CFX3200 Boot Issue?

[VHaZeV]

I recently upgraded from an RDX200 to the CFX3200 (Praying that I wouldn’t have the issues that I had with the RDX200) and I noticed something rather unusual. The bios that comes with the board will successfully boot from a CD, however will not Overclock. The first attempt I made to Overclock was met with a corrupted windows partition (inc FSB + 5, lowered HT multi to 4, and lowered ram speed to 166, was going to attempt to find max speed of CPU) So after a reformat I upgraded bios (4/25/06) and managed to get everything up over the weekend. However I went to reformat after all the OC’ing and found that the CD will not boot with the latest bios. I have tried 3 individual CD-Rom’s, 2 CD’s and it will not boot from ANY CD (CD boot begins, however will toss an “unknown error booting from CD/DVD drive” or other such strange errors.

 

I downgraded the bios back to first release and like magic everything boots fine, just as a test I upgraded the bios to the 4-25 revision again and same error occurred.

 

Anyone know of a tweak that will resolve this?

[Angry_Games]

if a particular bios doesn't work for you, and yet a different one does, then use the one that allows your system to work properly (boot)

[VHaZeV]

Problem with the first release is that anytime I touch anything in the bios (Drop a multiplier, increase FSB, etc) when I “Save and Exit” the system hangs. after a reboot windows will no longer boot due to some ntdll being corrupt (guessing it does something to the raid). However if I install using stock bios and upgrade to the latest bios I can overclock without any problems (Amazing board for overclocking, got the CPU up to 2.7ghz / 1200HT and stable in prime 95 for over 12 hours) I just don’t like the concept that if I want to reformat I have to flash the bios and reflash the bios.

[learners permit]

That is very odd indeed.

[Angry_Games]

you should also try without all 4 DIMM slots populated

[VHaZeV]

Pulled 3 sticks out, still no CD boot. I borrowed a friends copy of XP and tried it as well, same thing.

[Angry_Games]

try a different optical drive

 

try a different IDE cable

 

try a different IDE port

 

try without anything else but a vid card, stick of RAM, cpu, and optical drive plugged in (and repeat the first 3 above during this minimal boot)

 

try a different bios (5/23 is latest beta)

[JetSter735180]

Problem with the first release is that anytime I touch anything in the bios (Drop a multiplier, increase FSB, etc) when I “Save and Exit” the system hangs. after a reboot windows will no longer boot due to some ntdll being corrupt (guessing it does something to the raid). However if I install using stock bios and upgrade to the latest bios I can overclock without any problems (Amazing board for overclocking, got the CPU up to 2.7ghz / 1200HT and stable in prime 95 for over 12 hours) I just don’t like the concept that if I want to reformat I have to flash the bios and reflash the bios.

 

Omg...I 'm having the exact same problem.

 

With the ne 519 bios, everytime I save and Exit....my systems hangs.......Yesterday night I re-installed 425, and had to do a re-format!

[raju]

You need to try killcmos and then run f_tester I think, OCZ Tony posted that in CFX3200-DR thread, do a search, you should be able to find both files easily. Flash bios according to RGone's sticky thread, and before you use bios to make any changes use a dos startup disk with both f_tester and killcmos saved to it. Run killcmos first, then upon reboot into dos run f_tester, if there's any bios corruption it will be cleared.

[JetSter735180]

You need to try killcmos and then run f_tester I think, OCZ Tony posted that in CFX3200-DR thread, do a search, you should be able to find both files easily. Flash bios according to RGone's sticky thread, and before you use bios to make any changes use a dos startup disk with both f_tester and killcmos saved to it. Run killcmos first, then upon reboot into dos run f_tester, if there's any bios corruption it will be cleared.

 

Ya, everytime I change the BIOS, i go throught that!

 

Anyway, i think I found the problem. I think there is a error with 425 BIOS and Voltage for the CPU. 2 weeks ago, I found out that I could run my CPU at same speed but with lower voltage, thought it was the related to me changing from Sil to ULi, but I now know that it was the BIOS.

 

That said, with the new BIOS, you can not use them same setting for voltage, you have to increase it. I am now running at same volts i use too in my nF4 motherboard! And everything is booting find.

 

Thx

[VHaZeV]

Okay, I updated my bios to the latest beta on DFI’s site (06/05/23) and attempted to boot x64 xp with success. So apparently it was something to do with the 425 bios. As far as system crashes and reformats go after changing the bios I haven’t had that with anything except the stock bios, however I also discovered that if you change the bios, then change the bios again before fully booting the MB (getting to the CMOS Backup.. OK) it will freeze on save and exit even if you change what you just changed back (something you know works). So try changing the bios settings, save and exit, letting the system boot, then changing the bios again you should not have that problem (Or it solved it for me). I also don’t use Num Lock to type in FSB / etc. Once I got past the “Bios Freezing problems” the board overclocked very nicely with phenomenal results.

As it stands this problem is resolved (with my system) on the 5/23 bios (Thanks for the info Happy_Games)

 

PS : x64 ran without any problems and i have everything working after doing a little driver searching.

[learners permit]

There is an option to disable that function in bios.