Help please AMD ATHLON XP 3000+ bios settings A7n8X-X

[dailus]

Hello there. I have had this computer for about 8 years so its pretty old with the parts and all, but it doesnt seem to function well even when it comes to playing games and other things from 2003 for example.

I'm not really good with understanding all this bios stuff, but i try to work around it. I've been having problems with the computer for about 3 years already, and I just found out that my AMD ATHLON XP 3000+ should be at 2.1 ghz processing speed and 200/400 fsb, but it seems that whenever I set these setting the computer just dies. It just shuts off with no warning whatsoever.
I've had it at 133mhz and its a complete waste since I cant play any games with it, its a struggle. I also compose in cubase and it just works crap.
I just tried it with 166mhz fsb and it died a few minutes after. So i'm running it at 133mhz currently.

Here are the specs: (Using CPU-Z for most)

PSU : Dell HP-P2507FW (http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/250-watt-power-supply-FSP250-60ATV-1A.php)

Motherboard: Asus A7n8X-X (Nvidia NFORCE 2400)

CPU: AMD ATHLON XP 3000+ BARTON (10.5 multiplier)

RAM : Slot 1 - Kingston DDR 256mb PC3200 (200mhz)
Slot 2 - Team Group Inc 512mb PC3200 (200mhz)
Slot 3 - Nanya 512 mb PC3200 (200mhz)

Graphics: NVIDIA GEFORCE FX 5600XT 128mb

As far as I've searched google, its supposed to run at 200fsb just fine, but it doesnt even do 166. I figure i've got something set wrong in bios. :s

A few hours ago I managed to run it at 166fsb by messing around with the chipset settings at bios and putting QFAN at full speed.
It went for a while until it died again a few minutes ago.

The settings I recorded for 166fsb that I used were:

FSB - 166mhz
Multiplier: auto (10.5x)
System Performance: Aggressive
SDRAM Active Precharge: 7 (set automatically)
SDRAM RAS to CAS delay: 3 (set automatically)
SDRAM RAS Precharge delay: 3 (set automatically)
SDRAM CAS Latency: 2.5T (set automatically)
Graphics: 128mb
CPU VCORE: auto; 1.65V (didnt touch this)
AGP Frequency: Auto (didnt touch this)
DDR Reference Voltage: 2.6v (didnt touch this)
AGP-VDDQ Voltage: 1.5V (didnt touch this)

and QFan at full speed.
It worked for a bit and then died. I turned it on again a few times and it died each time. Then at one point the clock was reset to January 1st 2002 and I had to fix that. :s

I noticed after I booted again in the hardware monitor in bios
the MB temperature was 27 degrees celsius
the CPU temperature was 66 degrees celsius
dunno if these mean much

Can anyone show me the right bios settings to use to make it work well at 200fsb or even at least 166fsb as it should? :S

Would really appreciate it, cheers!

 

[vanibanez]

I use to have the same CPU years ago but I can't remember those BIO settings. On the other hand. The CPU temps seem awfully high. Has the thermal compound on the CPU ever been replaced? It is probably dried out by now and not making good contact with your CPU. You could check that first. Get the temps on your CPU down and see how it runs. The high temp could be causing a lot of your trouble.

 

[trents]

To start with, I'd change the "System Performance" to something less than "Aggressive".

The CPU temp at 66 degrees in bios is way too high! That would be on the verge of being too high even if you were in Windows running an intensive, demanding app. If its that hot at idle in bios, it must be even higher in Windows. It should not be exceeding mid 40's in bios even with the stock box oem CPU cooler. Something is wrong there. Is you cpu heatsink cooling fan turning like it should? Is the CPU heatsink clogged with dust?

How is your NB chip on the motherboard cooled? If this thing is stable at 133 fsb then it cold be that either the NB is overheating or is failing. The North Bridge is where the memory controller is located.

Try taking the side off the case and setting a box fan or other large house fan to blow into the open case. Does this help?

 

[Kowalski3500]

Never exceed 55 degrees C under load on an Athlon XP, or you WILL run into stability problems. I have an Athlon XP-M 2600+ in a A7N8X-E Deluxe.

Running the 3rd stick of ram means you aren't getting Dual Channel. Firstly.
Secondly, you'll never have stability if your bios temps are above the 50s, much less in the 60s. You want under 55 at full load (prime 95, OCCT, etc.). I know the 2600 I have is a mobile chip, but it'll do 2315 (210 FSB) with 1.575v, and pretty much everything else stock/auto.

Check the command rate (it won't like 1T very much) and loosen that to 2T. Try everything one step at a time, but really work on those temps.

You should have no problem getting that chip and mobo at 200 FSB.

 

[QuietIce]

Running the 3rd stick of ram means you aren't getting Dual Channel. Firstly.

Yea - he's probably loosing performance running a 256 Mb stick ...

 

[dailus]

Hey guys thanks for the replies! Umm yeah. Apparently I havent used new thermal compound in a while so I went and bought and replaced it. Guess what, it now runs fine on 200fsb. However, the temperatures are shown to be the same, very high, and I'm still concerned about that. I thought maybe bios would take time to update and downloaded 3 different cpu temp programs. they both showed above 70 degrees celsius.
It runs 200fbs at the default settings.

"
Check the command rate (it won't like 1T very much) and loosen that to 2T. Try everything one step at a time, but really work on those temps.
"

I'm sorry I don't know how to do this, and where

"Yea - he's probably loosing performance running a 256 Mb stick ... "

How does that work? :s So I should remove it?

 

[QuietIce]

"Yea - he's probably loosing performance running a 256 Mb stick ... "

How does that work? :s So I should remove it?

Honestly, I can't remember if Socket A had dual-channel RAM or not but someone else seemed to think it does. Download CPU-Z and check the memory tab, you'll see a line that says "Channels #". If that's grayed out then it's not an issue. If it shows "Single" then you could have it running in dual-channel, which would increase performance.

 

[Kowalski3500]

Honestly, I can't remember if Socket A had dual-channel RAM or not but someone else seemed to think it does. Download CPU-Z and check the memory tab, you'll see a line that says "Channels #". If that's grayed out then it's not an issue. If it shows "Single" then you could have it running in dual-channel, which would increase performance.

It's whether or not the chipset and motherboard support it. I know for sure the A7N8X-E Deluxe that's running 120 PPD of my folding has Dual Channel. I don't know if the A7N8X-X supports dual channel or not, but your advice is sound and the way to check it

I do know that there are 2 memory slots close to each other, and one further away, on my Socket A board. I'm not at the location with the computer right now but I'm 99% sure the two close to each other are the two you use for Dual Channel.

 

[dailus]

Honestly, I can't remember if Socket A had dual-channel RAM or not but someone else seemed to think it does. Download CPU-Z and check the memory tab, you'll see a line that says "Channels #". If that's grayed out then it's not an issue. If it shows "Single" then you could have it running in dual-channel, which would increase performance.

Mines has Channels #: Dual already.

http://img30.imageshack.us/f/dsc01303k.jpg/

heres a picture of the motherboard model I have

 

[trents]

Honestly, I can't remember if Socket A had dual-channel RAM or not but someone else seemed to think it does. Download CPU-Z and check the memory tab, you'll see a line that says "Channels #". If that's grayed out then it's not an issue. If it shows "Single" then you could have it running in dual-channel, which would increase performance.

Some of the later socket A boards did have dual channel I believe as they were transitioning to socket 939.

Dailus, how's your case ventilation? Did your try removing the side panel and shooting a household fan into the open box as I suggested? If you aren't venting the hot air that is building up in the case to the outside effectively then you are trying to cool your CPU with hot air.

 

[dailus]

Some of the later socket A boards did have dual channel I believe as they were transitioning to socket 939.

Dailus, how's your case ventilation? Did your try removing the side panel and shooting a household fan into the open box as I suggested? If you aren't venting the hot air that is building up in the case to the outside effectively then you are trying to cool your CPU with hot air.

Hey. No I haven't had time to use a fan on it, i just moved house and its somewhere packed in boxes, but I'll try it when I find it. You're right though, I do remember the computer shutting itself off more frequently in the summer especially since I live in Cyprus which has a very hot climate. What can I do for this for a permanent fix? Should I buy a new fan for the processor?

 

[trents]

You would be hard pressed to find an aftermarket CPU cooler much better than what you already have for socket A. They aren't manufacturing them anymore I don't think. Can you do ebay there? If so, you might find a used aftermarket cooler that is big and solid copper. Something like this might help:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Thermaltake...ultDomain_0&hash=item27aa371ea2#ht_3904wt_968

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/Thermaltake-A19...517?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33634a20b5


The other option would be a water cooled system with a cooling block that would mount to socket A.

 

[QuietIce]

Hey. No I haven't had time to use a fan on it, i just moved house and its somewhere packed in boxes, but I'll try it when I find it. You're right though, I do remember the computer shutting itself off more frequently in the summer especially since I live in Cyprus which has a very hot climate. What can I do for this for a permanent fix? Should I buy a new fan for the processor?

You need to do that room-fan test first to see if that's the problem. If temps go down more than 1-2° when you use the room fan then case airflow is your problem. If you're getting heat build-up in the case then your CPU heatsink may be fine - what you need is better case airflow. Faster case fans or adding case fans is about the only solution for that.