MSI B450 Tomahawk dropping memory channel

jasonf12014 · 17 Jan 2019 at 21:12

Hi

I've posted in the memory forum about this, but thought I'd give it a go in here. I'm now on my second msi b450 tomahawk and a new 16gb corsair vengeance memory kit, but I'm still not able to run in dual channel. It's only detecting and using 8gb when the memory is in slots a2 and b2. When it's in a1 and 2 it uses all 16gb.

I can't seem to find anything about this at all, have I just been really unlucky and 2 motherboards have exactly the same fault? Or can it be the CPU? I've posted in tech support and they say cpu's are hardly faulty these days. I'm pretty sick of the whole thing, I just want the 16gb to work in dual channel like it should. CPU is a Ryzen 5 2600

RobTi · 17 Jan 2019 at 21:49

I know not the same board but it is a msi B450 one, I have a msi B450 gaming pro carbon ac with a ryzen 5 2600 and a set of the 8 pack 16Gb 3200 memory and everything runs fine is the ram on the msi list for that board ?

jasonf12014 · 17 Jan 2019 at 22:59

RobTi said:
I know not the same board but it is a msi B450 one, I have a msi B450 gaming pro carbon ac with a ryzen 5 2600 and a set of the 8 pack 16Gb 3200 memory and everything runs fine is the ram on the msi list for that board ?

I originally had the vulcan t-force memory. But the corsair kit I have now is definitely on the qvl for the motherboard.

Danny75 · 18 Jan 2019 at 03:20

Had a look at your thread in the Memory forum and the things you've already tried. Only thing I can add is take out the processor yet again, and inspect it patiently and thoroughly, as if you were using a magnifying glass, for any tiniest bit of dirt or paste on the CPU pins, and also in the CPU socket holes. The tiniest speck can do odd things, affecting memory, or not providing a screen image etc. Check for any bent pins as well. One time I only found a speck of paste on the third attempt, partly covering just one of the gold contacts on an Intel CPU (those don't have pins).

In any case, if nothing you try fixes it, send CPU + RAM + board back to the retailer for repair.

jasonf12014 · 18 Jan 2019 at 09:59

Danny75 said:
Had a look at your thread in the Memory forum and the things you've already tried. Only thing I can add is take out the processor yet again, and inspect it patiently and thoroughly, as if you were using a magnifying glass, for any tiniest bit of dirt or paste on the CPU pins, and also in the CPU socket holes. The tiniest speck can do odd things, affecting memory, or not providing a screen image etc. Check for any bent pins as well. One time I only found a speck of paste on the third attempt, partly covering just one of the gold contacts on an Intel CPU (those don't have pins).

In any case, if nothing you try fixes it, send CPU + RAM + board back to the retailer for repair.

Thanks, that'll be this weekend's entertainment sorted. I'll have a bottle of whiskey on standby lol

Bigbud · 18 Jan 2019 at 10:40

I have the same board and cpu and also have the Vulcan memory you originally had, I had issues with the board overclocking the ram and CPU until I did the bois update. Cant remember what it was reporting on memory amount. Have you got latest bios ?

jasonf12014 · 18 Jan 2019 at 11:20

Bigbud said:
I have the same board and cpu and also have the Vulcan memory you originally had, I had issues with the board overclocking the ram and CPU until I did the bois update. Cant remember what it was reporting on memory amount. Have you got latest bios ?

The new board has come with bios 1.2, there is now a 1.4 which I did update the original board too but it refused to post after that! I did update to 1.3 on that board too and it made no difference. To be honest I think Danny75 is right. Thinking back on it I did go a bit crazy with the thermal paste originally putting the cooler on! I wonder if a bit has went down the sides or somehow onto the pins. I have the arctic compound cleaner solution, is that the best thing to use to very carefully clean it with?

Danny75 · 18 Jan 2019 at 13:29

jasonf12014 said:
The new board has come with bios 1.2, there is now a 1.4 which I did update the original board too but it refused to post after that! I did update to 1.3 on that board too and it made no difference. To be honest I think Danny75 is right. Thinking back on it I did go a bit crazy with the thermal paste originally putting the cooler on! I wonder if a bit has went down the sides or somehow onto the pins. I have the arctic compound cleaner solution, is that the best thing to use to very carefully clean it with?

Yes, that stuff is great and dries quick.