Foxconn 790FX problem

[Vurtexx]

So I have this problem with my motherboard, the A79A-S Foxconn 790FX and a Phenom II... when I start the computer and it appears directly at Windows, the processor voltage is set to what it would be if it was set default in the BIOS instead of what it should be set at as I have it set in the BIOS. This can cause unnecessary restarting of the computer since it will crash because of the low voltage.

So I need to either figure out how to fix this, or how to set it so that when I start the computer, it always starts from the BIOS screen instead of directly from Windows. Because when the computer starts directly from the BIOS screen instead of appearing at Windows when starting up, the voltage is correct.

I already have the latest BIOS so that's not the problem.

I'm tired of it but haven't been able to figure out a fix. Even if someone can tell me how to always be able to start from the BIOS (complete boot) when I press the power button instead of it normally starting up at Windows, without having to unplug the computer all the time, I'd be happy.

 

[trents]

Your post is a little confusing. I think the common parlance for what you are describing is "cold boot" (starting the computer after it has been turned off) and "warm boot" (restarting the computer without turning it all the way off, as in when you select "restart" in the Windows start menu. Am I interpreting you correctly?

 

[Vurtexx]

I think the common parlance for what you are describing is "cold boot" (starting the computer after it has been turned off) and "warm boot" (restarting the computer without turning it all the way off, as in when you select "restart" in the Windows start menu. Am I interpreting you correctly?

If one = starting up at Windows, and the other = a full boot as in the computer starting directly from the BIOS when it starts up, I think that's accurate.

 

[trents]

If one = starting up at Windows, and the other = a full boot as in the computer starting directly from the BIOS when it starts up, I think that's accurate.

No, its the other way around. To use your terminology:

"starting up at windows" = warm boot ('cause the computer was already just on)

"starting directly from bios" = cold boot ('cause you powered the computer down completely)

I hope we are now on the same page with the terminology but regardless of that I need to ask another question before I can address your original question. It is, how have you been going about overclocking your computer?

1. By entering the "bios" when you either start or restart the computer and then manually manipulating the bios settings before going into Windows or,
2. By using a Windows-based utility and making changes to the speed and voltages of things while already in Windows? The motherboard manufacturers all seem to have these little programs that do this and AMD also makes one called "AMD Overdrive".

 

[Vurtexx]

I hope we are now on the same page with the terminology but regardless of that I need to ask another question before I can address your original question. It is, how have you been going about overclocking your computer?

1. By entering the "bios" when you either start or restart the computer and then manually manipulating the bios settings before going into Windows or,
2. By using a Windows-based utility and making changes to the speed and voltages of things while already in Windows? The motherboard manufacturers all seem to have these little programs that do this and AMD also makes one called "AMD Overdrive".

I use the actual BIOS, no Windows overclocking. (though I hope I'm not implying I have to change the settings every time I start up)

 

[trents]

"So I need to either figure out how to fix this, or how to set it so that when I start the computer, it always starts from the BIOS screen instead of directly from Windows. Because when the computer starts directly from the BIOS screen instead of appearing at Windows when starting up, the voltage is correct."

I'm sorry but this doesn't make sense to me. I'm not sure what you are saying. How can any computer start directly from Windows? Whether you turn them on after they have been powered off or just restart from Windows (warm boot) the computer will still begin with a bios post. I don't know of any where you just push the power button and it springs to life directly in Windows. Are you talking about when the computer is left idle and it goes back to the Windows log on screen where you are asked to enter your user name and password?

 

[Vurtexx]

"So I need to either figure out how to fix this, or how to set it so that when I start the computer, it always starts from the BIOS screen instead of directly from Windows. Because when the computer starts directly from the BIOS screen instead of appearing at Windows when starting up, the voltage is correct."

I'm sorry but this doesn't make sense to me. I'm not sure what you are saying. How can any computer start directly from Windows? Whether you turn them on after they have been powered off or just restart from Windows (warm boot) the computer will still begin with a bios post. I don't know of any where you just push the power button and it springs to life directly in Windows.

You heard it right... I turn it on with the power button and it can pop up directly at Windows, bypassing the BIOS screen. (or at least, I don't recall seeing the BIOS screen, it seems to go straight to Windows and at that time where it comes up is where the problem I described starts)

 

[trents]

Looked up the customer reviews for your board in NewEgg. Does this reviewer's comments resonate with your problem?:

Cons: Whenever you make changes to the bios, You have to press F10, flip off the power switch on the power supply, flip it back on, and then power up the computer otherwise your changes won't save. Foxconn employs a different method when it comes to overclocking instead of what you would normally expect to see when making multiplier adjustments, they use a system of hex numbers and the CPU voltage adjustments are in .024 increments. I figured out how it works after doing a google search, but it took some time. The HT multiplier wouldn't change no matter what was entered. Perhaps this will be addressed in the next bios update.
No documentation is included that identified what the Bios error codes are. Do a google search for AMI Bios codes if you what that information.
SLI Bridge not included with the board. In order to run SLI at X16 you have to use slots 1 and 4, which are so far apart that a special bridge is required which is sold separately.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=False&VendorMark=&Keywords=(keywords)&Page=2

I still don't understand about booting immediately into Windows without a bios post. Do you have some kind of eprom or sideport memory that stores Windows system files?

At any rate, it sounds like a faulty bios to me if it won't retain your bios changes with regard to CPU voltage. I assume it is saving your other overclocking changes such that it is "undervolted" when it goes "directly into Windows" as you say. Maybe Foxconn will fix that with the next bios release. In the meantime, is it too late to return the board?

 

[Vurtexx]

Not the problem I'm having. But I'll try to describe my problem more clearly to make sense of it:

There is a certain default voltage for the processor. If I leave it at the default voltage, it will stay at the default voltage.

If I turn the voltage up in the BIOS... the voltage is only set correctly in Windows when the BIOS screen is seen when first booting up. Otherwise, the voltage is the low default voltage for the processor, instead of what I have it set at.

Now when I press the power button, it goes directly to Windows, and the voltage is the original default instead of what I set it at. All other BIOS settings like CPU clock speed, that I know of, are correct.

This problem can be fixed by restarting the computer. The computer then starts from the BIOS screen, and then goes to Windows, and the voltage is correct. There's some sort of harmony where the computer has to be at the BIOS screen when starting up for the voltage to be set correctly, yet when I turn it on, the typical is for it to start up at Windows.

 

[trents]

What I can't follow is why sometimes when you start the computer it goes into bios first before going into Windows (what I would consider the normal sequence for any computer when either starting or restarting) and other times it seems to bypass the bios post screen and go right to Windows. Do you have any control over this? Under what circumstances will it behave one way and under what circumstances will it behave the other way? And are you saying it only retains the altered CPU voltage the first time you start it after making that change? Is the compute entering a sleep or hibernation mode and then losing the CPU voltage setting when you wake it up?

 

[Vurtexx]

It will behave the way of starting up at Windows when:

When I press the power button.

Bypasses to this are:

Unplugging the computer, then plugging it back in and starting it up. It will start up from the BIOS screen.
Or, the computer getting restarted... by restarted I don't mean by a button but literally, a restarting where it has to boot up again.

 

[trents]

When you are in windows does the computer spontaneously reboot? I mean is it unstable and unexpectedly reboots when you don't want it to after you have made overclocking changes in the bios?

 

[Vurtexx]

When you are in windows does the computer spontaneously reboot? I mean is it unstable and unexpectedly reboots when you don't want it to?

This is correct... it happens when the computer starts directly up at Windows. CPU-z also shows that the processor voltage is the low default instead of what I have it set at in BIOS. Putting much load on the processor, as I might call it, can cause a random restart in this situation.

 

[trents]

Have you tried installing an earlier bios version? Maybe the newest one introduced a bug. It's certainly been known to happen. It sure sounds like a bios problem to me.

How long have you been building computers?

 

[Vurtexx]

I'm not too sure flashing to an earlier BIOS is much of an option... I flashed it forward some time before because I had dislike of the earlier BIOS.

 

[trents]

So tell us about the rest of your hardware. You stated you have a Phenom II but which model and speed. What about your ram and PSU and video card?

In your efforts to overclock so far, what tell us what you have done. How much did you raise frequencies and voltages of ram and cpu? Is your cpu a black edition with unlocked multiplier?

 

[Vurtexx]

The processor is a Phenom II 720.

I normally try to run it at 3.5GHz, at 1.44volts. This works so long as the voltage isn't at the low default... it passes Prime95 for as long as I run it. The "unlocked multiplier" is correct.

My RAM is Corsair 675MHz. I run it at a little over 1.9v, which is "standard". The problem I mentioned, still exists if I run the RAM at 667MHz 5-5-5-15 or 667MHz 4-4-4-12, at standard voltage... pretty much the called for specs.

I'm doubting power supply being the problem since it's a 600W Thermaltake.

 

[trents]

Sounds reasonable. Just wanted to get an idea of how much you were attempting to overclock your hardware. How long have you had this motherboard? Is it too late to return it for a refund? Either that or wait and hope for a better bios. I noticed one reviewer of this board on NewEgg stated that it wasn't yet a mature product. I bought a Gigabyte board last year that would fit that description well. I had all kinds of problems with it. I noticed that Gigabyte came out a little later with a revision to that board and I wished I had waited and gotten the revised one.

 

[Vurtexx]

Ever heard of ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)? I have it in my BIOS but am not sure if it relates to this or if it does, what to set it to.

 

[trents]

Yeah, I've seen this in my own bios but never messed with it much. I think it has to do with options for waking up the computer when it is in hibernation mode. It can be awakened various ways such as by hitting a certain key or wiggling the mouse or even activity across your lan port. I could be wrong but I think that's what its about and I don't think it relates to the problem you are having.

By the way, do you have Cool N Quiet disabled? It should be disabled when you are overclocking. It will force an undervolting of the cpu which doesn't affect stability at stock speeds but will make it unstable when overclocked because when you are overclocked you need more voltage to be stable.