Author: parsec
Subject: z170m extreme 4 and unsupported ram
Posted: 20 May 2016 at 1:02pm
How do you know if your G.SKILL F4-3200C16D-16GVGB memory is the DS (Double Sided) type?
It might be, the G.SKILL specs don't say if it is SS or DS. If you look at the sticks and see memory chips equally divided on both sides of the circuit board, then it is DS memory. Chips only on one side, then SS, Single Sided.
I would never assume one hardware issue (memory compatibility) is the only cause for any other problem. PCs are too complex to assume anything.
In your case, it seems you only have problems when manually over clocking your memory. Only you know if that is true, and only time will tell if you have other problems in the future.
If your memory is only partially compatible with your board, you might have memory related issues in the future.
XMP profiles don't just change the memory speed. They change memory timings, memory voltage, and memory related voltages. If you just set the memory to 2666 and adjusted nothing else, that would explain your problem.
I have seen G.SKILL XMP profiles fail to work on some ASRock Z170 boards. The workaround is to set things manually. This procedure has worked for me:
Once in the UEFI/BIOS, if you have non-default settings other than the memory settings that you use, save them in a profile first. That is done in the OC Tweaker screen.
We'll try to OC your memory without any CPU OC, if you do that.
Next, go to the Exit screen and click on Load UEFI Defaults. If you use any non-default settings that are not related to a CPU OC, like RAID, selecting video card instead of iGPU, etc, set those now. When done Save and Exit the UEFI, and go right back in again.
Go to the DRAM Configuration screen.
Select the XMP profile in the Load XMP Setting option. I do this even though it does not seem to work completely.
Select the memory speed, you can try 3000 if you want to, otherwise choose 2666.
In the same screen, click on the DRAM Tweaker option. That lets you select all the timing settings by checking each one, and then click Ok. Choose the 3000 speed timings to click on, it should be the one on the right side.
Next go to the Voltage Configuration screen, in the OC Tweaker screen. Set the DRAM Voltage to 1.35V. Set VCCIO Voltage to 1.120V. Set VCCSA Voltage to 1.160V. You might need to increase VCCIO and/or VCCSA a little more if the PC won't boot.
Save and exit the UEFI, and see if the PC boots. If so hopefully your stability problems will no longer exist. If the PC fails to boot, reduce the memory speed and/or increase the VCCIO and VCCSA voltages.
It won't damage your memory to use them in the A2 and B2 slots, if they are DS type memory. But you can't expect them to OC as well if they are DS and you aren't using the A1 and B1 slots. That warning is not in the Memory Support List for no reason.
Subject: z170m extreme 4 and unsupported ram
Posted: 20 May 2016 at 1:02pm
How do you know if your G.SKILL F4-3200C16D-16GVGB memory is the DS (Double Sided) type?
It might be, the G.SKILL specs don't say if it is SS or DS. If you look at the sticks and see memory chips equally divided on both sides of the circuit board, then it is DS memory. Chips only on one side, then SS, Single Sided.
I would never assume one hardware issue (memory compatibility) is the only cause for any other problem. PCs are too complex to assume anything.
In your case, it seems you only have problems when manually over clocking your memory. Only you know if that is true, and only time will tell if you have other problems in the future.
If your memory is only partially compatible with your board, you might have memory related issues in the future.
XMP profiles don't just change the memory speed. They change memory timings, memory voltage, and memory related voltages. If you just set the memory to 2666 and adjusted nothing else, that would explain your problem.
I have seen G.SKILL XMP profiles fail to work on some ASRock Z170 boards. The workaround is to set things manually. This procedure has worked for me:
Once in the UEFI/BIOS, if you have non-default settings other than the memory settings that you use, save them in a profile first. That is done in the OC Tweaker screen.
We'll try to OC your memory without any CPU OC, if you do that.
Next, go to the Exit screen and click on Load UEFI Defaults. If you use any non-default settings that are not related to a CPU OC, like RAID, selecting video card instead of iGPU, etc, set those now. When done Save and Exit the UEFI, and go right back in again.
Go to the DRAM Configuration screen.
Select the XMP profile in the Load XMP Setting option. I do this even though it does not seem to work completely.
Select the memory speed, you can try 3000 if you want to, otherwise choose 2666.
In the same screen, click on the DRAM Tweaker option. That lets you select all the timing settings by checking each one, and then click Ok. Choose the 3000 speed timings to click on, it should be the one on the right side.
Next go to the Voltage Configuration screen, in the OC Tweaker screen. Set the DRAM Voltage to 1.35V. Set VCCIO Voltage to 1.120V. Set VCCSA Voltage to 1.160V. You might need to increase VCCIO and/or VCCSA a little more if the PC won't boot.
Save and exit the UEFI, and see if the PC boots. If so hopefully your stability problems will no longer exist. If the PC fails to boot, reduce the memory speed and/or increase the VCCIO and VCCSA voltages.
It won't damage your memory to use them in the A2 and B2 slots, if they are DS type memory. But you can't expect them to OC as well if they are DS and you aren't using the A1 and B1 slots. That warning is not in the Memory Support List for no reason.