AsRock Z77 Extreme4 - Random "memory not detected" error (55)

[gamingmonkey]

Hello everyone.Forgive me for the long post (TLR at the bottom).

I recently have been getting errors on my motherboard AsRock Z77 Extreme4 about memory not being recognized or detected, and I'm wondering if anyone here can help me resolve this issue as no matter how much I search through google the problem can't be solved.

Ok, I want to start by saying that a few hours ago I turned on my PC and was playing video games, browsing web etc... as I do everyday, no problems appeared or anything weird happening everything was normal. Then I noticed through GPU-Z that my GPU is running at x8 speed on PCIe Gen3 slot instead of x16 and heard it was better to make the GPU run always at x16, I realized it was because my GPU was mounted on a second PCIe 3.0 slot instead of the top one, so I decided to move it there.

Fast forward a few minutes of me putting my GPU at my top PCIe 3.0, and putting all cables back (PSU's GPU cables + DisplayPort) only to realize my PC won't turn on and when I look at AsRock's "Dr.Debug" LED troubleshooter, I see that the error I'm getting is "55, Memory not initialized". I really don't know why this is happening especially since I NEVER touched my RAM sticks while taking off/putting on my GPU.

It confuses me since seeing the PC was just working normally moments ago and now suddenly it can't recognize my memory ? To make matters worse, I removed my GPU from the case fully and wanted to try to turn on my PC with only onboard GPU only to get the same error as before.

That's pretty much it what my problem is , I also want to mention that I tried each stick in each slot separately only to get either "53, Memory not recognized" or "55, Memory not initialized", I'm pretty sure that my memory is fine seeing as how it worked all these years without any issues and just a few moments ago. If anyone faced this problem before help would be appreciated.

TLR: My memory suddenly can't get recognized by my motherboard, where just a few moments ago it was working fine (more detail above).

PC Specs:
CPU: i5 2500K @ 4.5GHz
GPU: MSI GTX 980 Ti Gaming
Motherboard: AsRock Z77 Extreme4
CPU Cooler: CM Hyper 212+
RAM: Patriot G2 8GB 1600MJz (2x4GB)
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint 1TB HD103SJ
PSU: SuperFlower Leadex Gold 650W

Thanks in forward.

 

[cadaveca]

Memory might have died (it happens, unfortunately), or perhaps BIOS setting for VCCSA or VCCIO voltage is too low.

If you haven't yet, do a proper CMOS clear by removing battery, and using the jumper to Clear CMOS. Stick one stick into third slot. THIRD SLOT!!! Try booting with just the one stick in third slot! Magic may happen!

 

[gamingmonkey]

Got it.
There's also a "Clear CMOS" button, should I still do it manually ?

 

[gamingmonkey]

Well that's weird. I just reseted the BIOS and tried again and it seems to work with only 1 RAM stick, and it look like that other one is faulty since it won't boot with the other one, but what's weird is that sometimes it boots with the other one and sometimes it doesn't.

 

[jboydgolfer]

it seems to work with only 1 RAM stick, and it look like that other one is faulty since it won't boot with the other one, but what's weird is that sometimes it boots with the other one

Since there's room for confusion have you tried both sticks of ram on their own?

Because if they both work on their own and the problem only arises when you're adding the second stick it could be something CPU side. If it's only one particular stick that doesn't work on it's own and it doesn't work with the other stick ,then it looks like it's time to use the wonderful lifetime warrantee that every stick of RAM has

 

[gamingmonkey]

Ignore what I just said, now it seems to work fine after cleaning the RAM slots.Thanks for the help again.

 

[gamingmonkey]

Apparently, the problem appeared again and was fixed by itself again later ?!

I don't get it, is the motherboard at fault here ? I tried to connect both 1 and 2 of the RAM sticks back and on other RAM slots, sometimes it didn't work and sometimes (and right now) it's working.

 

[gamingmonkey]

Ok, I've read in another thread that apparently if the board is flexed a little it can affect the RAM slots. So what I did was put back where the GPU was instead of at the PCIe closer to the CPU and so far it seems that it works.

So far I won't be touching anything in my case unless I'm replacing the whole MB.

 

[Finners]

I've had 2 Asrock Socket 1155 boards have memory detection issues if the CPU cooler was over tightened. As the socket flex's as you have said. Have you fitted a new cooler or adjusted it recently? Try to loosen off the CPU cooler slightly.

 

[AsRock]

Memory might have died (it happens, unfortunately), or perhaps BIOS setting for VCCSA or VCCIO voltage is too low.

If you haven't yet, do a proper CMOS clear by removing battery, and using the jumper to Clear CMOS. Stick one stick into third slot. THIRD SLOT!!! Try booting with just the one stick in third slot! Magic may happen!

This^, the ASRock Z77 can be a bit of a pain with voltages surly worth trying after checking each stick and what voltages are actually running.