Newly-Built Computer Issues

[JackSpadesSI]

I apologize in advance for the LONG post, but I could REALLY use everyone?s help on this.

Here is the list of the problems I?m having, read the long post for any details:
Once computer goes to ?sleep? it can?t be awoken
Windows occasionally hangs on ?Shutting Down? when restarting
Occasional errors on startup ? even after shutting down normally
E8500 only running at 8.5x under 100% load
Changing to 9.5x in BIOS caused boot issues
Changing back to 8.5x in BIOS kept boot issues

Could this all point to a voltage issue with the RAM or CPU?



This past Saturday I built my computer with the parts in my signature. It seemed to run well initially and I began the arduous task of updating every single part in the machine. After that, I installed and updated Crysis and went on my merry way playing that for several hours. However, I did notice the weird issue that if I walked away from the computer and it went into sleep mode that I couldn?t ?awaken? it ? I?d hit buttons on the keyboard and the fans and lights would start up only for a second and die off again. Any time I hit a key it was like it was trying to come back but couldn?t.

Sometimes when I selected ?restart? from the start menu the computer would hang indefinitely on ?Shutting Down? and I?d have to hold down the power button to shut it off ? this happened several times.

Also, sometimes when the computer seemed to be running perfectly fine and I restarted it would claim that Windows wasn?t properly shut down and asked if I wanted to boot in Safe Mode. However, no keys on my keyboard were able to do anything on screen and (because it is default) the computer would boot up normally after that ? this happened several times. I don?t think there is a keyboard issue; because my keyboard CAN access the BIOS prompts on startup (I use a Razer Lycosa Mirror, if that matters).

On Sunday I first ran CPU-Z and it told me my E8500 was only running at 6.0x 333 MHz = 1998.0 MHz. After some Googling I realized that is the power-saving feature of the CPU and it should still hit max. I ran Prime95 and found that the max could only get to 8.5x 333 MHz = 2830.5 MHz. After MORE Googling I found that I could just go into the BIOS and change the multiplier (I thought that was only possible with ?extreme? CPUs).

My BIOS has two lines for the multiplier (I?m typing this from memory) one for the integer and one ?fine? for the decimal. Those two lines read 8 and 5, respectively. I changed it to 9 and 5 respectively, saved, and it rebooted. Things looked good. The computer booted up and CPU-Z displayed either 6x or 9.5x (depending on whether I was running Prime95).

The computer did restart once more after that just fine, but the next time it just kept rebooting in a loop ? only getting as far as the Windows logo and then starting over. I went into the BIOS and changed the 9 back to an 8 and it didn?t help. I couldn?t boot back up. However, this morning it booted up just fine (still with 8.5) after having changed nothing. I turned it off soon after, though.

I just want my computer to run stable at 9.5x? I didn?t think that was too much to ask for when I bought an E8500!

 

[JackSpadesSI]

Anyone who can help me here I?d greatly appreciate it! Just from reading other people?s posts I?ve got some vague ideas of what to do here, but no clue how to do them (if they are even the right things to do at all).

Here are things that come to mind:
Is this a voltage issue to the CPU or RAM?
Is the CPU bad?
Is the RAM bad?
Is it a BIOS version issue (possible, but it shouldn?t be since even the original BIOS version on the GA-EP45-UD3P supported the E8500)?

Why should I have to raise the multiplier in the BIOS just to get up to stock speeds? That worries me! Is that indicative of a bad CPU that isn?t natively capable of 9.5x (3.16 GHz)?

Again, I?d REALLY appreciate some help here!

 

[krnmastersgt]

There's a power saving option you can disable in the BIOS, go to the CPU overclocking section and read the comprehensive sticky at the top, while the options list is different from BIOS to BIOS, from company to company, the general settings are all the same.

 

[JackSpadesSI]

I know with my long post that some things were bound to get skipped over, but I did mention that this is not the power-saving feature of the CPU. My quote:

Originally posted by: JackSpadesSI
On Sunday I first ran CPU-Z and it told me my E8500 was only running at 6.0x 333 MHz = 1998.0 MHz. After some Googling I realized that is the power-saving feature of the CPU and it should still hit max. I ran Prime95 and found that the max could only get to 8.5x 333 MHz = 2830.5 MHz. After MORE Googling I found that I could just go into the BIOS and change the multiplier (I thought that was only possible with ?extreme? CPUs).

So yes, the power-saving feature of the C2D processor is what kept it at 6.0x at idle, but why would it only hit 8.5x at 100% load (tested both using Prime95 and Crysis at max settings to load the CPU). My issue, therefore, isn't with the 6.0x at idle but whatever is limiting my CPU to 8.5x overall.

 

[JackSpadesSI]

After work last night I was all ready to RMA my installed processor and order a new one with rush shipping. At the last minute, for whatever reason, I decided to play around in the BIOS first. It was then that I noticed a prompt that said something along the lines of ?Load Optimized Settings?.

After selecting that and rebooting my computer ran with a 9.5x multiplier (under load) like it should! The BIOS showed a 9 for the integer multiplier and a 0.5 for the ?fine? multiplier. This was then confirmed when I ran Prime95 with CPU-Z and CPU-Z showed the correct 9.5 multiplier.

I assume that means my CPU is fine and doesn?t need to be RMA?ed? PLEASE let me know on this as I?m running out of time to RMA if I do have a bad CPU!

That doesn?t mean that I?m done, though. I still have some other issues to resolve. BEFORE loading optimized settings in the BIOS I ran CPU-Z and saw some odd activity. While the processor was saving energy with its 6.0x multiplier the Core Voltage was all over the place. It ranged from 1.072V to 1.216V. While the processor was under load at 8.5x multiplier (again, before I looked at the BIOS) the Core Voltage was perfectly steady at 1.200V.

Does it imply any sort of system instability to have the Core Voltage fluctuate like it did while saving energy? Tonight I?ll see if it still fluctuates at 6.0x now that the BIOS is configured for optimized settings.

AFTER configuring the BIOS for optimized settings I looked at the BIOS?s option called something like ?PC Health Status?. This is the information I found there (again, AFTER configuring the BIOS for optimized settings):

Vcore = 1.236V (occasionally the integer would flicker so quick I couldn?t read the change, but otherwise steady)

DDR18V = 2.096V (occasionally the integer would flicker so quick I couldn?t read the change, but otherwise steady)

+3.3V = ranged 3.296V to 3.312V

+12V = 12.175V

Current System Temperature = ranged 47C to 48C

Current CPU Temperature = ranged 42C to 43C

CPU Fan = ranged 1355 RPM to 1363 RPM

Are any of those figures a concern?

I Googled more on the issue I have with bringing my computer out of sleep mode and some people think it is just an inherent problem with the motherboard. As the sleep function isn?t really that important to me (should it be?) I just disabled it in Windows and figure I can live without it.

 

[max347]

I had the same issue with coming out of sleep mode in my last computer. It started happening after I upgraded the ram, although it was not the ram/mobo you are using. Sorry I can't be of more help, I just reinstalled windows.