P3 500 Help

[KevDaMan]

I currently have a p3 500 @ 560 at about 40Degrees Idle. I have a cooler master heatsink and fan. I can boot at 600 sometimes but unstable at like 50 degrees :(. I am looking into gettting a very good cpu cooler 1 option being "Alpha p3 125s 26cmf per fan (2 Fans) spinning at 4200 RPM" or a Vos32 Which is very close to the Alpha. This p3 runs at a 100mhz FSB default and it is based on the Katami 23Mircron Process. If u have this chip or did have this chip can U give me some idea on speeds I could reach with a new cpu cooler or is this 500 a crapy overclocker chip. The voltage default is 2.0 I belive. All help would be greatly appreicated :)

[outhouse]

Well all CPU's will overclock differently so its hard to say exactly how high you can go, one if you buy a good HSF you can always use it on your next system, two i think once you get your temps down you should get more out of the CPU your running, ive heard the Katami's were not that good when it come to overclocking but some have had some luck with them, check the CPU database and get an idea where yopu stand with your CPU. now as far as cooling if you lapp the coolermaster and use some radioshack thermal compound your temps will drop quite a bit, ive installed a duct to the side of my case the duct goes straight to the HSF,it draws cooler air to your CPU. you can make it out of cardboard this mod will even cool your CPU down more and the best thing its free, installing 2 case fans will help also, you should be able to get 2 case fans and thermal compound for 25 bucks and this should put your temps in the high 30C range, if you used the thermal pad [pink] that came with the coolermaster then you really need to get thermal compound as the pad's really suck. i would try and work with what you have for now and if it doesnt cool it enough then go to a better HSF.

goodluck

[KevDaMan]

That is some good advice :). I have 1 120 mm + a 80mm fan in the side blowing on the board and cpu + I have a 90mm Fan uptop blowing air out. About how much will u see a temp drop using Thermal Goop + I have a pad on the heatsink that sux as u say so do i take it off with a rasor or somehting?

[Keen]

I highly recommend the Alpha P3125, I use it myself. I also have a P3 500 Katmai. I was able to get mine up to 650, but I'm going to try for more soon.

[outhouse]

KevDaMan (Jun 23, 2001 02:49 p.m.):
That is some good advice :). I have 1 120 mm + a 80mm fan in the side blowing on the board and cpu + I have a 90mm Fan uptop blowing air out. About how much will u see a temp drop using Thermal Goop + I have a pad on the heatsink that sux as u say so do i take it off with a rasor or somehting?

Well if you lapp the HSF [look in tips section] and use some radioshack goo [i nice thin layer] you may get a 4C change but that can go up or down its hard to say exactly how much but for a couple of bucks for the goo you cant go wrong. Alcohol will work to remove it do not use a razor blade you dont want to scratch anything, the prefered method of removing thermal compound is something like acetone but if its not avalible alcohol will work just fine.

[KevDaMan]

Yeah just my luck I went to the only 2 Radio Shack stores in town and no Radio Shack Goop left they said alot of people looking for it latley. Is it true u can get a few degree C cooler with the back of the slot 1 cooler off? I dont have temp monitering so I duno. The temps I gave first was when I stuck my chip in a buddys board. I am gona go with the Alpha P3 125s or a VOS32 + Some Radio Shack Goop if they ever get more in. Any good Canadain Sites any1 know of where i can get 1 of these coolers? thx for suggestions all in advance :)

[outhouse]

Before you get crazy overclocking you really need a way to check your temps without it your flying blind through a valley with high trees.

[jmsandrsn]

Regardless of what you do for cooling. I seriously get much above where you're already at because those CPU's don't clock very well. You can probably get a coppermine PIII that that will go much higher with very little effor(ie. PIII 600E @ 800)

[KevDaMan]

Yeah the P3 600 are alot different they are Coppermines and a .18 micron process unlike the Katami .23 micron process mine is 2 volts default so it produces quite a bit of heat can some 1 tell me what the default for the Coppermine 600 is?

[cdadare]

Hey dude, I had the same dilemma many weeks ago. I received a lot of good advise from this board, here's what I had:

PII 500 (Katmai) Factory Heat Sink & Fan
Epox P2-133A (Mobo)
PC-100 SDRAM (128 MB)

That's all I had and I was only achieving about 550mhz. Then I found the light, I rose up and said Hallelujah. . . sorry, here's what I did:

1. Bought the P3125 Alpha Heat Sink from 2 COOL TEK (What a MONSTER!)
2. Bought ARCTIC SILVER II thermal compound, also from 2 COOL TEK, you get a buck off if you mention Overclockers.com in the order. (Arctic Silver is the best thermal in my opinion, check their site to see the specs)
3. Purchased two 60mm fans from e-bay. $6.00 + shipping
4. Purchased two 80mm fans from e-bay. $8.00 + shipping

There you have it, for us poor souls who have a Katmai and won't let go, this is DEFINITELY the answer. My Epox board allows me to set the board speed either by jumpers or in the bios and my voltage is automatically adjusted. Here's my results:

110 bus speed x 5 @ 550 (OK)
120 bus speed x 5 @ 600 (OK)
133 bus speed x 5 @ 675 (OK)

133 fsb is as high as I can go or else I'm positive I could go higher. Temps are good at 675mhz, about 90 F. Please, let me know if this helps!

PII 500 (Katmai) @ 675mhz
P3125 Alpha Heat Sink & Arctic Silver
Epox P2-133A
PC-100 SDRAM (128 mb)

[Mr B]

KevDaMan (Jun 24, 2001 10:59 a.m.):
Yeah the P3 600 are alot different they are Coppermines and a .18 micron process unlike the Katami .23 micron process mine is 2 volts default so it produces quite a bit of heat can some 1 tell me what the default for the Coppermine 600 is?

I've got a P/// 600E (Coppermine), and this is a pretty good one to o/c with. I got lucky, and got a really good one... ???

The default vcore for these;

cB0 = 1.65v
cC0 = 1.7v

The prices for these chip are coming down, as newer and faster chips are being produced. I got mine early this year at e-BAY, for $75, and at the time, it was the steal of the century! Now I'm seeing them listed there regularly for $75 to $100.

Oh, BTW, mine's a slot 1 chip, not the s370 "flip chip". If I had a choice, I'd go for the flip chip, and a good slocket. This would give you much more options to work with when setting the vcore.

Mr B