FX 8370 won't POST

So here's my problem.

I have an ASUS M5A99FX Pro r2.0 motherboard that has been running with a Phenom II 955 for a long time. I was running two sticks (16 GB total) of Crucial 1866 DDR3, BLE2KIT8G3D1869DE1TX0, but overclocked only slightly above 1333 MHz . I was never able to achieve 1866 with this setup, even when using DOCP and entering the specific timings listed on the sticks. That specific module is not on ASUS' QVL list. Nonetheless, the system booted and was stable albeit at a lower frequency.

Recently I decided to change the CPU to an FX 8370 FD8370FRHKHBX, which I have installed. With the Crucial memory and the FX 8370 in place, one or two sticks, the system will not POST under any circumstances. I've tried the Mem Ok! button, tried using all automatic safe defaults which should clock the RAM at 1333, tried using the stock 1866 DOCP profile and tried manually entering the timings. I have bumped up the RAM voltage to 1.55 and the NB to 1.2V, all with absolutely no success and a whole bunch of wasted time since I have to re-install my 8 GB of Corsair 1333 memory just to get to the BIOS.

What gives? I would throw in the towel and just make a new RAM purchase - I need more than 8G - but I don't want to throw away my money only to wind up in the same situation.

Thanks for the help.

There's a few things here
First the PII 955 isn't rated to run 1866 ram. That was your issue with it, typically 1600 was about max for that CPU.
What I would do first is clear your CMOS. Power down the PC and turn the PSU off. Set the CMOS jumper to clear and also remove the battery. If you have been changing CPUs and memory without doing this the BIOS can get confused and just needs to be cleared. After replacing the battery and jumper, re-start leaving the BIOS at default and see if it'll go to windows.

PS: another thought although I don't think you would need to. is the BIOS up to date? Newer BIOS offers better support for new CPUs

PS: another thought although I don't think you would need to. is the BIOS up to date? Newer BIOS offers better support for new CPUs

Click to expand...

I had to update the BIOS on that same board when I bought it. I had to plug my Phenom X4 9850 in and update it before it would run the FX I bought at the same time.

Thanks for the repiles.

I reset the CMOS the first time I had a complete failure, but I'll give it another go just to be sure. I never expected to get 1866 with the Phenom II, I was just recycling memory from an Intel motherboard and thought I could get better performance now that I have upgraded.

The BIOS is at rev 2501, which is the latest available.

So the computer will work? Just not at 1866 mem speed? If that's the case it could just be the ram. 2x8GB sticks might need a few adjustments. One of the frequent fliers here had real issue with 1866 and his FX CPU and it was 2x4GB my first suggestion if that is the case is to give the ram .05 extra volts.

Johan45 said:

So the computer will work? Just not at 1866 mem speed? If that's the case it could just be the ram. 2x8GB sticks might need a few adjustments. One of the frequent fliers here had real issue with 1866 and his FX CPU and it was 2x4GB my first suggestion if that is the case is to give the ram .05 extra volts.

Click to expand...

The computer will work but not this combination of CPU and memory. The old Phenom will work (or at least, it did before I swapped out the CPU) with either the 1866 or the 1333 memory sticks running at 1333 MHz. The FX will not boot the 1866 under any conditions. It will ONLY run with the 1333 memory.

Phenom II w/1333 memory @ 1333 automatic settings -> OK
Phenom II w/1866 memory @ 1333 automatic settings -> OK
FX 8370 w/1333 memory @ 1333 automatic settings -> OK
FX 8370 w/1866 memory @ <settings irrelevant> -> No POST

The faster memory will not run with the faster CPU at any speed whatsoever regardless of every adjustment I have tried.

Are you sure the RAM is working at it's intended 9-9-9-27 while at 1866mhz ? Auto/DOCP/XMP sometimes doesn't set the timings correctly and i didn't see your memory in the "motherboard approved" manual (not that it matters most of the time but still...)

I would remove the CPU and check the underside of it for bent pins.

trents said:

I would remove the CPU and check the underside of it for bent pins.

Click to expand...

If there were any you'd never get it in the socket.

Mr.Scott said:

If there were any you'd never get it in the socket.

Click to expand...

Not so. I've done it more than once. I you ignore the early warning going off in you head that says, "This thing doesn't seem to be seating correctly," and force her down the bent pins sill flatten out between the rows with sufficient force.

Some information on system hangs and such found here in this PDF.


EXAMPLE from PDF.

Overview
The purpose of the Revision Guide for AMD Family 15h Models 00h-0Fh Processors is to communicate updated
product information to designers of computer systems and software developers. This revision guide includes
information on the following products:
• AMD FX™-Series Processor

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

714 Processor May Check DRAM Address Maps While Using
L2 Cache as General Storage during Boot

Potential Effect on System
The processor may recognize a northbridge machine check exception for a link protocol error. The machine
check exception may cause a sync flood and/or a system reset. This may be observed as a system hang.
The machine check has the following signature:
• The MC4_STAT register (MSR0000_0411) is equal to BA000020_000B0C0F. Bit 62 (error overflow) or bit
59 (miscellaneous valid) of MC4_STAT may or may not be set.
• Bits 5:1 of the MC4_ADDR register (MSR0000_0412) is equal to 01001b, indicating that a coherent-only
packet was issued to a non-coherent link.
The conditions under which this erratum may be observed as a system failure are sensitive to the core and
northbridge frequencies. AMD has only observed this erratum with one G34 processor configuration where the
software P-state 0 core frequency is less than the northbridge frequency

Suggested Workaround
BIOS should set MSRC001_102A[8] to 1b prior to using L2 cache as general storage during boot, and then
should restore MSRC001_102A[8] to it's original value after completing L2 cache as general storage.
Fix Planned
No fix planned

http://support.amd.com/TechDocs/48063_15h_Mod_00h-0Fh_Rev_Guide.pdf

trents said:

Not so. I've done it more than once. I you ignore the early warning going off in you head that says, "This thing doesn't seem to be seating correctly," and force her down the bent pins sill flatten out between the rows with sufficient force.

Click to expand...

That's on you.
You don't 'force' anything. If it's proper, you don't have to.

Mr.Scott said:

That's on you.
You don't 'force' anything. If it's proper, you don't have to.

Click to expand...

Obviously. But novices do a lot of stupid things.

trents said:

Obviously. But novices do a lot of stupid things.

Click to expand...

True enough, but I was building PCs from scratch when most of the folks in this good forum were still firmly latched to momma's teat. Nevertheless, I'll be checking the underside of the CPU this weekend. Because even non-novices do a lot of stupid things sometimes.

cletus87408 said:

True enough, but I was building PCs from scratch when most of the folks in this good forum were still firmly latched to momma's teat. Nevertheless, I'll be checking the underside of the CPU this weekend. Because even non-novices do a lot of stupid things sometimes.

Click to expand...

Can't argue with that. I haven't gotten to the point in life where I quit doing stupid things. When I arrive there, I'll let everybody on the forum know.

trents said:

Can't argue with that. I haven't gotten to the point in life where I quit doing stupid things. When I arrive there, I'll let everybody on the forum know.

Click to expand...

So here's the latest. No funny business with the CPU pins.

Under no circumstances will the system boot with only the 8Gb Crucial sticks in. However, if I put the 4Gb sticks in at the same time, I can successfully post. When I do so, I can see some interesting facts. The following screen shots were captured with the system set to fully automatic, no overclocking, default settings.

Here is a couple of screen shots from the BIOS:



Notice that the total system memory is reported as 8176 Mb, yet the North Bridge shows all slots populated with the correct values.

If I boot through to Windows, I have 8Gb of available memory and 16Gb of Reserved unavailable memory.

CPU-Z reports the following for both of the unusable sticks:


And here's the data on the ones which work, just for reference:


I would just throw in the towel right now and think this memory was simply not compatible with my motherboard but for the fact that it ran with the Phenom just fine.

trents said:

Obviously. But we all do a lot of stupid things.

Click to expand...

fixed that for you.



what bios version are you running?
is the cpu the only thing you changed?

- - - Updated - - -

pull the 2 8 gig sticks out, it looks like it's not happy with those in.

Make the ram amounts equal in both channels.
You can't use XMP either. The 4 gig sticks don't support it. Use the looser timings on the small sticks and bump the voltage to 1.6v. You'll never see 1866 with that mis-matched set. You may not even see 1600.

Doesn't make much sense that it will not post with the just 2X8g sticks it but it will with both the 2x8g and 2x4g. Have you tried with just the 2x8g sticks setting the ram at 1333 manually and the timings as well just to see if it will boot?