CPU Fan speed control with latest BIOS on Gigabyte P35-DS3

[kallekill]

I just updated the BIOS (from F6 to F12) on my Gigabyte P35-DS3 rev 1.0 motherboard and the first thing I noticed was that the fan started to run at full speed. I have a Tuniq tower cpu fan that have a speed adjuster and with the previous BIOS I could set it to max and it was still not running very fast. It did speed up on CPU load though.

Gigabyte seems to have changed the fan control settings in the new BIOS. Before I had a setting that was called "Smart Fan Control Method" and could be set to auto, intel qst, legacy and disabled. In the latest BIOS the setting is called "CPU smart fan control" and can only be set to enabled or disabled. I couldn?t find an updated manual on Gigabyte?s site either.

Is there another way of accessing legacy and intel qst settings in the latest bios and what settings should I use? I want the fan to speed up when the temperature rises. I am also curious if it is safe to remove the speed knob from the Tuniq tower. Will it run at max speed or not at all?

 

[FireTech]

Have you tried Ctrl-F1 button combination to see if there are advanced options?
I think that's the usual method with Gigabyte.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: FireTech
Have you tried Ctrl-F1 button combination to see if there are advanced options?
I think that's the usual method with Gigabyte.

i think that only reveals the memory timing options..

 

[FireTech]

Oh OK, I thought pressing it from the main menu brought up the advanced options for all items.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

There should be another option under it that says voltage or PWM.
Set it to voltage for 3-pin and PWM for a 4-pin.

 

[Mondoman]

KK, which P35-DS3 model do you have? L, R, P? I think there are different BIOSes for the different models, so make sure you got the right one for your model.

 

[kallekill]

Originally posted by: Mondoman
KK, which P35-DS3 model do you have? L, R, P? I think there are different BIOSes for the different models, so make sure you got the right one for your model.

I got a plain DS3 without any additional letters. I noticed two more things. With the older BIOS I got an option named "High Speed DRAM dll settings". With the latest bios i don't have that option. After I updated the BIOS windows reports 3.25 GB of memory. Before, it said 3.5 GB of memory. I have 4 GB of memory but I run 32-bit Windows XP.

 

[Surgeon2]

I agree with you that Gigabyte has royally screwed-up the fans speeds on their newer BIOSes... I was searching for this very topic when I came across your posts...

I have a GA-P35-DS3R (Rev 1.0), which I just updated to F11, and the first thing I noticed was that my PWM Zalman CNPS9500 CPU fan, which was idling @ around 800rpm, jumped to 2000rpm... It's not full speed (which is about 2700rpm), but it's way too fast for idle...

I suggest that everyone contact Gigabyte's tech support and alerts them to this issue...

I really hope that Gigabyte get's the word and corrects it soon...

 

[kallekill]

Originally posted by: BlueAcolyte
There should be another option under it that says voltage or PWM.
Set it to voltage for 3-pin and PWM for a 4-pin.

I changed it to voltage and now the fan behaves like before. I don't know how to read the Northbridge temperature though. Before, you had to choose Intel QST to be able to read it but since it is not an option any more I don't know. But my biggest problem is that I seem to have lost 250 MB of memory under 32-bit Windows. I booted 64-bit Vista and it still says 4 GB of memory. Anyone else experienced this?

 

[themisfit610]

This is expected. 32 bit windows won't get all 4 GB of system RAM.

~MiSfit

 

[kallekill]

Originally posted by: themisfit610
This is expected. 32 bit windows won't get all 4 GB of system RAM.

~MiSfit

I understand that that you won't get all 4 GB of RAM, but before I updated the BIOS I could see 3.5 GB of RAM in Windows. Now it is only 3.25

 

[Surgeon2]

Originally posted by: kallekill

Originally posted by: BlueAcolyte
There should be another option under it that says voltage or PWM.
Set it to voltage for 3-pin and PWM for a 4-pin.

I changed it to voltage and now the fan behaves like before.

It should be set to "voltage" only if it's a 3-pin fan connector...

My CPU fan is the 4-pin PWM type and with the newer BIOS (F11) it now want's to "idle" @ 2000rpm, which is just plain wrong...

BTW: My memory under XP still says 3.5GB, which is normal...

 

[The Keeper]

I have P35-DS3 rev 2.1 and smart fan control enabled on F12 BIOS. My CPU fan is little over 900rpm on idle and about 1400rpm on load. So as far as I can tell, it is working fine.

 

[Surgeon2]

Originally posted by: The Keeper
I have P35-DS3 rev 2.1 and smart fan control enabled on F12 BIOS. My CPU fan is little over 900rpm on idle and about 1400rpm on load. So as far as I can tell, it is working fine.

The latest BIOS version I can find for my P35-DS3R is F11 which claims to have new "Super I/O" code, which is the same change made in the F12 code for the non-raid P35-DS3 boards.

I believe that possibly the problem lies with this new "Super I/O" code change and my new E8400 CPU, which I also added when I updated my BIOS to F11.

For some reason this combination, E8400 CPU + F11 BIOS, results in my (PWM) CPU fan now wanting to idle @ 2000rpm (even though the CPU's temp is only about 32c).

I might try switching back to my old E6600 CPU to verify this, but it's definitely running way too fast with the newer CPU...

 

[aussiestilgar]

Probably because the E8400 is reporting higher temperatures, so the mobo sets the RPM higher.

I have the same issue with my DS3R 2.1, 3-pin CPU fan is always on max with F11 bios.

 

[TheBeagle]

Good Evening Everyone.

This problem is NOT limited to the latest BIOS revisions for the P35 boards. I had the same problem with the high speed CPU cooler fan in my X38 board after I flashed it with the F6 BIOS revision.

However, the problem is easily corrected by adjusting the fan sensor setting in the CMOS (Crtl+F1). If you are using a cooling fan that utilizes a three (3) pin connector, then you must change the sensing value to "voltage." If you have a four (4) pin connector, then the PWM setting is correct.

There has been some chat on various forums about the newest BIOS revisions not having the correct specs for the latest round of CPUs (E8400, etc). I suppose it's just a sign of progress, and we should see some improvements in the next round of BIOS revisions.

Best regards to everyone. TheBeagle :beer:

 

[The Keeper]

I'm not at home right now, so can't check. Anyone remember if the retail cooler of E8x00's use 3- or 4-pin connector?

 

[Surgeon2]

Originally posted by: The Keeper
I'm not at home right now, so can't check. Anyone remember if the retail cooler of E8x00's use 3- or 4-pin connector?

4-Pin PWM fan...

 

[The Keeper]

Right. Even though my E8200's retail cooler's rpms do vary depending on load and temp, would you still recommend setting the BIOS setting to 4-pin mode instead of default automatic?

Edit: Looks like above question of mine can be disregarded. My BIOS does not show fan control method even after Ctrl + F1, so can't choose between 3-pin and 4-pin mode.

 

[Surgeon2]

Originally posted by: The Keeper
Edit: Looks like above question of mine can be disregarded. My BIOS does not show fan control method even after Ctrl + F1, so can't choose between 3-pin and 4-pin mode.

Should be on "PC Health Status" page in the BIOS (the last 2 options) on a P35-DS3...

And yes, 4-pin PWM fans should be set to either "Auto" or "PWM" mode for proper control.

 

[The Keeper]

Yeah, should be there but isn't.

 

[kallekill]

Originally posted by: Surgeon2
BTW: My memory under XP still says 3.5GB, which is normal...

How much memory do you have on your video card? I got 640 MB.

 

[Surgeon2]

Originally posted by: kallekill
How much memory do you have on your video card? I got 640 MB.

I've got a HD-2600XT with 512MB...

 

[cpemma]

I've the P35-DS3L Rev.2, latest BIOS (F7, 29 Nov 07) and the board's original F5 BIOS give very satisfactory thermal speed control to the 1200RPM stock Scythe 3-pin fan on my Ninja B. Idles around 700RPM, about 1150RPM under stress-testing. The Smart Fan 'auto' setting should correctly supply plain 3-pin (voltage control) or 4-wire PWM fans; certainly works for 3-pin voltage control. You can force voltage mode on a PWM fan (but not PWM mode on 3-pinners) if it doesn't "conform to the Intel PWM fan specifications".

I do hope the next BIOS doesn't foul up a nice system, think I'll hold back for reports...

 

[ihoski]

i have p35-DS3 with F12 bios, fan is Artic Cooling Freeter 7 Pro with 4pin conector. this are my case:
Fan control and speed
Auto : 1400 rpm
Voltage: 450 rpm
PWM: 1400 rpm

so for my PWM fan best solution is Voltage control, and now speed on voltage control is like before on PWM control. i hope that gigabye solve tihs bug in next bios.