Pentium G3258 1.2 volt limit?

[vaesco]

So recently I got a Gigabyte B85M-D3H with a Pentium G3258, 4 gigs of ram, nothing special really. I was planning on doing some overclocking, not going too high, 4.2 GHz is just fine, runnning a stock Intel cooler (of course I'm going to replace it!). I tried to push the CPU just a little bit 1.2 volts, 3.8 GHz - all stable. I go to 3.9 - crashed in the middle of a game. I put it to 3.7, just to be safe and try to go to 1.25 volts. Nope! I found out im limited to 1.2. Why you might ask? Dunno! The motherboard limits me to 1.2 volts and it won't go any higher for some reason. I'm quite fresh on the overclocking scene and honestly I have no idea what to do in this situation. ANY help is appreciated!

[zappian]

Download the bios update , it will let you go over 1.2 volts.

[TheSLSAMG]

The motherboard is limiting itself because it can't handle the OC. Though apparently there is a BIOS update.

 

The CPU is not well binned, considering you can't get past 1.2V and 3.8GHz.

[ProKoN]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2389948

 

Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H (Micro-ATX) : Reported to Non-Z OC Pentium 3258 to 4.3 Ghz, see post #31 and 4.0 Ghz post #14) (Voltage limited to 1.2v by Gigabyte)

[vaesco]

I didn't want to deal with BIOS updates but if it's necessary. Yea it's not the best CPU out there but it's what I could afford. Wanted an i3 but got a Pentium.

 

 

 

PS: I have the 2.0 revision of the mobo and it DOES have a BIOS update that should eliminate the 1.2 volt barrier. Gonna try it out now see what happens.

[zappian]

Either get a bios update , or get stuck at 1.2 volts , your choice.

I have done it , its pretty safe when you do it on boot.

The reason i got an i3 is because im really unlucky with cpu binning , its a silicone lottery i dont want to take part in.

[Jedicake]

I didn't want to deal with BIOS updates but if it's necessary. Yea it's not the best CPU out there but it's what I could afford. Wanted an i3 but got a Pentium.

 

 

 

PS: I have the 2.0 revision of the mobo and it DOES have a BIOS update that should eliminate the 1.2 volt barrier. Gonna try it out now see what happens.

No it IS the best CPU out there, in terms of bang for buck, it's an incredible CPU

[vaesco]

It's probably the last unlocked dual core CPU we're ever gonna see and yea the "bang for buck" ratio is really good, but its still got 2 cores. The i3 isn't that much better but i can't get an i5, proper 4 cores, so 4>2 threads. I just finished flashing the BIOS. Turns out i got the FB version instead of the FA when i bought it. There is NO bios version that's goint to let me go past 1.2 volts. Dang it ...... :unsure: :unsure: :unsure:

[zappian]

 

 

There is NO bios version that's goint to let me go past 1.2 volts. Dang it ...... 

Im pretty sure gigabyte launched an updated to remove the 1.2 barrier.

yup im not crazy

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4567#bios

 

 

 

1. CPU Vcore voltage option up to 1.8V

[vaesco]

This is Rev 1.0, I've got the newer Rev 2.0.

[zappian]

Then it should have unlocked voltage , you did see the bios upgrade notes , 1.8v support.

[vaesco]

Take a look at the info for revision 2.0 of the board. It doesnt say anything like that. Im guessing theyll release an update for this mobo aswell but well have to wait.

[patrickjp93]

Take a look at the info for revision 2.0 of the board. It doesnt say anything like that. Im guessing theyll release an update for this mobo aswell but well have to wait.

Do you have dual-bios on the board? If yes, make both current BIOS equivalent, and then try the REV 1 updated BIOS on your REV 2 board in one bios spot. Worst case scenario it doesn't work and you switch back.

[vaesco]

It has the dual bios feature. I'll try flashing the 1.0 rom and fingers crossed it works!

 

 

PS: Using @BIOS for flashing. 'Read BIOS failed' when trying to install the rev 1.0 F14 BIOS. Guess I'm waiting for Gigabyte to release a smimlar update for the 2.0 revision.

[magnum233]

Hi there mate, im in the same situation as you.  Ive got a running thread on the gigabyte uk forums which you can read here - http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php?topic=15404.msg94623#msg94623

 

Ive also posted a request on a biosmodforum so far without so much as a simple reply - http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/5863-Award-amp-AMI-Bios-mod-requests/page5585?p=995457#post995457

 

What this board needs is a bios mod to unlock its voltage.  Im fairly knowledgeable on overclocking and have some knowledge on bios's, the actual chips that contain them and ive dabbled with hardware hacking and flashing chips outside of boards.

 

My knowledge is not great enough to do this though, not really.  It could require hex editing which im not too keen on lol.  I have been reading alot about the IME *intel management engine* and this apparently is a significant part of what controls the bios atleast in uefi bios's - http://www.win-raid.com/t596f39-Intel-Management-Engine-Drivers-Firmware-amp-System-Tools.html

 

Another useful link is here http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/54860-about-intel-management-engine-firmware.html#post469077

 

So i was messing about with the FITC ime tools editor which is basically a intel bios editor so you can edit bioses in file format and drew on all my knowledge about various bios related things but was unable to locate anything specific related to the actual voltage being locked - namely vcore or ringbus voltage.  I thought maybe it'd be as simple as a manufacturer lock setting but if its there i couldn't see it and it wasn't obvious.  Prob would need to edit hex but thats beyound my skills.

 

I went a little further with this and downloaded the rev 1.0 which unlocks vcore and then compared this to the rev 2.0 FB bios and saw very little diff in the bioses, other than the size is half for rev 2.0 compared to rev 1.0 with rev 1.0 being 8mb whilst the rev 2.0 is 4mb.  There was maybe one setting related to wireless i noticed that was disabled and it was nothing important something to do with low power mode certainly nothing that i could imagine would be related to cpu voltages.

 

Im about near the limit of what i can do now.  Atleast you know your not alone

 

I dont need to rage on anymore about the whole B85 thing just read my posts on the gigabyte uk forum lol.  I hope someone somewhere on the net sees this and decided's to do something about this, as it's really pathetic of gb to modify the rev 1.0 board but not 2.0.  This whole thing has really upset me with gigabyte and basically dont think i'll ever buy another GB motherboard, not cause of features or lack of rather their support is rubbish and tbh that board wasn't the cheapest.  over $100 in NZ.

 

Cheers.