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Renamed: cowdog fights AK89 Max ... and is losing

C

cowdog

Senior member
With either 2x256 Mushlin Lv II PC-3500 or 2x512 Corsair PC3200 LL v 1.1 memory my system will not boot if I relax the memory timings to something like 2.5-2-2-9 or 3-3-2-9. Standard voltages, no overclocking. Both of these memory sets are BH-5 (I believe) and settings by spd are 2-2-2-6. If I up the memory voltage to the maximum of 2.8v, I have the same problem. Am I simply trying incorrect possible settings or something? I just can't figure this out.

Board is AOpen AK89 Max w/ AK3200, latest 1.06m bios. BTW, this bios is an improvement, because previous the system would boot but lock into some kind of default setup where changes to the bios had no effect until resetting CMOS.

The system will simply refuse to boot, and I hear this voice from the motherboard (zero chance of figuring out what the voice is saying). I simply want to figure out what the heck is going on.

Thanks for any help. With the glowing AK89 Max review here at AT, I am baffled as to why I am having problems with something so simple where they had only excellent results from top to bottom.
 
Remember, the memory controller is on the CPU, and the Athlon64 LIKES tight timings. Why are you trying to relax the timings ?
 
Good questions mark, I should have been more clear. I've been getting frustated lately and lossing my patience.

I can run either memory 1:1 at 2-2-2-6 up to about 230MHz using clockgen, but if I run anything above 210Mhz in the bios the system will either not post or the bios will "reset" to a standard 10x200. Running asynch, I have had the Mushkin memory running 250 Mhz in another system at 2-2-2-6. It passed memtest86 for several hours. Using clockgen the system passes prime95 and all sorts of other stability tests I've thrown at it. That's part of why I am trying relaxed memory timings, simply at DDR400 at first; I am simply trying to get a stable overclock via the bios that is similar to an overclock that I can get with clockgen. Secondly, this system blows up with higher memory speeds, even if I bring the multiplier way down and run memory asynch (contrary to the AT piece you could lower multiplier via clockgen on previos bios, but it took a little trick). I can run very high hypertransport speeds, but memory caps out at 230Mhz (clockgen).

And more than a few people recommend relaxing memory timings for overclocking A64. For example, there was a nice "how to" article (not on my desktop, so I don't have the link) where relaxing memory timings was a key step. So, low and behold, I see the AT review of the AK89 Max where they are getting great memory overclocks apparently via bios, and I am simply wondering why I can't do modest memory overclocks via the bios when I know it will run stable via clockgen.

BTW, timings like 2-3-3-6 work basically identically to 2-2-2-6, at least in terms of how the bios reacts.

Overall, I have had nuissance issues with this setup: loss of video, network card disconnected messages, occassional cold boot problems (even running stock bios settings), and misc. probs that just seem random. I am trying to figure out if I am simply making some fundamental error or if maybe this board or cpu are not up to snuff. I want to give it good go before I blame the hardware. Alas, my other issue is that I have yet to get any tech support response from AOpen (about a month, maybe longer), which irritates me even more because AT raves about AOpen tech support. But that's a different story.

If this all keeps up, I will either rma the board (getting more likely) or take it with me on a mountain biking ride and ride over it over and over, complete with video to save the moment... :evil:
 
The lack of a PCI/AGP lock causes even my K8V to have problems at anywhere from 210-220 (depending on what memory, and how many dimms I have in it). Its not your motherboard. Leave the timings tight, and just raise them as high as you can and call it good.
 
But here's what AT had to say in the recent AK89 Max review:
"The AK89 Max is the first nForce3-150 board that we have tested with a true working PCI/AGP lock."

And why would memory speeds above 210MHz at 1:1 work fine via clockgen (up to 230) but won't post when set from the bios?

I have had issues with previous systems but never issues that have such contradictory aspects or, even, this sort of random behavior of other misc. issues. Like I said, if I simply run everything at stock settings, I still experience things like random cold boots failing to POST, loss of video, etc..
 
Oh yeah, one piece of maybe good news. Last night I filled out the AOpen tech support form (3rd time) and this time I actually received an automated response. I have screen shots of my previouslly submitted tech support forms, and I know my email was correct in all three. But, maybe, the third time is the charm.
 
I orginally posted this on the comments for the AK89 Max review:

FYI: This seemed as good a place to post this as anywhere else. Just came across a new bios, 1.07

"For AMD recommended,memory clock will set to DDR333 when DIMM1 and DIMM2 plugged double side DDR400 memory."

Two things:

1. BIOS defaulted to 200x11 for me, which isn't a good thing for an A64 3200

2. I have no option for DDR400 in the bios with 2x246MB Mushkin Lv II PC3500.

3. When I tried to lower the multipler, the bios gave me an error at POST (safe mode or something like that). Then even if I selected bios defaults I had the same message. I reset cmos and it worked, although cpu frequency went back to the 200x11.

Might want to be leary of bios 1.07, although my system may simply be whacked.

------
Ps. If I reply to myself enough times, does that mean I've gone over the edge? 😉
 
hey bios at 200x11 would be fine with me !!! And I don;t know if I trust clockgen. Anyway with two sticks it will run slower, and I can;t seem to get above 210. Maybe you board isn;t new enough to be capable of the PCI/AGP lock. Is there a way to verify that ?

If you can run at 210x11 that would be great !!! Go with it I say. Thats 2310 total, faster than the 3400+ by 5%.
 
Mark, nah, 200x11 is a no go.

You know, there may be different board versions, as there were for the AK86-L. That might be worth looking into.

BTW, I am more and more convinced this specific board (not the AK89 Max in general) is a tree short of a forest.
 
Originally posted by: cowdog
But here's what AT had to say in the recent AK89 Max review:
"The AK89 Max is the first nForce3-150 board that we have tested with a true working PCI/AGP lock."

And why would memory speeds above 210MHz at 1:1 work fine via clockgen (up to 230) but won't post when set from the bios?

I have had issues with previous systems but never issues that have such contradictory aspects or, even, this sort of random behavior of other misc. issues. Like I said, if I simply run everything at stock settings, I still experience things like random cold boots failing to POST, loss of video, etc..
Click to expand...

It doesn't have a lock none of of the nforce 3-150's or kt-800 do

 
Originally posted by: Viper96720
Originally posted by: cowdog
But here's what AT had to say in the recent AK89 Max review:
"The AK89 Max is the first nForce3-150 board that we have tested with a true working PCI/AGP lock."

And why would memory speeds above 210MHz at 1:1 work fine via clockgen (up to 230) but won't post when set from the bios?

I have had issues with previous systems but never issues that have such contradictory aspects or, even, this sort of random behavior of other misc. issues. Like I said, if I simply run everything at stock settings, I still experience things like random cold boots failing to POST, loss of video, etc..
Click to expand...

It doesn't have a lock none of of the nforce 3-150's or kt-800 do
Click to expand...

read the review on the anandtech homepage. it seems pretty categoric that this board does have the lock.
link
 
Is your Munhkins Double Sided Dimms?

I have Corsair Value Ram and my timings are 2.5, 3, 3 and 11, 16

I can hit 240 with ease. Dropping the cas down to 3, allows me to hit 250.

What motherboard did you have before using 2,2,2,6 timings? Ive never seen PC 3500 L2 hit 2,2,2 without some serious voltage.
 
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