Issues with NForce 550 Chipset.

[lismo]

Hello Cause of change of email i lost my account details, and no way to reset it since my email did'nt exist nomore.

I have an issue with the Gigabyte GA-M55S-S3, it's equipped with a Nforce 550 chipset, which does'nt want togo any higher then 29x FSB (anything above 300 = no post at all).

My specs are:

2x1GB Corsair PC6400 cl4-4-4-12, at normal settings,
AMD Athlon X2 3800+ 65watts AM2 (watercooled, stressed at less then 40 degrees), a little voltage increase.
X1950Pro PCI-E watercooled also and 2 HD's.

My problem is is that the FSB does'nt want to reach up to 300MHz, even if i lower the HTT multiplier, the CPU multiplier, or memory devider. It all does'nt matter, some say i have the 'HTT Wall' bug or simular, which does'nt want me to reach certain speeds. I expected alot more from the NForce 550 chipset, considering the Bios allows me to increment in 1MHz steps up to 500MHz. I've increased various voltages, changed timings and so on, check for a bios update, but nothing really works.

I can get the CPU stable at 2900MHz (2GHz from origin), and it all passes the Orthos and Memtest 'tests. I'm pretty sure the CPU can be pushed harder, esp with watercooling, but its looking like my motherboard does'nt allow me. I've also heard there needs to be a hardmod in order to remove the HTT wall bug, is this true? And what exactly is this?

I've tried to look up reviews of the same motherboard, but not many actually pulled out 290MHz FSB.

[funnyperson1]

Sounds like a problem with your board rather than the Nforce550 chipset imho. Myself and other have been able to get well past 300 with NF550 based boards.

What memory divider are you running.

[lismo]

The default devider would be DDR2 667, if i put it on DDR2 533 i still have plenty of room to push up the FSB. If i put it up to DDR2 400, that would be 200MHz memory-clock leaving more then enough bandwith to push the FSB up again. lets say 300MHz FSB would still result in 300MHz memory, which supposed to run fine at 337 at 4-4-4-12 timings. I putted the timings higher, CL5 and so on, increased the voltage here and there, but it's just not doing at 300MHz.

Like i said its not the CPU, the MP was turned at 9, the memory is turned down also, and the HTT Multiplier at 3x, that would make 900MHz which is still under the 1000MHz rule. The PCI-e / PCI bus is locked at 100/33MHz, and it stays that way.

Is there a utility to read out the current bios values? Like if there a lock at the FSB shoud'nt I be able to read it out if it's programmed somewhere? I see people making sick bios adjustments, or even 300MHz by a modified bios on NForce3 chipsets for example...

I have contacted Gigabyte already, but i'm awaiting their reply and i'm pretty sure they cannot answer my question.







^^ some pics added.

[funnyperson1]

Normally when you hit an FSB wall like that theres some sort of wierd memory setting or timing thats holding you back. Have you tried setting your Max Async Latency to 10 or so?

[lismo]

Normally when you hit an FSB wall like that theres some sort of wierd memory setting or timing thats holding you back. Have you tried setting your Max Async Latency to 10 or so?

I'm not sure what latency you are talking about? I do know what you mean, but what settings exactly?

I've setted the machine on SPD, rebooted, and configured it manually. Shoved everything a notch up, so i'm sure i have some space with my memory, but this is a weird matter

[funnyperson1]

It seems like your bios doesn't have a setting to allow changing Max Async Latency. I would use Memset to manually set the MAL in Windows and then use Clockgen to see if you still have issues going above 290.

[lismo]

It seems like your bios doesn't have a setting to allow changing Max Async Latency. I would use Memset to manually set the MAL in Windows and then use Clockgen to see if you still have issues going above 290.

Nice tip. However i tested it out, went in the bios, increased voltages here and there to make sure there's enough room for it, in XP i applied the MAL towards 14, and went step by step up to 296 where it locked itself. This also happend when i put this into the bios. All that happens is you hear 2 ticks, meanin the motherboard went to default settings (but did not lose values i entered in bios).

[g3monster]

Set your 1T/2T Command Timing to 2T.

290 is about the hardware limit for the 1T timing there. Going to 2T should allow you a fair bit of extra headroom.

[lismo]

Set your 1T/2T Command Timing to 2T.

290 is about the hardware limit for the 1T timing there. Going to 2T should allow you a fair bit of extra headroom.

Thanks. I'll give it a try. Btw. Gigabyte responded to my question, they sended me a new Bios with some new options in the bios:


Does anyone know where those 'TRFC' things stand for and what they do? Props for such a fast respond with a new bios

[funnyperson1]

Thats pretty cool of them, I must say. I think people have had the best luck with Trfcs set to 195ns, they're just some obscure memory timing, not sure exactly what it means.

[lismo]

Yeah well so far i can imagine it would be the Dimm-slot timing or simular, has nothing really todo with the memory itself. I think more at the speed the controller is communicating with the memory. However i've tried a few things, but have'nt had any luck yet.

The problem is is that there are not many reviews exactly pinpointing over 300MHz with this motherboard. I'm still wondering why or what is causing this why it's not booting while it's set on 300MHz fsb with properiate memory timings and decent CPU clockspeed settings. I'm also not sure how high i have to increase my chipset voltage, damn i don't even have a clue what type of voltage i exactly need to increase lol.

[SnipingWaste]

HTT limits are different from mobo to mobo. I have 2 of Gigabytes 690g SH3 mobos and ones max stable HTT is 420HTT and the other is 380HTT stable. Each mobs has tolerances and some are better then others.

[lismo]

But that means i have to put the HTT multiplier towards 1 or 2x?

I thought there was a 'golden rule' to not overreach the 1000MHz HTT-speed. This is weird. The board does'nt give problems even if over 1200+MHz.

[Kenetixx]

I have the same board, can you send me that bios please mine gets stuck at around 280 fsb

[lismo]

I have the same board, can you send me that bios please mine gets stuck at around 280 fsb

http://sk4life.net/m55ss32.rar , right click save as. Tell me what you reached after this bios.

[funnyperson1]

The HT speed is different from the HTT speed that we are talking about, the HTT multiplier controls the HT speed which should be kept around 1000.

The HTT SW is talking about is the actual bus speed that you are changing.

Also ram needs to be at 2T for high bus speeds.

[Kenetixx]

That bios isnt a bios file ???
Its a .fe file ?

[mAJORD]

I just flashed mine with it Kenetixx.. I was worried about the .fe too, but it's safe

Didn't help the OCing on my board though :| , THanks very much for hosting it though lismo.. it may take some tinkering to make it worth while.. did they say what exactly to try with the new BIOS?

[lismo]

No problem

Nah they did'nt say anything but 'you can try it with this bios 'insert link''. I replied that it does'nt make much difference but have'nt had any response.

@Funnyperson1, i've tried that. It's just that i did'nt show a picture of the settings that i tried (are pretty much alot). But what i did was, i went into the bios, setted the FSB at 296MHz, and saved / rebooted. Everytime the system does not work with those settings it automaticly 'resets' at normal settings while keeping the things i saved in the bios.. it's only a matter of changing one thing again .. step by step..

Did not work :| And i see more users are having trouble reaching 296MHz....

[g3monster]

I picked up this motherboard last night (m55s-s3 REV 2.0).

It came with the FC bios installed. I had it stable upto 360HTT with my brisbane 3600+ (@ 5x multiplier) so the board is definately capable of more than your getting from it.

[mad_skills]

what's the bios on that biostar?

[lismo]

I picked up this motherboard last night (m55s-s3 REV 2.0).

It came with the FC bios installed. I had it stable upto 360HTT with my brisbane 3600+ (@ 5x multiplier) so the board is definately capable of more than your getting from it.

Yeah that chipset does'nt look like it's not willing to reach over 300MHz... I rather suspect something withing the board itself, or like it was said, a htt wall.

I woud'nt flash an biostar bios on a gigabyte board lol...

[Kenetixx]

Well flashed to that bios and now its worse????
Cant get over 270 fsb now dammit

[mAJORD]

Incidently, mine's a over 230-240 letalone 290-300.

Wild inconsistencies between actual boards? I've tried both F3 windsor, and brisbane.

Are all you guys rev 2.0 like g3monster?

I can't belive you got 360, G3.. where did you try first? I must say I haven't checked for holes about 280

[lismo]

I have the 2.0 revision board. No luck with getting harder.

@Kenetixx, maybe the bios picked up default values again and selected too agressive timings for your memory. rather check that out.