Motherboard killing memory overclock?

[Killmenow]

Hi, a few days ago, i brought my MSI K8N Neo2 plat. back to the store where I got it from and they gave me a new one (thought the board was dead, but it turned out to be the videocard). After reinstalling everything, I started prime95'ing at the overclock I left off at (CPU underclocked, 1GB 0CZ 3200EL Plat. Rev2 @ 240fsb 2.5-3-3-10-1T 2.85V) and it failed after 1 min!!!! I cranked the fsb down to 235fsb (last known 12h-prime95-stable fsb) and it failed again after 0 min!!!! I tried lowering the HTT multiplier, but its still no good. It seems like this motherboard cannot overclock my memory.........IS it because of the motherboard, or could it possibly be something else? And if it is, what should I do?

Thx

 

[CaiNaM]

Originally posted by: Killmenow
Hi, a few days ago, i brought my MSI K8N Neo2 plat. back to there store and they gave me a new one (thought it was dead, but it turned out to be the videocard). After reinstalling everything, I started prime95'ing at the overclock I left off at (CPU underclocked, 1GB 0CZ 3200EL Plat. Rev2 @ 240fsb 2.5-3-3-10-1T 2.85V) and it failed after 1 min!!!! I cranked the fsb down to 235fsb (last known 12h-prime95-stable fsb) and it failed again after 0 min!!!! I tried lowering the HTT multiplier, but its still no good. It seems like this motherboard cannot overclock my memory.........IS it because of the motherboard, or could it possibly be something else? And if it is, what should I do?

Thx

i doubt 2 different mb's would both be bad...

unplug any unused peripherals (sound card, extra hard drives, etc.)

double check bios settings, particularly in "cell menu"

under dram config, leave everything "auto".

high performance "auto"
agressive timing "disabled"
dynamic overclcoking "disabled"
HT Freq "4x"
Cool n Quiet "disabled"
cpu ratio "startup"
FSB "200"
AGP "66"
Memory Voltage "2.75"

go to memtest.org. download their app and run it individually on each memory stick (if you have more than 1 stick of memory), then with both installed.

if it passes those and still have lockup issues, might try a different cpu or try a clean windows install with latest nforce3 drivers.

 

[Killmenow]

Originally posted by: CaiNaM
i doubt 2 different mb's would both be bad...

Thx for the reply CaiNaM, but as i stated above, the first motherboard WAS NOT bad. I was able to succesfully overclock it without too many problems. Currently, this mobo runs the ram fine @ stock speeds, but I didnt buy a pair of OCZ 3200 Plat. rev2 for that Another thing thats sorta wierd is the case temp in MBM5.....it says its 17C while the bios shows the correct temp of ~30(first mobo showed the correct temp to). Oh, and another problem is that my mouse not working in windows. This problem also applied to my first mobo; the mouse led would turn off and it would be as if the USB port died or something. Is it possible that I have a faulty mobo that is killing my OC?

 

[Matrix333]

i have the same problem with Prime95
it fails every time within 5 minutes of running the test

memtest ran overnight for 12 hours and had no errors

my system is 100% stable

so it must just be a problem with the K8N neo2 plat and prime95

also, i get incorrect readings on my MB temp...right now it says 13C (53F) which is impossible because it is 75F in my room

 

[CaiNaM]

Killmenow:
sys temp reading is borked; mine shows 11c heh.. it's a bios issue. as far as the mouse, that sounds kind of strange as well. have you tried plugging another usb device in there when your mouse 'dies' to see if the port has power?

did you try memtest?

you also have mouse issues, a bad video card.... system certainly seems a bit problematic. what about power supply? is it a quality ps that you know to be good?

Matrix333:
not sure it's a prime95/k8n thing tho.. i've run mine about 2hrs w/o a glitch. i'm more inclined to say your system is NOT stable, as prime crashing indicates rounding errors. it may seem stable for the apps you run but that's only because those calculations errors aren't affecting the apps you're running.... tho imo it's not that big of a deal unless you're running mission critical stuff where rounding errors are not tolerable.

 

[Killmenow]

A system that cannot run prime95 IS NOT 100% STABLE!!!!! (Especially if it fails after 5 mins :S) Oh, and as for my power supply, its an Enermax 460W whisper (non-noisetaker). Its not an OCZ PowerStream, but its still sumwhat "quality" (not really, but oh well). I havent run memtest yet, but im pretty sure its not my ram, since it was OCing just fine b4 the motherboard change. My mouse havent died on me recently, so I cant confirm that the USB port is not supplying power, but as far as i can remember, its not.

 

[CaiNaM]

hmm.. enermax should be fine; they're darn good power supplies.

still, if i understand correctly, your cpu is not really overclocked (you lowered your multiplier), but your memory/fsb is. this suggests memory.. good memory is good memory, but it still doesn't guarantee an overclock. i'd still go back to step 1 (200mhz fsb/400mhz DDR, only necessary peripherals) and work my way up.

at any rate, you're still gonna have to try some of these things. we can speculate all you want in this thread, but you're not gonna be any closer to finding the answers until you actually start trying some of these suggestions. good luck.

 

[Killmenow]

Thx for the advice Cainam. I've already restarted @ 200. Prime95'ed stable @ 205 2-2-2-10-1T 2.75V, but @210fsb 2-2-2-10-1T, I cant get it prime95 stable even w 2.85V which seems a little unusual. Ill probably try running memtest86 later on when I have more time.

 

[eagle101]

CaiNaM: i saw your bios settings, shouldnt he goto 67 for the lock you had 66?

 

[CaiNaM]

Originally posted by: eagle101
CaiNaM: i saw your bios settings, shouldnt he goto 67 for the lock you had 66?

well, bios default is 66, however i wouldn't think it an issue either way (in actuality it's 66.66666, but the settings don't use decimals).

 

[Killmenow]

66 = unlocked, 67 = locked, but he wanted me to run memtest86 w a fsb of 200 anyways so its not like it even matters Anyways.......memtest86 has been running for 9 hours.....0 errors 28 tests passed. What now??? :S Memory still has trouble OCing (not that I expected that to change at all).........doesnt even prime95 stable @ 2.85V with the same overclock and timings that were stable with 2.70V. Any suggestions? CAN it be the motherboard?

 

[Xed]

my first neo2 was unstable at 201 fsb heh. My new one with the revised chipset is stable up to 290 and possibly beyond (haven't tried) You most likely got one of the older ones when you exchanged it.

 

[Killmenow]

Originally posted by: Xed
My new one with the revised chipset...

New revision???? Explain plz

 

[Killmenow]

Originally posted by: CaiNaM
if it passes those and still have lockup issues, might try....a clean windows install with latest nforce3 drivers.

Sorry for bringing up this dead topic again......but im about to throw myself out a window. This mobo just doesnt seem to like my ram and is actually acting kind of wierd as far as voltages and stability is concerned (memory overclocks less bad with 2.50V than 2.85V regardless of the bios version) Im sorta desperate now and am even considering reinstalling windows as suggested (although I really dont see how it will help since its the exact same chipset). Could reinstalling windos POSSIBLY help or shall i just throw myself out the window and wish for the worse

 

[Pohemi]

I may be throwing a dead bone here, but...it could possibly be the cpu that isn't liking the ram. A lot of people (myself included) have had problems with the socket 939 systems and running their ram in dual channel at anything much above 166! AMD had finally said after some time that the 939 Athlon 64 chips are NOT guaranteed to work in dual channel configuration above 333. For the most part, people have been able to choose the right memory modules (AMD and most board manu.'s have compatability lists). My Gigabyte K8NSNXP-939 sure as hell didn't like my Corsair TwinX1024-3200XL sticks, but then neither did the MSI board that I got. I finally got the MSI to work with some Kingston KHX1024-4000K2. Needless to say, lots of headaches. :roll:

 

[Killmenow]

Originally posted by: Pohemi420
I may be throwing a dead bone here, but...it could possibly be the cpu that isn't liking the ram.

I know what ou mean since the mem controller is in the CPU, but the fiunny thing is that I had no problem ocing my ram b4 i changed the mobo.........I never even changed the CPU :S