Overclocking xp2500 and A7n8x dlx

I am rather new to the world up overclocking.... Anyway, I upgraded my cpu to a xp2500 and I can only manage to overclock it to 2.07 stable (180x11.5). Any higher than that, my system reboots and when it boot backs up in Windows, I'll get a series of Windows errors, One in particular that says my video card is causing system instability. So I plan on reinstalling the latest drivers for my ATi 8500le 64mb to see if that helps. I did flash my bios with the latest update to upgrade the A7n8x Dlx ver. 1.04 to support 400mhz FSB. Anyway, what do I need to do to get my system to run the FSB at 200mhz? I tried 200x9.5,9,8.5 etc each time it reboots or I have to reset the bios? Thanks in advance!!!

Specs:
A7n8x Dlx v1.04
xp2500 / Volcano 7+
WD hd SE
Kingston PC3500 Hyper x
Ati 8500le 64mb
Windows XP Pro w/sp1
3Dmark2001 score: 10600

Welcome to the forums.

I have a similar setup as yours, have you tried increasing the v-core for the cpu? I have mine currently at 11x200 @ 1.75 v-core, which is reported at 1.82 in bios and windows using mother board monitor. I also have my mem running at 100% (sync), the boards have problems running in any other mode. You may also want to bump up your mem voltage a bit, and try your agp at 1.6, also make sure the agp freq is set to 66mhz.

Be carefull when making changes in bios, as NF2 boards are known to corrupt the bios, killing the board. I always save settings then go to save and exit. I actually had my bios get corrupted the other day, luckily it did reboot but had a bios checsum error and was asking for a floppy disk with awdflash on it with a bios file. You should make a disk with both files on it just in case, but don't turn the power off if you get a bios error message. Also the cmos batteries on many of the boards were found to have low power so you may want to check it.


Jim

I have the same board, but not the delux model. I had problems at 200FSB with my 2500+, mainly because I went cheap on ram. I'd get errors and restarts now and then.

But now I'm running at 185*11.5 and all seems good.

Maybe for you, start with a low multiplier, like 10, then increase the FSB 5 each time and see how far you can go. then try increasing the multiplier to 10.5 after you reached your limit and so on. Also, it could be your ram. Do the ocing with 1 stick first, so it's not working hard in dual channel, if you are. Maybe increase you ram voltage too. That helped with my ram. Also, loosen the timing on it, all that just for the time being to see if the ram was causing the instability.

Weasel,

What kind of fan are you using on your slk-800? I'm using the 800u too, but with a 2400rpm 32cfm 25dba fan, so it's pretty mild, decent airflow without noise. Though, my idle is 47c after a work out and 51c on load. I have two of the same fans on intake and outtake. And my system has 5HDs, so that can be effecting the temps overall.

Are you using some kind of 5400rpm 54cfm fan to get yours at 36c on load?

Oh, I first bought a Deluxe model. And it's first post after building the machine, I change the fsb to be at 166 instead of the default 100, went to save and exit, it never posted again.

This regular model is working fine, and I got it from a different supplier, not New Egg.

TimothyB - Actually the fan came out of a power supply that burnt out on me, no idea of actual speed or cfm but i think it is around 40-45cfm. Also I have 3 intakes and 3 exausts that are run on a 6 switch baybus and my room temps stay around 70f.
The case is down in my desk and set so that the exaust can't come back to the front without going completely around my desk. I leave the front door propped open a few inches and cool air from the floor area is what gets to the intakes. The fans are tolerable on high but at lower speed (around 8.5v) they are somewhat quieter. Those temps are of the on die sensor and with the fans running on high. I would imagine that 5 hdd's would put out quite a bit of heat, you may try ducting cooler air to the cpu fan from a blowhole in the side of the case.

jclark8279 - *important* I forgot to mention that I have done a voltage mod for the chipset, before the mod I could only get to 193fsb or so.

Jim

I will try these suggestions... It's running pretty stable at (180x12.5) so I'm ok with that for now. What I may do is break down and buy a newer (A7n8x dlx) board and use the old one as a backup...

if you have upped youre v core and done all of the above .....
lowered multi to 10 increase fsb slowly to as high as you can go......

then i would say because you have the rev 1.04 board ......

i would look at the north bridge take it off and replace it with some artic silver on it......that pink gloup they put on is teribble....

oh by the way i could only go to 199 fsb with my rev 1.04......so i done the above and got 209 x11.5 stable

andy

Not to start up an old thread, here, but I think I might have found somebody that knows what they're talking about .

You said that NF2 boards are known for happy little corrupt BIOSes.

First of all, how would one tell if the BIOS is to blame for a specific error? (In my case, it doesn't POST or beep or anything, and the hard drive activity light remains on, that's it).

Secondly, is there anything I can do once it's corrupt? I really doubt it, but if I don't have to spend money, I'd love to hear it.

Thirdly, how do I get a new one? I guess it has to come directly from Biostar?

Thanks (rig in sig)

Z

you would have to call them up asn ask them to send another chip usually end up costing you 10-15 bucks... other places sell bios chips too online

But it does have to be board specific?

Where might I find them online?

Thanks

Z

Got it fixxed. Wasn't the BIOS afterall (bad video card . . . strange, but that's what was wrong).

Thanks for the replies

Z