Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.epox (More info?)

HELP!

I have a 8KTA3 Pro and can't get the clock speed to go beyond 123 Mhz. My
processor is a 1333 AMD Thunderbird, memory is PC133, graphics card is a
Geforce3.

If I try and puch the multiplier greater than 10 the machine just keeps
rebooting until you change it to anm acceptable setting.

Latest virus scan (sophos) show all is clean and I have flashed the latest
BIOS and still no joy.

Any ideas???

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.epox (More info?)

WiLfMan wrote:
> HELP!
>
> I have a 8KTA3 Pro and can't get the clock speed to go beyond 123 Mhz. My
> processor is a 1333 AMD Thunderbird, memory is PC133, graphics card is a
> Geforce3.

Did the problem start after a BIOS update?
Such a problem was reported in a thread starting with
<f616373e.0308220024.1fd780a3@posting.google.com>

It seems to be a bug in the latest BIOS, I contacted the support and
they send me a newer version that worked.

Eckhard

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.epox (More info?)

"WiLfMan" <WiLfMan@home.co.uk> wrote in message news:<40e9d41a$0$26968$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com>...
> HELP!
>
> I have a 8KTA3 Pro and can't get the clock speed to go beyond 123 Mhz. My
> processor is a 1333 AMD Thunderbird, memory is PC133, graphics card is a
> Geforce3.
>
> If I try and puch the multiplier greater than 10 the machine just keeps
> rebooting until you change it to anm acceptable setting.
>
> Latest virus scan (sophos) show all is clean and I have flashed the latest
> BIOS and still no joy.
>
> Any ideas???

A few things...

- At 123 Mhz you still have a 1/3 divider. This means PCI is running
at 123/3=41 Mhz. Many components, like hard drives, NICs, and modems,
don't like PCI speed that high.

I have the same mobo. I believe the 1/4 divider kicks in at 128 Mhz.
Try it.

- As for not be able to increase the multiplier beyond 10X, your
Thunderbird is locked at 10 unless you closed the L1 bridges.

- I seem to recall there was one BIOS that stuck some processors at
100 Mhz (actually 100 Mhz to the 120's). This might be what your are
running into.

I forget which BIOS caused the problem (but not everyone seemed to get
the problem). Epox was emailing a beta BIOS on request to fix the
problem. You can also go back to an earlier BIOS.

Steve Sheppard

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.epox (More info?)

Don't recall having applied any new BIOS at the time I noticed it - however
had recently installed the new GFX card - could it be anything to do with
AGP settings etc?????

PHSSTPOK - Not sure what is meant by the 1/3 & 1/4 divider business - can
you please clarify?

Thanks for the suggestions I will also try support to see what they say
about the BIOS.

Cheerz

"WiLfMan" <WiLfMan@home.co.uk> wrote in message
news:40e9d41a$0$26968$cc9e4d1f@news.dial.pipex.com...
> HELP!
>
> I have a 8KTA3 Pro and can't get the clock speed to go beyond 123 Mhz. My
> processor is a 1333 AMD Thunderbird, memory is PC133, graphics card is a
> Geforce3.
>
> If I try and puch the multiplier greater than 10 the machine just keeps
> rebooting until you change it to anm acceptable setting.
>
> Latest virus scan (sophos) show all is clean and I have flashed the latest
> BIOS and still no joy.
>
> Any ideas???
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.epox (More info?)

> Don't recall having applied any new BIOS at the time I noticed it - however
> had recently installed the new GFX card - could it be anything to do with
> AGP settings etc?????

No AGP settings should not affect your ability to change FSB speeds.

>
> PHSSTPOK - Not sure what is meant by the 1/3 & 1/4 divider business - can
> you please clarify?
>
Sure, I'll try.

PCI and AGP buses run at speeds based on a base clock, the host clock
used for FSB, Front Side Bus. A divider is used. If your FSB speed
is 100 Mhz then a 1/3 divider is used for the PCI clock and 2/3 for
the AGP clock. This means PCI would normally be 100/3 or 33 Mhz and
AGP would be at 66 Mhz which are the industry stand speeds for PCI and
AGP, respectively.

When you increase the FSB, the 1/3 and 2/3 dividers remain in effect
up to a certain point. If you increase to 123 Mhz, as you have done,
you overclock both buses, the PCI bus to 41 Mhz (123 divided by 3) and
AGP to 82 Mhz.

At or around 128 Mhz the EP-8KTA3PRO (don't recall the exact
frequency) switches to 1/4 and 1/2 (two forths) dividers. So at 128
Mhz, instead of having PCI overclocked to 42.666 Mhz (128 divided by
3), it is now using the 1/4 divider and running at 32 Mhz (128 divided
by 4). A slightly low but certainly safe speed for all PCI devices.

The 1/3 PCI divider is the most likely reason you can't push your FSB
to 124 Mhz.


Not being able to run your Athlon at 1333 Mhz (its intended speed)
with a 133 Mhz FSB is different problem (IMO). Obviously now with 1/4
and 1/2 dividers, PCI and AGP would be at the correct speeds. An
overclocked PCI device would not be the cause of your problem in this
case. This is why I thought you had the BIOS version that introduced
a similar symptom, which is not being able to run FSB at 133 Mhz.

I think we need more information to solve your problem.

What graphics card, make/model/type were you using previously? and now
(guess you said GF3)?

What are your system and CPU temps at the highest speed that you can
obtain?

What brand/type/speed ratings is your memory?

What brand/model/wattage rating is your power supply?


In the meantime you could try rolling back to an earlier BIOS just in
case you do have the BIOS issue I mentioned earlier.

I find the October 19, 2001 BIOS, 8K201A19, to be the most stable BIOS
of them all but I use the May 28, 2003 beta BIOS, 8K203528 (because it
correctly identifies my Tbred). It also supports enabling/disabling
SSE with Tbreds/Bartons and presumably with Applebred/Thorton (not
important to me). Though, none of these processors are officially
supported on the Epox 8KTA3PRO.

PM me if you need help.

Steve Sheppard

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.epox (More info?)

phsstpok wrote:
>> Don't recall having applied any new BIOS at the time I noticed it -
>> however had recently installed the new GFX card - could it be
>> anything to do with AGP settings etc?????
>
> No AGP settings should not affect your ability to change FSB speeds.
>
>>
>> PHSSTPOK - Not sure what is meant by the 1/3 & 1/4 divider business
>> - can you please clarify?
>>
> Sure, I'll try.
>
<...snip many good things...>
>
> PM me if you need help.

But if you do, please come back to this thread to summarise
either way, thanks.


--
Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial
WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro-society.freeserve.co.uk/ Wessex
Dorset UK Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps
Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter.