A8N-SLI Premium - is Memclock a BIOS memory divider?

[yacoub]

I don't see a BIOS memory divider option that would allow me to push the CPU bus speed higher while keeping the memory from being pushed as high (typically with a divider option in the BIOS).

There is a Memclock Index Value which I'm assuming equates somehow to a divider though?

edit: it appears that's exactly what it does.

Btw, I'm currently up to 2450MHz on the stock retail HSF, although it just error'd in Prime95 a little past 3 minutes of Torture Testing with a rounding error.

My RAM is "divided" down to 333MHz (which makes its effective clock 204.5MHz (333 * .83 aka CPU/12).
The HTT is 245.4Mhz (HTF is 4x that, which puts it just shy of 1000Mhz as it should be)
Core Speed is 2454Mhz, Multiplier 10x.

I still have voltage set to Auto in the BIOS, with CPU-Z showing 1.536V. Maybe if I up that slightly it will help with the Prime95 error?

 

[yacoub]

quick bump since I rewrote the post almost entirely after figuring some things out

 

[Zenoth]

What BIOS version are you using ?

I for one have been using 1008, 1009, and now I'm on 1011-005 (that's the most recent version).

I had some CPU issues with 1008, and Memory issues with 1009 (bad Memory speed reading).

And now everything is stable and fine with 1011-005.

But, even though I had issues in both 1008 and 1009, I can tell that I had a CPU Divider option, as well as a Memory Divider option. With all the BIOS versions mentioned. If I recall correctly, the CPU Divider option is located in the JumpFree settings, and the Memory Divider (for example running your Memory at 333Mhz or different ratios) is located in the RAM settings.

And yes I'm indeed talking about the very same Motherboard.

You should see those options.

 

[yacoub]

I am on 1008. Do I need a floppy drive to flash/update the BIOS? (I built this rig w/o one hehe)

They don't call the RAM divider a divider but that's apparently exactly what the Memclock value is.

Btw, any idea what safe Loaded temps are for the Venice core? Mine hits 45C currently with the fan at 100% (using SpeedFan to variate it by temp)

I'm currently running Prime95 again (using a different test this time. I used the option last time for the test with the most heat and voltage intensity (I think the middle choice). This time I am doing the top choice which loads the FPU most. If it does this test without an error before I stop it I'll know I need to up the voltage a little on the CPU.

 

[Zenoth]

I rarely over-clock, but I can tell that a load temperature for a CPU can go as high as 70ºC without really hurting the CPU. But of course such a temp over a long period of time, perhaps days like that could perhaps damage it, but don't quote me on this.

I'm just saying that a CPU can sustain a lot of heat.

So, idling at even 40ºC isn't bad at all. Even at 50ºC for some 130nm processors, like the ClawHammer 3500+ I had. For a Venice I presume it should idle within 35ºC to 45ºC, depending on your room temperature and the air-flow quality inside the chassis.

As for the BIOS flash part, I simply use the ASUS Updater that came with the A8N-SLi Premium board, on the CD-Rom.

That little program allows you to update the BIOS from the web (it connects to ASUS' web-site), or to update it from a manually downloaded BIOS (a .BIN file), for example the BIOS version 1011-005 I'm using I downloaded it two days ago. So, I extracted the image file in my Desktop, then I used the Updater to update the BIOS "from a file", in the options.

Then the updating process begins, and while it does, you must not close or open something else, do nothing, let it update, then you'll have to reboot, and voila.

I do that because I don't have a Floppy Disk Drive.

And it works like a charm.

 

[yacoub]

Thanks. One day I'll grab a newer BIOS. for now i think I've got it stable at 2400MHz. When I get the itch again I'll start with a fresh BIOS flash. =)