10.5 multi/ 200FSB posts, 10 multi/210FSB doesnt?

[Zoda]

Hey This is my first PC I ever built and Its fast as hell.. This is also my first time overclocking, dont worry I have read up a lot on the forums and my manual and am being very careful. I check my temps for everything and I am going in small incraments... using prime95 too


Anyway heres what happened:
I finally got the FSB up to 200FSB after raising it slowly, raising thevcore to 1.75v and turning down the multiplier to 10.5, It posted fine at 10.5x200 (2100mhz) and thge temps were 40c idle/ 43c load (after an hour of prime95 and quake3 max settings) and I was gonna run it for a long time (4-12 hours) , but I then I thought why dont I try a multiplier of 10 and FSB 210.. Which would be the same speed, but I am told that a higher FSB is better... Anyway I stopped prime and went back into bios... changed the settings and then no post. My motherboard then played its little "I dont wanna post" song and I needed to clear the CMOS...


Why will it post with 10.5x200, but not with 10x210? It's the same speed, right?


Right now I am back on the 10.5x200 w/ 1.75V and its running great with prime95, Motherboard monitor, a pop-up killer, keyboard software, etc... I'm thinking Im just gonna leave it like this and run prime till tomorrow morning see how stable it is. I just made this post so I can find out why it would post one way and not the other with the same speed (GHZ/MHZ)

Thanks a lot. So far I think Im doing good for a newbie.. gone from 1730ghz to 2100ghz.. Which is almost 400MHZ.. My last computer had only 500mhz and I could not overclock it.


specs:
Epox 8rda+ motherboard
Athlon XP 2100 (1.736 ghz) T-BredB 0302
256MB Twinmos/Winbond PC3200 DDR400
80 GB Western Digitial "SE" 7200RPM 8MB cache HD
Xtasy Geforce4MX420 PCI
nforce soundstorm onboard sound
Turbolink 350W PSU
X-sonic case
cooling:
SK-7 heatsink w/ Smartfan 2
2 case fans (guessing around 25CFM)

I am going to upgrade this a bit, I just didnt want to wait for 2 weeks for the next check so I ordered minimal. My GF4mx which was on my old comp is goign to be replaced by a Radeon 8500LE, Im adding another 256MB (same kind) and getting a sparkle 400W

 

[01_VTEC SE]

maybe you reached the max of the board? Some ppl don't even reach 200 fsb

 

[tempest993]

Yea, a higher fsb strians the memory and mobo instead of just the cpu like the multi does. Try uping your ram voltage a little and trying again. If that doesnt work, check your southbridge, add a heatsink if nessicary, bump the nbridge voltage a little (if you can on that board) and try a little more ram voltage.

 

[TyRex]

highly recommend better cooling on your NB and doing the vdd mod to up the voltage for the NB

 

[Zoda]

Oh whoops.. I didnt mention:

I am going to get Vantec Icebergs for the north and south bridges, 4 80mm 30CFM case fans, and ramsinks for the MOSFETS also... Sorry bout that, I knew I forgot something.


So you think my RAM cant handle the 210FSB? I was thinking a few minutes ago and thought maybe the CPU could only go as low as 10.5, but that was just a guess.... The motherboard can get a highr FSB I know that and I touched varouis peices of hardware after I set it up like it is now and shutdown for a sec... Everything was pretty cool.. even my RAM and northbridge. The RAM is Twinmos/winbound c2 3200 so I dont think It would be limitng me for that, but maybe I just need more.


thanks for the replys.. Im still not sure, but I think I just need to upgrade more before I do clock it more.

right now according to motherboard monitor:
CPU: 42c
case: 29c

 

[Pla]

if you want to isolate the problem turn down the multiplier a bit. then increase the fsb so you can be sure that the cpu is not problem.

then it may be the mobo or the memory or heat.

to isolate the heat case try doing this at night with open windows

if it is memory you can try upping the vdimm a bit or better lower the timings of the memory. IMO I would stay at 200 fsb it sounds good enough...

if it mobo then... i don't know

 

[Zoda]

yeah I really dont know anything about tweaking the memory settings... I should head on over to the memory forums.

 

[Gautam]

Most likely, its the memory thats holding you back. Increase the voltage by .1v steps, and the speed by 2 mhz steps and find your sweet sport. However, 200 mhz is more than fast enough.

 

[OC-Master]

Either your Ram or Chipset are crappin out on you. Check both out by easing off on Timings on your ram to help ease the tihgt stable requirements of the high FSB speeds.

As for the chipset, raising VIO useally results in more higher clocked frequencies without the board giving. Try different methods and see which method works best for you.


OC-Master

 

[Gautam]

I may be wrong about this, but can't the 8rda+ do around 220mhz without any voltage changes?

 

[Zoda]

As for the chipset, raising VIO useally results in more higher clocked frequencies without the board giving. Try different methods and see which method works best for you.

Whats VIO?? the memor voltage?



t get my system to post when I try to raise the FSB anymore then 200... not sure If I really want ot try raising the multiplier up.. It seems a tad risky, should I try it? Truthfullly this is good enough for my needs, It's just I have seen people with very similiar specs getting 2300MHZ and up without problems.

5 hours in prime95 without errors or trouble with the 10.5x200 highest temp I saw was 43c, Idle was 40c.

 

[tempest993]

VIO is the northbridge voltage.

 

[Zoda]

still no post abov 210FSB.. even with slower memory timings and voltage changes..

 

[TyRex]

what's your Vdd at?? it might just be that you need more voltage, which will require a mod. I suggest you head over to www.8rdafaq.com, many many good tips and tricks.

 

[Zoda]

I posted at 11X200, but prime95 gave me an error right away... It said it could be from memory, power supply, or not enough cooling... Seeing as I am getting a new PSU,more memory, cooling, and my cooling is already doign well I think I should be able to go higher.. Ill look into the volt mod.