K7S5A Pro Multiplier Problem

**implexant** · December 5th, 2003, 01:06 PM

Hi there,

I have friend who I built a computer for. Runs great as of now. Has a K7S5A Pro with a AMD Athlon 2800+. However, every once in a while (only happened twice) the multiplier (in the bios) will reset to 100/100 when it should stay at the 133/133 that I set it at when I built the computer. My K7S5A (non-pro) does the same thing, although just as rarely. I can fix the problem by going into the BIOS, and reset the multiplier back to 133/133. Everything works great from there on out. Of course if I left it at 100/100 Windows wouldn't boot because I installed Windows while it was set to 133/133.

The problem isn't THAT big of a deal, but I would like to figure out what is up with it. If any of you know what's up, please let me know!

TIA.

-Chris

**Peter M** · December 6th, 2003, 05:53 PM

That happens whenever the board wasn't able to boot up at 133/133. It then reverts to "Fail Safe" settings, which imply 100/100, and are not really suitable to boot an operating system - they're made to bring the machine back up so the user can sort the problem.

Typically, this happens when the power supply isn't really up to the task - which happens most frequently with high speed processors.

What is that 2800+ doing in there anyway? This is a 166 MHz bus CPU!

**darrelld** · December 6th, 2003, 06:22 PM

Same thing happens on my son's K7S5A with a 2000+. These boards must be crap. I've never seen this happen on any other board.

**implexant** · December 6th, 2003, 06:33 PM

Originally posted by Peter M
That happens whenever the board wasn't able to boot up at 133/133. It then reverts to "Fail Safe" settings, which imply 100/100, and are not really suitable to boot an operating system - they're made to bring the machine back up so the user can sort the problem.

Typically, this happens when the power supply isn't really up to the task - which happens most frequently with high speed processors.

What is that 2800+ doing in there anyway? This is a 166 MHz bus CPU!

Well I believe it was a 2800+.... I must be wrong. Honestly I forget what speed the chip was.

So basically this problem just exsists? No real remidy?

-Chris

**DallasDon** · December 6th, 2003, 06:56 PM

The board is what it is, a budget board. The bios will reset itself to default values, a failsafe measure to help prevent burning up components.

There is a huge amount of info out there for tweaking that board, if you decide the downside of frying components is minimal.

http://www.ocworkbench.com/2002/ecs/k7s5aguide/

http://pub140.ezboard.com/bk7s5amotherboardforum

**implexant** · December 6th, 2003, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by darrelld
Same thing happens on my son's K7S5A with a 2000+. These boards must be crap. I've never seen this happen on any other board.

I wouldn't say their crap, just a odd problem. Can't beat the price though

-Chris

**Peter M** · December 7th, 2003, 01:55 PM

With many many K7S5A, I've seen that problem just once. As I wrote above and as so many others have experienced too, it's a voltage problem during powerup. The combination of a fast processor with a crap powersupply is what triggers it.

The board is perfectly fine to detect the boot failure, revert to failsafe defaults and try again.

**implexant** · December 7th, 2003, 05:48 PM

the PSU is a Allied 450W. Don't think it could be the PSU...

-Chris

**Ming** · December 8th, 2003, 10:21 PM

I have had the same problems with a K7S5A ver 3.1. It generally loses its settings every few weeks to a month or so. The CPU is an XP1600, power supply is a 430 watt Enermax.

**Losin sux** · December 8th, 2003, 10:46 PM

With this board the amp rating of the voltage rails are pretty important. I am under the impression you need at least 20/3.3, 30/5 volt and 15 on the 12 volt. The 3.3 and 5 rails should have a combined output of at least 180 watts. I have heard of people using part of a business card under the arm that holds down the cmos battery too in an effort to ensure it is making the necessary contact in the socket.

**T. Morasca** · December 9th, 2003, 01:56 AM

I have the same mobo,and for the last few weeks whenever i turn on my pc in the morning, it fails to boot up right away.I have to turn the switch off on the back of the ps then turn it back on and hit the power button. I have to do this several times before it will boot up.The monitor fails to power up as well, the light fails to turn green. When it doesn't boot up, i noticed there is no beep (post) but when it finally boots up you hear one beep.

The pc ran fine for the first few weeks, but now i have this problem.The ps is not a cheepo unit nor is it top of the line either.
Looking at the rating i noticed it has only 150 watt (3.3 and 5 rail) and the amp rating is only 10a at the +12, which i hear can be a problem. I cleared the cmos but that did nothing. I should mention once the pc is running, it seems to run fine. Should i get a new ps, or is there something else wrong with it? Any help would be appriciated. The ps is a 250 watt unit.