16GB ram on 890GM Pro3 R2.0 = BSOD

[richard_o]

Having a lot of issues on my 890GM Pro3 R2.0 when I install four sticks of Corsair CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9 memory into the four slots. Computer will do one of either of two things.

1. Endless blue screens, often before booting into Win 7, sometimes after a few hours. BSOD's are random, never the same and often things I've never seen before on any build I've put together. Other times it will freeze up with a corrupted screen, which is why I am pointing to the issue below regarding memory mapping.

2. It will work flawlessly, but Win 7 properties will report 16GB installed, 12 GB usable. If I move the sticks around to get 16GB usable, the BSOD's and freezes return.

I have read a lot regarding similar issues. Best I can ascertain is the BIOS is mapping the graphics memory over the same location as physical memory. The screen corruption and lockups point me in this direction. There are also recommendation on the 'net regarding turning on the memory remapping option in my BIOS to address the useable versus physical issue, unfortunately this option does not exist.

I am running R1.43 of the BIOS as with the latest 1.50 it is no better, 1.50 is almost impossible to get stable with four sticks in, regardless of voltage, timings etc.

Note the ram in question is not on the compatibility list on the Asrock website, but it is recommended as suitable on the Corsair website. It worked flawlessly on my previous board, a DFI 790GX offering, but it doesn't support the 8150 processor.

I have been through the memtest option, testing all sticks in all slots, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the sticks.

If I add this to the Steam game issue that is still not resolved on this board, although it appears to be resolved on similar models, I think it's time to get a Gigabyte instead. Their similar offering has the microcode update in the BIOS, supports 3.0 TB boot drives, etc etc. And the ram is listed in the compatibility list for their board. I seriously do not want to do this as the Asrock is a very good board, all the right features, including the UEFI BIOS, which was the main reason for buying it. I also note with interest that this board has disappeared from retail websites most places, including the place I purchased it from. Other similar models on the Asrock website (890 and 880G models) have had two or three BIOS updates since the microcode to support the Bulldozer processors was updated. Not this one, seems to have been pulled from the market and is now unsupported.

All comments or suggestions welcomed.

Richard_o

[richard_o]

Re: 16GB ram on 890GM Pro3 R2.0 = BSOD

Any ideas anyone?

I now firmly believe this is BIOS related. After I reinstalled all four DIMM's (and set it on Auto for speed and voltage) I booted to a live USB key version of 64 bit Ubuntu 11.10 and it's reporting essentially the same amount of ram as Win 7, around the 12 Gb mark. (in Win 7 this is the useable ram, although Windows advises 16GB is installed, Ubuntu is a little lower at 11.81 GB). Without the option of 'Memory Remap' in the BIOS I'm a little bit stuck and awaiting a BIOS update for this board.

Thankfully it is stable though, with no BSOD's to date since reinstalling. As I may not have pointed out in the first post, if the useable ram in Windows is 12 GB it's stable, when it's 16 GB it's blue screen time.

The manual indicates the board is good for 32 GB of ram, and the ram is recommended on the Corsair website as suitable for this board.

I do have one question for anyone who may be able to clarify, when Microsoft so thoughtfully limit Win 7 x64 Home Premium to 16 GB, is that really 16 GB physical ram, or 16 GB addressable memory space? Just a question, as the Ubuntu test mentioned above told me this is definitely a BIOS issue.

I guess I'll just have to bide my time and wait for an update to the BIOS. Hopefully a new version may help with this issue, and the still outstanding Steam Games CEG issue that both Gigabyte and Asus have updated on their competing boards.

Richard_O