X2 550 Unlocking & Overclocking Consolidated

[Tom128]

Well I may have a dud on my hands, but this board is acting very weird so maybe there is something else going on.

Mobo: GA MA770T UD3P, BIOS F2c

What I did was:
1) Flash from BIOS F1 -> F2
2) Found bios F2c, flashed from F2->F2c.
3) Here where it got weird. For one it did not ask me if I wanted to flash, it just flashed.
4) Went into ACC in the new bios, turned on hybrid firmware and ACC to auto. Saved settings and got a message that it was updating firmware. Message went away, system went to re-start and it just sat at a black screen. Cleared CMOS and got back into the bios, ACC mode was back to normal not hybrid.
5) Switched back to hybrid mode, saved, did not tell me it was updating firmware, restarted fine. Went back in, set ACC to auto, restarted, no post. Now...it would not restart at all, and would not turn off. I had to flip the switch on the PSU to get it to turn off...BUT...as soon as I flipped the PSU back on it re-posted by itself and posted fine and I got into windows. I restarted, same black screen with the same solution.

So for some reason it wont cold or warm restart, but the PSU switch being flipped lets it boot right up? Not only that but when I do get it to restart with the PSU and re-enter the bios, all the settings are what I put them at. Hybrid ACC on Auto. However when I do get into windows I only have two cores.

So...not sure if my CPU is bad or if the board is just ultra buggy. I am now trying to get my M3A79-T Deluxe to flash to a mod bios I saw in a thread here, but it won't let me flash back to it because it is too old. I have tried using EZ Flash, Asus Update, and even ADUFDOS and all of them are telling me I can't roll back because its too old. It's not the mod bios either because I can't roll back to an older official bios either, I tried. So I will try and get that stupid board working but it's just annoying me. I also have a Biostar XE mobo that should arrive today. I will try on THAT board today too.

I both love and hate hardware

[Jamesrt2004]

flash an earliar bios on the giga board sounds like it didn't like the flash

[Tom128]

flash an earliar bios on the giga board sounds like it didn't like the flash

Forgot to mention that actually. When I realized the flash to F2c seemed dodgy, I flashed back to F2 and then re-flashed to F2c. The flash went much smoother, it prompted me to update instead of just doing it, the firmware told me it was updating and it did re-post when I set the firware to hybrid (but kept ACC off for the first reboot). However once I had both Hybrid and ACC Auto on the odd PSU restart method was back.

[Team Vernia]

F2 was actually released after F2c. F2c was giving me all sorts of memory instability issues. Once I flashed to F2, all was well. I'd stay away from F2c.

[Tom128]

F2 was actually released after F2c. F2c was giving me all sorts of memory instability issues. Once I flashed to F2, all was well. I'd stay away from F2c.

I don't have the option to turn on Hybrid mode in F2 thought That was why I searched and found out about F2c.

[Daveburt714]

Just got my chip a few minutes ago, unfortunately I have to go to work right now...

I'll be testing it when I get home tonight on my GBT 790XT-UD4P (Water Cooled).

I was really happy to see the batch, 0922 APMW, Serial 0144...
Hopefully I'll be as lucky as other folks with this week code!

[shadow_419]

Cool I got 0922 APMW serial 0136

[jameskelsey]

I don't have the option to turn on Hybrid mode in F2 thought That was why I searched and found out about F2c.

Some BIOS versions with a letter after the number refer to a beta BIOS's.
You can usually just check the release date to confirm that.
Rumor has it AMD is pressuring the MB makers to stop allowing BIOS unlock in their BIOS's so the feature may not be there in future BIOS's.

[davidw8818]

Question about putting ACC -2% to all four cores. What exactly does it do? I have a X2 unlocked to X4 overclocked to 3.8ghz (19multix200) at 1.456v. Settings are hyper,ACC all cores -2%. I am trying to get it to 3.9 or 4.0ghz. Does the settings i modify in the ACC affects my clocks? I might be limit out.. but I have a feeling that i can squeeze out another 100 or 200mhz. Please help me out here. Temps are fine, idles at 38c full load while running prime is around 55-58c on Zalman9900 air cooler. PSU is good, putting out enough power. Should i try to raise the north bridge voltage a bit? because is on stock voltage now. Voltages are all stock except Core and Vdim. Any suggestions would be appropriated.

any body?

[jameskelsey]

any body?

Here's a good little read, and it even mentions Chew.

http://www.techreaction.net/2009/05/...ng-essentials/

[Daveburt714]

Cool I got 0922 APMW serial 0136

Quick question, did yours unlock and did you figure out your temp problems?

I'm Still @ work...

[shadow_419]

It did unlock but I haven't gotten it stable yet. I think it might be board/bios related. The temp problems are actually temp reporting problems. Using a temp probe, I've been able to get realistic readings.

[richierich]

Yeah, I reseated the RAM and the error went away. However, I'm pretty sure that my batch truly has two defective cores that won't unlock. I've tried almost everything now, and no matter what I do, it always hangs right before the Windows green loading bar screen.

Anyone else have a 0923APMW?

Sounds like you are still having the crcdisk.sys error. Try booting into safe mode. You may want to repair your windows installation.

[Team Vernia]

That's weird. I'm able to unlock in hybrid mode with the F2 bios. I went from F2c to F2, though so maybe that's why. It's fixed all my memory stability issues, but my 550 runs hot as well when unlocked. I'm on stock cooler, but I wonder if it's a temp reporting issue as well. I had to rma my video card, so I'm computer-less right now, but when I get the new card I'm getting a Freezer Pro 7 as well, so hopefully I'll have some success with the temps.

[ImmortalKenny]

Sounds like you are still having the crcdisk.sys error. Try booting into safe mode. You may want to repair your windows installation.

I've reinstalled/repaired windows a few times now and when I have ACC set to auto, I get stuck at crcdisk.sys when trying to boot into safe mode no matter what. However when I have the BIOS set to defaults, my computers hangs for about a minute at the crcdisk.sys message, then boots into safe mode. Could this be related to a faulty CPU, Mobo, HDD?

Other than that, when ACC is disabled, the CPU runs perfectly.

[Daveburt714]

It did unlock but I haven't gotten it stable yet. I think it might be board/bios related. The temp problems are actually temp reporting problems. Using a temp probe, I've been able to get realistic readings.

Your probably right about the bios issue, since our chips are so close, even down to the serial number...

I've only been playing with it for an hour or so, but so far I'm pretty impressed! I've still got alot of tweaking to do, but it sure seems like it's going to be stable as a Quad...

No serious stress testing yet, but so far so good as far as my preliminary testing goes. One thing I always watch is WPrime, from my experience, if the cores stay in sequence (or at least close) during the benchmark thats a good sign your going to be able to get it stable. This puppy went 1234,1234,1234,1234...

Heres a SS:



I had to give it a little Vcore, but not nearly as much as the 940 or the 720, and the temps still seem to be decent (of course it's just a guess on an unlocked chip )...

So far I'm a Happy Camper!! This may very well be my new "Best Ever Chip"...

Week 22's are fairly recent, but if these are the duds that weren't good enough to be 965's it gives me hope for AMD's process improvements.

[Daveburt714]

Sorry for the double post, but I'm as giddy as a school girl...

I actually broke the 4Ghz barrier and it doesn't seem to be done yet (Sweet)!!

[shadow_419]

Your probably right about the bios issue, since our chips are so close, even down to the serial number...

i guess I'm just going to have to wait for a stable bios from MSI that will unlock. I can prime any two sets or individual cores up the wazoo( using affinity ), but if I add a third core hard locks instantly. I even hard locked doing menial task in windows like clicking on a youtube video. It didn't matter how few or how many volts I threw at it. It's a pretty good clocking chip for an x2 cause I'm at 3.8ghz with 1.385, but the temps are completely retarded in software running 4 cores. What's strange is that every once in a while when I boot up with 4 cores the temps will report fine in AOD, HWmonitor, and everest but that's once every 5 -6 boots. I'd even get core temp readings that weren't 0C but realistic 28-29C idle. Any stress test will hard lock within 10s of starting though.

[VojislavŠešelj]

Hi there from Serbia.

Got X2 550 last month, ordered 3 of them, two for my friends. Batch 0920 and all three no luck unlocking.

Still happy with my x2 550, 3.6ghz on box with no increase on voltage.

[shadow_419]

What board and bios are you running that they wont unlock? May be it's just not the right combination.

btw are you going to the Zagreb music festival? I hear it's always amazing.

[VojislavŠešelj]

Biostar TA790GX A2+, Biostar TA790GXB and Gigabyte M720-UD3. No luck on all 3, two CPUs with no boot, one boots but locks after 1 sec. Tryed every possible combo with bios, voltage... but 0920 batch is pure .

PS. Zagreb is in Croatia. We have Exit here. This year Prodigy, Korn, Moby... Maddona.


CCCC
FK VRBAS
VELIKA SRBIJA

[EvilBlitz]

0924 BPMW
Asus M3A78-T
Tried 0023 mod bios and lastest non beta on website 1104.

On bios 0023, I cant boot with ACC enabled at all. Though it just seems like a bad bios for me as I cant even change the multiplier with that bios either, it just wont post at anything but default.
1104 I can change multi and it works, ACC enables but it does nothing.
Latest 1104 bios also reports 1.45volts default for the cpu in bios though CPU-Z 1.51 says 1.35 in Windoze.

On a side note, thought I had corrupted the bios in flashing it. It would post but would fail in sending S.M.A.R.T commands to the hdd and couldn't boot(disabling smart did nothing). Noticed some dust on the bios chip so I sprayed it nice and clean with Contact cleaner and flashed no problem after that.

[shadow_419]

Biostar TA790GX A2+, Biostar TA790GXB and Gigabyte M720-UD3. No luck on all 3, two CPUs with no boot, one boots but locks after 1 sec. Tryed every possible combo with bios, voltage... but 0920 batch is pure .

PS. Zagreb is in Croatia. We have Exit here. This year Prodigy, Korn, Moby... Maddona.


CCCC
FK VRBAS
VELIKA SRBIJA

Sorry that's the one I was thinking of a dj friend of mine played there a few years ago and he still talks about how crazy it is. I know 0920 is not the best, but have you tried different bios. We have a member that was able to unlock on gigabyte here : http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=228239

[VojislavŠešelj]

Sorry that's the one I was thinking of a dj friend of mine played there a few years ago and he still talks about how crazy it is. I know 0920 is not the best, but have you tried different bios. We have a member that was able to unlock on gigabyte here : http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=228239

yup, tryed everything. no go. cpus are bad.

[shadow_419]

Man , that sucks. Well, at lest you have dual cores that can clock to 3.8+ghz. Still really good for gaming.