No XMP1 option

[trents]

I just upgraded my RAM from a 2400 mhz Crucial pair to a 3200 mhz GSkill Trident Z pair (advertised as supporting the Z370 platform) on the motherboard in my Sig.

There is no XMP1 option in bios, just XMP2.

My understanding is that XMP1 is provided by the motherboard mfg. where the XMP2 option is provided by the RAM maker.

Is the XMP1 option missing because the bios did not have an option for this RAM product, i.e., the board and bios predated the RAM product? I have not updated the bios since 2.3 (August of 2017) because the newer bios versions contain the Meltdown/Spectre patch that hurts performance.

 

[EarthDog]

My understanding is that XMP1 is provided by the motherboard mfg. where the XMP2 option is provided by the RAM maker.

AFAIK, any XMP setting is programmed on the sticks and read by the BIOS. Most of my sticks only have one XMP profile... and the mobo mfg didn't provide those either. That is from the RAM.

Also, upgrade your BIOS. The performance hit is negligible in most cases. You would never know with your rig.

 

[trents]

Look at post #4 in this thread: https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?106270-XMP-1-and-XMP-2-difference

I am running into the same explanation on a number of other forums, that is XMP1 being baked into the bios and XMP2 being supplied by the RAM.

 

[Alaric]

Part of the RMA on my mobo was the disappearance of the XMP profile, which is present in the replacement. Now, that could be because the failing mobo couldn't read it from the RAM, or it the board itself lost it. I do know a BIOS reflash had no effect, which leads me to believe (in my case) the profile is embedded in the RAM and the board lost the ability to read it. I lean towards that reasoning because BIOS versions frequently offer support for newer RAM.

I realize I have no hard evidence of causality, but it's the best I can determine.

 

[jfriend00]

My understanding is that XMP1 is provided by the motherboard mfg.

I've never see that in an ASRock motherboard before.

Look at post #4 in this thread: https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?106270-XMP-1-and-XMP-2-difference

I am running into the same explanation on a number of other forums, that is XMP1 being baked into the bios and XMP2 being supplied by the RAM.

I've built three successive computers with ASRock motherboards and there has NEVER been an XMP setting built into the BIOS. If ASUS has that, then it must be an ASUS-specific feature. The XMP choices I get on my ASRock motherboards (currently Z390 Taichi) are read from the memory sticks and offered as a choice in the BIOS. That's what the memory maker thinks these sticks should be able to do on any supported motherboard (any motherboard on the QVL list for the specific memory product).

This is basically how it works. The maker of the memory sticks figures out what they think their sticks are capable of (timings and voltage) and they program that into the XMP config in the memory sticks. They then test that on a bunch of motherboards and add those motherboards that it works on to their QVL list for that specific memory product. You should be able to load the memory stick XMP setting in your BIOS on a supported motherboard and the sticks should work at that speed.

For speeds over 4000MHz, there's more of a chance that further tweaking might be needed of timings or voltages to get things super stable. But for speeds below 4000MHz, they should just work by selecting the XMP profile in the BIOS and rebooting (on a supported motherboard).

Note: Some memory sticks will have more than one XMP profile built in, allowing you to decide which built-in profile you want to try. Perhaps that's what XMP1 and XMP2 might mean?

 

[EarthDog]

Note: Some memory sticks will have more than one XMP profile built in, allowing you to decide which built-in profile you want to try. Perhaps that's what XMP1 and XMP2 might mean?

This is how it typically is... though one magically showing up I've never seen.

From that link, trents, its almost like there is an asus only profile on the sticks? No idea.

Let me formulate a question to our contacts at asus and see what they say about it. Many of these boards have memory profiles built in but its typically done by IC. Perhaps this works in a similar manner but I've never seen it before. Its typically jedec to start and w/e xmp is on the stick.

That is getting too involved in memory now if that is the case.

Trents...what is the xmp1 profile speeds and timings?

 

[jfriend00]

This is how it typically is... though one magically showing up I've never seen.

From that link, trents, its almost like there is an asus only profile on the sticks? No idea.

Let me formulate a question to our contacts at asus and see what they say about it. Many of these boards have memory profiles built in but its typically done by IC. Perhaps this works in a similar manner but I've never seen it before. Its typically jedec to start and w/e xmp is on the stick.

That is getting too involved in memory now if that is the case.

Trents...what is the xmp1 profile speeds and timings?

The OP has an ASRock board so it's not really relevant to their situation what ASUS does, except perhaps as an explanation about something they may have read that may have been about an ASUS board. As far as I know, the ASRock board is going to just show you the XMP profiles on the memory sticks - that's all. I've had three ASRock boards in a row and I've only ever seen the XMP profiles from the RAM sticks, nothing else. Just built a new system last month with ASRock Z390 Taichi motherboard and G.Skill memory and there was one XMP profile offered in the BIOS.

 

[EarthDog]

Im with ya.. that is how I understand it as well. I don't ever recall a second profile appearing... but never paid much attention either. I reviewed a baker's dozen worth of Z270 boards using two sets of corsair sticks and they always had one profile regardless of board, and after I flashed to the latest BIOS for the review (sometimes one version sometimes a few). 3 Z390 boards in so far and no changes so far (GSkill memory as well).

Not sure...

 

[trents]

Okay, but why is there no XMP1 option with these sticks plugged in? No XMP. No XMP1. Just XMP2 and Auto/Manual. You would think if there is only one XMP profile carried by the RAM it would show up as XMP. And if there is an XMP2 shouldn't there be an XMP1? The XMP2 primary timings in bios are the same as listed on the label on the side of the RAM sticks.

 

[jfriend00]

Okay, but why is there no XMP1 option with these sticks plugged in? No XMP. No XMP1. Just XMP2 and Auto/Manual. You would think if there is only one XMP profile carried by the RAM it would show up as XMP. And if there is an XMP2 shouldn't there be an XMP1? The XMP2 primary timings in bios are the same as listed on the label on the side of the RAM sticks.

I don't know why its labeled XMP2. Does all this really matter? Perhaps there are multiple XMP profiles in the RAM sticks and the BIOS is only offering you one of them. FYI, the free version of ThaiPhoon Burner will show you exactly what XMP profiles are in your sticks and will show you the detailed settings for them and a bunch of other info about your memory sticks. Try it.

Here's what its output looks like for one of my memory sticks. The "frequency" numbers are 1/2 of what you would expect. So, 1869MHz is the 3738 XMP speed profile that my sticks are rated for.

 

[trents]

It doesn't really matter but have you ever been curious about why something is the way it is?

Thanks for the tip about Thaiphoon Burner.

 

[Alaric]

have you ever been curious about why something is the way it is?

All the time.

 

[jfriend00]

It doesn't really matter but have you ever been curious about why something is the way it is?

Thanks for the tip about Thaiphoon Burner.

No problem. I was just trying to figure out if there was an actual problem you were trying to solve here or just curiosity. Pls post a Thaiphoon screen shot (like I did) so we can see what your memory sticks show.

 

[trents]

Here it is.

 

[jfriend00]

Here it is.

OK, can see there's just one XMP profile then for 3200MHz. Interesting to see they are Hynix memory chips, 1 rank per DIMM (which is expected for an 8GB stick).

 

[Johan45]

I think if you read the bottom of this pic it'll all be explained

 

[jfriend00]

I think if you read the bottom of this pic it'll all be explained

And, that is an ASUS-specific feature, not present in ASRock motherboards, not part of
any XMP standard. ASRock has a separate control for turning memory timing optimization on/off, though I'm not sure it's exactly the same thing.

The ASUS note seems a bit surprising because a typical XMP profile contains 8 memory timings, but there are dozens that are needed so someone has to set all those other timings anyway. Perhaps XMP1 is only loading tCAS, tRCD, tRP, tRAS, whereas XMP2 is loading all the memory timings that are present.

You can see what's in my DIMMs:

 

[trents]

So it is as I was saying in the beginning of this thread. "XMP 1: . . . BCLK frequency and other memory parameters optimized by Asus," i.e., the motherboard manufacturer, Asus. Still, there is no XMP 1 choice in my bios so ASRock does not offer this feature, at least not on my particular motherboard.

OK, can see there's just one XMP profile then for 3200MHz. Interesting to see they are Hynix memory chips, 1 rank per DIMM (which is expected for an 8GB stick).

Not surprising. The Samsung "B die" chips are found on the products with CL 14. I knew that when I bought these but I wasn't willing to pay the extra for the Samsung. Especially since AMD has been working out the incompatibility issues with the Hynix based memory in this frequency range. Actually, this purchase was made with a possible future Ryzen build in mind. Funny thing is, some of the benchmark scores, particularly in Realbench, are actually a little worse with this new 3200 mhz memory than they were with my Crucial 2400 mhz kit. Same CL as the Crucial but other timings are more relaxed. Cinebench R15 shows a slight increase with the higher frequency RAM, however.

 

[EarthDog]

It is for asus z390 boards it seems. Though I didnt see it on the z370 apex or a mini itx of theirs (two options), that I recall. These settings, according to that description are using XMP primaries, and then as jfriend says has the rest programmed in. "XMP1" in and of itself isn't for the motherboard to take over and populate as was said in the first post. ASUS just calls it XMP as it uses part of the XMP profile.

I also wouldn't call it an xmp profile personally as those are stored on the chip. Most boards only have one xmp option or two if there are 2 xmp profiles on the ram itself. A generic "xmp1" doesnt mean mobo's descrestion......except on his asus board.

edit: The ASRock Z390 Ex4 I have shows Auto/Profile 1 only.


I guess to answer the question in the first post... I would ping ASROck and see why its reading it as XMP2. It is just a name... but curious as to why that would be myself.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Because Asus didnt optimize the XMP1 profile (a feature AsRock doesnt have) it loads XMP2 profile which would be the memory full set profile.

AsRock may have XMP1 optimized feature, just not for that set of memory. Which revision of the memory is actually on the QVL. Is the QVL outdated or current to bios revision?

Its a good read. At the end of the day..... Does it work with AsRock or not?