ASRock Forums : x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior

ASRock Forums : x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior https://forum.asrock.com/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:43:57 +0000 Wed, 23 Nov 2016 03:01:06 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.04 360 https://forum.asrock.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=3787 <![CDATA[ASRock Forums]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums_black.png https://forum.asrock.com/ <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : parsec wrote:That is strange,...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19481&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19481 Author: ualdriver
Subject: 3787
Posted: 23 Nov 2016 at 3:01am

parsec wrote:

That is strange, but at least they seem to be working. Or as Xaltar said, one DIMM is intermittent in its operation. The other board might have had a problem with the DIMM slot(s), as J Z suggested. Another possibility is bent pins in the CPU socket that were related to the memory controller, which is part of the CPU, were not in the perfect position. Or the first CPU was damaged from your "event", and we've been blaming the memory when it was fine all along.

I hesitate to say this, and forgive me, but any chance your technique for inserting DDR4 memory has improved and you simply had DIMMs not fully in their slots? I always insert memory before the board is in the PC case. I can then easily check that each DIMM is fully in the slot evenly from one side to another.

I've noticed when a DIMM is fully in its slot, the locking tab(s) on the DIMM slot are not really putting any pressure on the ends of the DIMM. I can move the tabs with my fingers a tiny bit, from side to side.

I also perform a ritual of anointing the gold contact points on the DIMMs with CAIG ProGold contact enhancer. A very, very light coating is applied that is then removed with soft tissues and then blasted with compressed gas in a can. Not that this is a required thing to do, it is well into OCD territory. Wacko

Perhaps we should just be happy everything seems to be working and not question what happened, and not try to explain it?

Similar thoughts have been going through my head. I've replaced everything with new, so I'm wondering if the RAM was OK all along. I have this $400 CPU sitting here under warranty as was wondering whether I should even bother RMA'ing it, but I think I will as it could have been the CPU all along for all I know.

He-he. No worries. I come from an aviation background.....70-80% of aviation accidents and incidents are due to human error. The statistics are similar with automobile accidents. Along those lines, I would bet 70-80% of the questions you field are due to human error, and it is certainly possible that I didn't seat the RAM properly. When I insert them, I always try to hear/feel the "click," but maybe the clicks weren't enough.

Thanks again for all of the help. It was much appreciated.

]]> Wed, 23 Nov 2016 03:01:06 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19481&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19481 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : J Z wrote:Helllo,Can it be...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19478&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19478 Author: ualdriver
Subject: 3787
Posted: 23 Nov 2016 at 2:13am

J Z wrote:

Helllo,

Can it be that only the DDR4_B1 fails?

See YouTube Video...

It definitely could be. I will look in my BIOS and see if it's a particular slot that's giving me a problem if the memory issue shows up again.

Thanks for the videos.

Edited by ualdriver - 23 Nov 2016 at 2:14am]]> Wed, 23 Nov 2016 02:13:12 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19478&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19478 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : Xaltar wrote:It sounds very...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19477&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19477 Author: ualdriver
Subject: 3787
Posted: 23 Nov 2016 at 2:11am

Xaltar wrote:

It sounds very much like an intermittent RAM module. It may be that one stick needs a little more juice to get it started than the rest or there could be a fault on the module itself.

Contrary to popular thought, not all slots are equal on a motherboard. It's basic electronics really, each slot has a different length of circuit traces between it and the respective components it connects to. So while a module might not work correctly in say slot A1 it may work just fine in say slot D1 if slot D1 is closer to the RAM's power circuitry. Longer traces = greater resistance = signal degradation. I hope that makes sense....

That said, the RAM module causing the issue is still either faulty or not quite to spec with regard to voltage. I would test the system thoroughly, power off and on, disconnect from the wall for an hour or so and power on again from a proper cold boot a few times and then, if the RAM consistently shows up correctly in OS begin testing it with Memtest. If everything checks out then you should be good to go.

Yes, that makes perfect sense. Like wiring an electrical circuit for your home. If you have a long length of wiring, you'll have greater resistance and can have voltage drop unless you use the appropriate guage of wiring. I did't realize something like that would come into play with a MB.

I'll run MEMTEST on the sticks tonight.

Thanks again for all of your help. Much appreciated.

]]> Wed, 23 Nov 2016 02:11:35 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19477&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19477 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : ]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19470&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19470 Author: J Z
Subject: 3787
Posted: 23 Nov 2016 at 12:20am

]]> Wed, 23 Nov 2016 00:20:59 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19470&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19470 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : ualdriver wrote: wardog wrote:My...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19467&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19467 Author: parsec
Subject: 3787
Posted: 22 Nov 2016 at 11:34pm

ualdriver wrote:

wardog wrote:

My guestimate: One of the four sticks is either defective or there's a difference in that sticks timings and or voltages that was programmed onto the SPD chip.

I buy a large amount of four stick matched kits. It's happened to me 4-5 times. That's why I asked to test each stick. Maybe hopefully discover the one that might be causing this.

Fingers crossed here !

Parsec, Wardog, Xaltar-

Your help was much appreciated. Obviously it was some sort of RAM issue, although I am still a bit befuddled........

I have the original 4 RAM sticks, I'll call them RAM 1, RAM 2, RAM 3, RAM 4 as i currently have then numbered. They're 4GB each.

I booted up my computer with RAM 1 & RAM 2 in the A1 & B1 slots, Windows 10 said I had 4GB of RAM intalled when I have 8GB. A bad stick I guess?

I booted up again, with only RAM 1 in A1, Windows 10 says I had 4GB of RAM installed. Great.

I booted up again, with only RAM 2 in A1, Windows 10 says I had 4GB of RAM installed. OK, I guess. I thought this would be the bad stick since RAM 1 booted normally.

I booted up again, installed RAM 3 and RAM 4 in A1 & B1. Windows 10 said I had 8GB of RAM. Great.

I booted up again, left RAM 3 and RAM 4 in A1 & B1, put RAM 1 & RAM 2 in C1 and D1, and Windows 10 says I have 16GB of RAM.

So what's going on here?

That is strange, but at least they seem to be working. Or as Xaltar said, one DIMM is intermittent in its operation. The other board might have had a problem with the DIMM slot(s), as J Z suggested. Another possibility is bent pins in the CPU socket that were related to the memory controller, which is part of the CPU, were not in the perfect position. Or the first CPU was damaged from your "event", and we've been blaming the memory when it was fine all along.

I hesitate to say this, and forgive me, but any chance your technique for inserting DDR4 memory has improved and you simply had DIMMs not fully in their slots? I always insert memory before the board is in the PC case. I can then easily check that each DIMM is fully in the slot evenly from one side to another.

I've noticed when a DIMM is fully in its slot, the locking tab(s) on the DIMM slot are not really putting any pressure on the ends of the DIMM. I can move the tabs with my fingers a tiny bit, from side to side.

I also perform a ritual of anointing the gold contact points on the DIMMs with CAIG ProGold contact enhancer. A very, very light coating is applied that is then removed with soft tissues and then blasted with compressed gas in a can. Not that this is a required thing to do, it is well into OCD territory. Wacko

Perhaps we should just be happy everything seems to be working and not question what happened, and not try to explain it?
]]> Tue, 22 Nov 2016 23:34:28 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19467&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19467 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : Helllo,Can it be that only the...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19461&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19461 Author: J Z
Subject: 3787
Posted: 22 Nov 2016 at 9:49pm

Helllo,

Can it be that only the DDR4_B1 fails?

See YouTube Video...

]]> Tue, 22 Nov 2016 21:49:15 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19461&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19461 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : It sounds very much like an intermittent...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19458&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19458 Author: Xaltar
Subject: 3787
Posted: 22 Nov 2016 at 4:24pm

It sounds very much like an intermittent RAM module. It may be that one stick needs a little more juice to get it started than the rest or there could be a fault on the module itself.

Edited by Xaltar - 22 Nov 2016 at 4:25pm]]> Tue, 22 Nov 2016 16:24:38 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19458&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19458 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : wardog wrote:My guestimate:...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19455&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19455 Author: ualdriver
Subject: 3787
Posted: 22 Nov 2016 at 2:16pm

Parsec, Wardog, Xaltar-

Your help was much appreciated. Obviously it was some sort of RAM issue, although I am still a bit befuddled........

I have the original 4 RAM sticks, I'll call them RAM 1, RAM 2, RAM 3, RAM 4 as i currently have then numbered. They're 4GB each.

I booted up my computer with RAM 1 & RAM 2 in the A1 & B1 slots, Windows 10 said I had 4GB of RAM intalled when I have 8GB. A bad stick I guess?

I booted up again, with only RAM 1 in A1, Windows 10 says I had 4GB of RAM installed. Great.

I booted up again, with only RAM 2 in A1, Windows 10 says I had 4GB of RAM installed. OK, I guess. I thought this would be the bad stick since RAM 1 booted normally.

I booted up again, installed RAM 3 and RAM 4 in A1 & B1. Windows 10 said I had 8GB of RAM. Great.

I booted up again, left RAM 3 and RAM 4 in A1 & B1, put RAM 1 & RAM 2 in C1 and D1, and Windows 10 says I have 16GB of RAM.

So what's going on here?

Edited by ualdriver - 22 Nov 2016 at 2:26pm]]> Tue, 22 Nov 2016 14:16:37 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19455&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19455 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : wardog wrote:My guestimate:...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19450&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19450 Author: ualdriver
Subject: 3787
Posted: 22 Nov 2016 at 12:31pm

Thanks! I'm reassembling now. Just want to get a clean boot to Windows, do a system image, then I am going to start dinking around with the individual sticks again and see if I can find the bad one(s).

So you have had ALL 4 sticks fail on a matched 4 stick kit? You'll have to explain that one to me as that is beyond my comprehension.

]]> Tue, 22 Nov 2016 12:31:17 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19450&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19450 <![CDATA[x99 Extreme 4 won't post / erratic behavior : My guestimate: One of the four...]]> https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19449&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19449 Author: wardog
Subject: 3787
Posted: 22 Nov 2016 at 12:12pm

My guestimate: One of the four sticks is either defective or there's a difference in that sticks timings and or voltages that was programmed onto the SPD chip.

I buy a large amount of four stick matched kits. It's happened to me 4-5 times. That's why I asked to test each stick. Maybe hopefully discover the one that might be causing this.

Fingers crossed here !
]]> Tue, 22 Nov 2016 12:12:12 +0000 https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3787&PID=19449&title=x99-extreme-4-wont-post-erratic-behavior#19449