Can't overclock on Asus A8N5X

MaximRecoil

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I set the CPU frequency to 225 MHz and on one of the black screens during bootup it showed a clock speed of 2475 MHz which is correct (225 x 11), but when it gets to Windows, both System Properties and CPU-Z show stock speed for the CPU (200 x 11).

If I go a lot higher, like say simply jumping the CPU frequency to 250 MHz, the black bootup screen shows 2750 MHz, but it freezes on that screen and doesn't boot.
 

Sparticus

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The system will hang if your CPU is clocked too high, which it sounds like it is, but stepping up your voltage may let you use that config. But then again, stepping it too high could destroy your CPU, so be sure to have AMPLE cooling and don't go crazy, just nudge it a little and see if it will boot. If not, step up your FSB a little at a time until you can't boot, then back down a step or two.
 

MaximRecoil

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Well, the thing is, it does boot, and it even shows the faster clock speed on the black boot screen, but when I get into Windows, it still shows stock speed for the CPU in System Properties and CPU-Z.
 

MaximRecoil

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Problem solved.

I'm at 2.75 GHz now with stock cooling (CPU frequency @ 250 MHz, HTT multiplier @ 4x, RAM backed down to DDR333 almost back up to DDR400 [392.8] with overclock). Haven't tested it in Prime95 for stability or anything yet. It overclocked to that from 2.2 GHz (3700+ San Diego) quickly and with no headaches, so I am pleased with it, provided it proves to be stable.

So in case anyone is wondering what the problem was, while searching the overclockers.com forum, I found a post from someone who had a similar problem to me, but with a different model of Asus board. Here was one of the replies:
Maybe you just need to enable the floppy drive in the BIOS for it to work correctly.

Thats what i had to do with my a8n5x in order to get it to overclock....seriously.
And that was the problem. Unbelievable.
 

beatoangelico128

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Problem solved.

I'm at 2.75 GHz now with stock cooling (CPU frequency @ 250 MHz, HTT multiplier @ 4x, RAM backed down to DDR333 almost back up to DDR400 [392.8] with overclock). Haven't tested it in Prime95 for stability or anything yet. It overclocked to that from 2.2 GHz (3700+ San Diego) quickly and with no headaches, so I am pleased with it, provided it proves to be stable.

So in case anyone is wondering what the problem was, while searching the overclockers.com forum, I found a post from someone who had a similar problem to me, but with a different model of Asus board. Here was one of the replies:
Maybe you just need to enable the floppy drive in the BIOS for it to work correctly.

Thats what i had to do with my a8n5x in order to get it to overclock....seriously.
And that was the problem. Unbelievable.

hy to all, i have a similar problem: i have a A8N5X and when i try to overclock by bios setup, in the OSes (win, linux) (i also try to boot memtest86), the new frequency is not recognized.
E.s.: at the Bios i set the bus @ 210MHz and at the restart, in cpuinformation , the frequency il 2100MHz, but when i start whichever operating system, the frequency is reported @ 2015MHz (in windows) and 2,02GHz in memtest. I try to up the bus @220MHz, but in the OSes don't change! why this ?!?!?!?
pleas help me.
tnx a lot.
 

peas

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Feb 16, 2007
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Problem solved.

I'm at 2.75 GHz now with stock cooling (CPU frequency @ 250 MHz, HTT multiplier @ 4x, RAM backed down to DDR333 almost back up to DDR400 [392.8] with overclock). Haven't tested it in Prime95 for stability or anything yet. It overclocked to that from 2.2 GHz (3700+ San Diego) quickly and with no headaches, so I am pleased with it, provided it proves to be stable.

So in case anyone is wondering what the problem was, while searching the overclockers.com forum, I found a post from someone who had a similar problem to me, but with a different model of Asus board. Here was one of the replies:
...
And that was the problem. Unbelievable.

Thanks, MaximRecoil! I used the same settings on my Asus A8N5X running an Athlon 64 3400+ Venice (2.2G stock). This works on both the production 0902 and beta 1003 BIOS's. Amazing how we have to work around these silly BIOS bugs!

Here are my BIOS settings
Floppy: 1.44 MB (even though no floppy drive is installed)
DRAM: 333 MHz (same timings as DDR400 since the overclock bumps the RAM back up to 400+ MHz)
(Note: I'm using PC3200 DDR 400 modules)
CPU (HTT bus): 250
CPU Voltage: 1.525 V (up from stock 1.425V)
PCI-E: 100
PCI sync: 33.3 MHz
Cool 'n' Quiet Enabled
Q-Fan Enabled
Everything else set on Auto.

Results:
CPU 2.75 GHz (25% overclock)
HTT 1000 MHz (25% overclock)
RAM 416 MHz (DDR 208, automatically bumped up from 333 due to HTT)

I have Cool 'n' Quiet enabled along with Q-Fan, so the system runs very cool (and quiet! lol) when the system isn't performing CPU intensive tasks. I am extremely pleased with this overclock. Asus & AMD, two great tastes that go great together :D