Can Not get 16GBs of RAM to run @ 1866 on a Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3

[loopup2u]

Hello Everyone,

Like the problem states I am having problems running all 16 GBs of ram at 1866 in my newly built system. First off I will list my system specs in case any of it is relevant to the problem.

Intel Core i7-2700K
Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3
2X CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1866C9
2X OCZ Vertex 3 130GB SSD
2X Western Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB 10000 RPM
Asus GTX 480
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Pro
VisionTek Bigfoot Killer 2100 NIC
Antec TruePower Quattro TPQ-1000 1000W PSU

Like I said previously this is a newly built system. I put this system together for the first time about two weeks ago. In its first iteration it only had 8Gbs of RAM. At first I had problems running that at 1866. I would go into the Bios and load the XMP Profile1 and the system would not boot. It would give me an error about the RAM frequency then default to the 1333 speed. The 8GBs are in 2 4GB sticks. I removed one stick and could get the system to run the one stick at 1866 in all Four RAM slots. I switched the sticks out and could get the other one to run at 1866 in all Four slots. The problem ended up being I had the two in Slots 2 and 4, instead of the recommended 1 and 3. I installed the OS and everything was GRAVY. I was happy with it.

But then I began thinking how much better it would be if I had 16GB of RAM in it. So I ordered another 8GB of the same model of RAM. When it came I installed it in Slots 2 and 4, and didn’t have to change anything in the BIOS, all 4 sticks were running at 1866. At the same point I added the two SSDs to the mix so I had to reinstall the OS. Once the installation was done, came the numerous BSODs. It seemed like every code was different but had something to do with memory. My thinking immediately went to I got a defective stick in this latest batch. So I took the old RAM out and placed the new RAM in 1 and 3 and reinstalled the OS. It is rock solid, with the latest sticks running at 1866. So apparently all 4 sticks work great at 1866 when there are two of them in the system. When I add all 4, that’s when errors pop up in the OS side of things.

The only setting in the Bios that I altered in relation to memory is selecting Profile1 in the XMP part, just that one setting.

I have a feeling, or maybe it is just a hope that this is just some setting I never set in the BIOS that could get this system Jiving. PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[redduc900]

What does the DDR3-1866 XMP profile set the QPI/Vtt voltage to? With that much RAM installed, expect to increase QPI/Vtt (VCCIO) and possibly System Agent voltage (VCCSA) in order to run the modules at that high a frequency. From the default of 1.05V QPI/Vtt, bump the voltage up to 1.15V to start, and work your way up to ~1.35V if necessary. And System Agent voltage default is .920V, so again if necessary work your way up to ~1.15V. And instead of attempting to boot into Windows, first test the RAM for stability by booting to Memtest86+ installed to a thumb drive.

 

[loopup2u]

Hmmm

What does the DDR3-1866 XMP profile set the QPI/Vtt voltage to? With that much RAM installed, expect to increase QPI/Vtt (VCCIO) and possibly System Agent voltage (VCCSA) in order to run the modules at that high a frequency. From the default of 1.05V QPI/Vtt, bump the voltage up to 1.15V to start, and work your way up to ~1.35V if necessary. And System Agent voltage default is .920V, so again if necessary work your way up to ~1.15V. And instead of attempting to boot into Windows, first test the RAM for stability by booting to Memtest86+ installed to a thumb drive.

redduc900, Below is something I typed up before reading your response. I am gonna paste it. You can read it, But After it I will post questions relating to your advice.

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I did not mess around at all with the timings, just with the voltage.

So I was messing around with the voltage settings for the RAM and seem to have found a happy place. The RAM is supposed to run at 1.50V. I stepped up the voltage, and the OS became rock solid at 1.565V. But Battlefield 3 remained unstable until I reached 1.57V. That is a 4.7% increase over stock/recommended voltage. Here is my question.

How much damage am I doing to the RAM running it at that voltage?

I know there is no concrete answer but a general idea would help. I have not run a CPU or RAM above stock in like 10 years, so I am a little rusty. If it seems to work, would you use those settings? Is it bad to use stock timings and just bump up the voltage?

Here is my second little beef. When I first installed my system two weeks ago and only had 8GBs of RAM running at 1866, my Win 7 System rating was a 7.7 for my Ram, and 7.7 for my i7 2700K CPU. Now that I added the SSDs and now have 16GB @ 1866 my system is reading differently. The RAM is at 7.7. But to my DISMAY my i7 2700K is rated at 7.2.

So my question is does anyone know why Win 7 would report an i7 2700K @ 7.2?

Do you know how I can get it to at least report it at the 7.7 it originally rated it at?
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redduc900, Here are my questions. Is it healthier for my system if I leave the DRAM voltage at 1.5 and adjust the (VCCIO) & (VCCSA).

Like I stated in that little post above, I am pretty clueless as far as what settings I should be adjusting this day and age to get things to run smoothly. The last time I over-clocked anything it was with physical jumpers that only affected the FSB and multipliers.

And do you have any answers for the above questions on why Win 7 is reporting my CPU @ 7.2 in the WEI?

 

[EarthDog]

I cant answer the ram question, but I can tell you that the WEI is useless and not to even bother looking at it outside of the first run of it (which sets up the system to your SSD)