blackops - oops I broke it / thats why I got a dual - cmos board.

[Spork!]

After some failed OC's (Trying to get my RAM over 1400MHz) my comp was POSTing, but couldn't load windows. Thats the good thing about dual cmos - I told it to run from the 2nd one and it works no problems.
Q? How do I "fix" the first one - ie, set it back to defaults? f7 when I was in BIOS appeared to reset std. settings, but couldn't get into OS, so I think I broke my BIOS properly...
I'm guessing the "foxlive" update should work, but a bit nervous now that I mightr screw it up (ie, change working [2nd ] one to the settings I had in #1, that don't work...)
Is there a simple guide to flashing BIOS on blackops here - to only change 1, not both? Or does it not matter if I change both with a "fresh" flash?
/me thinks will stick with 333 (1333 fsb) from now on...

edit: aargh. HELP! now I can't even find (in BIOS) where to choose which CMOS to set as boot device...
Found it - using #2 now - and still cant get windows to load. Get as far as "Windows error recovery" screen. If I tell it to start windown normally it goes blank briefley then str. back to same screen. If I tell it to start windown normally, I get the "loading windows" screen for a second or 2, then restarts...
Ran the windows memory check and that showed 0 errors. I was messing with memory timings, voltages and FSB when this occurred...

edit #2: hmm, tried "restore all default settings" from BIOS menu (again), so it naturally booted from CMOS # 1, and got to the windows repair screen, and now loaded windows! Odd, as I don't think I did anything that I hadn't tried last night...

edit #3...
Thank goodness for saaya's BIOS spreadsheets. Once I got thinks back to std. and working, it was nice to have all my settings written down (where I could find them) for a rock-solid and cool (NB notwithstanding - but acceptable, with no fan at present) 3.5GHz / 1333 memory speed OC.

[Wotcher]

Sounds like you had an eventful night mate

[Sailindawg]

Sounds like a fun night of pc madness. After having a similar night with the BIOS chips, I only force one chip at a time with the jumpers. Much simpler and you know which chip you are using.

[Spork!]

Thought I was screwed this morning when windows wouldn't start from either bios 1 or 2...
but all good now.

Serves me right I guess. These RAM modules are "proven to OC to 1600" - on some boards, but not Blackops. Ppl with a lot more OC'ing knowlege/experience than me have also failed to get much above 1400 with them.
I guess I should be happy with 1333. My CPU multi is at 10.5, so I know I can still get past 4Ghz without upping FSB now, just need better cooling. I guess 1333 with 7-7-7-20 timings is pretty decent.

Oh, and can now boot properly (ie, load windows) from both BIOS's. Still not entirley sure what/how "I" fixed it, but I do have OC recovery set to "yes" now. (I read somewhere to disable it to allow faster memory fsb...

[Sailindawg]

@ Spork

I'm running this Mushkin kit at the moment. Nice price too, although the price increased $4 since I ordered my sets. I'm currently running them at 1670, 9x417 on the 333 strap. I've gotten them to boot at 1700, but my NB gets too hot and I have instability. They have even booted at 1800, but again, temps get the better of me. I really need to put the NB on my water loop.

Anyway, these chips seem to be either Micron D9GTR or GTS. They tweak like GTR or GTS. I've tried to research the net to confirm the chips. There is an older post on XS that states the chips used are GTR/GTS.

Bottom line, these Mushkins run very well with this board. I've run 8G at 6-5-5-18, PL=6 on the 1:3.2 divider. I'm running @ 1670, 7-7-7-21, PL=6 @1.95V (BIOS) on the 333 strap. I wish I had a dual core to really push my fsb to really test these dimms.

[saaya]

that bios option to switch from cmos chips should be removed imo... causing more trouble than it helps...
if thered be a warning or info message during bootup which bios chip your actually on it would be ok... but since there isnt... its very confusing sometimes

i always use the jumpers to select which bios i use and recommend that to everybody...
sorry to hear about the trouble you had there, good to hear you figured it out by yourself and got it all working again

[Sailindawg]

One more thing to add, do not use saved profiles from one BIOS when updating to another BIOS. That is a great way to hose your newly flashed BIOS. Start fresh with newly saved profiles when using an updated BIOS.

[Spork!]

Thanks for that advice SD.
I manually entered all the BIOS changes from a spreadsheet, haven't even tried saving any BIOS profiles.
Reluctant to try for faster than 1333 memory speed now, unless I change to RAM thats known to run at 1600, ON BLACKOPS... although once I replace my NB fan (it's died...) I hope that area will run a little cooler...
On a different topic, I read that the Blackops was designed more for OC'ing quads than dual cores. Happy with my e5200 for now, but when the inevitable happens, whats a good quad for OC'ing with? Are there any that come close to the e5200's abillity to run way faster than rated, and at a good price? I expect to get a year or 2 out of my dual core, so I hope all 775 chips will be much cheaper than now by the time I upgrade. Guess I'll also be in market for new RAM then too. Either that, or i5 -i7...

[Wotcher]

Kingston HyperX 1625MHz




Click to enlarge

[Spork!]

Nice!

Please remember this is my 1st ever PC build, so has been a learning experience for me. Next time I will check both MB manufacturer's support site, and intended RAM manufacturer's site for compatabillity. On this build I assumed that any decent quality RAM advertised as DDR3 1600 MHz would be fine ... I now know different.

[Wotcher]

I'm getting a Rampage Extreme and Corsair TR3X6G1866C7GTF shortly, I may have my HyperX up for sale if all goes well.

I'll probably sell it on OCAU when the time comes.

[Spork!]

OK, will bear that in mind.
I'm a n00b @ ocau too, so cant access the buy and sell for another month yet. Gimme a heads up when it's available?