Memory Overclocking Fail: A Frustrating Experience with MSI Motherboard

I recently experienced a disappointing issue when trying to overclock my CPU and memory on my MSI motherboard. Despite following proper procedures, I encountered numerous problems that left me feeling frustrated and puzzled. In this article, I'll share my experience and the steps I took to resolve the issue.

My story began with a Corsair Vengeance kit of 2x 8GB 2400MHz RAM, which I purchased to replace my existing 8GB 1600MHz set. The new RAM was rated above 1600MHz, but unfortunately, it didn't work as expected. Every time I tried to overclock the CPU using the multiplier and keeping the stock voltage, the system would reboot after saving the BIOS settings. I couldn't even manually set the timings or enable the Intel Extreme Memory Profile.

I initially thought that the issue was specific to my motherboard, so I reset the BIOS settings, updated the BIOS, loaded the defaults, and tried different slots. I also ran a Windows 7 memory diagnostic test and triple-checked the connections. However, none of these steps resolved the problem.

Feeling puzzled, I decided to return the RAM kit, thinking that it was incompatible with my motherboard. But then, I stumbled upon an article suggesting that doing a 'direct overclock' of the CPU could fix the issue. This approach involves overclocking the CPU using only the multiplier while keeping the stock voltage.

To my surprise, this method worked! However, I still couldn't get close to 2400MHz with my Corsair Vengeance RAM. My system would not boot unless I pulled the power and let it sit for a few minutes before trying again.

I'm now left wondering why my first kit of Patriot Viper 2x 8GB 1866MHz didn't work, despite being rated above 1600MHz. Has anyone else experienced similar issues with MSI motherboards or Corsair RAM?

In conclusion, overclocking can be a rewarding experience, but it's essential to be patient and persistent in the face of challenges. If you're experiencing difficulties like I did, try experimenting with different settings and methods until you find what works for you.

Memory overclocking fail msi