Need some help with BIOS optimization!

Hello!

I am trying to optimize my BIOS settings to get a higher 3DMark score, but i dont want to mess up anything. So i need yor help. I red the manual the came with the MOBO, but some BIOS settings are only brifly explained. I also wanted to red a bios FAQ that sony posted in one of his previous posts but the site seems to be down at the moment.

These are the settings that i would change!!

Fast command decode
i would set it from normal--->fast

Enchance chip preformace (more agressive north bridge settings)
i would set it from disabled--->enabled

force 4-way interlave??? Dont now anything about this setting would it bring more speed if i enable it??

enable dram 4k-page note
i would set it from disabled--->enabled

bank 0/1 dram timing SDRAM 8/10ns
bank 2/3 dram timing SDRAM 8/10ns
bank 4/5 dram timing SDRAM 8/10ns
i can change these settings to SDRAM 8/10ns-->normal-->medium-->fast-->turbo
dont know what to set??? is the normal setting faster than SDRAM 8/10ns

sdram cycle length (CAS timing)
i would set it from CAS3--->CAS2

system bios cachable
i would set it from disabled--->enabled

video RAM cachable disabled--->enabled

AGP aperture size (can any1 tell me more about this setting)
i would set it from 64--->128

AGP 4xmode
i would set it from disabled--->enabled


EDITED: thanx for helping

A few of those settings have been discussed HERE, as for the rest Lost Circuits should be up by now. It would be more beneficial to you to learn all those one by one & not have it spoon fed. Another place to visit would be PAUL'S FAQ to explain the memory timings, as the KT7A - RAID has a funny way of setting tRAS, tRP & tRCD which all 3 are affected differently when choosing Normal, Fast, Turbo, etc & sometimes even Normal is better than Fast.

SoNgOkO said:

Hello!

I am trying to optimize my BIOS settings to get a higher 3DMark score, but i dont want to mess up anything. So i need yor help. I red the manual the came with the MOBO, but some BIOS settings are only brifly explained. I also wanted to red a bios FAQ that sony posted in one of his previous posts but the site seems to be down at the moment.

Click to expand...

i'd suggest you to look that post and also the post before it in the "TBred B XP2100+ works GREAT on KT7 non-A without ANY mods!! Running at 2.3GHz now!" topic...

anyway, don't cache video bios and neither the system bios, otherwise your hunch was good

Hey!!

Thanx to both of u for your replies!!
I red the Pauls FAQ, but the Lost Circuits site still seems to be down. I am so glad i optimized my BIOS couse i gave me an extra of 496 3DMarks yay feel so happy!!!!!! My sistem now scors a total of 8311 3DMarks. I will also try to set the mem timings to fast couse as sonny said the timing settings are confused.

BTW: i hope that i will be able to squize a few more MHZ out of my Thunder Bird couse a got a good stepping AXIA. But i am a bit worried about the temps 45 on idle with my Vulcano 5

Thanx again 4 helping

Here is the BIOS guide that I started out with when I got my KT7A in Sept. 2000, http://www.ocaddiction.com/articles/howto/kt7abiostweakguide/index.shtml

Most of it was probably covered in the other guides you've read, but you can never have too much information.

Still a good motherboard, I nearly broke 10,000 on 3D Mark on mine with my newly RMA'd Ti4200.

Hey!

I tweaked the BIOS to the max. Now i am upping the FSB i think my limit is round 145mhz. Currently i am running my CPU @ 8,5x143. I noticed that SiSoft Sandra gives me lower scores as i increase the FSB.

At stock speed 1200(9x133) it gave me the score off 4449/1780 in arythmetic benchmark when i set the FSB to 143 it gave me a score off 4286/1810 same test.

The Multi-media test gave me better results:
stock: 6613/7234
OC143*8,5: 6723/7373

I tried to set the FSB to 146mhz win boted up OK ran both CPu tests in Sandra ok, but when i ran 3dmark it just locked up. Then i tried to reboot nothing happened until i reseted the BIOS. That seem to be my limit.

i forgot to ask what the max everage FSB is that these MOBO-s seem to handle???


Thanx

I've had mine running stable at 150 with some good PC133 that was set to 3.5 or 3.6 volts. But I had to set the memory timing down a little.
I have mine running at 146 FSB right now with the memory timings set to Turbo, and SDRAM Cycle length at 2, using the last Abit BIOS for the Rev. 1.1 board.

I got a modded BIOS for the rev. 1.0 - 1.2 boards if you guys are interested, A9 BIOS with all toggles enabled & HP2.32 integrated also renamed to S9.

I am interested does it support the newer CPU-s like the XP1600...?? hmm dont know which revision board i have but i am sure it is in 1.0-1.2 range. But i had the BIOS chip changed on my MOBO couse the one i had was not working!!!!!

Hey!

I checked which BIOS i have on the start up when the energy star logo appears and it says 07/11/20-8363-686B-6A6LMA196-A9

So i assume i already have the A9 BIOS. But if your moded BIOS has more OC features i would use it.

BTW: does this MOBo support mem voltage changes??? I think no! But it doesnt hurt to ask!!!

Sonny: thanks for the offer, but as mine primarily serves as a folding machine, I'm fine with what I have.

For memory voltage, that is adjusted by the I/O voltage in the Soft Menu. Default is 3.3 for SDRAM, I'm not sure what is the safe maximum. I've never gone over 3.6. Bumping it up a couple of tenths can make a noticeable difference though.

The BIOS only offers you the ability to play with settings that are not available by default with the HP2.32 BIOS integrated. Be very careful of what other people say about their BIOS mods & the ability to use newer chips, often talk like that is pure hog wash. The KT7A - RAID's ability to run CPUs after the ThunderBird core with the rev 1.0 - 1.2 will be a case to case basis. Though it has proven to be successful it's not due to a modded BIOS but more of luck than anything else.

IF you still want to try PM me your email addy & I'll send it off to you as soon as I can.

repo man11 - Almost getting 10K on 3DMark with that board is amazing. I'm inclined to give it a shot too with a slightly faster card but with slower CPU & crap memory.