Why am I only at 1x PCI-E?

Vhagar

Junior Member
May 25, 2007
8
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http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3293/hmmfs4.jpg



My system:

C2D e6300 @ 2.3ghz
2GB DDR2-667 4-4-4-12
PNY 7900GS @ 510/1.38
Gigabyte DS3




I just recently got my DS3 and a SB x-fi, upgrading from an ASRock Dual775-VSTA. I'm now able to run my ram at 667 instead of 600, my CPU about 350mhz faster. But for some reason I seem to be getting lower FPS in games, and I noticed my PCI-E link qidth is listed at 1x, but 16x supported. I tried to robust graphics booster, that's not it. Anyone got any ideas?
 

Rafael

Senior member
May 11, 2001
868
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You can try to raise the voltage in FSB Termination, MCH, set PCI-E 100 Mhz.
See if that helps to keep the PCI-E x16.
 

Vhagar

Junior Member
May 25, 2007
8
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0
After reading other stuff around the net, before these replies, I set pci-e to 110 and it worked. However, with 333 FSB/RAM it restarted on me once. Since I was in the middle of something I reduced CPU FSB to 266 and pci-e to 100, left everything else, and it worked great. Just today however, I am at pci-e 100 and both cpu/ram at 333. Link width is back to 1x :( I guess i'll fiddle with pci-e clocks and the voltage settings like you say, see if I can fix it.
 

Vhagar

Junior Member
May 25, 2007
8
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Currently have PCI-e set to 100 and i'm getting 16x link width. My FSB is set at 333, but is running at 332. When I set to 334, it runs at 334. Anyway, I seem to be able to get 16x link width at 100mhz locked and 333 FSB STABLE by upping the voltages. I'm running at +.2 on DDR and MCH, +.1 on FSB and PCI-e, and 1.362 on the vCore.
 

imported_brunis

Junior Member
Jul 11, 2007
3
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I'm having the exact same problem.. PCI-E stuck at 1x Link Bandwidth.. and it's causing crackling sounds when graphics are displayed (Audigy4). Seems to be totally random (and rare) that i get x16. I even tried turning down the pci-express speed to 90mhz (lowest). But to no avail.

Why can't i set link bandwidth manually like every other motherboard allows.. and the same with memory timings. Running Dominator (supposed to run at 4-4-4-12) and bios claims to support Enhanced Performance Profiles (EPP), but both EPP settings in bios yields the same 5-5-5-18 setting.

I'm running a conservative 400mhz fsb, cpu at 2800mhz .. can't see why pci-e should even be a problem.
 

MrNeutrino

Member
Dec 24, 2006
82
0
66
Check your BIOS settings for a setting something similar to "PEG Force x1" - this should be set to disabled.

If enabled, it will force the x16 slot into strict x1 mode for compliance reasons if necessary, with some unruly cards.

I just started a thread related to an issue I'm seeing - not being able to use a x1 TV tuner card in my x4 slot. Found the above BIOS option while fiddling around with my MB settings.
 

MrNeutrino

Member
Dec 24, 2006
82
0
66
Asus P5B-VM mATX MB + stock speed CPU / memory is what I use.

That said, I'd imagine this setting is generic enough to be applicable / worthwhile having on all new PCIe GPU slot based MBs.

Though not having any other MBs newer than 5 years, that's just my guess.

In my case, I recall it being under the Chipset Configuration section of the BIOS.

Hope this helps.
 

imported_brunis

Junior Member
Jul 11, 2007
3
0
0
My Gigabyte board does not have that option.. but when it boots at default speeds it seems to run pci-e at x16 just fine..