8HKA+ post problem - need help (long)

I'm hoping someone can explain the following weirdness to me.
I have an 8HKA+ and an unlocked XP1800+. I have had the system running stable using the 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11 and 11.5 multipliers so I suspect that my unlocking was successful (but If I was sure, I wouldn't be posting this!).
Now here's the weirdness.
If I'm using any BIOS multiplier setting other that 'AUTO', my system is reluctant to post on restart or sometimes power-up. If i hit the reset button (sometimes it takes several attempts) the system will post. Once i get past post, it will load and run windows 2K with no errors. I'm not necessarily over-clocking the processor when this happens. If I leave the setting at auto (11.5 for this processor), I can up the fsb to about 148 without this happening, but above 148 the same will occur. Once I can get a post condition, all runs well. This highest I have run this setup is 1760Mhz (11X160). At this speed (once it posted) I ran Prime95 for 3hrs with no errors, min volt on the 5V rail was 4.95. Max temp was 45C (38 idle). Core volts at 1.8.
Does any one have a clue? I used the defroster paint to unlock the chip. Should I re-do it? Could that be the problem?
I thought it might be the power supply so I upgraded from the Antec 300 to the Antec 400 with no change except I can get a higher stable overclock but the post wierdness is still there.

Here's the pertinent system specs:
Athlon XP1800+(1.53mhz), PAL8045 w/50cfm Sunon
8HKA+ MB, 256 Corsair PC2400 DDR,
PNY GF3 Ti200,
3Com network card,
Antec case w/Antec 400W power supply,
CD, CDRW, 2-30G Maxtors, 4 case fans.
(I have disconnected all 4 case fans with no change in the above problems)

I have read alot of posts on boards about this, seems to be the motherboard maybe a future bios will fix it. I have yet to see a reply giving a reason or fix.
It does not seem to happen to everyone thou.
You might want to read this:


http://www.amdmb.com/vb/showthread.php?threadid=70796

Thanks Placid,
I was feeling sorta stoopid, wondering what I had done wrong but I see from the link that you provided that I'm not alone here.

I guess I'll hope for a BIOS cure! Until then maybe I'll ger a bigger reset button! ( I have a server case and the reset button is recessed so you need something pointy to press it).

C-Crunch, I am having the same reset probs.

Brand new 8KHA+ with 1.4 T-bird...I cannot get this thing to reset. Better yet, I am getting a CMOS checksum error everytime I boot up that says the default values were loaded.

Can't get that amdmb link to work that's posted....


I have been having a TIME with this Epox so far.

Just updated my signature to reflect system specs

Still having a time with the Epox though.

T0 clear the CMOS checksum error, all I did was to set the date and time in the bios and reboot. I get the same each time that I clear the CMOS. Make sure that your CMOS jumper is in the right config. I have 2 documents from EPOX for this board and each shows the CMOS jumper in a different default location! With the cpu at the top of the board, the jumper should be on the left most two pins for normal and the right-most two pins to clear.

Yeah, it seemed whenever I cleared my CMOS, the time would reset but I quit reconfiguring the time. I will try that when I get home.


I finaly made it to the amdmb forums.....I am glad that I am BY FAR not the only one having probs with the resetting issue.

Also can't get USB to work...

Optimized defaults lock up this system...

By the way, I am running Win98....I see that this board has issues with 98..but no dinero for XP.


I guess I was spoiled with my KT7A-R board.

For anyone who has 8KHA+ with rebooting issues, you are not alone; as we have encountered whole batch of boards with the same problem. I have been in contact with EPoX last couple of days, apparently they are aware of it, and came up with a fix/solution. However, it sounds like it involves a BIOS chip replacement; not a simple BIOS update.

EPoX is overnighting me some BIOS chip as well as the tool to extract the BIOS chip to us, and I will let you guys know if it helps in resolving the rebooting problem. If it does help, those who purchased the boards from PCNUT, please contact me directly at [email protected], or [email protected]. If you didn't purchase the board from us, we can't help you; you will need to contact your reseller for a replacement BIOS chip.

I may have had a little luck last night. I did in fact reset the clock time and I bumped up my FSB to 144 and multiplier to 10.5. Running at 144x10.5@1512

I also bumped up to 1.75v and also something else a tad bit...can't remember now off the top of my head...but I gave it a little more juice.

With the retail fan on the T-bird I am at 51C full load.

I was running it at full load for about 5 hours last night, no lockups/crashes and I was able to do a warm restart succesfully 3 or 4 times with no problems.

The CMOS Checksum Error went away and has not come back.....yet


I am still unable to get my USB to work although everything is enabled. I will worry about that possibly this weekend but I am happy with last nights progress.

Thanks for the clock suggestion.

I posted a tech support request to EPoX earlier about the problem explained above. In fact, I sent them the same stuff. I just received a reply that stated (in my words, not their's) Thanks for your interest in EPoX products but you overclock so you are on your own!

So what do you guys think, MSI or wait for the new Iwill?
I'm a little bit POed with the EPoX response.

Try a rma for a different one from where you bought it or exchange for the MSI or the abit KG7 lite.

Some of the epox 8KHA's do not have the problem no idea what the odds are of getting another with the same problem thou.

Hmm. Mine seems to be working fine. When you say reboot problem, does that mean you get no video when you first turn it on and have to push the reset button for it to work? That happens to me over 153 fsb, but i think is becuase of my weak psu. Just wondering...

Yes, RyE, That's the problem that I'm having. Its not a psu probem. I get the same results with an Antec 300W or an Antec 400W. It appears to be a BIOS issue to me. The board is perfectly stable WHEN you can get it to post. Once I push the reset button the magic number of times (it varies from one restart to the next) the system loads W2K and runs just fine.
I'm currently running stable at 10X160, the only issue is the annoying restart/no post, requires the reset button issue.
If this was fixed, this board would be near perfect (I'm not sure that anything is ever perfect).

BTW, this board and my PNY Ti200 have allowed me to post the current highest 3dmark2001 score for a Ti200 (8349). If you search for all scores for a Ti200 at 1024X768 at 32 bit color, that would be me at the top!(at least for a while, I'm sure someone will beat this score soon!)

c_crunch

i'm using the 8kha+ also and must say, it was the smoothest upgrade i've ever done. i havent even had to reinstall windows going from an install on a 440bx. initially i had no reboot problems and was/am running @ 145 fsb, but after i removed my axp 1600+ to connect the l1s and reinstalled it i got the dreaded reset problems. i'm wondering if there may be a pattern here with unlocked cpu's or something.

Personally, I don't think its related to unlocked processors. I don't have a problem below 148mhz at the default multiplier.

same here

I AM HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. So how do I get that new bios chip? Dang this sucks!

i hadn't had a problem at all before (tryed up to 150fsb-but windows didn't like that, ram timing were likely too aggresive for cheap micron ram) but now even at default 133x10.5 i have to use the reset button to post and reboot. just saw this,
http://www.amdmb.com/vb/showthread.php?threadid=71708
wondering if some boards have bad zif sockets? i have no bent pins and the cpu drops right in.

russb,
It's just a hunch, but I'll bet that if you clear your cmos that your reboot problem might go away at the default settings. I seem to remember that it worked for me once. But I have changed so many things and then cleared the cmos so many times that I could be wrong though.

I also don't think that the zif socket can cause this (but I'm certainly no expert on zif sockets).

thanks c_crunch, i'll try that (problem is, i'm too damn lazy to re-do all my bios settings )

that did the trick (mostly) thanks! only have to reset now after changing fsb in bios