DDR5: The Great Four Stick Fiasco of 2024

[rainless]

Back BY POPULAR DEMAND (from no less than Ed himself...) we have the Great Four Stick Fiasco of 2024!

I dunno... Maybe I'm the luckiest person on Earth... but I've been running four sticks of mixed RAM on every computer I've ever had... for two decades... with absolutely no problem at all .

This time around it was Crucial (CL36) and G.Skill (CL32)





Last time it was also Crucial and G.skill.



But this time around I could only get three of the four sticks from the first photo to run (48GB):








They appear to be running at some sort of quad frequency of 4000MHz. I really don't care about that at all. What matters to me is this:





88% of Memory used... Before I was getting 98%.... then a crash. This is while using a 3D scanner.

Obviously I looked for a matching pair of RAM sticks before I bought the set of Crucial that was on sale for Black Friday... TO NO AVAIL! There was nothing even resembling the G.Skills that I have on sale for Black Friday.

I'm wondering if there's some mystical timing that I could use to get all four sticks running.

If not... it doesn't really matter. Even the extra 16GB that I have has helped tremendously with the scanning... and that's what we're allll heere for.

 

[freeagent]

I always run mixed sets too

Holy dander!

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[EarthDog]

Thanks for creating a new thread.

I'd like to see the SPD images (2x... one for each of your sticks) so we know what sticks you have exactly.

Your best bet to get them all working is to manually set the timings to the slowest of the pairs and the voltage to the highest of the pairs (they may be the same) while leaving the speed alone (for now... it's slow enough). What those are, we can tell you when we see the SPD tab for the different sticks.

Another option, as explained, would be to buy a matching set of four.

https://www.newegg.com/corsair-64gb-ddr5-5600/p/N82E16820236934?Item=N82E16820236934&SoldByNewegg=1

Or, a higher density set of two, scrapping/selling/reusing what you have now - https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=2x32GB+ddr5&Order=1&N=8000

This way it's not 'rigged' and running in mixed mode (32GB in dual channel, 16GB in single) because of the current 3 DIMM configuration. It doesn't seem to concern you though (any speed difference or the fact that you can't seem to use 1/2 the RAM you bought for now).

 

[JLK03F150]

If you are going to post a pic of your RAM in the board, post your current system. Looking at your DDR4 is just confusing.

To add to E-Dawg's suggestion, put your slower & higher CL sticks in slots 2 & 4. Clear your CMOS as you change RAM slot configurations too.

 

[rainless]

I always run mixed sets too

Holy dander!

DATAVAC® ELECTRIC DUSTER® | Electronic Air Duster

The MetroVac DataVac® Electric Duster® is a compact yet unbelievably powerful computer and equipment duster. Learn more about this electronic air duster.

metrovac.com

Pfft! ...I have a compressor.

That's my old machine that I've taken apart (besides the motherboard and RAM)

Thanks for creating a new thread.

I'd like to see the SPD images (2x... one for each of your sticks) so we know what sticks you have exactly.

Your best bet to get them all working is to manually set the timings to the slowest of the pairs and the voltage to the highest of the pairs (they may be the same) while leaving the speed alone (for now... it's slow enough). What those are, we can tell you when we see the SPD tab for the different sticks.

Another option, as explained, would be to buy a matching set of four.

https://www.newegg.com/corsair-64gb-ddr5-5600/p/N82E16820236934?Item=N82E16820236934&SoldByNewegg=1

Or, a higher density set of two, scrapping/selling/reusing what you have now - https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=2x32GB+ddr5&Order=1&N=8000

This way it's not 'rigged' and running in mixed mode (32GB in dual channel, 16GB in single) because of the current 3 DIMM configuration. It doesn't seem to concern you though (any speed difference or the fact that you can't seem to use 1/2 the RAM you bought for now).

Yeah, as I mentioned, I checked the sales... any other set of RAM ain't happening right now. And I kinda needed the memory RIGHT now. There will almost surely be an after-Christmas sale or a Christmas sale or something. I only paid 79 bucks for this stuff and it allowed me to complete a VERY expensive scan. (I don't think you have a 3D scanner yet... When you do.... you'll get it.)

If you are going to post a pic of your RAM in the board, post your current system. Looking at your DDR4 is just confusing.

To add to E-Dawg's suggestion, put your slower & higher CL sticks in slots 2 & 4. Clear your CMOS as you change RAM slot configurations too.

I am INSANELY proud of you! Here we are in 2024 where classes that were encouraging critical thinking have been utterly DECIMATED... yet you still managed to figure out it was the old RAM!

I took a photo of the new RAM... and looked all over for it when I was making this post. Nowhere to be found.


...UNTIL NOW!

 

[EarthDog]

All that and no pics of the SPD tabs for each unique stick, lol. Someone nudge me when the relevant info is here to help.

 

[rainless]

All that and no pics of the SPD tabs for each unique stick, lol. Someone nudge me when the relevant info is here to help.

REFRESH, Noob!

It just posted before the photos uploaded for some odd reason.

 

[WhitehawkEQ]

There are so many words I want to use right now but I'm not going to use them, in the world of IT, never never never mix ram, sure you can get lucky but more often than not you don't. If you are going to do it, do as what ED posted in post #3.

 

[EarthDog]

REFRESH, Noob!

It just posted before the photos uploaded for some odd reason.

You had four minutes!!! You edited them in just after I posted...that's the reason.

Anyway, what I would do with those sticks (outside of selling them and doing it right, lol), would be to set things to 40-40-40-77-117 at 1.35V with the speed as is and see if you can get all four to boot.

IMO, the key there is setting the voltage to 1.25V to let that kit work at your current speed. The other doesn't need it, but it won't hurt. You can raise it more if you decide to push speeds. DDR5-4800 with 4 sticks isn't unreasonable.

 

[rainless]

You had four minutes!!! You edited them in just after I posted...that's the reason.

Anyway, what I would do with those sticks (outside of selling them and doing it right, lol), would be to set things to 40-40-40-77-117 at 1.35V with the speed as is and see if you can get all four to boot.

IMO, the key there is setting the voltage to 1.25V to let that kit work at your current speed. The other doesn't need it, but it won't hurt. You can raise it more if you decide to push speeds. DDR5-4800 with 4 sticks isn't unreasonable.

Just to make sure I'm understanding you: You're saying set the voltage to 1.25v to run at my current speed (with four sticks?) and 1.35v to run the four sticks at CL40?

 

[EarthDog]

To start, set the voltage at 1.35V, then set the timings manually to what I listed. That should work fine with 3, then add the 4th and see if it works. Leave the speed (DDR5-4000) alone.

 

[rainless]

To start, set the voltage at 1.35V, then set the timings manually to what I listed. That should work fine with 3, then add the 4th and see if it works. Leave the speed (DDR5-4000) alone.

Hahahaha... okay. Apparently the UEFI has gotten waaaayyyyy more complicated since last time I checked. I have absolutely NO IDEA how to change the ram voltage (Asus MB in sig)... or the fifth timing value for that matter. I was able to do 40-40-40-77... then I spent about an our clicking and scrolling through about 3000 options. Never saw one for changing the RAM voltage (or putting in that last 117).

There are far more customization options than I remember...

 

[Woomack]

VDD and VDDQ are for DDR5 RAM. They can be equal at lower voltages, so 1.35V VDD and VDDQ.
Z890 motherboards are more complicated.

 

[dumpa]

I mean if the slower speeds are not impacting your experience, and you have no stability or other issues, why not?

 

[rainless]

I mean if the slower speeds are not impacting your experience, and you have no stability or other issues, why not?

THANK YOU!

Thus far I've noticed... precisely... ZERO performance difference. I suppose if I pulled out the new stick and got it back up to DDR5 6000 and ran a benchmark... I might see a difference... I just wouldn't care.

And I'm not doing anything LIGHT here...

I'm 3D scanning real-world objects at like 15-20 frames a second generating MILLIONS of tracking points and diving deep into the edits.

I'm not just playing a game of Fortnite over here!

And it not only works... It works extremely... ridiculously well.

Just gotta get that fourth stick in there.

 

[EarthDog]

I mean if the slower speeds are not impacting your experience, and you have no stability or other issues, why not?

Surely. At this point, I thought we were trying to get the 4th stick to work. Speed would come next. Otherwise, and rather ironically, using one stick lops the value proposition off at the knees essentially paying $80 to use one stick. But if it's working satisfactory....

If he doesn't care, we don't. But happy to continue working with him to get that 4th working (no update on the suggestions from a couple of days ago?).

 

[maxfly]

Thread title is misleading OP. Your kneecapping yourself. Running 1 of 2 modules from a new set... how's that a win when you've dropped $80 for a 2x16gb DUAL channel kit? I've run mismatched kits several times, difference being I ran all 4 modules. Not baggin on ya. Just not understanding your logic. Or your slow rolling the help being offered up to get the 4th module running?

Not very good value until you get the second module running properly is it?

 

[rainless]

VDD and VDDQ are for DDR5 RAM. They can be equal at lower voltages, so 1.35V VDD and VDDQ.
Z890 motherboards are more complicated.

You JUST commented on my memory thread and you think I'm unfamiliar with your work? OF COURSE I'm familiar with your work.

Didn't have the chance to thank you for this, though... So thank you. Was really confused that it doesn't just say: "Voltage" anymore.

Thread title is misleading OP. Your kneecapping yourself. Running 1 of 2 modules from a new set... how's that a win when you've dropped $80 for a 2x16gb DUAL channel kit? I've run mismatched kits several times, difference being I ran all 4 modules. Not baggin on ya. Just not understanding your logic. Or your slow rolling the help being offered up to get the 4th module running?

Not very good value until you get the second module running properly is it?

I tried my very best to explain my logic... I even included photos which I highlighted and annotated.

Of COURSE the goal is to run all four sticks. That's what we're here for. It's the whole reason this thread exists.

I just ran into a roadblock trying to implement EarthDog's RAM timings. (Because it isn't NEARLY as simple to do RAM timings as it used to be... at least not on the motherboard that I have. You used to just type in the values and the voltage and BAM... done... it's a little different now.)

But the thing you're missing is why I needed the extra RAM in the first place. That would answer your question about the "value of 1 out of 2 sticks of RAM".

The REASON i needed more RAM was because I'm 3D scanning something and running out of RAM. Like I just barely did not have enough.

Finishing the scan was, to me, more important than getting all four sticks of RAM working.

So, once I got the third stick working, I finished the scan.

Still haven't had a chance to get the fourth stick in there because holidays and what not and haven't even had a chance to open the computer again.

But anyway, that's the critical piece of information you were missing. Soon as I'm done either cooking Christmas dinner or recovering from New Year's drinking... I'll have another go at it.

 

[freeagent]

I have to say, I am a little disappointed with your cabling job.

Steve wants to know if you were the one who setup that TT prebuilt.

Those headers are looking mighty sus, and push your 24 pin all the way lol

 

[rainless]

I have to say, I am a little disappointed with your cabling job.

Steve wants to know if you were the one who setup that TT prebuilt.

Those headers are looking mighty sus, and push your 24 pin all the way lol

1. Who's Steve? Like "Steve Austin"? Is he getting in my hair again? (Stun Gun > Stunner)
2. What's a "TT"?
3. Which motherboard are you talking about? The old one? Or the new one?
4. It's an optical illusion... the 24-pin is fine.
5. It's not just sus... It's A-sus...!