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Help with my 1.6a

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Goten^

Registered
Joined
Oct 13, 2002
Location
New Zealand
Hey, my 1.6a is currently stable @ 2.4
i get alright mem scores in sisoft

Its using 1.65v in the bios, the problem is that when I up the clock and voltage the computer become hellishly unstable. Any thoughts on helping it become stable ?

i am using a p4s33 mainboard

thanx :D
 
Unfortunately I kinda had the same situation, and it was my Kingmax memory that held me back, and I'm pretty sure it's the case here too, the minute I switched to CorsAir I started seeing daylight again .. that's a low mem score bro.. oh yeah, WELCOME TO THE FORUM :)
 
Get a different motheboard. I like the P4S333 (and use it for customer machines) but it won't exceed 150fsb with any regularity. I had a P4S533 (same thing in reality, just more feature rich) and it would not run my 1.6a any faster than 2400 period. You could pump as much voltage as you wanted into the cpu, and set the memory to 1:1. Nonetheless is would display the exact same instability you've noted at 151/2416MHz. There was no chance of running my cpu faster than 2400 on this board.

I bought an Abit BD7-II, and it runs the same 1.6a perfectly at 162/2600MHz. The 845e chipset is much better for high fsb machines than the 645 or 645DX of the P4S333 and P4S533. The SiS 645 is a great chipset if 150fsb is enough for you, but generally useless if it isn't.
 
you should use the 3:4 memory divider.

that will make your memory run faster than your cpu which gives you alot better memory scores.

i can run 155ish on the chip and run 210mhz on the memory. just to give you an idea.

to figure the speeds... take the fsb... divide by 3 then multiply by 4 to get your ram speed. :D
 
larva said:
I bought an Abit BD7-II, and it runs the same 1.6a perfectly at 162/2600MHz. The 845e chipset is much better for high fsb machines than the 645 or 645DX of the P4S333 and P4S533. The SiS 645 is a great chipset if 150fsb is enough for you, but generally useless if it isn't.
agreed. i use a BD7II but i'll be selling it shortly cause i'm swapping to Rdram with a TH7II.
 
Maxvla said:
you should use the 3:4 memory divider.

that will make your memory run faster than your cpu which gives you alot better memory scores.

i can run 155ish on the chip and run 210mhz on the memory. just to give you an idea.

to figure the speeds... take the fsb... divide by 3 then multiply by 4 to get your ram speed. :D

The SiS 645 series does not offer a 3:4 multiplier at elevated bus speeds. It does have the usefull choices of 1:1, 4:5, and 4:6. The 3:4 ratio at high fsb is specific to 845 boards, as it was designed to produce the 133MHz base memory frequency from 100MHz board speeds. Although available at low bus speeds the 3:4 is not aption from 133MHz and up on the SiS.

BTW, my BD7-II operates at a cpu limited maximum FSB of 162MHz, but tolerates the 3:4 ratio at this speed (216/432MHz on the ram). This is with Kingston Value Ram PC2700 (cheap!). Only Corsair XMS 3200C2 and 3500C2 even equal the potential of the Value Ram, and they cost a lot more.
 
Maxvla said:

agreed. i use a BD7II but i'll be selling it shortly cause i'm swapping to Rdram with a TH7II.

hmm, kind of a giant step sideways if you ask me. Now that DDR modules that can hack it are out, 845e boards running at fsb in excess of 175 along witht the 3:4 ratio are equaling the performance of RDRAM boards. To each his own, but cpu and ram to exploit the full potential of 845e would seem to net higher scores than the same money spent on a RDRAM motherboard and memory. As soon as the C1 1.8a's are widespread 150 bucks spent on the cpu and 115-225 on the ram would allow a say 178fsb/3.2GHz BD7-II with a combination of memory latency and bandwidth that is hard to match. I've got a 2.4b sitting here at the house I don't want to even try in my rig... I'm afraid it will make me want a new cpu I don't really need :)
 
don't push it too far, that's a 50% overclocking which is a little too much already :)
 
larva said:


hmm, kind of a giant step sideways if you ask me. Now that DDR modules that can hack it are out, 845e boards running at fsb in excess of 175 along witht the 3:4 ratio are equaling the performance of RDRAM boards. To each his own, but cpu and ram to exploit the full potential of 845e would seem to net higher scores than the same money spent on a RDRAM motherboard and memory. As soon as the C1 1.8a's are widespread 150 bucks spent on the cpu and 115-225 on the ram would allow a say 178fsb/3.2GHz BD7-II with a combination of memory latency and bandwidth that is hard to match. I've got a 2.4b sitting here at the house I don't want to even try in my rig... I'm afraid it will make me want a new cpu I don't really need :)
my 1.6a is limited to 166mhz fsb with the stock cooler. my ram can't cut it on 3:4 it stops at 210mhz. even at that speed i score only about 3000-3100mb/s while a rdram system at like 166 is scoring 3800+mb/s

and i got the TH7II real cheap (35.00). the memory (samsung pc800 2x256mb) is quite expensive (about 180.00) but selling the bd7II and ram (mush pc3000 256mb) should cover most of that cost. i may not gain much, but at least UT2k3 will load in a reasonable amount of time now.
 
Well, my board doesn't come with a 3:4 , just a 4:3, 1:1 and 4:5
ill look into this abit bd7 board and new ram to see what I can find out.

Thanx for the welcome :)

and thanx for the help :D!
 
Goten^ said:
Well, my board doesn't come with a 3:4 , just a 4:3, 1:1 and 4:5
ill look into this abit bd7 board and new ram to see what I can find out.

Thanx for the welcome :)

and thanx for the help :D!
make sure its the BD7II withthe two i's on the end.

also.. i will likely be selling mine shortly so keep an eye out for it in the classifieds if you are interested.
 
Sweet !!

Is there any board that I could also look at as well as the Abit one for comparison and will o/c to the same level ..

I am a newbie o_O
 
Goten^ said:
Sweet !!

Is there any board that I could also look at as well as the Abit one for comparison and will o/c to the same level ..

I am a newbie o_O

I'm a big fan of abit, yet I'm going with the p4pe from asus.

mica
 
Goten^ said:
Sweet !!

Is there any board that I could also look at as well as the Abit one for comparison and will o/c to the same level ..

I am a newbie o_O
hmm.. well abit makes several ddr boards...

the bd7II is probably the best deal, but there is the IT7 (legacy free) and now the IT7-2 i think which is partially legacy free i believe.

legacy free = no ps/2, serial ports, etc (older connections)

legacy free uses all USB so you need to check if you've got a usb mouse/keyboard before you buy a legacy free mobo.

i think the partial legacy free has ps/2 for regular keyboards/mice, but none of the other old ports.
 
screw legacy free then, i still use the old fashioned Ps/2 :D

ill have a look into the p4pe and the bd7-II ... i guess in the end it all comes down to price.. regardless how good they are.. im a student and have limited income :(

oh well.. thanx guys :D
 
Goten^ said:
screw legacy free then, i still use the old fashioned Ps/2 :D

ill have a look into the p4pe and the bd7-II ... i guess in the end it all comes down to price.. regardless how good they are.. im a student and have limited income :(

oh well.. thanx guys :D

the bd7II is nice but the p4pe has better voltage options and better temp readings....at $124 for a non-raid, non S-ATA it's a steal.

the max 2 2edition is also a great board, yet as you said, price is a factor.

there is just no reason not to go with a "PE" chipset mobo today.

GB might be just around the corner, yet I too have to watch my budget. (paying almost $75 more for just a little extra bandwith:mad: )

mica
 
Goten^ said:
Well, my board doesn't come with a 3:4 , just a 4:3, 1:1 and 4:5
ill look into this abit bd7 board and new ram to see what I can find out.

Thanx for the welcome :)

and thanx for the help :D!

You can get the 4:6 ratio by flashing the board with the P4S533 bios (shows you how little difference there is between the two boards). I haven't done this myself but I have seen users on the board that have, as far as I know it's a plug an play deal. Not that this matters a whole lot, at 4:6 your memory has to run 225/450MHz, and there is no guarantee yours will. But you never know till you try it...

I would try a BD7-II. And give your old ram a shot. My experience has been that 845e will run the same memory faster than SiS645 will (although not a huge difference). I think you will pick up 10MHz + in fsb, meaning the ram will need to run 210/420MHz or more. I'm loving my Kingston Value Ram, cheap and hacking 216/432MHz at cas2. Sandra numbers are around 3260.
 
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Maxvla said:

my 1.6a is limited to 166mhz fsb with the stock cooler. my ram can't cut it on 3:4 it stops at 210mhz. even at that speed i score only about 3000-3100mb/s while a rdram system at like 166 is scoring 3800+mb/s

and i got the TH7II real cheap (35.00). the memory (samsung pc800 2x256mb) is quite expensive (about 180.00) but selling the bd7II and ram (mush pc3000 256mb) should cover most of that cost. i may not gain much, but at least UT2k3 will load in a reasonable amount of time now.

As long as it's cheap, the RDRAM will be fun to play with. My system hovers in the 3260 range one sandra, but with a cpu that allows more fsb 3800 is achievable. Not that Sandra means anything...

My next purchase will be a new 1.8a that tolerates 175+ on the fsb. The increase in on chip clock speed will dwarf any difference between RDRAM and DDR. That is why I suggest a new cpu and a good 512MB DDR stick for your machine. A good 1.8a with a stick of ram that will keep up on a BD7-II will outscore your 166fsb limited 1.6a no matter what board you put it on. And you could sell the 1.6a for more than the BD7. But I understand the lure of a good deal, $35 for a TH7 is attractive.
 
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