[Testing MSI X79A-GD65 (8D)]

Additionally, even when using the automated factory OC Genie II button, it ALSO gets stuck at 12 x 100 or 1200MHz, and the temperature setting is incorrectly seeing 91 degrees celsius (this is not correct at all).

[Testing MSI X79A-GD65 (8D)]

Really, do something with temperature first. Because 3930K enabling throttling from 86С. And did you flash BIOS with latest Intel ME through DOS mode?

 

 

Hi Massman and Steelrat. If I leave the motherboard and cpu overclock settings at stock (leaving everything at default) -- the temperature sensors sees the temperatures normally (30 degrees celsius stock, and maybe 53 degrees at full load with Prime95 and say a Thermaltake Frio Advanced heatsink).

 

It's only when I change either the cpu core ratio multiplier (above 38), or the individual core turbo ratio, that it gets stuck at 12x or x12 multiplier, and also the temperatures go to 91 degrees (this can't be correct -- please see previous screenshot -- the cpu is not even going above 0.88 volts at 12 x 100 or 1200MHz). I was curious how Massman got around the 12x limit. I've never been able to successful overclock the cpu with anything. I'm tempted to return and just go with one of the Asus boards. I have a 2600K with a Asus P8P67 Deluxe and pushed that to 4.5GHz on air with no problems.

 

 

I've also tried 1.3 firmware, and it gives the exact same problem when trying to change the cpu core ratio multiplier -- 12 x 100, that's it!

[Testing MSI X79A-GD65 (8D)]

One last thing. The current BIOSes have this annoying issue that whenever the board doesn't like any of your settings, be it temperature, bclk, voltage or anything else, it'll lock itself in x12 CPU ratio. I tested this board with ln2 and anything below +15°C caused the x12 ratio trigger. The workaround is rather easy though:

 

1) go in bios

2) set all the ratios/voltages/frequencies you want to run at

3) check if temperature is above 15°C

4) save and exit

5) the board will now do a hard reboot (shutdown and power up)

6) go back in the bios

7) drop temperature

8) exit without saving the settings

9) boot in os

 

As long as you don't have the board shut down (by changing a bios setting or hard crash), the x12 bug will not occur. Once you do have a hard crash, you're royally screwed though!

 

In general, I'm quite okay with this board. Although there are several obvious issues, this board is actually behaving much more logically than MSI boards did in the past (who can remember P45 series!!). Also, all the issues I've come across behave on a consistent basis and seem very 'easy' to fix. With the PLL override trick this board could actually do more than the other boards I've tried so far (I didn't test the R4E yet!), so ... yup, seems to be okay.

 

Expecting BIOS updates to make the life of the OCer more easy!

 

Hi Massman, forgot to add screenshot of x12 cpu ratio bug with all the firmware versions I've tested (1.0, 1.1b18, 1.2, 1.3) and a 3930K retail.

 

It appears that when I change the "global" cpu ratio, or the per core turbo ratio to any multiplier, and inside Windows 7, the temperature sensors detect the temps of all of the cpu cores at 91 degrees celsius. So I guess it never goes above 12 x 100 or 1200MHz. Please see screenshot at the url below with the Coretemp readings, and even with cpu-z, where it

shows the cpu at 1200MHz, and also only using 0.88volts of power.

 

See full high resolution screenshot image here

http://www.twitpic.com/7ighyk/full

[Testing MSI X79A-GD65 (8D)]

One last thing. The current BIOSes have this annoying issue that whenever the board doesn't like any of your settings, be it temperature, bclk, voltage or anything else, it'll lock itself in x12 CPU ratio. I tested this board with ln2 and anything below +15°C caused the x12 ratio trigger. The workaround is rather easy though:

 

1) go in bios

2) set all the ratios/voltages/frequencies you want to run at

3) check if temperature is above 15°C

4) save and exit

5) the board will now do a hard reboot (shutdown and power up)

6) go back in the bios

7) drop temperature

8) exit without saving the settings

9) boot in os

 

As long as you don't have the board shut down (by changing a bios setting or hard crash), the x12 bug will not occur. Once you do have a hard crash, you're royally screwed though!

 

In general, I'm quite okay with this board. Although there are several obvious issues, this board is actually behaving much more logically than MSI boards did in the past (who can remember P45 series!!). Also, all the issues I've come across behave on a consistent basis and seem very 'easy' to fix. With the PLL override trick this board could actually do more than the other boards I've tried so far (I didn't test the R4E yet!), so ... yup, seems to be okay.

 

Expecting BIOS updates to make the life of the OCer more easy!

 

Hi Massman. I've tried firmware 1.0, 1.1b18, 1.2, and the new 1.3 version with the same issue of getting stuck at 12x whenever changing either the cpu ratio or the individual core turbo maximum ratio. At stock speeds with a 3930K, the motherboard works fine, and CPU does factory turbo from 3.5GHz to 3.8GHz. But whenever trying to select another cpu multiplier / ratio, it always stays at 12, or 1200 MHz (12 x 100).

 

I'm using a thermaltake Frio advanced, no LN2. Any trick to avoid this 12x max cpu mulitplier, regardless of cooling?