1366 x58 Xeon Enthusiast overclocks club

I was helping my brother put a quick combo together with some spare parts today, but we were having trouble. It's a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard, X5660 cpu, and 6 x 2GB G.Skill DDR3 ram. With 3 sticks of ram installed in tri-channel it posts and operates fine. As soon as we populate the second set of ram slots, it will not post. All sticks pass memtest, but I'm not sure that means that are perfect for certain. Either set of triple channel ram works fine as long as they are in the first three slots. All six stick are the same part number, and worked together previously.

CMOS has cleared so many times, optimized defaults loaded. Everything is set to stock.

I am still leaning toward a ram issue. Anything other than memtest we can do to figure out what might be going on? It's a really simple setup, so frustrating.
 
ewb302 said:
I was helping my brother put a quick combo together with some spare parts today, but we were having trouble. It's a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard, X5660 cpu, and 6 x 2GB G.Skill DDR3 ram. With 3 sticks of ram installed in tri-channel it posts and operates fine. As soon as we populate the second set of ram slots, it will not post. All sticks pass memtest, but I'm not sure that means that are perfect for certain. Either set of triple channel ram works fine as long as they are in the first three slots. All six stick are the same part number, and worked together previously.

CMOS has cleared so many times, optimized defaults loaded. Everything is set to stock.

I am still leaning toward a ram issue. Anything other than memtest we can do to figure out what might be going on? It's a really simple setup, so frustrating.
Click to expand...

When you state that the ram works as long as "they are in the first three slots" could you be more specific? Are you referring to the three slots closest, or furthest from the CPU?

If you are referring to the ones furthest away as working and the closest ones not working, then take a peek at the first post in the thread linked below where it states "Edit: Our solution to the issue".

https://hardforum.com/threads/ram-problems-cooling-too-tight.1463560/

What cooler are you using and is it possible that you have over tightened it a tad? This is known to sometimes cause the loss of the memory channel closest to the CPU.

Perhaps you might want to try and re-seat the cooler and see if that helps.
 
Reefa_Madness said:
When you state that the ram works as long as "they are in the first three slots" could you be more specific? Are you referring to the three slots closest, or furthest from the CPU?

If you are referring to the ones furthest away as working and the closest ones not working, then take a peek at the first post in the thread linked below where it states "Edit: Our solution to the issue".

https://hardforum.com/threads/ram-problems-cooling-too-tight.1463560/

What cooler are you using and is it possible that you have over tightened it a tad? This is known to sometimes cause the loss of the memory channel closest to the CPU.

Perhaps you might want to try and re-seat the cooler and see if that helps.
Click to expand...

When the ram is installed in tri-channel in the white slots (slots 1, 3, 5), it works well. These slots would be considered furthest from the CPU.

Interesting solution on that link, but unfortunately that's not going to be our solution I don't think. Have tried the stock cooler, as well as an H60. Also tried multiple cpu's to rule out the cpu itself. This same exact behavior has been shown with two separate X58A-UD3R motherboards now. The only constant is the ram sticks. But the ram passes memtest. Hate to throw money at an old rig, but I feel like finding some different ram may be the next step.
 
ewb302 said:
When the ram is installed in tri-channel in the white slots (slots 1, 3, 5), it works well. These slots would be considered furthest from the CPU.

Interesting solution on that link, but unfortunately that's not going to be our solution I don't think. Have tried the stock cooler, as well as an H60. Also tried multiple cpu's to rule out the cpu itself. This same exact behavior has been shown with two separate X58A-UD3R motherboards now. The only constant is the ram sticks. But the ram passes memtest. Hate to throw money at an old rig, but I feel like finding some different ram may be the next step.
Click to expand...

Have you tried testing each of the individual slots one at a time with a single module? The odds that all 6 sticks are faulty has to be pretty high so if you tested one at a time (the slots as well as the ram) you should be able to determine if it is the motherboard or the ram.
 
Reefa_Madness said:
Have you tried testing each of the individual slots one at a time with a single module? The odds that all 6 sticks are faulty has to be pretty high so if you tested one at a time (the slots as well as the ram) you should be able to determine if it is the motherboard or the ram.
Click to expand...

yeah try see if it will boot with like one dim in the first slot trying sticks. or idk or could try the speaker thing and beeps, might might not...
 
We did try one stick at a time in slot 1. All sticks post and boot just fine when installed individually. I thought the problem was the motherboard, but a second identical board has the same exact issue.
 
Intersting update. It just posted with all 6 sticks when ram voltage is set to 1.6. Default voltage is 1.5. All other settings are default.
 
systemvipers said:
Hello, Just want to say hi!, I am getting ready for some 775 and x58 fun.

I have some nice X58 chips, a rampage extreme II, Gig UD5 and i have my eye on 1 or 2 more boards for this run.
Probably won't start overclocking for a while but i am starting to build the rigs out.

I used to be up to date on this hardware but some years have passed.


So to get the ball rolling, what is the best OS to overclock these beasts and is there a bare bonz version of it?
I appreciate any help or advice, i would be nice to get up to speed quickly. full speed ahead....

thanks
steve
Click to expand...

I overclocked to 4Ghz+ in both Windows 7 and 10. My Plex server is running at 4ghz on a x5660 on Windows 10 Pro. I run O&O shutup 10 to stop the telemetry.
 
ewb302 said:
We did try one stick at a time in slot 1. All sticks post and boot just fine when installed individually. I thought the problem was the motherboard, but a second identical board has the same exact issue.
Click to expand...

the rampage ..started doing that shit a few times...swapping and mixing sticks...idk got bent pins both like the first slot and cpu pins...I did get it to boot in like the 2nd and the back two I think. then idk swapped out and tried to see if it would boot with another chip..then couldn't get it to boot again, fail.
 
Batboy88 said:
I don't know...talking olddd board stuff start going out of spec and everything baddd caps etc.
Click to expand...

You do know that Gigabyte (and virtually all the major manufacturers) use solid capacitors that are rated for something like 50,000 hours.

Let me put it in a way you'll understand...

The cappps aren'ttt baddd
 
I have had great luck with my Gigabyte (knock on wood). I am hoping for the same with my brother's rig. His 6 sticks of ram are all g.skill with the same part number, but the two kits were made years apart from each other. One has green pcb's while the other has black pcb's. I think they are just really sensitive to voltage, and needed a slight bump. I would have thought they could have run on auto, but it threw me for a loop this time.

Based on my limited experience, I do not think Gigabyte boards are junk. Mine has proven to be rock solid once I got everything dialed in.
 
ewb302 said:
I have had great luck with my Gigabyte (knock on wood). I am hoping for the same with my brother's rig. His 6 sticks of ram are all g.skill with the same part number, but the two kits were made years apart from each other. One has green pcb's while the other has black pcb's. I think they are just really sensitive to voltage, and needed a slight bump. I would have thought they could have run on auto, but it threw me for a loop this time.
Click to expand...

GSkill uses codes to identify the memory chips used to produce the modules. I started to ask you if those two kits with matching Model # had been purchased together, or at different times. If you look at the label on the actual modules the last line will be a serial number. The first 3-4 digits indicate the manufacturing date in a YYWW format, but excludes leading "0" for the year so something like 2009 would only use a single digit for the year "9", while 2010 would uses "10". After the date code the next 3 digits are the IC code. The codes were changed around April of 2012 so depending on mfg date, two modules with identical chips may uses different codes. Below is a link to a good discussion / list of these codes:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?283666-Figuring-out-G-Skill-s-SNs

It always help to have an idea as to what chips are under the hood as memory chips often respond differently to voltage and / or timing changes.
 
Reefa_Madness said:
GSkill uses codes to identify the memory chips used to produce the modules. I started to ask you if those two kits with matching Model # had been purchased together, or at different times. If you look at the label on the actual modules the last line will be a serial number. The first 3-4 digits indicate the manufacturing date in a YYWW format, but excludes leading "0" for the year so something like 2009 would only use a single digit for the year "9", while 2010 would uses "10". After the date code the next 3 digits are the IC code. The codes were changed around April of 2012 so depending on mfg date, two modules with identical chips may uses different codes. Below is a link to a good discussion / list of these codes:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?283666-Figuring-out-G-Skill-s-SNs

It always help to have an idea as to what chips are under the hood as memory chips often respond differently to voltage and / or timing changes.
Click to expand...

Excellent information, thank you. The first kit was purchased back in 2009. The second kit was 2017. So very different. I appreciate the information, I am sure it will help us get things running smooth.
 
Quick question for you...is the second (newer) kit single-sided (only has memory chips along one side ofthe PCB)? You can look down at the module with the gold contacts facing up, or look from the side and tell. One side will have chips & the other only a thicker piece of thermal pad.

If so then you are dealing with not only different chips, but also chips of different density which further complicates how well they work together, especially if trying to overclock them.
 
kirbyrj said:
You do know that Gigabyte (and virtually all the major manufacturers) use solid capacitors that are rated for something like 50,000 hours.

Let me put it in a way you'll understand...

The cappps aren'ttt baddd
Click to expand...

There's other stuff on some boards that is not alll solids man...older stuff....some old boards still had electrolytics, and those are probably getting tired...
 
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kirbyrj said:
You do know that Gigabyte (and virtually all the major manufacturers) use solid capacitors that are rated for something like 50,000 hours.

Let me put it in a way you'll understand...

The cappps aren'ttt baddd
Click to expand...


and this is where ignorance reigns.

You can significantly affect the life of solid caps with inconsistent regulation of voltage elsewhere, a problem common to gigabytes ever shitty vrm and phase regulation.
 
diceman2037 said:
and this is where ignorance reigns.

You can significantly affect the life of solid caps with inconsistent regulation of voltage elsewhere, a problem common to gigabytes ever shitty vrm and phase regulation.
Click to expand...

Ignorance? Maybe you and your friend have never heard about the inconsistent IMC and X58 boards.

Not just on Gigabyte, but also Asus, EVGA, MSI, etc. So is it really inconsistent regulation of voltage leading to killing the solid caps, or another appearance of the widespread X58 issue already well documented?

So thank you for showing me where ignorance reigns...
 
hey I was thinking to buy some westmere cpus and i wonder if anyone in this thread owns a 2p setup?with a 6core westmere
 
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Batboy88 said:
Probably do ok, they don't clock like the 920-940s or anything I don't think. still shy of 4ghz some I think?
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With the right board they will clock to 4Ghz+. The only board I know that does 2p LGA1366 with good overclocking is the evga sr-2. Probably $400 still. X5XXX chips clock just as well as the 920-950 and have 2 more cores.

Probably looking at maybe 70% of what a current gen Intel chip will do in gaming at 4Ghz. Multi-threaded applications will be fine with 12c/24t.
 
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Reefa_Madness said:
Quick question for you...is the second (newer) kit single-sided (only has memory chips along one side ofthe PCB)? You can look down at the module with the gold contacts facing up, or look from the side and tell. One side will have chips & the other only a thicker piece of thermal pad.

If so then you are dealing with not only different chips, but also chips of different density which further complicates how well they work together, especially if trying to overclock them.
Click to expand...

Just got around to looking at this. You are correct, one set has dual sided chips, whereas the second set has only single sided. We switched to a matched 3 x 4GB kit so we are now only using 3 of the 6 slots. So far so good.
 
Anyone here have experience overclocking the W5580 or W5590? Price on those has really dropped.
 
Reefa_Madness said:
GSkill uses codes to identify the memory chips used to produce the modules. I started to ask you if those two kits with matching Model # had been purchased together, or at different times. If you look at the label on the actual modules the last line will be a serial number. The first 3-4 digits indicate the manufacturing date in a YYWW format, but excludes leading "0" for the year so something like 2009 would only use a single digit for the year "9", while 2010 would uses "10". After the date code the next 3 digits are the IC code. The codes were changed around April of 2012 so depending on mfg date, two modules with identical chips may uses different codes. Below is a link to a good discussion / list of these codes:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?283666-Figuring-out-G-Skill-s-SNs

It always help to have an idea as to what chips are under the hood as memory chips often respond differently to voltage and / or timing changes.
Click to expand...
Cool beans, my rig has Gskill sticks in it (6gb tri-ch), this'll help me figure out if I can toss another batch in, or have to upgrade the whole schmeer...
 
Big_Rig_Stig said:
Cool beans, my rig has Gskill sticks in it (6gb tri-ch), this'll help me figure out if I can toss another batch in, or have to upgrade the whole schmeer...
Click to expand...
Yeah, knowing what's under the hood of your current kit is helpful when trying to add more ram.

BTW, Corsair uses "verx.x" to identify theirs & Kingston uses alpha-numeric codes.
 
Gasaraki_ said:
Sorry, I only have a X5675 and I have mine overclocked to 4.2GHz.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Has come to my attention it is possible to overclock unlocked Xeon with Throttlestop in these Dell T3500. Pulled the trigger on a $20 W5590. Big caveat will be limitation of the proprietary heatsink. May pick up Hyper 212 and see what I can fab for a mount.
 
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