X99X RAM anamoly...

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Hi - I recently purchased an ASROCK X99X system board and built it out over the weekend.  Core system specs are as follows: 
- Intel I7-5820K
- G.SKILL Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3000 (PC4-24000) Desktop Memory Model F4-3000C15Q-16GRK
- SSD 256G|SAMSUNG MZHPV256HDGL-00000
- Corsair AX860i Power supply

On initial build the system appeared to be running fine - and mighty fast as well! :-)  But after several days, it failed on reboot with error b7.  I reseated RAM and CPU and it continued to throw b7.  I reset BIOS - same result.  I pulled three of the DIMMS and left one in A1 - same result.  Now here's where things get weird.  The system appears to run fine with all four DIMMS.  But only if they are installed in C1/C2/D1/D2.  The manual is pretty insistent that the DIMMS should be installed in A1/B1/C1/D1.  

So my two questions are (a) does running this way result in reduced performance?  And (b) do I possibly have a faulty board?  

Thanks!

~Tim

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silverdragon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 10 Aug 2015 Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote silverdragon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: X99X RAM anamoly... Posted: 10 Aug 2015 at 11:06pm
	Hi - I recently purchased an ASROCK X99X system board and built it out over the weekend. Core system specs are as follows: - Intel I7-5820K - G.SKILL Ripjaws 4 series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3000 (PC4-24000) Desktop Memory Model F4-3000C15Q-16GRK - SSD 256G\|SAMSUNG MZHPV256HDGL-00000 - Corsair AX860i Power supply On initial build the system appeared to be running fine - and mighty fast as well! :-) But after several days, it failed on reboot with error b7. I reseated RAM and CPU and it continued to throw b7. I reset BIOS - same result. I pulled three of the DIMMS and left one in A1 - same result. Now here's where things get weird. The system appears to run fine with all four DIMMS. But only if they are installed in C1/C2/D1/D2. The manual is pretty insistent that the DIMMS should be installed in A1/B1/C1/D1. So my two questions are (a) does running this way result in reduced performance? And (b) do I possibly have a faulty board? Thanks! ~Tim

parsec Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 04 May 2015 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 4996	Post Options Post Reply Quote parsec Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Aug 2015 at 2:45pm
	With your four DIMMs in the C1/C2/D1/D2 slots, you are running dual channel memory. Your four DIMMs in the A1/B1/C1/D1 slots provides quad channel memory. You can verify what I said using CPU-Z, checking the memory tab. Other hardware monitoring programs will provide the same information. You could have a faulty board, or damaged pins in the CPU socket. Also, excessive pressure on the CPU from your CPU cooler could also cause this to happen. Is there anything that might have happened just before the problem started? BIOS update? BIOS/CMOS clear, and the default values are not correct for quad channel operation? As you know, the C and D channels are both on the right side of the CPU, the apparently affected channels A and B on the left of the CPU. You may not know that there are two separate power supplies (VRMs) for the left and right side DIMM slots. Perhaps the left side memory VRMs went bad. Not sure how else to diagnose the DIMM slots, thinking about that...


silverdragon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 10 Aug 2015 Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote silverdragon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Aug 2015 at 11:15pm
	Thanks for the suggestion - appreciate the advice and it totally makes sense. I'll pull the CPU and examine the socket/pins under some magnification, reseat and make sure the cooling module is not too tight. If I don't see any physical damage and the problem persists, I'm going to contact Tech Support about a possible replacement.