Z420 - Memory Error 16GB only 12GB useable

[ThePredator]

Hello, Community!

We have a Z420 with the Last BIOS (03.06 Rev. A  8 Apr 2013), with 4x4GB ECC RAM but it only recognizes 12GB with an Error.

- All Memory Modules testet and works fine in Z400 an recognizes with 16GB

Error from the Z420:

12288MB

942-Memory Training Error.

  DIMM 1 on CPU 0 experienced an error during training (CODE 3015).

Same Problem with RAM from the Z400 in the Z420.

Any ideas, i think Motherboard or CPU must be changed.

Additional info

All black RAM slot used

RAM modules together swapped 

[ThePredator]

Hello Community!

Sry for 2nd post

Problem solved

I received a 2nd Z420 Workstation and can swap Hardware together with the same model.

Problem cause --> Motherboard DOA -.-

Motherboard changed and the Workstation works fine.

[Skylarking]

I'm glad you solved the problem but such DOA issues are a real worry.

I say a real worry because if I purchase a product, I expect it to work in all it's aspects. Even such things as non populated memory slots, PCIe slots, second processor sockets, etc should be fully functional when purchased. And continue to be fully functional and perform admirably for well past the warranty period.

But how do I know what I purchased is fully functional, do I have to fully populate the motherboard and perform a comprehensive functional test on behalf of the manufacturer? No, I rely on the manufacturers quality control being up to the mark so what I get works as intended. Unfortunately QA these days seems to be on the decline and support is done by script junkies!

So when I buy a minimalist system and later install more memory or a second processor or some PCIe card from a 3rd party supplier, and if I have issues and test that working component in another machine, then I can correctly suspect the interface on the mobo may be faulty. It's simple fault finding 101. Yet install such a 3rd party component and no tier 1 OEM is interested in knowing that their motherboard may be faulty, they refuse to provide any support or fault finding as, in their view, it's always the 3rd party product that's faulty - end of support call!

This pervasive lack of support occurs when the product is still under warranty so performing any upgrade on a system that is 0.1% past it's 3 year warranty gives even less support - the support all ends even quicker!

The only time tier 1 OEM's willingly provide support is if you buy components from them and in some instances, they can and do fail to meet their obligations.

Unfortunately it's not an issue isolated to one supplier, HP and Dell (and I suspect others) have also shown contempt when support is require for the product they sold. It seems support is a slowly fading concept.

Well glad that your system now works but can you be sure another memory slot or the second processor slot is not 'iffy'?

As I said, it's a real worry!

[edited: Z600 has 2 prosessor sockets, Z400/420 has 1 processor... so a little less to worry about]

[micahstubbs]

I've just experienced this problem with my new z420.  I'm contacting HP support - hopefully a new motherboard with fix this for me as well!

[micahstubbs]

It looks like a faulty 8GB DDR3 1600mhz 1.35v Crucial RAM module was to blame.

It would boot, show an error, then show only 4GB of the 8GB available.  When I removed the faulty RAM module, the error messages stopped.