ASUS K8N-E Deluxe and Sempron 2600+ E6 754 undervolting

Geographer · Post by **Geographer** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:06 pm

My motherboard is on the list of approved undervolting motherboards and it also says in the ASUS manual that you can change the Vcore, but when I go into the BIOS under Advanced-->JumperFree Configuration, there is no option for CPU voltage. I have read here on the forums that the Sempron 2600+ E6 stepping is able to undervolt, but why can't I see the option in the BIOS? And yes, I have change the JumperFree setting to manul so that the more advance options show up in the BIOS, but it still doesn't show voltage. I also went to disable Cool and Quiet, so I could undervolt myself, but there is no such option in the BIOS, even though the manuel says there is. One interesting thing to note is when I run CPU-Z, nothing shows up in the voltage area. I would really like to undervolt this thing to see how low it can go. Right now my temperatures are with Arctic Cooler Silencer 64 Ultra at 2200 RPM:

30 - Celcius - Idle
36 - Celcius - CPUBurn

Here is a Sceenshot of CPU-Z:

smilingcrow · Post by **smilingcrow** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 11:58 am

Yesterday I installed a Sempron 3000+ (Revision D0) in the same motherboard that you describe and had different results. I enabled manual FID/VID under the Frequency/Voltage section and was then able to change the FID and VID values. Check whether you did this. If it’s not showing then download the latest BIOS version; I’m using 1.009.
Although, since Cool ‘n’ Quiet is not usually enabled for Sempron’s below 3000+, the BIOS might not give you this option. At least it wasn’t for x32 versions (D0 = No, E3 = No?) , I can’t speak for the E6 revision.
If this is the case then your multiplier is locked, regardless of whether the BIOS gives you the option. Not sure if you will be able to change the VID though? It might still be possible in the BIOS or with CrystalCPUID. Clockgen doesn't seem to work, at least for me.

I’m using CrystalCPUID to dynamically alter the FID/VID in Windows in response to system load and my initial impressions are extremely favourable with this CPU/MB combination. I haven’t tried overclocking yet, but temps and power draw are so low with undervolting that I can imagine overclocking and still keeping the system very quiet.

Geographer · Post by **Geographer** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 4:54 pm

I did upgrade BIOS to 1.010. I had to update it to that, just so my motherboard could identify the processor correctly.

I enabled manual FID/VID under the Frequency/Voltage section

the thing is the FID/VID doesn't show up in BIOS, any ideas why not? I have seen other people undervolt the sempron E6 processors, so I thought that I should be able to. CrystalCPUIS grays out the option to adjust anything. However, I can adjust the FSB speed in the BIOS, from 200-300. I am just puzzled why FID/VID doesn't show up. Maybe since E6 semprons are new, the motherboard doens't work as well with them.

smilingcrow · Post by **smilingcrow** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:02 am

I can only assume that the problem is that Cool 'N' Quiet is disabled for this chip. If you had a 3000+ E6, it wouldn't be a problem. The BIOS must recognise the lack of CnQ and disable the FID/VID setting.
I'm suprised that you can't change the CPU voltage though! I'm not sure what it is with this board, but Clockgen doesn't allow me to access the FID/VID page, it's greyed out, although the BIOS allows me to access it and so does CrystalCPUID. Strange.

len509 · Post by **len509** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:17 am

I've got the same board and I do see the FID/VID and CnQ option. But I have a A64 3200+. I've read that only some of the 2600+E6 support CnQ (and maybe undervolting). So you may have got one that is locked. Check out this thread. But those idle/load temps are excellent, that I wouldn't even worry about it.

smilingcrow · Post by **smilingcrow** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:59 am

len509 wrote:I've read that only some of the 2600+E6 support CnQ (and maybe undervolting). So you may have got one that is locked. Check out this thread

If it supports CnQ, then by default it supports undervolting. CnQ is basically dynamic multiplier and voltage support. Even if your MB doesn't specifically support undervolting in the BIOS, if it supports CnQ, then your can under-volt through software.

I looked at the Asus page that you gave and it looks promising. But, I personally wouldn't take that as definitive, as it doesn't explicitly state CnQ support. It's more a matter of inference, which is dangerous ground.
If anyone has definitive info on this, then please post.

Hifriday · Post by **Hifriday** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 7:21 am

My Sempron 2800+ Rev D0 which does NOT support CnQ has the multiplier/voltage options greyed out in CrystalCPUID. I suspect that your Sempron 2600+ E6 does not have CnQ either, which would agree with many postings on the web that Semprons below 1.8ghz (ie. 3000+) do not have CnQ support. Using a Sempron 3000+ E6 (which does support CnQ) on the same board, I can change voltage and multipliers using CrystalCPUID (although minimum voltage seems to be locked at 1.1v).

However I would have thought that you can change Vcore in BIOS regardless if the CPU supports CnQ or not. My MB unfortunately does not have that feature.

smilingcrow · Post by **smilingcrow** » Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:44 am

Hifriday wrote:Using a Sempron 3000+ E6 (which does support CnQ) on the same board, I can change voltage and multipliers using CrystalCPUID (although minimum voltage seems to be locked at 1.1v).

That’s odd, my 3000+ D0 can do 0.8V in that board, which I think is a fairly standard low value for CnQ boards. That’s using CrstalCPUID and also I think in the BIOS, latest version.

Geographer · Post by **Geographer** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 9:22 am

Thanks for the info guys. I really think that some semprons under 3000 do support undervolting because on another thread here, "What about Socket 754 w/ Sempron 64" he is undervolting a sempron 2600 E6 to about 1.1v. It is not really all the big a deal like len509 says, the temperatures are good anyway, but I like to see how low you can go. BTW, does anyone know why no voltage number shows up in my CPUID screenshot? I think that has something to do with why I can't change my voltage in CrystalCPUID.

smilingcrow · Post by **smilingcrow** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 1:14 pm

Geographer wrote:BTW, does anyone know why no voltage number shows up in my CPUID screenshot? I think that has something to do with why I can't change my voltage in CrystalCPUID.

Do you have the latest version of the software, the E6 revision is still relatively new. Do you also have the latest BIOS version for the motherboard? I know they are obvious questions, but you never know!

Geographer · Post by **Geographer** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:18 am

Yes, I have the latest BIOS and Yes, I have the latest CPUID.

dukla2000 · Post by **dukla2000** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:23 am

Geographer wrote:BTW, does anyone know why no voltage number shows up in my CPUID screenshot?

I would reckon that is linked to the whole 'problem'. IIRC my ASUS A7V333 had a couple of jumpers relating to auto and manual settings - there was a 'Master' jumper, then a bank for multiplier, a bank for frequency and possibly another one that was a bit of a 'Master' but the manual was fairly cryptic. Sounds like the K8N may have some of the same philosophy, so check all the jumpers/settings (again

)

Geographer · Post by **Geographer** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 12:00 pm

I was reading on the ASUS forums and even though it's not too clear, it appears as if ASUS has disabled many overclocking options (and consequently underclocking) for Sempron E6 revision processors. Here is a link to ASUS forums: http://vip.asus.com/forum/bbs.aspx?SLan ... E%20Deluxe

The topic I am refering to is titled: CPU Sempron 64 Bit - overclocking

It is kind of hard to understand, but I think someone is saying that ASUS disable overclocking functionality for Sempron E6 revision processors, but there is hope for a future BIOS update that would enable extra overclocking features.................who knows, but I think I found my answer. Let me know what you think after reading that thread on the ASUS forums.

And dukla2000, the only 2 jumpers on this board are:

CMOS Reset
USB Wake-ON

dukla2000 · Post by **dukla2000** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:44 pm

Geographer wrote:And dukla2000, the only 2 jumpers on this board are:

(In the A7 days FID/VID were jumpers, with the 'Master' jumper to set whether you had soft control in the BIOS or enforced hard values as per the FID/VID jumpers!)

marcmercer · Post by **marcmercer** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:55 am

Have you tried an older pre-sempron E6 bios?

I'm guessing here, but it might be worth a try as although the bios may not recognise the chip for what it is - you may then be able to access the voltage options.

Marc

mb2 · Post by **mb2** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:38 am

wow, that rought guy in that thread is so incredibly stupid its annoying.

Geographer · Post by **Geographer** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 4:49 am

marcmercer wrote:Have you tried an older pre-sempron E6 bios?

I'm guessing here, but it might be worth a try as although the bios may not recognise the chip for what it is - you may then be able to access the voltage options.

Marc

Good idea, I'll try a lower BIOS, but I don't think it will work because it came with BIOS 1007 and I didn't see the voltage options. After that I tried 1009, the 1010 and it was a no go.

mb2, I agree that guy doesn't know anything about Semprons. They are very overclockable, just as much so as AMD 64's.

ASUS K8N-E Deluxe and Sempron 2600+ E6 754 undervolting

ASUS K8N-E Deluxe and Sempron 2600+ E6 754 undervolting

Re: ASUS K8N-E Deluxe and Sempron 2600+ E6 754 undervolting