Will Abit release a BIOS w/>1.625 volts??

I am considering wiring the 3-4 pins, but don't really want to unless I have to. I have tried the 77 boo BIOS which brings voltage up to 1.85 volts, but also requires more voltage to reach stabiltiy than the same speed using the 38 BIOS. (e.g. 77 needs 1.68 volts at 2.5, where the 38 only needs 1.55).

This is obviously a BIOS limitation. This is also my first Abit board. Are they good about situations like this? What's your gut feeling here or if you have any inside info would be a plus.

LJ

I've used both the "38" and the "77" BIOS and didn't notice any difference except that the "77" BIOS has higher voltage settings. Abit is pretty good about providing updated BIOS files as needed. The rumor I've gotten is that there is an official beta TH7-II BIOS currently being tested that will provide higher voltages and other improvements (the "77" BIOS is really a hacked BIOS). However, I have no info as to when the new official BIOS will be actually released.

Thanks batboy. I just bit the bullet and did the wire trick. Pretty nerve racking as it is very hard to get the wire to stay on while seating the CPU. Then I go and tighten the noose a bit and the pins bend. I got it though. Installing the cpu with the mobo in a vertical position is the way to go, but still difficult to keep the wire in place.

On a side note, does the ZIF socket straighten out pins that aren't perfect after clamping it down?

As long as the pins got into the correct holes, you should be ok. The danger of a bent pin is that if it don't go into the hole, it could then gets bent back and short out another pin. When I did the wire wrap, I criss-crossed the wire in between pins and then the twisted pig tail I bent around the edge of the CPU and hooked a little bit of this tail onto the top (make sure it's not on the heat spreader, you don't want the heatsink sitting on the wire), This secured the wire very nicely.

Thanks for the tip. I created a loop or oval at the head of wire and experimented until it was exactly the distance of the 2 pins. My trouble resulted when I decided to twist the wire like a bread tie. I had no idea the pins were so fragile that they would pull together with the pressure. I then took the loop off and used it to pull each pin back into position. Man, I was wishing I had a magnifying glass. The cpu popped right into the socket without any force, so I assume the pins were lined up correctly. After clamping it down, I then snipped off the excess wire.

As far as overclocking though, I tried 2.6 this morning and could not get it stable at the now max vcore of 1.825 (about a 1.75 actual). I could boot into XP just fine and do normal stuff, but Prime95 would halt after about 2 or 3 minutes. It may be the RDRAM. I guess I could try 3X just to find out, but I would rather have 2.5/500mhz than 2.6/390mhz.

Any ideas?

It took an obscene amount of voltage and the RAM setting at 3X for my 2.0a Northwood to reach 2.6 gig. I like being able to brag that I was able to overclocked up to 2.6 gig, but as you mentioned, it has much better memory benchmarks when the CPU is running at 2.5 gig and the RAM at 500 MHz. Since the voltage is lower at this speed and the system runs cooler, that's probably the speed I'll normally run at for typical everyday usage.

Batboy - I turned down the memory to 3X and have it stable at 133x20---> [email protected] volts. So, it was the RDRAM holding me back. I wish I bought PC1066 now, if it is even available.

I think I will stay at this and see if I notice a diff between 2.5/500 vs. 2.66/400. Obviously my Sandra mem scores dropped from ~3100/3100 to ~2800/2800, but I think I like seeing 2.667 when I boot!

To the best of my knowledge, the PC1066 RDRAM will not be available until later this spring. Generally, the Samsung is about the best RDRAM for overclocking right now. I know there are RDRAM out there that will run at 133 FSB (at 4X), but a lot of it won't. It's like the old SDRAM PC-100, some would run at 133 FSB, but a lot of modules would not. I wish these mobos had a 3.5X setting, that would be cool.

Agreed. I was thinking the same thing.