GA-7N400-L Problems

[Iturea]

Here is what I have:
Mobo: GA-7N400-L
Proc: Athlon XP 2200
Mem: 1 Stick of Kingston 512MB 333MHz DDR PC2700 DIMM CL2.5
Power Supply: A1 ATX 400 Watt P4/AMD
HD: 40 Gig Western Digital 7200 Rpm
Graphics: 9000 Series Radeon DDR 64 Meg
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Ok the only speed I can successfully, without any errors, achieve is 500 MHZ. When I try the 2200+ 1800 MHZ auto decect speed the bios freezes up after about 20 to 30 seconds of changing settings in there. The screen sometimes even loses the words and I am left with a blank blue bios screen. LOL!

Anyhow I was able to underclock to 500 MHZ and install Windows XP - I am actually using the computer right now to type this message! I benchmarked the computer at 500 MHZ and everything passed - ie: processor, memory, graphics card, etc.

Now here are my temperatures according to the bios and EasyTune.

At 1800 MHZ it goes from 0 to 60C in about 5 minitues. At around 50 to 55C the freeze will happen at any given time if I give any kind of I/O such as keyboard use or whatever. I was actually able to boot into Windows XP after I let the computer sit all night off. It stayed in Windows about 20 seconds and rebooted. I didn't have to do a thing either. I noticed the screen was really shaky as well at the normal 1800 MHZ. At 500 MHZ the screen is normal looking.

At 500 MHZ the CPU is running at 45C. I have orderd a Volcano 12 and hopefully it will be in soon.

Do I have enough power with 400 watts? Is my CPU overheating? Does the MOBO have a setting to where it checks CPU heat verses CPU fan RPM'S? Maybe it sees that my current sorry fan isn't throwing out enough RPM's at 50 something C so the MOBO freezes!! Is that possible??

Of course Gigabyte is no help! No-one can speek a lick of english at those places and there only answer is: Take battery out and wait 10 min and clear CMOS! <-- The only way with my mobo.
Like I haven't tried that a million times. I have also updated the bios to the latest bios....

Has anyone had a simliar problem? I am lost. I am hoping the Volcano will solve all my problems. Do you think maybe they sent me a crap CPU?

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nukes]

When you put the speed up, what settings are you using?
I trust you're leaving the VCore well alone.
For a 2200+ you want a 133mhz FSB and 13.5 multiplier, whilst leaving the Vcore at 1.6 or whatever is the default for that chip. Are you using any thermal compound on the heatsink, if not that could be your problem. There's no way a CPU should hit that temperature running at stock settings. What HSF do you have atm?

[Iturea]

My HSF is my old stock HSF from my 850MHZ Athon T-bird set up I used to run. I know - I know - bad choice for a HSF but that is all I have at the moment. I have never had a processor over 850 - this is my first attempt in the GHZ range! My old 850 T-bird ran at temps well up to 60C with no errors or problems, so when my Athlon XP started etching up to 60 I didn't think twice about it. What should my temp be for the 2200 at 1800 MHZ?

I am using thermal past artic silver..

[Iturea]

Oh yeah and the vcore setting cannot be changed in my bios or by any jumpers on the board. So I actually have to totally rely on the auto detect function the motherboard has to offer.

[rourkchris]

Well I think it's pretty easy to spot what's wrong and it's no fault of the Tech Support at Gigabyte. Your CPU cooler that cooled your 850MHz CPU is no where near adequete enough for your new PC. You need a new CPU cooler. Get that and your problems will be fixed. There are several cheap yet adequete coolers out there. Hopefully your Volcano 12 will arrive quickly.

[dafanman]

Iturea
Ok, first thing, that older cooler is not gonna get the job done, next thing, the cpu socket it turned 90 degrees, its not like all the others and many have put their hsf on backwards so make sure the cpu and socket ledges line up.

Also make sure that you connected the 12v 4 pin power to the board as well as the atx.

That board when set up properly should be running 11x200 easy, so here is a faq for your to check out, covers the basics of all the gigabyte nforce2 boardsGigabyte New Owners Faq

Laterz,
dafanman

[Iturea]

Thanks everyone. I hope you all are right and hopefully the new fan will solve my problems. Until then I will just have to suffer with 500 MHZ. hahaha!

[troddy]

did you read the manual front to back? theres is switch right next to where the chipset fan plugs into the board ... turn it to ON and it'll work fine. i had that same board and ended up throwing it away ... but at least i got mine running at top speed

[troddy]

you can also set the FSB and multiplier with dip switches on the motherboard if you cant get any video ..

[Cytrix]

Hello!

I am italian and i have the same problem of you... mi configuration si

GA-7N400-L
Burton 2500
DDR 512 PC3200 400Mhz TwinMos

The normal frequency is 166x11.0 = 1800 (2500+) but my OS dont'work... but work correctly if i underclock at 133x11.0 = 1,47

Mi cooler is for Xp3000+ so for me the problem isn't it...

any idea?