Help needed! Got a D975XBX, multimeter and some spare time, then please have a look!

[celemine1Gig]

Hi,

I already asked this question in several forums, but noone dared to do what I asked for because most of the people don't really have a clue. They are happy that their computers do work and don't care about how or why. That's why I think that once again xtremesystems is the right place to ask. :)

Here is the deal:

I have a Intel D955XBK "Black Creek" Mainboard, which is the direct predecessor of the "Bad Axe". Now the Bad Axe does have a onboard Jumper labeled "OC Debug", which enables all BIOS internal overclocking options, that are normally hidden unless you use a Extreme Edition CPU. Now what is really annoying is that I know that my Black Creek does have nearly 100% identical options in BIOS when using a EE CPU (no wonder as the PCB is also quite similar), but no Jumper to enable these options for any CPU, like on the Bad Axe.

That is why I need someone with a Bad Axe and a multimeter to trace the connections of the "OC Debug" Jumper. I need to know what signals those two contacts carry. I'd bet that one of the two points is connected to ground, but I'd like someone to prove it.

All you have to do is take your multimeter, set it to continuity test mode and look where the traces of the two "OC Debug" Jumper contacts lead to. ;)

BTW, of course the two points should not be connected while measuring!


That piece of info would be really important for me as I'm limited to nearly no overclocking options ATM. And I bet that I'll be able to enable the extra BIOS options on my board as soon as someone helped me. I would buy a Bad Axe and test it on my own, but I don't have the money ATM.

BIG THX in advance!

Greetings from Bavaria!

Ingmar :toast:

[OMEGA3]

It measured..
However, I do not understand well that "continuity test mode"

OC Debug jumper
pin#3=GND
pin#2 Voltage is 3.54V～3.55V(always the same while even operating by which mode.)

So voltage was same as,
Defort starting MODE(BIOS CONFIG jumper=2-3),and in BIOS being to set,and working Windows.

D975XBX Rev.302(Moded)
E6700ES
Vio 3.60V(The voltage might change by Vio.)

[celemine1Gig]

It measured..
However, I do not understand well that "continuity test mode"

OC Debug jumper
pin#3=GND
pin#2 Voltage is 3.54V～3.55V(always the same while even operating by which mode.)

So voltage was same as,
Defort starting MODE(BIOS CONFIG jumper=2-3),and in BIOS being to set,and working Windows.

D975XBX Rev.302(Moded)
E6700ES
Vio 3.60V(The voltage might change by Vio.)


Thank you very much for taking the time. ;) I do really appreciate it.

But you only answered my question partly. Now, I know that Pin#3 is Ground, which I already suspected to be ground. Thanks for the prove, though! That means one big step further for me.

I didn't really mean to get the voltage reading from pin#2, but I need to know to what it is directly connected to. "Continuity test mode" is nothing else but a resistance test mode which beeps as soon as there is close to no resistance. So, if two parts are directly connected, you'll get the beep when "measuring" them in continuity mode and the display will most likely show something like "0.7 Ohm", or something in that low range. This way you can literally trace the connections. Even if you don't see the traces on the PCB, you can probe around to find the board internal connections.

It's a really nice and basic way to examine unknown circuits.

In the end perhaps even your voltage reading might get me further. I remember something about measuring a jumper location on my "Black Creek" some weeks ago. If I'm right it were also Ground and 3.3V. Perhaps that's the jackpot. We'll see. Even though a continuity test would help nonetheless.

BIG THX again!

Greetings from Bavaria, Germany to Japan!

Ingmar :toast:

[OMEGA3]

Hi celemine1Gig

I understood "Continuity test mode",
It was a continuous tested mode of "Multi meter".
I thought it about MB etc or others...
Because a normal tester was used to always for measuring.:)

BTW,585 and 449(When reverse the test lead)are displayed now though the unit is uncertain,
though it measured between pin#2 and pin#3 in the continuous test mode.
The beep sound doesn't ring.

I'm sorry that not so helpful.
Hope it to be succeed.:toast:

[celemine1Gig]

Hi celemine1Gig

I understood "Continuity test mode",
It was a continuous tested mode of "Multi meter".
I thought it about MB etc or others...
Because a normal tester was used to always for measuring.:)

BTW,585 and 449(When reverse the test lead)are displayed now though the unit is uncertain,
though it measured between pin#2 and pin#3 in the continuous test mode.
The beep sound doesn't ring.

I'm sorry that not so helpful.
Hope it to be succeed.:toast:

OK, I don't want to sound rude, as I really appreciate your help, but you still didn't understand what info I need. What you did is just measuring the resistance from pin#2 to pin#3 and vice versa. That's nice, but that has nothing to do with what I need and that's also not the purpose of the continuity test mode.

I'll try something tonight and if this doesn't work, I'll explain again in detail what info I need and what you have to do exactly, in order to get that info.

Again, I'm really thankful that you actually took the time to measure, please don't misunderstand me. ;) It's just that it's not really what I need. Hope you understand.:toast:

[OMEGA3]

Yeah,thats OK.
It becomes for me also.:)

look where the traces of the two "OC Debug" Jumper
contacts lead to.

I see.....

pin#3=GND
pin#2=you want to know...pin#2 is where to connected?
Isn't that OK?

Jumper is for pulldown of some signal.
Huuum....
Does it go to Vcore control IC or go to VCC's of CPU or others?..
I think may be...its not easy to do trace.

Any way, Hope it to be succeed.:)

[celemine1Gig]

Yeah,thats OK.
It becomes for me also.:)



I see.....

pin#3=GND
pin#2=you want to know...pin#2 is where to connected?
Isn't that OK?

Jumper is for pulldown of some signal.
Huuum....
Does it go to Vcore control IC or go to VCC's of CPU or others?..
I think may be...its not easy to do trace.

Any way, Hope it to be succeed.:)

Now you got it! :toast: That's exactly what I need to know. And I do know that it's hard to trace, but I thought "hey, it's xtremesystems, so there must be someone who can help me out". ;)
In the meantime, as already said, I'm trying to find a way to solve the problem on my own. Although that way, it's even harder, as I don't have much info about the way the "OC Debug" mod works. But hey, perhaps I'll find a solution. You never know.

[OMEGA3]

Now you got it! :toast: That's exactly what I need to know. And I do know that it's hard to trace, but I thought "hey, it's xtremesystems, so there must be someone who can help me out". ;)
In the meantime, as already said, I'm trying to find a way to solve the problem on my own. Although that way, it's even harder, as I don't have much info about the way the "OC Debug" mod works. But hey, perhaps I'll find a solution. You never know.

Yes,time hung too much though it understood.
It is not easy to get the point in case of not being in own language.:p:

Good luck to there.
Will wait for a good news.:toast:

[celemine1Gig]

Yes,time hung too much though it understood.
It is not easy to get the point in case of not being in own language.:p:

Good luck to there.
Will wait for a good news.:toast:

Thx! You don't need to tell me about the language-barrier. English is not my native language, but German and English are far more similar than Japanese and English. So, I really highly respect your language skills and your will to help. Upto now I could understand every post you made without any problems. :worship: I don't think that I could ever learn japanese the way that you would understand a single word from me in any Japanese forum.

And of course I will keep you up to date with the progress I made. :wave:

[audiofreak]

I support this request.

The pin is probably tied to some hardware monitoring chip GPIO pin which can be read by the CPU.

If someone finds out which pin and in which register I could try patching the BIOS so it doesn't even need jumper.

[celemine1Gig]

OK, just some minor update: Got another Intel board here (D915GUX), which is mechanically defective (the socket is damaged). I got it for only 1,-EUR + shipping, in order to have the caps and other parts on the board as a replacement and improvement for my BlackCreek. This board also has the "MFG JMP" and all the other BIOS related jumpers onboard. It seems as if it's kind of a scheme for the unlocking of the extra BIOS options. If your "BIOS Config" Jumper for example is "J6J2", then the jumper for the extra BIOS options should be "J6J1". And if your BIOS config Jumper is J8J2, then J8J1 should be the one. Seems that way from what I've seen now. Will try to trace the connections on my boards in the next few days if I find the time.
Anyone with a recent Intel Board could check. I'm pretty sure there'll always be a "JXJ1" Jumper, where "X" just stands for the number of the BIOS circuitry.

[celemine1Gig]

Had some time the last days and tried a few things to finally get all bios options on my black creek. Unfortunately I still wait for a successful try. :( If you now think that I will give up, you're wrong. I'll try and try and try. The mod is definately possible. I'm 100% sure about that, although, it's not really easy to find. :rolleyes:

BTW, if nothing goes wrong, I'll post a thread about some hardware mods for the Black Creek in a week or so. Perhaps I'll be able to hit 500MHz with this puppy one day. :hrhr:

[breetai72]

Sorry to rain on your parade... but Black Creek didn't implement that in the BIOS. Even if you find the components to populate, it's not going to work.

Badaxe was the first to implement that function.

[celemine1Gig]

Sorry to rain on your parade... but Black Creek didn't implement that in the BIOS. Even if you find the components to populate, it's not going to work.

Badaxe was the first to implement that function.

You don't need to be sorry, as you don't seem to know what you are talking about. ;)
The situation seems to be the following:
OC functions are implemented in the Black Creek BIOS as well (I can prove that if you doubt it). There might not be the specific jumper, as seen on the BadAxe, but that doesn't mean that the general function isn't available. It's just not implemented on hardware level.
There must be a bit in the CPU's internal register, which identifies the CPU as an Extreme Edition CPU. That bit is read and interpreted to either lock or unlock certain BIOS code, according to the CPU that is used. What the BadAxe OC-Debug jumper does, is setting this very bit by jumper, ignoring the CPU's register.
But finding the point/contact on hardware level that sets/influences this bit, is unfortunately kinda tricky.

[breetai72]

Actually I know exactly what I'm talking about.

The badaxe Debug OC jumper is tied to a GPIO on the ICH. BIOS reads the GPIO and based on it's level determines whether or not to ignore the CPUID reported by the processor. There is no HW bit set in the CPU.

Unless you hack the Black Creek BIOS to ignore the CPUID this function is not available. The BIOS function to read the GPIO was never added.

[celemine1Gig]

Actually I know exactly what I'm talking about.

The badaxe Debug OC jumper is tied to a GPIO on the ICH. BIOS reads the GPIO and based on it's level determines whether or not to ignore the CPUID reported by the processor. There is no HW bit set in the CPU.

Unless you hack the Black Creek BIOS to ignore the CPUID this function is not available. The BIOS function to read the GPIO was never added.

Then why didn't you just post this information first? :confused:

Although I have to tell you that really doubt your theory. The point is:

The Black Creek also does feature extra BIOS overclocking options when used with an Extreme Edition CPU. And if there is a way to make the board ignore the CPUID, hardware-wise, on the BadAxe, it is possible on any other board, too. Except for Intel no manufacturer uses this method of hiding the OC-options, that's why no mods are known so far, except for the one already implemented on the Bad Axe PCB.

Nothin is impossible. It'll just be a bit harder on the BlackCreek.