Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

[mauibg]

Current Configuration:

O/S: WinXP Pro SP2
M/B: EP45-UD3R v1.1 BIOS F6 (tried F4 & F5 also) less than 60 days old
-Running Optimized Defaults; EIST Disabled; no O/C ATT
CPU: E8400 3.0 GHz (9x333=3.0GHz should be @ stock)
NOTE: 2nd CPU; RMA'd first one as I suspected it as the problem
Memory: OCZ2RPR10664GK (4GBx2 - also tried running one at a time)
PSU: Antec SP350 350W PSU

Video: EVGA Nvidia 7600GS PCIx16 edit

CPU running fine at 3GHz (333x9.0) until recently. Suddenly my computer will only boot using x6 multiplier. This is not a throttling/stepping issue as EIST is disabled, and the same situation exists when the CPU is at 100% load as when it is at Idle (running Windows Media Encoder which is disigned to use mulitple cores). Something is forcing the CPU to run at no higher than 6x multiplier which results in a overall CPU speed of 2.00 GHz. The M/B will not boot the CPU at 3.0GHz even when forced. After clearing the BIOS (shorting the jumper) and resetting to Optimized Def., the motherboard will attempt to boot the processor at the specified parameters (333x9 in this case) and it will not boot but immediately fails and reboots, and upon entering the BIOS, it informs you via a message that the previous boot failed due to overclocking/voltage issue. I am not overclocking. From this point it will force x6 on every boot until I clear the CMOS and try again (with same results I might add). I can verify the clocking being forced as it is shown on the screen during the POST. It seems the M/B and CPU will not pass POST as 333 x 9; this is a brand new CPU; RMA'd first one as I thought it was cause of the problem. Please help! My computer is way too slow now @ 2GHz. M/B less than 60 days old.

[Nickel020]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

Since you RMAed the CPU and got a new one I'll say that the only possible culprit can be the board. Bad RAM or a defective PSU can cause instability but I ahve never herar of them causing anything like this.
If the system is stable you could just try a different multi x FSB. It may sound like a joke now, but 500x6 also gets you to 3GHz and if it's stable there's no reason not do it. You can also try other multipliers, 400x 7.5 also gets you there (if those aren't also being reset to 6).

Or you can RMA the board of course, since this IS the board causing the problem. CPUs are defective so rarely that the chance of you getting two bad ones with exactly the same problem is lower than you winning the lottery.

[powergiga]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

I say PSU is too weak for draw demand powers, maybe try get a better psu with over 500 watts and dual +12 rails with better amp also 12+v 2x4-pin connector.

350 watts is like running celeron 300A hee hee.

pg

[Nickel020]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

If it's the PSU I don't see how the motherboard could know this at boot ant thus boot with a lower multiplier to save power. Pretty much everyone whose PSU is too weak just experiences crashes, not this kind of behaviour.
To be sure though you could just try another PSU of course.

[SpeedEuphoria]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

I think your jumping to conclusions here. But can you verify that you have put 1 stick of memory in, and set the dram voltage and speeds, raised the MCH voltage and rebooted. What is the outcome?

[Nickel020]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

Wanna bet? :D Should be fun, who makes the right diagnosis :)

If the RAM is the problem then there's no point in lowering the multi, if the board had some in-built logic to try and make it stable then it would lower the RAM multi and decrease FSB.
Defective and too weak PSUs generally cause unstable systems and reboot loop. Lowering the multi won't reduce the power draw that much anyway, so why would GB engineers try to integrate a feature like this into the BIOS. Something that reduces total power draw at idle by a couple of Watts won't make the PC stable. If it can't handle booting at 333x9 then there's no way that PSU could handle 333x6 at load, so what would be the point of such a feature?

This is why I think it cannot be those two parts, let's hear why you think it could be caused by them ;P

[VorLonUK]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

As suggested above it would be an idea to see if it's an FSB issue, by simply upping the CPU host frequency whilst using a CPU multiplier in the selectable range, ie anything between 6 - 9x.

What i was going to mention although i think you've touched on this, the bios should detect the CPU and "know" the Eist Usable range, even if it defaults to the lowest it can. So with that in mind (and as per other posters recommndations), have you tried any other multipliers including half multipliers? to see if they will remain saved when applied.

[SpeedEuphoria]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

I think it is the PSU, helps for me to read the specs, lol. Not that a 350W psu is not enough, but we need to know more.

What video card are you using?

[acarcia81]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

I had this problem earlier. My mobo wouldn't allow me to go passed 6x multiplier. No matter how much I changed it, it would always go back to 6x. This is what I did to fix it. Hopefully it will work for you too.

1) Disabled C1E and EIST
2) Upped my CPU Core voltage from 1.1->1.2
3) Upped my DRAM voltage from 1.8->2.1

By doing this, I'm now able to OC my cpu (E8500) to 3.6 GHz. Ran multiple stress tests and it seems to be stable.

[NimrodAUS]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

Yeah its possible its a PSU, It wouldnt hurt to just get another one anyway as that one will not leave you any imagination to upgrade to a decent graphics card later.

[NimrodAUS]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

Try F3 BIOS and make sure that it does actually flash properly? Does that board have Qflash?

[Nickel020]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

If it were the PSU then why hasn't he reported crashes in Windows? Load would certainly strain the PSU much then.
And I'm sure he has a low end video card. No way the PSU could cause this and not also cause a crash in games when a power hungry video card is installed.

Edit: The PSU is actually pretty decent for 350W, 25A on 12V, and Antec usually delivers its specs.
Antec.com - SP 350 Specsheet
Also note that there are 15A dedicated to the CPU:
Antec - SP-350

12V1 for Motherboard and peripherals; 12V2 for processor

So the specs are good enough, and if it were defective then it doesn't make sense that the PC works at a multi of 6x.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

EIST and C1E should be disabled. Has this been corrected?

What BIOS are you using, and have you loaded optimized defaults for this setup/BIOS yet? If not, you must load optimized defaults and save/apply/reboot anytime you install a new CPU or anytime you flash the BIOS

[Nickel020]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

EIST is off, about C1E I'm not sure, but the post screen already shows the lower multi, so I don't think this has anything to do with C1E/EIST.
He cleared CMOS several times.
And he tried several BIOS revisions

BIOS F6 (tried F4 & F5 also)

To me this sounds like a defective board. I don't see how the PSU or RAM could cause this.

[acarcia81]

Re: Multiplier forced to 6x on EP45-UD3R (should be 9x)

The thing is, I had the same problem. For some reason my BIOS would always show the multiplier at 6. If I went into windows and ran cpu-z, eventually it showed my multiplier at 9. I hope there's nothing wrong w/ my board also. I had to set my cpu voltage at 1.2 (default was at 1.1) and I upped my dram voltage also. The multiplier in BIOS right now still shows at 6 but in windows it goes up to 9. I checked using cpu-z, core temp, real temp, and in Orthos.

I also have C1E and EIST disabled.