TB900 "AGGA" Prelim OC results -> looks good!

[Bartman]

Hey guys,
I got my TB900 up and running today.
Here is a point form review of whats happened so far:

- Bought OEM "AGGA" TB900 from ncix.com
- Havn't unlock chip (yet)
- Scrapped thermal crap off of FOP32-1. Didnt get it all, plan on lapping next week anyways. Applied a small amount of Arctic Thermal II.
- With multiplyer locked, I played with fsb.

- Case off, window open, BIG fan blowing into the case... The BIOS showed my temps as low as:

CPU - 18^C / 64^F
Case - 8^C / 46^F

Man, it was frik'n cold in here :-) [I'm in Canada BTW]

At normal room temp, the Bios said:

CPU - 34^C / 93^F
Case - 23^C / 77^F

The 34^ is pretty high (to me) but I'm sure that lapping will yeild at least 2^ better cooling.

[All tests were done with Default Voltage -1.75v- and "normal" room temp]

Set the FSB to 110 = 990 - Booted fine
" 112 = 1008 - Booted fine
" 115 = 1038 - Booted fine, completed 3dmark2000 no prob.
" 117 = 1064 - Booted fine
" 120 = 1080 - I didnt let it boot, just entered bios again
" 122 = 1098 - Posted as "1100Mhz", got funny Win98 screen while loading.

I was not comfertable with anything over 115fsb, as the high PCI clock scared me... @ the 120fsb+ The PCI is 40Mhz! So I'm pretty sure it was my videocard crapping out, not the cpu. The top half of the "win98" load screen was black, bottom was fine, machine was not locked, it was still loading, but I shut it off.

Right now I am running it @ 900Mhz w/1.70v (didnt see a point to all that voltage)

So I think (hope) this shows, that If I unlock the multiplier, and give the chip 1.85v she sould definatly be in the 1100Mhz area. I am VERY pleased with this chip.

Once unlocked, I want to run in the 140 - 150 fsb range, I will post my results when the system is finished.

Later guys... [Man, I LOVE this stuff!!!]

[trimai]

Bartman,

I also have Tbird 900 "AGGA" with KT7A motherboard. I however use 256 Apacer/Infineon RAM (CAS 3) and Alpha 6035 H/S. I could not get pass 112 FSB!!! When you said your temperature is 32/33C from the BIOS, did you get it from PC Health Status or from VIA Hardware Monitor. Under the PC Health Status, my CPU temperature is 53C and it never changed. When I use VIA hardware monitor, the temperature is only about 27/28C at idle. I would really appreciate if you can send me the setting of the BIOS so that I can do the same on my machine. By the way, I am also from Canada and yes it is cold here in Montreal.

[Bartman]

trimai (Mar 23, 2001 09:43 p.m.):
Bartman,

I also have Tbird 900 "AGGA" with KT7A motherboard. I however use 256 Apacer/Infineon RAM (CAS 3) and Alpha 6035 H/S. I could not get pass 112 FSB!!! When you said your temperature is 32/33C from the BIOS, did you get it from PC Health Status or from VIA Hardware Monitor. Under the PC Health Status, my CPU temperature is 53C and it never changed. When I use VIA hardware monitor, the temperature is only about 27/28C at idle. I would really appreciate if you can send me the setting of the BIOS so that I can do the same on my machine. By the way, I am also from Canada and yes it is cold here in Montreal.

It sounds like your RAM is holding you back... Maybe you should try getting some pc133.

The temps I quoted were from the PC Health Status... Mine change about every 5 seconds... I brought it from 34^ down to 18^ in about 5 minutes. I was testing to see if the "PC Health Status" temp actually ment anything... Seems to be pretty accurate.

My BIOS settings were at Defaults at the time... I have since set the 4-way interleave and Cas to 2, and a few other things... mostly the options on the "softmenuIII" options.

After 112fsb you are really pushing your PCI, so having 1 device that doesnt like to be overclocked will stop your whole system.

Most often it is either the VideoCard or certain brands on HD's don't like high PCI's...

Have you tried changing your multiplier? Even at 112fsb you should be able to get that chip going pretty fast.

Send some system specs, like HD, Videocard etc...

There isnt anything else I can think of that would hold you back (assuming heat isnt an issue)...

The highest I can get my chip (100% load, case on) is 40^C (using Via Hardware monitor)

That is running 1000Mhz @ 1.70v...

Again, I would like to say that I will be lapping the FOP32-1 soon, which should help alot (trust me, mine is a mess right now). Once I take the cooler off, I'll connect the L1 bridges while I'm there, so I dont have to waste the thermal grease.

[trimai]

Bartman,

This is my complete system spec:

Abit K7TA (no RAID) + 900 Tbird "AGGA" + Alpha 6035 H/S
256 Apacer /Infineon 133 SDRAM (7.5ms)
16x Pioneer DVD-115
30 Gig Maxtor 7200 RPM Hard Drive
SoundBlaster 128PCI
Motorola 56SM WinModem
Window 98SE

In PC Health Status, my temperature never change!!! It keep showing 53C and never go up or down. VIA hardware monitor show 27/28C at idle and more than 40C at full load. Current setting in bios is 112*9 with memory setting to 112(FSB)+37(PCI) = 149 Mhz at CAS2. In going to 113 FSB, I try to use memory setting to 113 at CAS3 and it still could not get to Window98. I do not think memory is the problem because I currently running system at 149 Mhz (CAS2) and I also know Infineon memory are really good. I have used the modem in another system at 37, 38MHz PCI. I have a similar harddisk in another PC running at 37, 38 MHz PCI without any problem. I am not to sure about the sound card because I never used it before. What worry me is the temperature in PC Health Status. Why it never change? Do I have a defective BIOS/motherboard? I never expect to be stopped at 37 Mhz PCI bus speed. Any help from you is greatly appreciated.

[Bartman]

trimai (Mar 23, 2001 11:20 p.m.):
Bartman,

This is my complete system spec:

Abit K7TA (no RAID) + 900 Tbird "AGGA" + Alpha 6035 H/S
256 Apacer /Infineon 133 SDRAM (7.5ms)
16x Pioneer DVD-115
30 Gig Maxtor 7200 RPM Hard Drive
SoundBlaster 128PCI
Motorola 56SM WinModem
Window 98SE

In PC Health Status, my temperature never change!!! It keep showing 53C and never go up or down. VIA hardware monitor show 27/28C at idle and more than 40C at full load. Current setting in bios is 112*9 with memory setting to 112(FSB)+37(PCI) = 149 Mhz at CAS2. In going to 113 FSB, I try to use memory setting to 113 at CAS3 and it still could not get to Window98. I do not think memory is the problem because I currently running system at 149 Mhz (CAS2) and I also know Infineon memory are really good. I have used the modem in another system at 37, 38MHz PCI. I have a similar harddisk in another PC running at 37, 38 MHz PCI without any problem. I am not to sure about the sound card because I never used it before. What worry me is the temperature in PC Health Status. Why it never change? Do I have a defective BIOS/motherboard? I never expect to be stopped at 37 Mhz PCI bus speed. Any help from you is greatly appreciated.

I think that is a question for the ABit techs...

If it stays @ 53^ and never moves, it obviously means that something isnt working the way it is supposed to.

I would try to get a new board (heck, you paid for a WORKING board right? lol)

Try pulling out the soundcard, and boooting it up that way... You never know... might be stopping you.

All sounds good, so I am stumped as to why it will not go higher... have you maxed your Vcore to 1.85v? maybe your chip need that little extra to get 112+ fsb?