Thursday, September 1st 2022
ASRock X670E Steel Legend Motherboard Needs Hundreds of Seconds at First Boot or Clear CMOS to Train Memory
At this point, we don't know if this is a limitation at AMD's level or ASRock's, but someone with access to a retail ASRock X670E Steel Legend motherboard, with all its packaged paraphernalia in place, spotted an interesting sticker covering the board's four DDR5 DIMM slots. The sticker has some info on the ideal DIMM slot selection for dual-channel memory (4x sub-channels); but what catches our eye is a table which states just how long the motherboard will take to train the memory the first time it's booted up, or after a clear-CMOS operation (where your BIOS settings are erased).
The table says that a typical setup with two 16 GB modules (read: two single-rank modules in a 1 DIMM per channel/1DPC configuration), takes 100 seconds to train (or until first boot). Two 32 GB modules (typically a pair of dual-rank modules in 1DPC configuration) take 200 seconds, as do four 16 GB modules (four single-rank modules in a 2DPC configuration). The least optimal config, four dual-rank modules in a 2DPC configuration, takes a whopping 400 seconds (almost 7 minutes) to train. That's 100 to 400 seconds of a black screen, or no display signal, enough to unnerve anyone and assume something is DOA.
Update Sep 2nd: The source behind this story confirmed that this is an ASRock-level issue, and that it's been "fixed" with the latest BIOS.
Update Sep 8th: This has been fixed according to ASRock.
Here's the kicker—since UEFI BIOS updates typically clear CMOS, you'll have yourselves some nerve-racking hundred(s) of seconds until the display lights up, letting you know that the BIOS update went through. Interestingly, we haven't yet seen anything to suggest that memory overclock (which involves dozens of reboots and re-training of memory), takes hundreds of seconds—not unless you clear CMOS for some reason.
Source:
HXL (Twitter)
The table says that a typical setup with two 16 GB modules (read: two single-rank modules in a 1 DIMM per channel/1DPC configuration), takes 100 seconds to train (or until first boot). Two 32 GB modules (typically a pair of dual-rank modules in 1DPC configuration) take 200 seconds, as do four 16 GB modules (four single-rank modules in a 2DPC configuration). The least optimal config, four dual-rank modules in a 2DPC configuration, takes a whopping 400 seconds (almost 7 minutes) to train. That's 100 to 400 seconds of a black screen, or no display signal, enough to unnerve anyone and assume something is DOA.
Update Sep 8th: This has been fixed according to ASRock.
Here's the kicker—since UEFI BIOS updates typically clear CMOS, you'll have yourselves some nerve-racking hundred(s) of seconds until the display lights up, letting you know that the BIOS update went through. Interestingly, we haven't yet seen anything to suggest that memory overclock (which involves dozens of reboots and re-training of memory), takes hundreds of seconds—not unless you clear CMOS for some reason.
89 Comments on ASRock X670E Steel Legend Motherboard Needs Hundreds of Seconds at First Boot or Clear CMOS to Train Memory
I used to be an early adopter but these days I’m loathe to early adopt new platforms anyways, and let the early adopters aka beta testers give feedback to the motherboard companies so that the bugs are worked out. I also don’t run beta OSes on my phones or tablets anymore either.
I just want stability and good usability.
Also, what is 1 DIMM per channel? One DIMM of DDR5 has two channels, two DIMMs is effectively 4x32-bit :confused:
Previously, it always showed Dual instead of 2 x 64-bit.
If the longer training time is being used to better tune the memory that's a superior approach IMO. First boot being longer in exchange for superior memory performance is more than a worthwhile trade-off.
At least on Intel ADL, the more values you manually type in related the memory, the faster it boots. Could be true here as well. We don't know yet.
In the span of 5-7 years 400 seconds is nothing, especially if it's providing a superior experience to shorter training times.To either set timings and test them or ensure that user set timings function. Without memory training the system would simply fail to boot in instances where the user set bad timings or an XMP / EXPO profile doesn't work as you pointed out. That is not an acceptable option as people who aren't computer whizes will think the PC is broken and aren't aware that they could remove the CMOS battery. Mind you it's inconvenient to have to remove the battery in the first place. Memory training mostly gets rid of having to do that.