The Old X58 Motherboard "RAM Not Showing" Problem - Also on an older thread.

DWD1961

[H]ard|Gawd
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I just necroed a 2 year old thread about the same issue.

X58 motherboards not showing all RAM using the old i9xx CPUs. OK I just repasted my old X58 and locked down the cooler on the CPU, and now I'm showing 8 GB RAM and not 12, dammit. Any solutions to this infuriating problem?

I posted a new thread about this because I thought some people would not be interested in that old thread.

WP_20191208_19_40_28_Pro.jpg


Also,I want to load my rig so I can start playing some games I left in 2012: MMOGs mainly, and so should I just go a head and load my rig and get everything running, then deal with the RAM problem later?
 
motherboard model?
have you update to the latest bios ?
tryed to change the ram positions?
 
motherboard model?
have you update to the latest bios ?
tryed to change the ram positions?

Latest BIOS I have is FA.
Gigabyte X58 UD5 Rev 2
Yeah took all of the ram out and reseated it. This was a common problem for these boards/CPUs.
 
Try checking the socket for bent pins and reseat the CPU could be as silly as a bad pin contact if there is uneven pressure on the CPU due to the cooler.
 
Try checking the socket for bent pins and reseat the CPU could be as silly as a bad pin contact if there is uneven pressure on the CPU due to the cooler.
It wouldn't be bent pins because it just started and I have never reseated the CPU once it was installed. It's a very common problem with this set up, and was across all manufacturers. IF yuo check out the old thread, you'll see what I mean.
 
If it helps any, I'm using this:Thermalright LGA 1366 Bolt-Thru-Kit (IFX-14)

31ZLQoB2-bL.jpg


This is how I have it mounted:
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If you haven't already, removed the motherboard from the chassis, place it on a non-conductive solid surface, re-seat the RAM, and then power it up to see if all the RAM shows up. Board flex might be the issue. Hope this helps.
 
Can you mount your hsf facing the exhaust fan? It may not help your ram issue but it will help keep your cpu cooler and improve overall case flow.
 
If you haven't already, removed the motherboard from the chassis, place it on a non-conductive solid surface, re-seat the RAM, and then power it up to see if all the RAM shows up. Board flex might be the issue. Hope this helps.
That's not it. The last two RAM slots are not able to use the RAM, although they are identified as filled in the BIOS.
 
I took all of the ram out and then used a 3 stick configuration. I wanted to see if timings or other issues were casing the last two RAM slots to be unavailable. Slots 7 and 8 are showing, but unavailable. Windows reports the same thing: 8GB available, 12GB installed. It's the last two slots that are not useable. Aftrer using slots 2-4-8 in a 3 stick config, I confirmed slot 8 is again not using the RAM, although it shows it is installed.

This isnt a RAM issue. I'm begging to think it is a CPU issue not seating properly which is native to these boards. It causes the exact same problem as I and other have had with these boards.

I guess an easy fix would be to buy two sticks 8GB each and use slots 1/3.

I'm using 6 2GB modules currently:
WP_20191209_11_10_53_Pro.jpg


I just don't want to spend any money on this old rig.
 
Can you mount your hsf facing the exhaust fan? It may not help your ram issue but it will help keep your cpu cooler and improve overall case flow.
You know I thought the same thing when I repasted the cooler a few days ago, but there was a reason for doing it. I am going to take it off again, and reseat the CPU. I'll remout the backing plate and see if it clears everything. As for cooling, I have the CPU exhaust fan pointing into the cooling tower. You can't see it, but there is a 230mm top fan about 3 inches from the Cooler, and another 230mm fan in the front of the case. Also, mounted in the side cover is another 230mm fan. I never had any temp problems OCed to 3.8 stress testing back in the day.

I remember I did bend a pin taking off the CPU on my last board. Any suggestions as to NOT doing that this time? In the old RAM NOT SHOWING thread, the last post a couple of years ago was a guy who said he figured out the problem and tested itboth ways. He said he put a little cardboard under the CPU clip. I guess that seated the CPU down and he said he got his ram back. To test it, he took off the cardbaord, and the RAM was again lost.

I'm not sure where he put the cardboard.

This looks good. Any objections?
A-Tech 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600MHz PC3-12800 Desktop RAM Kit | Non-ECC Unbuffered DIMM 240-Pin Memory Upgrade Modules16GB kit 2x8GB 31.00
https://www.amazon.com/PC3-12800-DE...6?keywords=ddr3+memory&qid=1575926849&sr=8-36
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
Try checking the socket for bent pins and reseat the CPU could be as silly as a bad pin contact if there is uneven pressure on the CPU due to the cooler.
Hey man I don't know why I dismissed your post. I think I was reading something else at the same time. It sure could be bent pins. I took the CPU out today and looked at the contacts. Some of them don't show any dent in them, and a couple were way off to the side or the contact on the CPU. I looked at the pins and they look straight, though. Not home right now, but tonight I'll take a closer look with a magnifying glass to make sure the pins look straight.

I put the cooler cross over bar the opposite way, reset the back plate, which seemed loose for some unknown reason. I think the reason i did it that way originally is that I didn't think the inside mounts were clearing teh Northbridge caps. I looked again, and it's close, but they look like they are clearing. Tonight I'll button it all up again and see what I get.
 
reset cmos?

So many other people have had this problem, though. Did you read the old 2010 thread in this same issue? There is actually a button in back on the MB, actually in a very bad spot, that says "Clear CMOS." haha. I hit that MFer twice before I knew what I was doing way back in the day. I actually thought about cutting the solder connection so I couldn't accidentally clear my CMOS.
 
Well, I reseated the CPU. Nothing seemed wrong with the pins. I redid the cooler back plate and remounted the cooler in the traditional direction. Cleaned all of the ram contacts and reseated the RAM, fired her up and the last two banks are still reporting disabled in the BIOS. Dammit. I did the little CPU stress test from CPUID on all cores and number 1 never hit 58C. Still seems a little hot but I don;t know what I was hitting back in the day.

I would like to try one more thing, and that is to input into the BIOS manually all RAM settings. Can anyone help me with that?
 
I found this on Youtube. I am not home so cannot try it, but this is one reason I wanted to manually input all of the RAM information in the BIOS. I'm pretty skeptical, but I will try it when I get home and report back.

"Change the Row Refresh Cycle Timing to 100 clocks, or sometimes called Reference Cycle Timing."
 
Dead mem slot?
No. It's always the last two slots, even on the REV 1 board I RMA'ed originally. But, you never know. I did try 3 sticks and the last bank shows the installed RAM, just like when all banks are filled, but the RAM isn't usable. It probably has something to do with the CPU ZIFF not putting enough force on the CPU, or fuck I don't know. Who knows? I know I have 4 slots available that show RAM, so if I need more RAM I can get two DDR3 16GB its and try that. Still only gives me 16GB RAM. That, and I don't want to start throwing money at an old rig with a the X58 MB that has known problems with this issue. I was hoping I could update the CPU with a Xeon Westmere and OC it 500Mhz to 4Ghz, they do that easily as I am told, with no heat issues, and then update the Graphics card and have a gaming rig that is good for the next several years at 1080p. However, I found out that a lot of games minim spec is 16GB RAM. However, the games I am going to play are old accounts on NON demanding graphics. They will play with 8GB ram easy, out of my 12.
 
Looking at CPUz, my tRFC is only 72 already. I went ahead an loaded fail safe defaults and manually set the ram to factory settings 888 24 and voltage at .166 (1.65 factory).

Well, I've tried everything I can think of. It was running fine when I put it away in June of 2013. The only thing I did was reset the cooler with fresh paste. Now I have reset the CPU.

Any other ideas? I can take out the CPU again and take a picture of the pins, if anyone can ascertain that. I looked at them with a magnifying glass, and normally to se if I could see anything wrong with the pin pattern, and it looked clean. The old thread one guy posted

"
Very belated X58 enthusiast here.

I registered an account here, just to offer a solution. I had tried everything mentioned in this thread, but no dice. Then I read the above and I have found exactly this to be the cause of banks going "missing".

The solution? Add some padding between the cpu and the small part on the latch pushing down on (making contact with) the CPU. Specifically, I only did this to the left. I used a tiny piece of cardboard.

I was consistently able to reproduce RAM gone missing (no cardboard) and RAM showing up (cardboard). This was tested/reproduced with a GA-X58-UDR3 rev 1.0 board breadboxed on a flat surface with a stock LGA 1366 heatsink sitting loose on the CPU (e.g. not mounted).

Depending on your CPU cooler and/or motherboard orientation you might be able to apply enough pressure in a different way. This is likely why people in this thread report tinkering with (e.g. reseating the CPU) seems to "solve" the problem."

The Thermal Take cross member mounting I used with a back plate should be putting plenty of pressure on it.

The one thing that did change was that the CMOS battery went dead. That cleared everything. I did still have old OC settings saved in the BIOS (non volatile) but reloading them did not help. I'm ready to try the cardboard suggestion, but exactly where am I putting this in teh CPU clip and how thick?
 
If a shim in the CPU mounting fixes it, that seems like a board warping problem once the CPU cooler is installed. Try other coolers.

Otherwise, I usually have numerous issues with the OCZ DDR3 memory on motherboards of that era. It has caused me failed boots, disappearing/reappearing DIMMs, system lockups, etc. They were super cheap and everyone bought them, but mostly everyone abandoned using them due to compatibility issues. I would recommend trying Corsair DDR3.
 
If a shim in the CPU mounting fixes it, that seems like a board warping problem once the CPU cooler is installed. Try other coolers.

Otherwise, I usually have numerous issues with the OCZ DDR3 memory on motherboards of that era. It has caused me failed boots, disappearing/reappearing DIMMs, system lockups, etc. They were super cheap and everyone bought them, but mostly everyone abandoned using them due to compatibility issues. I would recommend trying Corsair DDR3.

Except the guy above said he was having the same problem without the cooler mounted--he just had it sitting flat on the CPU without pressure. Apply more pressure to the clip and the problem gone. Take out the cardboard, problem returns. I'd like to try his suggestion, but I'm unsure of how to proceed, how thick the cardboard should be, or what other material would be better suited to try in case it does work, and I want to leave the shim in.

Also,if it is the cooler mount, shouldn't I be able to loosen it to a point where the ram shows?
 
That really points to BGA mounting of the socket having issues. (cracked solder ball points) If you need a shim, start with folded construction paper and step up thickness. However, a shim is only masking the real problem. You can reflow the socket by putting flux around the edges and on the LGA pins, then use a 40x40mm BGA nozzle with a hot air rework gun. Once the flux is sucked in around the edges, it should be good. (remove the metal mounting lever assembly first)
 
If a shim in the CPU mounting fixes it, that seems like a board warping problem once the CPU cooler is installed. Try other coolers.

Otherwise, I usually have numerous issues with the OCZ DDR3 memory on motherboards of that era. It has caused me failed boots, disappearing/reappearing DIMMs, system lockups, etc. They were super cheap and everyone bought them, but mostly everyone abandoned using them due to compatibility issues. I would recommend trying Corsair DDR3.

Just wanted to say, here is a guy ahving teh exact same issue
That really points to BGA mounting of the socket having issues. (cracked solder ball points) If you need a shim, start with folded construction paper and step up thickness. However, a shim is only masking the real problem. You can reflow the socket by putting flux around the edges and on the LGA pins, then use a 40x40mm BGA nozzle with a hot air rework gun. Once the flux is sucked in around the edges, it should be good. (remove the metal mounting lever assembly first)

OK thanks. I'll try that construction paper shim just to see if it works. As far as using flux on the socket and re-flowing the socket using a 40x40 BGA nozzle, yeah, think I'll pass on that one.

BTW, I had the exact same problem with the REV 1 board, which I RMAed and still have--untested. If I can't fix this issue, I'll try to survive on 8GB or RAM, which for my purposes should suffice. In case I want to play other games that require more RAM, I'll set up the REV 1 board and see if it posts all RAM.

Or, I can buy 2 16GB kits used in the first two channels for 32GB, or 16GB and just consider the last channel gone.

I was wanting to upgrade as cheaply as possible, but these boards have me thinking maybe, if I can just wait, to put any extra money into a new rig.

It might not be that big of a deal, since I would have to spend 40 on the Xeon chip and still have only 12GB of RAM anyway. Then I'd have to upgrade RAM and Video too. So, even in a best case scenario, if I wanted to play the most demanding games, I'd have to upgrade my current RAM and video anyway, plus 40 for the Xeon.

So anyway, to get my RAM 16 it would be 50 bucks or so and twice that to step it up again,since buying individual stick to get to 20 would be more expensive. That's the same price as DDR4 ram right now.

Are the sub 100.00 current gen MB's capable? OR would I need to again fork out over 300 to get a decent MB?
 
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No you can get a really solid am4 mb for less than 100. Add a very capable 2700x and 16gb of solid ddr4 3200 for 200 more and all youll need is a newer gpu. So 3 bills will get you alot more than just a mb ;)
 
Just wanted to say, here is a guy ahving teh exact same issue


OK thanks. I'll try that construction paper shim just to see if it works. As far as using flux on the socket and re-flowing the socket using a 40x40 BGA nozzle, yeah, think I'll pass on that one.

BTW, I had the exact same problem with the REV 1 board, which I RMAed and still have--untested. If I can't fix this issue, I'll try to survive on 8GB or RAM, which for my purposes should suffice. In case I want to play other games that require more RAM, I'll set up the REV 1 board and see if it posts all RAM.

Or, I can buy 2 16GB kits used in the first two channels for 32GB, or 16GB and just consider the last channel gone.

I was wanting to upgrade as cheaply as possible, but these boards have me thinking maybe, if I can just wait, to put any extra money into a new rig.

It might not be that big of a deal, since I would have to spend 40 on the Xeon chip and still have only 12GB of RAM anyway. Then I'd have to upgrade RAM and Video too. So, even in a best case scenario, if I wanted to play the most demanding games, I'd have to upgrade my current RAM and video anyway, plus 40 for the Xeon.

So anyway, to get my RAM 16 it would be 50 bucks or so and twice that to step it up again,since buying individual stick to get to 20 would be more expensive. That's the same price as DDR4 ram right now.

Are the sub 100.00 current gen MB's capable? OR would I need to again fork out over 300 to get a decent MB?
On X58, you may not be able to use that large of a DIMM, and total memory supported is likely 24GB. (i7 920 limitation)
 
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No you can get a really solid am4 mb for less than 100. Add a very capable 2700x and 16gb of solid ddr4 3200 for 200 more and all youll need is a newer gpu. So 3 bills will get you alot more than just a mb ;)
Ohh I like that. I'm an AMD fan boy. I bought the first dual core Athlon x64 X2 CPU when AMD started selling them back in whatever it was, 2004? After that, Intel just railed them up the ass. Then,ofcourse, Bluudozer. lol

I like that prospect very much. Do you pretty much need 24GB of ram these days?
 
OK guys, I'm done. I found the problem, but I'm bot telling what it is until the end of this post.

-First, I did all of the settings, and I was not happy having to go back and relearn all of this. Anyway, I fiddled with QPI/VTT voltages, uncore, set all ram to manual timings.
-Then I toook out the CPU and took a magnifying glass to the pins,again. Took my time this time around and gave it a good going over. I couldn't find anything.
-Then I went over the indents in the CPU receiver contacts. there were some that were almost off the copper circle, but still making contact,and then there were some that looked like there were two points of contact. Strange, but all of them had indents.

-Then I reseated the CPU and put the cooler just laying on the CPU with no force mounting at all.

-Then I shimmed the CPU clip three different times with increasing thickness thin card board, starting with index cards, then moving to the thickness a motherboard box has, the shiny cardboard type.

Again, fired it up with the CPU cooler just sitting on the spreader.

-Then, reset the ram.

No change at all. Still missing 4 GB of ram in the C channel on each try.

Then I finally figured out what was going on.

This Gigabyte X58 board can F itself in the B hole. I'm done. This is a board problem just like my other X58 board I had to RMA. I don't even know if the other x58 board came back from RMA fixed or not. I've read numerous threads where the only thing that actually did work was an RMA. In each case, the poster said it fixed the problem. I never tried my RMA'ed board because I already had another one installed. It seems like it just took some time for the same thing to happen to the REV 2 board (exact same boards). It's not about QPI, uncore, timings, voltages or anything else. They are defective boards.

Anyway, F yourself in the B hole X58. F yourself in the B hole.

This journey through the X58's shit pipe is over! Thanks to all who gave support!
 
No you can get a really solid am4 mb for less than 100. Add a very capable 2700x and 16gb of solid ddr4 3200 for 200 more and all youll need is a newer gpu. So 3 bills will get you alot more than just a mb ;)
Not finding that 2700 for less than 150.00 w/o a fan. They all seem to bundle the CPU with the Wraith cooler. I'm looking on Amazon. About 167.00 is as cheap as I can find it. Funny that a cooler cost 25% the cost of a CPU.lol. Anyway, what about the AMD 2600x? Would that be enough--I haven't done any research. Also, what GPU would do for a couple years at 1080p?
 
Not finding that 2700 for less than 150.00 w/o a fan. They all seem to bundle the CPU with the Wraith cooler. I'm looking on Amazon. About 167.00 is as cheap as I can find it. Funny that a cooler cost 25% the cost of a CPU.lol. Anyway, what about the AMD 2600x? Would that be enough--I haven't done any research. Also, what GPU would do for a couple years at 1080p?

Yeah same here, I'd Stick with the 2700x 8 core. GPU - 5700xt or comparable Nv. I'm sure someone can chime in on that.
 
Do you happen to have a microcenter close by DWD? If you do they have the 2700x for $160- $20 off mb bundle-asrock b450 pro4 $70 and $60 2x8 gb gskill ripjaws5 ddr4 3200. $307ish after taxes. You have to pick up in store...
 
Do you happen to have a microcenter close by DWD? If you do they have the 2700x for $160- $20 off mb bundle-asrock b450 pro4 $70 and $60 2x8 gb gskill ripjaws5 ddr4 3200. $307ish after taxes. You have to pick up in store...
Naw, no MC anywhere near me., Is there anyway I could get a decent motherboard in micro atx size? I'd like to use a micro case this time around. Or should I stick to regular size?

My rig won't even post now. It went to sleep and when I used the USB board to bring it out of sleep, it would just come on briefly, then go off, and keep cycling like that, no video signal.

I shut off from the AC, then restarted it. Booted up normally. Put it to sleep, and the same problem. Shut it off at the AC. That was the only way to get it off. Now it won't even post. It comes on, then immediately goes off, and keeps cycling like that until I shut off the power. No beep codes nothing. Any ideas?
 
I would try the mb you got back from rma rather than spend anymore time troubleshooting that one.
Matx is just as effective as atx. If a smaller build is what you want theres no reason why you cant.
Heres a solid matx mb. It has everything youll need to run a 2700x or better. Ignore the knucklehead reviews. Most newegg reviewers are clueless.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813157880
 
I would try the mb you got back from rma rather than spend anymore time troubleshooting that one.
Matx is just as effective as atx. If a smaller build is what you want theres no reason why you cant.
Heres a solid matx mb. It has everything youll need to run a 2700x or better. Ignore the knucklehead reviews. Most newegg reviewers are clueless.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813157880
I would try the mb you got back from rma rather than spend anymore time troubleshooting that one.
Matx is just as effective as atx. If a smaller build is what you want theres no reason why you cant.
Heres a solid matx mb. It has everything youll need to run a 2700x or better. Ignore the knucklehead reviews. Most newegg reviewers are clueless.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813157880
Oh I did give up on that other board. Already installed the old board and trouble shot it to death. See here: https://hardforum.com/threads/just-...-even-post-infinite-start-stop-cycle.1990200/

I just destroyed 4GB of RAM accidentally lol. It's a strange thing. I'll post the analysis in the link.
 
I have the same problem with my x58-UD7 MOBO. It started with the last banks and then it spreaded over the years. Now I have only 2gb available. I tried a lot of things also but nothing seems to work. I just gave up for the moment.
 
I have the same problem with my x58-UD7 MOBO. It started with the last banks and then it spreaded over the years. Now I have only 2gb available. I tried a lot of things also but nothing seems to work. I just gave up for the moment.
I feel for you. Try removing the RAM and putting in one stick, then if it shows all RAM in that one stick, try two sticks , then three. If it fails, do it over again. If you can't get it to work, then I would suggest doing what I did--tossing that POS MB in the trash can and do whatever you can to get a different set up. If it is the same problem, you aren't going to fix it. It's a defective MB design.

I put in my old Gig x58 REV 1 board that I had RMAed way back in 2010. It was also showing 8GB ram. That's after they supposedly "RMA'ed" it. Yeah right Gigabyte--F you. Anyway, I have 8GB RAM showing now and tested it with Prime 95 for 3.5 hours. Nice and tight. I'm going to run it for the old MMO I want to play for as long as it runs. Then, if it gives up more ram, I'm going to tear it out of my case, kiss it goodbye, and Frisbee that MFer in the trash can and never look back. That's the true fix for the X58 RAM problem.
 
Yeye, I tried that and a lot of other things. My issue started 3 years ago, so I have had time to try a few different things hahaha.
 
Yeye, I tried that and a lot of other things. My issue started 3 years ago, so I have had time to try a few different things hahaha.
Well, my problem started in 2010--LOL. Like I said, F that MB in the B hole.
 
I had this issue with my x58 board the other day, I removed the DIMMs and used some gold contact cleaner and used a pencil eraser to clean the contacts of the DIMMS, all 12GB came back after
 
I had this issue with my x58 board the other day, I removed the DIMMs and used some gold contact cleaner and used a pencil eraser to clean the contacts of the DIMMS, all 12GB came back after

You got lucky. I wouldn't be surprised if the problem comes back.
 
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