ASUS P4C800 CPU speed off?

[xenu25]

hi
I have a P4C800 Gold M/B with a Pentium Prescott 3.2 gHz CPU. BIOS on boot up will only show 2.8Ghz?
I downloaded latest BIOS version 1017 it came with Ver 1013. Flashed OK but still no change. Can force it to run at 3.2Ghz my typing in 229 speed in the CPU ex Frequency in Advanced optionsCMOS. However I also use DDR400 PC3200 512Mb memory sticks 2 off and they will only run at 266Mhz in the DRAM frequency section of the same menu. Auto select seems to stick me at 2.8Ghz. I contacted ASUS support UK but they were too unhelpful for me to waste your life with the story suffice to say they basically said go away and return the M/B. Great eh?
Any and all help welcome on this annoying problem!
thanks

 

[Nubius]

I contacted ASUS support UK but they were too unhelpful for me to waste your life with the story suffice to say they basically said go away and return the M/B. Great eh?

Yup...this is why I don't choose ASUS anymore...their tech support is horrible, I got about the same when contacting ASUS and I got a horribly pieced together english sentence from some guy in taiwan who was 'tech support' all he could say is 'BUY NEW CARD!' cause my graphics card wouldn't work in it...losers....

It's not uncommon for you to have to change your FSB to the correct speed when buying a new motherboard however. I have an AMD 2400+ XP and by default it's 15x133 but the motherboard defaulted at 100 so it was saying I had a 1.5GHz 1800+ XP chip until I changed it to what it's supposed to be.

I don't know anything about intel though. Do you know what the default multi and frequency is supposed to be? Cause if it's 3.2GHz and you want to run it at the speed to get a 1:1 with your RAM then you'd need to have your clock frequency set at 200 and your multiplier set at 16...that'll give you 3.2GHz and give you a 1:1 ratio with your PC3200-400MHz (2x200) RAM.....if it's only running at 266.......then it's running at PC2100 speeds for whatever reason. Find out what the default of your chip is supposed to be and change it appropriately in the BIOS....then it should recognize the RAM after you get the CPU straightened out

 

[xenu25]

thanks but I have no idea where the "multiplier" is in my CMOS?
I asume the "FSB" is the section entitled CPU external Frequency?
This defaults to 200Mhz and shows the CPU as a 2.8GHz, setting it to 229 shows the CPU on boot up as a 3.2Gig. I think it should be sorted out on AUTO though. I have spoken to ASUS support in the USA as the phone call via One tel (3p a min to USA) is cheaper than the 0870 rate to ASUS UK and besides if I speak to the cretin who is emailing such rubbish to me I may end up in court.
Overall I find the M/B is a quality product and is blisteringly fast in XP professional and never hangs etc etc but this niggling little problem needs to be sorted.
As to the RAM if I set that to the 400 speed option the system wont boot. It auto selcts 266 and that is that. I need more info on that problem as well.

 

[Nubius]

the Multiplier generally is right below the clock frequency which you say You've set to 229...so I'm gonna guess your default multiplier is 14 then...obviously if you're only getting 2.8 with it set at 200 then 14x200 = 2,800 = 2.8GHz that's why when you set it to 229 you get 14x229=3,207 = 3.2GHz Now as for why your PC3200 ram is only wanting to run at PC2100 speeds...well that is pretty strange and should not be occuring whatsoever =/ I would still like to know what the default Multiplier and Clockspeed SHOULD be so you need to look that up and then you'll definitely know what your computer should be at....I would suspect the reason your computer won't boot with the RAM set at 400 is because you have your CPU clock frequency set to 229 when the RAM is designed for it to be set at 200....

Like I said generally the multiplier should be the next option right below the clock frequency setting....if you can try changing it to this:

16x200 = 3.2GHz So change your multi from it's current 14 because there is no doubt in my mind that it's at that, simple mathematics will tell you that, so if you can find that multiplier change it to what I said above. THEN try and set your ram to 400 and see if everything works ok....remember like I said it's DDR (DOUBLE data rate) so when you look at the 200 in the 16x200 you have to DOUBLE that 200 which gives you the 400 for your ram you see? The next step down is processors that have 166 or (333FSB) which would be PC2700 ram and the one below that (which my default CPU is) is 15x133 (133x2=266) so my computer only has a 266FSB so thats only PC2100 RAM equivelant. Funny enough though it's set to AUTO and it overclocks my ram to 2x199=398, just 2 shy of the PC3200 Speed even on the PC2700 ram and with the CPU clock at 133.

Anyway before I ramble too much and get you confused:

Conclusion: You've got a default multiplier of 14...you need to find out where and if you can change this number. If you can change it to 16...but DO NOT JUST CHANGE IT TO 16 WITHOUT ALSO LOWERING THE CLOCK FREQUENCY...You DEFINITELY don't want to leave it at 229 AND change the multi to 16...so make SURE you don't do that. You want:

Clock Frequency: 200
Multi: 16

Should be something like that in the BIOS...then if that works out..then go back in and try the RAM setting at 400 or 'By SPD' and see if it'll auto adjust.

Still though to be honest, ASUS is slipping in quality, they aren't what they used to be =/ that's why I don't like them anymore

 

[Cappy]

youll be lucky to get up to 3.05 without system failure.Make sure you lock your PCI frequency .