the issue.

I'd also see if reflashing the BIOS alleviates the issue if the above don't work.

 

[DRagor]

More info needed. Take one stick of RAM, try it in each of 8 slots and report how the system behaves (does it boot, what BIOS sees, what Windows sees). However if I had to guess based on what we already have I would also point toward problem with either CPU or improper cooling mounting.

 

[pyrateprime]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

I did notice some of the connectors on the cpu are really dark.
Would've served you well if you included an image of what you had seen. With the CPU's bottom side facing you,

take an eraser and then rub the contacts until you reveal the gold contact points. You can maybe use isopropyl alcohol to give the CPU a wipe but make sure you've removed any little bits of eraser.

I've tried the hard clear with removing the battery for 5 mins, pulling the power, holding power button to discharge the power supply
Ideally you disconnect from the wall and display, then remove the CMOS battery, then press and hold down the power button to discharge any residual power off the system. Replace the battery.

I went and gave it a good cleaning and replaced the water cooler
How did you perform the clean? What cooler were you on and what cooler did your replace it with? Might want to see if loosening the fastening on the cooler's mount helps alleviate the issue, as in - don't tighten all the way. Often times too much pressure can cause some pins to not make contact and as such can produce memory errors. Might want to see if the cooler resting on the CPU after the CPU's been reseated gently alleviates the issue.

I'd also see if reflashing the BIOS alleviates the issue if the above don't work.

I used artic MX cleaning/degreasing pads that came with the artic MX 6 compound to clean off the old paste, it smelled like car degreaser but it took off the paste real fast. I had a intel AIO 120mm that died and replaced it with the exact same thing from a decommissioned pc. I'll take pics of the cpu and socket today and post them, maybe someone with better eyes can see something I'm missing. I'll also try it without the cooler so tight and see. Might as well do that now.

I've flashed the bios a bunch of times again but like I said, the "board and bios" see all 4 sticks, but it's like the cpu wont address the sticks on the left side.

Let me power down and snap pics

be back with them shortly

 

[Lutfij]

replaced it with the exact same thing from a decommissioned pc
Your own system or bought used? You should be on a 240mm or higher surface area AIO, not a measly 120mm.

Once you've verified that the BIOS was successfully flashed, clear the CMOS(replacing the battery after 30 mins, realized I forgot to add that in my prior post) and then try again. One other thing you can do is use the eraser trick on the sticks of ram as well. Wipe clean and then reseat.

 

[pyrateprime]

More info needed. Take one stick of RAM, try it in each of 8 slots and report how the system behaves (does it boot, what BIOS sees, what Windows sees). However if I had to guess based on what we already have I would also point toward problem with either CPU or improper cooling mounting.

in B1 B2 A1 A2 the PC wont post if there are no dimms in C2 C1 D2 D1
if I have sticks in b1 a1 c1 d1 the board sees them according to the bios but reports 16GB, windows the same, hwinfo shows there is 32GB but only half is addressed
also if i stick all 4 in c2 c1 d2 d1 it still only sees 16GB but reports 32.
Let me get the new pics up and try to remount everything

 

[pyrateprime]

replaced it with the exact same thing from a decommissioned pc
Your own system or bought used? You should be on a 240mm or higher surface area AIO, not a measly 120mm.

Once you've verified that the BIOS was successfully flashed, clear the CMOS and then try again. One other thing you can do is use the eraser trick on the sticks of ram as well. Wipe clean and then reseat.

Cooler was from another old system of mine, never had heat issues with it, cpu never went above 65 at 4.6 maxed,
brb getting pics

 

[pyrateprime]

ok I cleaned and reseated the cpu and laid the cooler on top with no pressure, same thing, 16GB.
Flashed the bios again, same thing.

Here are pics of the cpu, the socket and the bios.

https://imgur.com/TQnbG8a

https://imgur.com/LSpXMkf

https://imgur.com/z4TAs5Q