is there something wrong with my 4870x2??

[Raventon]

Recently i got a 4870x2 and it has work well for me so far.however i notice a minor problem.
i have the rampage formula which comes with the LCD POSTER.After i have install the 4870x2,i realized that the computer starts detecting every component TWICE before the screen lights up and show the POST information. Is this normal? This hasn't been the case before i switch to the 4870x2 and this is also the first time i use a multi GPU card.

And also i have noted that for the first day i change to catalyst 8.8, this TWICE detect component thing has stop.It boots normally..however after 1day, it gone back to its original behavior,booting twice..

All these have been happening for quit some times..i just thought that maybe the behavior of 2GPU.needed to be detected twice..however i this morning when i try to boot up my pc agn. it keep cycling through the detecting component phrase(including CPU,RAM,GPU BIOS).i waited and observed.It went through a total of 12cycles of detecting CPU RAM GPU BIOS before it starts reading my HDD..i start thinking this isn't normal.can someone help me on this?

 

[Hauk]

I have a Rampage Formula and a 4870 X2, everything detects one time and boots normally. Have never had the issue you describe.

Do you have another video card you can try? I wonder if it's related to the new X2 or if it's mobo related. What bios version do you have?

 

[Raventon]

i am currently having bios version 0407 for the rampage formula.when i installed another video card like the 4870 or the 9800gtx+ the boot up is fine.only when the 4870x2 is having a twice POST. lol didn't know the 4870x2 made the POSTx2 as well..

 

[Hauk]

It interesting though that it goes through detecting cpu and memory twice with the x2 installed.

 

[Raventon]

however i am quite worried as wad happened this morning is tat it kept cycling through the process of detecting cpu and ram for 12cycle..i am afraid tat there might be a problem with my 4870x2 or the mobo.

 

[Raventon]

does anyone experience the same problem as i do?
could it be the PSU?

 

[Hauk]

So with 4870 or 9800 GTX it detects memory & cpu only once? Please post complete specs..

 

[nitromullet]

Yeah, this is odd. I recently went through a good amount of swapping back and forth between a GTX 280 and a 4870 X2, and sometimes after the swap the computer would POST, shut down, POST, and then boot as normal. ...but this would only happen once after the new card was installed, and it did it with both cards. I have an Asus P5E, which is cheaper, but basically very similar to the Rampage Formula.

If you unplug your PC completely from the wall for say 30 seconds, does it remember your BIOS settings correctly or does it default the factory settings? I ask because this would indicate an issue with your battery. Either it needs to be replaced, or maybe you knocked it a bit out of whack when you installed the card. Just guessing here really...

 

[Raventon]

when i install the 4870 or the 9800gtx+ it detects cpu and ram only once...

my specs

cpu:e8500@4.05ghz
cpu cooler:thermalright extreme 120 + noctua P12 fan x2
ram: ocz reaper 8500 2x2gb+2x1gb
mobo:rampage formula
psu: coolermaster m850
hdd: velociraptor 300gb x2 raid 0
case:coolermaster 690

@nitromullet

when i swap the gfx, i experience the boot up shut down boot up thingy it happens everytime i swap gfx and its normal..however the problem with e 4870x2 is different..it doesn't shut down the system it simply detects cpu,ram,gpu twice each.(i can tell from the LCD POSTER and i think the LCD POSTER is not making a mistake as i can hear the fan of 4870x2 spin up and slow down and spin up agn.)

 

[Hauk]

On the PSU, it's a nice one, with 6 12v rails. It should provide plenty of power. I doubt it matters, but I'd be curious to find out which power connectors are on the two more powerful rails:

"With six rails - and especially with two rails rated much higher than the others - it would have been great if Cooler Master listed the exact power distribution in the manual. They have provided this information for the 24-pin, 4-pin, and 8-pin ATX connectors, but not for the equally important graphics cards connectors." Source

Only other thing I can think of is the beta bios you're running. 0403 is the latest official release. It's been a solid bios for the majority of users, myself included. Just thinking out loud.

Not sure what else it may be. You could always pull the plug on the Poster thingy..

 

[Raventon]

apparently i found the cause of the problem..its the PCI frequency that i set.it was set to 115 at first and after lowering it to 110, it solved the problem..

 

[Hauk]

Okay, you get points deducted for not disclosing you were oc'ing the PCI bus..

I'd not play with the PCI frequency, just an opinion...

 

[Sentry2]

Originally posted by: SteelSix
Okay, you get points deducted for not disclosing you were oc'ing the PCI bus..

I'd not play with the PCI frequency, just an opinion...

I'll second that...

 

[Cheex]

Originally posted by: Sentry2

Originally posted by: SteelSix
Okay, you get points deducted for not disclosing you were oc'ing the PCI bus..

I'd not play with the PCI frequency, just an opinion...

I'll second that...

I'll third that...

Set it to 100 and forget about it. :thumbsup:

 

[Raventon]

however i did observe that there is a performance boost in raising the PCI frequency..i did a benching with 3Dmark06 and got a 500points increase after setting it to 110 from 100

 

[SergeC]

Originally posted by: Raventon
however i did observe that there is a performance boost in raising the PCI frequency..i did a benching with 3Dmark06 and got a 500points increase after setting it to 110 from 100

And yet....I still strongly agree with the other guys....put that back at 100.

 

[Raventon]

yea i set it back to 100..as i dun see a the need to squeeze the extra 500 points of performance..thanks guys

 

[katank]

Yeah, good call on resisting the temptation. Sure, you might be able to get a bunch of 3dmarks from it. However, it isn't worth much and will often result in corruption issues in actual apps.