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Hi people my 1st post ive just built a pc ( 1st build) asrock z68 pro3 motherboard (not extreme) , running bios version L2.16A ( think its a beta) I5 2500k processor & cooler master 212+ pro , 8gb corsair pro series 2133, 1tb hybrid drive, evga ftw! gtx 670 gfx card, Now when i go into uefi bios, the memory lets me select only 1066/1333 or auto , but on the box of the MB it says it can support 2133? also i dont see/have the option for XMP... also when i try to overclock the cpu manually to 4.0/4.2 it reverts to 3.7 (37) thats with everything left to default auto.. any help will be greatly appreciated thx
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Re: Asrock Z68 Pro3 - problems
Do you know which BIOS version your board came with? It's on a sticker on the BIOS chip, next to the white SATA ports.
Have you used any other BIOS versions besides L2.16A?
Those two questions are very important, as it will give us a clue about your other problems. Without that information, the advice we give may not be correct.
BIOS L2.16A is a beta version. Your first build, and you are using a beta BIOS? That may have been a mistake, in more ways than you know... yet.
We need the exact model number of your Corsair memory to check for compatibility.
How did you install the drivers when you installed your OS? -
Re: Asrock Z68 Pro3 - problems
HI thx for the reply... No i have not tried any other bios versions, i bought the board off e*ay, so it came like that, the drivers installed came from the cd (install disc).. and the corsair vengeance pro series is CMY8GX3M2B2133C9 ( think this is bit u need) and the bios version near sata is p1.10.15b... hope this helps thx againComment
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Re: Asrock Z68 Pro3 - problems
So you have no idea what the BIOS update history is of course, given you bought it used, with the L2.16A BIOS installed when you received it.
Here's the situation, you have a Sandy Bridge CPU (i5-2500K) and a Sandy Bridge chipset board (Z68), but the 2.16A BIOS version is beyond the Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge processor compatibility BIOS update, which is version 2.10. So...
We don't know if BIOS 2.10 was ever installed on the board, and...
We don't know if the update to BIOS 2.10 was done correctly, if it was ever installed.
Installing a BIOS version beyond the 2.10 compatibility transition BIOS update without installing 2.10 first is a mistake, it cannot be done without problems occurring, just like the ones you have described. If 2.10 was not installed correctly, then the result can be the same or similar to skipping the 2.10 update.
Yet another thing is BIOS 2.10 and beyond requires a different Intel IME driver than the one on the board's CD, as well as a different version of the Intel graphics driver, and AXTU.
So let's assume your BIOS is not in a bad state at first. You need to install the Intel IME driver (Intel Management Engine driver ver:8.0.2.1410) in the link on this page:
ASRock > Z68 Pro3
All the latest drivers ASRock provides can be found on this page, assuming you use Windows 7 (no idea what you use):
ASRock > Z68 Pro3
Install the IME driver, reboot the PC completely, then try a few CPU setting changes in the BIOS. If they still don't work, you'll need to try to install BIOS 2.10, which can be found here:
ASRock > Z68 Pro3
Read about Instant Flash in the board's manual, which is an option in the BIOS. Have the unzipped 2.10 BIOS file on a USB flash drive connected to a USB 2.0 port on the board's IO panel.
Start Instant Flash from the BIOS Tools screen (or wherever it is in your BIOS) and let it complete. The PC will then restart, but DO NOT REMOVE THE FLASH DRIVE UNTIL WINDOWS COMPLETELY BOOTS!! An update to the IME firmware that is part of the BIOS happens during the restart, and it is essential that the IME firmware update completes.
After the 2.10 BIOS update is complete, if you don't have the new version of the IME software installed, install that immediately. Either way, restart into the BIOS again, and try to OC the CPU, ignore the memory for now.
If your CPU OC works, you are done! If the CPU OC fails... you've got a problem! If you cannot get the 2.10 update to apply (which can happen), the only option is to get a new BIOS chips from ASRock. Bad news, sorry to say, and might even be why the board was sold.
Not to bad, about 10 - 15 Euros for the BIOS chip, it just plugs into a socket on the board so is replaceable.
Your memory is not specified for a Sandy Bridge processor, it is really for Ivy Bridge and Haswell. It does seem to work so you may get lucky and it will be Ok. The memory speed problem is again a symptom of the missing or failed 2.10 BIOS update, but might also be a memory compatibility issue.
Sorry for the possibly bad news, but I've seen this before in the past, too many times frankly. There is a sticky post on this topic at the top of this forum.
Questions? Good Luck!!Comment
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Re: Asrock Z68 Pro3 - problems
Thx parsec for your reply and help, i have tried to install the up to date IME but failed during installation, so ive contacted asrock themselves and they are sending me a new bios chip in the post... hopefully i get 2 chances to fix the problems, as soon as i recieve the chip i will flash my bios back to 2.10 ,, if that fails i will use new bios chip... i will let you know the outcomeComment
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