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[ClarkGable]

Alright, so a few days ago I bought an MSI G41M-P23 with 8 gb of DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) RAM (the standard for this board). My CPU is an E8400 (3.0 ghz). At first I wanted to maybe fiddle with some overclocking, which is where I realized that this mobo fails at. Not a big deal...but every time I attempted to up the FSB above 336 or so (this CPU's default is 333... x 9 = 3000 mhz), the system would not POST, instead it simply would loop on/off until eventually going back to defaults.

That was fine with me -- I don't need to overclock, really. However, I noticed something odd in the BIOS. The CPU speed, which according to the fsb multiplier was the correct speed (2997 mhz), was very not correct in the CPU info section of the BIOS. There, it listed the speed at 1.8 ghz. Thus I decided, for the heck of it, to take at look at CPU-Z at this time.

This is what CPU-Z is currently telling me (I have a screenshot, but I can't seem to post it here):

In the "Clocks" section (bottom left of the main tab in CPU-Z)
Core speed: ~1894 mhz
Multiplier: x 9.0
Bus Speed: ~210 mhz
Rated FSB: ~842 mhz

The RAM speeds and ratios are correct, though, given the FSB:RAM ratio (it would seem). Ram clocks in at ~333 mhz, which with a 5:8 ratio should put it at 1066...I think.

So now CPU-Z and part(?) of the BIOS is showing me the wrong CPU speed (1800 mhz). It's also listing my FSB at 200 mhz despite the fact that my I set it in my BIOS at 333 mhz. The 200 Mhz adds up with the incorrect core speed, as 200 X 9 = 1800. If I go back to the BIOS, it lists the FSB correctly, and the POST screen displays the correct FSB and multiplier, but again, the CPU info screen of the bios is reading 1800 mhz, while listing the FSB as 333. I don't have any speedstep/CE1/other modifiers turned on, and this reading is currently under normal load (read: not idle). I'm at my wit's end here.

Is this board not saving my FSB speeds in the BIOS? Is there any way to fix this issue? I apparently have the most up-to-date BIOS according to CPU-Z and MSI's support website. I have not tried every setting of the OC switch yet, though I have tried a few (200 -> 333, for example) and all have resulted in a system that will not POST, and leaves me having to reset the CMOS jumper in order to get it to boot again (as opposed to the looping/defaulting cycle mentioned earlier).

Can someone PLEASE help me? I just reinstalled Windows 7 x64/all my programs because of this new board...and I really, really don't want to do that all again.

[Bernhard]

Which BIOS exactly do you have on that board? What are the exact mem modules you are using ?
Only insert one RAM module in the slot closest to the CPU.
Then do a full CMOS clear with power cord removed from the PSU.

[ClarkGable]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The BIOS I'm currently running, according to CPU-Z, is    V30.8   4/08/11.

RAM I'm using is (pulled directly from Newegg): G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1066 (PC3 8500) Desktop Memory Model F3-8500CL7D-8GBRL.

I'll try removing one of the modules, etc. right now.

[Bernhard]

Check in the BIOS if you can see the BIOS version.
Something doesn't tally.
Either MSI's website is outdated or you have a beta BIOS on that board. http://www.msi.com/product/mb/G41M-P23.html#/?div=BIOS
It states the last BIOS for this board is 28.A but the dates are the same.

[ClarkGable]

Alright, I'm back.

I removed the stick, reset the CMOS without the power cable in (as usual, actually) ...no change.

I attempted to look for a version number in the BIOS just now, actually. Nothing there that I could see. I'll check again in a few seconds after I put my RAM back in.

But the version number thing is odd to me, too.. I checked MSI's site and saw the same. Would you suggest "rolling back" (if that even is what I'd be doing) to 28.A? I have no problem doing that.

[Bernhard]

Before you do that, first check with MSI technical what the last BIOS version was.  >>How to contact MSI.<<
Did you buy this board new or did you get it from someone else ?
What are the switches set to on your Easy OC switch block ? On those boards they normally determine the fixed FSB setting.

[ClarkGable]

So, there's nothing in the BIOS about a version, BUT I did see, and then confirmed, a version number on the POST startup screen (I have the "full-screen logo" disabled). It says "V30.8 04082011". There are a bunch of letters and numbers preceding it, though the screen goes away too fast to see. I suppose I could take a photo with my cell phone at the right moment, though.

I'll contact MSI now. Thank you for that.

I bought the board brand-new from Newegg.com.

The switches are currently on the default setting (up, down, up).

[Bernhard]

The switches are currently on the default setting (up, down, up).

that means its set to 200 default. set them to up-down-down, that is the 266 to 333 setting and test again.
You may have to adjust your FSB/DRAM ratio afterwards to prevent the memory being OC'ed. That would cause instability.

[ClarkGable]

Alright, I tried that. The system will not boot...it only does a constant power cycle. The only way I can break that is to reset the CMOS jumpers after pulling the power cable.

[Bernhard]

One more try with the jumpers in the up-up-down position. If that does not solve it, then its time to engage MSI technical to explain the BIOS version.

[ClarkGable]

Fiddling with the switches only seems to make things weirder.

I actually got the up-down-down to work...only after removing a stick of RAM. However, the system decided to put the fsb at 100 mhz (yup). I attempted to manually go back to 333, but that made the system unable to boot. I finally got it stable at 253, which put the clock at around 2.2 ghz. However, CPU-Z (in both the BIOS and Windows) is telling my my CPU is at 1400 Mhz.

And I just switched to up-up-down, and the exact same thing (speeds, fsb, etc.) happened. It's as if those switches literally do nothing but lower the FSB...and only with one stick of RAM in the system.

Could the board be bad?

[Bernhard]

That BIOS version is what needs to be checked with MSI. 
If you feel aventurous, maybe you want to flash the BIOS to the last one on their site.
Use the forum flasher. >>Use the MSI HQ Forum USB flasher<<

[ClarkGable]

I'd love to use that USB flasher...but when I click the link, it asks me to log in (even though I already am logged in), and when I attempt to do so, it tells me that my username does not exist.

[Bernhard]

Sorry try that link again

[ClarkGable]

Got it. I'll be doing this tomorrow. I'll come back and post any results I have. I did contact MSI support as well...if I hear back from them, I'll report that, too.

Thank you for all of your help. If I hadn't installed CPU-Z, I might not have noticed this...which may have been for the best, heh.

[ClarkGable]

Well, I heard back from MSI. They are just as confused over the BIOS version as I am, apparently.  V30.8 is not what is supposed to be on the board. So, rather than flash it and hope that it works, etc., I decided to simply return the board, as I've only had it for a few days, and bared used it. Something is clearly wrong with it to have an "unknown" BIOS installed.

I went ahead and ordered a new CPU and mobo entirely...Core i5, too. No MSI board this time...only because they didn't have a board in my price range. I wanted this upgrade to be something easy and simple so I wouldn't have to do that.. oh well.

I do find it very strange what's happened with this board, though....I've never before heard of ordering and receiving a board with an unknown BIOS on it...even according to the manufacturer. Maybe an out-of-date BIOS, but not something completely off the radar. Still, thank you again for your help.

[Svet]

you should check the green sticker over the BIOS sticker:


to figure what is your shipped BIOS version.

Based on what you say V30.8 , you must have this board G41M-P21:
http://www.msi.com/product/mb/G41M-P21.html#/?div=BIOS

Other possibility is that reseller has flashed you board to the wrong BIOS or you tell the wrong mainboard name.
To know what exactly is the case you should tell us the info over the BIOS chip sticker and also mainboard S/N

[ClarkGable]

Well, I've already shipped the board back, but I do remember the board number based on that picture. It was the P23 board... Though my board looked exactly like that picture. Exactly. The serial number is 601-7592-470B1110105791. I checked that sticker (or I remember checking it, anyway). This is seriously one of the strangest situations I've ever come across with a motherboard.

But it would make a LOT more sense if they shipped me the incorrect board. Still, this doesn't really explain the extreme instability I had with the board, assuming that the P21 supports the same CPU and RAM.

[Svet]

based on S/N current BIOS ver installed should be correct one.
which mean that board is G41M-P21 and not G41M-P23