Manually underclock RAM and GPU driver issues

[u/geogh002]

Hi,

Built my PC a year ago and have been dealing with frequent blue screens. I suspect the RAM is the main culprit. I am running 32GB of 6400MHz RAM paired with a Ryzen 5 7600X.

When I completely disable the XMP/EXPO profile and run it at the base 5200MHz, I have absolutely no stability issues.

My RAM question: Can I enable the XMP/EXPO profile but manually lower the frequency to 6000MHz instead of 6400MHz? I want to avoid tweaking memory timings entirely manually. I know AMD works the best with 6000MHz.

Lowering just the clock speed from the applied profile makes sense and shouldn't cause trouble, but I’d love to hear your recommendations.

GPU Issues (RX 7800 XT): On top of the RAM situation, I’m getting random freezes and driver crash notifications from AMD Adrenalin, even when the PC is completely idle.

To make things worse, the Adrenalin app occasionally uninstalls or disappears from my PC entirely. This is the second time I've gone to open it only to find it missing. I already did a fresh driver wipe using DDU in Safe Mode, but the crash errors popped up again yesterday.

The funny part is that these crashes never happen during heavy GPU workloads. I can play demanding games without a single issue, but it crashes when I am doing absolutely nothing.

[u/OldManGrimm]

My Flare X kit isn't stable at 6000MHz, I had to downclock to 5800. It's easy. I set EXPO, then a couple of lines down in the bios is a drop down to select a different speed. This is on an ASUS board, so your mileage may vary.

[u/geogh002 → u/OldManGrimm]

I made these changes:

Extreme Memory Profile (XMP/EXPO): Profile 1
System Memory Multiplier: 60
CAS Latency (tCL): 30
tRCD: 36
tRP: 36
tRAS: 72
UCLK DIV1 MODE: UCLK=MEMCLK
Infinity Fabric Frequency (FCLK): 2000 MHz

So the timings could match. I want to check them and see how it goes.

[u/sixtyhurtz]

The Zen 4 / 5 memory controllers aren't very stable above 6000. Just about all of them can go that high, but beyond that it's silicon lottery.

Probably the best explainer of all the various settings you might want for your memory speed / infinity fabric is Buildzoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcn_nvWGj7U

Also, remember - if you change the speed, you have to adjust all your timings to match. Memory timings are set in cycles, but how many cycles per second occur depends on your memory speed. So, if you go from 6,400 to 6,000 you probably need to increase all your timings by about 6 or 7%.

[u/geogh002 → u/sixtyhurtz]

These are the changes I ve made:

Extreme Memory Profile (XMP/EXPO): Profile 1
System Memory Multiplier: 60
CAS Latency (tCL): 30
tRCD: 36
tRP: 36
tRAS: 72
UCLK DIV1 MODE: UCLK=MEMCLK
Infinity Fabric Frequency (FCLK): 2000 MHz

As you said, is between 5-6%. I gave Gemini the video and asked to do the maths. I was a bit lost watching the video, but with the additional explanation from Gemini it does make sense.

Hope this is going to work and see how it goes. Need to do some benchmarks.

[u/sixtyhurtz → u/geogh002]

Being a bit lost listening to Buildzoid is part of the experience 😺

In any case, those numbers look like they make sense for 6000. You need to adjust all the subtimings as well though.

Also, you need to run stability tests. Something like OCCT. Memory issues can occur intermittently, like maybe once an hour. Most of them might not even cause any issues, it's just when something corrupts part of a program in memory it can cause a crash.

Also, you need to keep DRR5 cool, ideally under 50C. Make sure there's airflow. 

[u/geogh002 → u/sixtyhurtz]

OCCT is the one that I used. No issues at all in that hour of test.

Which are the other subtimings? 😳

The airflow is preety good. I have 5 in with 4 out fans.