Years ago, the SFF community waited with bated breath for the ASRock DeskMini A300. With AMD APU support, it offered a better balance than Intel chips between the CPU and GPU. This SFF Gem was the ideal Deskmini, and the SFF Network community rallied around it by creating custom 3D printed casesBIOS updates, and more.
Now, the times have changed and AMD’s AM5 platform has arrived. Again, the SFF community waited. It felt like ages but ASRocks X600 DeskMini is finally here.
Asrock was kind enough to send a sample unit to Small Form Factor Network for testing and review. No review guidance was...

Continue reading...
 
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nirvana

Efficiency Noob
Apr 24, 2020
6
3
Few years ago I had a problem with a laptop after replacing its memory with new (higher capacity) sticks. Memtest passed OK but shortly after I started experiencing random BSODs and other weird issues, and I knew it was due to the new memory since I didn't have a single issue before the memory change.

I tried everything I could imagine to make it more stable (disabling XMP, running low frequency speeds, etc) but no chance. I was also annoyed because I was unable to catch any errors using different combinations of memory test programs and memory settings. Despite of this, I RMAed them and after few weeks I got new ones (so I assume the manufacturer was able to detect that they were faulty).

I haven't had a single issue after installing the replacement ones I got back from the manufacturer.

What I mean is that memory may be faulty despite not showing in any memory test programs.
 

opensesame

Cable Smoosher
Aug 13, 2024
12
8
Can you clarify the above statements to help us understand the cause of the problem, XMP or drivers?
Sorry for not being clear. The first post you quoted is from running Linux, where AMD drivers are preinstalled and turning XMP on caused the artifacts to appear. The second post is from running Windows, where I installed AMD Adrenalin while XMP was on, and the artifacts appeared during the installer.

Hopefully this table tells the full story (note that BallisticNG is multiplatform):

OSDriverRAM settingArtifacts on desktopArtifacts while running BallisticNG (windowed)Artifacts while running BallisticNG (fullscreen)
WindowsMicrosoftAutoNoNoNo
WindowsMicrosoftXMP Profile 1NoNoNo
WindowsAMDAutoNoNoNo
WindowsAMDXMP Profile 1YesYesNo
LinuxAMDAutoNoNoNo
LinuxAMDXMP Profile 1YesYesYes
 
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dacnick

Chassis Packer
Jul 26, 2024
14
22
You mentioned using XMP but also manually changing some ram timings afterwards. The artefacts are usually instable vram from past experiences.
You also mentioned the sparkles disappear in certain scenarios after you launch a game fullscreen, that could also point to drivers or bios.
 

BaK

King of Cable Management
Bronze Supporter
May 17, 2016
962
955
Sorry for not being clear. The first post you quoted is from running Linux, where AMD drivers are preinstalled and turning XMP on caused the artifacts to appear. The second post is from running Windows, where I installed AMD Adrenalin while XMP was on, and the artifacts appeared during the installer.

Hopefully this table tells the full story (note that BallisticNG is multiplatform):

OSDriverRAM settingArtifacts on desktopArtifacts while running BallisticNG (windowed)Artifacts while running BallisticNG (fullscreen)
WindowsMicrosoftAutoNoNoNo
WindowsMicrosoftXMP Profile 1NoNoNo
WindowsAMDAutoNoNoNo
WindowsAMDXMP Profile 1YesYesNo
LinuxAMDAutoNoNoNo
LinuxAMDXMP Profile 1YesYesYes
Thanks for detailed answer!
Still hard to figure something out though...

Windows / Microsoft / XMP / Profile 1 / No / No / No
This line seems to indicate that the RAM is working fine even when running at the XMP settings.

Then we see that both Windows and Linux have the issue with the AMD drivers and the XMP settings (except in full screen mode on Windows).
Which should point to a driver issue.

Maybe check on Fedora if there is something showing up on boot with dmesg or more specifically with dmesg |grep amdgpu
 

opensesame

Cable Smoosher
Aug 13, 2024
12
8
Few years ago I had a problem with a laptop after replacing its memory with new (higher capacity) sticks. Memtest passed OK but shortly after I started experiencing random BSODs and other weird issues, and I knew it was due to the new memory since I didn't have a single issue before the memory change.

I tried everything I could imagine to make it more stable (disabling XMP, running low frequency speeds, etc) but no chance. I was also annoyed because I was unable to catch any errors using different combinations of memory test programs and memory settings. Despite of this, I RMAed them and after few weeks I got new ones (so I assume the manufacturer was able to detect that they were faulty).

I haven't had a single issue after installing the replacement ones I got back from the manufacturer.

What I mean is that memory may be faulty despite not showing in any memory test programs.
Your experience sounds all too familiar. I've gone ahead and submitted an RMA request to Kingston to get the ball rolling.

You mentioned using XMP but also manually changing some ram timings afterwards. The artefacts are usually instable vram from past experiences.
You also mentioned the sparkles disappear in certain scenarios after you launch a game fullscreen, that could also point to drivers or bios.
Indeed, there are multiple possibilities, but I can't pinpoint the root cause, so I'm at a stalemate.

Thanks for detailed answer!
Still hard to figure something out though...

Windows / Microsoft / XMP / Profile 1 / No / No / No
This line seems to indicate that the RAM is working fine even when running at the XMP settings.

Then we see that both Windows and Linux have the issue with the AMD drivers and the XMP settings (except in full screen mode on Windows).
Which should point to a driver issue.

Maybe check on Fedora if there is something showing up on boot with dmesg or more specifically with dmesg |grep amdgpu
I ran dmesg | grep "amd" after booting, with and without XMP, and the output (https://pastebin.com/ 7WuhkNLA) was identical both times (I removed timestamps and diff'd to confirm). I then crawled through both entire outputs. Nothing obvious pops out at me in any of the lines containing "amd", "memory", "RAM", or those around them.

More troubleshooting...
  • Totally reinstalled Windows and chose the oldest version (24.1.1) of AMD Adrenalin from the 8600G support page, just in case the newest one is the problem. No difference.
  • Tried a few different values for VRAM size (Advanced -> AMD CBS -> NBIO Common Options -> GFX Configuration). Auto is default. 1 GB made no difference. 2 GB and 16 GB both caused the DeskMini to hang on boot (power light on, no video output, waited 10+ mins and cut power), but I could still enter BIOS. I put it back on Auto.
  • This Reddit comment suggests the 8600G doesn't fare well with speeds above DDR5-6000, but I haven't found any info on this. Not to mention, my artifacts appear on all speeds above DDR5-4800, not just DDR5-6400.
I've been at this for 3 weeks and have grown tired of it. I will try any further suggestions posted here, otherwise I'm waiting on Kingston with fingers crossed.
 

Stoney

Caliper Novice
Jul 25, 2024
26
32
Did you try not to load the XMP but the JEDEC profile and set the speed to 6400 manually? That way you should end up with 1.2v VDD/VDDIO/VDDQ
 
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opensesame

Cable Smoosher
Aug 13, 2024
12
8
Did you try not to load the XMP but the JEDEC profile and set the speed to 6400 manually? That way you should end up with 1.2v VDD/VDDIO/VDDQ
The default profile, called "DDR5-4800 38-38-38-77 1.10V", sets the mentioned voltages to 1.10V, even after choosing DDR5-6400 from the Memory Speed drop-down menu, so I changed them manually. I experimented with the following combinations:

Memory SpeedVDD/VDDIO/VDDQ
DDR5-64001.10
DDR5-64001.18
DDR5-64001.19
DDR5-64001.20
DDR5-64001.21
DDR5-64001.22
DDR5-64001.23
DDR5-64001.24
DDR5-64001.25
DDR5-60001.20
DDR5-60001.25
DDR5-60001.30

The first row caused the DeskMini to stop booting. I couldn't get into Windows, Linux, or BIOS. I had to reset CMOS to get it working again.

The other rows had the following outcome: artifacts everywhere, including BallisticNG fullscreen on Windows. This is interesting because previously, it was the only scenario where artifacts weren't present. Now they appear within a few seconds of launching the game, and there are also far fewer of them compared to playing on Linux (https://imgur.com/ aMiXR6b).
 
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Stoney

Caliper Novice
Jul 25, 2024
26
32
does raising or lowering the SoC voltage affect the artifacts? Also does it help if you force UCLK DIV1 Mode to UCLK=MCLK/2?
 

opensesame

Cable Smoosher
Aug 13, 2024
12
8
SOLVED!

The Arch Wiki provides a workaround: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/AMDGPU#Screen_artifacts_and_frequency_problem

It still doesn't answer the Windows side of things, and I don't see anything in AMD Adrenalin that resembles this parameter. However, I only planned to use Linux on this machine anyway, so I consider it solved.

Edit: I got too excited. The problem is not 100% solved, only worked around. The fix above stops working waking up from sleep. However, at least it's progress.
 
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Stoney

Caliper Novice
Jul 25, 2024
26
32
linux(Manjaro) is also my daily OS but i don't have that artifacts and i didn't edit anything. The archwiki mentions artifacts at 60Hz+, do you run higher than 60Hz? Maybe thats why i don't have artifacts even with my memory at 8000 with my 60Hz display.
 

opensesame

Cable Smoosher
Aug 13, 2024
12
8
linux(Manjaro) is also my daily OS but i don't have that artifacts and i didn't edit anything. The archwiki mentions artifacts at 60Hz+, do you run higher than 60Hz? Maybe thats why i don't have artifacts even with my memory at 8000 with my 60Hz display.
I'm running 75 Hz right now. However, the problem persisted with lower refresh rates (50-60 Hz) on this monitor, plus on a different 60 Hz monitor.

What desktop environment are you running with Manjaro? Another experiment I tried was Fedora Xfce, with a weird result: no artifacts running the live USB, but artifacts after installing to disk and rebooting. I then did it again, ethernet disconnected, to rule out the possibility of some kind of auto-update causing it, and got the same result. Fedora GNOME, on the other hand, always had artifacts present, whether it was a live USB or installed to disk.

Good job finding a fix! :thumb:
Thanks for your help!
 

HydrAxx747

Cable-Tie Ninja
Feb 23, 2021
157
198
For those who complain that the DeskMini X600 does not have an OcuLink port and that ASRock does not offer one (they should, it's true), well now a simple M.2 NVMe to "direct" OcuLink output adapter now exists, certified PCIe4.0 4x compatible and very thin and with a cable length of your choice, it can even be installed on the secondary M.2 NVMe port under the motherboard without any worries, and the OcuLink port even has fixing points(screws provided) perfectly compatible with the COM port slot with detachable metal cover on the original DeskMini case(normally intended for the ASRock accessory for 3.5mm stereo jack output for desktop speakers):​

(also compatible with other old DeskMini A300 and X300)





Link : aliexpress.com/item/1005007486714630.html
 
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SFFMunkee

Buy first, justify later?
Gold Supporter
Jul 7, 2021
908
962
For those who complain that the DeskMini X600 does not have an OcuLink port and that ASRock does not offer one (they should, it's true), well now a simple M.2 NVMe to "direct" OcuLink output adapter now exists, certified PCIe4.0 4x compatible and very thin and with a cable length of your choice, it can even be installed on the secondary M.2 NVMe port under the motherboard without any worries, and the OcuLink port even has fixing points(screws provided) perfectly compatible with the COM port slot with detachable metal cover on the original DeskMini case(normally intended for the ASRock accessory for 3.5mm stereo jack output for desktop speakers):​

(also compatible with other old DeskMini A300 and X300)





Link : aliexpress.com/item/1005007486714630.html
I replaced the VGA on my X300-STX with one of these (but an older - presumably PCIe3.0 only - version with the blue/silver wiring)
 
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nirvana

Efficiency Noob
Apr 24, 2020
6
3
For those who complain that the DeskMini X600 does not have an OcuLink port and that ASRock does not offer one (they should, it's true), well now a simple M.2 NVMe to "direct" OcuLink output adapter now exists, certified PCIe4.0 4x compatible and very thin and with a cable length of your choice, it can even be installed on the secondary M.2 NVMe port under the motherboard without any worries, and the OcuLink port even has fixing points(screws provided) perfectly compatible with the COM port slot with detachable metal cover on the original DeskMini case(normally intended for the ASRock accessory for 3.5mm stereo jack output for desktop speakers):​

(also compatible with other old DeskMini A300 and X300)





Link : aliexpress.com/item/1005007486714630.html

Is it possible to do the same using the M2 port in the back of the motherboard?
 
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Quango

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Apr 6, 2019
104
38
There are no cooling restrictions for a M-STX board if you use an Akasa case. And 180W settings are not new, my H470M-STX had them too.
 
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HydrAxx747

Cable-Tie Ninja
Feb 23, 2021
157
198
There are no cooling restrictions for a M-STX board if you use an Akasa case. And 180W settings are not new, my H470M-STX had them too.
I know that this case model has no restrictions (if you don't put the top), I bought 2 of them for my old miniPC configs using X300M-STX motherboards (from DeskMini X300), these cases have good advantages such as: the RESET button (it's the only model available to have one), the 2 additional USB2.0 (TypeA) slots on the left rear of the case, the location to place a 50mm fan on the left side (but hey you have to replace the original one which is somewhat weak for my taste, personally I had put 50mm with 38mm thickness and of course set to low speed otherwise here is the turbine noise and therefore at low speed it remained silent and I got about 20CFM of air flow that the RAM sticks greatly appreciated😅) and otherwise the last positive point is the extra empty space on the left of the motherboard that allowed me to install my USB2.0 doubler Hub (allowing me to install both my 2 additional USB2.0 ports and the official ASRock ARGB kit on the first line and on the second line a custom fan speed adjustment Hub and ARGB adjustment from Cooler Master).

But despite all these advantages there are still some disadvantages: installing ASRock A300/X300 motherboards is a real pain because of the chassis which is a bit too tight/compacted (especially the part of the metal body advantage and this even by removing the front plastic facade), the spacing under the motherboard is a bit limited (especially with the threaded rods used to tighten/fix my Thermalright AXP90-X47/X53 Full Copper heatsinks which protrude a bit too much) and the dual USB2.0 Type A extension cable which is supplied as standard which does not have the right spacing between pins at the level of its 9pin-header connector;

Otherwise I also tried the other model of mini-STX compatible case, the Silverstone "VT02" which has other advantages but especially many more disadvantages than the AKASA Cypher ST...😅 But it is really a shame that the case brands have not developed and released more models of mini-STX compatible cases, I know that it is a bit of a niche market but they would still have had a significant number of buyers. Besides, Silverstone had planned to release (and had shown them at Computex) a few years ago the "VT03" and "RVZ04" models which were significantly larger and bulkier because they were also designed to accommodate STX motherboards with an extension for MXM format graphics cards, and therefore which would have offered significantly more possibilities in terms of maximum heat sink height, ventilation and modifications/customizations of all kinds, but unfortunately neither model was released in the end😥.

So personally I'm actually on a 3D printed case for my current DeskMini X600, the "Lander 55", and I plan to migrate to another model of 3D printed case offering more possibilities for what I want to do and which was designated by a very competent user of this forum, the "DeskStudio TALL", I already have the plans, more than to go to a shop near me that deals with 3D printing because I unfortunately have neither the knowledge in this area nor even the material for it😅.
 
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NF117

Case Bender
New User
Sep 26, 2024
2
0
Hi,

I saw in a picture on heise.de that the x600 chip can provide 28 PCIe5 lanes in conjunction with a suitable CPU. Does anyone know why I can't use it on this board? The pcie x16 slot is only pcie4 in the specs.


direkt link to the picture: