Gigabyte DS3 + E6400 questions/problems

[shadowfire1]

thanks. what is the most acurite way to mesure temps with the ds3. im useing core temp , and im getting 40-50 idle. speedfan everest dont support the ds3 yet so their reading is inacurate, im not shure about core temp. Does anyone know if the bios update fixes the problems with xpress recovery and raid. I have like 3 more days to mail off my second harddrive and get a refund, if the problem is not fixed

 

[Kougar]

Thanks for the info on XpressRecovery, nice to know that I had it right. Hopefully any other DS3 RAID users will beware...

The only thing I know of that is accurate is CoreTemp. None of the four versions of EasyTune I have tried would start up... but I did hear the latest patched version of Everest Ultimate will give accurate readings. Can't say for sure though.

I haven't tried another RAID array, I'm not sure if I can create a theird RAID 0 and ghost the image of my current single drive install over to it, but likely not. Only program that ever let me flash my BIOS was the exact version of @BIOS that came on the driver CD that also boots into XpressRecovery2. I attempted to use the Q-flash feature within the BIOS, but it was also giving a file size error. I know it was the correct file though because that one version of @BIOS worked and I'm typing this right now...

 

[Pabster]

My experience is on-board RAID is always trouble. And never performs that well. A hardware-based solution (read: PCI card) is a far better choice, both from a performance perspective and reliability one.

There are a bazillion versions of @BIOS and EasyTune floating around. Try to use the one(s) included on a CD with your motherboard.

 

[shadowfire1]

the newest everest reads the exact same thing as core temp , uses same sencer in the proscer(or so they say, im not sure if its accurate, but its by far the best thing we have currently for the ds3) i wish i could access bios temps in windows ;(

 

[Aiden]

Currently i am unable to change the FSB to overclock my ds3/6400 at all. If i change the fsb the system goes into a series of random resets for no apparent reason. The resets occur during the boot up process , and during windows at random.

System specs
F4C bios

giga 965p-ds3 MB
E6400 B2 stepping
2x1GB Teamgroup DDR2 800
evga 7900 KO GT GPU
Enermax liberty 500W PSU
Seagate 7200.10 320GB HD
1 X dvd- RW drive Lite-on
1x dvd rom drive Toshiba

The best i have been able to do is overclock to :

8x350
vdimm +2
Mch +2
Fsb +2
vcore 1.35000

the system will boot into windows, but more often then not resets 30-50 seconds after i start orthos or any other program. Sometimes it will reset 2-3 times during boot before reaching windows. I have reinstalled the entire system from MB up twice now,and the same issue occurs. I feel like i should be able to obtain a decent overclock from this setup but the resets are preventing it. After spending 2 days on this while checking every forum i can, i am still unable to resolve the issue.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Kougar]

Not familiar with the RAM, what is it's rated voltage? What Memory multiplier have you selected in the BIOS on the overclocking page? I'd also suggest checking your voltage rails, because people have had issues with that PSU.

And unless you have active cooling on the chipset heatsinks, +2 on both the MCH and FSB is going to cook them and knock the system unstable...

 

[Aiden]

Originally posted by: Kougar
Not familiar with the RAM, what is it's rated voltage? What Memory multiplier have you selected in the BIOS on the overclocking page? I'd also suggest checking your voltage rails, because people have had issues with that PSU.

And unless you have active cooling on the chipset heatsinks, +2 on both the MCH and FSB is going to cook them and knock the system unstable...

Well i updated to F4 bios, and used some information from crazyjohn's faq over at xtreme. The system now is appearing to accept FSB changes. Currently running dual prime to see if the problem reoccurs.

The memory is rated at 4-4-4-10 800 @ 1.8-1.9V. checking the voltages with easytune everything appears to be within tolerance.For cooling i am using a zalman 9500 on the cpu, a TT spirit II on the NB and passive on the SB.

Currently the system is set at 8x300 at stock settings. This MB seems to be extremly picky about accepting changes at all. Switching from AMD to intel based systems has been a bit stressful for me

After much trial and error i still can not get any overclock to be stable at all. The system randomly resets no matter how minimal the FSB change is. It is now having boot problems at stock settings as well. Looks like RMA time most likely.

 

[Kougar]

I honestly don't like that particular PSU you are using, it doesn't do well with heavy loads. I'd suggest verifying all of your rails are holding up, as OCing one of these requires very near to spec rails. If you do RMA, I guess you'll find out if it is the PSU or not...

Also make sure your board is not automatically overvolting anything on it's own, some users had problems with it trying to do this... simply selecting +0.1 for the RAM overvoltage would stop it from overvolting your RAM and put it within 1.9v specs, if you haven't already done so.

Here's a quick snapshot of my 24/7 folding@home 476FSB @ 3.33ghz BIOS config. It's been running just fine for over a week at these settings, temps are currently hitting 31c idle and 42-44c load with dual F@H clients running. CoreTemp reports both cores @ 57-61c

Core 2 Duo E6300 1.86ghz @ 3.33ghz w/ Zalman CNPS7700-Cu
Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 Motherboard
2 x 1Gb Corsair DDR2-800 RAM @ 952mhz 5-5-5-15
ATI 7000 PCI Graphics Card
Antec NeoHE 550watt PSU / Antec P180-B Case


965P-DS3 F4e BIOS:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n129/Chanur64/IMG_1805a.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n129/Chanur64/IMG_1806b.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n129/Chanur64/IMG_1811c.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n129/Chanur64/IMG_1814d.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n129/Chanur64/IMG_1818e.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n129/Chanur64/IMG_1821f.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n129/Chanur64/IMG_1825g.jpg

 

[myocardia]

SpeedFan works quite well, for both temps of everything and voltages on all of the rails. The download link is the blue "SpeedFan 4.29", near the top of the page. It even gives you the core temp.

edit: And if there is any problem with an Enermax Liberty psu, this is the first I've heard of it. I know someone with a 3.0 Ghz Opteron 165 and a highly overclocked X1900XTX that has the 500 watt version, and his rails are dead-on.

 

[Kougar]

I've seen a few 500watt Liberty's be the culprit to system problems and suspect in some others, and that pretty much shot their image for me. I can't speak outside of that, as I haven't kept up and don't know if Enermax changed the design on them or not, as it sounds like they must have to handle that kind of a load with good rails.

Speedfan is only working as far as the temps go, almost all of the voltage rails are giving wacky numbers, both FAN speeds are completely off with no rhyme or reason, and the 4.29 version I am using does NOT show core temps, just the temp diode under the CPU. I'd bet much of that is just how Gigiabyte's DS3 works though, although ICH8 support is new to Speedfan.

 

[blurp]

Originally posted by: myocardia
SpeedFan works quite well, for both temps of everything and voltages on all of the rails. The download link is the blue "SpeedFan 4.29", near the top of the page. It even gives you the core temp.

edit: And if there is any problem with an Enermax Liberty psu, this is the first I've heard of it. I know someone with a 3.0 Ghz Opteron 165 and a highly overclocked X1900XTX that has the 500 watt version, and his rails are dead-on.

I'm planning to buy the DS3. Does SpeedFan can control the CPU and System Fans speeds? I like that SpeedFan option.

 

[Kougar]

Speedfan has no affect on fan speeds, although that could simply be because I disabled the BIOS fan controls. Considering how few things in the program are actually working as they are supposed to I'd find it unlikely... Speedfan detected both the CPU and the system fans (The only two headers the motherboard has), but it lists 5 different fan speed controls none of which did anything. The BIOS did an excellent job of keeping the two fans quiet, but that is what I got the case for, so I just have them running full speed.

 

[sanitydc]

Hey last night I was overclocking my 6400 on the ds3 I had it at 3.6ghz stable and 3.7ghz(unstable) but I wanted to try 3.8 just for the hell of it, After I tried it at 375x8 it booted into windows then gave me a blue screen with a memory dump, when it tried to restart basically nothing happened. The fan thats connected to the power supply directly turns on as does the dvd drive and the hard drive led comes up as well as the power LED, occasionally it will beep before it dies. but basically it tries to boot itself for about 8 seconds then shut down. I tried taking out the cmos batter and Im in the process of reseating everything but I have no idea whats going on.

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: sanitydc
Hey last night I was overclocking my 6400 on the ds3 I had it at 3.6ghz stable and 3.7ghz(unstable) but I wanted to try 3.8 just for the hell of it, After I tried it at 375x8 it booted into windows then gave me a blue screen with a memory dump, when it tried to restart basically nothing happened. The fan thats connected to the power supply directly turns on as does the dvd drive and the hard drive led comes up as well as the power LED, occasionally it will beep before it dies. but basically it tries to boot itself for about 8 seconds then shut down. I tried taking out the cmos batter and Im in the process of reseating everything but I have no idea whats going on.

You killed the CPU.

 

[sanitydc]

you should be able to run stock voltage at 3.2, I had no problems there.. just had my ram multiplier at 2.0 and everything else was def.

 

[blurp]

At first system was unstablle at FSB 400. Then I followed some tips:
- Leave PCI to Auto (instead of 100)
- Disable Legacy USB support
- And most importantly : increase vcore to 1.376
I left other voltages stock except vDimm +0.1

Now I understand why the e6400 and DS3 make a fine combo. I will not try anything higher on air since 58-59 coretemp is the most I will tolerate considering Intel suggest a max temp of 60.5. Nextstep is finding the lowest vcore at 3200 MHz.

User Name: Blurp
Stability: > 8 hrs Orthos
CPU name : E6400
OC: 3200MHz
Stepping: 6 B2
Week: L626
Code: A228
Vcore: 1.376
Cooling: air
Cooler brand/model: Zalman 9500
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3
Bios Version: F5E
RAM brand: Mushkin
RAM rated speed: 6400
RAM actual speed: 800
Latency: 5-5-5-12 1.9v