GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev. 6.6 & Pentium Dual-Core

[IgorPrecep]

Frend of mine has a motherboard GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 paired with Intel Celeron 430 (1.8GHz, FSB 800MHz, S-spec: SL9XN). Few days ago he bought himself a brand new processor Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6600 (3.06GHz, FSB 1066MHz, S-Spec: SLGUG) to replace existing Celeron 430 CPU and after replacing old CPU he noticed that CPU speed (with new Pentium Dual-Core E6600) is 1.6GHz but it should be 3.06GHz. He ask me to help him to resolve that problem and after few clicks on official GigaByte website I've discovered that this motherboard with current (very old) BIOS version F2 does not support Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6600 CPU. Also in motherboard BIOS (even with CTRL + F1) I had not find option to choose CPU multiplier which is (due to the fact that motherboard doesn't recognize CPU) currently locked to 6X, but this model of CPU needs multiplier 11.5X to run at the full speed (3.06GHz = 11.5 x 266MHz). So I'm asking you for: 1). moded F2 BIOS for motherboard GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 in which I could find an option to raise CPU multiplier to 11.5X or.... 2). moded F2 BIOS for that motherboard so she could properly recognize Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6600 CPU and run him at full speed or... 3). moded F2 BIOS with CPU multiplier locked to 11.5X.

here is link for official F2 BIOS for GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6: http://download.gigabyte.asia/FileList/B...6.6_f2.exe ...and I had also attach F2 BIOS to this message (9gzms26.f2)

Thank you in advance!
Igor Precep

[IgorPrecep]

Maybe this will help a little bit... Motherboard GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 is using Intel 945GZ+ ICH7 Chipset and motherboard GigaByte GA-945GCMX-S2 (rev. 6.6) Intel 945GC+ ICH7 chipset. I know 945GZ and 945GC are not the same chipsets, but they are very similar. GigaByte GA-945GCMX-S2 (rev. 6.6) is the only similar GigaByte (with Intel 945GXX chipset) motherboard that have support for Intel Pentium Dual-Core 6xxx family CPU. Last BIOS for that motherboard is F6i (Beta) and here is link for it: http://download.gigabyte.asia/FileList/B....6_f6i.exe ...and I had also attach that BIOS into this message (9GCMXS2.zip). Hope this will be somehow helpful...

[IgorPrecep]

While I'm waiting for some help about BIOS mod I came to idea to use GigaByte OC tool Easy Tune5 Pro v.B7.1221.1 on my friends GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 motherboard to change CPU multiplier from current 6X to (CPU default) 11.5X. I just hope that CPU ratio option in Advanced Mode menu wouldn't be locked to 6X. I'll post results later...

[IgorPrecep]

3 days ago I've send mail to GigaByte support with detail explanation what is going on on mine friends computer in combination GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev. 6.6 & Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6600. Today they send me an answer, but obviously that they miss the point.

Here is answer send by GigaByte support:
"...Dear Igor Precep
Thank you for your kindly mail and inquiry. According to specification, GA-945GZM-S2(rev. 6.6) support E6600 CPU at FSB 800 , It does not support E6600 running at 3.06GHz by any BIOS update. It's chipset hardware limitation. Please refer to CPU support status at http://www.gigabyte.us/support-downloads...x?pid=2467
If you still have any further question or suggestion about our products/service, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will try our best to help you resolve the problem ASAP.
Regards,
GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY..."

...and to correct them today I've send them next message with even more detailed explanation of problem:
"...About the previous answer... Link that you send me (http://www.gigabyte.us/support-downloads...x?pid=2467) is for the PCB revision 3.x of motherboard GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2, but my friends motherboard is revision 6.6 and here is link for CPU supported by 6.6 PCB revision of thet board: http://www.gigabyte.com/support-download...x?pid=2603 As you can se there are some noticable diferences between 3.x and 6.6 revisions, and 6.6 revision can stabile work with FSB 1066, example with Core 2 Duo E6300, C2D E6320, C2D E6400, C2D E6420, C2D 6600, C2D 6700 and Core 2 Extreme X6800 and in most cases TDP of those processors is greater than TDP of Pentium Dual-Core E6600. I think that in my friends case main problem is in old CPU Microcode in F2 BIOS of GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 motherboard so motherboard can't properly recognize the CPU and because of that he runs CPU with CPU multiplier set to (minimal) safe value 6X (and FSB 1066!!!) and CPU frequency is because of that 1.6GHz (6x 266) instead od 3.06GHz (11.5x 266). If there is newer BIOS than version F2 with updated CPU Microcode (or just slightly modified F2 BIOS with only updated CPU microcode) I'm sure that GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 will properly work with Pentium Dual-Core E6600 on FSB 1066 and 3.06GHz (11.5 x 266). So, I (again) repeat what is currently going on in combination GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 (BIOS F2) with Pentium Dual-Core E6600: CPU is (automaticaly set by motherboard) runing on 1.6GHz (6X 266, FSB 1066) and there is no option to manualy (even with all options in BIOS "unlocked" with CTRL + F1) set CPU multiplier to CPU's default 11.5X. So I sugest you to do next: let some of your BIOS programmers update CPU Microcode on existing F2 BIOS and then send that BIOS to me by mail and I will test (flash) that modified F2 BIOS on my risk on mine friends motherboard GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6. After that I'll give you a feedback by mail what was the result. I think that updating a CPU Microcode is no big problem for GigaByte's BIOS programmers. Here is link for F2 BIOS: http://download.gigabyte.asia/FileList/B...6.6_f2.exe..."

Still I'm planing to go to my friends house to try to temporary solve the problem with locked CPU multiplayer (6X instead od 11.5X) with GigaByte Easy Tune5 Pro v.B7.1221.1 but I doubt it will help. If someone could update CPU microcode on F2 BIOS on motherboard GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 I would be very grateful.
I'm asking muself past 4 od 5 days "...man, why you are wasting your time with PC rig that's not even yours?...", but that's what frends are for...

[IgorPrecep]

Today I had tried with GigaByte OC tool Easy Tune5 Pro v.B7.1221.1 but in Advanced Mode menu option: Ratio (CPU ratio) is locked to 6 (6X) and can not be changed... Help, is there anybody reading this thread besides me?! TheWiz ,man, are you there...?

[1234s282]

Im sorry , im looking at this with interest but im not sure how to do it

Sorry
Admin

[IgorPrecep]

to: 1234s282
OK, now I'm sure that I'm not alone on this thread... Currently I'm in negotiations with GigaByte's technical support about implementation of newer CPU Microcode in F2 BIOS on motherboard GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6. CPU microcode from that F2 BIOS is 3 years old (year 2007) and I think that the main problem is (now I'm 100% sure) old CPU Microcode and because of that motherboard BIOS can't properly recognize CPU and set CPU multiplier to (CPU's minimal) 6X instead on (CPU's default, maximum) 11.5X. CPU is working OK now on 1.6GHz (6x 266MHz, FSB 1066MHz), it even works OK slightly OC-ed to 1.71GHz (6X 285MHz, FSB 1140MHz) without VCore raised up on that (for OC-ing very poor) GigaByte GA-945GZM-S2 rev.6.6 motherboard, but speed difference between 1.6GHz and 3.06GHz is more than noticable. I'll post here results if technicans from GigaByte decide to update CPU Microcode if F2 BIOS and send it to me for testing purpose.

[falconewa]

Hello,

I would like to get modded bios for this MB to support E5200.
Spend a lot of money to buy this CPU and got mad than saw it doesnt work like it should (the multiplier stays at x6.0).
Please help me.. )

Thanks.

[falconewa]

Plz help me... Spend a lot of money to buy this CPU and got mad than saw it doesnt work like it should (the multiplier stays at x6.0). So plz plz plz someone help me

[nim]

My friend has same motherboard with Pentium Dual-Core E5200 and is facing same problem - multiplier is fixed to 6X due to not supported proc.
The bios remains only initial revision F2. Is it possible to ask for a mod microcode just to add Pentium Dual-Core E5200 in supported list. I know that it is possible because there is modded BIOS  for rev.2 and 3 on the same motherboard. The link for the BIOS from the first post of this thread is still working.