4 GB RAM with 8GB storage on an R7 2700X
4 GB RAM with 8GB storage on an R7 2700X
Hey everyone! I'm new to overclocking and was looking for some tips to make my 4 DDR4 sticks run smoothly. I had 2x8GB which worked well with XMP, but then I bought two more modules hoping to boost performance. However, my system won't boot with the XMP profile. My PC is an ASUS B450f, running R7 2700X. I've got Corsair 3200MHz RAM (all four sticks are the same model) and tried different speeds—1.38V, 3000, 2933, 2666—but nothing boots Windows properly. I'm worried about wasting my time and might consider a cheaper 2x16GB upgrade instead. Any advice would be super helpful! Thanks!
XMP can be inconsistent, and adding more DIMMs usually causes more issues. Have you changed the slot positions for the modules? Begin with one module in place, then gradually increase the number until problems arise.
thing about adding more dimms (or Memory Ranks) is that you're adding more load onto your CPU's IMC so frequency will drop as you add more DIMMS could try running the sticks at 3000/2933 mhz, see how it goes as for this, you'll face more or less the same issue as 2x8gb (though maybe less, depending on motherboard RAM topology design) because 16gb sticks are actually 2x8gb stick fused into one, they're dual rank DIMMs (unless you can find single rank 16gb sticks, they're out there, just rare) to learn more about this, and if you have 2 hours to spare Spoiler
Man, I don't want to waste two hours diving into RAM specs. I'm not too familiar with dual-rank instability, but I thought it might be worse than the issues with 4 channels versus 2. Maybe skipping the QVL for my motherboard could work if it fits a 2x16 setup? I've been stuck on slower speeds—only 2133mhz shows up across all auto settings. I tried swapping sticks, but it was fine with two on XMP; now it's getting really finicky after adding the extra pair.
When considering the dual rank DIMM and motherboard design, it's important to adjust settings accordingly. **Person responding:** You mentioned trying XMP, but setting the frequency to 2933/3000 helps maintain its timings.
You successfully launched at 2733 using XMP settings and voltage, completing a full 2-hour memtest86. I expect to adjust voltage and timings later to see if we can improve speed—current results are better than 2133 but not at 2933.
I think tweaking the CPU voltages could give me a small boost, but it’s not worth the risk for just a few extra frames. I’m okay with sticking to what the parts are rated for. The motherboard isn’t ideal, but it was a good deal at $70 when I got the 2700X, so I’ll hold off on upgrading there. I’m hoping to improve timing tomorrow and look into Ryzen 4000/5000/6000 in the future if they’re worth it.
The drawback isn't worth the benefit most of the time. Timing depends more on the DRAM chip than on IMC games, which are more affected by latency. If you match the latency to what it would be at XMP, performance differences should be minimal. Just make sure to verify it thoroughly—BSODs or crashes often occur during gaming or work. Remember to label the thread as solved if you believe it is.
Adjusting more than two sticks with Ryzen can be tricky. I faced the same challenges when setting up my second pair of 3600 chips. To fully activate XMP, I followed these steps: reset the BIOS, restart after entering reset mode, enable non-RAM settings, restart again, navigate to BIOS, configure XMP profiles, and then reboot. Afterward, I had to disable and re-enable XMP multiple times, watch it fail several times, and finally restore the default settings. This process was frustrating and seemed to depend heavily on BIOS behavior. It’s a bit of a puzzle that only works with this exact method.