Ep45-DQ6 Looping restarts

[NikosK]

I have just upgraded to an EP45-DQ6 with a Q6600 and 8GB (4x2GB) 1066 Muskin DDR2 XP2-8500 DDR2 - Mushkin Enhanced
The rest of the system is the following:
PSU Thermaltake 1500Watt
8800GT
Thermalright True black 120 with 2 Noctua 120 fans (push-pull configuration)
Coolermaster Cosmos
3 HD (2WD and a Seagate)
NEC Sata DVD-Recorder

As my message title says I had multiple times looping restarts and freezes in Vista 64bit, especially when playing games. I haven't done any overclocking yet, everything is at stock speed. After reading similar problems in this forum I did the following things:
1. Flashed the 10a bios through Qbios menu. ( I had done this and in a previous attempt but during the rebooting it became corrupt and replaced with the ver 5 from the backup bios).
2. Used the EPP profile with Performance Enhance in Standard.
3. Pushed the memory volt to 2.1 (it is in the memory specs).
4. Configured PCI Express Frequency manualy to 100Mhz
5. I disabled the Legacy USB Storage Detect setting (even though I have external USB disks I found no diference before and after).
6. Installed Windows XP 64 bit :)
I have some instabilities when rebooting but not inside Windows. Is there something else I can do? I looked at the MCH Core, tRFC and Command Rate (CMD) values but I don't know if the ones i 've read are correct for my memory (MCH at 1.4 tRFC at 65-72 and CMD at 2 are the values I found in the forum but for 800Mhz memory).
Is there any posibility for overclocking or just leave it be?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Ep45-DQ6 Looping restarts

For starters since you are having issues you for sure should not be using a Beta BIOS.

MCH may or may not even need 1.4, have you tried 1.3 or so lately

Those values are good, you may need also tWTR 10-12 and tWR 11-14, tRTP may need up to 8. Be sure to see that Static tRead is not set to low, I would try starting with 8-10 for 8GB and see how low you can get it later with testing.

This may also help, but only as you reach higher FSB Values >>>

CPU Clock skew:150ps
MCH Clock skew:250ps

If you want some direct Mushkin Support Greg over at Mushkins forums will get you all squared away pretty quickly >>>
Mushkin Support Forums • Index page

Not trying to blow you off or anything, I can provide you with a full set of my suggestions if you like for whatever CPU speed you want to run. I just love Mushkin and their support team so I thought I would extend this resource to you as well. Greg is Great and usually pretty fast to get you fixed up

[artureal]

Re: Ep45-DQ6 Looping restarts

I wouldn't suspect Bios settings to cause Your problems. I think it is rather HD/RAID or some driver issue. Did You try to uninstall (using DriverSweeper) graphics driver (and especially Creative driver for Vista if You use one, heh) and install them again (graphics first)? Are GPU/CPU temperatures alright?

[NikosK]

Re: Ep45-DQ6 Looping restarts

The first time I installed the system using Vista 64bit, it crashed during the night (the pc is always on) and it corrupted the raid array. After that the system is configured without raid support. I don't use a creative sound card and I have installed the drivers form the MB CD first and the Nvidia driver after that. All systems were fully patched.
I believe the new Nvidia driver is partialy responsible for the freezes because of the new Ageia "support" which puts a lot of strain in the graphic cards. Now in the new setup the Ageia support is disabled.
My CPU temp is 38C idle and about 47C full load (not sure about that, I will check it when I return home). Nothing is overclocked and with the latest setup it hasn't crashed once.
My worry is the case temp shown by easytune program which I believe is the chipset temp. The temp is 51-52C which is rather high (I have 5 120mm fans in the Cosmos case plus the 2 fans installed in the True Black cooler). The room temp is about 34-36C (Summer in Greece ;) ).

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Ep45-DQ6 Looping restarts

Yeah that could be the NB, show me a image of your Easytune. If it has System or Motherboard that would be the NB as well, incase there is both.

50ish is hot and likely caused by 8GB, you should either get a ThemalTake Extreme Spirit II for your NB or put a 40MM fan on there.

[NikosK]

Re: Ep45-DQ6 Looping restarts


These are the temperatures when the pc is idle.
I will find a solution for the NB, the only problem is that I don't have any MB fan plugs free (only four is a bit low for a MB these days).

[NikosK]

Re: Ep45-DQ6 Looping restarts

Just looked at the Thermaltake fan. It seems that in order to install it I must remove the stock cooler, which I can't due to lack of free time. I must find something else....

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Ep45-DQ6 Looping restarts

Yeah System is NB.

Thermaltake Cooler? The one I mentioned? If so it can be plugged into any fan port you like, 3 or 4 pin. Or could can splice a wire if you are using all four already, or by a splitter on ebay they are cheap. If you would like me to find you one let me know.

But yeah you will need to remove the stock one, sorry! I forgot you had DQ6, removing the stock one would also remove the whole heatpipe assembly. Which yo do not want to do. So the best thing you can do is put a 40MM fan blowing straight down onto it, or blowing from the top downwards into the slots.

One thing you can do if you feel like you are up to it (I do always on all boards, reasons will follow) Is remove the whole heatpipe assembly and redo the thermal paste under it. Often times it is WAY to much and or not enough coverage. If you do decide to do this you will need to remove your board from your case. Under the backside the pins will come thru you just carefully squeeze them together and push thru towards the front. Use NON Conductive paste to redo it with