780i Bios settings help please

[Quetz]

Hi,
I just received my new PC from NCIX today and after hooking up all the cables and installing windows, I realized that the nvidia control panel (and my bios screen) are showing settings that don't seem right. The Processor and RAM speeds are lower than they are supposed to be and I was wondering if someone could please tell me what settings I should be using in my bios.

My system consists of:

Motherboard: XFX Nforce 780I
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
Ram: Corsair XMS2 Dominator 4GB 2X2GB PC2-8500 DDR2-1066 CL5-5-5-15 240PIN Memory Kit
GPU: BFG 8800GTS 512MB

Sometimes the CPU shows as 6x multiplier with 2000mhz frequency.

Now I read something about having to disable "speedstep" and some other things but I was wondering If someone could please tell me all the settings I need to apply in my bios to run at 3.0ghz and make full use of my ram.
While I do plan to read up on and maybe try over clocking in the future, right now I just wanted to get my new pc up and running smoothly.

Thank you for reading =)

[Quetz]

Could not add these in the 1st post. Sorry xD

Here are screen shots of the different tabs of the Nvidia Control panel
CPU: http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/236/cpura4.jpg
Board: http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/7489/boardnt9.jpg
RAM: http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/4007/ramdn6.jpg
GPU: http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/7601/gpuft4.jpg

[SugarJ]

Disable EIST in bios. Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology.

However, it only lowers the multiplier and voltage when your computer is idle or at low load. It ramps up automatically when required.

Unless you are running a 64 bit version of windows, it will not use all your ram. XP and Vista 32 bit only access up to 3-3.5 GB if I recall correctly.

Cheers, and good luck with your new system.

[Quetz]

Hi,
I made some progress just now, under the Bios, I set the SLI memory feature to expert and auto, the RAM is now showing up as 1066 MHz, furthermore I disabled speedstep and the Halt state thing. I changed the Multiplier to 9x and now the CPU shows 3.0ghz too.

My only concern at this point is the voltages. Everything is set at auto but I have heard that these need to be manually changed after enabling the EPP profiles. Also if there is any other tweaking or settings I should change, any advice would be amazing. This is the 1st time I'm actually changing stuff around int he Bios so sorry if I sound like a huge noob

[Quetz]

Thanks SugarJ :D. Yeah I had heard that I cant really use all 4gigs of ram on a 32 bit os however you mentioned 3-3.5gb but mine is only showing up as 2.75Gb

Edit* In the Nvidia control panel, the memory voltage is now showing up as 2.1v as opposed to the old 1.85v and the "nForce SPP core" voltage is showing as 1.4v instead as 1.3v. Are these values OK?

[SugarJ]

Check your auto timings. If they come up the same as your spec 5-5-5-15 leave them. Otherwise set them manually. Also, check your memory voltage. If it is at 1.8 or 1.9v you will probably have to raise it to 2.1 or 2.2 to have the memory run at specified speeds without Blue Screen errors.

And don't worry about the questions, everyone has to start somewhere. I don't have the 780i, but I'm sure someone here will help you out.

[SugarJ]

Originally Posted by Quetz

Thanks SugarJ :D. Yeah I had heard that I cant really use all 4gigs of ram on a 32 bit os however you mentioned 3-3.5gb but mine is only showing up as 2.75Gb

You must be running XP. That 2.75 is the max useable under XP 32 bit.

[SugarJ]

Originally Posted by Quetz

Edit* In the Nvidia control panel, the memory voltage is now showing up as 2.1v as opposed to the old 1.85v and the "nForce SPP core" voltage is showing as 1.4v instead as 1.3v. Are these values OK?

Wow. The board is doing all the stuff I had to learn the hard way. Nice.

Yes, those voltages are fine. Your ram is probably rated for 2.1 or 2.2V. And I'm not up to date on my Nvidia chipsets, but I had to raise my voltages slightly to get this machine humming.

[Quetz]

Thanks again SugarJ, I edited my above post before I read your reply, looks like the memory is all set then. Is the cpu voltage ok too?
As for the RAM timings, under the nvidia control panel theres 10 numbers instead of the 5-5-5-15 you mentioned.
From the guru3d.com info on memory timings I figured those are

CAS Latency

tRCD - 5

tRP - 5

tRAS - 15

so I have X-5-5-15. I don't know what my 1st value is since none of the values on the control panel say CAS Latency but there are no more "5"s in any of the remaining values.

[SugarJ]

what is your vCore set at? That's your cpu voltage. if you don't know, download HWmonitor from cpuid.com. the Nforce SPP voltage is for your PCI-e or southbridge, if I remember correctly. MCP is your northbridge.

Give me 5 minutes, I gotta go fire up my 650i machine upstairs to check a couple of settings.