Phenom II X3 720 NOT black edition? (multiplier not unlocked past 14x)

[wuthrichmr22]

The following is my setup:

GA-MA790X-DS4
AMD Phenom II X3 720 BE (or so I thought)
3GB RAM (1gb+2gb) OC to 400mhz
ATI HD4850s in Crossfire
Windows 7 64x Ultimate

My problem is I can't increase the cpu multiplier past 14x I can go down, but not up in both BIOS and AMD Overdrive,
I've tried multiple versions of the bios
Tried Alt F1 in the bios to "unlock" features
Called AMD, they said there is only the 720 as black edition out, never made a non-black edition chip

I'm at a loss here, there has to be something simple I forgot.

 

[Summer Leigh Castle]

Screen shot of bios screen?

 

[wuthrichmr22]

I don't know how I can do that short of taking a picture with my digital camera. I'll explain it better though, I got to the CPU multiplier option, and select it and see options 1x through 14x

Sort of like this: http://icrontic.com/draco/images/articles/a64_memory_clock/640_BIOS_TCCD_DRAM_7xCPUMulti.jpg

 

[Summer Leigh Castle]

I don't know how I can do that short of taking a picture with my digital camera. I'll explain it better though, I got to the CPU multiplier option, and select it and see options 1x through 14x

Sort of like this: http://icrontic.com/draco/images/articles/a64_memory_clock/640_BIOS_TCCD_DRAM_7xCPUMulti.jpg

This is my Phenom 720 @ 3.6ghz with unlocked 4th core on a GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P with the F4G bios. Bios screen should look more or less the same since they're practically identical motherboards (sans DDR3 RAM).

EDIT: Assuming bios and everything is correct, last resort is to open up the computer and check the stepping code on the CPU. Should be CACZC or AACZC if the core is in fact a Phenom 720 x3.

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K10/AMD-Phenom%20II%20X3%20720%20Black%20Edition%20-%20HDZ720WFK3DGI%20(HDZ720WFGIBOX).html

 

[wuthrichmr22]

Would it be wise to try the UD4P bios? Or might that just force me to spend 5 minutes flashing the bios and crossing my fingers?

Anyway I took some screenshots and got one of the bios with my mobile, everything says the chip is a 720, cpu-z, windows, the bios, I tried to look at the cpu last night but I was waisted (vaguely remember it being a AACZC) and don't want to do that again while the fiancée is sleeping.

http://img519.imageshack.us/i/33149108.jpg/
http://img5.imageshack.us/i/34774219.jpg/
http://img527.imageshack.us/i/51833538.jpg/

 

[wuthrichmr22]

I'm not allowed to edit for some reason so here's another attempt at the pictures:

 

[Summer Leigh Castle]

After looking over the specs of your motherboard, I noticed it's running the older 600 southbridge. I've never owned a SB600 motherboard so I can't comment. A quick google search came back with people over clocking with the CPU FSB but almost no information on using multipliers. Hopefully someone with a SB600 can chime in?

 

[marco324]

its not the southbridge i have one and a 720 overclocked bios and amd overdrive work
an older version 2.15 might work better DO YOU HAVE THE MULTIPLYER SETTING TO AUTO
IT ONLY WORKS IN SOFTWARE IF SET TO AUTO IN THE BIOS

 

[wuthrichmr22]

Yes, I've tried setting it to auto and 14x to no avail. I'll try the older software if I can get ahold of it. Which bios do you use marco324?

Do you have the exact same mobo marco?
Should I try another similar motherboards bios?

 

[lashton]

Maybe the CPU you bought is NOT a BE but the shop you got it from just stuck it in the BE box, so you thought you got a BE when you didn't, i think its clear( if you upgraded the BIOS) the the cpu you got is NOT a BE

 

[wuthrichmr22]

the 720 is ONLY a BE chip, I'm going to take it all apart now and look at the numbers, will post afterwards.

 

[wuthrichmr22]

The stepping code is AACYC, so what does this mean? Did I get screwed?

Full set of things on the CPU:
HDX720WFK3DG1
AACYC AC 0916APAW
9288578D90452

 

[JofaMang]

There were non-BE versions of the 720 at launch, iirc. I have a 710 x3 with a locked multiplier, and i can't change it at all, neither up or nor down (computer won't post, reloads bios defaults either way). Confused.

 

[wuthrichmr22]

Will OCing this launch version be the same as OCing it with the multiplier? Or will there be differences? What were your settings for OCing?

 

[JofaMang]

Actually, after doing a bit of googling, I was unable to back up my memory of a non-BE 720. I think i may have remembered incorrectly, unless someone else can contribute on the matter.

 

[megamanx00]

Make sure you have a current BIOS. I'd RMA the CPU if the updated BIOS didn't work though. Anyway call Gigabyte to see if there is just something that got missed.

 

[megamanx00]

By the way, lower your HT multiplier and set your RAM to it's default speed. Even try it with just the 2GB stick. Miss matched memory can do odd things to that board ^_^.

 

[wuthrichmr22]

What should I lower the HT multiplier too? Also I found this, no comments, pictures, nothing, was there only a few of these cpu's made?

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K10/AMD-Phenom%20II%20X3%20720%20-%20HDX720WFK3DGI%20(HDX720WFGIBOX).html

 

[megamanx00]

Wow, guess you may really have gotten a non black edition 720. Kinda rare ^_^. I'd still return it and say that I was lead to believe it was a 720 BE when it was not . Anyway you can overclock it by raising the FSB. Just follow the overclocking guide. The GA-MA790X-DS4 motherboard overclocks pretty good. The only issue I have with it is that the south bridge tends to get hot, thanks to that puny heatsink, so make sure it's in the path of ventilation or put a fan on it.

 

[OvrClkr]

If it was a 720 non-be he would not be able to change any values as far as the CPU multiplier. So that is not the issue here. My question is the Bios, is it the latest? If not make sure you flash to the latest and check the Bios again. Make sure it's on manual and not on AUTO. On the screenshot you posted it shows that it's on AUTO. Change all values to manual and then set the accordingly.

 

[wuthrichmr22]

The bios is the latest. (F9) If I put it on manual I only can see .5x through 14x (which the is default)

 

[OvrClkr]

Pull up CPU-Z and check the CPU info. Have you done this yet?