GIGABYTE GA-MA69GM-S2H @ [H]

Good news Sideeffect!!! I was wondering about Ph2. I hope to get the DDR2/DDR3 version.

Hello all experts,
I've surfed around on net a lot and finally stumble on this site, reading those posts here, I've seen a lot of experts who experienced with this motherboard, I decide to post and hope that I can find out the answer for my case soon. So please help me through.
Let me layout my case with my hardware first. I got
+ Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA69GM-S2H
+ BIOS version: see my case below
+ CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ (2.2GHz), Windsore 90nm
+ Memory: 2x1GB OCZ Platinum Rev 2 DDR2 800 (PC2 6400), 4.4.4.12, 1.9V - 2.1V.
+ HDD: Seagate 300GB 3.0Gb/s SATA (on SATA0)
+ Optical Drive: 2 DVD-ROM and Burner on IDE
+ NO Floppy drive
+ OS: Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 x86

I got this system up and running for year, no problem. For a newbie, plain basic system, it's not an issue, but
when it comes to the advanced level such overclock and voltage adjustment, I hit the brick-wall and I need help to get it done or at least to get an answer that it's doable or not doable.
I got this all together a while ago, motherboard came with either F1 or F3 BIOS. I was having another issue of getting SATA/AHCI interface to work (I contacted Gigabyte for help but no good result) so I flashed BIOS to F3a (and I believe this F3a was the offiical one released by Gigabyte, not the mod. one).
That was it until I decided go to the advanced level which I want to tweak this system to see I can get any better result.
Firstly, CPU I got is 2.2GHz (with 200MHz FSB, and x10.5 Multiplier), I want it overclock'ed to higher than its 2.2GHz stock frequency. Secondly, as listed above, my DDR2 sticks are 4.4.4.12 with 1.9V - 2.1V, however, as we all know, this mainboard requires 1.8V for DDR, I think because of that, CPU-Z SPD shows my RAMs are 5.5.5.15 @ 1.8V.
As we all know, official BIOS for this board does not come with cpu core and ddr voltage adjusment, it also does not have option to overclock and no timing setting for DDR.
After reading all posts in here, I downloaded the BIOS version F6 (from S3H to S2H board) and flashed it with @BIOS utilities.
Here's the problem.
1. I cannot flash back with S2H BIOS, I stuck with S3H BIOS (I reflashed with S3H.F7). How do I get the S2H BIOS back?
2. After flash with F6_S3HtoS2H, I went back to BIOS and Load Default Optimize.
With new bios, there are M.I.T (we all know what it is) and also allow DDR2 timing setting in Ctrl+F1.
Here's what I did and until now I can't get it to work. I must do something wrong or I've missed any step, so please help me, point out what I miss and what I should do.
a. Disable AMD Cool and Quiet.
b. M.I.T -> CPU Clock Ratio (still up to x11 max, there are no x12, x13, ..). Leave it as Auto
-> CPU Frequency, I set manual and change it to 250MHz (from default 200MHz)
-> PCIe (default as 100MHz set)
-> Video (GPX or something) default
-> NB/SB voltage set Normal
-> DDR voltage (this what we need), set to +0.15V (my sticks are 1.9V-2.1V, so adding 1.8V+0.15V=1.95V, well in range)
-> CPU Core voltage (normally 1.25V) now set to 1.45V
c. Ctrl+F1 -> DDR (manual) -> DDR 800 -> Timing to Manual and set CAS to 4T.

F10 to Save and Exit.
Then there are tons of issue.
What I observed is
+ Any time when I change anything relates to DDR stick such voltage or timing, board won't boot.
+ It always asks to press F1 to continue (or Del to back to BIOS setup) with message that I should go back to BIOS and change the CPU frequency to the correct value.
+ After loading OS, using CPU-Z (v1.49), FSB can NEVER been changed, it still shows 200.5MHz, CPU frequency can never go over 2.2GHz. Memory SPD still show 5.5.5.15.
Oh, btw, those steps that I listed above, I've tried doing one at a time.
Where do I miss? I've read someone mentioned that need to clear the CMOS? Do I have to? and how.
So, basically, my question:
1. which BIOS version is best to use? Can I have it?
2. How do I get back to the S2H BIOS and not S3H?
3. How do I perform the overclock?
4. Why can my system take effect after I changed all those? What did I miss?


I know it's a lengthy story but I badly need help so I must provide all into and what I have done so you experts can follow and help me to debug easier.
Thank a lot in advanced.

If anyone needs one of these boards, I have one in the F/S forum:
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1033653456

I just received my ASUS EAH4850 from Newegg and it doesn’t seem to be working. On boot two red lights flash on the back of the card and the fan spins, but I don’t get any video and it’s not detected in Windows.

I am running a 500w Nexus PSU (NX-5000) and a Gigabyte GA-MA69G-S2H motherboard. I used to run an ASUS EAH3850 on the same machine without any trouble.
I tried both the PSUs 6-pin and the 2xMolex to 6-pin connector. Both had the same results.

Right now I’m down to 3 options:

1. Video card is DOA
2. PSU doesn’t have enough oomph to start the card
3. Video card isn’t supported on this motherboard

I contacted both Nexus and ASUS tech support but I really don’t expect them to get back to me.

Thank you.

dup, oops

I have had a 4850 running in this mobo for 8-9 months with no probs.

Anyone other than Sideeffect running Phemon-2 in their mobo? I'm thinking of getting either the x4-955 or the x3-720. Edit: Gigabyte's page shows support for the 720 but not the 955: http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/M...ProductID=2579

So just to make sure I understand everything...
1. Does the 4gb bug effect XP32?
2. Also, when 4 DIMMS are populated is there any memory speed loss?
3. What is the latest BIOS that will support RAM voltage tweaks?

Thanks.