Underclocked CPU?

[PP611]

About a year ago, my computer was struck by lightning, It killed the motherboard and PSU. eMachines replaced them both, but I later replaced the PSU with a better one. Ok, lets get to the point. My CPU is an Athlon XP 3000+, when my parents first bought this computer the CPU ran at 2.2 GHZ, but after the motherboard was replaced, the speed dropped to 1.3 GHZ. How can I clock my CPU back to 2.2, or higher? I have tried everything, flashed my BIOS, and it went back to normal for a bit, but then went back down, I have a 7600GS and used to get good FPS, but now they are terrible. How can I fix this?

 

[Didou]

Does it constantly run at 1.3Ghz or is that the clock speed when the system isn't doing anything ? If it's the latter I would believe that it's AMD's Cool'n'Quiet technology doing its job.

 

[PP611]

It constantly runs at 1.3 GHz.

 

[EXCellR8]

Have you checked the settings in BIOS? Make sure that the CPU/DRAM ratio is set to the correct setting. Also, make sure your FSB multiplier isn't limiting the CPUs speed. Hopefully, eMachines didn't give you a board with a locked FSB multiplier. If everything in BIOS is set to Auto or Optimal, maybe manually configuring the settings will give you better performance.

 

[PP611]

Have you checked the settings in BIOS? Make sure that the CPU/DRAM ratio is set to the correct setting. Also, make sure your FSB multiplier isn't limiting the CPUs speed. Hopefully, eMachines didn't give you a board with a locked FSB multiplier. If everything in BIOS is set to Auto or Optimal, maybe manually configuring the settings will give you better performance.

I have flashed my BIOS to an unlocked, custom BIOS for my mobo. I changed the settings there, the speed went back to normal for a bit, but then the speed went back down.

It went back down when I reinstalled Windows, and hasn't gone back up since.

 

[EXCellR8]

There any other unlocked BIOS you could try, what mobo do you have? Almost sounds like the version you are using might be unstable or something. I just thought that maybe you overlooked some arbitrary setting(s) somewhere but it seems like you've got the BIOS thing covered. Do you have another CPU to try? I'm surprised that you didn't receive a new one when you got the replacement mobo and PSU.

 

[PP611]

There any other unlocked BIOS you could try, what mobo do you have? Almost sounds like the version you are using might be unstable or something. I just thought that maybe you overlooked some arbitrary setting(s) somewhere but it seems like you've got the BIOS thing covered. Do you have another CPU to try? I'm surprised that you didn't receive a new one when you got the replacement mobo and PSU.

The mobo I have is an FIC AU31

And I don't have another CPU to try

 

[EXCellR8]

Alright, one of my other systems is using that exact mobo so I'm gonna look into what I am using for BIOS and settings. I believe it is running an Athlon XP 3200+ but I'm pretty sure you'd be able to use similar settings. The model of that particular board is k7m-nf18g, you might be able to find more BIOS if you type that in a search.

[EDIT]: It looks like the board is running a pretty retail BIOS by Phoenix Technologies...

Version TCB432L - (08/06/2004)

The bus speed is set to 200mhz w/ a multiplying factor of 11.

 

[insoman]

Don't know if this helps but some boards have a row of 4 or 5 small SWITCHES lined up together on the MOBO (not jumpers). These change the bus in if arranged in a certain order to underclock or overclock depending on the arrangement..

 

[EXCellR8]

^Yeah I don't recall the AU31 having anything like that. I know there is a jumper that sets the FSB speed but I'm 99% sure there are no switches.

 

[PP611]

Thanks for the help everyone!

I played around with the jumper setting a bit, tried to Restore Defaults in BIOS, and to my surprise the computer is running back at 2.2 GHz

Once again, thanks for the help

 

[insoman]

Yahoooooooo!