Has Anyone Ever De-RGB'd RAM?

Zarathustra[H]

Zarathustra[H]

Extremely [H]
Joined
Oct 29, 2000
Messages
38,843
So,

My Threadripper died for the second time back in February and I've just been too busy moving to deal with it until now.

Luckily AMD is replacing it for me a second time under warranty.

Motherboard has been examined by Gigabyte with no problem found. PSU was replaced by Seasonic, and it ati failed a second time.

It could just be a inherent flaw in the 3xxx Threadripper, but just in case I decided I'd replace my RAM to make sure. (I originally bought an Intel set not on the Gigabyte AVL, and maybe its XMP mode just isn't compatible?)

Anyway, I've been reviewing the AVL, and every single kit on the list with the specifications I'd want has some form of annoying RGB lighting.

Most of them are Gskill Tridents.

From reading I understand it defaults to nauseating disco-rainbow and the way to change it is to install their awful software to reconfigure it.

I prefer my machines to be clean software wise so I never install additional software for shit like this, and I'm not about to make an exception here. What's worse I understand that even if you install the software it only retains control of he RAM when actively running. So in sleep mode or when booted in Linux (where I spend most of my time) I'd be back in rainbow hell again.

I want all lighting disabled, and I want it disabled without a y software being installed.

At first I thought, easy, these LED's must be installed on the ramsinks, so I can probably just pull back the ramsinks, disconnect whatever connector hooks up the LED's and they should be permanently off.

Reviewing this video shows that assumption was wrong. These LED's are soldered to the freaking memory sticks. :eek:

This means that unless I want to try to remove them from the board (and hope the RAM still works afterwards my only option is to block them somehow. This means no matter what I do they will still be there drawing current and adding useless complexity to the system. Infuriating.

Anyway, it looks like the top transparent covers peel off rather easily. Maybe I can pull them off and use some black vinyl dye to block the light output?

Has anyone tried anything like this? Did it work well it was there light leakage around the edges.

Damn I hate this disco light bullshit.

I wish I could buy parts that look like the 90's aesthetically. Basic great boards without fancy heatsinks, paint jobs or any lighting (other than those error code LED's. Those are actually useful!)

Appreciate any suggestions or recounting of past experiences with this.
 
If they're anything like Corsair Ram w/RGB, you should be able to simply turn them off via software once and then forget about it.
 
5150Joker said:
If they're anything like Corsair Ram w/RGB, you should be able to simply turn them off via software once and then forget about it.
Click to expand...

I wish.

From reading forums, my understand is that others have found that Trident RAM does not store settings in the RAM. It only obeys the software settings when that software is actively running on the host OS.

As soon as the software (or supporting background process, rather) is killed, the Trident sticks revert to disco-rainbow, including even when in sleep mode.

So, since I spend 90+% of my time in Linux where there is no software, I'd be putting up with this nonsense all the time.
 
Assuming you don't have a window on your case( nothing to look at, presumably) why would this matter?
 
criccio said:
Assuming you don't have a window on your case( nothing to look at, presumably) why would this matter?
Click to expand...

1.) Case has window. Only case large enough for my project is tempered glass. No other option (trust me, I would have taken it)

2.) The oldest engineering principle in the book is that of KISS, or "Keep it Simple, Stupid". It states that the simplest solution is always the most reliable. Adding extra traces with LED's, color controls, and their own power draw is not the simplest solution.

3.) Even if minor, added LED's add heat and power draw.

4.) Just knowing they are there pisses me off.


Based on what I have learned about these sticks, I won't be able to solve all of the above, so even if I dye the transparent ram bits so the lighting can't be seen, it will still be there, which is a bummer. That doesn't mean I can't at least improve things to my liking.
 
5150Joker said:
If they're anything like Corsair Ram w/RGB, you should be able to simply turn them off via software once and then forget about it.
Click to expand...


Zarathustra[H] said:
I wish.

From reading forums, my understand is that others have found that Trident RAM does not store settings in the RAM. It only obeys the software settings when that software is actively running on the host OS.

As soon as the software (or supporting background process, rather) is killed, the Trident sticks revert to disco-rainbow, including even when in sleep mode.

So, since I spend 90+% of my time in Linux where there is no software, I'd be putting up with this nonsense all the time.
Click to expand...


Yeah, confirmed it. Two threads on the first page of Gskills support forum for the Trident RGB confirm this poor design:

1.) RGB color/pattern without having the GSkill app running every time on Win10 startup?

2.) RGB Lighting: can I turn it off completely?!

According to that last link, you can't even turn it off from the software anymore.

The recommendation is to buy non RGB RAM if you don't want RGB. They do sell it with similar specs, but it's not on the goddamned AVL for my motherboard. (Only low end non-RGB is). Given the issues I have had I feel the need to buy AVL RAM only. :mad:
 
Shoganai said:
You’d rather dye the RGB lighting than install the software to turn off the lights?
Click to expand...

I don't trust software anymore. My philosophy is that the less software is installed, the better. Everyone is using their software to steal user data these days.

I don't have any accessory software installed. Even my mouse and keyboard use default windows HID drivers. I don't need the vendor "gaming" software.

I only install software (including apps on my phone) if it is absolutely necessary.

Same thing with accounts. I'll never create an account for a service unless it is absolutely necessary.

Adding to this, yes, despite the fact that I have a 24C/48T CPU I don't like wasting CPU cycles on unnecessary background tasks.

I want a lean dedicated machine. The less background tasks the better. Ideally there would be no threads other than the active program running at all.

I make sure every thread gets fully killed when not in use.
 
Nail polish, done.
You can always strip the polish off down the road if you need to ram the set again or sell.
They have low or no st8nk remover, my gf uses it.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
Also,

Turns out the software doesn't even allow disabling lights anymore. See above.
Click to expand...
Weird. I've never had that issue before. Maybe there's an open source alternative to control the lights?


somebrains said:
Nail polish, done.
You can always strip the polish off down the road if you need to ram the set again or sell.
They have low or no st8nk remover, my gf uses it.
Click to expand...
Or model paint.
 
Ok, let's step back. Why do you feel the need to replace the ram? I understand you had some really bad luck with the CPU but I highly doubt the ram is killing your CPU. If it was just unstable maybe it could be the ram. Most ram chips are only produced by a few companies (micron, samsung, sk hynix). Most ram modules are designed to follow jedec. It doesn't matter if it's "Intel" ram or amd ram. There is not such thing. The difference is in the timing. If the timing is to far out it won't run right. If timing is good enough for the IMC it will run fine. QVL is great and all but they just don't test everything. There are tons of modules that use identical chips and designs that have one on the qvl and the other not on it. I just feel your replacing parts because you have no clue what caused the issues (and I can understand that and wish I had a real answer for this part), but running "Intel" ram in an amd MB will not destroy a CPU, it's just the timings may not be optimized for the AMD board (which is simple enough to set yourself with dram calc). If the memory voltages are in spec, this is not what's causing CPU damage. If somehow it's trying to run way out of spec, then that could be a problem. Make sure it's ~1.35v and soc voltage is 1.1v or less. If they are, move on to something else and don't waste your time and effort in finding non rgb on a QVL.

Ps.. this is my suggestion, but I can understand wanting to be 100% positive by confirming to the specs 100%. If so, I have never tried to disable RGB ram modules (only set I own is in my son's PC), my other 5 desktops have no RGB. I can't imagine it's be difficult, but you're more likely to short something out trying to monkey around with ram/rgb and kill your MB or CPU then you are just running what you have or painting it black with some nail polish.
 
Ready4Dis said:
Ok, let's step back. Why do you feel the need to replace the ram? I understand you had some really bad luck with the CPU but I highly doubt the ram is killing your CPU. If it was just unstable maybe it could be the ram. Most ram chips are only produced by a few companies (micron, samsung, sk hynix). Most ram modules are designed to follow jedec. It doesn't matter if it's "Intel" ram or amd ram. There is not such thing. The difference is in the timing. If the timing is to far out it won't run right. If timing is good enough for the IMC it will run fine. QVL is great and all but they just don't test everything. There are tons of modules that use identical chips and designs that have one on the qvl and the other not on it. I just feel your replacing parts because you have no clue what caused the issues (and I can understand that and wish I had a real answer for this part), but running "Intel" ram in an amd MB will not destroy a CPU, it's just the timings may not be optimized for the AMD board (which is simple enough to set yourself with dram calc). If the memory voltages are in spec, this is not what's causing CPU damage. If somehow it's trying to run way out of spec, then that could be a problem. Make sure it's ~1.35v and soc voltage is 1.1v or less. If they are, move on to something else and don't waste your time and effort in finding non rgb on a QVL.

Ps.. this is my suggestion, but I can understand wanting to be 100% positive by confirming to the specs 100%. If so, I have never tried to disable RGB ram modules (only set I own is in my son's PC), my other 5 desktops have no RGB. I can't imagine it's be difficult, but you're more likely to short something out trying to monkey around with ram/rgb and kill your MB or CPU then you are just running what you have or painting it black with some nail polish.
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It's just a precaution.

Because I have had two identical CPU failures in a row, replaced the PSU and sent the motherboard to the manufacturer, only to have it returned with no issues found, I'm kind of grasping at straws for anything that might be at fault. I really don't want this to happen a third time. I'd imagine eventually AMD would run out of patience and I'd be stuck with a very expensive dead CPU.

My theory was that although unlikely, maybe, just maybe, the XMP profile in the RAM I bought, since it was intended for Intel might be overvolting the RAM controller or something like that?
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
My theory was that although unlikely, maybe, just maybe, the XMP profile in the RAM I bought, since it was intended for Intel might be overvolting the RAM controller or something like that?
Click to expand...

Check AMDs compatibility list for memory and see if your ram is there.
 
5150Joker said:
Check AMDs compatibility list for memory and see if your ram is there.
Click to expand...


Thanks for that suggestion.

I did not know AMD maintained their own list!

This is my first AMD system in... well.. a while.

When starting this build I didn't even know I had to pay attention to RAM compatibility. I was used to buying whatever I wanted and having it work. I've never looked at a QVL list before in my life, and I've been doing this for almost 30 years now.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
It's just a precaution.

Because I have had two identical CPU failures in a row, replaced the PSU and sent the motherboard to the manufacturer, only to have it returned with no issues found, I'm kind of grasping at straws for anything that might be at fault. I really don't want this to happen a third time. I'd imagine eventually AMD would run out of patience and I'd be stuck with a very expensive dead CPU.

My theory was that although unlikely, maybe, just maybe, the XMP profile in the RAM I bought, since it was intended for Intel might be overvolting the RAM controller or something like that?
Click to expand...
I understand, but you can go into the bios or download an app for the desktop and see what voltage XMP (docp) is setting to make sure. Also, the spec says 1.2-1.4v, typically it ends up being 1.35v. That's the "in spec" range. People push them harder with better cooling, but xmp/docp won't (again, Intel/and makes no difference to this statement). Also, SOC is normally set around 1-1.1v, understand the concern and honestly have no great ideas on what to do to be safe, but as mentioned, AMD keeps their own CPU QVL for RAM, so even if the MB manufacturer didn't test it on their specific board, AMD may have tested it with their CPU.

Ps. You can see these values right in ryzen master (at least on normal zen chips, I don't have a TR to check but don't see why it wouldn't).
 
Have you bought the RGB RAM yet? I've never gone wrong with Crucial or Kingston's compatibility list, even if it isn't on the official QVL.
 
jardows said:
Have you bought the RGB RAM yet? I've never gone wrong with Crucial or Kingston's compatibility list, even if it isn't on the official QVL.
Click to expand...
I'm definitely a fan of ordering direct from Crucial. Punch in your system or board on their web site, they tell you what works and they guarantee it. Never had a problem. IIRC Kingston does the same thing, but I guess I've developed a bit of customer loyalty over many years of 0 issues. I don't always order direct. Sometimes I just check their site and see if the local Microcenter has it, but I'll order direct unless there's a significant price difference.
 
Mask off the heatsinks/RAM portion with blue painter's tape really well, then spray this on the remaining neon glowing fruit salad bits:

1603597219657.png


Should easily be removable by simply peeling it off if you ever want to sell the RAM down the road...
 
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If the modules your interested in are gskill tridents try and find the ripjawV version with the same part# and timings. They should have the same ics or very nearly the same ics as the tridents.
When gskill releases new modules they generally release all three line ups at the same time. If all else fails get the gskill AMD b-die ripjawV modules(all black). You cant go wrong with them.
 
I would go to the local Staples or similar, get some sticky vinyl tape and either cover the ram or put a whole sheet on the inside of the tempered glass.
 
Throw some tesa tape on the LEDs. It doesn't leave a sticky residue if you remove it.
 
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