Jump to content

Setting PCI Express Frequency


WilliamP

Recommended Posts

I have a GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P mobo and I am running an E8500 @3.8 and everything is fine. I have noticed that it is recommended that the PCI Express Frequency should never be left on Auto. Is this correct? If so why?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P mobo and I am running an E8500 @3.8 and everything is fine. I have noticed that it is recommended that the PCI Express Frequency should never be left on Auto. Is this correct? If so why?

 

I am not familiar with that board but in the olden days when you would change FSB, unless you specified the speed for the PCIE then it would rise with it. and it doesnt need to be oced so set it to 100. Just like when you change FSB, the memory speed increases.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have always thought and read that leaving it at 100MHz is the way to go and increasing it can cause instability? It's odd though that in can be increased in bios but I believe it is changed to benefit some graphics cards? Leaving it on auto, as far as I can see, would be the way to leave it, if it needs changing for a particular graphics card then it will take place "automatically"?

 

It is never advisable to change it as far as I am aware and is best left alone, even when overclocking?

 

You'll notice all the question marks so if anybody knows any different then please post.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have always thought and read that leaving it at 100MHz is the way to go and increasing it can cause instability? It's odd though that in can be increased in bios but I believe it is changed to benefit some graphics cards? Leaving it on auto, as far as I can see, would be the way to leave it, if it needs changing for a particular graphics card then it will take place "automatically"?

 

It is never advisable to change it as far as I am aware and is best left alone, even when overclocking?

 

You'll notice all the question marks so if anybody knows any different then please post.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

leaving/setting it to 100 is the way to go, increasing can cause instability or worse. It can have small benefits but are they worth the risk to your hardware...

 

Some BIOS leave or hide the feature, or give suggestions on it. Increasing it can give a performance boost but it can also harm other things. I am not sure if PCI clocks increase with the PCI Express clock rate as they did with AGP and PCI clocks. PCI usually runs at 33MHz , AGP at 66MHz, and PCIE is 100MHz (all multiples of 33) so increasing it may change the PCI speeds. I am a bit grainy though so I do not know if they reference each other as they did in AGP days but I wouldn't be suprised if they did.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

With the newer motherboards the FSB is not connected to the PCI-E frequency. You can take the FSB as high as you want to, and the PCI-E frequency will stay at 100MHz, which is the default setting.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know back in the day I had a couple of XFX 7900GTX's that ran solid and stable at 125mhz on both pci-express slots on an ASUS P5n32SLi with no issues for almost a year. BUT my next card after that, The 3870X2 at 102mhz on the same motherboard crashed like a drunk teenager in a sports car. Here not too long ago I burned up a XFX 4850 pushing the PCI Express above 115mhz on a 790fx motherboard. It only recognizes 512 of it's 1gb memory and runs at 4x flat out in a 16x slot. I'd say lock it in at 100mhz and leave it alone too. It's way too risky to mess with. The unpredictability factor is high.

Edited by Hedghawg71

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...