E7200... Cannot even get stock speeds

[Chubbosaurus]

Okay so this was going to be first attempt with Overclocking but I can't even manage to get stock speeds on this thing.

I have a Gigabyte P965-DS3 (not sure what revision) and an E7200. The specs state that the stock multiplier is 9.5 but I can only select values between 6 and 9 in the BIOS.

Another thing that's bothering me is I tried raising the FSB to 333 (with the multiplier set to 9), which I keep reading is easily achievable without raising the voltage, and I cannot even get the machine to boot.

So is there something wrong with the mobo or CPU? Am I doing something wrong?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Outlander_04]

I checked the gigabyte website for the cpu support list and your cpu should work in that board .

Try updating to the latest BIOS

 

[Chubbosaurus]

Okay I updated the BIOS and now I am able to set the multiplier to 9.5 in BIOS but I still cannot get the machine to boot with anything greater than 266, even while raising the voltage.

Also, now when I boot (selecting 9.5 x 266 in BIOS), AIDA32 and Everest report that I'm running 7 x 362 = 2533 and CPU-Z reports that I'm running 6 x 266 = 1600...

Again any help is much appreciated.

 

[apache_lives]

Okay I updated the BIOS and now I am able to set the multiplier to 9.5 in BIOS but I still cannot get the machine to boot with anything greater than 266, even while raising the voltage.

Also, now when I boot (selecting 9.5 x 266 in BIOS), AIDA32 and Everest report that I'm running 7 x 362 = 2533 and CPU-Z reports that I'm running 6 x 266 = 1600...

Again any help is much appreciated.

Overclocking rules:

1) FIND AND FOLLOW GUIDES

2) REPEAT STEP 1

Ok so when you read the guides it will tell you most likely to DISABLE SPEED STEP - when there idle they down-clock to save power etc hence the 6x266, and if you bothered to do a burn in test to verify the stock speeds are solid stability wise etc you would notice it clock back to 9.5x266 etc

Tip: SET EVERYTHING MANUALLY IN THE BIOS

 

[Chubbosaurus]

Okay I read the guide (and apologize for not doing so before) and configured everything as instructed in the BIOS and now AIDA32/CPU-Z/Everest report the multiplier and FSB correctly.

I still though cannot boot anything above 266. For troubleshooting I put in an E4400 and with this I could not boot anything over 200. Both times I raised the voltage to their maximum (as specified on the Intel website) just to ensure I had enough.

I don't know if this means anything, but when I configure the BIOS with default multiplier and FSB and then save and exit, the computer's fans all continually run while the machine reboots. When I try (on either CPU) to raise the settings, as soon as I confirm saving to CMOS and exit, the machine instantly dies and is silent for a few moments before trying to start backup.

I know that OCing capabilities varies from CPU to CPU... does the same hold true for mobos? Is it possible I have a lemon mobo that can't OC?

 

[festerovic]

Well, the restarting issue you just mentioned is common. I've experienced the same on a different P965 board. Some times, when I switch my settings from stock to OC, my board does the same thing, but after a reset or two, it boots correctly. So far, it seems changes to the DRAM settings, or multiplier changes on the CPU cause this. I'm sure other things make it go into this "turn off" mode.

I know you've read the guide now, so this may sound dumb, but have you adjusted the RAM speeds? Sometimes Auto settings are not ideal.

Also, since this is affecting 2 different chips, it made me think that maybe something like the PCI clock lock is not enabled. Since 965s are meant for 200 or 266 bus speed chips (originally) the base clock may be based off these speeds, and you may be OCing other parts on the mobo. Just a guess.

 

[m_silkstone]

^^ditto^^ Check your ram is not set too high, you'll need to change the ram multiplier if you adjust the fsb
+ The board powering off is normal. mine does this with every fsb change.

 

[Chubbosaurus]

You guys got it; it was the memory multiplier. Everything is performing great now.

Thank you very very much to everyone who replied here.

 

[apache_lives]

Well, the restarting issue you just mentioned is common. I've experienced the same on a different P965 board. Some times, when I switch my settings from stock to OC, my board does the same thing, but after a reset or two, it boots correctly. So far, it seems changes to the DRAM settings, or multiplier changes on the CPU cause this. I'm sure other things make it go into this "turn off" mode.

I know you've read the guide now, so this may sound dumb, but have you adjusted the RAM speeds? Sometimes Auto settings are not ideal.

Also, since this is affecting 2 different chips, it made me think that maybe something like the PCI clock lock is not enabled. Since 965s are meant for 200 or 266 bus speed chips (originally) the base clock may be based off these speeds, and you may be OCing other parts on the mobo. Just a guess.

Newer Intel chipsets (965 onward) have live a faulse boot/reboot where the power comes on, cuts and comes back on - all normal.

I REPEAT - SET EVERYTHING MANUALLY

if you did, you would have started with a 1:1 ram ratio and it would have worked.

Ah well working now i guess, all Core2's can hit atleast 3ghz before requiring some mild v's etc - got my Q6600 at 3.5ghz on 1.45v, better then 1.6v for a few extra mhz and alot higher risk!