Question Ram slot 1 possibly bad?

[bkayrac]

Hello, first time here, I have some knowledge of PC's IE my troubleshooting with this problem, but nothing in depth when it comes to hardware.

I ordered a PC from cyberpower, This PC has 32 gigs of ram(8x4 ddr4 3200), and a gigabyte aorus x570 ultra.

I noticed my ram was running slow, so I used gigabytes windows software to change the clock speed to the speed the ram sticks were, 3200. After some time, I checked it again, and it had reverted to 2133 or something like that. So I switched it again, restarted right away 2x and XMP went back to disabled, and the ram back to 2133, the default.

I then decided not to trust the software and just go into the bios myself and modify it, as I had to do that on a PC years ago. Easy, no problem.

The bios was unable to be accessed, only a black screen. I tried every combination of display ports and HDMI ports, different resolutions, monitors, tv's, you name it. I then proceeded to clear cmos, no luck. Then removed the graphics card and pulled the battery and clear'd cmos again. No luck.

On an off chance I read about ram sometimes causing issues. Removed 1/3 and left 2/4.......BAM, bios. So I started troubleshooting further, tried ridiculous combinations of each stick of ram, and each slot. Finally figuring out that if there is a ram stick in slot 1, I cannot access the bios. Windows will boot fine, everything seems to run fine, except that I cannot access the bios, and the ram runs at 2133 instead of 3200. Each ram stick works in any other slot, but none of them let me access the bios in slot 1. And without anything in slot one, I can enable XMP and get the 3200 speed.

I should add, the graphics card removal was a cyberpowerpc suggestion as well as the cmos, battery removal, and they were on the phone with me while I was running through the ram slots testing.

To me, this sounds like a RMA motherboard, but I wanted to check with some people who know there stuff on any other basic things I could try, and possibly not have to send it back and wait for a few more weeks without my new PC?

EDIT, as an addition, I did qflash the most recent bios, as well as the last 2 versions, thinking it was a bios issue. All 3 operated the same way.

 

[Darkbreeze]

You should not use any desktop software to change settings for memory or CPU in Windows. Those are settings that should ALWAYS be configured in the BIOS, or not at all.

I would recommend that you return the settings to the default configuration and then uninstall the software or utility you are using. These bundled utilities ALWAYS cause more problems than they EVER help with.

Then make sure you have the MOST up to date BIOS version for your motherboard installed. Then go into the BIOS and enable the XMP profile. Save settings and exit BIOS. If the system will not POST or retain the memory settings, then it is possible you may have to bump up the DRAM (memory) voltage a bit in order to run four sticks at that speed. Try increasing the memory voltage by .005-.020v increments, using whatever the smallest increment the motherboard BIOS setup program will allow you to use is. For some boards that is .005v. For many Gigabyte boards it is .020v increments. If it still fails to POST and retain settings, rinse and repeat. Continue to do so until you either reach 1.4v or it stablizes.

It's also possible that the memory kit you have is simply not compatible with your motherboard. Also, since it is stable with two sticks installed in the A2 and B2 slots, first populate those, increase the DRAM voltage, save settings, exit, shut town, add the other two sticks and then power back on to see if it will POST.

What is the exact model of your memory kit?

If it is not a BIOS issue, nor a voltage issue, nor an issue with having four DIMMs installed, then it is possible that you either have a bent pin on the CPU OR your cooler is installed unevenly and is making the system act as if there is a bent pin because the CPU is cocked in the socket. Or some other CPU cooler mounting error has occured. As seen here:

https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...ual-channel-ram-problem.3483682/post-21058435

 

[bkayrac]

You should not use any desktop software to change settings for memory or CPU in Windows. Those are settings that should ALWAYS be configured in the BIOS, or not at all.

I would recommend that you return the settings to the default configuration and then uninstall the software or utility you are using. These bundled utilities ALWAYS cause more problems than they EVER help with.

Then make sure you have the MOST up to date BIOS version for your motherboard installed. Then go into the BIOS and enable the XMP profile. Save settings and exit BIOS. If the system will not POST or retain the memory settings, then it is possible you may have to bump up the DRAM (memory) voltage a bit in order to run four sticks at that speed. Try increasing the memory voltage by .005-.020v increments, using whatever the smallest increment the motherboard BIOS setup program will allow you to use is. For some boards that is .005v. For many Gigabyte boards it is .020v increments. If it still fails to POST and retain settings, rinse and repeat. Continue to do so until you either reach 1.4v or it stablizes.

It's also possible that the memory kit you have is simply not compatible with your motherboard. Also, since it is stable with two sticks installed in the A2 and B2 slots, first populate those, increase the DRAM voltage, save settings, exit, shut town, add the other two sticks and then power back on to see if it will POST.

What is the exact model of your memory kit?

If it is not a BIOS issue, nor a voltage issue, nor an issue with having four DIMMs installed, then it is possible that you either have a bent pin on the CPU OR your cooler is installed unevenly and is making the system act as if there is a bent pin because the CPU is cocked in the socket. Or some other CPU cooler mounting error has occured. As seen here:

https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...ual-channel-ram-problem.3483682/post-21058435

Patriot viper elite 3200. It was listed on the motherboard accepted ram PDF file.
RM-602-214 PATRIOT 8GB DDR4-3200 VIPER ELITE

The XMP works fine as long as there is no ram in slot1, the second you put any in there, XMP gets disabled on the next reboot, and the default 2133(or close) speed is selected. Also, everything else works fine, windows loads, it's stable, it just disables XMP and reduces the ram speed with a ram stick in slot 1A. With sticks in slot 2/4, XMP is enabled, and memory runs at 3200, it doesn't matter which sticks, just as long as it's 2/4 and not 1

It currently has the most current bios update, which is F11.

With the knowledge above is it still worth trying to increase the voltage with 2 sticks to 1.4, and then seeing if it works in 1?

Edit to add, exact model is p48g3206uveo

 

[bkayrac]

Alright, 1.4 is perfectly stable with 2/4 used for ram. However, adding a stick into slots 1/3 produces the same no access to bypass and the bios going back to xmp disabled and 2133 for the ram

The PC will load and operate after, it just won't let the ram stay at 3200

After increasing the voltage, and adding the last 2 sticks of ram, to 4 total. With the voltage set to 1.4, The PC acts very weird, it won't shut down normally, had to be manually shut down, and then proceeding to take a long time to boot.

After booting with 4 sticks at 1.4v and 3200. I went to restart, and it never actually turned off, just stayed powered on with no display, a manual shut down, and it had reset the bios settings back to 2133 on the ram.

 

[Calvin7]

I believe that PC maker only offers a short warranty on their products. You likely have a claim.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Patriot-Vi...R4-RAM-Dual-Kit-by-CyberPowerPC-/274212793466

 

[USAFRet]

"I ordered a PC from cyberpower..."

Can you return this system to original out of the box config?
Hardware, and all settings?

 

[bkayrac]

	I believe that PC maker only offers a short warranty on their products. You likely have a claim. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Patriot-Vi...R4-RAM-Dual-Kit-by-CyberPowerPC-/274212793466 I do have an RMA setup, but I figured sometimes you can figure out/fix things, to prevent having to ship the entire thing back, and then wait for it to come back

 

[bkayrac]

"I ordered a PC from cyberpower..."

Can you return this system to original out of the box config?
Hardware, and all settings?

I have cleared the cmos multiple times, so all the hardware and what not should be back. I haven't tried re-installing windows, but not sure that would even help considering the problems I am experiencing?

 

[USAFRet]

I have cleared the cmos multiple times, so all the hardware and what not should be back. I haven't tried re-installing windows, but not sure that would even help considering the problems I am experiencing?

OK, starting from the original config...does it work properly?
If not, hardware and RMA from Cyberpower (ewww)

If it does work properly, then your changing the clock speed and everything after was done incorrectly.

 

[bkayrac]

OK, starting from the original config...does it work properly?
If not, hardware and RMA from Cyberpower (ewww)

If it does work properly, then your changing the clock speed and everything after was done incorrectly.

Even at the default bios settings, I cannot get to the bios with ram in a1

Edit, the default works fine except I can't get into bios, and my ram speeds are 2133 instead of 3200 to clarify

 

[USAFRet]

Even at the default bios settings, I cannot get to the bios with ram in a1

RMA...

 

[bkayrac]

RMA...

That's what it may be looking like, should be about 10 days in shipping, and when they get to fix it.

Kind of a bummer, but oh well

 

[Darkbreeze]

RMA is your most common option here, and the fail safe one. If it will not work with memory installed in any specific DIMM slot, so long as the A2 and B2 (Second and fourth) DIMM slots ARE populated already, then something IS wrong.

If you are not willing or desirous of checking for a bent CPU pin or incorrectly mounted cooler, things that would not surprise ANYBODY here given that CyberpowerPC built it, then sending it back to them is really your only option.

It's either related to a bent pin, standoff under the motherboard in the wrong place, incorrectly/unevenly mounted/tightened CPU cooler, or some issue with the motherboard. There is really nothing else it can be given that all other slots work and that the A1 DIMM slot does not work no matter what memory module you try to use there or in what population configuration.

 

[bkayrac]

RMA is your most common option here, and the fail safe one. If it will not work with memory installed in any specific DIMM slot, so long as the A2 and B2 (Second and fourth) DIMM slots ARE populated already, then something IS wrong.

If you are not willing or desirous of checking for a bent CPU pin or incorrectly mounted cooler, things that would not surprise ANYBODY here given that CyberpowerPC built it, then sending it back to them is really your only option.

It's either related to a bent pin, standoff under the motherboard in the wrong place, incorrectly/unevenly mounted/tightened CPU cooler, or some issue with the motherboard. There is really nothing else it can be given that all other slots work and that the A1 DIMM slot does not work no matter what memory module you try to use there or in what population configuration.

Yeah, I get it. Thank's for taking some time with suggestions and advice.

I'll let them figure it out