Overclocking and Linux

[Balkoth]

I have a dual boot system (M$ Windoze ME & Linux Mandrake 8)

PIII 650, Asus CUSL2-C m/b, 256MB PC133 DIMM

Here's my problem:

I can set FSB to (at least) 130MHz... Windoze is cool with this, but...

Linux wont even boot, just freezes when trying to load the kernel (aaarrrgghh cos Windoze sucks) if FSB is over 115MHz

Any Ideas??

[The Doors]

Hi Balkoth, welcome to the Forum,
try to go with 133Mhz of Fsb that generates a standard Pci freq. of 33Mhz, but remember to look your chip temps, never must go over 45 degree C @full load (100% load) and less is better.

I hope it helps you ;)

[Balkoth]

My mobo / CPU wont let me get that far... (grrr...), just kicks me back to bios "safe mode" (a feature of my mobo), with FSB of 66MHz (default safe mode freq):(
I can clock it up again, but only as far as 130MHz (115MHZ for Linux)....

I think my CPU just wont go to 133MHz (Any idea where I can get a cheap PIII 1GHz??)

I've tried telling Linux to expect a higher PCI freq, which works fine 'til I push the FSB to above 115MHz (even as little as 1MHz!!).

Thanks again for your help Doors

P.S. Which O/S are you using?

[The Doors]

Probably you must set something into the Bios for the 133Mhz of Fsb, coz for sure your Mobo supports this freq. and also I've easly Oced the P/// 650 @866Mhz, do you have tried rising a little the VCore? that is the chip voltage, but don't go over the 15% of the rated value and look also to the temps of your chip, never must go over 45 degree C.
About the Os that I'm using now, well I've 98se, w2000 and Linux Suse 7.0 but I need to learn many many things about linux :(

[The Doors]

Take also a look to this link http://www.x86-secret.com/ is very interesting :D

[.. AE 86 ..]

haha
i love that link :mad:
but i don't read french
is it french or is it japz ?
haha
n e wayz...
i saw some cool stuff there

[The Doors]

It's the same for me :D
but they gives very interesting info and tips for all the guys with an Asus Cusl2-C :cool:

[Balkoth]

Yeah, the mobo supports it alright... and then some!

The problem is not the board/processor really... (I can get upto 845MHz, thats 6.5 * 130 @1.75v safely:) ) but Linux not booting. M$ Windoze ME just doesnt care!

[The Doors]

What I'm trying to say, is that probably all depends by the Pci freq. out of specs (at 130Mhz of Fsb must be around 43 or more), so going with Fsb@133Mhz can helps if it's like I'm supposing.

I hope it helps you :)

[Balkoth]

Followed the link: http://www.x86-secret.com/ and found nothing much to d/load. (Hmmm... maybe I'm blind, but all that was in the d/load section was an NVidia update and some processor documentation)

Already have the latest official update which itself helped alot.

Your probably right about the PCI freq though... it's just that something in my box doesnt like being @ 133MHz.

[The Doors]

Take a look to this link http://www.x86-secret.com/i815twk.php :D

[Balkoth]

Cool. Thanks.

Just 1 question... I am already able to set these options. Are they being over-ridden by the mobo?

[The Doors]

Well, I'm not experienced with this prg, but I suppose that it override the Mobo settings.

[Balkoth]

Just flashed to the tweaked BIOS.... STILL cant get to 133MHz FSB.

Oh, well... I guess my CPU just cant take being at 133MHz.

But still... whats with Linux??

Thanks to everyone for their time and thoughts.

[dude]

Up the voltage past 1.75v. Try 1.8 then 1.85 then 1.9. I bet at 1.8 or 1.85 volts it will post and make it at 133mhz fsb. Don't go over 1.9 volts heat really starts to be a problem under full load at that voltage

[Balkoth]

Thanks for the suggestion dude... but still no go up @ 1.9v.

[The Doors]

Originally posted by Balkoth
Just flashed to the tweaked BIOS.... STILL cant get to 133MHz FSB.

Oh, well... I guess my CPU just cant take being at 133MHz.

But still... whats with Linux??

Thanks to everyone for their time and thoughts.
You're welcome man :)
Please, what are your chip/system temps @full load (100% load)?
I'm thinking to an heat prob, so I suggest you MotherBoardMonitor that you can found at http://mbm.livewiredev.com/ to check your temps, it's a must.

I hope it helps you to understand where's the problem ;)

[Balkoth]

My CPU temp. is around 39 - 41`C loaded (thats fairly cool I believe. Just got a Thermoengine V60 4225 HSF :) I also have a YSTech 60mm 5000rpm intake fan (cant remember the model) mounted bottom front of case, and another YSTech 60mm 5000rpm fan exhausting at the rear) and mobo temp. around 21 - 25`C, so I dont think its temperature related.

Just had a thought about voltages though...

(I'm talking i/o voltage here NOT vcore)

Currently the i/o voltage is set to 3.3v, but goes as high as 3.6v...

Gotta be worth a try... waddaya think??

[The Doors]

Well, absolutly not an heat prob! :D
Yes, is a good idea to try with a more high Vio of 3.4 or 3.5v, but I'm thinking to the Pci/Agp divider that I don't know if is automatically switched to 1/4 at 133Mhz on your Mobo.

[Balkoth]

Hmmm... I've heard of this AGP divider... but know absolutely nothing about it :( What's it all about, and how can I find out what my mobo does with it?

Thanks again for your time Doors (& everyone else)!! Appreciated.

[The Doors]

Well,
the Fsb & the Pci freq. are linked, infact with Fsb from 66Mhz to 99Mhz the Pci freq. is 1/2 of the Fsb (33Mhz), from 100Mhz to 132Mhz is 1/3 and from 133Mhz to the theorical 165Mhz is 1/4 (I say theoric coz not all the Mobo supports this Fsb freq.).
Generally not all the Pci peripherals can handle Pci freq. out of specs, and infact can have prob, like also many older, but not only, Hd's that can got Fat corruption!!! :eek:
I know that on the 'old' i440Bx Mobo there's or a jumper or a parameter into the Bios that set the divider on 1/2 and 1/3 and sometimes 1/4 of the Fsb, at this point I suggest you to check your Mobo manual for more info. Different is the way with the 'newer' i815 Mobo that automatically set the optimal divider, but for our, hard OverClockers the old way is the best to go :cool:

I hope that my explanation sounds good :D :D :D

[Balkoth]

Your explanation makes perfect sense!

My mobo does this automatically when setting FSB etc.

eg:100/100/33, 133/133/33 etc.

Making things nice n easy :)

[The Doors]

Well, for me at this point you've only one way to go,
try with the most consevative mem settings (Cas & Ras latency on 3 or better use the SPD settings) and if still doesn't work @133Mhz, well, I suppose that is your chip :( coz we have checked everything, or really close :)

[Balkoth]

Thanks Doors... tried this already...

No go :( so I gues its my CPU :mad:

Think Ill go for a Celeron next...

Thanks to all for time & thoughts...

[The Doors]

You're welcome Balkoth, it's a pleasure for all of us :)
at this point is really hard, but I've another idea, try using at the rated speed an higher voltage (1.85-1.9v) for some days with the more stronger prg's and after retry with the desidered Fsb freq., sometimes can help to obtain a good OC.

P.S. Do you've increased the VCore (Cpu Voltage) during the OCing???

[Balkoth]

Thanks Doors, I'll give this a try.

As to the VCore when o/cing, I increase if I need to - if POST fails or o/s instability

[The Doors]

Yes, you're right,
I asked you only coz we haven't speaked about in all our posts :)

Good Luck, and let me know...

[Balkoth]

Been running the CPU @ the rated speed (650) with vcore @ 1.85v for 6 days using all kinds of software.

Tried 133FSB this morning....

Still no go. :( Looking @ new CPUs now...

Thanks to all.

[The Doors]

I'm sorry Balkoth, but 6 days aren't enough,
try at least for a couple of weeks with stronger prg's like folding@home or seti@home, and another way you've is to try your chip on the Mobo of a friend of yours :)

[Balkoth]

OK Doors, I'll keep it up.

I'm Folding @ the mo'

[Balkoth]

Keeping the vcore up @ 1.9v successfully damaged the CPU so that it now wont post at anything above the rated 100MHz FSB 1.65v.

Never mind... just got a Cellery 900 (running @ 1200 - 9*133)

Woohoo!! :D

[The Doors]

Hi Balkoth,
I'm really sorry for your P///, it's really strange coz 1.9 is a little bit high, but not too much, especially with a good cooling section :( about your new C2 900, well, I'm on the same way at the moment, really a good chip for the $: perfectly stable @1123Mhz (Fsb@124) at the rated voltage (Full load temp 40-41 degree C), but I've probs with the Mobo config for 133Mhz, I'll try as soon as possible ;)