Stef2

No, not at all. I used the exact same settings (according to your CPU-Z screenshot), I managed to get hold of the RAM you used (1600MHz 8-8-8), by the time I up the FSB (BCLK?) to more than 169Mhz the system is unstable, and if I go to anything more than 178MHz it refuses to boot. The RAM can NEVER boot to anything more than 1200Mhz (and I've tried many types of RAM). Also what's the deal with "DOC overclocking" it seems to influence nothing, nothing at all, no matter the value I'd use on it it simply won't do anything (so I leave it disabled)... It seems that your board was *very* different than my own (and the one that some other reviewers-users did use), it's as if we talk for two different products...

Like I said in the PM, thanks for the bios file (yes! and it is the right one), however my system can't overclock still and I'm sure it's because ECS gave a different board to you guys and different to me. I've actually tried the exact same specs as in the review and it *still* wouldn't go to anything more than 169MHz.... It's a bit of a shame really

Thanks for the update... I'll wait patiently then.

I'm sure that bowtie has better/other things to do and I have to have the system up and running before week-end, so it's not as if I have too much time available either... anyhow I think I'll follow your advice, I'll wait a bit more. Thanks for all your help

Hi, since it takes time and I don't want to be too pressing may I ask whether it would be wise to (try to) flash the file linked some posts ago? I mean -I hope- there's no chance for my motherboard to hang up, right? Thanks.

Indeed -sadly- the ECS website only have the newer BIOS versions both of which lack support for (serious) overclocking... Unfortunately neither ECS herself were/was of much help either (I asked for their earlier bios but they didn't respond). So all I'm left is with you guys... I would *really* appreciate it if there is a way to post the bios... Thanks. edit: I've just downloaded the bios linked in this thread and I found out that the rom file is twice the size than the bios offered on ECS's websites (2048kb instead of 1024kb). I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad one, but I feel rather hesitant to try them out (I'm not too sure that my board would boot after that). I would had been much more comfortable if I were to have the extracted version, I'd guess...

Heh, it's OK I'd guess. Most of your recommendations are spot on and I'm glad that I've bough hardware in the past based on those. It merely seems to be the case that we found a bad apple here and I'm sure it's not your fault. As for the bios, thanks for the link but I'd prefer to wait a bit, hopefully ECS would answer... if not I think I'll take the risk to install the ones you linked. ...and yes I've tried a lower multiplier and still the results were the same. Wow, great to find that "golden" board in this thread... May I ask whether you were able to overclock well (I mean if you ever tried). Also would you be able to extract the bios from your board (as long as you have not updated of course). If you do I would be trully grateful (and if they are the right bios so will be the dozens who have this board) . You'd literally save my board if you are able to post the bios file...

...indeed you are right. I was hoping that you (maybe) have that board around and/or if it is possible for you to send to me that (first batch) of the bios. From what I've read the limitation is due to QPI overclocking (QPI gets way too high for the mobo to handle it and there's no way to lower its multiplier). I use the latest official bios and the only one that I can find in ECS's site is the version which was *exactly* prior to that. I used them as well and the best I could reach was 170FSB (no matter what, no matter how high would I set the vcore, you did reach 205MHz IIRC)... Maybe it is indeed the case that ECS *removed* the ability from this board to overclock by a serious amount in her latest bios so I would really appreciate it if you were able to give me the version that you used. ...unfortunately 1156 mobos with CF support (like the one above) are hard to come by these days, for some reason. edit: the official ECS video showing that the board can clearly reach more than 200 FSB (in that case it's 220MHz), which leads me to believe that it is a bios issue. The only way I can think around this is to request the right (overclocking) bios from ECS or if you can (somehow) pull it from you mobo (if you still have it around). I did request the bios version used on that video from ECS but they were of no help thus far... it's a bit of a pity because part of the reason I had bought this board back in the day was your review...

First of all I have to say that I'm currently using 1333MHz RAM, so *that* may be my bottleneck; even though I clearly remember that I've tried this board with a 1600MHz memory module and I was still bottlenecked....anyhow, here are my settings (I'm using the latest official bios): I have left everything at default except from the ones I'm going to write in the following lines: Performance Level: Enhanced (even though Standard seems to be the same) CPU Overclocking Frequency: 167Mhz (that's the absolute max I can reach) Spread Spectrum: Disabled CPU Voltage: +0.13 (that's more than enough for 190-200FSB in any other board for my CPU) CPU VTT: +0.15 (again I seem to overdo it here, I use far less VTT in any other board) DIMM Voltage : +0.1 PCH Voltage: auto As you may see I use the standard settings (compared to any other board), yet I get 20% less performance. Performance that I would most possibly need for the CPU intensive programs I'd use... By the way thanks for the offer to help and again sorry for the necromancy performed in your boards (I know how it's not a good practice)...

Hi, sorry to ressurect this old (2-year-old actually) thread but you're literally the only guys on the Internet who managed to overclock this motherboard. Searching amongst my old boards I found this ECS and I decided to build a machine on it... Now I also have an i3-530 CPU which normally can reach 4.4Ghz if it was not for this mobo's limitation. So I wish to ask you if I may: how did you manage to reach 205Mhz at the FSB? Is there some special way to change the QPI multiplier? If it is some modded bios you have please -by all means- do PM it to me, I would really appreciate it. Again sorry for the ressurection perfomed -above, but I would really appreciate if I was able to put my ECS board in good use. Thanks for your time and attention.