EX38-DS4 setup problems

[maniacdrums]

Long time listener, first time caller.
Registered at Tweak Town just to post the Gigabyte forums. Anyway, I purchased this board a little over a month ago. Installed a Q9450 CPU, 2x1GB Corsair Dominator PC8500, EVGA8800GT. Everything works great. I had to get into setup menu and change from auto my memory multi, timings, and DDR2 +.3v to get its standard timings of 5-5-5-15@ 2.2v to stick. Memtest and Orthos dont fail at those settings.
Problem starts when I turn on my CPU clock cycle control. I get endless reboots in need of jumpering CMOS by simply changing clock control from auto to manual.
I have used the sticky threads on how to OC this style board. I'm not trying to OC anything, I cant even run at stock speed 8x333 (2.66) when I change from auto to manual CPU settings
I have latest BIOS F3, I've tried turning off energy saving (EIST, C1, etc.), used the Ctrl+F1 although it doesnt bring any hidden options on this board, tested all memory in all slots double and single configuration, and everything passes all tests except when I simply turn on the clock speed control.
Anyone have any words of encouragement for a newbie?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EX38-DS4 setup problems

TM2, EIST, C1E, and C.I.A.2 is what needs to be off, incase you missed one.

Also Disable Legacy USB Storage Detect in the Integrated Peripherals Page

Try this for your memory settings, be sure Performance Enhance is on STANDARD >>>

Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [8]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [333]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [3.20]
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]
Performance Enhance = [Standard]

CAS Latency Time________________5
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay_________ 5
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______5
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________ 15

Start with the higher numbers and lower ONE at a time testing after EACH move, otherwise you wont know which is causing failures. But this should get you booted up in manual. If not I do suggest you reflash via USB or floppy, but Disconnect your Power supply from the wall, Put a Hard drive Jumper on the Clear CMOS pins and leave it sit for 10 minutes or so, then remove jumper, plug in your PSU and flash

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_________3-4
Rank Write to READ Delay________9-11 << May need 15-18 but try last
Write to Precharge Delay_________3-5
Refresh to ACT Delay______________ 42-52 Try 62 if this fails, but you should be ok with 42-52
Read to Precharge Delay__________ 3-6
Static tRead Value_______________ 7-10
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ 1-31 Leave on AUTO or Zero Or 1-31

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.300V] = 2.1V if this is your spec on your ram sticker, use it

FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.1V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.1V - +0.125]

[JVM]

Re: EX38-DS4 setup problems

Hmm...same board as me and I wonder if that's the reason I had that cycling issue, turning on CPU Host Clock Control.

You have me wondering about TM2, EIST, and C1E since you told me to leave those Enabled.

Since this person and I have the same board, I don't understand the suggestion to him to turn those settings off and for me to keep them Enabled.

Please confirm my settings for the above.

[stevez]

Re: EX38-DS4 setup problems

Thought I'd jump in while reading..

You said you weren't overclocking, thats why those controls should be left enabled.

Throttling your CPU while also overclocking results in instability, so EIST and C1E should be disabled if CPU Host Clock Control is Enabled.
TM2 can be either disabled or enabled.. but if left disabled, your CPU won't throttle down if you happen to hit the high temperature threshold; your system will simply crash and your CPU may be damaged.

[JVM]

Re: EX38-DS4 setup problems

I do have them Enabled, and that is how they will stay. But, I don't know if I should take my timings off Auto when the BIOS shows correct 5-5-5-15 for my RAM. Also, the suggestion to change PCI-Express Frequency to 100 is confusing to me when the manual states 100 is the Default.

I don't think I'll be messing with CPU Host Clock Control. My FSB in BIOS with Default settings is 333 and that is fine, and I am not over-clocking.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EX38-DS4 setup problems

Hmm...same board as me and I wonder if that's the reason I had that cycling issue, turning on CPU Host Clock Control.

You have me wondering about TM2, EIST, and C1E since you told me to leave those Enabled.

Since this person and I have the same board, I don't understand the suggestion to him to turn those settings off and for me to keep them Enabled.

Please confirm my settings for the above.

Right, I said leave them on because you did not want to overclock.

TM2 off or not your cpu will still shut itself down when it passes over the poitn above tJunction point that intel has set internally. You have no control in changing this, only older CPU's would fry themselves new ones will not. Now this does not mean you cant damage your cpu, but just telling you it WILL shut itself down no matter the settings you turn off or not