Reduced CoreSpeed since BIOS update

Shep · 2 May 2009 at 06:26

Since BIOS 1301 update, on a P5N32-E SLI Plus, although Speedstep is disabled, still shows the CPU throttled from the mild O/C of 3.56 (Multiplier x9.5) down to 2250MHz (Multiplier x6.0) CPU-Z shows Core speed increases with load to show the correct O/C of 3.56 x 9.5 but with Speedstep disabled in the BIOS it should not have a reduced Core Speed at idle...should it? Any advice appreciated please.

Ray

Bob Wya Jnr · 2 May 2009 at 09:41

I don't have any Intel Core 2 CPU builds and I've only helped a neighbour build up a system with an Pentium E2180... But I'll wade in and try and help!!

I've just checked the motherboard manual, for the P5N32-E SLI Plus, as it occurred to me that you might have forgotten to (re)-disable the "Enhanced C1 (C1E)" feature in the BIOS - near to the "Speedstep" option?? Dumb question - I am sure you have!!

If you have disabled both features ("Speedstep" and "Enhanced C1") you should probably raise a support issue with ASUS. I don't think the motherboard should throttle back the FSB frequency... :confused:

Bob

Shep · 2 May 2009 at 14:04

Thanks for taking time out to answer Bob. I had disabled both Speedstep and and CIE in the new 1301 BIOS. It has to be something the updated BIOS has introduced as I just checked my Intel 6850 system, that has the same Motherboard and recently updated 1301 BIOS and it's doing the same thing. I have posted on the Asus forum now and maybe they have experienced this issue with the latest BIOS.

I overclocked the E8500 to 3.8 this morning, using 1.325 volts and Prime test is still running (over two hours now) so it's not all bad.

Ray

Bob Wya Jnr · 2 May 2009 at 14:29

Shep said:
I overclocked the E8500 to 3.8 this morning, using 1.325 volts and Prime test is still running (over two hours now) so it's not all bad.

Ray

May only thought is it might be a "feature". The standard speedstep can bugger up an overclock because it drops the Vcore too much but then the high (OC) FSB leads to MB instability.

Maybe the new BIOS lowers the multiplier frequency but maintains a higher Vcore... That would be a win-win I guess?? Since (I guess) you won't get a multiplier reduction while encoding or gaming because the core(s) will be too heavily loaded...

Bob

Shep · 2 May 2009 at 16:18

I don't know enough about the 'inner workings' of a BIOS but it certainly would make a lot of sense if the latest BIOS had that feature built in. Hopefully the guy's on the Asus forum may have the answer. I did run this E8500 CPU at 4.GHz on an earlier 1003 BIOS, that needed 1.4 volt with Speedstep and C1E disabled but CPU-Z did show the correct O/C at idle.

Ray