Z77X-D3H, 3570k and 1600Mhz Memory Woes

chrisgt · 9 Feb 2013 at 11:41

Hi all,

Original thread here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18486081

Basically, I am experiencing random WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR BSODs (hal.dll 0x124) on my newly built machine. Specs are:

i5 3570k
Gigabyte Z77X-D3H
Gigabyte 7970
XFX 850w PSU
Kingston 16GB (now 8GB) 1600Mhz RAM
Agility 3 120GB SSD

I put the machine together, installed Windows 8 Pro x64 and things seemed fine. However I noticed in CPU-Z that my DDR Frequency was only 1333Mhz and not 1600Mhz as it should be, so I went into BIOS and enabled XMP Profile1 which corrected this (set the correct timings as per Kingston documentation: 9-9-9-27 1.65v). Note: at this point, the i5 was stock @ 3.4Ghz.

This unfortunately caused BSODs 10sec into a Prime95 Blend Test.

So far I have:

Re-installed Windows a number of times

Ran MemTest86+ for 12 hours, without a single error.

Updated BIOS to latest stable release (F16)

Re-built computer; reseated the CPU & CPU Cooler, RAM sticks, all power connections

In order to get Prime95 Blend Test stable I had to load BIOS optimized defaults which reverted the RAM back to 1333Mhz @ 1.5v. This was Blend test stable for 4 hours, so I thought the issue was to due with the Z77 chipset & Ivy bridge not liking >1.5v DRAM voltage, which is what my memory needs to run at to achieve 1600Mhz...or so I thought! The PC seemed fine all day...but then I got another WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR BSOD while browsing the net!! This was at the BIOS optimized defaults!

Any clues as to whats wrong? I want to overclock this bad boy, but the fact I can't even get it stable @ stock clocks is worrying me...

Set-up 1: BIOS Optimized Defaults
i5 @ 3.4Ghz - Completely Stock (stock voltages (everything at auto in BIOS))
RAM @ 667Mhz 9-9-9-24 1.5v

Set-up 1 seemed good, was Prime95 blend test stable for 4 hours, but still BSOD'd at night!

Set-up 2: Slight Multiplier OC
i5 @ 4.0Ghz (40x100BLCK with stock (auto) voltages)
RAM @ 667Mhz 9-9-9-24 1.5v

Set-up 2 BSODs 5sec into Blend test.

Please, any help would be appreciated

I'm about ready to give up...I just need to get it 100% error free @ stock speeds, then I'll focus on OC'ing

chrisgt · 9 Feb 2013 at 11:51

Current config:

BSOD Details:

MemTest86+ run:

EDIT:
Got 40minutes into the OCCT CPU:OCCT test then got a BSOD WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR. This was using BIOS optimized defaults, using test set-up of:

CPU:OCCT
Test Type: Infinite
Duration: 1hour
Test Version: 64bit
Test Mode: Large Data Set

No Cores exceeded 67C during the test. So it seems I don't even have a system that is stable @ factory settings? I did notice that the CPU Clock never exceeded 3.6Ghz, I thought Turbo was supposed to take that up to 3.8Ghz? I'll try get 30minutes of OCCT:CPU out of it without BSOD'ing, just to see what the Vcore graphs etc look like, will they be useful?

EDIT 2:
Passed 30 minutes of OCCT without error. What graphs, if any, would be useful?

chrisgt · 9 Feb 2013 at 15:17

Made a thread in the Ask 8 Pack sub-forum, but on second thought, it might get more exposure posted here (would still value contribution from 8 Pack though of course!)

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18486850

MORE SPEED · 9 Feb 2013 at 15:22

Does it BSOD when you aren't stress testing, such as running a game?

chrisgt · 9 Feb 2013 at 15:27

MORE SPEED said:
Does it BSOD when you aren't stress testing, such as running a game?

Yes. This config (everything at default) has BSOD whilst playing Path of Exile, general web browsing, watching a 1080p video in VLC Player.

Oddly enough, 4hours of Prime95 Blend Test went without issue, the 3D Mark 11 bench was OK, but 40min of OCCT crashed it.

Is this fluctuation OK for the Vcore at stock frequencies? This is all 'Auto' in BIOS:

chrisgt · 10 Feb 2013 at 11:39

Anyone?

wazza300 · 10 Feb 2013 at 14:27

you might wanna look at this thread

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=18486537

chrisgt · 10 Feb 2013 at 14:59

wazza300 said:
you might wanna look at this thread

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=18486537

Cheers. Also seems like a memory issue, but completely different outcome (his freezing vs. my Blue Screening).

Tempted to send all of this back to OCUK if I can't get it sorted...quite shocking I can't even have a stable PC at all stock speeds, let alone slightly OC'ed!

wazza300 · 10 Feb 2013 at 15:00

did you catch the bsod code?

chrisgt · 10 Feb 2013 at 15:05

Yes, WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR in hal.dll with a stop code of 0x00000124.

Which unfortunately just means a hardware issue, doesn't give any specifics as to what component. So I have stress tested GPU multiple times (Heaven, 3D Mark 11) and that's been fine. I then ran Memtest86+ on the memory for 12hours and that was fine. P95 FPU test and Blend test appears stable, but the system has still crashed doing mundane things like web browsing/gaming, and has also crashed 40minutes into the OCCT CPU test.

wazza300 · 10 Feb 2013 at 15:23

124 error is either not enough cpu or dram/qpi-vtt voltage

that still could be memory related even at stock clocks

chrisgt · 10 Feb 2013 at 15:47

What I don't get is why I'd need to adjust CPU/DRAM/QPI-VTT voltage on a stock set-up?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=23727455&postcount=4
CPU voltage range whilst running OCCT CPU are a couple posts above - do you see any issues with this?

wazza300 · 10 Feb 2013 at 16:18

probably due to your ram not being fully supported?

temps are fine,depends what cooler you have

chrisgt · 10 Feb 2013 at 16:43

http://download.gigabyte.eu/FileList/Memory/mb_memory_ga-z77x-d3h.pdf

KHX1600C9D3/4G is listed on the QVL, but my RAM is KHX1600C9D3/4GX.

So maybe it is unsupported. But my worry is I'll go out and buy some new RAM (perhaps the Samsung Green - but that's not on the QVL either??), spend £50-odd and I'll have the same problem! Not sure what to do.

wazza300 · 10 Feb 2013 at 16:50

what other memory is on the qvl list? im only guessing that its memory but 124 error is mem or cpu related

chrisgt · 10 Feb 2013 at 17:07

Not that much tbh...

Was looking at CML8GX3M2A1600C9 but that's not on there either...

wazza300 · 10 Feb 2013 at 17:21

anyone you know who could lend you a stick of ddr3 memory? just to test

chrisgt · 10 Feb 2013 at 17:44

No. I've tried 4GB of Corsair DDR3 but that was also rated at 1600mhz @ 1.65v, and BsOD when XMP was enabled...

chrisgt · 10 Feb 2013 at 20:58

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/partspecs.aspx?imodule=BLT2CP4G3D1869DT1TX0CEU

This is compatible with my motherboard and 1866mhz at 1.5v. Just ordered 8GB to try Tuesday!

chrisgt · 11 Feb 2013 at 19:32

So as mentioned above, I've ordered some Crucial Ballistix 1866Mhz RAM @ 9-9-9-27 1.5v which the Crucial website says is 100% compatible with the Z77X-D3H motherboard.

Fingers crossed this sorts the problem, and I can just throw that 16GB Kingston back into my old system, in which it used to run fine!

Be interesting to know if any other forum members have had issue with older ram (needing to run at 1.65v) and the newer Z77 boards, especially the Gigabyte Z77X-D3H!