e7200 + x38 not showing correct OC - help

[50bmg]

I overclocked my gigabyte x38-ds4 to 400Mhz. That had my e7200 running at 3.8Ghz for months. Now it shows 266Mhz fsb and cpu 2.5Ghz. I did not change anything nor was there any type of event. The Bios shows 400Mhz FSB and the cpu at 3.8Ghz. Windows, sandra, everest and cpuz all show 266Mhz FSB and 2.5Ghz. COD4 is running at about 30% lower fps.

I flashed the bios to the latest version. That did not help.

Both speed steps are disabled.

Any ideas?

specs: Gigabyte GA-EX38-DS4, Intel C2D E7200, 2 - ati 3870's crossfired, 4G(2x2g) 800Mhz Patriot ddr2, Seagate 500G sata 2, seagate 250G sata, Win XP sp3, 800w BFG Tech,

 

[JC316]

C1E or speedstep must be on. What is CPU-Z reporting your multiplier to be?

 

[Damian^]

do you have the latest version of CPUz, older versions are kinda iffy for the new 45nm processors

 

[JC316]

do you have the latest version of CPUz, older versions are kinda iffy for the new 45nm processors

I thought of that too, but he says that a bunch of programs are showing to to be 2.5GHZ. Something seems to be throttling it from the BIOS.

 

[Damian^]

Hm....That's weird especially since he said it started happening out of nowhere

 

[50bmg]

i have cpuz 1.47.

cpuz is reporting a 9.5 multiplier and 266mhz bus. That was while running prime95.

this out of no where. Everything was running fine one day. The next day I noticed COD4 running slow. I checked some things and noticed the cpu running at 2.5G. I checked my bios and it had reverted to stock settings. I changed it, but it would not save. I replaced the battery. That did not help. I flashed the bios. That fixed the save issue, but the system is still running at 2.66Mhz even tho the bios says it is running at 400Mhz.

I have an open support thread with Gigabyte, but they don't seem to have a clue.

Any thoughts?

PS, That is an awesome Rott. I have had 4 Rotts. Rotts are an awesome dog.

Thanks guys.

 

[sneekypeet]

Are you positive you are saving upon exit of the bios screen?

 

[50bmg]

yes. It wouldnt save before i flashed. Now it saves after new bios flash. The problem is the OC doesnt show up in cpuz, sandra, hwmonitor or everest. COD4 was running at 130fps on max settings, now 90fps on max settings.

 

[Damian^]

write down your settings, clear the CMOS, then overclock it back to your stable goal.
thats all i can think about at the moment

 

[50bmg]

That was the second or third thing i tried. I will try it again tonight. Maybe i will get lucky.

 

[50bmg]

tried it and it didnt help.

could this be a bad cpu that has just had to much heavy lifting or more like the mobo has a glitch?

 

[ghost101]

This actually happened to me before where the board got stuck on an fsb of 266mhz and I couldnt change it whatever I did. But clearing the CMOS worked.

 

[modder]

I overclocked my gigabyte x38-ds4 to 400Mhz. That had my e7200 running at 3.8Ghz for months. Now it shows 266Mhz fsb and cpu 2.5Ghz. I did not change anything nor was there any type of event. The Bios shows 400Mhz FSB and the cpu at 3.8Ghz. Windows, sandra, everest and cpuz all show 266Mhz FSB and 2.5Ghz. COD4 is running at about 30% lower fps.

I flashed the bios to the latest version. That did not help.

Both speed steps are disabled.

Any ideas?

specs: Gigabyte GA-EX38-DS4, Intel C2D E7200, 2 - ati 3870's crossfired, 4G(2x2g) 800Mhz Patriot ddr2, Seagate 500G sata 2, seagate 250G sata, Win XP sp3, 800w BFG Tech,

your graphic card show PCI-E x16 @X16
or PCI-E x16 @X1 ?

 

[Solaris17]

wait so you flashed the bios and it fixed the save issue now instead of 2.5 at 266 your running 2.6 at 400? if thats the case just change the multi back to 9.5

 

[50bmg]

The pcie slots are x16.

the multiplier is 9.5.

 

[modder]

The pcie slots are x16.

the multiplier is 9.5.

ok,isn't problem due to overclocking( PCI-E bug with gigabyte after overclock).
do you use a windows OC tool like set fsb,easytune,..?.

 

[50bmg]

I OC using bios only.

 

[modder]

I OC using bios only.

all are diseabled ?
Limit CPUID Max. to 3
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)
CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2)
CPU EIST Function -> diseabled

 

[50bmg]

all disabled.

 

[Dr. Spankenstein]

I had a problem like this on my first X38-DQ6 board.

Write down your settings, load "Fail Safe Defaults" , SAVE, reboot, then enter your settings again.

 

[50bmg]

That was one of the first things i tried. I tried it again, just to be sure. no go.

thanks anyways

 

[50bmg]

like i said in the op. The bios says 400Mhz fsb and 3.8Ghz cpu. Windows xp sp3, cpuz, hwmonitor and sandra all have it at 266Mhz fsb and 2.53Ghz cpu.

Can this be a windows prob? would it be worth it to reinstall xp or would that be a waste of time?

 

[ghost101]

Its a motherboard problem. Have you definitely tried clearing the CMOS with a proper jumper? Try also reinserting the battery.

I had this exact problem, where the motherboard ignored the fsb setting in the BIOS and just booted with 266mhz. It was an X38-DQ6.

 

[50bmg]

yeah, i have done it twice.

thanks

this sucks.

 

[ghost101]

yeah, i have done it twice.

thanks

this sucks.

Try this thread I posted in

http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showpost.php?p=3270474&postcount=2825

The people there know these motherboards better than anyone.

Only thing I can say is that you use your motherboard cd to reflash the motherboard with the original bios. I know my motherboard also has a backup bios (it can hold 4 bioses), maybe yours does as well.