[microfire]

Got the Gigabyte GA-X48-DS5 board 5 days ago.
Alot of testing done with a 2x 1GB pair of Transend axe ram DDR 1066 based on Micron's D9GMH.
This board hates it, no matter what divider I select it just won't run. Even if I change the timings, its a no go for any overclocking.
The board how ever will run 1 stick at a time, but not in dual channel without locking up. Test 4 in memset will lock it up in a 1-3 mintues.
The only setting it likes, without any alterations to the timings, divider, or fsb is just stock auto.

Further testing....
Today I got a set of G-Skill F2-8000CL5D-4GBPQ (DDR-1000), same problem, though the only difference it will actual work with only the divider set on auto that sets it to the original DDR 800, from here I can actual manually choose a FSB setting other than stock, can even set the timings to 5-5-5-15 (where as the D9GMH would not accept anything). Have managed some what of an overclock without hard locking or errors so far.

Conclusion:
Had expected great things from this motherboard! Now that I have tested 2 sets of ram, I am now disappointed. I think the RAM has no problem, and could only be the problem of the motherboard.
Less likely of the CPU, only a little over stock overclock of just a few MHz the installed E8400 seen errors or a frezze at desktop in memory intensive applications or memtest test 4 (though it is still possible it could be a processor problem, I very much doubt so).

Your input or findings will be welcomed, thanks.

[stdu007]

do you updated the bios ...

[DocClock aka MadClocker]

Originally Posted by stdu007

do you updated the bios ...

^what he said....the E8400 is very new, and the bios might be identifying it wrong even though it operates normaly?
If you have a folding @home client...turn it on, and I gaurantee that your cpu will be operating at full speed.

[microfire]

Thanks.
Yes (Noticed no change or nothing special) I updated it from this link a couple of days ago:
http://www.gigabyte.co.nz/Support/Mo...ProductID=2766

It is basically is really a new chipset X48 that is very much as so they say just a binned X38.
The board is the same layout, just with the X48 bang on the northbridge. My board is Rev-1.1

Maybe it's the CPU (which I doubt somewhat), or maybe the motherboard has problems with memory (I am leaning towards the the motherboard control of the memory).
One thing certain it is a hard motherboard to overclock.

[stdu007]

Originally Posted by DocClock aka MadClocker

^what he said....the E8400 is very new, and the bios might be identifying it wrong even though it operates normaly?
If you have a folding @home client...turn it on, and I gaurantee that your cpu will be operating at full speed.

maybe some memory issue ... and sometime a bios update just fit for this kind of problem ...

[microfire]

Yeah I would think a memory issue after testing with two different sets of memory and IC's.
No errors with any single sticks in memtest.
Once 2 or 4 sticks are added together with memtest (no matter if in dual channel or single channel mode) it will hard lock, I still don't get a single error.
I keep checking gigabytes website, in hope a new bios fix is the next release, though if its not, then I am screwed at stock speeds.
I am hoping someone else here has the same motherboard, I am unsure if most people on it forums live where they sell it. I get the impression that the GA-X48-DQ6 is only on offer in the USA, which I take it most peoples on here are living in.

[gips]

I have the board, and have the exact same issue with it.Lockups with no memory errors.It's very frustrating because the board isn's a cheap one
A crappy Asrock will be rock solid on stock too.

[microfire]

Originally Posted by gips

I have the board, and have the exact same issue with it.Lockups with no memory errors.It's very frustrating because the board isn's a cheap one
A crappy Asrock will be rock solid on stock too.

This board is one hell of a mission to overclock, and very frustrating when clocking a couple of MHz of stock causes lockups, your are right, not cheap either. If the Asus P5K pro didn't faulty, I wouldn’t of bothered with this expensive pile of poo (well it really isn’t that bad) but not worth the money when a cheap mobo could of done the same or maybe a better job.
Gips – look at my thread here, I did have some luck after testing like crazy for the last few weeks.
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.p...70#post5625870

Major problem I am now having is getting 500 FSB stable with Crysis, just drops to desk top, freezes or reboots my system, even if I run 6x 500 = 3 GHz

I did mange to load into memtest at 580 FSB

CPU Clock Skew Control is the key setting you want to play with. 50ps should get you started, the high the FSB to more you need, up to 150ps depending on how high you want to go with it.

Keep me posted and I try and help you.

Oh yea, Welcome to the forums

[gips]

I think i tried the setttings you recommend, but i will try again tonight.Maybe the problem is not only the board.I'm using a PCI-E raid controller card.Will try without it.I can get the machine to post at 444mhz but it freezes in memtest and while loading OS.BTW my CPU is Q9300,but after all i want exactly 444mhz nothing more,but still no luck even at 400

[gips]

Still no luck,tried with your settings at 400mhz.Freezes at memtest.Without the raid ,same thing.Looks like my memory is not too good, i'm using 4x1G KINGSTON 1066,divider 2.66D at 400mhz which is exactly stock - 1066 Tried with 2 modules ,same result.Must try with just one module.

[microfire]

I can understand. Took me ages to get it going. I was going to send it back the mobo or the ram, but the board really doesn't have a problem. Then I tested each single stick, no lockups, so no ram issue either.
I am at the stage of thinking now that it is the processor working along with the chipset is causing the lock ups. I am hoping the next bios will be the resolver, if not then gigabyte may have a problem with this board. There really isn't much people on the net i see with this board, so very little resources for us to check our details next to
X48 isn't really anything new, and I tend to think as of it, more like a X38 defined for pre wolfdale processors.
With that said, fine tuning the parameters in the bios is a must.

[exUser]

Having EXACTLY the same problem as you, microfire.

Board is GA-X48-DS5 (V1.1) with CPU Intel Q9550 C1 stepping and with 2x1GB Kinston HyperX KHX6400D2ULK2/2G (DDR2-800 CL3, worked flawlesly on friends X48 based Asus Rampage Formula @ 800CL3-3-3-9, 1000CL4-4-4-12 and 1120CL5-5-5-18). Memory is on the verified memory list by gigabyte for my board:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/...ga-x48-ds5.pdf

On GA-X48-DS5 (tried both F5 and F6a BIOS), everthing works perfectly ONLY if everything is on stock (memory by "auto" set to DDR2-800 5-6-6-20). As soon as in the BIOS, FSB is raised (even with the multiplier lowered), windows boots but very soon locks up or restarts. Memtest fails somewhere during test#4.

But even without raising the FSB, if I just raise the memory voltage a bit and tighten the memory timings (not even close to memory limits, verified on Asus), for example 1066CL5, I get the same problem as described above.

To be even more weird, if EasyTune 5 Pro (or SetFSB) is used, from Windows, I can sucessfully overclock from stock 8.5x333 to for example 8.5x390MHz, stable, verified with prime95 for hours. But if I set the same FSB of 390MHz in BIOS (without changing any other parameter), I get a lockup after within minutes...

I have tried with playing with CPU clock skew and MCH clock skew (tried in different combinations everything up to 300ps), no improvements.

Ideas? Have not tried with single memory stick yet, will try it tomorrow. But again, they work OK on stock, and worked OK overclocked on Asus.

I have contacted GGTS yesterday, if I get lucky they will probably get back to me on Monday.

P.S. Does anyone know for sure is it possible to flash a X48-DQ6 BIOS, since the boards are virtually the same?

P.P.S. On Asus Rampage Formula we easily managed to get this CPU running @ 3.8GHZ @ 1.33V (FSB=447MHz) with memory set to 1072MHz 4-5-4-13 and performance level 7 (vMCH=1.4v). With this X48-DS5 I can only dream about something like this, even though based on Gigabyte marketing, X48-DS5 should be a very high end motheboard capable of such achievements.

[microfire]

Yep you got it, all your statements are correct.
There is a few things that need changing in the BIOS.
Once done I think your find that it really is an excellent board after all.
Took me awhile to figure them out.
Read my overclocking adventure here:
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.p...70#post5625870
This should help you out.

Welcome to the forums

[Slats123]

Hey All!
Been searching the net for a few days to find info about the GA-X48-DS5 (V1.1) and Q9550 and overclocking as I have been having some problems.

I am pretty new at overclocking but reading the posts you guys have made makes things a whole lot easier!

I think it is a memory problem and the board with over clocking.

I built my new PC 2 weeks ago. Overclocked the GA-X48-DS5 (V1.1) and Q9550 to 3.4Ghz( 8.5 x 400Mhz) DDR ratio to FSB ratio 1:1.

Ran Prime with no problems for 6 hrs +. Games encoding everything ran fine! Was pretty happy.

One day I noticed on POST I got the message "Memory runs at single channel".

Ok so when I built the PC i accidently put the DDR 2 modules into the wrong slots. You would think it would be easy! All I had to do is match the coloured slots on the board! haha

So I correct things and put the modules in dual channel config.

Boot into Vista and run prime. screen locks up withing 2-5 minutes every time!

No matter what config I use to overclock other than stock standard the PC will freeze when under load when memory is in dual channel mode.

Single channel config not a problem at all!

Running Corsair Dominator 4gb!

Do you guys things a firmware relase from Gigabyte is the solution asuming that this is a known issue to them?

What disadvataged will I have in running in single channel mode or even just 1 memory module? I read that you lose double the RAM bandwdith?

Great msg board btw!

Slats

[exUser]

My experiance exactly. This morning I have tried in single channel mode, works great, no lockup problems at all, running fsb as high as 420MHz (probably even more is possible with just minor tweaking). But when in dual channel, with exactly the same BIOS settings (and even with much lower FSB), lockups after just a minut or two...

Obviosly, there is a issue with GA-X48-DS5 board and current BIOS.

Reason why I think it is a BIOS issue is that when (in dual-channel mode) I set everthing to default (auto, normal), all works well, even when I afterwards increase the FSB using EasyTune or setFSB.

GIGABYTE, please fix the problem ASAP, behaviour like this is completely unacceptable!!!

BTW, going from dual-channel to single-channel mode will have significant negative impact on "memory bandwidth sensitive" applications, like WinRAR, most of the games, etc...

[Slats123]

With the help of this post I have logged a support enquiry at - http://www.giga-byte.com/Support/ServiceCenter.aspx knowing that there is a common problem with some users when overclocking using dual channel memory config.

I'll let you know what they reply with..

Slats

[microfire]

This board cost me more in the long run than moving to DDR3 solution because I brought an extra set of memory sticks with different chips on them because I though my first set are not compatible. I could not return the originals since there was nothing wrong with them. The new sticks I had the same exact problem.
I agree, there must some kind for problem with the bios, I needed to make alterations to the bios settings to overclock even just slighty. With the bios in its basic stock form (no settings changed or overclocking), the board runs perfect and never fails.
Yes they need to fix the problem, as it is now clear this is a common problem. I have been checking for some time now for a bios updates. I really think it is poor that these issues were not detected by gigabyte and fixed as fast as possible. Hence the title of the thread.
However I have reached a point of many hours spent, and my current overclock I feel is of a very impressive FSB for the X48 chipset. Adding to that I am stable, so I need not to destroy the time I have put in by changing anything else.
I do want to see these problems resolved, as people that own or are to purchase this board will be disappointed and confused if they attemp to overclock at all.

[exUser]

Still no response from Gigabyte... either they are ignoring us (unlikely), or taking the case seriously and doing some internal testing and preparing a beta BIOS...

[Slats123]

Yeah me too, no reply! The request I put in has not been even opened or read as yet according to the gigabyte site. I know they must have heaps of requests but it's been nearly a week with no replt.

Like you said hope they are taking the case seriously...

I have always been happy with Gigabyte but just some acknowledgementof my request would be good. Getting slightly frustrated.

Any of you guys having luck with OC-ing with the board?

Slats

[microfire]

Yes I have with overclocking, just read my links above and you will see some screens shots of where I am at today...
E8400 @ 4200 MHz / Rated FSB 2100 MHz / 1:1 / RAM @ DDR-1050 5-5-3-15
Takes time to adjust the settings, but once you are there, it is as stable as nothing you have seen before.
Maybe thats why they have been slow to reply or reply at all.
Try the auto overclocking, it will go high, and the voltages, but it will still lock up.
The right manual settings are whats needed for success. Depending on your processor, if its anything like my E8400, just use simular settings and modify them to suit your platform, remember the fan over the northbridge/chipset if your going over 0.1v, otherwise it will get to hot and lock up from heat.
I would expect any reply. It's like this, they sell many motherboards and they keep on selling on matter what we say here. Most people don't overclock. Time we buy from the middle man, the profit wouldn't be much at all for them to bother about.

[Slats123]

Hi microfire,

Thanks for the info.

I did try your settings and tweaked around them to try and get them working but no luck :-( One diff is I am use the Q9550 and diff ram to you.

Out of interest what cpu cooling are you using for your setup?

I have tried so much and I still get the issue. Running water cooling from thermaltake myself.

Slats

[exUser]

Same thing here, really tried everthing I could think of (even extra cooling for NB as suggested) and in dual channel X48-DS5 is just unstable for everything but stock setting. I am also using Q9550 CPU, retail C1 stepping, and approved, on supported memory list for this board, Kinston KHX6400D2ULK2/2G memory kit. In single channel mode everything works flawlesly. Yesterday tried my CPU and memory on friends Gigabyte motherboard (X38-DS4) and works and overclocks perfectly in dual-channel mode, as it did last week on ASUS Rampage Formula board (same, X48 chipset), so really nothing wrong with the CPU or the memory.

Why I still believe it could be a BIOS issue is because for me:

1) Everything work perfectly and overclocks nice in single-channel
2) Everything works perfectly on stock with memory in dual-channel
3) When I bootup in dualchannel on stock settings and overclock using windows tools (EasyTune for example), I can overclock reasonbly well without raising any voltage (to around 390MHz) while maintaing a full stability. In single channel mode, using exactly the same bios setting-parameters, even a bit more is possible.

BTW, I am using CoolerMaster TX2, with base polished to the mirror finish and AS5. According to RealTemp (Tjunc set to 95c), CPU core temperatures after hours of Prime95 are between 54 and 58C, CPU case temperature reported around 38-40C. NB temp reported is between 35 and 39C, depending on room temperature and load, so no problems there.

P.S. Most of the people who are buying expensive high-end motherboards like X48-DS5 are enthusiasts and are overclocking. And FSB 400MHz is NOT a overclock for X48 and it MUST work, but it does not in dual-channel mode. This should be a good enough reason for a RMA, and if a lot of motherboards are affected, Gigabyte SHOULD care!. Have also in mind that Gigabyte is advertising this board as "Designed for enthusiasts with extreme over-clocking and blistering gaming performance in mind"

[Duarte]

hi everyone
i put here a pic to have some coments to it.
i dont know if the temps fine and if is a good oc
thanks

[Duarte]

i'm new in oc and forums
a little bit of experience with computers
i try do understand a little more and help someone too with the little i know
thanks for everything

[microfire]

Slats,

I am using a 3 year old Corsair Cool water cooling system with a recently added new Swiftech Apogee GT water block, the fan is set to 7v. Works great!


Duarte,

Looks like a good start. Try some stability tests, make sure you are not having the same problems as some of us in this thread (read up further).
The problem is not visable at first when overclocking, windows loads and everything seems fine, until the system is under load.

Welcome to the forums

[Duarte]

hello microfire,thanks for the answer and for the welcome.
what kind of probs? run prime95 for some hours,nothing wrong,temp idle 34/35,temp full load 63.i'm afraid because i'm in stock cooler.i have tried 4.0 but some probs,temp too hight,alote of vcore needed..... by the way ,i think make a change in the cooler,but i don't think in water for now. what you think for thermalright ultra 120 extreme,ac frezer pro or tuniq tower?

[Duarte]

i found that when i run prime95 in administrator mode,if i run it in normal mode nothing appens........
[Jun 9 15:56] FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4
[Jun 9 15:56] Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.
[Jun 9 15:56] Torture Test ran 13 minutes - 1 errors, 0 warnings.
[Jun 9 15:56] Work thread stopped.

[exUser]

Originally Posted by Slats123

Yeah me too, no reply! The request I put in has not been even opened or read as yet according to the gigabyte site. I know they must have heaps of requests but it's been nearly a week with no replt.
Slats

As you said, they haven't even opened a support request yet... 10 days passed and not even a single reply. Seems they have a very poor technical support.

If they don't answer, or at least read our messages in next two-three days, I will be forced to do RMA, and at the same time I will not be lazy to make a blog and notify big, influential sites like anandtech, techreport, etc. on how bad Gigabyte takes care of their customents. People have right to know...

[Dodgexander]

Although i agree with your opinion of Gigabytes customer support, i have to say Gigabyte is not the only Hardware company that offers bad customer service. In fact, the only company ive heard of who does is EVGA!

In regards to overclocking the x48, i have the EX38 model and yes, its very sensetive to settings, sometimes i can boot with a set overclock and sometimes my pc will crash and then the quad bios will default its settings to stock again. The best way i have dealt with this is simple trial an error. I find the board is stable when settings are optimised, however its the pure 'optimising' that makes the Job hard. Its so frustrating waiting for the ICHR9 SATA controller to load after a reboot and as i also pointed out, you can run this board for a week, only later to find a random crash or stability issues. To be short, i really dont think a bios upgrade will fix this, with my board or with the x48 and the reason i think that is down to the fact that Gigabyte will not be able to repeat the problem.

They bench maybe for 24hours with the compatible Ram and CPUs? IF THAT, so theyre is no chance in hell they are going to be able to repeat the kind of errors that we are receiving!

Secondly, they can always fall back on the barrier that it is the hardware you are using that is fault, not their motherboard, or the hardware is not capable or not 'compatible'.

In my opinion, do not waste your time emailing gigabyte asking them to fix this, instead take the time to provide screenshots, crash dumps and how they can repeat the error. In my eyes, this is worth a 10 day plus reply and it will also,by chance allow them to repeat the problem!

~Dodge

[fritzman]

Wow... Gigabyte really are having some issues. I had almost the exact same problem with their P35 DDR2-DDR3 hybrid board, and thought it was because it was hybrid.

Like you guys... I found their support to be shocking... they eventually came back and said they didn't support overclocking (which I found incredible) and wiped their hands of me.

Good luck.