GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

[michaelboss]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

Well guys, I think I am going to abandon my attempt at a traditional overclock, i.e. by increasing the FSB, and then adjusting the memory divider to make things match up. The absolute mind blower is that the very first attempt worked and CPU-Z verified it.

I have become very frustrated because literally everything I have tried has failed. I was able to get all of Lsdmeasap's memory subtimings to boot. I followed your plan by taking all of them off of auto and setting them all to their highest suggested setting. Then, one-by-one lowering them all to their lowest setting. Everything worked. But then no matter how little or how much I increased the FSB, it would never boot without those two or three restarts, then it would boot at the FSB and CPU speed defaults. Get this, I even tried lowering the CPU multiplier, but increasing the FSB, thereby just achieving the exact same default final CPU speed, and even that would not boot. I even tried lowering the CPU speed, which is underclocking, and that would not work. ANY CHANGE to the FSB would not work.

I tried clearing the CMOS as kissparo suggested. I found that it cleared some settings, but not all. Things like USB keyboard and USB mouse support settings were not affected. Then I tried the same sequence of oc attempts after clearing the CMOS, and none of those worked either!

BUT THEN VIOLA, I read in the mobo manual about C.I.A.2 (CPU Intelligent Accelerator 2). It's supposed to adjust the FSB according to the CPU load and has 5 presets. I chose "Sports" -and what do you know- CPU-Z showed the FSB increase and corresponding CPU speed increase. CPU-Z also showed the memory correctly as well. I ran Prime95 for 30 minutes without a glitch. Take the laod away by stopping Prime95 and CPU-Z shows everything at the defaults.

So I then went all out and changed C.I.A.2 to the highest setting of "Full Thrust". Prime95 showed a hardware error on the 4th test on both cores. I reset C.I.A.2 to the next highest "Turbo" and ran Prime95 again. Once more on the 4th test there was an error. This time I went into MIT and raised the timings up one notch that Lsdmeasap gave me, as well as raising the voltage of the RAM to +0.30 (I know it's supposed to be 2.2v total, but he convinced me that a little less was safer and would work--He was right!). This time Prime95 ran without an error for 1-1/2 hours. Everest shows a 19% increase in CPU clock. CPU-Z had a 397 FSB and CPU speed of 3771.3 MHz. Memory had 476.3 MHz DRAM clock with the correct 5:6 ratio. Turn off Prime95 and all values fall to their defaults. Turn on Prim95 and all values overclock by 19%!!! Etc.

If you think about it, isn't this the ideal situation? It's like not oc'ing and using C1E (CPU Enhanced Halt), but in reverse--you're normal until you need a big boost, and then you get it. When you don't need the boost any more, you return to normal.

Maybe C.I.A.2 gives some memory and CPU's trouble, but not mine. I am very happy now. I can't wait for the OCZ 1066 RAM to arrive on Monday. I might be able to get this puppy going on "Full Thrust" close to 4 GHz and the RAM handle it as well.

The down side is not knowing why the manual oc of the FSB would not take after the original first try did. But, all has ended well...so far.

Thanks Lsdmeasap very much for your help. I am closer to geek status thanks to you and am no longer afraid of the dreaded subtimings zone. Also thanks for the memtest link and teaching me about burning an ISO image so I could use it. When the new RAM gets here, the very first thing I will do is test it. Thanks again...

michaelboss

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

Well ya know, you should have left all the memory subtimings high, then overclock your CPU to what you wanted. THEN bring down the memory timings after you have your CPU where you wanted it. And of course to go very high with 1:1 on the memory you would need 555 for the main timings most likely, but yeah you need the subtiming loose while you up the FSB until you get it to where you want. Then do the bring down one at a time and test on the memory

And you know most 6400 ram will do 1066 just with loose timings such as 555. And 1066 ram as you will see in CPU-z is really 6400 ram anyway, just tested to run at 555 timings officially

So, you got memtest ISO burnt then eh? Thats cool!


Well I am glad to see you are getting somewhere with my suggestions, if you feel you have the time, turn off that C.I.A.2. And EIST, TM2, And C1E and do the memory subtimings back up to the upper area and then do the FSB increases. With you lowering the memory subtimings first to a lowest point then increasing the FSB that is why it fails. The memory subtimings were good LOW testing them because you had the FSB set low, you went in the wrong order so that is why it failed is all


Turn off all those features, Raise Memory timings and subtimings, raise FSB to desired level until unstable ten bring back down until it is at max stable point. THEN start with the lowering and testing of the ram.

Good luck, and of course post back if you need some more help! Good to see you getting somewhere and not afraid to jump in and try things. It is all pretty easy to find the right settings, it just takes so long testing and trying things that people make it sound harder then it really is. Just start with everything loose on the ram, raise FSB until to high, then slowly lower and test everything.

All time consuming is the bad thing, but in the end it will pay off.

[michaelboss]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

OK, I'll go through it again. I did not have TM2 off, although I had thought of it. I had tried the FSB oc with all of the sumtimings on their high settings. What I meant above was I verified they would all work on lowest without changing the FSB, but failed to mention that I had returned them to their high settings to begin the oc.

Well so far the Corsair has passed memtest. The way the Corsair went to 476.3 MHz from 400 MHz in "Turbo" mode just proves what you just said-that it will oc up in MHz. But, mine did it to 476.3 MHz at the 4-4-4-12 timings. But I'm going to put the OCZ in anyway.

I guess I also failed to mention that when I tried to underclock, the subtimings were in the high setting as well. The underclock failed. Lsdmeasap, it seems that any change to the FSB fails, unless the C.I.A.2 does it.

But I will slow down even more and try again. You're right, it takes a million years and that's why a lot of people give up or don't want to try. Everest has the number of my startups at quite a bit more than double from the time I started trying to oc.

I'll get back to you.

OK, I'm Back. Lsdmeasap, I'm telling you the facts, once again absolutely nothing works. Memory at 5-5-5-18 with all the subtimings at their highest settings, all those features are off, all voltages are where you said. Again it appears to me that the FSB simply will not accept a manual change of any kind-up or down. Well, what is your prognosis doctor?

I take it that you've never encountered this situation before.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

Ahh ok! Well ya got me confused them!

Yes, I have seen this before. A few other things in the bios to check before my last sugestion. Do you have USB mouse and Keyboard support enabled? IF so, disable those, even if you use them they will work fine anyway. Also find and disable Legacy USB storage Detect

Then try again

If that does not help, download the latest NON beta BIOS for your board, put it on your floppy or USB and get ready to flash. But first find a Hard drive Jumper, open your case and put a jumper on the Clear CMos Pins and leave it there. Then Unplug your Power Supply from the wall and let your computer sit for 10 minutes, with PSU unplugged and Clear CMOS pins with the jumper on them. Then after 10 Minutes remove the jumper and plug your PSU back in and start the computer up and enter Qflash. Once there flash the BIOS to the newest BIOS you just downloaded.

Then reboot and go into the bios and Choose "Load Optimized Defaults" Which is also F7, then save and apply and reboot F10, then come back into the BIOS and make your initial changes for hard drives and all the rest of the things you use or dont use. Then.....yeap start your tests again.

Most people do not load optimized defaults and save and apply/reboot when they update the bios, this causes errors and partial problems from the previous bios to still be in the CMOS memory.

I suggest my way of clearing the CMOS because I have done all the others and sometimes they work and sometimes not, That way is FOR SURE, and easier as you do not take out the battery or anything

[michaelboss]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

USB and Keyboard support as well as Legacy USB Storage Detect were disabled for the last 30-40 attempts. There is no other NON Beta BIOS. My Ga-X48-DQ6 is a fairly new board and the F6 BIOS is the original BIOS. At their website there is a Beta F7b that is somewhat recent, but it is a Beta (F7b 2008/04/03 beta BIOS update CPU ID To support the same CPU but with new stepping).

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

Ok well flash the one you are using again, incase you did not apply the things I suggested the last time. I say non beta, because often beta has issues, but fi you want you can try it. But the main thing is doing the optimized and save apply reboot thing I suggested. And clearing the CMOS for sure the way I suggested as well, this well ensure that you do indeed get a new Flash into there and could fix your non overclock problem

Ill be back later tonight, good luck with everything

[michaelboss]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

OK, but I'm scared to death because you read of an awful lot of horror stories at forums about this flashing stuff. I went to the Gigabyte site and downloaded the F6 BIOS by SAVING (not running) it to my USB. The USB came with other files, like a folder with security features and update searches etc. But I checked the USB contents to see if the download was successful, and it was. So I hope I've done things right so far.

Only question right now is will the jumper from an optical drive work the same and fit? I have one.

I really don't want to proceed without my hands being held. So I'm just going to reload the C.I.A.2 into "Turbo" mode again and play Crysis. Then do Mother's Day and I'll probably be back to TweakTown about 8:50 pm PDT. I'll log on and post that I'm here so we can walk me through one more time. I have another computer, so if this one burns up and fries like the space shuttle, I can tell you about how much smoke poured out of it .

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

Yeap that will fit.

And the only file you need to put on the USB is the Actual BIOS file, it will end with "xBIOS nameX.F6" I hope I explained that ok. The file with .F6 at the end is the only file you need on the USB, and do not put it in a folder, just into the root of the USB stick, leave the stick in there and boot to qflash and do the flash

[michaelboss]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

I unzipped the file and deleted everything but the BIOS file. Now the only file on the USB drive is X48DQ6.F6

Is this correct? My hard drive and OS will all be uneffected?

Boot to qflash by pressing the Delete button a bunch of times to enter the BIOS like I have been doing?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

Yeap.

When in Qflash your USb will show as a floppy or a hard drive, just look thru the things it shows you.

*NOTE*
You may need to enable USB legacy Storage Detect" before being able to use the USB in Qflash, i am not sure. I would try without it first and if you dont see it then reboot and enable that.

Another thing, Some USB's No matter if they are already FAT or FAT32 need to be reformatted by YOU for them to be used in Qflash. So if either way (With or without The legacy USB setting enabled) does not show you your USB stick (As floppy or Hard drive remember) please go into windows again and format it yourself to FAT32 and recopy that file onto it.

[michaelboss]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

OK, it is now FAT32 and I simply redid the USB so I would know for sure that it was correct without guessing. Here goes...see ya in a bit.

[michaelboss]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

Back again. Of course, there was yet another glitch! While in the qflash mode, there is presented only two choices-floppy drive and hard drive. I chose floppy and of course there is nothing recognized so I cannot continue. WTF?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

Yes, look in both things, or all things it shows you. USB's do not show up as USB, they are either a Hard drive or a Floppy.

Do you have a floppy? If so, that is easier, just copy the BIOS file onto a floppy and flash from there

[michaelboss]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

OK, my fault. I figured that out even before your reply. I started over and it was in the Hard Drive item. The flash went successfully. Powered down and rebooted. I did the "Load Optimized Defaults". Powered down and then tried for the oc. Yep, you guessed it-absolutely no luck. The comp just did the usual two restarts, and then booted into the defaults. I tried a couple of more times. No luck!

Got pretty pissed and went back to the C.I.A.2 "Turbo", but then to my horror it too would not load and the comp just restarted a couple of times, and then booted into the defaults. I spent over an hour and a half trying to get Turbo to work. By now I'm pretty well freaking out.

Finally, after much cursing, I decided that the BIOS was the culprit. This is why sooo many people hate flashing the BIOS and you read sooo many horror stories.

So, armed with new knowledge and mild bravery, I decided to flash the bios again. This time I did not try to oc, but just go for the C.I.A.2 "Turbo". It worked and still is doing what it is supposed to do. When the CPU is under a hard load, it Turbos. When the load goes away, it resumes normal voltages and speeds, including all DRAM stuff. The DRAM handles it, the CPU handles it and all of the temps are fine.

It is completely unexplainable why this board will not except a manual oc of the FSB. But it will oc automatically with C.I.A.2 enabled. So I am again basically happy.

I'll bet I have the only mobo in the USA that will not manually oc! Maybe we should just leave it as it is since it is working. Attached is a zip file of two CPU-Z screen captures showing what "Turbo" gives me when the CPU is working on Prime95.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X48-DQ6 Won't OC Anymore

WOW

Well, Yeah I suppose leave it for now. Did you ever do the jumper on clear cmos and reflash? Sometimes that does fix it, And yes there has been others who have had this manual FSB issue, and normally a full clear cmos witha jumper and Power supply unplugged gets the job done.

I suppose you can leave it as it is for now, but I would try again on the next BIOS update, or if you feel up to it a older previous bios may do the trick as well