Gigabyte GA-EP45T-EXTREME Living Review

[Toben]

Hi, after reading this thread, I'm hoping for some help or advice with overclocking the GA-EP45-UD3P. I have had this board now for a while, but recently I've had to send it back for warranty repair, both times the same chip has been replaced. I was told that the faulty/blown chip replaced is responsible for voltage management to the CPU. They said it was because I had overclocked the board, I did OC it but not by much, only 400x9 to get 3.6Ghzm, but with Auto voltages in Bios. I have a C2D E8400, running with 4Gb 8500 DDr2 OCZ memory. After reading the info about the high auto voltages Im thinking that maybe that was the cause of the board failing twice. My 8400 does OC well, so I wanted some advice as to what voltages I should enter manually in the Bios to avoid this problem again. I'm hoping to OC by 9x450 to get to 4Ghz. Cheers

[supershanks]

Hi Toben,
Welcome to the forum
You'll probably find this thread is closer to your rig than this ddr3 review, Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R Living Review, but with the Watch those Auto Voltages!! I can well see where your cominhg from

Yes when overclocking it's best to use manual settings. Any of the EP45 threads will give you an idea of what voltages to use as a starting point. If your CPU has been running a long time on auto voltages then it's overclocking ability may have got less, meaning you might need higher voltage than average to hit your 3.6Ghz or 4.0Ghz.

You'll find this thread useful as well Gigabyte GA-EP45-EXTREME Living Review Just use the index and find the clock that you want and look at the bios settings.

Let us know how you get on

[Toben]

Great. Many thanks for the quick reply. With any luck my mobo should be shipped today, so I should have it back by tomorrow. I'll let you know.

[supershanks]

no worries

[Toben]

Im in two minds wether or not to even bother trying to OC my CPU with the EP45, just a tad worried that it may fail again and i'll have to send back. Slightly dissapointed as I've always gone for Gigabyte boards, never had any problems in the past. I might sell it and get another mobo instead. Any suggestions as to another similar mobo with good OC capabilities, doesn't have to be SLI.

[supershanks]

it's not a gigabyte issue, ALL motherboards left on Auto Voltage do the same.

[marsey99]

on the plus side tho gb uk do have a good rma service tho and a quick turn around.

[Toben]

Ok, will keep this board then. Yup, Gigabyte have been brilliant with getting my board fixed twice, and returned to me within a working week, top stuff. Plus for whatever reason I always speak to the same guy in the RMA dept, maybe there is only one guy in RMA!

[Toben]

Finally got the time to re-install my mobo. E8400 running at stock speed for the last week or so now. Gonna try and up the FSB slightly with manual voltages for CPU.

[Toben]

Just clocked my E8400. FSB of 400, so nothing too pushy, BIOS settings are:

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: Auto
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................: 9
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0
CPU Frequency ...........................: 3.600


Clock Chip Control
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control..................: [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............: 400Mhz
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........:Set to 100

C.I.A.2 .................................:[Disabled]


Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: <<< 800
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: <<< 900
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: <<<
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: <<<


DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [STANDARD]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............: 2.66D

Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 1066Mhz
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [Auto]

Motherboard Voltage Control
Load Line Calibration………...[Enabled]
CPU Vcore….………......1.225v*.......:1.256v
CPU Termination…..... 1.200V*.......: 1.22v
CPU PLL…………………....1.500V*.......: 1.500v
CPU Reference.………….0.760V*.......: Auto

MCH/ICH
MCH Core…………….....1.100V...........: 1.22v
MCH Reference….…….0.760V...........; Auto
MCH/DRAM Ref.…......0.900V...........: Auto
ICH I/O……………….....1.500V............: Auto
ICH Core…………...……1.100V............: Auto

DRAM
DRAM Voltage ……....1.800V............: 2.1
DRAM Termination .…0.900V............: <<< Left as is
Channel A Reference 0.900V............: <<< Left as is
Channel B Reference 0.900V............: <<< Left as is

Advanced Settings
Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Disabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]