Mobo / CPU / RAM Clock Too Slow

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martianX10

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Alright, where to start. . .

Let's start with my PC:

Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe Motherboard
AMD Athlon XP 3200+
Radeon 9600+ Pro 256mb
1024mb PC3200 RAM
512mb PC2700 RAM
Western Digital Caviar 120gb HDD (Boot)
Western Digital Caviar 250gb HDD (Storage)
Creative Sound Blaster Live! 24-Bit Sound Card
DVD and CD drives etc.
Windows XP SP2
550W Power Supply
And last but not least, proper cooling (CPU heatsink, 2 case fans, etc.)

Alright, now that thats out in the open, take a look at these:

asusprobe0yp.jpg

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
cpuz0pz.jpg


So? What could be causing these clocks speeds to be SO low? When I boot my computer, usually it has a message during POST saying "Memory is set to 100mhz Duel Channel Mode." I've tried every combination for the RAM - Using both (how it currently is), using just 1 (in all three DIMM slots), even a buddy's RAM.

So, is my problem moreso MEMORY related? Or is it more Motherboard related? Why does the 3200+ show up in all diagnostics as "Athlon XP" and not "Athlon XP 3200+"? Is my motherboard just a PoS (I didn't mention when I try to enter the bios it goes to a black screen with a blinking cursor, forever)?

I've posted about a similar problem before, but now that it is affecting my CPU as well (which is a fairly new CPU mind you), I thought I'd give it another go. Thanks so much!

-Suru
 
Check the PSU first. You may have a power supply issue. Swap it out with another (friends or whatever) and check the benchmarks. I would find the most current bios for your mobo and flash upgrade the bios if it has not yet been flash upgraded. Are you sure that is the CPU that is installed 3200+ (which is an athlon XP)? I would pull the heat sink and check theck the CPU model. I have a suspicion that it is a old bios issue. I had to update my Asus intel mobo to run at 800fsb. It was running 533 and very slow.
 
Power Supply is fine, just got a new one cause the old one blew out, and took my old Motherboard with it (Which is why I'm in this situation in the first place.)

CPU I know is a 3200+, plus, I know thats not a problem, because the CPU is brand new, and it did the same thing with my 2600+, which is what I had before Christmas.

I'll try updating Bios, which I have been trying for a month or so now. The damned update is so elusive for this motherboard, I can't find it anywhere, and the ones I do find, won't seem to install correctly. Thats probably just 'operator error' though.

EDIT: Is there a way to flash upgrade a BIOS WITHOUT using a floppy disk drive, as I do not have one currently installed in this PC.
 
http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us

Here is the bios update. You should flash it via the net not floppy.
Instructions are found on the left side of the webpage. Hopefully, someone who has more understanding of athon core speeds can help you. If I am not mistaken, The AMD clock feathers back at resting CPU and increases with load???? I shows the max at 3000mhz, which is correct for your processor.
 
Well to flash the BIOS, it says "For this version you MUST flash through DOS," and the instructions say to Flash through DOS, you need to use a FDD. Oh well I have one lying around here SOMEWHERE.

RicoDirenzo said:
"If I am not mistaken, The AMD clock feathers back at resting CPU and increases with load???? It shows the max at 3000mhz, which is correct for your processor."

A friend of mine has MY old 2600+ (I gave it to him when I got my 3200+) and his clocks at ~2.1ghz - 2.5ghz, so I KNOW that should be higher.
 
Alright well I rummaged up a Floppy Disk Drive, hooked it up, and downloaded the NEWEST Bios Revision from the Asus Website (Rev 1013). Installed it using AWDFlash. Update Successful, everyone is happy right? Wrong.

Automatically restarts the computer like normal, first thing I see is "Memory Is Set To 100Mhz Duel Channel Mode." *Sigh*, Hit 'Del' thinking my newly updated Bios is bound to work I can just go manually change the clock settings. What do ya know, even the NEW bios I JUST updated goes to a black screen with a blinking cursor. The end! Not even a glimpse of blue :(

Any ideas now?
 
Shoot the cmos in the head. Pull the battery off the mobo. Make sure the puter is not pluged into the wall or the power cord is pulled out of the PSU. Wait 2 minutes. Hitthe start button a few times to comepletely discharge the mobo and PSU. Put the battery back in and that will reset your cmos to the current bios defaults. Anything?

I just noticed that you have two different memory types. Take out the PC 2700 DDR 333 and that memory(the two sticks of PC 3200) should run 400mHz in dual channel.
 
Yeah those memory types are compatible, and as I said before:

A. I tried doing that already
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B. It has been stuck in 100mhz Mode since before I ever got the second stick. Just before it was 100mhz SINGLE Channel mode.

They are compatible together, but just not at 400mhz, they would be running at 166mhz.

I'll try resetting the CMOS in a little bit though, now I've been invited to some match of Enemy Territory :). Thanks again, get back ta ya soon with info.
 
Ok, reset the CMOS, fixed one problem, or so it seems.
Took out the battery, did the jumper thing, put back on etc. Turned on PC.

"Memory is running at 133mhz Duel Channel Mode."
This is now finally CORRECT.
-PC2700 can run at 100 or 133mhz
-PC3200 can run at 133, 166, or 200mhz (I beleive, maybe 400mhz as well)
-Matching for those two should be either 133 or 166 (Obviously 133)

NOW, my CPU clock is still stuck at 1100mhz, where it should be up in the 3000mhz range.

ALSO, after Updating Bios, AND after Resetting Mobo, neither time could I, and still I can't, get into my Bios. When I try it just goes to a black screen with a blinking cursor. . .no input, no change.

Any ideas? Please help!!!
 
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