So I used to have my system at 3.15 Ghz, aggressive ram timings at 4-4-4-4-12

I updated the evga 680i mb to the p32 bios. Immediately upon reboot my system become completley unstable.

I resorted all settings to default, including voltages, overclock etc. Everything seems to work ok.

But now anytime I enable the expert setting to overclock the fsb and the ram timings go back to the aggressive epp. My computer bios goes into safe mode, I try to go into bios but it hangs and wont allow it.

I did a hard cmos reset by using the jumper. I also flashed back down to p31 bios. Things seem to be ok with the ram timings now. But I can't get a descent overclock now for anything.

If I use the previous settings, voltages etc that were load via the saved profile in the bios, windows immediately crashes to a blue screen.

So the original voltages used before don't work now at all, The highest clock I can get stable is 2.7ghz, before I could at least boot into windows at 3.5ghz no problem. Granted that wasn't stable under prime 95.


I can't figure out what happened, I changed the bios back to p31.

The only thing I can think of is that some how the bios update damaged either the mb, or a component. I dont have any spares so I can't swap out to see if its ram, processor or mb.

Guess I should rma the MB, I seroiusly doubt the ram or processor was damaged. I am not an engineer so I have no idea what changes they could of made to the bios that could possibly have done that.

Point is, bios update, immediate noticable changes in overclock and stability.

The computer wouldn't even get into the bios with the ram timings at the epp profile detected, I have never ran into a problem like this before, hopefully someone else has.

Anyone agree?

I certainly would have set my BIOS to default before flashing.

Also, in order to RMA, their warranty has to cover overclocking, which I'm almost sure it doesn't.

cran, the new version of the BIOS may have changed how/where settings are set/stored, so you *cannot* use the stored settings from your previous BIOS version. Try the folowing:
1) Clear CMOS (always do this after flashing new BIOS)
2) Load defaults (NOT your saved settings)
3) *Manually* adjust ONLY RAM voltage to correct setting for your RAM model number.
4) Save current settings.
5) Reboot and try adjusting other overclocking settings.

always clear bios after a bios update and input all the setting back on.

Thanks guys for the info.

Great news! It was the board itself. I rma'd it through EVGA, excellent company/service by the way, I wont use anyone else!

Point is, overclocking is better then it ever was with that other board, it came factory installed p32 bios.

It would appear, at least so far that perhaps that other board was having issues from the start. I just never knew it. Perhaps the p32 bios update really brought out the issues/weakness.

I was able to overclock, so far to 2.925 ghz without even adjusting voltages manually. That is a first. I am currently running prime 95 with all four cores going, no issues.

I will continue cautiously the overclocking path. Always nice when you find a problem and its easilly fixed.