Urgent processor help needed

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My new computer came delivered today. Good - but bad. The supposed 1.4Ghz
AMD Duron has come up under SiSoftware Sandra utility as 1.05Ghz and under
Windows 2000 Professional system information screen: x86 Family 6 Model 8
Stepping 1 AuthenticAMD ~1048 Mhz.

However searching for the information clearly on the label of the
processor - AMD Duron DHD1400DLV1C 266FSB comes up with speed 1.4Ghz like it
should be.

I'm desperately wondering if the chip has been labelled wrongly in which
case I want to take it back to the shop and demand a refund - it certainly
feels noticeably slower than my previous 1.3Ghz.

The motherboard is an ASROCK K7VT2.

What do you think I should do?

Thanks for any help.
 
Make sure your clock speed is set properly in CMOS. Most MBs default to
a lower value than the CPU can handle. Once it is set up it might read
as the 1.4 GHZ.
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks for the quick response - I've never done anything like that
before - is that in the BIOS somewhere? What should the value be precisely -
I noticed that 1.05Ghz = ~1048Mhz, so if I have to enter 1.4Ghz in Mhz, what
should the value be?

Thanks in advance.
 
- said:
My new computer came delivered today. Good - but bad. The supposed 1.4Ghz
AMD Duron has come up under SiSoftware Sandra utility as 1.05Ghz and under
Windows 2000 Professional system information screen: x86 Family 6 Model 8
Stepping 1 AuthenticAMD ~1048 Mhz.

However searching for the information clearly on the label of the
processor - AMD Duron DHD1400DLV1C 266FSB comes up with speed 1.4Ghz like it
should be.

I'm desperately wondering if the chip has been labelled wrongly in which
case I want to take it back to the shop and demand a refund - it certainly
feels noticeably slower than my previous 1.3Ghz.

The motherboard is an ASROCK K7VT2.

What do you think I should do?

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
Make sure your clock speed is set properly in CMOS. Most MBs default to
a lower value than the CPU can handle. Once it is set up it might read
as the 1.4 GHZ.
 
Wow, thanks for the quick response - I've never done anything like that
before - is that in the BIOS somewhere? What should the value be precisely -
I noticed that 1.05Ghz = ~1048Mhz, so if I have to enter 1.4Ghz in Mhz, what
should the value be?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Just change the FSB speed to 133MHz, it'll do the math for you.


Dave
 
Just change the FSB speed to 133MHz, it'll do the math for you.

Really is that all? I'm not with the machine right now, but looking at the
AMIBIOS 3.31a documentation, the closet option that comes to the term FSB is
CPU Host Frequency. Currently that is set to Auto and 100Mhz. Is it safe to
say that I simply need therefore to change this to Manual and 133Mhz? I just
want to make sure that this is right equivalent option before I blow my new
machine!

Thanks for the help, as always, much appreciated.
 
Actually, I've just found the manual for the motherboard and apparently
there is a jumper to switch from 100 to 133, so maybe the computer shop set
it up wrong. Not very impressive. Surely they would have checked it before
they delivered it? The CPU fan didn't work either. Boy are they going to get
an earbashing...
 
Actually, I've just found the manual for the motherboard and apparently
there is a jumper to switch from 100 to 133, so maybe the computer shop set
it up wrong. Not very impressive. Surely they would have checked it before
they delivered it? The CPU fan didn't work either. Boy are they going to get
an earbashing...
Click to expand...

Another question - when I cahnge the jumper when I get back to the machine,
I've also noticed there's a CPU ratio selection option in the BIOS. I've
done some calculations and if I've set the FSB to 133, then do I set the CPU
ratio selection value to 10 or 11?

10 x 133 = 1333Mhz - under the 1.4Ghz that the chip actually is
11 x 133 = 1463Mhz - which is over (and I assume that this means its
slightly overclocked).

So - what should I do? Should I go slightly over or under. Or should I load
the BIOS defaults which (please can somebody confirm) may detect and load
whatever is necessary?

Thanks for any advice.
 
- said:
Another question - when I cahnge the jumper when I get back to the machine,
I've also noticed there's a CPU ratio selection option in the BIOS. I've
done some calculations and if I've set the FSB to 133, then do I set the CPU
ratio selection value to 10 or 11?

10 x 133 = 1333Mhz - under the 1.4Ghz that the chip actually is
11 x 133 = 1463Mhz - which is over (and I assume that this means its
slightly overclocked).

So - what should I do? Should I go slightly over or under. Or should I load
the BIOS defaults which (please can somebody confirm) may detect and load
whatever is necessary?
Click to expand...
CPU fan not plugged in? FSB not set correctly? Quality assembler that shop
of yours. Unlikely its even been tested before delivery either.
The CPU is almost certainly ratio locked at 10.5x. Your changing of settings
will make no difference whatsoever.
Try loading optimal settings in the BIOS. Should work perfectly.
You may want to run Memtest86 to ensure that the memory and CPU run
faultlessly at 133FSB.
http://www.memtest86.com/
 
Alien said:
CPU fan not plugged in? FSB not set correctly? Quality assembler that
shop of yours. Unlikely its even been tested before delivery either.
The CPU is almost certainly ratio locked at 10.5x. Your changing of
settings will make no difference whatsoever.
Try loading optimal settings in the BIOS. Should work perfectly.
You may want to run Memtest86 to ensure that the memory and CPU run
faultlessly at 133FSB.
http://www.memtest86.com/
Click to expand...

Hey there AZ, It's always good to read your informative and helpful posts.
Small question, aren't we talking about an "Applebred" Duron here? I didn't
know that they were multiplier-locked.

BTW, totally agree with your assessment of the shop. Man I'd give 'em a
bollocking, tell 'em you had to get a tech to correct their ****-up or
something.
 
CPU fan not plugged in? FSB not set correctly? Quality assembler that shop
of yours. Unlikely its even been tested before delivery either.
Click to expand...

Actually - its worse than that - the CPU fan was actually cracked and had
stopped rotating completely - the fins had bent and were almost coming off
("at least it was plugged in though") - I think they must have screwed it on
too tight? Anyway, they obviously never checked it before it left, which is
odd - since they are a small shop with probably not a great volume of
customers and should be keen to satisfy their customers.
The CPU is almost certainly ratio locked at 10.5x. Your changing of settings
will make no difference whatsoever.
Click to expand...

The jumper settings on the motherboard? Or the BIOS CPU ratio settings? I'm
not in front of it yet, so, maybe you are right and the BIOS CPU ratio
setting is locked at 10.5. Well, I suppose 10.5 x 133 = 1396.5 is therefore
acceptable / correct for the 1.4Ghz it is advertised at.
Try loading optimal settings in the BIOS. Should work perfectly.
Click to expand...

OK - I'll try that after I've physically altered the CPU FSB jumper first.
You may want to run Memtest86 to ensure that the memory and CPU run
faultlessly at 133FSB.
http://www.memtest86.com/
Click to expand...

Should be no problem - the CPU I guess should be running at a FSB of 133 and
the RAM came from my previous system which correctly ran at 133, but I'll
bear that in mind, thanks.

And yes - I'll think I'll definitely have to give 'em a rollocking.
 
your old computer was a 1.3ghz and the new one is a 1.4ghz duron.......
what was the point in that upgrade ??


brett....
 
Brett said:
your old computer was a 1.3ghz and the new one is a 1.4ghz duron.......
what was the point in that upgrade ??
Click to expand...

What's the point in saying something like that eh? It wasn't an upgrade -
the old machine clapped it. It just turned out that the spec that fitted my
budget had a 1.4...
 
~misfit~ said:
Hey there AZ, It's always good to read your informative and helpful posts.
Small question, aren't we talking about an "Applebred" Duron here? I didn't
know that they were multiplier-locked.

BTW, totally agree with your assessment of the shop. Man I'd give 'em a
bollocking, tell 'em you had to get a tech to correct their ****-up or
something.
Click to expand...
No need for pampering ~misfit~, I'm too resilient to that.
According to the data sheet for Duron Model 8 the internal clock divisor is
set by the content of a register which is set by the BIOS from the CPU ID
string. Its not supposed to be user alterable but I expect mobo makers to
ignore that. I haven't built any systems with these processors yet so do not
have first hand experience.
 
- said:
The jumper settings on the motherboard? Or the BIOS CPU ratio settings? I'm
not in front of it yet, so, maybe you are right and the BIOS CPU ratio
setting is locked at 10.5. Well, I suppose 10.5 x 133 = 1396.5 is therefore
acceptable / correct for the 1.4Ghz it is advertised at.
Click to expand...
Can't tell you exactly as I do not buy ASRock mobos for my company. They are
intended for the sharpest end of the cut throat segment of the market and I
don't operate there.
 
Alien said:
No need for pampering ~misfit~, I'm too resilient to that.
According to the data sheet for Duron Model 8 the internal clock
divisor is set by the content of a register which is set by the BIOS
from the CPU ID string. Its not supposed to be user alterable but I
expect mobo makers to ignore that. I haven't built any systems with
these processors yet so do not have first hand experience.
Click to expand...

<G>, that wasn't pampering, that was the truth. Just added as background so
you'd realise I wasn't 'getting on your case' or hassling you in any way.
I've learnt quite a bit from your posts.

Cheers,
 
I switched the FSB jumper to 133 from 100 Mhz and the BIOS correctly
registered with no further changes that the CPU speed was now 1400MHz.

However, during the first boot, the system sound gave two rapid beeps then a
pause then a beep and the BIOS complained that it had tried unsuccessfully
to start several times and that I needed to press F1 to resume. I did so and
that's when I noticed that the speed and the FSB values were all correct.
Unfortunately, before I could exit or save any changes, the machine crashed
leaving me with no other option than to reset.

Now whenever I restart, I get any of the following scenarios completely
randomly as far as I can tell:

- unsuccessful, press F1 message with beeps as above, then a crash no matter
what you do or don't do;
- boot as far as "searching for boot flop" then a crash;
- boot as far as "searching for boot floppy.." (notice 2 dots not 3 - hence
it didn't quite finish) - maybe a powering issue?;
- POST screen with the first / second line with AMD Duron 1400Mhz then a
crash;
- completely succesful boot into windows, no problems at all.

I can't spot the pattern yet, but it seems more likely to boot with no
problems when I leave the power off for only a short while between startups.

Altering the BIOS to load defaults or leaving it the way it was makes no
difference.

Any suggestions? I'm somewhat fed up with it all now, and want a quick and
easy resolution this weekend.
 
Random crashes and quote;

Heat problem..., kill the shop tech and all their pets/family friends :) and
ask for compensation in the form of free hardware (mines a nice >100GB drive
please:)..!!! If you don't ask you don't get...

PS

Anyone have info on the following;

Sony CDL5000 CD Library
Sony OSL2000 Optical Library

Damnd if I can find anything, and Sony support pass the buck and ignore
you.. :(

I should do a new post but I'm typing already.. :)


Thx
 
- said:
I switched the FSB jumper to 133 from 100 Mhz and the BIOS correctly
registered with no further changes that the CPU speed was now 1400MHz.

Now whenever I restart, I get any of the following scenarios completely
randomly as far as I can tell:

- unsuccessful, press F1 message with beeps as above, then a crash no matter
what you do or don't do;
- boot as far as "searching for boot flop" then a crash;
- boot as far as "searching for boot floppy.." (notice 2 dots not 3 - hence
it didn't quite finish) - maybe a powering issue?;
- POST screen with the first / second line with AMD Duron 1400Mhz then a
crash;
- completely succesful boot into windows, no problems at all.

snipped a little <
Click to expand...
Its obvious the shop sold you a dud and they know it. They left the FSB set
at 100MHz because it worked and were hoping that you, the customer, would
not notice.
 
Its obvious the shop sold you a dud and they know it. They left the FSB
set
at 100MHz because it worked and were hoping that you, the customer, would
not notice.
Click to expand...

I don't think so - they are a bit amateur I think and they said when I
ordered the board that they had never worked with this board before. I
actually just think they were incompetent and didn't change the jumper on
the board (which was probably set as 100 as default) and then didn't check.
I was going to install my own HD when I got it home, so they probably just
fitted it all in without doing any kind of setup and then delivered it.

So, is there anything I could at least try? It works sometimes and not
others. There must be some kind of fix?!?
 
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