Possible to RMA this?

[erorr404]

My two year old MSI 648 Max-L has tons of issues, but I'm not sure whether it's possible to get it replaced because of them.
I can't overclock anything. I can only change the FSB on my CPU by a few MHz without it becoming unstable. I tried this same CPU on another motherboard and it easily goes past 153 MHz on stock voltage while being perfectly stable. With this motherboard, it's unstable at 136 MHz.
I can't change RAM timings or frequency either. Not only can I not overclock the RAM (168 MHz is unstable, while the default of 167 MHz works perfectly) or timings at all without getting memtest errors, I can't even raise the voltage while everything else is at stock without errors. Even if I raise CAS to 3.0 (stock is 2.5) with everything else being default, I get errors in memtest.
Obviously something's wrong with the motherboard, but is it possible to RMA it to them if everything works without issues at stock speeds?

 

[o1die]

Your sis 648 board wasn't designed to overclock well. I wouldn't rma it. Msi will send you a used board that may not work as well as your current board. To overclock more stable, you need a board with an agp/pci lock, such as the 865pe chipset, and pc3200 memory. I have an msi 865 board that overclocks pretty stable. Checkout newegg's refurb section or pricewatch.

 

[erorr404]

mine actually does have an AGP/PCI lock, so what can be limiting the processor from overclocking like it would on another machine? it should go to 2.6 GHz on stock voltage, yet this motherboard only lets it go to 2.35 (2.26 is default).
and, dont you find it strange that i cannot overclock, or underclock the RAM at all? if i set the timing from CAS 3 to CAS 2.5 it becomes unstable, when the RAM should obviously work at a looser timing. this can be a major problem if i buy RAM thats CAS 3, and the motherboard slows the current RAM down to that timing. i will have an unstable system, even though it should be supported by the motherboard.

 

[o1die]

The Intel chipset simply performs more stable when overclocking than any sis chipset. I used the 645dx in my old setup, and 150 was the maximum fsb I could use with a 2.4b. With the 865 board, I got up to 160 fsb with the same cpu. Personally, I wouldn't invest too much more in your current rig. Applying the money towards an athlon 64 for gaming would be much wiser. Even the socket 754 athlon 2800 which I found at Fry's for $130 with cheapy ecs board would perform better when gaming, especially with your 6600gt.