F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop For most of the time, my PC won't start with XMP activated, or any other non-original software.

For most of the time, my PC won't start with XMP activated, or any other non-original software.

For most of the time, my PC won't start with XMP activated, or any other non-original software.

W
WendyGaming
Junior Member
42
10-28-2021, 03:59 PM
#1
My PC's specifications, excluding the temporary drives I've connected recently, are listed here. I originally assembled this in late 2020/early 2021 and have made several upgrades over time. Back when it ran on a 10700K, I turned on XMP and experienced no problems. Even after moving to a 11700K with XMP enabled, it continued to work well for more than a year. However, suddenly it would refuse to boot with XMP active, displaying an error about a boot failure.

I attempted various fixes—reinstalling RAM, swapping the two sticks, updating the BIOS, forcing a downgrade, and resetting all settings—but nothing resolved the issue.

This situation seems to align with a typical "XMP is technically an overclock that has now failed" case. Yet, further testing suggests it might not be an overclock failure at all. Occasionally, it does boot with XMP enabled without issues. I invest significant time in RAM and stability tests, and they consistently pass without errors. When it does boot with XMP (usually after BIOS changes or after a long idle period), it runs smoothly for months without problems.

Another peculiar observation is that whenever it boots with XMP enabled, it accepts the JDEC standard for DDR4 (2666). I can manually adjust timings to match the XMP profile and it works perfectly. However, changing the memory clock settings—even slightly from 2666 to 2670 or downclocking to 2660—results in the same rejection error. This strongly suggests a bug rather than a standard overclock failure.

At first, I considered upgrading my RAM to see if that would help. Unfortunately, the market conditions make this unlikely soon. I'm seeking advice on possible solutions. Downgrading from 3600 MHz to 2666 MHz seems reasonable, and since my system runs fine at that speed, it might be worth trying. Anyone have suggestions or ideas? I’m planning to wait for a better RAM option before proceeding. My friend’s Gigabyte board also started rejecting XMP profiles after certain BIOS versions, but downgrading didn’t help in my case.
W
WendyGaming
10-28-2021, 03:59 PM #1

My PC's specifications, excluding the temporary drives I've connected recently, are listed here. I originally assembled this in late 2020/early 2021 and have made several upgrades over time. Back when it ran on a 10700K, I turned on XMP and experienced no problems. Even after moving to a 11700K with XMP enabled, it continued to work well for more than a year. However, suddenly it would refuse to boot with XMP active, displaying an error about a boot failure.

I attempted various fixes—reinstalling RAM, swapping the two sticks, updating the BIOS, forcing a downgrade, and resetting all settings—but nothing resolved the issue.

This situation seems to align with a typical "XMP is technically an overclock that has now failed" case. Yet, further testing suggests it might not be an overclock failure at all. Occasionally, it does boot with XMP enabled without issues. I invest significant time in RAM and stability tests, and they consistently pass without errors. When it does boot with XMP (usually after BIOS changes or after a long idle period), it runs smoothly for months without problems.

Another peculiar observation is that whenever it boots with XMP enabled, it accepts the JDEC standard for DDR4 (2666). I can manually adjust timings to match the XMP profile and it works perfectly. However, changing the memory clock settings—even slightly from 2666 to 2670 or downclocking to 2660—results in the same rejection error. This strongly suggests a bug rather than a standard overclock failure.

At first, I considered upgrading my RAM to see if that would help. Unfortunately, the market conditions make this unlikely soon. I'm seeking advice on possible solutions. Downgrading from 3600 MHz to 2666 MHz seems reasonable, and since my system runs fine at that speed, it might be worth trying. Anyone have suggestions or ideas? I’m planning to wait for a better RAM option before proceeding. My friend’s Gigabyte board also started rejecting XMP profiles after certain BIOS versions, but downgrading didn’t help in my case.

D
DeathSh00ter
Member
158
10-29-2021, 08:18 PM
#2
So 3600 MT/s is no longer stable, yet 2666 MT/s is. Have you explored other frequencies in between? Not just minor adjustments for transfer speed. I tested:
3200 MT/s with timings 18-22-22-42 at 1.35V.
3000 MT/s with the same timings and voltage.
2933 MT/s with the same timings and voltage.
2400 MT/s with 1.20V.
2133 MT/s with 1.20V.
For 2400/2133 I can't determine the timings because G.Skill doesn't provide SPD details, only transfer rate and voltage.
Specs: https://www.gskill.com/specification/165...cification
When did it become possible to achieve 3200 MT/s without significant performance drop? You might also download HWinfo64 and share the Summary section.
In the RAM section it lists all XMP profiles (transfer rate, timings). If an XMP profile supports 3200 MT/s but has looser timings than what I mentioned, use the BIOS XMP profile instead of manually entering values.
D
DeathSh00ter
10-29-2021, 08:18 PM #2

So 3600 MT/s is no longer stable, yet 2666 MT/s is. Have you explored other frequencies in between? Not just minor adjustments for transfer speed. I tested:
3200 MT/s with timings 18-22-22-42 at 1.35V.
3000 MT/s with the same timings and voltage.
2933 MT/s with the same timings and voltage.
2400 MT/s with 1.20V.
2133 MT/s with 1.20V.
For 2400/2133 I can't determine the timings because G.Skill doesn't provide SPD details, only transfer rate and voltage.
Specs: https://www.gskill.com/specification/165...cification
When did it become possible to achieve 3200 MT/s without significant performance drop? You might also download HWinfo64 and share the Summary section.
In the RAM section it lists all XMP profiles (transfer rate, timings). If an XMP profile supports 3200 MT/s but has looser timings than what I mentioned, use the BIOS XMP profile instead of manually entering values.

E
EnziBona
Junior Member
46
10-30-2021, 03:24 AM
#3
Check every stick individually in slot A2 to determine if either one can start with XMP.
E
EnziBona
10-30-2021, 03:24 AM #3

Check every stick individually in slot A2 to determine if either one can start with XMP.

L
Lewiswilson4
Member
148
10-30-2021, 04:30 AM
#4
Do you possibly still have the 10700K or another compatible chip you could use instead of the 11770K? Remember, the IMC (Integrated Memory Controller) channels in the CPU are crucial for system performance. Have you attempted running MemTest86 through multiple full tests at DDR4-2666 to verify your RAM's condition? The issue here suggests your RAM is likely in good shape. My next recommendation is to swap the CPU and RAM onto a different motherboard, either borrowed or bought. I've collected several second-hand motherboards on eBay that generally function well. The most affordable options include boards with CPU and RAM included for $8 plus shipping. I only purchase items labeled "working" rather than "spares or repairs," and eBay's return policy benefits the buyer, particularly when descriptions are inaccurate. A high-end LGA1200 board will be expensive even if used, but with your RTX 4070 Super, a SoundBlaster, and an LSI controller (such as the LSI 9211-8i in two TrueNAS systems), I usually opt for boards featuring three spacious PCIe slots. I also tend to install a 10G SFP+ fiber NIC instead of a sound card. Good luck with your search for a new motherboard—it might be the only viable path. On the positive side, you won't need to hunt for DDR5.
L
Lewiswilson4
10-30-2021, 04:30 AM #4

Do you possibly still have the 10700K or another compatible chip you could use instead of the 11770K? Remember, the IMC (Integrated Memory Controller) channels in the CPU are crucial for system performance. Have you attempted running MemTest86 through multiple full tests at DDR4-2666 to verify your RAM's condition? The issue here suggests your RAM is likely in good shape. My next recommendation is to swap the CPU and RAM onto a different motherboard, either borrowed or bought. I've collected several second-hand motherboards on eBay that generally function well. The most affordable options include boards with CPU and RAM included for $8 plus shipping. I only purchase items labeled "working" rather than "spares or repairs," and eBay's return policy benefits the buyer, particularly when descriptions are inaccurate. A high-end LGA1200 board will be expensive even if used, but with your RTX 4070 Super, a SoundBlaster, and an LSI controller (such as the LSI 9211-8i in two TrueNAS systems), I usually opt for boards featuring three spacious PCIe slots. I also tend to install a 10G SFP+ fiber NIC instead of a sound card. Good luck with your search for a new motherboard—it might be the only viable path. On the positive side, you won't need to hunt for DDR5.