ASUS AMI BIOS - Won't Set Memory Timings

[Steve Sr.]

BIOS Gurus,

I have been pulling my hair out for several weeks trying to troubleshoot an intermittent POSTing issue with an ASUS P4C800-E based system. Thanks to CPUZ and a little help from an ASUS forum I believe that I have found the the root cause of the POST problems.

CPUZ shows the RAM timings to be set for 2.5-3-3-6. However, by SPD information the RAM is only rated for 3-3-3-8. Realizing this difference I then tried to set the BIOS for these settings to see if the POST problem would go away. First I tried setting the memory timing by SPD in the BIOS. After saving and rebooting I ran CPUZ and the timings were still set at 2.5-3-3-6. So apparently the BIOS couldn't read the SPD settings and defaulted to its own incorrect settings.

Next I went back into the BIOS and set the memory timings manually to the specified 3-3-3-8, saved and then rebooted. CPUZ still showed the timings as 2.5-3-3-6 the same as before. As a sanity check I went back into the BIOS and the manual timings that I had previously set of 3-3-3-8 were still displayed.

By now it appears that this BIOS version is FUBAR. Unfortunately, it is the last one released for this MB that is not a Beta so there is no way to upgrade. I am wondering if this issue exists only in this particular version of this BIOS or is common to all versions.

Do any of you know how to fix this BIOS or know where I might be able to obtain older versions that might not have this issue?

BIOS ID = 63-2301-000106-00101111-062005-I875P-P4CED106-Y2KC


Thanks,

Steve

[Antinomy]

I have the P4C800-E deluxe board and have never had a problem with timings. So I need the following info -
1. What CPU-Z version are you using and what OS?
2. What CPU are you using? A screenshot of CPU-Z window would be best
3. What memory?

It looks like a BIOS corruption problem not BIOS by itself. And what BIOS version? I have had no issues with the latest 1024 beta.
Backup your BIOS before you start.

[Steve Sr.]

I have the P4C800-E deluxe board and have never had a problem with timings. So I need the following info -
1. What CPU-Z version are you using and what OS?

CPUZ version 1.58 running on Win2K SP4-5

2. What CPU are you using? A screenshot of CPU-Z window would be best
3. What memory?

How do I insert a screen shot? Ctrl+V Doesn't work! See attached DOC file for the screenshots.

It looks like a BIOS corruption problem not BIOS by itself. And what BIOS version? I have had no issues with the latest 1024 beta.
Backup your BIOS before you start.

Interesting theory. How would the BIOS get corrupted? I believe that it also does a Checksum of the flash (BIOS) on every POST. If this checksum fails then it starts asking for a CD or floppy with the BIOS binary file on it to load. If it passes this test I don't see how the BIOS itself could be corrupted.

Now if you are talking CMOS NV memory corruption I have loaded BIOS defaults multiple times and even discharged CMOS several times with no improvement.

I am currently using BIOS 1023 and reluctant to use anything that says "Beta" on it. Good to hear that you are using 1024 without incident.

Just for grins... What does CPUZ say about your P4C800-E memory timings? Do they match the SPD numbers? can you get CPUZ to corroborate your memory timings as shown in the setup screen?

Thanks,

Steve

[Antinomy]

It does a checksum of the CMOS every POST, not the BIOS And the Bootblock cheksum, yes. Not the whole BIOS. Since you've discharged CMOS it's either BIOS corrupt or BIOS+memory problem. I mean that some modules might act weird with certain BIOS versions.

I'll check the new CPU-Z on my P4C800-E when I get home but I've never had any issues. Yes, all my timings are set according as shown in setup menu. I've checked both in CPU-Z and Memset. Try Memset - maybe it's a bug with a CPU-Z version, I've seen them break info while older shown it correctly. Very rare but it may happen.

As for pictures - an link for something like Imageshack would be good enough. Though a doc worked too

[Steve Sr.]

It does a checksum of the CMOS every POST, not the BIOS And the Bootblock cheksum, yes. Not the whole BIOS. Since you've discharged CMOS it's either BIOS corrupt or BIOS+memory problem. I mean that some modules might act weird with certain BIOS versions.

Interesting. One of the seemingly random errors that I was seeing with really BAD (i.e. slow) older generation RAM was a prompt to insert a floppy or CD with the BIOS flash image on it so it could reload the BIOS. This is what makes me think that the POST does a checksum on the BIOS executable and not just the boot block.

I am currently voting for your BIOS + Memory problem i.e. The BIOS sets the memory timing so fast that the BIOS (POST) won't execute reliably.

I'll check the new CPU-Z on my P4C800-E when I get home but I've never had any issues. Yes, all my timings are set according as shown in setup menu. I've checked both in CPU-Z and Memset. Try Memset - maybe it's a bug with a CPU-Z version, I've seen them break info while older shown it correctly. Very rare but it may happen.

If you can please verify that 1024 can actually set desired memory timings I am willing to give it a try. Any recommendations on the best way to do this so I don't brick my primary system?

I did get MemSet and it agrees with CPUZ although MemSet can't read the SPD values from the RAM. MemSet also shows that "Performance Mode" (whatever that is) and CpC (command per clock) are enabled. In the Setup I didn't see a way to disable Performance Mode. The only options were "Auto" or "Enabled" or even set CpC. I wonder if Performance Mode is somehow overriding setting timing by manual or SPD even though these options are available in the BIOS

As for pictures - an link for something like Imageshack would be good enough. Though a doc worked too

Too bad one can't just put images inline. One thing that I don't need is yet another web "account" where I have to remember another combination of email, user ID, and password.

Thanks,

Steve

[Antinomy]

CpC should disable once you clock high enough. And performance mode is in Jumperfree section, the last. You may set it to standard.

I'll post some screens to show fine work on 1024. And Imageshack doesn't require any registration - you submit a photo and get a link to it. Then post and forget it - that's how I do

[Steve Sr.]

CpC should disable once you clock high enough. And performance mode is in Jumperfree section, the last. You may set it to standard.

There are actually 2 items in the BIOS named "Performance" I don't know which one or if either of these control the memory "performance mode" as seen in MemSet. In Jumperfree I have "Performance Mode" set to "Standard" which I am assuming is Off. In the Advanced Menu there is another setting labeled "Performance Acceleration Mode" which can only be set to "Enabled" or "Auto". I have mine set to "Auto". So with these set at their lowest settings MemSet is showing that CpC and Performance Mode is still On.

I'll post some screens to show fine work on 1024. And Imageshack doesn't require any registration - you submit a photo and get a link to it. Then post and forget it - that's how I do

Thanks for your tip with ImageShack I'll give it a try next time. I'll look forward to seeing your screenshots. I have meeting every evening for the remainder of the week so probably won't work on this until the weekend when I may attempt to upgrade or reflash the BIOS.

Gotta go find some floppys or figure out how to make a bootable thumb drive get it to boot from it. I am assuming that I will need the latest AFUDOS along with the BIOS *.ROM file.

I found another hardware utility that you or others might be interested in. It is called HWinfo and can be found here:

http://www.hwinfo.com/

Thanks,

Steve

[Steve Sr.]

Well, It was a good theory... Overly aggressive memory timings causing POST failures when cold with multiple symptoms.

After the machine had been on for several hours I flashed the 1024 Beta BIOS, immediately reset CMOS, and then went into setup and reconfigured everything. I then booted into Windows 2K and ran Memset. Memset showed that the memory timing had been changed to match the SPD values (3,3,3,8), Performance Mode and CpC were now disabled as expected.

Initially this appeared to fix the cold POST issues. However, within a 1 or 2 cold boots the issue had returned. Now Memset shows that Performance Mode has been re-enabled either by the POST (BIOS) or something within Windows. At this point I am not sure if this is the real issue any more and have not bothered to pursue it any further. I have also installed the other set of memory which used to work fine and still does if the MB can get past the POST.

I have done some more troubleshooting at the next few cold boots and have found an interesting correlation. At the last cold boot I received the bogus "Overclocking Failed! from the onboard POST reporter. Without turning the power supply completely off (the +5V standby power was still applied)I then carefully unplugged everything from the MB - video card, sound card, both SATA hard drives, floppy drive, CD ROM drives. I just now realized that I had forgotten to unplug the 9 in 1 USB based flash card reader but I don't think it matters. With all of this unplugged I still received the bogus "Overclocking Failed! from the onboard POST reporter.

I next turned the power supply completely off (No +5V_SB) and plugged everything back in which took about a minute. Turned on the PSU switch and hit the on/off button and surprisingly POSTed first time cold!

This seems to indicate that some memory or register that the POST looks at is being maintained by the +5volt standby power supply and appears to be causing the POST to get "lost" during the next cold boot. I can't explain why this same occurrence doesn't happen with a reboot when the system is warm unless the temperature causes whatever memory or resister to come up in a state that allows the POST to proceed normally.

Does any of this sound familiar to any of you? Anything else that I should check?


Thanks,

Steve