Another SL7KC 3.2e thread

[Buzzdog]

FedEx came today!! I got a SL7KC FPO/Batch# 7418A442. I'm hoping that I am as lucky as Styyn with his SL7KC @ 4.0. I also received a IC7-Max3, 2x512mb OCZ PC4200el, a Sapphire x800pro vivo, Thermalright NB-1, and some assorted heat sinks from sidewinder to sink up the motherboard.

My initial impressions of the IC7-Max3. The OTES is a great concept but a very poor implimentation. The heatsinks on the mosfets are only making contact via spring tension from above. I decided to pull off the OTES and epoxy on some heatsinks directly to the mosfets. I am going to remove the heatsinks that are in the OTES and try and reinstall it and the fan to get some air moving over them. I replaced the stock NB HSF with the Thermalright NB-1. I sinked up the SB, PLL, AGP mosfet, and the mosfets next to the memory sockets. I am waiting on the epoxy to cure up and the conformal coating to cure.

Hopefully by tomorrow I will have everything set up and running. I still have to tear down the old system and make room for the new toys.

 

[Buzzdog]

So far so good!!

I am crunching Prime at 240mhz fsb, 3.84ghz! I have GAT set to anadd. I set memory timings to manual, but have not changed them from what the OCZ is rated at, 2.5,4,4,7. I have not had to bump the vcore up yet I did increase my agp voltage to 1.65 in bios and vdimm to 2.8v in bios. My temps under load at this speed have not gone over -3c CPU and 28c PWM in MBM5.

I do have some concerns though. MBM is showing the present numbers under load running Prime at 240mhz fsb.

Case(PSU) 30c
CPU -4c
PWM 26c
VCore 1.3-1.28v
DDR 2.78-2.77v
+12v 11.8-11.73v
+5 4.92v no fluctuations
+3.3v 3.23-3.22v

When I first fired up the machine, the vcore defaulted to 1.375v in the bios, the lowest setting for the IC7-Max3. I did switch the setting from auto to manual, but did not change it. When idle, the vcore goes back up to around 1.34v. I just ran Prime for 1hr with out any errors. System is stable for benchmarks, aquamark, 3dmark01 & 03. I am using an Antec True Power 550w PSU. It has been soo long since I actually ran a system with it, I can not say for sure if this was the voltages that it put out. I am also suprised that the board would be undervolting by that much on the vcore and still stay stable. Could it be that since I am supercooling the Prescott with the Prometia that it is taking less vcore?

Sorry to not have any screenies yet. I do not have any ISP at the house right now. Going to work on getting DLS here ASAP. I am writing this on my laptop using Verizon wireless ISP service so I am limited in that reguards. I forget what program to use to grab screen shots, if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be appreciated. It is kind of a pain to do though, would have to burn it to CD on the big rig, and transfer it over to the laptop and post them up that way. I had to take the laptop over to my mothers house and DL SP1 and the benchmarks, drivers, updates, etc and burn them to CD to install on the big rig.

Can some one tell me why I can not update my signature also??? I have tried but I keep getting an error message saying that my signature can not be over 1 char in length!

TYIA,

Buzz

 

[SK8]

right now theres a problem with sigs and being longer then 0 or 1. Theres a thread on the forums somwhere where alot of people are having problems with it. gl with the oc!

 

[IceCoolJay]

Nice Buzz, i wish i had better cooling. I could only get to 235 FSB stable on stock voltages

 

[Buzzdog]

Over 4 hours Prime stable fsb 250mhz 4ghz!! Had to bump the vcore up in the bios to 1.4875. I can get it to boot windows at 265fsb at this vcore but not stable. PWM temps have not gone over 30c yet. Was running in the 28c range under load running Prime at 4ghz. CPU temps are hovering in the single diget range, negative that is. My vcore is dropping around .7v when I put it under load but it is remaining stable. I am just wondering if it is normal for such a large fluctuation on the vcore under load with a prescott being super-cooled. My PSU has a slight fluctuation, but it is staying steady at the numbers that I posted above. I am only running 1 cd player, 1 HD, and 4 80mm case fans. If anyone has any experience with a prescott and phase change cooling, have you had the same thing happen with your vcore fluctuating? Also could it be that I might need some vmods for the IC7? My original plan was to ship it off and have it done, I dont trust my skills with a soldering iron in those tight spots, but when I checked my links, looked like they are not doing them anymore.

Later tonight I might see how high I can get it stable to. As far as the limits of Vcore, my thoughts are that I really dont want to go over 1.6v. Even at 1.6 it would be for benchmarks and the glory shot screen grabs. For vcore though, should I go by what MBM5 is reading or by the settings in the bios? My thoughts are that the CPU still has some gas in it.

Another question, not sure if I over looked this in my research on these forums or not. But the IC7 does not seem to hold the reset when I first power up the system. Is there an issue with this board, and is there a work around?

 

[hUMANbEATbOX]

i am at work, so honestly, i did not have time to read all that^^, but i did notice that one of the very first things you did was raise your agp voltage??

i really don't know why people do this...are you increasing your actual agp ports speed? i would imagine you have it locked at 66? there is NO need to raise the agp voltage, unless you are trying to get like 75+mhz out of it.

but nice oc! about the volts question, i've heard of ppl blowing out pressies on vapos at 1.6v, i wouldn't go past that for sure, maybe even 1.55 would be my limit.

 

[aNTiChRisT]

It's something with the max-3, the AGP voltage is linked to the northbridge and helps with stability (but not heat)

I will say this, the IC7-Max3 is the ultimate s478 motherboard -- when modded. You really need a vcore mod on it, i would recommend the vdimm aswell... that extra stability should buy you several mhz on the bus, and maybe as much as 100-200 on the clock, god knows the ram should really fly -- once you've maxed the CPU.

If you get a chance (im going the whole way here) get the thing re-gased. -25 plz =)

Nice clock so far, good luck.

~t0m

 

[Buzzdog]

hUMANbEATbOX,

I raised the agp for the reasons that aNTiChRisT said. It was suggested on a guide on overclocking the IC7. I am not planning on going past 1.6v. I may try and see what the limit of the chip is at that vcore though. Heck I have only really pushed this chip for 1 day, so who knows, it might still have alot more left in it.


aNTiChRisT,

All in all the board itself has been extremely stable. I think by actually fixing heat sinks to the mosfets has had to help with my PWM temps. I did place the OTES shroud back on to get some active airflow over them. I originally wanted to have my board modded. If anyone knows of a good hand with a sodering iron that knows how to do a IC7 I would appreciate the referal to them. Like I said, I do not trust my hands or eyes with something that tight and close. If I could find some one, I am tempted to pick up another IC7 and send it to them to be modded. I could then throw in a little gem PIV 1.8a that is almost stable to 190mhz on air in my present MB.

I am still hoping to see how far I can push it tonight, but I have alot of things that need to be done other then pushing a system. Will try to get some screen shots up.