Severe X870 Tomahawk issues

[Leon255156302e1]

I recently bought the X870 Tomahawk to use with a 9800x3d and Corsair 2x16Gb 6000CL30 EXPO (CMK32GX5M2B6000Z30) but I'm having lots of issues...
Frequent crashes (windows sometimes shows "Clock watchdog timeout" BSOD, sometimes no blue screen), my NVME drives sometimes disappear (I need to turn off the power completely, a reboot isn't enough to show it again) making the OS unable to boot and I could not get the Wifi to work.

Today during a reboot there was a warning that the hardware changed so I press F1 to open the bios and the EXPO profile simply disappeared! I exit the bios, boot the system and now it only shows 4Gb of RAM?!? The system is very slow too.
I'm using the latest bios, but it isn't stable, please advise.

 

[plutomate]

Any chance you test a different ram kit? or does clear CMOS help? Could be corrupted SPD.

 

[Leon255156302e1]

Any chance you test a different ram kit? or does clear CMOS help? Could be corrupted SPD.

Clear CMOS makes it boot ok, but after a while (minutes, hours) it crashes. Today I'm returning the RAM and getting a new G.Skill kit, as it is the easiest part to return...

 

[plutomate]

if ram problem is resolved, next you wanna reinstall OS i supposed to rule out any software conflict

 

[Leon255156302e1]

if ram problem is resolved, next you wanna reinstall OS i supposed to rule out any software conflict

Thanks!
New RAM installed, will run stress tests...

Any specific stress test/benchmark recommendations?

 

[Piledriver]

I am also running the board with a 9800X3D, but with a kit from G.Skill (F5-6000J3040G32GX2-TZ5N). This is in the QVL and also works with the EXPO profile after updating to the UEFI A16.

My identified problems with the board:
* Realtek OnBoard Audio is active in Windows despite being disabled in UEFI. I use a PCIe sound card.
* My SATA ODD is not displayed in the UEFI. But it is in Windows. SATA SSDs are displayed in the UEFI.
* After a restart, I often have the problem that no image is output via the graphics card (connected via DisplayPort). An image is only displayed again on the Windows login screen. This makes it difficult to get into the UEFI or to see it.

I have reported the above problems to MSI.

Today I also noticed that when the computer is in energy-saving mode, the USB controller switches off and it is impossible to reactivate the computer using the mouse or keyboard. The computer can then only be reactivated via the on/off button on the case.

 

[Leon255156302e1]

I am also running the board with a 9800X3D, but with a kit from G.Skill (F5-6000J3040G32GX2-TZ5N). This is in the QVL and also works with the EXPO profile after updating to the UEFI A16.

My identified problems with the board:
* Realtek OnBoard Audio is active in Windows despite being disabled in UEFI. I use a PCIe sound card.
* My SATA ODD is not displayed in the UEFI. But it is in Windows. SATA SSDs are displayed in the UEFI.
* After a restart, I often have the problem that no image is output via the graphics card (connected via DisplayPort). An image is only displayed again on the Windows login screen. This makes it difficult to get into the UEFI or to see it.

I have reported the above problems to MSI.

Today I also noticed that when the computer is in energy-saving mode, the USB controller switches off and it is impossible to reactivate the computer using the mouse or keyboard. The computer can then only be reactivated via the on/off button on the case.

The display being off during boot seems like a common issue, the boot is too fast for it to properly start, I don't think there's a solution.
However what you mention about not being able to return from sleep using the keyboard/mouse can be changed with a setting in the bios (I don't remember exactly where, but it's something like Wake from sleep USB).

 

[didusieq]

"Realtek OnBoard Audio is active in Windows despite being disabled in UEFI."
On previous MSI board (Z790), there was a switch in Easy Mode to disable onboard audio and it was working fine. There is no such switch on X870 Tomahawk but according to manual, there should be such switch.

 

[plutomate]

I suppose OP means he already disables it with the switch but it still produces sound in windows.

* Realtek OnBoard Audio is active in Windows despite being disabled in UEFI. I use a PCIe sound card.

To be more specific, you mean the HD audio option in BIOS and when you disable it, in windows device manager, it still has realtek audio listed?
It seems the option is working on X870 Carbon but it creates another bug with Bluetooth.

 

[Piledriver]

"Realtek OnBoard Audio is active in Windows despite being disabled in UEFI."
On previous MSI board (Z790), there was a switch in Easy Mode to disable onboard audio and it was working fine. There is no such switch on X870 Tomahawk but according to manual, there should be such switch.

I wrote that I have deactivated the HD Audio Controller in the UEFI. As I have always done in the past with all boards, formerly from Asus, because I use a PCIe sound card. It just doesn't work with MSI.

Advanced --> Integrated Peripherals --> HD Audio Controller --> Off

A counter-test with On didn't change anything either, as I thought that On/Off might have been swapped, as A16 still has beta status.

@plutomate
The switch does not seem to work. Apart from the three things mentioned above, which I have reported to MSI, the board seems to be working. The HD Audio Controller appears in the Device Manager as Realtek USB2.0 Audio. The built-in Realtek ALC4080 should also be connected via USB.

 

[Leon255156302e1]

With the new G. skill kit things seemed to be stable for a couple of days, but now during a reboot it's stuck with the yellow dram led on. Honestly idk what to do anymore...

 

[plutomate]

Hmm, can you try manually disable memory context restore if possible?
Boot time will be longer but memory will go through complete memory training.

 

[Piledriver]

I almost don't believe that MCR and Power Down have any influence on the boot time. I had both set to Auto and did not dare to switch this from Auto to On due to the beta status of A16 and my experience with A10. Now I have done it and the boot process still takes half an eternity.

I built another computer with a TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI at the beginning of the year. The computer with the Asus board boots so fast you can't even look at it. The MSI board is worlds away from that...

 

[olli.kirs157002d9]

Chiming in to report very bad experience with Tomahawk MoBo so far. Flashing BIOS was extremely hard. Only method to activate flashing was using the button on IO-panel. It took me few hours to figure out that activating flashing from BIOS setup screen didn't work. The PC never made it as far as choosing the flash-media etc.

I'm also encountering problems if display not activating. If I reboot from windows, the display never activates again. Status code seems to show CPU temperature but display stays deactivated. I don't even see the MSI splash screen. Windows is somewhat alive. If I press power-button the PC usually makes "controlled stop". I have already re-installed windows and Nvidia drivers.

Starting up after failed boot might bring PC back alive again. I'm experiencing problems in over 50 % of boots.

Also, for some reason CPU VDDIO voltage is 0.82 V on default. I wonder if it's suppost to be this way...

 

[fatedust]

* After a restart, I often have the problem that no image is output via the graphics card (connected via DisplayPort). An image is only displayed again on the Windows login screen. This makes it difficult to get into the UEFI or to see it.

What monitor and graphics card (driver version) are you using?
If your monitor has "Auto Scan" or similar function that can lock the video input source, try to enable it and lock the source on DP.

Today I also noticed that when the computer is in energy-saving mode, the USB controller switches off and it is impossible to reactivate the computer using the mouse or keyboard. The computer can then only be reactivated via the on/off button on the case.

Enable "Resume By USB Device" under BIOS\Advanced\Wake Up Event Setup.
By doing so, you can wake up system from S3 (sleep) and S4 (hibernate) by USB devices.

 

[wosco6155a02e0]

Chiming in to report very bad experience with Tomahawk MoBo so far. Flashing BIOS was extremely hard. Only method to activate flashing was using the button on IO-panel. It took me few hours to figure out that activating flashing from BIOS setup screen didn't work. The PC never made it as far as choosing the flash-media etc.

I'm also encountering problems if display not activating. If I reboot from windows, the display never activates again. Status code seems to show CPU temperature but display stays deactivated. I don't even see the MSI splash screen. Windows is somewhat alive. If I press power-button the PC usually makes "controlled stop". I have already re-installed windows and Nvidia drivers.

Starting up after failed boot might bring PC back alive again. I'm experiencing problems in over 50 % of boots.

Also, for some reason CPU VDDIO voltage is 0.82 V on default. I wonder if it's suppost to be this way...

I had a similar 50/50 no display problem and I think mine was related to onboard graphics. It was similar to your problem where it felt like reboot vs cold start was a factor. Removing the GPU and plugging directly into onboard HDMI fixed the display problem while I troubleshooted my RAM problem. Then when I plugged the GPU back in, I disabled onboard graphics in the bios and that has been stable for me so far. I wasted a lot of troubleshooting time thinking the CPU temp was either memory training or an error code telling me why my system wouldn't POST.

BTW I had similar symptoms (no display + CPU temp readout) whenever I installed GRUB to dual boot linux/windows. I'm only mentioning this in case it ends up being relevant for someone. I was never able to resolve my GRUB problem.

Also Leon, sorry your thread is getting hijacked. Your problem is definitely looking like a faulty motherboard. That error code is a proper memory error. Of course we already knew there was a memory error when it showed 2x2GB (wtf), but now you've done a good job testing a different set of sticks to isolate the motherboard. At this point it's hard to see an outcome that doesn't involve replacing the motherboard

 

[olli.kirs157002d9]

I had a similar 50/50 no display problem and I think mine was related to onboard graphics. It was similar to your problem where it felt like reboot vs cold start was a factor. Removing the GPU and plugging directly into onboard HDMI fixed the display problem while I troubleshooted my RAM problem. Then when I plugged the GPU back in, I disabled onboard graphics in the bios and that has been stable for me so far. I wasted a lot of troubleshooting time thinking the CPU temp was either memory training or an error code telling me why my system wouldn't POST.

I have been also suspecting the onboard graphics to be the culprit. However, I have already disabled that from BIOS... I guess I'll have to continue searching for a solution.

 

[Leon255156302e1]

Hmm, can you try manually disable memory context restore if possible?
Boot time will be longer but memory will go through complete memory training.

I did a clear cmos again and it booted normally after settings. Just waiting to see what's next... this is so frustrating.
If I have to return this I am certainly getting a different brand, unfortunately I don't have many affordable/available options here...

 

[Piledriver]

What monitor and graphics card (driver version) are you using?
If your monitor has "Auto Scan" or similar function that can lock the video input source, try to enable it and lock the source on DP.

I took the graphics card from the previous system with the Asus board. It is a Sapphire Pulse RX6800. The monitor is an Asus TUF Gaming VG27A1A. Monitor and graphics card are connected via DisplayPort cable. The monitor runs at WQHD, 144 Hz, FreeSync and the source has always been fixed. The DisplayPort cable is not a cheap no-name, but from Lindy. As described, DisplayPort often causes problems since the upgrade with the MSI board, so that you only have a graphics output with the Windows login screen. The monitor is black during the UEFI or boot process. In this case, the monitor indicates that there is no input signal when connected via DisplayPort. No separate drivers are required in UEFI.

When I connect the graphics card to the monitor via HDMI cable, the graphics output always seems to work before the login screen. Maybe the MSI board has a problem with the previous high frequency of 144 Hz.

The previous Asus board worked fine with this.

Enable "Resume By USB Device" under BIOS\Advanced\Wake Up Event Setup.
By doing so, you can wake up system from S3 (sleep) and S4 (hibernate) by USB devices.

I had already solved the problem, but was horrified that the default settings are not set as I know them, or as I would expect a computer to be woken up by keyboard or mouse.

I will now install the 7E51v1A17 (beta version) and see if anything has changed with regard to my three reported problems, which would be pretty quick. MSI seems to be very slow with UEFI updates in general - matching the boot time... This problem has been with MSI since the 600 series boards. I have little hope...!

 

[Leon255156302e1]

I just updated to the A17 bios (given that every reboot would freeze with DRAM LED on A16), and the only difference is that now windows asks me to reset the PIN on every boot ("something happened and your pin isn't available"), which I read is some kind of safe mode for windows...

Is there a change log on the A17? I could not find it. Or is it just the useless X3D gaming mode? Instead of fixing issues they add new features we don't need?