AMD (AM2) 64 x2 3800 (65W) Overclocking Issue

[veranor]

I got this bad boy to 2.65 Ghz on stock heatsink/fan (IT IS STABLE, AND TESTED w/ Prime95)

Max temp: 40C

HT-Link is at 1058 Mhz (according to CPU-Z)

Corsair XMS2 2x2048 PC6400 Memory is running at 441 Mhz Freq @ 5-5-5-12 2T (STABLE, MEMTESTED AND GAMING TESTS)


Okay okay, so now we get the issue where I shutdown the computer, and then turn it back on. Backup BIOS goes in and resets to default!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What now? I know its stable! I'm running Vista x64 with absolutely no problems! I'm noticing on my end about a 60% improvement in speed as well.

How tiring! I've been hacking away at this for a while. Before you say its my cooling, its a 65W CPU, meaning that it is quite cool all the time. Stock heatsink can handle it.

Is it the memory? The HTT multiplier is at 4x, DDR2 at 667, timings are the same, voltage is at +.1v... I mean come on!

I am soooo frustrated.

 

[veranor]

Here are hw specs

Gigabyte GA-M59SLI-S5
Corsair XMS2 2x2048 PC6400 @ 5-5-5-12 2T 1.9v
Athlon 64 x2 3800+

 

[VoRogue]

You dont say if you are using the Gigabyte utility to do the tuneing ? I presume not so if that is the case you can be pretty sure that the problem is the Gigabyte Motherboard.

I have a different one that will only boot up overclocked if you drop into bios at the beginning of the day, leave it and make a coffee, go back, press F10 and it boots happily everytime. I have taken the issue up with Gigabyte but they are totally useless and dont want to know that thier products have flakey issues like this one. There are other threads in the Gigabyte boards section of Toms with similar issues. My advice, go to another motherboard manufacturer because Gigabyte dont want our business.

 

[veranor]

Still would like to know what is causing that. There are no errors! Prime and memtest are still reporting no errors. Thats after getting to 2.73 ghz on stock heatsink!

I don't want to leave it on... I'll try a few more things then call it. It might be some voltage somewhere that needs to be added

 

[veranor]

You dont say if you are using the Gigabyte utility to do the tuneing ? I presume not so if that is the case you can be pretty sure that the problem is the Gigabyte Motherboard.

I have a different one that will only boot up overclocked if you drop into bios at the beginning of the day, leave it and make a coffee, go back, press F10 and it boots happily everytime. I have taken the issue up with Gigabyte but they are totally useless and dont want to know that thier products have flakey issues like this one. There are other threads in the Gigabyte boards section of Toms with similar issues. My advice, go to another motherboard manufacturer because Gigabyte dont want our business.

No I'm not using Easytune. I found that it will not oc after a certain amount (5-10% OC)

Okay, got 2.7 running stable. Just having to get past the POST being the issue. I wonder if there could be some kind of setting in Gigabyte's motherboards that generate this "failsafe" error or something.

It sounds like the memory is failing a POST check, but I've tested these sticks, they are stable. And they're almost at 500mhz freq. at 5-5-5-12 +.1v

Tried turning voltage on chipset up, nothing...

Tried raising voltage on cpu... nothing and this cpu can perform at 2.7 with stock voltage, but after about 7 hours, it craps out.

I know this processor can work it... I know the mobo can too because its letting me get this far... The memory... its stable, fast, and so far has not caused a single crash.

This may need a BIOS revision for the board I think... or do I have to lower my dividers again?

4x htt and memory set to ddr2 667

Will setting it to 533 get me across the threshold?

 

[wingless]

If you have Cool 'n Quiet turned on then you'll probably have to turn that setting off to get it to work right.

 

[veranor]

Cool n Quiet is set to off, one of the first things I checked...

 

[jamesgoddard]

Will setting it to 533 get me across the threshold?

no harm in giving that a try, eliminate the memory being an issue. is it possible to set the htt any slower, just trying to take out any potential issues one by one.

 

[veranor]

I could try setting the HTT to 3x... then the DDRII setting to 533. It would be underclocked, so I won't be adding any voltage to it (back to normal).

Its worth a shot. I love the fact that I can save my CMOS settings in profiles. Backup is running default, so it will post if I cant do it on the primary bios.

Be right back heh...

 

[veranor]

Okay... I shut it down after setting to 533 @ 3x HTT... Turned it back on, and nothing... it booted into backup bios.

Hit del for setup, then escaped out of bios and rebooted, and BOOM, all my settings are back.

I know it has something with the quiet n cool / smart fan. Get this, I power on the computer, and the cpu fan doesn't go on right away. It slowly revs up. Well in that time, could the cpu be overheating, and backup bios kicks in?

I just don't get it. I've started over on my oc path to see if there was any errors, but i've raised the FSB by 2 each time, tested it, and it is stable. I mean dang, it was at 2.6 the other day, and I got bored and played every single game I had (WoW, BF2, etc...) to test it out. Performance increase = probably over 50% easy. No crash. No BSOD. NOTHING!

I have a feeling the previous poster was right, and this Gigabyte board may be the cause. But that does not make sense. Why would it let me OC to 40%?

 

[veranor]

Quiet n cool is off. Smart fan is off. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[veranor]

Okay... another update.

The memory can run just fine at 533 or 667 when the FSB is at 270. I increased the voltage to the CPU to 1.425/1.45 when moving to 270 and higher, but I am having the BIOS issue once again. It has to be a setting on the board. To ensure another setting, I changed HTT to 3x just to doublecheck. Stable.

All of those settings are still doing the BIOS crap.

I don't know anymore. Any help? I must be missing a chipset setting or something. So close to pulling this off...

 

[xiaxia686]

The same issue occured on my Abit 570i motherboard.once i shut the power down,the BIOS will be set to reset as well as the time.this is because of the individual qulity ,i think,but no the battery.so i suggest u to sent it back and get a new one

 

[VoRogue]

I have a feeling the previous poster was right, and this Gigabyte board may be the cause. But that does not make sense. Why would it let me OC to 40%?

Well you are not the only one with these sorts of issues and Gigabyte simply dont even acknowledge their boards have problems. At least other vendors will track the problems down and then update bios's to solve them but not Gigabyte.

Be warned.