Strange

Running XP PRO , my chip is an amd 3000+ but device manager(mangler) tells me it's a 1700+ then a reboot brings it back to a 3000+. Ever heard of this ? If so whats the cure. Cleaned fan today, only new toy added has been a ati radeon 1600 graphics card, I have a 400 watt psu so power should be good.
Ran a couple of AMD utilities they all read cpu fine. Virus/spyware scan all clean. Any ideas ?

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Comments

panik

Have you tried flashing the Motherboard's BIOS yet?

It would be worth checking the MB manufacturers website to see if there is any info about this issue there.

What motherboard do you have, Make/Model?

Also checking the documentation for the MB, to make sure all of the settings are correct for the CPU.

Plantwiz

It's going to be more helpful to us here is we knew the Mobo Model, but there are some boards that will revert to a 'safe' clock speed when there is an error.

So, check your bios to see if they didn't reset to the 'safe' level as well as checking to confirm they are not manually set to that speed.

oldtech

The board is an ASROCK K7S8X / amibios version p2.60
Thats the latest bios version available, the pc is now reading 1700 all the time, even the AMD utilities say that !

cpu resets to a "safe speed", thats sound likely
I will lift the hood later and check everything but I haven't changed any jumpers. I can only think that its the new graphics card, it requires a .8 voltage AGP slot where as mine is 3.3v but I checked with the supplier before buying (crucial.com) and they said they where compatable.
I could always put the old card back in and see if that makes a difference.
Thanks for your help.

Sie

Not using AMD Cool & Quiet Technology is it?

This reduces clock speed when not needed in order to reduce heat and power comsumption.

I would replace AGP card and test. Using a 8V card in a 3.3V slot to me sounds a little odd.

Atleast it wasnt the other way around!

[EDIT - Whats the BIOS report the CPU at? ]

oldtech

So pc now reading as a 3000 + again. The AGP port is actually a 1.5 volt not 3.3 as I said before. As it is an old board there are no more updates availible Lan/agp/pci bridge etc. Swapped graphics card back to an old one which made no difference, so back to my newer card.
The only thing that appearsto make a difference is turning the power supply off after closing down. The board is an ATX form factor with soft power off but when I hit the rocker switch and completely kill the power pc always starts as a 3000+. When it did show as a 1700+ it was at bios level and windows picked that up in device manager. so logically power supply on the way out ? I do have an old 300 watt psu so I will change that at the weekend and run it for a couple of days.
I think the chip/board is too old to support " cool and quiet" technology.
I'm kewl but the pc is not quiet !

Plantwiz

Could be the PS. Some how there sounds like slight charge held and causing the board to default to a safe level on next full power up.

What PS are you currently using?

bighornsheep

Sounds like your CMOS battery is running out. It's not storing the chipset information (ie. multiplier) so it's always resetting to something else.

Replace the battery, or keep your power supply on and that should fix the problem.

Plantwiz

bighornsheep wrote:

Sounds like your CMOS battery is running out. It's not storing the chipset information (ie. multiplier) so it's always resetting to something else.

Replace the battery, or keep your power supply on and that should fix the problem.

Could be the battery, but we had a spell with some cheap PS that had a similar result.

bighornsheep

The other thing I was going to say was that it could be CPU temp. Try to set your own voltage for the CPU to something lower, most bios have OC protection, so it might be booting up, locking because of temperature from voltage, resetting, thus loads the safe level settings.

From you guys are very correct about the ps, I think if it has anything to do with the CPU temp, it's probably because of current instability from a bad power supply.

oldtech

I brought/installed a 500watt psu and the problem is now solved , just to let you know.