My processor speed went from 1600+ to 1050 on the bootup screen.Why??!

[Guest_imported]

I bought a new PC recently, PCChips motherboard M810LR
Athlon 1600+, 512SDRAM 60GigHD etc etc.

I messed about with it for a while - suddenly the processor speed dropped from 1600+ to 1050 - benchmark tests confirm that my processor is really running at these lower speeds.

Can anybody tell me what is happening ?!

 

[KimberTech]

When you say "messed about with it" for a while, where were you messing about?
Just using the computer? Or in the BIOS and setup?
I pledge to share any information I have and advise to the best of my knowledge based on the information provided.

 

[Guest_imported]

Well, I did a few different things.
I switched the PSU around with another PC I had (to reduce noise) - I've now switched this back, but the problem persists.

I also removed a small piece of metal from the back of the PC with some pliers - I may have damaged something in the process?

Oh yes - my PC keeps freezing up, making it almost unusable!

I could really use some expert advice at this point in time!!!

Cheers!

 

[ANFPS26]

Sounds like your processor is overheating. "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing....."

 

[Guest_imported]

But it did work at 1600+ for about a week - then after I switched PSU's it went down to 1050Ghz and stayed there.
The damage seems permanent - I have tried flashing the BIOS with the latest version - this had no effect on my setup.

 

[paparazi]

I should say your front side bus and clock multipliers in the bios are set wrong and making it post as a 1050mhz processor.
Many motherboards have to be flashed in order for them to recognise AMD's new processor certification.
As you doughtless know the XP1600+ is a 1400mhz processor, but should post as an XP1600+ on boot and register as 1400mhz in system information.
Be careful with the fsb and clock multipliers, set to 1400 which is the actual processor rating. Martin Just trying to help, sometimes falling short, I am only human after all.

 

[CitrixEngineer]

This is the problem with the new AMD naming scheme;

An XP1600+ does, indeed, run at 1400Mhz. If you run it at 1600Mhz, it will get very hot very quickly, unless you have vast arrays of fans in your case, and a professional standard cooler. If your PSU is not at least 350W, you will also have issues.

The reason it dropped back to 1050Mhz is because that is the BIOSes default; It will run the CPU with the correct multiplier (10.5, in this case), but an FSB speed of 100Mhz.

If you want to overclock your Athlon XP (and have decent cooling mechanisms and quality RAM), just increase the FSB speed (gently and incrementally). I got mine running quite happily at an FSB of 152Mhz (=1596Mhz). I only changed it back to 133Mhz because it started getting a bit too warm when I burned CDs. I must say I didn't really notice a great deal of performance difference - just different numbers on POST.


I hope this helps CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[Guest_imported]

I tinkered with the processor speeds in the BIOS, and sure enough I am back to a 1600+ processor!

I think the BIOS must have reverted to its default settings somehow when I swapped the PSU's. I just hope this stops the PC constantly freezing up!

Cheers guys, I owe you one!

Bob

 

[CitrixEngineer]

Please note that the PC will freeze and reset itself if the CPU gets too warm. This is an important consideration with Athlons.

CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk