Asus A7A266 Winxp Instability (Possibly cooling?)

[VegetaQ]

Ok, I posted this in Asus AMD Motherboards and in Operating systems, But I just wanted to be sure its not a cooling issue. Maybe somone in here has had a similar problem and could give me a hand. Heres the problem I have run into.

Hey, I have a question for anyone who might have an answer.

I finally got my Swiftec HSF. mmmm. Great for my temps. and I was ready to try and get more of an overclock. Right now I have it at an 140 FSB (280) and 10.5 Multiplier at 1.8 Volts (Original processor is 1.2 AXIA Athlon.

Now, I usually test to find out of it works a simple way. If I pump up the FSB and it posts im usually happy. Now, I have seen people with my board have the FSB up to 180 (wow) and I wanted to try to get to at least 150.

Now I tried it at 150 with an 11 Mult. Ok no go no boot. Took off power rebooted went into bios. Ok so I tried it with an 10 Mult. Perfect nice post beep looking healthy. Booting into windows. Now heres my doorstop. I have Windows Xp and it tells me "Windows has halted and will not load due to an error in the registry" (It gives me some type of key location too. I don't have it here but I can get it.)

And when I go back and turn up the Mult but the FSB down It loads fine. So im pretty confused. If anyone has any suggestions. Ill try it. Thanks!

Does anyone think this might be due to insufficent cooling? I have just (yesterday) upgraded to the Swiftec Mcx-462. So I should be good. But if anyone has any insight I would appreciate it. Thanks!

[Iron Hawk]

Cooling is probably the problem. But you might have some faulty piece in your system that is causing your problems.

-Iron Hawk

[VegetaQ]

Originally posted by Iron Hawk
Cooling is probably the problem. But you might have some faulty piece in your system that is causing your problems.

-Iron Hawk

Cooling is NOT a problem. My case has many many fans. And I have one of if not the best air cooled heatsink out theyre.

(ive invested a lot in cooling before I OC)

I was also told it was windows and I actually used another hdd to use 2k and I got it up to 148. But I don't like 2k. So I think it is the OS instability.

But im still looking for options if anyone knows what to do with the OS. if theyres anything I can change.

[Iron Hawk]

I never thought that it could be an OS instability. Could it also be caused by an additional program running in the OS that is causing the problem?

You said you used a different harddrive, right? Perhaps the first HD you were using was at fault.

Good luck,

-Iron Hawk

[res0r9lm]

try raising fsb higher to see how far you can go with it. keep lowering multiplier to keep it at close to stock. once you find sweetspot start upping multiplier when you get as high as you can go stable burn it in for a couple of days then try to go higher

[ken257]

Since you said you can overclock using the multipier but not by fsb cooling is not your problem. When running at a higher fsb your memory, pci and agp cards, all system components are also running on a faster bus. More then likely one of your components is not liking the faster bus speed. Try with only the video card and 1 sim in place and swap components in and out until you find the holdup. What kind and speed of memory do you have? You can also try relaxing memory timings and see if that helps you OC by fsb it could give you a clue if your memorf is not up to the task.

[res0r9lm]

might just need more vcore

[VegetaQ]

Originally posted by Iron Hawk
I never thought that it could be an OS instability. Could it also be caused by an additional program running in the OS that is causing the problem?

You said you used a different harddrive, right? Perhaps the first HD you were using was at fault.

Good luck,

-Iron Hawk

Jon told me it could be due to Os problems. The error message is generated by the OS. hmm confusing. It will post (Which if its too high or unstable it just plum don't post) so the hardware seems happy in that it posts. just not windoze.

I don't have the ata-100 controller in theyre. And Iwas told by somone that (I think it was jon also) at the higher fsb speeds data can become corrupted. and that may have been my problem with the computer.

I can't see it being a problem within windows since it never gets theyre. Maybe I sould go to Linux. I go to comdex every year and get a free copy of every version of linux made =).

If theyre are any other suggetions im open. I just cant belive after all the time invested the os is stopping me. oh well.

[CrystalMethod]

Originally posted by res0r9lm
might just need more vcore

My sentiments exactly.
What's your PCI divider set at?

[Yodums]

If your not adding no vcore to it then its definitely the vcore as those AMD need massive vcore to keep up with their potentials of the chip.

yodums

[adamtekh]

u cant change the pci divider on the A7A266 it is 1/3 from 100 to 132 , and 1/4 from 133 to 166

goes from 5 to 12.5 on the multi

i just instaled xp and have had no stabilty problems yet , just dosent seam to like asus probe

and my 3dmark 2001 scores went up 300 marks (23.11's) so im happy

i dont know about the a7a-266-e i think they just added 6 chanel onboard to it :beer:

[adamtekh]

i thought the MCX-462 wouldnt fit on the a7a266 :eh?: or does it just barley ?

[VegetaQ]

Originally posted by Yodums
If your not adding no vcore to it then its definitely the vcore as those AMD need massive vcore to keep up with their potentials of the chip.

yodums

I have it at 1.8 I can go higher though. Do you know what setting I should try? Or just slowly bump up?

[VegetaQ]

Originally posted by adamtekh
i thought the MCX-462 wouldnt fit on the a7a266 :eh?: or does it just barley ?

They made a redisgn model that does fit. It is supposed to be "universal" now.

[adamtekh]

well thats intereesting , i would just put the vcore to max

1.85 or something like that , the swifty can handel it :beer: