AMD 3200+, 1gb 400 ram won't boot

I just got a new setup but having problems getting the cpu to show right.
Dont understand all the BIOS business so I'll try and explain how far I got..

AMD 3200+
2x 512 DDR 400
M848A (2.1) mobo (400fsb)
400w psu
geforce 6800 128mb (requires 400w psu)
DVD-R/RW
80gb seagate

Everything is new.


If I let BIOS correctly detect the 3200+ then after a mem check, the pc reboots or hangs completely with the monitor blinking on and off and I have to clear the BIOS.

To start with the pc wouldnt boot at all and I had to work up in steps (this is with the DRAM freq automatically mirroring the CPU freq):

100 ok
180 ok
185 ok
190 ok (as 2800+)
195 - boots but bluescreens in windows - 'IRQL not less equal)
200 - No windows, blinking monitor = BIOS clear needed

So 190 is the only setting atm I can use for a stable system.

Here are my BIOS options:

Detect CPU freq - auto/manual
CPU freq (100-200 max)
Auto detect DRAM freq
CPU/DRAM clock ratio (1:1,1:2,2:3,10:9,3:4,3:5,4:5,5:6,8:9,4:3,5:4,6:5)
DRAM freq
DRAM Timing config (safe,normal, fast etc)

There are no settings to change the voltage.

TIA - Im desperate!!

First: What mobo do you have? What cpu? Claw or Newcastle. What Revision. Those are important informations that ppl need to know in order to help you.

Anyway, you can try this:
Use only one dimm (and the the other one) and find out if one of your modules is maybe faulty.
If this is not the case:

Descend to conservative settings, use 3x htt, 2T and keep the max memory speed at 133 (which is the 2/3 mem divider) and use a 10x multiplier (3200+ defaults at 11x). Download Clockgen and (slowly!) up your htt in Windows - its better for testing and your bios will boot up with the original settings in case you have a freeze.
Just a sidenote: is the pci/agp clock raising too when you up the htt with clockgen? If so maybe your board don't have a fully working pci/agp clock.
If you can achieve 10x200 and more then your cpu is not the bottleneck. I bet you can achieve even 10x250 if you have a newcastle cg.

Next step is to examine the max your mem is going to, again in bios use fast settings (1T, 4xhtt, stay at the 10x multiplier and underclock to 180htt - you will up it afterwards with clockgen again). Use Maxmem 200, so your ram will do 1:1. After booting up windows you are running 10x180 = 1800mhz. Start up clockgen and slowly up the htt again. Do you reach 200? If not, itsmost likely your ram not doing 200mhz... just keep us informed if you can work this out.

Cheers.

Ok, I'll try and work that all out.
I dont know what 'htt' and 2T is.
How do I set a multiplier?

(sorry)

mobo: PcChips M848ALU SKT A SIS 748 400 DDR AGPx8 ATA133 6CH Sound/lAN/USB 2.0 will Take Upto a 3.2+ AMD Athlon XP And Sempron CPU's Motherboard in Retail Box

I have updated the BIOS to latest.

CPU says:
ARIA A470306
AMD ATHLON
axda3200dkv4e
y840716560143
aqxda0351xpfw

In gold:
27493 Assembled in Malaysia T

There is a chance it could be your memory problem. Try removing 1 of the memory stick. Also, make sure you set the multiplier correctly. You could have set the multiplier too high and cause the system to hang. But try removing 1 of the memory stick.

Positive its not the ram. Tried one then other then neither and used a new 512 stick of another brand and still the same.

Tried all ratios (listed above) at 200 but none give a boot.
Tried all 2T and 3T but no joy.

Clockgen doesnt seem to support my mobo so i havent tried it.

The problem may be with on of the dimm slots on the motherboard.
To test this first use a single stick of ram in one slot.
If it doesn't boot, try the other slots.
Repeat the process using the other sticks if none of the slots work.

What is your CPU multiplier set at? Remember that multiplier x CPU FSB = CPU speed. Example: 11 x 200mhz = 2200 mhz. The stock speed for the 3200+ is 2200mhz, so try starting with the multiplier at 11 and the FSB at 200 and see what happens.

I dont even know what a multiplier is or how to set it!

Do you think its a good idea to switch to a:

AOpen, ATX, AK79D-400VN, Skt A, FSB400/DDR400/ATA133, S & LAN, 8x AGP
(I could have it here next day)

or

Gigabyte GA-7S748-l SKT A SIS748 ATX Sound LAN USB 2.0 FSB400 ATA133 Retail Box
(delivered mon)

Gigabyte are ok but try to avoid the SiS chipsets, I prefer nForce. Your pc chips board is a low end unit, I don't think that version has voltage or multiplier settings, everything runs at default. Sounds like your cpu is intermittent, you need to stick it into another mobo to see if the problem replicates. I had exactly the same problem with a 2600+ last week, cpu was faulty at 162fsb and higher when stock should have been 166fsb.

If you are looking for the best board for your Athlon XP3200+, I'd highly recommend the Abit NF7 series. Only around $60 for the vanilla version and by far the best board on the market, bar none.

The other thing you should invest in is a good HSF. Thermalright is the HS of choice. You can get a SLK-900(A) for $34.99 or if you're on a budget, a ALX-800 for $15.99 at svc.com
Don't forget the Arctic Silver 5 and a fan.

Thanks, thats the best advice i think.

Even putting my old 2500+ in a new gigabyte board and it wont set the cpu correctly (sigh).

Does this look good?
Abit NF7 V2.0 nForce2 Socket A 8xAGP LAN USB2 6 ch Sound DDR400 Memory Retail Box

yes, the nf7 is a VERY good board. I think about 50 percent of the people on o/c forums would reccomend it to you... while the other 50 would reccomed either the dfi lanparty or the the asus a7n8x.

Basically when buying a motherboard, (for convenience and above all compatability) look at motherboards with GOOD chipsets (the nf7 and a7n8x and lanparty all have the nvidia nforce 2 based chipsets. The nforce2 chipset is heralded as the best chipset for the amd socket A based architechture). Seconldy, look at solid descent companies that manufacture the boards. I say the best two companies out there are either asus or abit. Other good companies out there are msi, gigabyte, and (dfi.... although i wouldn't reccomend getting dfi boards... just my personal preference).

madillo said:

Thanks, thats the best advice i think.

Even putting my old 2500+ in a new gigabyte board and it wont set the cpu correctly (sigh).

Does this look good?
Abit NF7 V2.0 nForce2 Socket A 8xAGP LAN USB2 6 ch Sound DDR400 Memory Retail Box

Click to expand...

Good choice. Which Heatsink will you use? Which Fan?

Also, what kind of memory do you have? I'm a little concerned that your cpu won't work correctly in the Gigabyte board, as they are very good boards for running at stock speeds . This may indicate a problem other than the board. Did the Gigabyte exhibit the same behaviour as the (shudder) PC chips board?

I can at most get the 2500+ in the gigabyte to run at 2400+ with 512mb DDR 400.
In the pc chips, the 2500+ was only running at 1900+ with x2 512 DDR 400.
I've currently left the 3200+ as a 2800+ until I get a new board but in no great hurry.

Does seem odd though that I'm having the same problems on 2 different mobos, with different ram and different cpus.

I just got a Glacialtech Igloo 2461 26dBa White Boxed cooler for AMD XP3200+

Sorry to drag this on but do I have to get a 400FSB mobo to go with my 3200+ (400)?
May be a silly question but im overwelmed with spec atm..

The Abit NF7s are 333 except the NF7-S, based on nForce2 chipset (MCP-T + SPP), supports the latest AMD Athlon XP processors with 200/266/333/400 FSB, (400 FSB support in version 2.0 only)

V2.0 versions of all of the NF7 series support 400mhz FSB. I'm surprised that some vendors are even selling the older versions. I know that mwave.com sells only the newest versions of this board.

Just out of curiosity, what brand/model of memory are you running? The bit with the Gigabyte board is really odd, but it is the SIS chipset, after all...

My 2 cents:
don't buy anything else then a nforce3 250 chipset. Those have working pci/agp locks with no further update.
I would prefer the chaintech vnf3-250 as it supports up to 400htt(called fsb on other systems) and has everything you will likely need to go up to 2500mhz on your a64 cpu. You can always shell out some more $ and get the dfi or some msi/epox nf250 mobo. Choice is yours. DFI seems to be a good choice if you have very high end ram.

I have no experience with Via but i heard there are some boards now with working pci/agp lock.

Sargelarge, the nforce3 chipset is for an A64. He has an Athlon XP.

ah sorry, i a thought he os speaking of an a64 3000+. My fault!