OC problem with x2 4200+

[fogeyman]

For a few months after I bought my computer, I used AIBooster (a program that came with my motherboard - an ASUS A8N-E) to overclock to 240x11 at the recommendation of the AnandTech review.

Everything was fine for a few months until I updated my BIOS and AIBooster decided to un-overclock my CPU. Thereafter, if I tried to OC again, my computer either crashed or my system would automatically undo the OC. I tried OCing in the BIOS and in Windows and neither worked. I can't downgrade my BIOS because the older version doesn't support dual core CPUs (leading to numerous, random crashes).

Specifically, when I overclock in the BIOS and click save and exit settings, my computer freezes before it starts loading Windows.

Any ideas?

My specs are:
A64 x2 4200+
Asus A8N-E
Thermaltake XP-90c (CPU heatsink)
2x1gb OCZ Platinum
eVGA 7800GT (NOT overclocked)
WD Caviar 160gb 7200rpm

 

[Unkno]

tell us how did you overclock in the bios...did you remember to set HTT to 4X/3X, Ram divider, lock busses, increase vCore?

 

[fogeyman]

I set the mhz to 240 and the multiplier to 11, just like the AnandTech guide suggested (here). That's the only change I made and it worked perfectly from AIBooster, though never from the BIOS. VCore was set to automatically change I believe.

 

[Absolute0]

There is a LOT more to overclocking than just raising the HTT to 240 and trying to get into windows. Think about it, thats a 440 Mhz increase from stock, putting you at 2.64 Ghz. Maybe you can't do 2.64 Ghz on stock Vcore, not to mention you need to set HTT multiplier to 3x and fire up any necessary ram dividers. Don't use overclocking software because it sucks.

 

[fogeyman]

If the HTT multiplier is at 3x, then that means my clock will be at 240x3=720mhz, right? Or is the HTT multiplier different from the "11" in 240x11?

EDIT: I tried 400x6.5 at auto vcore and at 1.625 vcore, as well as 240x11 at 1.625 vcore (I can't go higher than 400mhz and so if I still want the 2.6ghz speed I need the 6.5 multiplier) and I had the same problem. After I change the core clock and restart, when I get to the screen where I press del to enter setup, the computer won't load past that.

 

[lopri]

400x6.5? Why?
My guess is your memory timings are messed. Try this:

1. Go to BIOS.
2. Load "Optimized Default" or something like that.
3. Save and Exit.
4. Upon restart, go back to the BIOS.
5. Do your usual OC except - a. Don't touch the memory timings b. Set the memory speed at DDR200 (1:2)

See if the system is stable. Then from there you can tweak the memory.

 

[Unkno]

ok, if you continue doing whatever your doing, your next topic post would be "HELP, I think I fried my cpu", look up on overclocking guides before you attempt to even change one setting in the bios.

 

[fogeyman]

Okay I found the Hyper Transport Multiplier and that is not what I changed to x11. I changed the CPU Multiplier to x11, exactly as the review implied. The voltage also wasn't too high, so I don't believe what I was doing was threatening my CPU at all.

Additionally, while I found "Load Default Settings," I did not find "Optimized Default" (though the two may be the same). I also did not find the memory speed, nor did I ever touch the memory timings originally. They were set at the factory default of 2-3-2-5. Loading the default settings did not help.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Why don't you just flash the old BIOS onto your motherboard?

 

[fogeyman]

Like I said, I can't downgrade my BIOS because the older version doesn't support dual core CPUs (leading to numerous, random crashes).

 

[biostud]

have you read this:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=28&threadid=1497607&enterthread=y