Question XMP profile discrepancies

[Dom1912s]

Hi all,

I'm having some trouble with two kits of 2 x 8GB G skill f4-3200c16d-8gtzr.

As far as I can tell they're identical, minus the fact one set was produced in 2017 and the other in 2021.

This problem only seems to have cropped up after a motherboard replacement but I can't be 100% on that as the old motherboard caused so many issues that this may have just been masked.

As it stands I can run all 4 sticks at 2133Mhz on memtest for 4+ hours without any errors, I can run each stick individually, and I can run pairs in the A and B dimm slots.

No errors occur until I enable xmp, at which point memtest immediately churns out red lines.

When checking the xmp profiles I noticed that the tRRD varied from 4CLK - 2.500sns to 6CLK - 3.500ns between the new and old set.

Similarly, despite both tRRD_L values being 8CLK the nanoseconds(?) varied from 4.849 - 5.000.

https://imgur.com/a/cDDXiI4

https://imgur.com/a/4GTtq49

Would this difference be sufficient to cause XMP instabilities?

Would there be a manual fix to this?

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums and a Happy New Year, newcomer!

one set was produced in 2017 and the other in 2021.
I'd try and see if they don't have any issues working as standalone kits(meaning not mixing or matching).

This problem only seems to have cropped up after a motherboard replacement but I can't be 100% on that as the old motherboard caused so many issues that this may have just been masked.
What was your prior motherboard? If you performed a platform swap or a chipset change, you will need to reinstall your OS.

As for the motherboard, can you get into BIOS? If so, please check and see what your current motherboard BIOS is.
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z690-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-DDR4/support
^ You have BIOS updates pending.

Would this difference be sufficient to cause XMP instabilities?
Possible. You're going to have to stress test the platform with both kits.

Would there be a manual fix to this?
Mixing and matching sticks or kits of ram can and will lead to instability. The IC's used to fabricate the kit of ram back in 2017 will certainly not be the same as the one made in 2021. Then again, you could prove me wrong with a stress test with both kits individually, then both kits working in tandem. If no BSoD's crop up, you're good.

 

[Barty1884]

With a 4 year swing in production dates, the only likely consistencies between the kits are the speed & primary timings. Tertiary timings (maybe secondary) are typically handled by the motherboard rather than assigned in the XMP profile - so what the board is trying to apply, is probably making one kit unstable (I'd guess applying timings for the younger kit to the older). Entirely possible your old motherboard was running them just fine.

Unfortunately, the best chance of getting these all to run at the rated speeds, would be a bit of trial & error - manually setting timings & potentially bumping voltage slightly - but no guarantee.

 

[Dom1912s]

Welcome to the forums and a Happy New Year, newcomer!

one set was produced in 2017 and the other in 2021.
I'd try and see if they don't have any issues working as standalone kits(meaning not mixing or matching).

Many hours of Memtest and windows errors has lead to a slightly mushy brain, forgot to XMP both sets individually and test their stability, shall do this and report back.

This problem only seems to have cropped up after a motherboard replacement but I can't be 100% on that as the old motherboard caused so many issues that this may have just been masked.
What was your prior motherboard? If you performed a platform swap or a chipset change, you will need to reinstall your OS.

Prior mobo was a TUF Gaming z690 plus d4, unfortunately it had a hardware error that caused a tonne of obscure but very specific WHEA errors (at least as far as I could deduce from forum sleuthing).

As for the motherboard, can you get into BIOS? If so, please check and see what your current motherboard BIOS is.
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z690-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-DDR4/support
^ You have BIOS updates pending.

I'll get on that as soon as I can.

Would this difference be sufficient to cause XMP instabilities?
Possible. You're going to have to stress test the platform with both kits.

Would there be a manual fix to this?
Mixing and matching sticks or kits of ram can and will lead to instability. The IC's used to fabricate the kit of ram back in 2017 will certainly not be the same as the one made in 2021. Then again, you could prove me wrong with a stress test with both kits individually, then both kits working in tandem. If no BSoD's crop up, you're good.

 

[Lutfij]

Yeap, motherboard swap = reinstall your OS. Just to avoid you confusing an OS issue with memory issue.

 

[Dom1912s]

Meant to amend that in my reply!

Originally this did manifest itself as what looked like OS driver issues, constant BSOD's but all windows errors.

Most troubleshooting pointed to drivers as the issue but I eventually ran a windows memory test to have it come back with a fault.

Thus began the Memtest saga on a fresh OS.

I'm currently testing on a clean OS (second install) with only the packaged mobo drivers and GPU drivers.

 

[Dom1912s]

Yeap, motherboard swap = reinstall your OS. Just to avoid you confusing an OS issue with memory issue.

I've updated the BIOS and run some XMP tests on each pair of sticks.

Been using A2/B2 as my motherboard suggests.

When run as their individual pairs 2017/2021 XMP is stable for a full memtest run. When combined, even with the new BIOS, still unstable.

I'm guessing unless I want to run 2 x 8GB or buy a new 4 piece set I need to start manually tweaking timings to mimic XMP but with the lower secondary timings?

 

[Lutfij]

I'm guessing unless I want to run 2 x 8GB or buy a new 4 piece set I need to start manually tweaking timings to mimic XMP but with the lower secondary timings?
If you have time, then yes. if you don't ditch the ram kits and get a set of 4 sticks that are very close in terms of serial numbers, if you're physically purchasing the rams.

 

[Dom1912s]

I'm guessing unless I want to run 2 x 8GB or buy a new 4 piece set I need to start manually tweaking timings to mimic XMP but with the lower secondary timings?
If you have time, then yes. if you don't ditch the ram kits and get a set of 4 sticks that are very close in terms of serial numbers, if you're physically purchasing the rams.

Given that I've never tweaked RAM outside of enabling XMP, I take it manually doing so is difficult and arduous?

 

[Lutfij]

If you know what you're looking for, no. If you're clueless, a sheet of A4 paper helps, and an HB pencil or a pen to take down notes but it takes time to input numbers, then stress test. Your issue is with the IC's in them. You're going against the tide here, IMHO. Someone else from the community can come in and prove me wrong as I'm human and can be wrong.

I stated purchasing sticks that are very close to eachother in terms of serial number in case you find 2x16GB kits and not higher capacity dual 2x kits or a 4x kits.

 

[Dom1912s]

If you know what you're looking for, no. If you're clueless, a sheet of A4 paper helps, and an HB pencil or a pen to take down notes but it takes time to input numbers, then stress test. Your issue is with the IC's in them. You're going against the tide here, IMHO. Someone else from the community can come in and prove me wrong as I'm human and can be wrong.

I stated purchasing sticks that are very close to eachother in terms of serial number in case you find 2x16GB kits and not higher capacity dual 2x kits or a 4x kits.

Well, I appreciate your feedback/help.

I might have a little poke at the settings and see if some simple tweaks don't somehow solve things but I don't think I have much more patience for this issue when I can survive on 16GB.

I'm a bit begrudged to buy more RAM/buy a 4 piece kit... but I guess I'll make that decision down the line.

Thanks again, happy new year.