E8400 multiplier stuck at 6x

[claylomax]

This is the missus pc; I was browsing the internet this morning when I had a BSOD, rebooted and since then the multiplier is stuck at 6x. I was using this settings when the BSOD happened: 375x9 = 3375mhz (stock voltage, stock heatsink), ram at 900mhz. This was my first pc, I built it three years ago so I'm familiar with it. C1E was enabled but EVEN WHEN DISABLED it doesn't make a difference. The board is a GA-P31-DS3L with 2Gb of Corsair memory and Antec Signature 650w. I loaded optimized default and cleared the CMOS but still the multiplier is stuck at 6x (2000mhz); the voltage seems to be stuck at 1.10v too. I run the cpu test in 3DMARK11, prime95, OCCT ... the cpu is always running at 2000mhz; Any ideas? Did you experience this? Thanks in advance.

[claylomax]

Bump for some help.

[Nick259]

Never heard of this personally but i'd try resetting the cmos and see if that fixes it.

[erocker]

You didn't mention SpeedStep so make sure that is off. Also, have you checked Windows power management? In there there are min/max processor states that can affect CPU speed/multi.

[happita]

Originally Posted by erocker

You didn't mention SpeedStep so make sure that is off. Also, have you checked Windows power management? In there there are min/max processor states that can affect CPU speed/multi.

http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/p...14/procpwr.jpg

^ That's most likely the cause.

When I checked Core Temp it would still display a 2200MHz clock, so did CPU-Z, but the difference was when I checked off SteedStep, CPU-Z started to display the correct MHz speed.

Go into the BIOS to uncheck it.

[claylomax]

Originally Posted by Nick259

Never heard of this personally but i'd try resetting the cmos and see if that fixes it.

Already tried that.

Originally Posted by erocker

You didn't mention SpeedStep so make sure that is off. Also, have you checked Windows power management? In there there are min/max processor states that can affect CPU speed/multi.
Either my bios doesn't have speedstep or it just dissapeared.
http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/p...14/procpwr.jpg

I tried Windows power management with no luck, the cpu is stuck at 2000mhz. I mean, I'm starting to think that something inside the cpu just gave up and said: "look mate after three years I'm tired, it's either 2000mhz or throw me away"

[JrRacinFan]

Something to ponder. Maybe your cpu is kicking into thermal throttling, as far as why I am unsure. Try reseating HSF.

[claylomax]

Originally Posted by JrRacinFan

Something to ponder. Maybe your cpu is kicking into thermal throttling, as far as why I am unsure. Try reseating HSF.

I open the case and the heatsink looks fine. Before the problem started, idle temps were about 33c and load around 52c but since my wife's been using it, this pc is never under load. Forgot to say this system is in my old Antec Three Hundred.

[qubit]

It could be your mobo that's gone faulty. I'm sure it reports that 2GHz speed in the BIOS and won't budge in there?

If possible you need to separate the CPU & mobo ie run them with different equivalents and see which component the fault follows.

From the looks of it, you've tried everything reasonable to make it go, especially that CMOS clear. Is there a BIOS update available, although that shouldn't really be needed as it worked well enough before.

[JrRacinFan]

You know something. You have something there qubit, maybe totally irrelevant.

When I had my e5200 (45nm wolfdale) rig, I had to make sure I was on the latest bios or else I wouldn't be able to make multiplier adjustments & it would be stuck at 6x just like you are describing. Very odd though as you were working just fine

@Claylomax
Try flashing to latest/re-flashing bios. That's all i can think of as well as you have tried everything else. Only do this as last resort

[Scheich]

Your mobo is worn out. Have that too with a p-35 e8400, happened 1 year ago. More than stock speed is just not possible anymore.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by claylomax

I open the case and the heatsink looks fine. Before the problem started, idle temps were about 33c and load around 52c but since my wife's been using it, this pc is never under load. Forgot to say this system is in my old Antec Three Hundred.

you cant tell if its overheating by looking at the outside of a heatsink. check its reported temperatures and if its hitting TJMax or not.

[claylomax]

Originally Posted by qubit

It could be your mobo that's gone faulty. I'm sure it reports that 2GHz speed in the BIOS and won't budge in there?

If possible you need to separate the CPU & mobo ie run them with different equivalents and see which component the fault follows.

From the looks of it, you've tried everything reasonable to make it go, especially that CMOS clear. Is there a BIOS update available, although that shouldn't really be needed as it worked well enough before.

I've never flashed the bios on this board before as there was no need, bios is from December 2007, surely there must be a bios update available

Originally Posted by JrRacinFan

You know something. You have something there qubit, maybe totally irrelevant.

When I had my e5200 (45nm wolfdale) rig, I had to make sure I was on the latest bios or else I wouldn't be able to make multiplier adjustments & it would be stuck at 6x just like you are describing. Very odd though as you were working just fine
But my board has been working properly for three years with the original bios, why now this problem?
@Claylomax
Try flashing to latest/re-flashing bios. That's all i can think of as well as you have tried everything else. Only do this as last resort

Yeah last resort because if something goes wrong my marriage is at stake ...

Originally Posted by Scheich

Your mobo is worn out. Have that too with a p-35 e8400, happened 1 year ago. More than stock speed is just not possible anymore.

Could be. I remember I paid £40 but got good reviews. For more than a year when I was using it, the cpu was clocked at 4.0Ghz with a voltage of 1.44v if I remember well but the frequency would go down to 2000mhz when idle.

[claylomax]

Originally Posted by Mussels

you cant tell if its overheating by looking at the outside of a heatsink. check its reported temperatures and if its hitting TJMax or not.

I gave the temps on a previous post but now you're saying I'm gonna have another look. Forgot to say the E8400 is the first stepping, can't remember which one but it was released in January 2008 I think.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by claylomax

I gave the temps on a previous post but now you're saying I'm gonna have another look. Forgot to say the E8400 is the first stepping, can't remember which one but it was released in January 2008 I think.

i may have missed that post, sorry.


still, distance to TJmax is what matters with thermal throttling.

[qubit]

Originally Posted by claylomax

I've never flashed the bios on this board before as there was no need, bios is from December 2007, surely there must be a bios update available

Yeah last resort because if something goes wrong my marriage is at stake ...

Then yeah, you definitely need to flash that BIOS. First versions are always buggy and also may not work so well with all the patches that are applied to Windows since they were first written.

And don't worry about getting nailed by the wife so much! The board is running stable and BIOS flashes aren't so fraught with risk nowadays. Just do it carefully and don't turn off the power in the middle of the flash and you'll be all right.

If the board is dying, then it's gonna go whether your flash that BIOS or not.

EDIT

I meant to second Mussels on the temperature monitoring.

[claylomax]

Hi there, I flashed the board to the latest BIOS and still nothing, the cpu is still stuck at 2000mhz. I've never seen anything like this.

[qubit]

Originally Posted by claylomax

Hi there, I flashed the board to the latest BIOS and still nothing, the cpu is still stuck at 2000mhz. I've never seen anything like this.

Have you also done the cmos clear? Flashing it doesn't clear the settings on many boards. Also, you may want to separate the CPU and mobo, if possible.

Once you've done these things, then you'll have tried everything and will be able to tell whether it's the CPU or mobo that's gone faulty.

[claylomax]

Originally Posted by qubit

Have you also done the cmos clear? Flashing it doesn't clear the settings on many boards. Also, you may want to separate the CPU and mobo, if possible.

Once you've done these things, then you'll have tried everything and will be able to tell whether it's the CPU or mobo that's gone faulty.

I did clear the cmos before and after the flashing; I don't have another cpu/motherboard to test and check what's faulty.

[qubit]

Originally Posted by claylomax

I did clear the cmos before and after the flashing; I don't have another cpu/motherboard to test and check what's faulty.

Then you've done all you can and can't go any further; I can't think of anything else to try without separating the components. I suspect the mobo personally.

[Mussels]

what speed does it report the CPU to be running at in the BIOS?

[pantherx12]

Originally Posted by JrRacinFan

You know something. You have something there qubit, maybe totally irrelevant.

When I had my e5200 (45nm wolfdale) rig, I had to make sure I was on the latest bios or else I wouldn't be able to make multiplier adjustments & it would be stuck at 6x just like you are describing. Very odd though as you were working just fine

@Claylomax
Try flashing to latest/re-flashing bios. That's all i can think of as well as you have tried everything else. Only do this as last resort

I was going to mention the e5200 as well ( remember the good times we shared ? )

It was caused by trying to push the FSB to far, what fixed the problem for me was shutting down the pc, unplugging the power cable and hitting the power button twice, ( the actual on switch on your pc not the psu power) forces all the power out the board so the board should be the same as when you first got it.

Give it a go, worth a try.