BFG 8800gt OC causes OC failure with GA-P35-DS3L

[zoowho]

I built new computer recently and was easily able to overclock an e6550 to 3.0ghz in a GA-P35-DS3L mobo. Then I installed a new pci-e graphics card (I was using an old ATI Radeon 9250 PCI card before) and can't seem to do any OC. I'm new to overclocking so please be patient with me.

Someone explain to me why I could set my FSB to 429mhz (from 333) before I installed my BFG 8800gt 512mb OC and now I can't even set it to 334 w/o it shutting down and reseting the bios to the default? It ran a couple of instances of prime95 for over an hour w/o problems and it was being used 24/7 for several weeks w/o a problem.

I figured it had something to do with the pci-e frequency but even manually setting it to 100 doesn't help at all. Auto supposedly sets it to 100 anyways (according to the manual). I tried setting the voltages to auto (figuring that something might need more power). I also tried updating the bios from F5 to F7. I also tried the "Don't halt on any errors" trick I read about.

GA-P35-DS3L http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Support/...ProductID=2583
Mushkin 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820146118
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115030
Rosewill RP500-2 ATX12V v2.01 500W Power Supply http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16817182016
BFG 8800gt 512mb OC http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...k=BFG%2b8800gt
Tuniq Tower 120 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835154001

This is from everest while running 2 prime95 instances(about 15 mins or so) and is known to run stable prior to installing the 8800gt:

CPU Clock: 3003 MHz
CPU Multiplier: 7.0x
CPU FSB: 429 MHz
CPU: 48c
CPU #1 and #2: 57c
Motherboard: 36c
Memory Clock: 515 MHz
Memory Speed: DDR2-1030
Dram:FSB Ratio: 12:10
Memory Timings: 5-7-7-24 CR2
CPU Core: 1.28v
Dimm: 1.86v

I also ran it stable for several days with the system voltages set to auto and the same FSB. I set it back to the defaults since I figured there was no point in increasing the voltages since the stock voltages seemed to be working fine and I was happy with a 3.0 overclock.

Btw, when I load the optimal settings in the bios my memory timings become: 5-5-5-18 CR2. I have no idea what they where non-OC before the bios upgrade. Would that make a difference with a 1mhz FSB increase? Seems to me nothing at all would need to be changed for the system to be stable with that small an increase.

Anyways, anybody have any ideas?

This is a response from another from another forum and my reply:

Try other settings for your PCI freq. Try 101, 102, 105, 110. Don't go over 110 though, I think 120 is where you start corrupting data on drives, but play it safe. Just see if that helps at all.

Also, have you completely reset the BIOS? Do a "Restore Default Settings", restart, then try another OC.

Hope this helps.
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I shut down the computer, restarted, and did the following for each PCI-E freq from 98-102:

Loaded the Optimized Defaults
Set Performance Enhance: Standard
Set CPU Host Clock Control: Enabled
set CPU Host Freq: 334
Set PCI Express Frequency: 98-102

The computer automatically shut down and rebooted after each PCI-E frequency I tried. It failed to allow me to even get into the BIOS. I loaded the Optimized Defaults each time.

No go. The system works fine if I just Load the Optimized Defaults, save, and let it boot. I'm not sure that trying different PCI-E frequencies is really going to help.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Any ideas?

 

[Thanatos421]

When is it shutting your PC down? At anytime? Or only during 3d apps?

 

[zoowho]

It shuts down when I change the FSB 1 mhz over the stock 333 mhz. I never get to the point of even being able to enter the bios before the computer shuts down and restores the bios to it's base settings. I don't get a chance to even load an operating system let alone run any applications.

 

[Thanatos421]

Oh. I wish I could be more help, but that sounds awefully odd. Did you remove the ATI software completely before installing the 8800?

 

[zoowho]

Oh. I wish I could be more help, but that sounds awefully odd. Did you remove the ATI software completely before installing the 8800?

Yes. And drivers never get a chance to load since it never actually goes beyond the BIOS splash screen.

Btw, setting it to -1 (from 333 to 332) has the same result. Maybe I'l try the F3 bios. I vaguely rememeber something about versions beyond that have some issue or another.

 

[zoowho]

I tried the F3 bios. Same damn thing. Anyone have any ideas?

EDIT: I also updated the bfg 8800gt bios to the new one that fixes the temp probs. I had hoped that it magically fixed something else. It didn't.

 

[zoowho]

I tried the F3 bios. Same damn thing. Anyone have any ideas?

EDIT: I also updated the bfg 8800gt bios to the new one that fixes the temp probs. I had hoped that it magically fixed something else. It didn't.

Turns out changing the memory timings back to 5-7-7-24 CR2 fixed the problem. I guess adding a pci-e card made the bios use the other timings?

Thanx for the help guys