Please help me with my 2.4c & new ic7

Andykat · Mar 17, 2004

Hi guys

Just installeed my new IC7 in place & omG it wont overclock like my msi 865neo2???????????????

i used to set the fsb @278 with the ram @5.2 & it would run like a rock prim & everything else stable!

BUT with the ic7 it just beeps at me untill it resets clock speed back to stock!

have i something set wrong?

Not sure what i have to set the n/b stap @ or what it does??

tried more vcore & lose timings on the ram to no avail even backed the ram right back with the dividers & no luck!

runsalone · Mar 17, 2004

I've got a 2.4c and an abit IC7-G as well. Last thing I ever tried was disabling intel's PAT after someone on the forums suggested it. Didn't get me any higher though. Something to try!

Sidenote: Have many abit mobo users noticed a higher (and stable) overclock with their 800 fsb P4s when using a different motherboard?

I might just have to switch mobos.

batboy · Mar 17, 2004

Nothing wrong with Abit mobos, but you need to update the BIOS and then optimize the BIOS settings. Here are a couple of things to read.

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=258345

http://www.jscustomcomputers.com/overclocking.htm

Andykat · Mar 17, 2004

Hi Batboy !

Could i have a problem with this board as the same chip does 3.3+ with ease on the msi board & i have had my kingston hyperX @460mz + with a 3.2cpu?

Does the ic7 draw more juce then other boards as i have a weak psu?still worked fine with otherboards i have had!

ran a 3,2 @3.75 with out to much trouble!

everything is set corect even had the ram running vyslow to no avail.
so not sure what to try really!

i can get to 12x260 & then it all goes t*ts up

temps are a 50cfull load with the my new sp984(happy with this @least!LOL

batboy · Mar 17, 2004

The most common things to check are... 1) PCI/AGP set to fix (33/66), 2) N/B strap to 800, 3) memory ratio to 5:4, 4) set the GAT to auto,auto,auto,disable,disable, and 5) for right now set the RAM timing to SPD until you find the limits of your system.

You never mentioned if you updated your BIOS. The original BIOS that ships with the mobo is sadly out of date and has lots of bugs.

Both of my IC7's undervolt a little. You might need to raise the vcore a little.

Andykat · Mar 18, 2004

cheers batboy everything u said is tried apart from bios update!

can this really make a diff?

it just blue screens @me if i try any higher fsb

ill go update bios now ill let u know!

batboy · Mar 18, 2004

Beginning to sound like a memory issue. Try increasing the vdimm up to 2.7v or so. Do you have any other RAM you can try? Maybe borrow from a friend? The newer BIOS upgrades fixed bugs with memory ratios. Not sure that will help, but it can't hurt. I would download the FlashMenu program from Abit. That's the best and easiest way to flash a BIOS. It's better to flash a BIOS at default speed. You'll need to check your BIOS settings after you reboot, because the flashing will put some of them back to default settings.

Scroatdog · Mar 18, 2004

batboy said:
The most common things to check are... 1) PCI/AGP set to fix (33/66), 2) N/B strap to 800, 3) memory ratio to 5:4, 4) set the GAT to auto,auto,auto,disable,disable, and 5) for right now set the RAM timing to SPD until you find the limits of your system.

You never mentioned if you updated your BIOS. The original BIOS that ships with the mobo is sadly out of date and has lots of bugs.

Both of my IC7's undervolt a little. You might need to raise the vcore a little.

Hmm...... I think my N/B strap is set to CPU. I'll have to set that to 800 as you stated. Also, you say to set the memory to "SPD". Navig over at Abit forums suggests setting it to "Manual", but leaving the SPD timings alone..... and setting GAT to A-N-D-D.

I'm gonna try that N/B strap and see if I can go farther.......

batboy · Mar 18, 2004

I usually tell people that don't have much RAM timing experience to start out using the SPD setting... mainly because that's the default settings and those are usually conservative settings. I would not leave the settings at SPD, but rather save that for later when you are fine tuning your system after you determined the limits of your system. If you think that the SPD timings are too tight, you can always set the RAM to manual and use a relaxed timing of maybe 3,4,4,8 to make sure the timings are not holding you back. Relaxed timings hurt performance a little, but are generally more stable when overclocking. The tighest timings which have the best performance would be 2,2,2,5 but that would take RAM with BH-5 chips and high vdimm to achieve that. Middle of the road timings would be something like 2.5,3,3,7. A lot of these IC7 series mobos don't like the RAS to CAS delay set too low. So, maybe use 2.7v vdimm and maybe try 2.5,3,4,7 or if you want tighter timings try 2,2,3,6.

Andykat · Mar 18, 2004

Hi batboy i have tried everything now including latest bios & havent gained anything over 260mhz fsb!

This board really sucks my MSI does 278fsb easyly it will go 286fsb but the temps were mega high60c+

so im guessing i have a duff board here??

Looks like the neo2 is going back in my rig at this rate!

DOH!...........................................................................

batboy · Mar 18, 2004

I have two IC7 mobos and they have been excellent. It's always possible you have a marginal IC7, but I doubt it. One thing to check is the northbridge heatsink. One of my IC7's had the heatsink only contacting about 2/3 of the chip (pull it off and look at the footprint in the thermal goop). The other possibility is RAM incompatibility. It's a know fact that some RAM just don't play well with the IC7. My old OCZ PC3500 RAM hit a brick wall at 275 FSB on both of my IC7's. But Mushkin PC3500 level 2, Kingston HyperX PC3000, and Kingston HyperX PC3200 (all of which have BH-5 chips) will go up to 300 FSB. My Corsair XMS PC4000 Pro does great at the 1:1 ratio, but won't do crap at the 5:4 ratio. So, I know the IC7 is picky about what RAM it likes. Too bad you live in the UK and I live in the US or else I'd take the IC7 off your hands.

Andykat · Mar 18, 2004

northbridge is sound & im running kingston hyperX pc3200 which im guesssing has the BH5 chips??

It has proved to be a very good overclocker in the msi board to be honest!

I had it over 465mhz with a 3.2c a few weeks ago & it was rock soild with good timings!

it real weird i can tell ya coz up to 260fsb its prim95 stable & 3dmark @1.575vc any more mhz it just beeps or if i try clockgen it just blue screens!

Im well gutted as the msi board just jumps from 1.6vc to 1.7 & iwanted to try in the middle somewhere with my new sp948u & see if i could go higher!
doh!

It realy looks like i have a "poor board" as i have used one before with a 2.6c & that was great did 3.4easy!

cheers for the offer of taking it of my hands batboy but its no problem as im a system builder & i will use it anyway!

Andykat · Mar 18, 2004

OK eating my words now!LOL

Just swaped ram & bang stable @280fsb

pc3200twinmoss

WTF why does this work & the kingston hyperx not work???????

ARGHHHH i dont get it!

kcstock · Mar 18, 2004

I dont think there is anything to "Get".
I also have an IC7-G, All the research that I have read about it says that:
1. it is picky about the ram. (im using corsair XMS 3200 C2)

2. has issues with cooling the Northbridge.

I took my 2.4c to 265 fsb (and I think my cpu was the limiting factor)

I have also noticed slight voltag irrecularities on the CoreV by about -.025, so if you want stable 1.55V under load, set it to 1.575.

Andykat · Mar 18, 2004

The part im not "getting" is the fact batboys bh5 kingston hyperX works fine & mine dosent seem to want to play!

But there u go i need to go up to 1gb anyhow so i guess nows my chance!

Andykat · Mar 19, 2004

ok still not stable like the msi have eve4n with very lose imings 7 ram running @190fsb it still fails prim95 in mins!

new psu on its way today if that dosent work then its out with the Ic7 & back with the neo2

batboy · Mar 19, 2004

Not all KHX PC3200 has BH-5 chips. If the serial number has an "A" at the end, then it's CH-5 chips and the IC7 don't like them as well. Maybe test the RAM with memtest to make sure they're ok. I figured it had to be RAM incompatibility.

Andykat · Mar 19, 2004

Hi Batboy(Are u ever wrong LOL)

Thanks for the tips!

here,s the no on my kingston HX khx3200ak2/512

guess this is a ch-5 then?

they memtest fine on the msi up to 464mhz with a 3.2c

& i have choice now & i dont know what to do!

keep the ic7 in or swap it all back to the neo2 with the better ram!

Ill have a couple of days playing to c if the ic7 is quicker

Andykat · Mar 19, 2004

so how far out is the ic7 thermal probe?
5-10c mabe? im getting about 53c full load
with a thermal right sp984u

(also just fitted a new PSU so im hoping that will help as well!

batboy · Mar 19, 2004

LOL... yes, I've been wrong a time or two and when I am there are always people quick to point this fact out.

Looks like your KHX PC3200 definitely has CH-5 chips. Since your MSI likes 'em, I say leave them in the MSI mobo. Whether you keep the MSI or get RAM compatible with the IC7 is up to you. My personal opinion is that I like the IC7 even though it does have a couple quirks.

My IC7 boards seem to read about 4 degrees high. Some folks claim theirs read as much as 10 degrees higher, but I'm not totally convinced they're off by that much.

I have two IC7 mobos and 6 pairs of RAM, so I have some personal experience in this regard, not to mention reading about everyone else's success and failure stories.

We have figured out via trial and error that RAM with BH-5 chips seem to consistantly work the best with the IC7 and that they also have the best timings. Trouble is, RAM with BH-5 chips are super hard to find now since they are no longer being made. I have managed to collect 3 pairs of BH-5 RAM for my own personal stash.

Please help me with my 2.4c & new ic7

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