Ultimate BIOS Guide: Every Setting Decrypted and Explained!
Posted 06/15/09 at 12:35:52 PM by Paul Lilly
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AMD 790FX Chipset
Starting with the Athlon 64, AMD moved away from a traditional frontside bus architecture in favor of using an integrated memory controller and a HyperTransport bus. This meant learning new terms and new ways of overclocking. We used a Gigabyte Ga-MA790FX motherboard for this section.
Advanced Clock Calibration: Advanced Clock Calibration, or ACC, taps into previously unused pins on Phenom processors for use with the chipset's Southbridge. Through some sort of guarded voodoo magic, this unlocks higher overclocking potential and is exclusive to Phenom processors.
CPU Clock Ratio: Also known as the Ratio CMOS Setting (P45 chipset) or, more commonly, the CPU multiplier, you'll find this setting on both AMD and Intel processors. The multiplier measures the ratio of an internal CPU clock rate to an externally supplied clock often called the frontside bus and is used to determine your CPU's clockspeed. For example, a Phenom 955 processor ships with a 16X multiplier and a 200MHz HyperTransport reference clockspeed. Multiplied together, you arrive at 3.2GHz (3,200MHz).
CPU Northbridge Frequency: Contains multiplier settings for the Northbridge frequency. This number multiplied by the HT reference clock equals the Northbridge frequency.
CPU Host Clock Control: It's a shame motherboard makers don't label their BIOSes more intelligently. If they did, this option would simply be labeled 'Do You Wish to Overclock Manually?' By enabling the CPU Host Clock Control, you're answering 'Yes' to that question and the appropriate settings are then unlocked.
CPU Frequency: Otherwise known as the base frequency or HT frequency, this number multiplied by the CPU multiplier gives you the processor's clockspeed.
PCIE Clock (MHz): Allows you to set the clockspeed for (and overclock) your PCI-E graphics port.
HT Link Width: This is where you designate the width of the HyperTransport interconnects, which directly affects the maximum theoretical bandwidth. The Link Width is bi-directional.
HT Link Frequency: Don't let the nomenclature fool you - this is really the HT Link multiplier. When multiplied by the HT reference clock, you arrive at the HT Link clockspeed.
DRAM Configuration: Inside this submenu sits all the options for tweaking and overclocking your memory. Let's take a look at some of the less obvious entries.
DCTs Mode: Unofficially short for Dual-Channel Type, you have two choices: Ganged and Unganged. A common misconception is that Unganged operates in single-channel mode, but this isn't the case. In Ganged mode, each memory subsystem is treated as a single 128-bit dual-channel bus, whereas Unganged treats each memory subsystem as two independent 64-bit dual-channel buses. In most cases, Unganged offers better bandwidth and performance.
Set Memory Clock: This is where you either tell the BIOS to automatically configure your RAM's clockspeed or to let you manually adjust it.
DCT Channel Interleave: Describes whether or not memory is accessed as a single, large block to act as a single module (Enabled).
System Voltage Control: Enable this setting if you plan on manually inputting your system's different voltages.
DDR3 Voltage Control: Allows you to adjust your RAM's voltage level. Consult your kit's rated specs, as pumping too much voltage can kill your memory.
SB/HT Voltage Control: Voltage settings for the Southbridge and HyperTransport.
NB/PCIe/PLL Voltage Control: Voltage settings for the chipsets' power regulation circuits all inconveniently bundled together.
CPU PLL Voltage Control: Determines the voltage applied to the CPU's internal clock generators. Overvolting this setting is a quick way to send your processor to the grave.
DDR VTT Voltage Control: Determines the termination voltage for your system's RAM. Raising the VTT increases the current flow and can help increase stability.
NB Voltage Control: Voltage settings for the Northbridge chipset.
CPU NB VID Control: Voltage settings for the memory controller on the CPU. This can help with stability when overclocking.
CPU Voltage Control: Voltage settings for the processor.
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Submitted by Mikeytron on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:44am
I second another poster. This needs to be in .pdf form. You did a whole lot of work but the value to us is limited because we really cannot easily "take it with us". Yeah we can bookmark it but that's really not good enough. To be honest what needs to be done is to create a smaller pocket sized book that we can keep in our desks or briefcases. This is an item that has value unlike the CD'S that come with the issues. In fact how about when we subscribe we get a pocket sized how to book on the above piece? The CD is good for people not online, but really we ALL are by now big time. Simple links in the mag every month could do away with the CD and you would be going green!!! Give us hard copies of stuff we want to KEEP, again like the above piece. The CD usefullness is DEAD.
Try this
Submitted by One4yu2c on Sun, 07/05/2009 - 9:37am
It's not PDF, but maybe this would help? http://www.maximumpc.com/print/6543
Could also combine the single-page print version with Firefox's PDFit extension.
-Paul Lilly
Submitted by adeletwo6789 on Tue, 09/29/2009 - 11:16am
Thanks much for this writeup!! Great job on describing EXACTLY what to do! All in all the whole setup took me.
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Submitted by domih2009 on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 9:34pm
...If you've already installed Windows, suddenly switching from IDE mode to AHCI will quickly muck things up. On the other hand, it's a good way to see what a BSOD looks like if you've never seen one before. Otherwise, be prepared to start fresh with a new Windows installation.
You can save yourself a new Windows installation depending on your OS and ICH chipset.
For Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976 (easy)
For XP: brave minds can peruse through http://www.google.com/search?q=How+to+enable+AHCI+on+Intel+under+XP (less easy)
Submitted by babalooo on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 1:20am
Great article! I doubt, that many people are aware, just how time consuming such work is. Respect...
If you are having pc gaming performance issues, you're welcome @ http://www.lowfps.com/improving-performance
Fantastic Guide.....BUT.......
Submitted by ghot on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 6:32am
......kind of useless if I cant down load it, since i seriously doubt that Ill be ONLINE while OCing in the BIOS :)
This DESERVES to be in .pdf format, as well as the linked to articles ^^ Remember also that nVidia still makes chipsets :)
Take an OS, and edit out all the efficiency, and what you have left is a post-XP Microsoft operating system :)
simply copy paste it to
Submitted by Bless on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 3:17am
simply copy paste it to word, and hit print
Sweet
Submitted by FenixSS on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 11:22pm
Another example of great bathroom reading material.
Submitted by rob41 on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 6:29pm
Great job Paul. This is some very useful information!
Submitted by water_man3 on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 12:10pm
One of my favorite issues of all time, the August 2003 issue, happens to have - I quote - "the most in depth white paper - EVER" on BIOS Secrets. This is great stuff guys - exactly why I subscribe.
Submitted by Dysthymia on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 11:34am
I'm confused... the only users who should have this setting enabled are those running a legacy os with an older processor -- and those running XP, Vista, or Windows 7?
I saw the same thing. This
Submitted by BlazePC on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 7:20pm
I saw the same thing. This article, although well intentioned, has some really poor grammar/explanation of logic in relation to BIOS "settings". I'm actually quite shocked at how bad some of this reads. I subscribe to the mag and I'm coming up on renewal shortly, and this may have been the straw that changed my mind on doing that. Pretty sloppy guys...you might consider clearing up the explanations for the "new" user base on the next go around ...and there will be a next time because this stuff gets recycled a lot.
Submitted by Mothership on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 10:35am
I found this very helpful and already printed a copy for myself and others. Good if you want to learn what your ACTUALLY doing when your OCing that cpu =).
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