X58A UD3R boot up "issue"

[notshy]

Right ... my RAM is as per my Signature:
Corsair Dominator TR3X6G1600C8D

Tech sheet - http://www.corsair.com/_datasheets/TR3X6G1600C8D.pdf
Recommended Settings - Dominator Qualification and Testing DDR3 - The Corsair Support Forums

Testing parameters for TR3X3G1600C8D/TR3X6G1600C8D

Motherboard make and model: ASUS P6T Premium/Deluxe !
Each set is tested and packaged together using the following settings:
Advanced
Jumper Free
CPU Ratio Control:Depends on CPU
FSB Frequency: AUTO
PCIE Frequency: 100
DRAM Frequency: DDR3-1600 MHz
DRAM Timings Control: Manual
CAS# Latency:___________8
RAS# to CAS# Delay:______8
RAS# Precharge:__________8
RAS# Activate to Precharge:24
DRAM Voltage:_________1.65V
QPI Voltage:___________1.35 V
XMP1.2 settings
All settings not listed should be left at AUTO or BIOS Default
Maximum DDR3 recommended VDIMM: 2.00 Volts

Here's all my BIOS settings for my overclock - at these speeds my CPU tops out at around 79oC on full stress in OCCT and IntelBurnTest with 100% CPU and maximum RAM usage.

Should I be using such a high BCLK? I went up to 200 using the guide with low CPU and low ram, then went up to 200 with RAM at x8 to max out at 1600, I then went back to 150 on BCLK and went up with CPU at x21 - but at BCLK of 180 x 21 - I thought temps were getting high so I decided that was my limit for my OC so I didn't raise the BCLK any higher with x21 on CPU and dialed back the settings to 200 x 19 instead as I heard the board is "happiest" with CPU multiplier on x 19 or x21 is the most stable (for some reason).

Any suggested improvements? Should I keep the BCLK at 200 or lower it down and up my multipliers? Any tweaks to these voltages?


Advanced CPU Features:
CPU Clock Ratio .............................. x19
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech .................... [Enabled]
CPU Cores Enabled ............................ [All]
CPU Multi Threading .......................... [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) ...................... [Enabled]
C3/C6/C7 State Support ....................... [Enabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor .......................... [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function ............................ [Enabled]
Virtualization Technology .................... [Enabled]
Bi-Directional PROCHOT ....................... [Enabled]


Uncore & QPI Features:
QPI Link Speed ............................... x36
Uncore Frequency ............................. [Auto]
Isonchronous Frequency ....................... [Enabled]


Standard Clock Control:
Base Clock (BCLK) Control ................... Enabled
BCLK Frequency (MHz) ........................ 200
Extreme Memory Profile ...................... Profile 1
PCI Express Frequency (MHz) ................. 100

C.I.A.2 [Disabled]

Advanced Clock Control:
CPU Clock Drive ............................. [800mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive ..................... [900mV]
CPU Clock Skew .............................. [0ps]
IOH Clock Skew .............................. [0ps]


Advanced DRAM Features:
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P) .............. Profile 1
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) .............. x8
Performance Enhance ......................... Standard
DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) ................ Quick
Channel Interleaving ........................ [Auto]
Rank Interleaving ........................... [Auto]

Channel A + B + C
Channel A Timing Settings:
CAS Latency Time ........................... 8
tRCD ....................................... 8
tRP ........................................ 8
tRAS ....................................... 24
EVERYTHING ELSE ............................ [Auto] - using XMP


Advanced Voltage Control:

CPU
Load Line Calibration ...................... Level 2
CPU Vcore ............ 1.23750v ............ 1.2500v
QPI/VTT Voltage ...... 1.1750v ............. 1.355v
CPU PLL .............. 1.800v .............. [Auto]

MCH/ICH
PCIE ................. 1.500v .............. [Auto]
QPI PLL .............. 1.100v .............. [Auto]
IOH Core ............. 1.100v .............. 1.100v
ICH I/O .............. 1.500v .............. [Auto]
ICH Core ............. 1.1v ................ [Auto]

DRAM
DRAM Voltage ............ 1.500v ............ 1.660v
DRAM Termination ........ 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-A Data VRef. ........ 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-B Data VRef. ........ 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-C Data VRef. ........ 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-A Address VRef. ..... 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-B Address VRef. ..... 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-C Address VRef. ..... 0.750v ............. [AUTO]


Miscellaneous Settings:
Isonchronous Support ......................... [Enabled]
Virtualisation Technoloy ..................... [Enabled]



Advanced BIOS
Quick Boot ................................... Enabled
HDD SMART Capability ......................... Enabled
No-Execute Memory Protect .................... Enabled <<< Helps sleep in OSX
Full Screen Logo ............................. Disabled <<< Can check what is going on during boot
Init Display First ........................... PCI <<< Helps sleep in OSX

[Lsdmeasap]

PSU wattage may not be such an issue as compatibility, do you know anyone using the same on this board without issues?

High Bclk is up to you, depends on where you want to run your CPU. I'll advise for now from the settings you gave, if you want to try 200 Bclk let me know (Edit, Ohh I see you are using 200 now).

Odd CPU multipliers are best to use, more stable and need less voltage, so that is why you found your CPU to like 19 or 21.

Advanced CPU Features:
CPU Clock Ratio .............................. x19
Intel(R) Turbo Boost Tech .................... [Enabled] << Disabled if you want 19x200 (3.8Ghz), enabled as of now is setting your CPU at 4.2Ghz (Or did you know that?)
CPU Cores Enabled ............................ [All]
CPU Multi Threading .......................... [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) ...................... [Enabled] << Disabled
C3/C6/C7 State Support ....................... [Enabled] << Disabled
CPU Thermal Monitor .......................... [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function ............................ [Enabled] << Disabled
Virtualization Technology .................... [Enabled]
Bi-Directional PROCHOT ....................... [Enabled]


Uncore & QPI Features:
QPI Link Speed ............................... x36
Uncore Frequency ............................. [Auto] OUCH, this is probably a huge part of the issue. Set this to 2x your ram multi or 1-2 above, so for x8 ram multi you want 16-18 here. Higher can take more QPI/Vtt but not always, and higher can also help with stability and greatly improve performance.
Isonchronous Frequency ....................... [Enabled]


Standard Clock Control:
Base Clock (BCLK) Control ................... Enabled
BCLK Frequency (MHz) ........................ 200
Extreme Memory Profile ...................... Profile 1 << Disabled
PCI Express Frequency (MHz) ................. 100

C.I.A.2 [Disabled]

Advanced Clock Control:
CPU Clock Drive ............................. [800mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive ..................... [900mV]
CPU Clock Skew .............................. [0ps]
IOH Clock Skew .............................. [0ps]


Advanced DRAM Features:
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P) .............. Profile 1 << Disabled
System Memory Multiplier (SPD) .............. x8
Performance Enhance ......................... Standard << Set Extreme, I find it to be more stable and better to use than Standard/Turbo
DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) ................ Quick << Expert, set each channel main timings and CMD rate one by one
Channel Interleaving ........................ [Auto]
Rank Interleaving ........................... [Auto]

Channel A + B + C
Channel A Timing Settings:
CAS Latency Time ........................... 8
tRCD ....................................... 8
tRP ........................................ 8
tRAS ....................................... 24
EVERYTHING ELSE ............................ [Auto] - using XMP << Disable XMP, set each channel's MAIN timings and command rate one by one.


Advanced Voltage Control:

CPU
Load Line Calibration ...................... Level 2 << Are you using this based on you knowing what it does and why? If so fine, just wondered as I always suggest/use level 1 as it's safer
CPU Vcore ............ 1.23750v ............ 1.2500v
QPI/VTT Voltage ...... 1.1750v ............. 1.355v << May need 1.3-1.45+
CPU PLL .............. 1.800v .............. [Auto] << Set 1.8-1.84

MCH/ICH
PCIE ................. 1.500v .............. [Auto]
QPI PLL .............. 1.100v .............. [Auto] << Set 1.2
IOH Core ............. 1.100v .............. 1.100v << 1.14-1.2 may help
ICH I/O .............. 1.500v .............. [Auto]
ICH Core ............. 1.1v ................ [Auto]

DRAM
DRAM Voltage ............ 1.500v ............ 1.660v
DRAM Termination ........ 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-A Data VRef. ........ 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-B Data VRef. ........ 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-C Data VRef. ........ 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-A Address VRef. ..... 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-B Address VRef. ..... 0.750v ............. [AUTO]
Ch-C Address VRef. ..... 0.750v ............. [AUTO]


Miscellaneous Settings:
Isonchronous Support ......................... [Enabled]
Virtualisation Technoloy ..................... [Enabled]



Advanced BIOS
Quick Boot ................................... Enabled << Disable for now, to be sure this is not causing you any issues. Also disable EuP/ErP if you have enabled
HDD SMART Capability ......................... Enabled
No-Execute Memory Protect .................... Enabled <<< Helps sleep in OSX
Full Screen Logo ............................. Disabled <<< Can check what is going on during boot
Init Display First ........................... PCI <<< Helps sleep in OSX << Really? Should be fine set to PEG1/PCIEX16_1

[notshy]

Sorry - my uncore wasn't set to Auto - it was set to x16 - that was copying the template.

I'll try those other setting - I did Load Level 2 as it was recommended by the guide.

Where do I find the rest of my RAM timings if they aren't in the spec sheet?

[Lsdmeasap]

The rest of your ram timings are fine in auto, or you can look at the SPD info using CPU-Tweaker's SPD Button.

Some of them are very tricky to set though, auto is advised for now since you are having issues. They are fine in auto for sure, so not a part of any issues.

If you want me to look to be 100% sure, post me a image of your full used subtimings using QPU-Tweaker.

[Rebel801]

Well changing the Ram made no difference as did flashing the official FC bios.

As there are so many variables that may be causing this, i may have to leave the AC on and ignore it when I do a cold boot.

Thanks

[Lsdmeasap]

I think you should always leave the AC on.

I suggested much more than memory timings, did you try all that I suggested?

[notshy]

Hi LSDMeAsap - I've loaded all those settings but still get the odd behaviour of fans on, power up, off, on again (all within about 5 seconds).

I will run some more stability tests but it all seems stable now and although it was stable before - I'm sure these settings are a bit more fool proof.

I might shoot for 21 x 200 for CPU and see how I get on but maybe in a few days or so - I've got a bunch of other things that I need to sort first.

Thanks for looking at my settings and I'll be back on here to report any stability issues or get some more info if I want to push it a bit more.

:o)

[Lsdmeasap]

Ok, just wondered since you mentioned timings only.

Let us know how your further testing comes along

[notshy]

So I've input all of your settings - left all those other memory timings on Auto and I'll see how stable the whole thing is.

Thanks so much for going through the settings - fingers crossed it will all be super stable!

[Rebel801]

Well no good news on fixing the boot up issue - I have removed and reseated the CPU & Ram (firmly), removed the cmos battery etc.

Still have the start/stop/boot thing after the AC is switched off.

I have decided to give it a little overclock to see how things work out, so far I am at 4023 ghz, 1,26v vcore, qpi 1.275v temps at load 75 deg, idling at 41 (Zigmatech S1283 cooler)

Apart from the cold boot, I love this board, its super easy to overclock to 4ghz, even better than my Q9550.

I have decided to hang onto it for now, in the hope that a future bios update may resolve the cold boot issue.

Thanks