Can't overclock (or change some settings) on my GA-X79-UD5 motherboard

[RolandDeschain]

Help!

I have the Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5 motherboard with an Intel i7 3960X processor. 95% of the time when I try to overclock in the BIOS, it fails when I save and reboot and it boot loops without even POSTing. I'm currently running the latest BIOS version of F8, but I just flashed that yesterday; I was using stock until then. I've read that the F7 revision fixed some overclocking issues, but later versions like F8 include the stuff in prior ones to my knowledge.

Let me begin by saying that I'm a relatively seasoned overclocker. I've never been into it really hardcore, and I'm not an expert at it; but I did short some pins to overclock my processor like 9 years ago. I like squeezing extra juice where I can. My 2500k Sandy Bridge sitting next to me is overclocked to 4.4GHz on air cooling and stable.

Now, once in a while, an overclock will stick. I see the proper GHz in CPU-Z in Windows with it and it's stable. I managed at one point to OC my 3960X to 4.3GHz with a 1.40 vcore and it was stable for 2 straight hours of Battlefield 3 without ever seeing a CPU temp over 62 during the gaming session. I rebooted, got the boot loop and couldn't POST, and had to reset the BIOS. I just submitted a ticket to Gigabyte a little bit ago with this info and more, but I figured I'd post on the official forums as well and maybe I'll get lucky.

Here's the real kicker. I can cause this same problem to happen without even overclocking. If I set the real-time CPU ratio control in OS setting to enabled, I get the same problem; boot loop without POSTing. (By the way, when I say boot looping, I mean before it ever has a chance to start loading Windows; 10-15 seconds after hitting the power button.) If I try turning off hyper-threading, the same thing happens. This is not just an issue related to overclocking, though that's where it's most prevalent.

Anybody have any suggestions? I'll try virtually anything. Also, if I hit the OC button on the back of the motherboard, the same thing happens.

[padi]

Bump.

I have the same problem
And i`m on F10 on Bios 1 and 2

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome.

Upgrade you BIOS to the latest version and then synchronise the two BIOS chips so that they are the same. To do this follow these instructions :

Use QFlash to update the Main BIOS and make sure that you disable the Keep DMI Data on the homepage whilst you are doing the update.

Next  from a cold start with the power to the machine switched off press the power button and then enter the BIOS by pressing Del. Then when you get to the main screen press F9. This will bring up an extra screen which will display more information about the two BIOS versions. Assuming they are different exit the BIOS and shutdown. Again press the power button and this time press Alt + F12 where you would normally use the Del key to enter the BIOS. You will find that then your monitor will turn black and you will see:

Press [Enter] to start copying main BIOS to backup BIOS...

When you press Enter more text will appear saying:

Writing BIOS image.... xxxKb OK

Once completed  more text will show:

BIOS successfully recovered! Power off or reset system!

Do as it says. Both Main and Backup BIOS chips now store the same BIOS version. You can now reboot as normal.

[padi]

Hello and thanks for your reply

I have flashed both bios.
I used Q-flash to flash the main bios. Then I pressed the button on the back of the motherboard to switch to the other bios. I used Q-flash on this one too.
I saw when I had switched over from the main bios to the backup bios it was F8 and not F10 like the main bios.
But now both are F10 version.
Is this the backup bios i have flashed or is there one more.

After I did this I tried to increase the memory from 1333Mhz to 1600MHz. But it did not.
It just started to reboot itself constantly after saving and exit.

Regards

Glenn