GA-870A-USB3: Trying to overclock, but CPU is throttling down under load.

[Spoonfed]

CPU Specs:

OS: Windows 7 Pro 64bit
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-870A-USB3 v3.1
CPU: AMD FX-4100
RAM: 8GB GSkill RipjawX 1600
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 6950
PSU: Cooler Master Silent Pro M600 600W
SDD: 2x 64GB OCZ Solid 3 in RAID0

I am also updated to the latest BIOS from Gigabyte...

My issue is when I go to test my overclock in Windows using Prime95 with CPUZ turned on. I notice that my multi will jump between what I have it set at for the OC and 16.5 which drops the CPU clock to around 3.6GHz.

I've turned off:

Core Performance Boost
AMD C6 Support
AMD C1E Support
AMD Cool & Quiet
Thermal Control (I think that's what it's called)

I have all of these options in the BIOS turned off, and I've even installed AOD and tried the turning on and off the turbo button. But nothing I try seems to work. I've read other people have had similar issues with other Gigabyte boards. But nobody has yet had a fix for it. With this going on, I know I will not get the OC that I desire. If there is no fix for this then I will probably save up and get a better 990FX board from ASUS or ASrock I hear people are having great success OCing those boards with the new FX CPUs.

Does anybody know something I don't know? Is there another option or trick that I have not tried? Or did I make the wrong mobo purchase?

Here are some pictures of my BIOS and CPUZ:






CPUZ:


As you can see when the CPU is pushed hard by Prime95 the modifier drops from x20.0 to x16.5.

[absic]

well it looks as if you have disabled the obvious things so there is no real reason that this should be happening.

Have you checked the Power Settings in ATI's Catalyst Control Centre and Windows 7?

[Spoonfed]

well it looks as if you have disabled the obvious things so there is no real reason that this should be happening.

Have you checked the Power Settings in ATI's Catalyst Control Centre and Windows 7?

I have Win7 on Higher Performance mode, but what settings are there in CCC?  I'll look around didn't know CCC had any power settings that could affect the CPU.  Thanks for the tip.

[Spoonfed]

I went into CCC and all of my CPU related power settings were set to high performance or turned off.  So I know that is not the issue either, I saw a video where a guy has a 990 board and an FX-4100 with the EXACT same issue as myself.  The only way he was able to fix it was to get a beta version of his BIOS version F10c and it gave him an extra option in the BIOS that fixed his problem.  So I emailed Gigabyte last night and I hope to get a response from them within the next few days. 

[Spoonfed]

Was able to get a Gigabyte tech on the phone, tech support seemed pretty good so far.  I told him my issue and he said he would send it to the programmers, and that I should either check back on Gigabyte's website for a new BIOS update within the next few days.  Or call them back, I highly doubt they will release a new BIOS for this board just because of one person.  But I bet if I call them enough I can get them to make me a beta BIOS to play with.  Time will tell...