X99 Extreme 4/3.1 cannot OC

gravelc wrote: I purchased an X99 Extreme 4/3.1 mobo yesterday.  I added my 5820K chip, which was in another mobo and overclocks fine, and 96 GB of (4x16 and 4x8 G.Skill 2133 MHz) RAM.  Couldn't get it to post, but played around with the RAM and found 1 stick was likely faulty.  Removed this, and PC boots just fine, is stable and everything works normally.  All RAM channels work - it's in quad-channel mode. However, go to apply any overclock, no matter how small, and PC will boot but either freezes or BSOD in under a minute of windows starting.  Same with the auto-overclock on the board.  Happens if I just try and go to from 3.3MHz to 3.4 MHz.  Have modified Vcore up to 1.3V, increased RAM voltage a little,  decreases RAM speed - all sorts of combinations of things.  Everything I've tried gives the same issue - perfectly stable at default settings, absolutely unstable with anything else. I'm on the latest BIOS version.  Any ideas?   My G.Skill 16 GB sticks aren't listed in the supported memory, but they seem to work fine under normal conditions.

What is the full model number of your different types of G.SKILL memory? Mixing different models, or varying capacities of the same model, can cause problems. Depending where and when you bought your memory, it is possible they have different memory chips.There can be differences between memory option settings for memory meant for X99 and the 100 series chipset boards (Z170, etc.)

You are using the latest UEFI version, is that 3.00 or 3.10?

Assuming either of those two UEFI versions, you are using the Broadwell-E compatible UEFI update with your Haswell-E processor.

What version of the Intel Management Engine software are you using?

It sounds like you don't have the appropriate IME software update for the UEFI version you are using. We have no idea what version of Windows you are using, but it seems that there is only one version for all versions of Windows. Download and install the Intel Management Engine driver ver:11.0.4.1186 from here:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/X99%20Extreme43.1/?cat=Download&os=Win1064

Your symptoms of an OC not working, given your hardware and UEFI/BIOS configuration, most likely will be caused by not updating the IME software. Intel finally released it very recently.

Some X99 users are learning this the hard way. The same thing happened with X79 systems, and the Sandy to Ivy Bridge compatibility update for Intel 6 series chipset boards.

Do not leave the VCore at 1.3V, you should not need it, and it is rather high for your processor.

Your memory compatibility is not causing the inability to OC.

Unbuntu is fine, but Win 10 isn't even with the updated EMI installed.  Suspect it's something to do with not doing a clean install of Windows when I swapped the mobo.  Problem persists.

Best approach is to do a clean Win 10  install? 


Edited by gravelc - 06 Jun 2016 at 4:20pm

You have confused Windows 10 registry entries and who knows what else, given the differences between those two mother boards, both in hardware and software.

Add to that the Broadwell-E compatible UEFI/BIOS, that contains a different IME firmware (not the IME software) that is part of the UEFI file, and you have a mess I would not trust.

Of course, this is the first time we can really try using the Broadwell-E compatible UEFI, with the updated Intel IME software, while using a Haswell-E processor.

I also use an i7-5820K in an ASRock X99 board, so will test that all myself. I just returned from the Computex show in Taipei, so have not yet had a chance to do it. I should have time later today...

Windows reset fixed 90% of the issues.  Set the auto-OC to 4.2 MHz and got a BSOD only under gaming load.  Can boot fine and run without crashing provided it's not pushed.

Could be either the rubbish 3.1 BIOS (as stated above), or the auto-OC settings aren't very good.  Will try downgrading to 3.0 (or maybe test the beta 3.03).  If this doesn't help, will start tweaking the voltages.  Chip was stable at 4.2 MHz before, and seems a good overclocker.