Help with DS3 and E4300 - Can't get past ~300 FSB

[khanofkhronos]

Hello all,

I've recently put together a system with a DS3 v1.3 and an E4300. I OC'd an A64 successfully before, as well as an E6600. I tried to OC this combo, hoping for an excellent clock (at least 3.0GHz). However, all I can get is 2.8GHz, with mult. 9 and FSB 300-310. I looked at all the guides to see if I was missing something basic. I tried to see if this was a chip or mobo problem. I put the multiplier at 6 and FSB at 410. It would not POST. I tried again at 333. No POST either! :x I see how 400+ might be rough, but it should definitely be able to do 333, right? I know that the chip can handle 6x333. I tried upping MCH, FSB, and core voltages, to no avail. The board won't even POST at 320! I am using the latest BIOS. What is going on?

Before you ask, this is a 965P, NOT a G.

Specs:
E4300 + AC Freezer 7
DS3
2GB Crucial B. Tracer PC2-8000s (@ 2.2v, DS3 BIOS Setting +0.4v) 8)
7800GT
SATA HD
IDE CD-ROM
Ultra X-finity 500w PS
etc.

My temps are fine (<60C load OC), but I am concerned that there is a problem with the board b/c of this FSB. I suspect it is the PS, but others have OC'd successfully using it. My memory really shouldn't hold me back. No matter what settings I choose, it doesn't work over 310 (even at 9x310 vcore has to be really high - 1.5v+).

Can anyone help me? Thanks in advance.

 

[Pax2All]

What bios are you running? What have you disabled in bios (i.e. smartfan, stepping etc)? Are you running your memory set at the 2 multiplier (1:1)?

 

[khanofkhronos]

Running F11, disabled C1E, EIST, NX, etc - everything I shouldn't have on as per wusy's guide. I run my mem on 2.00 and 5-5-5-18 @ 2.2v to make sure there are no problems with the mem.

 

[brick88]

you may have gotten a bad chip. not necessarily nonfunctional just not that good for oc'ing. a good indication would be the stepping of your proc. try increasing the cooling on the northbridge by adding a fan or something to keep it cool. that should help you out. post back with the results.

 

[khanofkhronos]

you may have gotten a bad chip

I'm beginning to think this is true. I switched the PS with a Corsair HX620w, same results. I switched the memory with another pair of Ballistix, same results. However, when I up the FSB/MCH voltages to +0.3v, I can barely get 320. I thought this board is certified to support 1333MHz FSB processors, so isn't 333 supposed to work regardless? If I set the CPU multiplier to 6 and it still doesn't post at 333, isn't there something wrong? Should I RMA the board?

 

[brick88]

well try this first to isolate whether its ur processor or your motherboard. if you have a spare processor try dropping it into the ds3 and see if you can clock it past 320 with a low multiplier. if you can then its ur processor. vice versa you can do the same method if you have a spare motherboard to see whether or not your processor is the problem.

 

[Pax2All]

1333mhz FSB is a guarantee only for version 3.3 of the board per Gigabyte's website, but plenty of people have hit further. If you have messed around with any OC settings via Gigabyte's Easytune program go under add/remove programs and delete Easytune off your system entirely. First put your Multiplier back to 9. Manually change your Vcore to 1.325, set your memory voltage for its factory reccomended setting, ensure you are running a memory multiplier of 2, and up the voltage to your PCIe by +.1 and set your PCIe freq to 102. Set your Northbridge and Southbridge etc (everything else) to stock voltages, and load windows @ 200fsb. Load cpuz and check the actual Vcore reading. If it's at least 1.280, go back to bios up your Vcore one notch and set your FSB to 334. These boards sometimes don't like 333. If it posts check your actual idle Vcore per cpuz again to make sure its at least 1.280 and then run Orthos to test stability.

 

[orangegator]

Actually, the rev. 1.3 IS listed as supporting 1333fsb. Rev 1.3 specs I built a system with an E4300 and rev. 1.3 recently. I had no problem getting 3.0GHz, 333FSB, 1.31vcore. So, the problem is probably a relatively poorly overclocking chip. But it could be a bad board. You can't tell without testing with a different processor or different board.

 

[Pax2All]

Thanks Orange. I had referred to the board bios page which lists f9 and above as supporting a 1333fsb only on rev 3.3 boards. Khan give what I suggested a try. List your full BIOS settings if you still have any probs and we all will see what we can do to help further. Good Luck!

 

[khanofkhronos]

Thanks all, will try stuff tomorrow.

 

[diablo33180]

set your FSB on 356
set vcore to 1.4
bump up the fsb voltage +0.1
ehh also check your ram multiplier make sure ur ram is standing around where it should , for example my ram is 800Mhz and my ram is on 715Mhz but on 4-4-4-12 timing so makes my ratio 1:1
also when u reboot the pc may get stuck DS3 has weird bugs somethimes
if you boot
you will have 3.2Ghz

 

[khanofkhronos]

Before I try anything, I have a question. Can the FSB be limited by a bad CPU? Or is it only limited by the board, individual of the CPU and memory? Is it possible that I'm getting nowhere because the CPU I have is not capable of FSB > 300?

 

[diablo33180]

Before I try anything, I have a question. Can the FSB be limited by a bad CPU? Or is it only limited by the board, individual of the CPU and memory? Is it possible that I'm getting nowhere because the CPU I have is not capable of FSB > 300?

they can be limited by both cpu and mobo the the DS3 is a good mobo so maybe its the CPU

 

[joewho]

My e4300 takes 1.48v to go past 3ghz. Like Capt. Kirk says "Need more Power" :lol:

 

[diablo33180]

My e4300 takes 1.48v to go past 3ghz. Like Capt. Kirk says "Need more Power" :lol:

well for me 3.2 takes 1.45 so 1.48 is not such a big difference just make sure your temps are ok

 

[khanofkhronos]

isolate whether its ur processor or your motherboard.

brick88: I tried putting the proc. in another motherboard. Turns out that motherboard won't POST! :x Unfortunately, I can't put it into another board right now. I don't have a cooler on the NB - touched it and wow, it was hot like everyone says! I will try to get a 40mm fan soon.

If you have messed around with any OC settings via Gigabyte's Easytune program go under add/remove programs and delete Easytune off your system entirely

Pax2All: I was using EasyTune and I uninstalled it and loaded optimized settings in BIOS, to start from scratch. I put my mult. to 9, Vcore to stock, mem. to 2.2v, FSB/MCH to stock, and mem mult. to 2.00. I avoided touching the PCI-E. I thought that running the PCIe out of spec can cause major issues and possibly kill GFX cards. Is this true?
Vdroop seems to be normal, I usually use CPU-z to tell me real vcore at load. I have tried vcore up to 1.525 in BIOS and it still won't post at 333/334.

set your FSB on 356
set vcore to 1.4
bump up the fsb voltage +0.1
ehh also check your ram multiplier make sure ur ram is standing around where it should , for example my ram is 800Mhz and my ram is on 715Mhz but on 4-4-4-12 timing so makes my ratio 1:1
also when u reboot the pc may get stuck DS3 has weird bugs somethimes
if you boot
you will have 3.2Ghz

diablo33180: Did this, no boot. :x

My e4300 takes 1.48v to go past 3ghz. Like Capt. Kirk says "Need more Power"

JoeWho: I like Star Trek, but even 1.525v didn't do the trick.

All in all, I'm guessing this is a relatively poor OC'ing chip. Right now, I have it stable @ 2800 (311 FSB) with mem @ 933 (3.0x) 4-4-4-15. Unfortunately, I think this is the best it will do. I would have really liked to get a great OC (>3.0GHz) out of this one, but looks like I will have to stay disappointed and down 200MHz from my goal.

I'd like to thank everyone who spent their time answering my question. Does someone have another suggestion?

 

[rammedstein]

the spread spectrum in the pi-e is actually likely to put it at about 100.7mhz, and .7mhz out of spec isn't bad, all that manually setting ti to 101 does is make sure your board locks it at that speed because sometimes even when it is lock it will move. Also, get good NB cooling.

 

[joewho]

Does the CPU Voltage setting match the Monitor? I set my CPU voltage to 1.5 in Bios and it ends up 1.48.

If temps are high. You could re-seat heatsink, and add more fan noise :lol:

You could remove the IHS, I did. But I would not recommend it. I had a hell of a time getting heatsink right.

Have you lowered the multi from 9 to 7-8 to see if your board is holding you back?

 

[mrmez]

See my sig...

I found a bit of an FBS hole... around 300-310ish
Also... with the 800 ram (underclocked 1:1) i had to up the voltage. Whats up with that?

Try 9x350=3.15Ghz, about 1.35v and up all other volts, inc ram by a 2-3 notches.

If u get stable doing that (prime/tat) bring eveything back 1 notch at a time.

Take notes of ur 1st stable setup, cos u WILL forget what u used once u get unstale again.

good luck

 

[khanofkhronos]

Thanks for all the help. Nothing I would do would make it go past 320!

I put this chip in another machine and got another e4300 today. Running fine now at 9x335, board posts at 350 and above (temps too high. so no can do).

Looks like the "set low multiplier and raise fsb" method is far from flawless, at least for telling whether or not it is the board.

Moral: CPU can limit your FSB, even if your board is awesome.

So happy I'm done scratching my head on this one.

 

[Pax2All]

Post the batch info on your bad chip if you can. Glad the new chip is working out! Whats your current Vcore?