CPU Multiplier random reset.

[Alexraptor]

Greetings, i was directed here to get some assistance on an odd issue im having with my system.

General Specs:

Motherboard: ASUS Striker II Formula(latest bios revision)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 @ 3Ghz
RAM: OCZ Reaper 2x2GB, EPP 1066Mhz, 2.2v
Graphics: GeForce 9800GTX+
Sound: Creative X-Fi XtremeGamer
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

So my problem...
This morning when i turned on my system it failed to boot, with a 4-beep POST error, blank screen.
Pressed the reset button and it booted fine, but i noticed when i fired up CPU-Z that my processor frequency was 3.33GHz instead of 3GHz
My normal overclock is 3GHz with a 333MHz FSB with the multiplier set down to 9x
And now this morning for some reason the multiplier had reset itself to the default 10x of the CPU, but changed nothing else, so suddenly i have an extra 330MHz overclock, which my system is not set up for, so naturally things worked fine when i set it back to 9x.
I also had one other incident today when restarting and i could not get into the BIOS setup without the system freezing and once again there the multiplier was back at 10x and a 3.33ghz overclock.
When i turned off my computer and turned off the PSU and turned it back on again i was able to boot normally with the correct clock settings.

I am at a loss to figure out whats going on here.
Because my standard 333x9 3GHz overclock seems to be perfectly stable.
Memtest86+, benchmarks, Crysis CPU 2 test, Prime95 for 10h+, core temps, all check out perfectly, and i have had no strange behavior from the computer when its up and running.
No odd slow-downs, stutters, BSOD's, crashes of any sort or any strange behavior period.
The only problem that exists are these odd random occurences with the multiplier in the BIOS.

Extra overclock information...
FSB: 333MHz
CPU Multiplier: x9
Processor spread spectrum: Disabled
Set limit CPUID: Disabled
C1E: Disabled
Intel SpeedStep: Disabled
Execute Bit: Enabled
Virtualization tech: Enabled
Internal CPU Thermal Control: Enabled
VCore: 1.28125v
NB Voltage: 1.3v
SB Voltage: 1.5v


Anyone have any advice to offer on this problem?


Thanks.

[mgnstrong]

Do you overclock using an OS-loaded program, or do you actually modify your bios settings?

If it's OS loaded, your overclocker may have some sort of speed scaling settings, or power saving etc? Also sometimes computers will have power-saving settings or safety fall-backs programmed right into their CMOS, although I don't know why it would increase your multiplier...

(Also though i have no evidence to support this, 7 home isn't the greatest OS for overclocking and high performance computing in general)

[Alexraptor]

I modify the Bios settings directly.

[Aaron_8015]

Mobo battery dead?

[Alexraptor]

That was my thought as well as first, so i did put a fresh one in there.
But the second incident happened after i had changed the battery.

[nickslick74]

^^ That's what I was wondering. Would be kinda odd since it's a new board, but certainly possible.

[Alexraptor]

Btw on a side-note, would there be any adverse effects or danger of setting the NB Voltage to 1.4 on this motherboard?

[mgnstrong]

You're PROBABLY ok in bumping it up by one, but don't take my word as a guarantee.

That usually the way to do it though, if you've overclocked your system and you notice alot of instability, trying bumping the voltage up in small increments. So if your processor is running faster than normal, and you haven't already upped that number, you're probably ok going up by one.

[Alexraptor]

No instability, but just trying to rule things out.(though im not entirely sure if an Overclock instability would cause an issue like this)

[mgnstrong]

It could be, but again, I don't know why it would increase the multiplier.

[stroyal]

Probably not increasing, but going to a default setting.
That's why we were thinking battery.
BIOSs have fail safes, in case of overclock failures, any little hitch in the POST process might set it off.

[mgnstrong]

yeah but why would he have the multiplier turned down if he was overclocking?

[stroyal]

yeah but why would he have the multiplier turned down if he was overclocking?

Because he raised the front side bus.
That processor will only down clock the multiplyer, from default.

[mgnstrong]

Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 and E6700 Overclocking - TechSpot

according to this dude, you should be able to get er up to 3.6 without lowering the multiplier.


(im not saying you're wrong royal, i know thats what he was doing, this is just for the benefit of OP)

[Alexraptor]

Not all E6700's are superb overclockers, all depends on the quality of the chip.
Further update, it seems its indeed resetting the multiplier to factory settings.
When i booted up this morning the BIOS screenstarted artifacting and froze just when it was about to initialize the harddrives.(this is after POST)
Basicly the text that followed turned into blocks of white and black instead of text.
However, pushing the "reset" button and booting up worked just fine.

Now i'm trying to figure out if the problem lies with my overclock, or if some other part of the computer is not behaving itself.
Because if its the overclock it seems rather odd that the computer would practically only fail to boot in the morning and not for the rest of the day even with it off and on several times? Or?

[mgnstrong]

Why dont you try bumping up the voltage just a tad, see if that stops it.

[RacerX]

try moving the ram sticks to the other 2 slots.
a bad memory controller can cause it to hang at the post screen before initializing the drives, and also cause the odd blocks instead of text, plus it can cause a system to hang and reset to defaults, which would include putting you back to the stock multiplier.

[Alexraptor]

Actually its after POST, when the BIOS itself starts loading the drives.
But i believe the memory controllers are fine.
I reset all the settings to default and it booted without incident this morning, breaking the pattern.
So next i think i will indeed attempt the overclock again, but with a nudge to the Vcore.