Z170 Extreme 7 first time asrock user questions
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Topic: Z170 Extreme 7 first time asrock user questions
Posted By: apachehavok
Subject: Z170 Extreme 7 first time asrock user questions
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2016 at 10:53pm
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Hi all! In a few days I will have the asrock extreme 7+, the I7 6700 and 2x 16GB kits of Gskill 3200! No RAID setups just yet. Will be just using a few SSD's and a dvd drive for the windows installs. First time Asrock user as I have been an Asus fan for 15 years now but could not pass up the deal I got for the extreme 7 Few questions if ya don't mind 1: I have to use my windows 7 license to do the free upgrade to windows 10. Do I just enable ps2 emulation in the BIOS and boot off the windows 7 DVD? I will install windows 7, install all the drivers, disable ps2 emulation, then run all windows updates including the windows 10 upgrade. After windows 10 is installed and working I plan on burning the 10 ISO and doing a clean from scratch windows 10 install so as not to have the 7 stuff lingering there. Does that sound ok?^ Are those the right steps or am I missing something? 2: At what point do I switch to UEFI mode? Or do I even need to? I have been a windows 7 user for years and this is my first step in upgrading past windows 7 and am still slightly confused as to what even UEFI does? 3: Regarding the Gskill ram. Has anyone gotten the 2x 16gb gkill kits to work? It was much cheaper to get 2x 16gb kits rather then the single 32gb kit but was hoping that because I ordered the 2 at the same time it would be compatible. Thanks for any info everyone! |
Replies:
Posted By: clubfoot
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2016 at 10:34am
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You should be abe to enter you valid Win7 key during the Win10 installation on a clean Win10 install. You can also upgrade to Win10 and retrieve the Win10 key....then do a clean Win10 install with the Win10 key. Check the memory validation list on the ASRock Web site for your board....just to be sure :) ------------- https://valid.x86.fr/1tkblf" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2016 at 12:39pm
I can't speak for MSoft and how they handle the free upgrade to Windows 10. If all I had to do was use a Win 7 key to activate a fresh Win 10 installation, I would have never bought the Win 10 keys I now have. IMO, you cannot use a Win 7, 8, or 8.1 key to activate a new Win 10 installation from a free ISO download. I would be thrilled to be proven wrong, but I'll need more proof than "it should work...". Such as the page on MSoft's website that describes how it is done. I checked into that last year, and as I recall, it's not that simple or possible. The upgrade installation of Win 10 from an existing, qualifying Windows product, is tied to the mother board of the PC as usual. At no point are we provided with an activation key during the upgrade. The so called tools for retrieving Windows activation keys are not to be trusted IMO. The upgrade to Win 10 works, and so will a fresh installation of Win 10 on the same mother board. During the fresh Win 10 installation, you have the option to Skip entering the key, and do so. Once the installation is complete, Win 10 will automatically activate as long as you have a working network connection. I must ask what you mean by "changing to UEFI mode"? I know what it means to me, but please be more specific. The requirement to use "UEFI mode", which for most users means configuring the UEFI/BIOS before a Windows 8 - 10 installation to cause the Windows installation program to use the EFI bootloader, is only required if you are using a PCIe SSD as the OS drive. That is, any of the Samsung M.2 PCIe SSDs, XP941, SM951, or 950 Pro, and Intel PCIe SSDs, the 750s or any of the DC P3000 series. Since you bought the Z170 Extreme7+, I assume you will be using at least one of those SSDs. Any SATA drive used as the OS drive can be used in UEFI mode, but that is not necessary. If you mean you want to enable the Secure Boot option, which will automatically configure the UEFI settings to boot in UEFI mode, then that must be done before the OS installation. There a few other things you would need to know if you plan on or need to install Win 10 in UEFI mode, but I'd like to know what you meant in using that term. Mixing two kits of memory is much less of a gamble when they are ordered at the same time, I will agree with that. But there is still some luck involved when doing that, and no 100% guarantee they will work together. I've had and have seen both success and failures doing that. The faster the DDR4 memory is (at and above 3000), and the greater amount of memory being used, the less likely it will be a success. Are your kits each 2 x 8GB DIMMs? What is the full model number of that G.SKILL memory? Your choice of 3000 is good, as the amount of memory that can be used begins to drop off as the speed increases above 3000. Check the Memory Suppor list for your board here: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z170%20Extreme7+/?cat=Memory" rel="nofollow - http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z170%20Extreme7+/?cat=Memory ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow"> 
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apachehavok wrote:Posted By: clubfoot
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2016 at 1:37pm
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I just installed Win10 64/32 from a Microsoft UEFI USB iso image on a USB stick on my new 7+ and used my Windows 8.1 key to install to a UEFI RAID0 M2 setup! So yes it does work! And I have also reinstalled that same UEFI Windows 10 on my Asus Maximus VI HERO several times using the windows 10 key from a key utility! So yes that also works! Of course your mileage may vary...which is why I said "should work ". The main advantage to using UEFI is boot speed....to the average user. In order to take full advantage of it all your hardware must be UEFI compatible (my 7950's are not) or the boot process is slower. Also if you have USB devices like steering wheels connected it will slow it down. When I say slow down it is miniscule like 10 seconds to desktop! But without "anything " attached >5 seconds. YMMV. ??br> ------------- https://valid.x86.fr/1tkblf" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: GuruNot
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2016 at 10:41pm
Hi Parsec, you may want to take a look at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/activation-in-windows-10" rel="nofollow - this . The additional activation methods have been present since the Fall Update (Build 1511) . Any bootable iso created with the http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209" rel="nofollow - Windows Media Creation Tool should support this mechanism. ------------- Intel Core i7 5930K | ASRock X99 WS | 32GB Corsair Vengeance LPX EVGA GTX 980 Ti Classified ACX 2.0+ | SM951 M2 NVMe | QPAD MK-85 DeathAdder Chroma | Phanteks Enthoo Primo | AX860i | Win 10 Pro x64 |
Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2016 at 1:23am
clubfoot and Gurunot, thanks for your posts and information!  I'll be trying this soon, that is using one of my many Win 7 keys I no longer use for a Win 10 installation. If it fails I'll be coming after you, varying mileage or not!  It seem MSoft has changed their stance on the Win 10 upgrade since the initial offer, but again I could be wrong. It makes sense that MSoft would do this, since they rather be supporting only one version of Windows rather than several at the same time. I've been an advocate of, and using UEFI booting for several years now. The first PC I did this with used an ASRock Z77 Extreme4 board, and believe it or not, Windows 7. Win 7 needs a small fix in the location of the EFI boot loader in order to work correctly during the installation in UEFI mode. For the record, ASRock has supported UEFI booting for most if not all of their mother boards since 2012. That cannot be said for all the mother board manufactures out there. The reality of using UEFI firmware in our PCs, with CSM enabled, is really a shame, but as you said clubfoot there are good reasons why it is done that way. The irony is when CSM is enabled, the ONLY feature of UEFI firmware being used is the support for the GUI interface for the UEFI/BIOS options. That tends to be what some users don't like, and blame that on the UEFI firmware.  PCIe SSDs which require the use of the Windows EFI boot loader in order to be used as OS drives, has finally caused UEFI booting to be getting more attention. While PCIe SSDs as OS drives can be accomplished by simply forcing the use of the EFI Option ROM with CSM enabled, anything that causes EFI type programs to be used is a good thing IMO. Personally, I require my video source to be GOP compatible, and install Windows with CSM disabled as standard procedure. The change to the full use of UEFI firmware is slow, but we'll all get there eventually.  ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: apachehavok
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2016 at 7:18am
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Awesome thanks everyone!! YES I just read that if you download the windows 10 media creation kit and use your windows 7 key it *should* install. Next week when the parts come in I will try it and report back here. The ram I will be using is this. I purchased 2 of these kits: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231902 ^Hopefully they will work. Also have any of you used the in BIOS update utility? Its the first thing I plan on doing once it boots for the first time. If this board has 2 lan ports, which one do you use or do both work? Thanks all!! |
Posted By: clubfoot
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2016 at 11:17am
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I used the BIOS update on first boot and used the lower port to flash. Check the ASRock 7+ mother board memory support list to ensure compatibility. ------------- https://valid.x86.fr/1tkblf" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2016 at 12:55pm
Regarding the function of your memory, check this review of your memory at a well known e-Tailer... it's not so much the review I want you to see, but the response to it from a G.SKILL representative. It's the review dated 2/25/2016, as of today the second review on the first page: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231902" rel="nofollow - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231902 There are other comments from G.SKILL rep's in other reviews you may also find useful (I don't recall a memory manufacture being this honest about their products.) One very important thing to take from the rep's comments, when mixing two (or more) different kits of memory, don't mix DIMMs from different kits in a single channel. The comment states use one kit only in the same color slots, which means one channel. That will increase the chances the two kits will work in your board. That makes sense, particularly given another part of the comment that surprised me. That is, "... the XMP profile is programmed for each kit, so it will not work with multiple kits installed.". This comment may be a generalization about all the kits of a specific model during its production lifetime. As I've read, the memory chips in a specific model of memory can be different at the beginning and end of its production cycle. That would clearly make it possible for some of the XMP profile data to be different. What might happen is for each DIMM that is built, it is tested, and its XMP data programmed to match its capabilities. Kits of multiple DIMMs are then created out of DIMMs with matching XMP profiles/capabilities. I've noticed in the UEFI/BIOS of several of my ASRock boards, that the DRAM Tweaker feature that allows you to manually populate multiple memory options using XMP data, allows you to choose which slot/DIMM to take the XMP data from. The reason for letting you choose which slot/DIMM to use, I've never understood, until (possibly) now. Since all the memory settings are the same for every DIMM in the board, the DRAM Tweaker option apparently will let us see if (some) of the XMP data is the same or different for each DIMM in the board. An interesting part of this feature, if that is one of its intents. You may have trouble trying to start/POST if you put both kits in the board at the same time. I would certainly never attempt to use them the first time with the XMP profile enabled. Whatever you do, be sure you somehow identify which DIMMs belong to each kit, don't mix them up. When trying to use both kits, use one in one channel, and the other kit in the other channel. I've used the Internet Flash option a few times, it works fine. If you use it, you should put a USB flash drive in one the the USB ports on the board's IO panel. Internet Flash will copy the UEFI update file to the flash drive for use if the update fails for some reason, once the PC is started again. Both network ports work, both are Intel so only one driver installation program to run. Win 10 has given the Intel networking driver some problems, the teaming feature is broken and still not fixed after five releases of the Intel networking driver.  Either port can be used, I actually have both active. ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: apachehavok
Date Posted: 11 Apr 2016 at 10:22pm
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Thanks for the awesome response!! Yes I guess my hope is that the 2x kits they send me happen to be from exactly the same production line and same memory modules. If not then I guess I will have to just return them and pay the extra to get a single 32gb set. I will test and report here next week. I will also report the detailed memory information if/when it boots into windows and share that information here. Few more questions for you wonderful Asrock folks! This motherboard (and probably all Skylake based motherboards) are UEFI only right? The days of BIOS are dead. Fine by me, just want to get a full understanding. Secure boot or no secure boot? What are your thoughts on each? When booting windows for the first time, should I use the drivers from the disk or go ahead and just use the drivers from the asrock site. (Ive had an ASUS board before that was better to use the disk drivers first then update them with the ones on the site) What Asrock software does everyone use here and find useful? If for now I am not going to be using teaming, which Intel LAN port is better? Are they exactly the same? I will have the 6700K on an open loop water cooling system (4x 140mm rads) so heat wont be an issue. Should I just use the built in OC settings? What is the max voltage I want to avoid? Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the comments here!! |
Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 12 Apr 2016 at 2:03pm
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UEFI firmware has been in use for several years now, at least five years really. No PC mother board manufacture would use BIOS firmware at this time. You can navigate the UEFI GUI type interface with just the arrow keys/cursor movement keys if you like. UEFI firmware simply allows the GUI type interface to be used, it is actually independent of UEFI firmware. I began writing a long description of UEFI firmware, and how to actually use some of its features, but I realized you may not need those at all. It depends upon what you are using as your OS drive, what type of drive. I have no idea what that will be. Since you are building a PC after not doing so for a while, you don't need added complications that may be unnecessary for the hardware you'll be using. We can tell you how to enable the UEFI features you need, IF you need them, in a few sentences, rather than paragraphs of explanations. My thoughts on Secure Boot are irrelevant to you, if you know you need it and why. I don't use it now, but I could enable it in a few minutes because my OS installations are configured in the manner that Secure Boot requires. You can use the drivers from the included disk just fine. Your potential need for the latest version of a particular driver depends upon the hardware you are using with the board. The drive or drives for the OS again are an example of that. Either network port will be faster than any Internet provider's service will be able to provide. Speed wise they are rated the same. One is a standalone network chip, the other is just the PHY interface to the networking capabilities included in the Z170 chipset. You can try the built in OC settings, but they tend to use higher than necessary voltages so they will work with a wide range of processor OC capabilities. Those settings can be good examples of what you need to do, but not as voltage limits. ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2016 at 1:31pm
Just following up to say this works fine. No problem whatsoever. Of course, following the procedure in the link above is necessary, but not a hardship at all. MS could not have made it simpler, the Media Creation Tool program downloads and creates the bootable USB Flash drive, which works perfectly for a UEFI booting Windows installation, or standard installation. MSoft had to go to this method of changing to Win 10, instead of the ways they initially did. I did not want to install Win 7 just to use the upgrade to Win 10 offer, and then do another, clean Win 10 installation. Hopefully the "digital entitlement" activation will be as flexible as using an OEM activation key, when moved from one PC (mother board) to another. ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: apachehavok
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2016 at 10:18pm
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Awesome thanks for all the info! I did contact Gskill and they said that its better to get a single 32gb set (4x 8gb) then the 2x 16gb but it does have a chance of working. Ill report back here and see what it does. One thing they did mention is that this motherboard is only rated for up to DDR4 2800. I thought it could go might higher then that? Am I wrong in thinking that it can do 32gb of DDR4 3200? Thanks! |
Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2016 at 1:05am
The answer is not simple.  First, this board has memory up to 3866 in the memory support list. Personally, I have 8GB (2 x 4GB) of G.SKILL TridentZ 3200 memory, that I have been able to OC to 3600. I must have memory training enabled at all times for this to work (MRC Fast Boot disabled), but it does work. For example:  Feel free to show this to G.SKILL. Only running at 3200 now, I'll try to find time to get it to 3600 again. The UEFI/BIOS has memory speed options beyond 3866, and while those speeds are difficult to achieve, the settings are available. As I wrote earlier in this thread (I think...), the more memory being used in the board, the more difficult it is to run it at higher speeds. That is a reality with any mother board, and actually the combination of the board and the memory controller in the CPU. The Memory Support list is a good reference about this situation. Please take a look: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z170%20Extreme7+/?cat=Memory" rel="nofollow - http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z170%20Extreme7+/?cat=Memory Notice as the memory speed increases, particularly above 3000, the number of DIMMs that can be used and have been tested successfully decreases. Starting at one DIMM per channel, some very high speed memory will only work with one DIMM in single channel mode. But we can clearly see that there is a kit from G.SKILL, of 4 x 16GB DIMMs at 3200, that may be used with two DIMMs per channel, the F4-3200C14Q-64GVK kit. The price is breathtaking: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820232220" rel="nofollow - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820232220 Note that this memory is very similar to the model you plan on using. Similar being the keyword here, but in your case not a matched four DIMM kit. Why G.SKILL told you this board is only rated for memory up to DDR4 2800, I don't know, but I know that is false from personal experience. It is difficult to know the exact specs for every board that exists. Of course, if I can look up this information, so can someone else.  Can I guarantee all of your memory will work at 3200? Nope. I hope it does, or at a slightly reduced speed, say 3000. The only way to know is if someone that uses the identical pair of kits that you want to use has done so, reads this thread and lets you know. I would not depend on that happening. ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: apachehavok
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2016 at 2:40am
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parsec you are a rockstar! I will report all my findings here once I get the thing together this weekend. If it doesn't work then I will probably just return them and get the 32gb kit. If it does then sweet! Again I will report back here with everything! Thanks again! |
Posted By: apachehavok
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2016 at 4:23am
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So small update. The 2x 16gb kits I received from newegg had 4x serials in a row!! one kit had xxx-xxxxxxxx1119 and xxx-xxxxxxxx1120 and the other had xxx-xxxxxxxx1121 and xxx-xxxxxxxx1122 so that's a good sign haha |
Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2016 at 12:49pm
That's a good sign?  I'd say it's a great sign! If those two kits don't work together, then IMO the kits are tweaked so they don't work together.  One more bit of information for that G.SKILL representative, about ASRock boards not supporting memory above 2800 speed. Send him this link: http://www.asrock.com/news/index.asp?id=3287" rel="nofollow - http://www.asrock.com/news/index.asp?id=3287 ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: apachehavok
Date Posted: 21 Apr 2016 at 1:13am
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Reporting back! System ROCK solid for about a week now at 4600mhz (full load 49C) with the mem at 3200. Ran a benchmark while having a maya file eat up 30gb of ram. Rock solid overnight! Prob a little luck here but yeah, 4x 8gb sticks G.skill 3200 running rock solid at 3200mhz |