Phenom II 550 BE is bottleneck for GPU?

[sack_patrol]

I updated the BIOS when I bought the mobo, and there haven't been any more updates since then. Everything is up to date.

 

Do you think it could the NB? Maybe I should bump it to 2800?

Edited October 7, 2010 by ballist1x

[sack_patrol]

Okay, new development.

 

I remember that under XP I could unlock my CPU to a quad core, but I couldn't overclock it as a dual up to 4.0Ghz.

Now, with Windows 7, I can't unlock the quad, BUT I can overclock to 4.0Ghz. I'm not sure if it's stable, but the fact is that I can get into the OS, while with XP, it would just be an infinite post loop.

 

This I think is stupid because I'd much rather have the ability to have a quad core CPU, and be maxed out at 3.9Ghz as a dual, rather than not be able to have quad, and have 0.1Ghz extra as dual....

 

What am I missing?

[IVIYTH0S]

That's really strange that the OS has it OC'n different

so even with stock clocks and raised voltage it wont boot as a quad, what about a triple core??

[sack_patrol]

That's really strange that the OS has it OC'n different

so even with stock clocks and raised voltage it wont boot as a quad, what about a triple core??

Tried triple as well, and it didn't work.

 

I tried a whole bunch of different stuff and non of them seem to change anything. In fact they make it worse, instead of booting up to the point where I can move the cursor on the black scree, it can't even post so I've been clearing the CMOS after almost every try.

 

EDIT: lol, silly me. It seems that there was a BIOS update which I had downloaded to my PC, but never actually flashed it. I guess I'll do that right now but it probably won't have a big impact since all it does is add the ability to set a CPU to triple core (which I was able to do without this update), and the other update from what i understand is that it hides the CPU-NB option if the CPU isn't a black edition.

Edited October 8, 2010 by ballist1x

[IVIYTH0S]

Tried triple as well, and it didn't work.

I tried a whole bunch of different stuff and non of them seem to change anything. In fact they make it worse, instead of booting up to the point where I can move the cursor on the black scree, it can't even post so I've been clearing the CMOS after almost every try.

EDIT: lol, silly me. It seems that there was a BIOS update which I had downloaded to my PC, but never actually flashed it. I guess I'll do that right now but it probably won't have a big impact since all it does is add the ability to set a CPU to triple core (which I was able to do without this update), and the other update from what i understand is that it hides the CPU-NB option if the CPU isn't a black edition.

you cant update with a flash drive?? That's the preferred method

[sack_patrol]

you cant update with a flash drive?? That's the preferred method

Nvm, I was able to flash it using a USB drive. And also, it seems that changing from a dual to a triple core is much easier and much more clearly shown in the BIOS. Plus, it boots into Windows. Right now I'm running a triple core 550 BC at 3.6Ghz. I haven't yet set a good voltage n stuff. I'll do that later. First I wanna try for a quad core and see if that works too.

 

Also, I can confirm that after unlocking the CPU's extra cores, the temp sensors are disabled so I have no way to check temp through the OS and i think isn't shown in the BIOS either.

 

EDIT: okay...I don't know how to change it to a quad core now...it only shows the triple core options in the family option. The choices are either Auto, Cores (0,1,3) or Cores (0,1,2).

 

Another thing I noticed while I was with the triple core CPU was that whenever I play a song or any kind of sound, there is some kind of sound that appears. It's not distortion, it's more like a little pop as if you were hitting a beer bottle with a small metal object.

Edited October 8, 2010 by ballist1x

[IVIYTH0S]

Nvm, I was able to flash it using a USB drive. And also, it seems that changing from a dual to a triple core is much easier and much more clearly shown in the BIOS. Plus, it boots into Windows. Right now I'm running a triple core 550 BC at 3.6Ghz. I haven't yet set a good voltage n stuff. I'll do that later. First I wanna try for a quad core and see if that works too.

 

Also, I can confirm that after unlocking the CPU's extra cores, the temp sensors are disabled so I have no way to check temp through the OS and i think isn't shown in the BIOS either.

 

EDIT: okay...I don't know how to change it to a quad core now...it only shows the triple core options in the family option. The choices are either Auto, Cores (0,1,3) or Cores (0,1,2).

 

Another thing I noticed while I was with the triple core CPU was that whenever I play a song or any kind of sound, there is some kind of sound that appears. It's not distortion, it's more like a little pop as if you were hitting a beer bottle with a small metal object.

Pop from where??

And post a screen shot of HWMonitor all the way open

[sack_patrol]

Pop from where??

And post a screen shot of HWMonitor all the way open

pop from the headphones whenever I start the music or whatever, it starts along with it.

 

I don't think theres anything of any significance in HWmonitor. Right now I'm back to a 3.6Ghz overclock which is only raising the multiplier and everything else is at stock.

 

EDIT: when i try different options in the ACC like Auto, All cores, Per core, sometimes it will just go to the black screen + cursor, other times it will show the Welcome screen, but the graphics will be corrupt. I changed the GPU with my old 4870 to see if by any chance it wasn't gpu related, but I got the same result.

 

It can't be anything else but the OS.

Edited October 8, 2010 by ballist1x

[mattyamdfanboi]

lol @ battlestation

 

its really weird how u unlocked it before and now u cant.. really though.. it has nothing to do with os coz its done in the bios... if u did it then.. u should be able to now.. and the options have changed from 4 cores to 3 cores..?? thats even fkn weirder

[sack_patrol]

lol @ battlestation

 

its really weird how u unlocked it before and now u cant.. really though.. it has nothing to do with os coz its done in the bios... if u did it then.. u should be able to now.. and the options have changed from 4 cores to 3 cores..?? thats even fkn weirder

You probably have a different board so it's normal that you could and I can't.

 

As for the core option, before the BIOS update, in the AMD Family option, I'd have a choice of Auto, Single Core, Dual Core, Triple Core and Quad Core. Now after the update, it's Auto, Tripe (0,1,3) and Triple (0,1,2). If I want a quad core, I have to leave it at Auto and do some other bs with the ACC. Although I like DFI and their exotic boards, sometimes can't help but think how much things they fail at. -_-'

[IVIYTH0S]

Why does everything say trial, use the regular HWMonitor, what use is the pro edition if it wont tell you half the stuff....I'll show you how you can tell.

The first one is my CPU, second is motherboard

 

 

BTW if you're wondering why my temps are so high, it's because I'm folding

[sack_patrol]

lol I kinda figured this stuff out yesterday when I compared the temps with those in Everest. You'll notice in my screen shot that I've renamed the TMPIN0,1,2 to whatever they co-respond, but thanks anyway.

I just want to ask, are those Core Temps that show 0C (32F) correct? I can't remember if mine showed anything, but if it did, and the temps in fahrenheit are correct, then if I unlock the cores, I might have a way to monitor the temps.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think I'll get a quad core. It's really stupid. Plus, I don't know if this is a common problem with Windows 7 users that own a 550 BE and want to unlock it, or if it's only me.