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View Full Version : Little newbie help? Duron 700 won't o/c, crashes


Gendo
03-16-01, 09:18 AM
Hey all,

Just got a new Duron 700 w/ an Abit KT7A, and I'm having all sorts of problems with it. For one thing, I can't seem to overclock it at all - I haven't unlocked it with the pencil trick yet but I did try moving up the FSB and even with the voltage cranked up to 1.8 it won't even go a single step up in FSB speed (I've tried moving up the bus several ways, including going all the way up to 136 so my PCI bus is back down to 32). I mean, it won't even POST. What am I doing wrong? I know I'll need to do the pencil trick to try adjusting the multiplier, but if I can't adjust the FSB one bit I'm not too hopeful it's going to work.

Also, I am having massive problems with Windows 2000 even with a clean install. Getting lots of crashes and freezes even at the chip's rated speed and CMOS defaults (except for enabling PnP OS and a couple other obvious things). Windows 98 seems to work fine after installing Via's 4-in-1 driver, but not even my new installation of Win2K does (my old install won't boot at all - I know why but I dunno how to fix it short of reinstalling my old board). And I did manage to get the 4.29a 4-in-1 driver installed; it's still freezing.

The CPU seems to be running damn hot - around 57-58 at idle according to the BIOS. I know these things are rated up to 90, but is this normal and could this be responsible for any of my problems? I'm using the stock HSF that came with the chip from mwave.com - it seems fairly low quality but it is working and it is in contact with the chip (there's a square of thermal grease on the heat-sink - it came from mwave that way).

I'm using a mix of generic RAM also - I know there's another group for this but as long as I'm here, how finicky is the KT7A with regard to RAM? It worked fine in my old Intel board, but as I said even with a standard 100 mhz FSB I'm getting constant freezes in Win2K. I've tried changing the RAM combinations around on the board but it hasn't seemed to have any effect.

Any ideas? I am not a happy camper right now - about to send all this stuff back and go Intel again.

YardPig
03-16-01, 10:20 AM
Heat is your problem. "around 57-58 at idle according to the BIOS" thats not good, and thats before the operating system has loaded.
"... it seems fairly low quality but it is working...." - no, it's not
That stock hsf should have the stock thermal pad removed and a small amount of paste added. I still think the hsf is not ideal if you plan to overclock.
"even with the voltage cranked up to 1.8" - don't even think of playing with the voltages until you get your temps worked out. Your just asking for a crispy fried duron.
"I know these things are rated up to 90" - You won't see a Duron hit 90 and live to talk about it. I say anything over 60 is damaging in the long run. It takes seconds to kill a duron/tbird with no hsf by the way.

"I'm using a mix of generic RAM also..." Mixed? If it is low quality pc100 or less, no wonder you can't see any increase in the fsb. It will push your memory up as well. I would seriously invest in some brand name pc133+ memory. With the way ram prices are these days, it just makes sense. Generic memory can cause all sorts of problems with new chipsets. And if you plan to overclock, don't expect to get to far with what you got.

Wish you luck, let us know....


A7V133 Bios 1004/FXD
Duron 800 @ 1072
7.5 x 143
Micron PC133 @ 143 Cas 3

YardPig
03-16-01, 10:24 AM
Oh, one more thing. I had no problem pushing 2 of my Duron 700's to 978 without even breaking a sweat.
amd is the top performer....give it some time, once you get your problems sorted out, you'll be one happy o/c'er.