Gigabyte GA-K8NS Pro

[Erehwon]

Originally posted by: nippyjun
I have emailed Gigabyte tech support about the memory 200/166 issue. I'll let you know when i hear back.

I too have the same problem....

With one stick of memory it runs fine at 200mhz, but with 2 sticks it drops down to 166. If i manually set it to 200, with 2 sticks it will boot up just fine, but then when i run 3dmark the system crashes.

Good luck with Giga tech support. I've had nothing but headaces from them. I just read THG's article about memory modules and this board. I have bad news that, although this excat model board was not tested, Giga came in at the bottom of the list in all aspects when it comes to getting the clock speed to 200mhz.

http://www6.tomshardware.com/motherboard/20040602/index.html

 

[MrSamson420]

Yea I just wrote them an e-mail myself. I am not holding my breath on that one! We seem to have very close to the same problem except when I use EasyTune4 my system performs flawlessly @200Mhz. I had used Prime95 to beat on it but it dosent budge. Which is why it is so frustrating for me to not be able to make the same settings as Easytune with the only difference being that I am using Manual rather then auto without it beaping at me. Does your memory still crash if you are using an EasyTune Boot?? If not maybe we need to figure out what else Easytune is writing to the bios settings that we aren't when we use switch to manual timings. Do you guys know of any software that we can use to read ALL of the bios settings from so we can compair them under both boot conditions??

 

[nippyjun]

Originally posted by: MrSamson420
Yea I just wrote them an e-mail myself. I am not holding my breath on that one! We seem to have very close to the same problem except when I use EasyTune4 my system performs flawlessly @200Mhz. I had used Prime95 to beat on it but it dosent budge. Which is why it is so frustrating for me to not be able to make the same settings as Easytune with the only difference being that I am using Manual rather then auto without it beaping at me. Does your memory still crash if you are using an EasyTune Boot?? If not maybe we need to figure out what else Easytune is writing to the bios settings that we aren't when we use switch to manual timings. Do you guys know of any software that we can use to read ALL of the bios settings from so we can compair them under both boot conditions??

I'm new to using the easytune4. How do you change the memory speed in easytune4? Once i figure out how to set the memory to 200mhz in easytune i'll see if 3dmark03 crashes. If not then i'll create an easy tune boot (once i figure that out) and see if it crashes or not.

Also, I just got this response from Gigabyte:



Dear customer,

It's the known issue.
According the last BIOS Guide for AMD socket 754 from AMD,
When two DDR400 Double sided memory are installed, the memory speed should be set as DDR333. The table is attached for your reference.

Unfortunately, there is no update/work around for it.

Thank you for using Gigabyte products.
Gigabyte technical support team.

 

[MrSamson420]

Easytune4 came on the motherboard cd just go searching around that disk and you will find it. It is very easy to set the bus to 200Mhz with EasyTune4. Just click DRAM button on the bottom left till it displays the current memory bus speed, then click the bottom button on the same dial to divider. This will let you get change the bus speed divider thus changing your memory bus controler frequency. Then it will ask you to reboot. This is what I call the "magic boot" because it will run my memory at 200Mhz Solid as a rock!! Problem being Easytune4 settings do not permenently stay in the bios. So thus they are reset on your next boot. Let me know how it turns out!

BTW they also e-mailed me back, I am going to try to work with them if i can to more clearly define the problem and convince them that something can be done. I will let you know how it turns out!!

 

[Keljian]

Registered just for this. I bought one of these boards and am having the same issues (and have found the easy tune "magic boot" thing works) - one possible lead on this is the following
http://forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=15967

I test this stuff to a living.

You will find many different levels of memory, their load on the memory bus is listed here in order from "lightest" to "heaviest"

Single Sided x4
Single Sided x8
Double Sided x4
Double Sided x8
Double Stacked x4
Double Stacked x8

What Tom is probably talking about is Double Stacked dimms,
as a single double stacked dimm has as much electrical load on the bus as a two double sided dimms.

So you can use two double sided dimms, or a single double stacked dimm.
Any more and you may encounter errors, depending on the quality of the dimms.

will be consulting amd techdocs for more info...

 

[Keljian]

4.1.3 Maximum DRAM Speed as a Function of Loading
System variations, such as platform implementation, BIOS settings, DIMM implementation, and
DIMM loading, may affect the maximum allowable DRAM operating frequency. Consult the
platform manufacturer for implementation specific details on DRAM operating frequency.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/26094.PDF

this is all I can find specifically on it, in amd techdoc 26094

 

[Keljian]

I'm guessing AMD means double stacked, and I'm thinking Gigabyte interpreted it as double sided.

 

[nippyjun]

Has anyone tested one stick of memory at 166 vs 200 to see if there is an overall system speed difference?

 

[Keljian]

I have, and yes there is a performance increase (of about 1gb/s memory bandwidth) tested in sandra.

Overall I couldn't pick the difference doing my normal things but I didn't do a divx encode or anything so I'm not sure.

 

[nippyjun]

I just tried 3dmark03 with one stick at 200mhz and the score went up about 80 points, no big improvement.

 

[Keljian]

until someone does something to load the memory I think the point of whether it speeds up anything is moot.

I don't see 3dmark03 hammering memory bandwidth in other words.

 

[Erehwon]

Originally posted by: nippyjun

Originally posted by: MrSamson420
Yea I just wrote them an e-mail myself. I am not holding my breath on that one! We seem to have very close to the same problem except when I use EasyTune4 my system performs flawlessly @200Mhz. I had used Prime95 to beat on it but it dosent budge. Which is why it is so frustrating for me to not be able to make the same settings as Easytune with the only difference being that I am using Manual rather then auto without it beaping at me. Does your memory still crash if you are using an EasyTune Boot?? If not maybe we need to figure out what else Easytune is writing to the bios settings that we aren't when we use switch to manual timings. Do you guys know of any software that we can use to read ALL of the bios settings from so we can compair them under both boot conditions??

I'm new to using the easytune4. How do you change the memory speed in easytune4? Once i figure out how to set the memory to 200mhz in easytune i'll see if 3dmark03 crashes. If not then i'll create an easy tune boot (once i figure that out) and see if it crashes or not.

Also, I just got this response from Gigabyte:



Dear customer,

It's the known issue.
According the last BIOS Guide for AMD socket 754 from AMD,
When two DDR400 Double sided memory are installed, the memory speed should be set as DDR333. The table is attached for your reference.

Unfortunately, there is no update/work around for it.

Thank you for using Gigabyte products.
Gigabyte technical support team.

Do you have the table they sent you so we can see it ?

 

[Erehwon]

Originally posted by: MrSamson420
Easytune4 came on the motherboard cd just go searching around that disk and you will find it. It is very easy to set the bus to 200Mhz with EasyTune4. Just click DRAM button on the bottom left till it displays the current memory bus speed, then click the bottom button on the same dial to divider. This will let you get change the bus speed divider thus changing your memory bus controler frequency. Then it will ask you to reboot. This is what I call the "magic boot" because it will run my memory at 200Mhz Solid as a rock!! Problem being Easytune4 settings do not permenently stay in the bios. So thus they are reset on your next boot. Let me know how it turns out!

BTW they also e-mailed me back, I am going to try to work with them if i can to more clearly define the problem and convince them that something can be done. I will let you know how it turns out!!

Any futher info from Giga Samson?

 

[MrSamson420]

Yes, I have heard back from them and am attempting to help them with my feedback. They were cool enough to send me a Beta Rev of the latest Bios. I probably just got a cool tech support dude that is actually interested in fixing this problem rather then make excuses. I explained to them that I am an EE myself and just want to help them fix this damn memory compatibility problem so hopefully they will keep in touch and work it out.
Anyway It does solve the auto v.s. manual memory setup problem so now I can run Easytune4, set the bus to 200Mhz and when it reboots I am able to change from auto to manual and it sticks with no annoying beep. Under this configuration my system seems to work perfectly?.. BUT and this is a BIG BUT?. This is only a test Rev that has a lot of Bios features disabled. Most of which make it useless for anything besides a memory compatibility test.

Here is a quick copy of some of the feedback I gave to them on this beta so I don?t have to retype it.

Good Things:

- Successful demonstration of a solution to the manual memory settings save in the bios.

- I also noticed that the CPU temperature is now lower and from what I have read this new Rev Bios seems to be closer to the norm for the Athlon64. (Calibrated and is more accurate!)

- Entering the Enable 2T Timing no longer locks the Bios up.

Bad Things:

- All Bios over clocking is disabled (I am assuming this is because this is not a released version of the Bios). Easytune4 will still over clock the PC but obviously this will only last as long as the current boot.

- CPU Clock Ratio menu freezes the Bios and requires a reboot.

- EasyTune4 can no longer shows extra menus with temps/voltages/fan speeds etc. (The readings I am using ate coming from Motherboard Monitor 5 & CPU-Z.)

I will let you guys know what they come back with and also let you know what there plan is for providing us with the next Release of the Bios with these fixes in place. I am just happy to see them not hand wave this issue anymore!!

 

[nippyjun]

Thanks for letting us know!

I have the F1 bios and sometimes manual settings for the memory stick and sometimes they don't (in regards to the speed 166 or 200). This morning i had 2 memory sticks in the board and set it to manual and 200mhz and it booted fine. But then it crashed in 3dmark2003. The day before it crashed much earlier (but the cas setting may have been too low as well as i can't remember). This morning i made the cas 3 and it worked until 3dmark2003.

Also, in auto the cas latency is always on 2 even though one of my sticks is 2.5. I have to put it on manual and change the cas to 2.5 or 3 for stability. The cas change seems to stick as long as the speed is at 166 and not 200 for 2 sticks. For 1 stick i can obviously use 200 mhz.

So for me the problem seems to be less of a memory settings sticking issue and more of a timing issue.

 

[nippyjun]

Is there any way of changing the multiplier on this board?

 

[MrSamson420]

I personally have never done it before but from an earlier post Breckerfood2k4 said that you can only change it down.


"Can't change multiplier in easytune, had to use clockgen (NF 3 Version, listed as NF 3 150 on their website). Apparently, this version of clockgen works fine for mulitplier, but not for FSB (read the anandtech MSI K8N Neo Platinum article). "


I think he brought it down to 9.0X because he brought his system bus way up.

As far as the Bios issue The last E-Mail I got from Gigabyte said that they are working on the next release but don't have a date.


Gigabyte Tech support:
"It's still undetermine at the current moment when the final version is going to be released. Our engineers are doing further testing, please check back with us."


So that?s where we are at I guess, still no real fix but at least they are acknowledging the problem and are working to fix it. I guess all I can do is check in with them once in a while and hope they will get it finished soon.

 

[Keljian]

Clockgen works with our boards (at least the multiplier part of it) so yes it can be changed, but not in the bios or easytune

 

[nippyjun]

For clockgen does it make a permanent change in the bios, meaning when you reboot does the setting stick or is it a change through windows and every time you boot the change in clock is made once the system gets to windows?

 

[Keljian]

every time you boot into windows it'll change the clock - it doesn't touch the bios

 

[knightofnee]

Hi, I have a K8ns pro, and the only way for me to get it to run stable "other then 3dmark 03"with 1GB at any setting is the one time boot thing with EasyTune and the f2 bios.


I have been trying Corsair XMS twinx1024-3200c2pt 2x512MB 1GB kit, which the Motherboard doesnt detect the cas timings right, and it will only post at Cas2.0-2.5, but not at cas3.0

Right now,I am using Ocz premier 2x512Mb 1GB pc3200.
The OCZ memory will not allow my system to post on the manual setting unless I set it to cas 2.0.
The system wont even post if I set it to the same exact values that it would put it at spd.
Yet it works perfect and stable"other then 3dmark03" for hours at 200mhz cas 2.5 with the one boot easy tune thing.


I also have a problem with the hard drive activity light.
I have a SATA hard drive and when I connect it to the main SATA Nforce3 ports the hard drive activity light doesnt work.
When I connect the Sata hard drive to the SII SATA ports, the hard drive activity light works fine.


MrSamson420
What version of bios did they supply you with?
Are you able to post a link so I can download it?

 

[Keljian]

That was painful to read Knight, please reword/rewrite it and maybe then we might be able to come up with something to help you

 

[clockmann]

Hello Guys,
My interest in clocks is horological rather than overclocking a PCU, but I have a problem with this mobo and would appreciate comment. It seems to have come up in the forum before, but then died:

What I an trying to do is use a 5th IDE device. My standard CMOS setup page does not show IDE3 and IDE4 unlike the screenshot graphic on page 38 of the manual. An IDE HDD connected to IDE3 socket on the mobo announces itself when Gigaraid boots, but that is all I can see of it. It seems to be on IDE0, but presumably that's raid 0.

GGTS suggested I flashed the BIOS, but going from F1 to F2b has made no difference here.

Dimasukr: you opened with a reference to it not recognising your Liteon CDRW in raid. Did you get that solved? Has anyone else fallen over this while they have been wringing the best performance ot of it?

 

[nippyjun]

Do you have to go into the gigaraid setup to have it "see" the device correctly even though it's not being raided?

 

[MrSamson420]

Yea I will get it to you if you really want it but when I say it is good for nothing but memory compatibility testing I am not joking. All over clocking features are disabled and also some other things have been disabled as well. I went back to F1 and will stay here until Gigabyte releases the next Bios Revision that is fully functional and has the memory compatibility problem taken care of.

One question I do have for you guys is can you please post your unloaded/fullyloaded internal CPU temperature with your next post along with your current Bios Rev and clock speed. The reason I ask is because from what I have read in the A64 datasheet the max you want the case temperature to get to is 70C but it does not specify the junction temperature max usable limit. I only know that it will shut itself down at 125C internal temperature. The temperature reading we get from this MOBO is Die temperature. I am not sure how accurate it is so I would at least like to know how consistent it is.

Mine is 51/64 F1 @2GHz (STOCK HEATSINK)


Thanks!