MSI x870 Tomahawk EXPO not working

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derekfoster1971262029b

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Hi all, I recently bought the x870 Tomahawk with Ryzen 9950x and a 64 GB Ram Kit (2x 32gb sticks): Corsair cmk64gx5m2b6000z30. I am on the latest A16 beta bios and whenever I enable the EXPO setting the board fails to boot with A6 motherboard code - the RAM is rated at CL30 6000MHz. I have tried many different settings (EXPO on/off while manually setting 6000Mhz and lower speeds etc.) but nothing works. Also had MCR and Power down off and on but the system will only boot with the RAM at its default 4800 MHz CL40 speeds.
Any suggestions on how to get the RAM working at advertised speeds on this board would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
 
Solution
M
expo actually means overclocking

expo ram is "certified" to run at expo profile settings
cpu is "cerfified" to run at amd spec DDR5-5600
mainboards should be able to run the memory as stated in the QVL documentation (if the memory kit is not present in the QVL prepare for surprises)

so if you have problems with expo memory the percentages must be split like this

40% unlucky IMC (or other cpu related problem, mounting pressure for example)
30% unlucky ram kit (sometimes the memory needs a small tweak to run at expo values)
30% unlucky mb (defective memory lanes, very common on ddr5 motherboards, with no vendor exceptions)

this is why support have to answer like that
"in theory" the cpu is more likely to be the problem because...
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derekfoster1971262029b said:
Hi all, I recently bought the x870 Tomahawk with Ryzen 9950x and a 64 GB Ram Kit (2x 32gb sticks): Corsair cmk64gx5m2b6000z30. I am on the latest A16 beta bios and whenever I enable the EXPO setting the board fails to boot with A6 motherboard code - the RAM is rated at CL30 6000MHz. I have tried many different settings (EXPO on/off while manually setting 6000Mhz and lower speeds etc.) but nothing works. Also had MCR and Power down off and on but the system will only boot with the RAM at its default 4800 MHz CL40 speeds.
Any suggestions on how to get the RAM working at advertised speeds on this board would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Have you tried enable memory cortex restore? Cause the moment you enable expo your pc will have a very very long post, try enabling expo and then in your bios enable "memory context restore". Your ram is proper for that mobo I just checked you should be fine altho I checked for 7000 series not 9000 witch is still having trouble with alot of rams.
 
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andrew420rave158602dd said:
Have you tried enable memory cortex restore? Cause the moment you enable expo your pc will have a very very long post, try enabling expo and then in your bios enable "memory context restore". Your ram is proper for that mobo I just checked you should be fine altho I checked for 7000 series not 9000 witch is still having trouble with alot of rams.
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Yes, tried that setting and a combo of many others, the RAM will not work with EXPO settings. I had to manually set it to 5600mhz with loose timings, that is the highest it will go or wont post.
 
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An update as the OP - I moved the RAM (cmk64gx5m2b6000z30) out of my PC and into my son's with an MSI Gaming Plus B650 board + Ryzen 9700X for testing. I was able to enable the 6000Mhz EXPO profile with timings and the board booted without any problems. Also ran TestMem5 to be sure and it was fine. As stated in the original post, same RAM just doesnt work with EXPO with my x870 Tomahawk and Ryzen 9950x combo. Given the problems other people have with the same RAM and EXPO on the x870 Tomahawk, I am leaning more towards it being the motherboard than the 9950x CPU. I just cant be bothered to also swap out the CPU for further testing to be able to say for sure if the 9950x IMC is just not up to 6000mhz and CL30 in my case. Will likely buy the Fury kit mentioned earlier in this thread as its on the QVL and appears to work.
 
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Yep! That was once a solution for me too after trying to find the right settings for the sticks. Taking out the RAM, boot the PC, turn it off, RAM in slot, and boot.
 
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nheer15b202e8 said:
Yes, no improvment for me.
Currently running on 5000MHz with loose timings (32-36-36-36-76-90) and 1.3V
Will test today and see how far I'll be able to take them.
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I held out for a firmware improvement to hopefully address the issue with the Corsair RAM but its been months and months so decided to buy the recommended Kingston KF560C30BBEK2-64 (2x32GB) kit. Installed, enabled EXPO and everything worked without issue @ 6000Mhz CL30 with my Ryzen 9950x. The Corsair cmk64gx5m2b6000z30 kit works fine in my son's MSI B650 Gaming Plus board @ 6000Mhz CL30 without issue. Reading around these forums, the x870 Tomahawk is a strange beast, and wont buy the same model again after this.
 
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derekfoster1971262029b said:
I held out for a firmware improvement to hopefully address the issue with the Corsair RAM but its been months and months so decided to buy the recommended Kingston KF560C30BBEK2-64 (2x32GB) kit. Installed, enabled EXPO and everything worked without issue @ 6000Mhz CL30 with my Ryzen 9950x. The Corsair cmk64gx5m2b6000z30 kit works fine in my son's MSI B650 Gaming Plus board @ 6000Mhz CL30 without issue. Reading around these forums, the x870 Tomahawk is a strange beast, and wont buy the same model again after this.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update, will order the Kingston (KF560C30BBEK2-64) too. Curious if they'll work out of the box with my 9800X3D.
It is indeed a strange beast, but to be fair, the cmk64gx5m2b6000z30 aren't listed on the QVL. I really wasn't paying too much attention and thought if other kits, even with 6000+MHz are compatible, what could go wrong ^^
 
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They already arrived and worked right away.

[edit]
Had to lower the speed from 6000MHz to 5800MHz as I got multiple BSOD with the "ntoskrnl.exe" message.
Guess I was not too lucky with the IMC after all...
With the lower speed it's running stable so far, almost an hour in on testmem5.
Maybe I could have tried going from 1.35V to 1.4V as most other RAM-kits have, but if the lower speed is stable, I'm happy with it.
 
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nheer15b202e8 said:
Maybe I could have tried going from 1.35V to 1.4V as most other RAM-kits have, but if the lower speed is stable, I'm happy with it.
Click to expand...

Try this. Disable everything back to default. Reboot... enter bios.

Enable EXPO in the upper left corner (that square). Then go to DRAM speed and set it to 6000, then go to voltages and set DRAM voltage to 1.35v, VDDQ1.35v, CPU VDDIO 1.35v, Then go to Advance CPU configuration and set Infinity Fabric Frequency and Devider to 2200MHz, the set UCLK DIV1 Mode to UCLK=MEMCLOCK. At last override the CPU NB/soc voltage by an increase of +0.020

If it doesn't work you need to increase sometimes too. Most common are tRAS and tWR... Let say +16. If it still doesn't work, you need to look in subtimings... If you see 6 numbers in it, and you probably are seen those. Then you need to set them to 8, 6 works when everything is stable and voltages doesn't go up and down too much on boot. Big timing like 26, 28 are sensitive to an increase in latency, increase them with +2 of even +4.

It could be you can't get it like this, then you need to pick a next slower profile in the list and wait for next bios or 2. Still, 5800 is already fast.
 
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Just to confirm that the Corsair kit cmk64gx5m2b6000z30 is indeed not welcome on this board.
Latest Bios and all kind of tests and no go with the A6 code. Only work at 4800 no Expo/xmp.

I am fortunate enough that I still can return them so I got the Kingston KF560C30BBK2-32 that are not the Expo version only the XMP and they work flawlessly.
They are also on the QVL.

Just a heads up for anyone looking for a compatible kit.
 
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Ri2dLe said:
Try this. Disable everything back to default. Reboot... enter bios.

Enable EXPO in the upper left corner (that square). Then go to DRAM speed and set it to 6000, then go to voltages and set DRAM voltage to 1.35v, VDDQ1.35v, CPU VDDIO 1.35v, Then go to Advance CPU configuration and set Infinity Fabric Frequency and Devider to 2200MHz, the set UCLK DIV1 Mode to UCLK=MEMCLOCK. At last override the CPU NB/soc voltage by an increase of +0.020

If it doesn't work you need to increase sometimes too. Most common are tRAS and tWR... Let say +16. If it still doesn't work, you need to look in subtimings... If you see 6 numbers in it, and you probably are seen those. Then you need to set them to 8, 6 works when everything is stable and voltages doesn't go up and down too much on boot. Big timing like 26, 28 are sensitive to an increase in latency, increase them with +2 of even +4.

It could be you can't get it like this, then you need to pick a next slower profile in the list and wait for next bios or 2. Still, 5800 is already fast.
Click to expand...
Hello dear,

I would like ask question if you dont mind. I currently build a system with x870 tomahawk and 9800x3d. My ram is Teamgroup T Force DDR 5 32GB 6000 MHZ(30-36-36-76) . It is in QVL list. I dont have any issue with turning on EXPO profile which gives me same 6000 at this timings. But the problem is, aida64 benchmark shows weird numbers. Like particularly, the read and copy numbers are not matching the write. They looks way off and to be honest low. My old system DDR4 at 4000 was giving same numbers.((. Also latency number is higher than expected from what people say. In BIOS i did not fine tune anything to be honest. I just made AMD EXPO profile 1 enabled, DRAM speed =Auto, UCLK DIV1 MODE - UCLK=MEMCLK. Sticks are installed to A2 B2 . Bios updated to latest one. Windows 11 latest from website, freshly installed and updated. Is this normal numbers I see or I need to fine tune something over there? I am new to AMD platform. So please don't beat me hard. )) I attached all pictures, please take a look if you can. Any advise is appreciated and thank you in advance.
 

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first, hypervisor is enabled
disable core isolation

"mostly" expected, you are running at "stock" expo, but maybe a bit too slow indeed
if you want better performance you need to start tampering with other things, fclk, gdm, mcr/pd, nitro
and also find sweet spot for soc, vddp and vddio voltages
sometimes lower voltages can give poor performances, especially latency, but I don't know well the 9000 series cpu

don't copy paste other people settings, start from default stock voltages first... then fine tune for stability/performance with stress tests and benchmarks
 
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Michele P said:
first, hypervisor is enabled
disable core isolation

"mostly" expected, you are running at "stock" expo, but maybe a bit too slow indeed
if you want better performance you need to start tampering with other things, fclk, gdm, mcr/pd, nitro
and also find sweet spot for soc, vddp and vddio voltages
sometimes lower voltages can give poor performances, especially latency, but I don't know well the 9000 series cpu

don't copy paste other people settings, start from default stock voltages first... then fine tune for stability/performance with stress tests and benchmarks
Click to expand...
Hi,

If it was addressed to me, thank you for reply. Hypervisor was not enabled in windows and turning off core isolation even made it worst or the same. Latency bit increased. Rest of advises little bit hard for me, i am new to all these things, and I need more specified ones. ))) But i will look to them closer in internet. Thank you for advises. Lets see maybe other gentlemen has more experience with 9000 series. :-) By the way what number do you see in aida benchmarks. Also could you please share your tweaks as I see you also using DDR 5 6000.Even I should not copy them it can be good start for me to learn.
 
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not true, core isolation disabled improves latency , don't confuse Hyper-V with the windows security feature called core Isolation.

It's AIDA that has broken latency measurement, don't trust that software
 
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