New MB,RAM, & Processor and now no load up?

[shamoo]

After my MB burnt out i needed lots of new stuff because my old MB was old and it didn't support the new sockets, so i bought the following:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz 1333FSB Socket 775 L2 4MB cache OEM Processor.

Corsair 4Gb (2x2GB) DDR2 1066MHz/PC2-8500 XMS2 Memory CL5 (5-6-6-18) 2.1V

ASROCK P43DE P43 Socket 775 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard

i installed it all (by this i mean pluged it all into the MB) but nothing loads up, i'm not sure on what to do next? can one help?

[von_Runkel]

Remove everything except CPU and memory. No HD, no graphics card, no PCI cards should be connected. Connect the PSU, the internal speaker and the power on switch.

Can you hear any beeps from the PC speaker when powered on? If you can , look in the MB manual for "beep-codes" to figure out what's wrong. If the code says "No VGA" (or similar), insert the graphics card and keep on trying until you find the source of the error.

If there are no beeps at all from the speaker check:

PSU connectors (both connected?, PSU healthy?)
CPU monting issues
memory (try with only one module installed)
Short circuit to ground by mis-fitting MB screws

[burfadel]

The memory is 2.1V, the DDR2 standard voltage is 1.8V. Although its not so much of an issue anymore it is possible your RAM isn't compatible with your mb. TYpically though, the DDR2-1066 RAM should default back to DDR2-800 and 1.8V, and you have to set DDR2-1066 and 2.1V yourself. Just to note, there are a lot of people who have DDR2-1066 RAM or higher that is running them at 800Mhz simply because they don't know any better!

By nothing loads up, what do you mean? does it turn on at all (power up)?

[BigDid]

Hi,

I took a look at your MB.
Good news for BIOS, all seems to accept 45nm CPU which could have been a problem with an older MB delivered with a BIOS for 65nm CPU.
SO if not the BIOS, one of the DRAM may be the culprit. I had a failure on a twin 2*1GB Corsair.
Anyhow, following Von-Runkel how-to review should lead you to the culprit. Let us know if any luck.

Did

[shamoo]

The memory is 2.1V, the DDR2 standard voltage is 1.8V. Although its not so much of an issue anymore it is possible your RAM isn't compatible with your mb. TYpically though, the DDR2-1066 RAM should default back to DDR2-800 and 1.8V, and you have to set DDR2-1066 and 2.1V yourself. Just to note, there are a lot of people who have DDR2-1066 RAM or higher that is running them at 800Mhz simply because they don't know any better!

By nothing loads up, what do you mean? does it turn on at all (power up)?


yeah it powers up but nothing loads.

[Guest]

Any post codes? Do you get anything at all on the video?

You have to be more specific about what is happening. "Nothing loads" is just silly.

[shamoo]

i'm not sure whats happening now?

First it has no onboard graphics so i have to have the graphics card in, and i'm not sure how to plug in the pc speaker, the only "clips" i have left are spk-r, spk-L, mic-in, mic-bias, gnd, gnd #, is this the ones i need andwhere do they go?
Secondly when everything apart from the memory and graphics card is plugged in it powers up and then turns off, then powers up, it doesn't stop doing this,
What would be a better MB than what i got for about £60?

[shamoo]

Any post codes? Do you get anything at all on the video?

You have to be more specific about what is happening. "Nothing loads" is just silly.

When i mean nothing loads, its prety much that, everything powers up and the screen stays black, no writing at all comes on the screen.

[MfA]

Secondly when everything apart from the memory and graphics card is plugged in it powers up and then turns off, then powers up, it doesn't stop doing this
Did you try with a single memory module?
What would be a better MB than what i got for about £60?
The motherboard is fine when it works.

[shamoo]

[QUOTE=MfA;1316792]Did you try with a single memory module?

yeah i tried with either stick 1 at a time and then with both, i'm going to try it with a different processor,, i have such bad luck with computers..

[MfA]

I just bought a processor I had to RMA, but I tried it in multiple motherboards first to make sure :/

[Ghitulescu]

If you cannot force your MB to "talk", there are on eBay some Taiwanese made POST readers - it's a PCI card that reads the POST codes and displays it so you can have at least an idea of what's going on.

It is however strange that you can't make the MB work and hear no beeps. ARe you absolutely sure that your processor is OK?

[shamoo]

All is working now, thanks everyone for your help, basically it was the floppy drive that was stopping it loading up, so i just took it out. 2 things if any one could help me, i have:
Corsair 4Gb (2x2GB) DDR2 1066MHz/PC2-8500 XMS2 Memory CL5 (5-6-6-18) 2.1V
In the bios it comes up with 4gb but in control panel --> then system, it says it only has 2.93gb ram,, why is this?

and lastly how do i overclock it?

[MfA]

32 bit windows only supports up to 3 GB.

The multiplier on your CPU is rather low, so that limits the overclock ... that said :

Just turn down your memory speed in the bios to the lowest speed (you can try increasing it again later), disable spread spectrum and speedstep (you can enable the latter again later). Then use the windows overclocking tool to experiment. Generally you increase NB voltage, VTT voltage (I'd not set this one to highest) and core voltage (don't go too far over 1.4), decrease GTL ref (or not, this is fiddly) and then punch the FSB as high as it goes ... also google is your friend, search for forum threads about your motherboard and overclocking.

[Blue_MiSfit]

If you want to utilize all that RAM, upgrade to a 64 bit OS - like Windows 7 x64 :)

I'd do overclocking in the BIOS, personally.

I usually try for 33mhz FSB increments. So, since your CPU uses a native FSB of 333 MHz, I'd try 366MHz next, which would give you 2.56 GHz CPU speed (366*7). Make sure your RAM speed doesn't exceed its spec, and that the timings and voltages are correct. Sometimes motherboards don't correctly choose these based on the SPD. As MfA suggested, raise core voltages and NB voltages a bit. If 366 is kosher (and it surely will be), try 400.

I usually test using prime95 in Windows, and monitor temps using CoreTemp. My rule of thumb is to keep things under 70c at load. Keep in mind your GPU adds a lot of heat if you're using it too! So, for real stress testing I like to use FurMark to load the GPU to 100%.

If you can complete an overnight prime95 + furmark run without getting too hot or having any prime95 errors, you're good to go! Try lowering core voltages to reduce heat, and try again. Once it fails, back up a bit and you're stable.

My G0 Q6600 does 3.3 GHz (almost 40% improvement) with a Scythe Ninja cooler.

~MiSfit

[burfadel]

Try a 400 FSB, and make sure the memory sits back at 1066 and set the voltage manually for RAM to 2.1V. With the stock CPU fan and case fans I wouldn't go any higher than that. Also consider the temperature of the room where your computer is. If your temperatures are fine at 20C (68F), doesn't mean they'll be ok at 30C (86F). Other temperatures usually overlooked when overclocking are the chipset temp, hard drive temp, graphics temp, memory temp, all of which are important to keep cool. If you have a small case or a case with bad airflow, no point having a nicely overclock CPU that stays cool but have the chipset and CPU temps radiating inside the case such that the HDD get hot - heat kill HDD's! HDD's are less tolerable to changes in temp as they are a precision device. The outside of a 7200rpm disk travels at approximately 120 kph (just over 74.5 mph), just to keep that in mind.

If you don't mind having issues with hardware in a year or two's time, then feel free to overclock like others have on the net! otherwise, restrict yourself to the 400-410 range. Remember there is NO such thing as a 'safe' overclock, but the 400mhz fsb thing is as close as you can get to one.

A CPU is like a car, consider the standard speed as 100 kph (~62mph), sure your car can go 160kph (99 mph), but doing so will mean despite the short travel time (running the CPU flat out to complete a task), you will do much more overall wear to the car doing so. The faster you try to push the car about 160kph, the harder it is to go faster and the more wear per distance travel you induce. Your car may be fine doing that after 5 hours (running prime for example), but you only need a few more degrees in temperature and you may blow a tyre (say, the hdd's because they couldn't stand the added heat).

In other words, be realistic about your overclocks and in terms of going faster avoid much of the information out there, unless you don't mind the extra wear or the increase risk of blowing your engine (CPU overheating) or overheating and damaging your Auto transmission (chipset).

Whats common advice isn't necessarily the best. How many of you know that you should get your automatic transmission service (and fluid replaced) every couple of years, or the power steering after say 5 years, or the brake (and clutch if applicable) after ever 2 to 3 years, and the radiator coolant/antifreeze/anticorrosion (if you use a proper one in the correct concentration) every 2 or 3 years (4 for a good one). These things aren't done at a standard service, and are often overlooked until you have a problem.

The same goes for overclocking, its the CPU that is the thing thats always checked, with disregards to the heat affect on other components.

Also keep in mind this. Your FSB is 333, so if you use a fsb of 405 (about the 'safe' limit), thats almost a 22 percent overclock (runs at 2.85GHZ). Now 440 sounds attractive over 405, but 440 is a lot more risky. A FSB of 440 would mean only a 10 percent gain over 405FSB!

So consider encoding at 21fps on a 'safe' 405fsb would equal in the best of worlds a speed of 23.1 on a 440fsb, its not really a jump thats worth the potential damange to your computer.

[shamoo]

thanks for the advice burfadel, you do make sense, here is where i am, i know absolutely nothing about O/C, if you could guide me that would be great, first off at standard all my temps are at about 30c, the GPU is at 40c, i want my system to handle blu-ray ripping and gaming with "ease"..
If i tell you what i have on my O/C menu maybe that will make it easier?

Overclocking tab
CPU frequency (is that what u mean by FSB??) this = 333
CPU ratio = 6
PCIE frequency = 100

Voltage tab
CPU = 1.237
Dram = 1.79
NB = 1.12
VTT = 1.22
PLL = 1.52
GTRLRef = 0.65

currently my speeds are:
CPU = 2000mhz
PCIE = 100mhz

i have in my pc:
geforce 9600gt
core 2 quad 2.33
4gb ram DDR2 1066MHz

from what i gathered change my cpu frequency (FSB?) to 400, change my ram voltage to 2.1 (is this what it displays as DRAM?) is that it?
cheers for your help..

[MfA]

No need to increase your DRAM voltage, you aren't going to be overclocking it.

Try this :
Strap FSB to MCH : 400 (this should ensure your bios uses the right DRAM timings when you overclock the FSB to 400)
DRAM frequency : 333MHz (DDR2 667)
CPU : 1.3 volt
CPU frequency : 400 MHz

PS. of course, set overclocking to manual, disable spread spectrum and disable speedstep.

[burfadel]

Setting the DRAM frequency to 2.1V was due to the following description:

Corsair 4Gb (2x2GB) DDR2 1066MHz/PC2-8500 XMS2 Memory CL5 (5-6-6-18) 2.1V

That RAM is designed to run at DDR2-1066 at 2.1V, which is why I suggested setting it manually to 2.1V. The DDR2 standard is 1.8V DDR2-800, which is what RAM will often default to despite its faster speed. Your motherboard and chipset are perfectly capable and in its design to run at DDR2-1066 @ 2.1V. Setting the FSB strap to 400 and DRAM frequency to 333 as written above doesn't really make much sense in terms of what he said about timings, and running your RAM at ddr2-667 will be slower than ddr2-1066 regardless of timings! A strap of 400 and DRAM Freq of 400 does make sense, but all this aside leave it on auto!

CPU frequency is the FSB, just a different term for it. The actual CPU speed will be your CPU Ratio x Cpu Frequency

I notice that you have your CPU ratio set to 6, manually setting it is generally a bad idea! Your CPU is a 2.33Ghz CPU, but you are currently underclocking it to 2.0Ghz due to the 6x multiplier (6*333=2000). Leave it on auto so it will automatically be 7 for you. This also means under idle in Windows it can automatically change back to 6 as part of the built in basic power saving features, it doesn't effect performance at all doing so.

Different motherboards and bioses are different in terms of overclocking features and ease, but there are rules that apply to every sensible overclocking scenario:
- Realistic overclocking (around 400-410 is ideal for 333)
- Don't touch CPU Ratio
- Don't touch CPU voltage if possible. The Core 2's overclock very well on stock voltage, and for your CPU I believe 1.3V is TOO HIGH!
- You aren't directly overclocking your DRAM, but you want to set it to DDR2-1066 (this will be slightly higher if you go say, 405FSB). For this, your RAM requires 2.1V... Its even in its description. Don't set it to 1.8V (its 800Mhz voltage), and certainly don't set it to DDR2-667. No offence to MFA
- Leave all other voltages as default/auto, the 400FSB (CPU freq) is 'safe' simply because it restrains requiring extra voltages above design of the components whilst still proving good performance that should be stable. As said above, 2.1V is the design voltage for your DRAM running at 1066, so doing so isn't overclocking it, just making use of its designed speed!

Thats pretty much all you really need to do, to recap:
- Set CPU ratio to Auto
- Set CPU Freq/FSB to 400
- Set DRAM speed to ddr2-1066, and DRAM voltage to 2.1V (as required by its design).

Fine tuning can be done by the other options available in your bios, but the name and features available vary between bioses, so its very hard to suggest without knowing the names of the other advanced features. These features can improve performance without further overclocking, but the most suitable settings depend on the particular motherboard, RAM, the combination of hardware components etc.

If you wish to play with DRAM timings, I don't suggest you do it in the bios. Reason for this is you can prevent your computer from booting, and in some cases if you don't have overclock protection on your computer you will need to turn off the power and remove the battery for a few seconds, something I'm sure you want to avoid! To get around this, go to:

http://tweakers.fr/

and download Memset. The beta version (currently 4.1b2) is fine to use, it doesn't add any new features (only compatibility) though so the release 4.0 should also fine to use. For those with AMD's or Core i7/i5, use CPU-Tweaker instead.

This programme allows you to change all the RAM settings available from the chipset, the only two I wouldn't recommend changing is the CAS latency (tCL) or the Command Rate (CR) at the bottom, since these two you cannot dynamically change anyway!

Note that every setting is 'faster' the lower you set it, including the 'performance level'. The only one to set higher is the 'Refresh period' tREF, which should be optimal set at 16383T (hopefully you can set it that high). If your computer doesn't like a setting, it will pretty much let you know straight away by freezing or BSOD, in which case a simple reboot is all that is required. Some settings you may be able to change quite a lot (such as tRFC), whilst others not at all. After successfully changing say, 3 settings, run your computer for a while (nothing that you mind using) such as a few programmes, games etc, and make sure they're stable. In most cases too tight of timings will be almost instantaneous failure, this suggestion is for that 'just in case' scenario.

Good luck!

[shamoo]

thanks again burfadel, i done what u said and left alone the dram timing, now its running at 2800mhz... thanks for your help everyone, case closed.. :helpful: