GeForce 6x00 + MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum = Auto OC

[Fenuxx]

OK, per a couple of user's requests, I have conducted some testing (last night) that in fact prove that MSI's mobo overclocks GF6 cards. The next section is a detail of the hardware that the test was conducted on:

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (2.00GHz, Winchester Core, 1.40v)
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum (NVIDIA nForce3 250-Ultra Chipset, PCB Rev 1.0; BIOS Rev 1.4)
1024MB Mushkin Enhanced PC3200 DDR Memory (400MHz; 2.5-3-3-8 Timings)
Videocard(s):
----XFX NVIDIA GeForce 6800GT 256MB Video Card (BIOS Version: 5.40.02.15.01)
----BFG Asylum GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 128MB Video Card (Unsure which BIOS version)
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Sound Card
Western Digital WD2000JB (200GB) Hard Drive (7200rpm; 8MB Cache)
Western Digital WD1200JB (120GB) Hard Drive (7200rpm; 8MB Cache)
NEC ND3500AG DVD+/-RW Drive
Artec COMBO52X16C Drive

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Below are the steps I took, with my findings bolded:

1.) The first thing I did was to reset the BIOS to "Fail-Safe Defaults". This puts every BIOS setting to its factory, most conservative defaults. The only things I changed were the settings for my hard drives, as well as to enable the NVIDIA networking controller. I booted into Windows, opened the NVIDIA control panel, and then the CoolBits tab. The card then showed a 350\1000 clock speed, identical to the official speeds for a 6800GT. The GFFX 5700U also posted its default clock speeds of 475\900.

2.) I then proceeded to go back into the BIOS, and changed ONLY the setting for aggressive timing, which as many of you pointed out, shouldn't matter, but my earlier findings led me to believe otherwise. This, I will mention again, is the ONLY setting that I changed, I left everything else alone. I booted into Windows, went to the NVIDIA control panel, then to CoolBits, and my 6800GT card reported a clock speed of 374\1070, whereas the GFFX 5700U reported the same clock speeds of 475\900.

3.) Now that I was 110% certain that the "Aggressive Timing" setting was the culprit behind overclocking my videocard, I then proceeded to try out those "secret key combos" that I have seen reported in various places. I tried them ALL, and none of them did anything whatsoever. This leads me to believe, that at least with this BIOS rev for the Neo2 (version 1.4), there is no key combo to enable overclocking. Your results with this aspect may vary.

3a.) I do not know whether this works for the 6600GT, but I assume that it does, as it, from what I can tell, affects all AGP GF 6x00 cards, but I cannot be certain.

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Here is an EXACT copy of the description of Aggressive Timing in the PDF Manual:

Aggressive Timing
This item allows you to enable or disable the memory clock. When [Enabled] is selected,
the timing delay of memory will be shorten to increase the performance. Setting
options: [Enabled], [Disabled].

This doesn't say that it overclocks the videocard, but this setting is the SOLE culprit in this situation. It is definitely responsible for the overclocks, and my be responsible for me having 4 videocards biting the bullet on me :shocked:

Anyway, I hope this helps, and I will update this post as necessary with new findings.

 

[christopherzombie]

Heres a link that may help you out:

MSI K8N Neo2 Guide

 

[Fenuxx]

I know about that, and I know about the whole "hidden key combo" thing, and whatever I do, no matter what key combos I press, if I select the "Aggressive Timing" feature, the card overclocks, which sucks, because I now believe that I was the victim of this "secret" and had to go through 4 6800GTs because of it. I just wish that MSI had provided better documentation from the get-go on this option, instead of relying on the customers to figure it out for themselves, and sometimes, the hard way.

 

[Fenuxx]

Well, OK. After much poking and prodding trying to get this damn thing to work, I finally was able to disable the stupid NV\ATI option in the Cell menu, but MAN was that ever difficult. I guess I just had to be extremely quick or something, but hitting SHIFT+F2 and then ALT+F3 at the same time just wouldn't bring it up (thats why I thought my mobo was\is ghetto or something). Nonetheless, however, it did work, and I am grateful to everyone of you that actually HELPED me, rather than throwing flames in my face (which, if you've been here for the past couple of months, you probably know about the "New, Secret spin of NV40?" thread).

Though I do have something else interesting to report about my findings. After I disabled the NV\ATI option in BIOS, and returned to Windows, I was expecting to find 350\1000 clock speeds for my card, which wasn't the case. The clock speeds for my card are now 370\1030, which really isn't all that far away from what the "bumped" speeds are. Has anyone else seen these clock speeds befor, and if there's another option I have to go in and disable with a secret key combo, I'm just going to have to shoot myself :| .

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: geforcetony
Though I do have something else interesting to report about my findings. After I disabled the NV\ATI option in BIOS, and returned to Windows, I was expecting to find 350\1000 clock speeds for my card, which wasn't the case. The clock speeds for my card are now 370\1030, which really isn't all that far away from what the "bumped" speeds are. Has anyone else seen these clock speeds befor, and if there's another option I have to go in and disable with a secret key combo, I'm just going to have to shoot myself :| .

Hey, glad you finally found the magic key-combo. As for the card's clock speeds under Windows, I have no idea. Are you running any extra clocking/temp-monitoring tools, Coolbits, etc.? I wonder if it's possible for that software, at the time that it is installed, to interrogate the video card, and it records those clocks as "default" clocks, that it sets as the driver loads, every time that you boot into Windows? If so, then in order for it to pick up the new, lower, "default" clocks (due to no longer being OC'ed from the BIOS), then you would need to un-install and re-install the software.

I'm not saying that's what the actual cause is, because I honestly don't know. But it seems like a plausible scenario, if you have any video card clock-setting/adjusting software/drivers installed right now.

 

[Fenuxx]

Negatory bro. I tried uninstalling RivaTuner AND CoolBits yesterday, along with reinstalling my current 67.66 drivers, and trying both the 66.93s again, as well as the new 71.81s. Nothing has changed these clock speeds, and it is extremely frustrating (you have no idea )