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Gigabyte 8-IEXP Need Feedback

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bmckinley

New Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2002
I would appreciate some feedback regarding my overclock. I have been feeling as though I am not getting as much performance as I should be from my setup (based upon PC Mark 2002 scores), but then I read a few posts in here that have me thinking that perhaps I am getting as much performance as I can expect. Maybe you all can give me your 2 cents worth.

Here is my setup:

Gigabyte 8-IEXP
P4 2.26 Ghz (533mhz FSB)
512 mb Corsair XMS 3200 memory
Ti4600 Video Card
(2) 120 Gb Western Dig. 7200 rpm hard drives (striped array)
Windows XP Home

I have been running the system overclocked at 2.6 Ghz (using EasyTune [in "easy" mode, since I'm new to overclocking and don't really know what I'm doing yet]) for over a month now with no instability whatsoever, with my cpu temp running around 34 degrees Celsius at idle. My last score for PC Mark 2002 was 13,263 (6320 cpu/5439 memory/ 1504 hard drive).

I have seen other scores on PC Mark's website that made me think I should be getting higher scores, such as 2.26 Ghz CPUs overclocked to 3.0 Ghz+, and memory scores near 6000 (wondering why my memory score isn't higher since I'm using Corsair XMS 3200?).

So what do you think? Am I falling short of where I should be, or should I be happy with what appears to be a very stable if perhaps conservative benchmark?

Also, there are a couple of things that I'm confused about if anyone would care to explain it to me. I don't really understand the "Fixed PCI/AGP Freguency" and "Host/DRAM Clock Ration" settings in the BIOS. Should I have these set at any particular level, or just leave them alone and continue to OC through EasyTune? Also, are there any good web resources you would recommend to me (i.e. beginning overclocking guides, etc.).

Thanks a bunch in advance for any advice you all might be able to offer. I'm new to the forums but spent quite a bit of time browsing through the posts today. You seem like a bright and helpful bunch to me.

Cheers!

Brian
 
You and I are in the same boat. I have almost the same hardware and the same amout of OCing knowledge.

Here is the problem that I've encountered with the memory. We have the same identical memory. I'm trying to change the timings on this memory. I read this in a review and figured I would try the same.

Our testing mythology is simple, lets see what this stick taps out at 2-2-2 1T and 2-3-3 1T with no errors or abnormalities. We also plan on pushing for the limits of setting the memory at 2.5-3-3 2T.

In my BIOS the options I have are as follows:

CAS Latency Time: 1.5/2/2.5

Active to Precharge Delay: 7/6/5

DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay: 3/2

DRAM RAS# Precharge: 3/2


It's that 2nd option that throws me. 7, 6, or 5??! That sucks! I've also been told that the mobo 81EXP just won't do the better timings.

So, I bought this XMS 3200 CAS2 chip but I can't take advantage of the more favorable timings.

BTW, if you don't know how to adjust your timings, you need to hit CTRL-F1 in the main BIOS menu and it will un-hide a new category called Advanced Chipset Features.

I've read that I WANT to be at a 3:4 ratio but there is nowhere in the BIOS to adjust that. Right now I'm running at a crappy 1:1 ratio

I have a P4 2.53 at 2.85mhz

My FSB is at 4X150mhz (600mhz)
My memory is at 2x200mhz (400mhz)

Board and CPU at 25C/77F, Stock Voltage.

Sandra Scores:

CPU: 5269, 1489/3560
Memory: 2280/2278
Multimedia: 11336/13797

The memory is what's holding me back.
 
Last edited:
BE THANKFUL!!!!

My computer is running ROCK solid until I over clocked even the sssslightest little bit. Although it will TAKE the overclock (in easytune) my 3dMark scores PLUMMET!! I go from running mid 13000 to as low as 6000!!!! What am I doing wrong? All I did was adjust the FSB. Somebody help. Be like Mr. T. and pity a fool.
 
Checking in.

Nothing has changed for me. My system is still running as above.

When someone finds what Bios will let me go to a 3:4 timing on my memory or set my memory to 2/2/2/1T please post it here.

Right now I have F6 and I'm not happy.

Thanks.
 
no change in memory timings in f7bios
Have you ran 3dmark? over 150fsb crashes my scores
sandra scores 6111mips @3.16
 
make that 3.1gigs and 15775 on 3dmark

I've only modified the fsb to 163 and voltage to 1.725
I dont know what to do on the mem timings on this board (so its at 2.5 etc etc) or the voltage for the dimm or agp....dont wanna mess with it yet, unless someone can recommend what I should do.:D
 
http://service.madonion.com/servlet/Index?pageid=/orb/projectmanager

tweaked a little more...got it to 3.1 (3.099) and broke 16K on 3dmark
*16017* WooooooHoooooooo

SET NOTHING IN EASYTUNE!!! Do even let it run.

Whats your voltage at? what about your mem timings. We need to share here. I have my voltage at 1.7 and my agp at +1.
Also my agp thingy is set to 256 mb. My mem is stock timings and voltage. I can only imagine what I could do if that could really be fiddled with but I dont know what to do. THis has been a total noob overclock, but I am loving it. :clap:
 
lol...I thought you had a 92,000 3dmark score!

I wish easy tune worked right. The more I would overclock with it, the lower my 3dmark scores would go. Posted as low as 6000.

I just set my mem to 2-2-2-6
saw that recommended on another thread (memory thread).

I am really glad I could help. I've busted my noobie cherry.:beer:
 
92k on a gf3 that would rock
well right now im stuck @3.04 (crappy kingston ram)
if i set the ram divider to 1.5 i can run stable @3.25
will be ordering some geil pc3500
 
its the f6 bios that came with the board


I hit f1 in the bios and an advanced chipset option becomes available. In there I changed it....but to be honest....I don't know what changing the mem speed does....everbody does it so I did it too
 
SporkSaint said:

I just set my mem to 2-2-2-6

My fault.

The options are:

CAS Latency Time: 1.5/2/2.5

Active to Precharge Delay: 7/6/5

DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay: 3/2

DRAM RAS# Precharge: 3/2


And I had it stuck in my head that I was using 2/6/2/2 timings.

I guess you have the same timings but you moved the order around to 2/2/2/6.

Right?
 
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