A7N8X-E Deluxe

[Rudy Kazuti]

Every once in a while on boot up I get the message 'system failed due to cpu
overclocking'. I'm not overclocked, Everything is running at auto. CPU speed
is right, 200. Multiplier is correct at 11. All voltages are normal. After
the message it boots right into Win 2000 Pro and everything is fine.
AMD 3200+ /400 fsb
PC3200/400 ram 512
120gig WD IDE Hdd

Rudy

 

[Paul]

Every once in a while on boot up I get the message 'system failed due to cpu
overclocking'. I'm not overclocked, Everything is running at auto. CPU speed
is right, 200. Multiplier is correct at 11. All voltages are normal. After
the message it boots right into Win 2000 Pro and everything is fine.
AMD 3200+ /400 fsb
PC3200/400 ram 512
120gig WD IDE Hdd

Rudy

I bet you are not "Prime95 clean". Get a copy of Prime95 from
mersenne.org and run the "torture test" option. I am willing to
bet you get rounding errors after 30 minutes or so.

On my system, the "system failed..." error messages stopped,
after I fixed my memory. You don't say it in your posting, but
I bet you are using CAS3 memory. I cured mine by buying some
Crucial Ballistix CAS2 memory, but any other PC3200 CAS2
memory is likely to work the same.

Another option, is to use a hacked "Command Rate 2T" BIOS
(otherwise know as Command Per Clock Disabled or CPC Off).
You can search over on nforcershq.com, for comments on CPC.

If you use a CPC Off BIOS, you will find operation at
FSB400/DDR400 becomes stable, but if you benchmark with
Sandra, your memory bandwidth will have dropped a bit as
a result.

The hacked BIOS is a "zero cost" option. I have experimented
with the "Trat" hacked BIOS, and had no problems flashing that
BIOS into the machine. If you pick up a hacked BIOS, make
sure to read some postings from people who have tested it
first. Purchasing a BIOS Savior from ioss.com.tw is
reasonably cheap insurance ($25 or so) against a flash
going bad.

If you choose to ignore the problem, you might occasionally
get a memory error, in which case the worst result could
be a corrupted registry. If you continue to run your system
in its current condition, make sure you are rigorous about
backing up your data.

HTH,
Paul

 

[aberger]

I bet you are not "Prime95 clean". Get a copy of Prime95 from
mersenne.org and run the "torture test" option. I am willing to
bet you get rounding errors after 30 minutes or so.

On my system, the "system failed..." error messages stopped,
after I fixed my memory. You don't say it in your posting, but
I bet you are using CAS3 memory. I cured mine by buying some
Crucial Ballistix CAS2 memory, but any other PC3200 CAS2
memory is likely to work the same.

Another option, is to use a hacked "Command Rate 2T" BIOS
(otherwise know as Command Per Clock Disabled or CPC Off).
You can search over on nforcershq.com, for comments on CPC.

If you use a CPC Off BIOS, you will find operation at
FSB400/DDR400 becomes stable, but if you benchmark with
Sandra, your memory bandwidth will have dropped a bit as
a result.

The hacked BIOS is a "zero cost" option. I have experimented
with the "Trat" hacked BIOS, and had no problems flashing that
BIOS into the machine. If you pick up a hacked BIOS, make
sure to read some postings from people who have tested it
first. Purchasing a BIOS Savior from ioss.com.tw is
reasonably cheap insurance ($25 or so) against a flash
going bad.

If you choose to ignore the problem, you might occasionally
get a memory error, in which case the worst result could
be a corrupted registry. If you continue to run your system
in its current condition, make sure you are rigorous about
backing up your data.

HTH,
Paul

Why can't he go into the BIOS and just set the CAS timing to 3 wait
states instead of 2?

ab

 

[aberger]

I bet you are not "Prime95 clean". Get a copy of Prime95 from
mersenne.org and run the "torture test" option. I am willing to
bet you get rounding errors after 30 minutes or so.

On my system, the "system failed..." error messages stopped,
after I fixed my memory. You don't say it in your posting, but
I bet you are using CAS3 memory. I cured mine by buying some
Crucial Ballistix CAS2 memory, but any other PC3200 CAS2
memory is likely to work the same.

Another option, is to use a hacked "Command Rate 2T" BIOS
(otherwise know as Command Per Clock Disabled or CPC Off).
You can search over on nforcershq.com, for comments on CPC.

If you use a CPC Off BIOS, you will find operation at
FSB400/DDR400 becomes stable, but if you benchmark with
Sandra, your memory bandwidth will have dropped a bit as
a result.

The hacked BIOS is a "zero cost" option. I have experimented
with the "Trat" hacked BIOS, and had no problems flashing that
BIOS into the machine. If you pick up a hacked BIOS, make
sure to read some postings from people who have tested it
first. Purchasing a BIOS Savior from ioss.com.tw is
reasonably cheap insurance ($25 or so) against a flash
going bad.

If you choose to ignore the problem, you might occasionally
get a memory error, in which case the worst result could
be a corrupted registry. If you continue to run your system
in its current condition, make sure you are rigorous about
backing up your data.

HTH,
Paul

Why can't he go into the BIOS and just set the CAS timing to 3 wait
states instead of 2?

ab

 

[Paul]

Why can't he go into the BIOS and just set the CAS timing to 3 wait
states instead of 2?

ab

I tried relaxed DRAM timing and it didn't help at all. The fact
that other people have noticed changing Command Rate to 2T
(not the same thing as CAS) makes it work better, tells you
that perhaps there is long prop delay versus load on the
Nforce2 address busses. Since Asus didn't see fit to put
the Command Rate setting as a BIOS option, it takes flashing
a hacked version of the BIOS in order to set Command Rate to
2T (= CPC off). The Asus BIOS are all set up for
Command Rate 1T (= CPC on), so there is no extra cycle of
setup time on the address bus.

I have read at least one report of some CAS3 memory that
worked, plus a lot of complaints from people with symptoms
like mine. If CAS3 memory will work for you, then great.
If not, either a "CPC off" hacked BIOS, or the purchase
of some CAS2 DIMMs, might just help.

It is possible that some memory which is branded as CAS3
memory, but which is made with CAS2 capable memory chips
on it, may be the right ingredient to a working Nforce2
solution. But you would have to work in a computer store,
to get enough info about what is "underneath the heat
spreader", to be making informed purchases like that.

Paul

 

[John Smith]

I was receiving the same message and updated to the 1013 BIOS. The notes
indicated that it dealt with erroneous messages to this effect. I've not
been warned by Betty since.