At last, it's up and running!!!

[Chez]

after most of last night and all of today, I've finally got my new PC running, started off with USB Host conflicts and failed driver installations, moved swiftly on to no internet connection because the drivers that came with my USB ADSL modem don't work with XP and then ran into BSOD issues (probably caused by all those bad drivers!!!) I seem to have sorted it by re-installing XP.

Anyway, the spec is -

P4 2.4B C1 SL6EF (stock HSF at the moment)
512Mb Corsair XMS3500 CAS2
Abit IT7 Max2
Gainward GF4 Ti4200XP Golden Sample
Maxtor 80Gb D740X connected via "serrillel" adaptor
Enermax 431W PSU
Lian-Li PC65 Case with 4 Case fans
Windows XP Pro

Now, I've got it running nicely at stock speeds (apart from the 3:4 memory divider which I couldn't resist using!).

The problem is, whenever I try to change the RAM timings, I get BSOD, various boot issues and corrupt drivers!

This ram is only at DDR356, it's rated for CAS2 at DDR434 ???

The options that I've got are -

CAS Latency Time (1.5, 2 or 2.5)
Act to Precharge Delay (7, 6 or 5)
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay (2 or 3)
DRAM RAS# Precharge (2 or 3)
Enhance DRAM performance (Enabled or Disabled)

Bearing in mind the RAM that I'm using, I would expect to be able to run pretty much any timing I want at DDR356, but that's not the case, what would you guys suggest??

I've also tried upping the FSB more and leaving RAM at By SPD, got to 2.8, but wasn't overly stable!! (This was before my re-install, I've yet to overclock it properly since.

Thanks
Chez
`

 

[CaptBill]

Keep us posted on your results.

 

[Chez]

OK, first off here's some pics of the settings I'm at at the moment (ran PCMark2002 fine, Prime95 stable for 25mins (until I got bored!). I'll leave it running Prime95 overnight tonight to see if it's really stable.

 

[Chez]

pic2

 

[Chez]

pic3

 

[Chez]

To sum that up -

Multiplier: 18
FSB: 162
PCI Bus: 33MHz (fixed)
DRAM Ratio: 3:4
VCore: 1.6v
DRAM Voltage: 2.8

CAS Latency: 2
Act to Precharge Delay: 7
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay: 3
DRAM RAS# Precharge: 3
Enhance DRAM Performance: Disabled

As for the graphics -

329MHz Core
599MHz Memory.

I hope to improve on this as soon as I find a GF4 overclocking facility that will let me go above 600 for the memory. Any suggestions??

Anyway, at that speed I got a 3dMark of 13,771

The CPU was stable at 3.06GHz (170FSB) with the DRAM Ratio set to 1:1, but wouldn't work on 3:4.

162FSB is the highest I could get it without Prime95 stopping within the first minute.

Any suggestions of how I might push this system further would be greatly welcomed.

This is my first attempt at overclocking and don't really know that much, but I'm learning quite quickly these days!!

Chez

 

[micamica1217]

To sum that up -

Multiplier: 18
FSB: 162
PCI Bus: 33MHz (fixed)
DRAM Ratio: 3:4
VCore: 1.6v
DRAM Voltage: 2.8

CAS Latency: 2
Act to Precharge Delay: 7
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay: 3
DRAM RAS# Precharge: 3
Enhance DRAM Performance: Disabled

As for the graphics -

329MHz Core
599MHz Memory.

I hope to improve on this as soon as I find a GF4 overclocking facility that will let me go above 600 for the memory. Any suggestions??

Anyway, at that speed I got a 3dMark of 13,771

The CPU was stable at 3.06GHz (170FSB) with the DRAM Ratio set to 1:1, but wouldn't work on 3:4.

162FSB is the highest I could get it without Prime95 stopping within the first minute.

Any suggestions of how I might push this system further would be greatly welcomed.

This is my first attempt at overclocking and don't really know that much, but I'm learning quite quickly these days!!

Chez

sounds like you need to burn in your memory or try cas latency at 2.5 or 3

maybe hipro can help.

mica

 

[Chez]

Oh dear!!!

I managed to blow my CPU up I think. Well, it stopped working, anyway. POSTed OK, but wouldn't load windows (even at stock speed).

I took it back to PC World and they kindly gave me a refund! Nice!

I'm now waiting to find another chip and get some watercooling.

Chez

 

[markodude]

oh no Chez, thats unlucky! What happened? Just started to become unstable at all speeds? Have u tried another CPU yet? Im thinking about watercooling but for the stufff I want a prometia is not much more expensive, and that cools to -40c

 

[Chez]

After running quite happily at 2.93 for a while, I rebooted and from then on it would just hang every time I tried to load Windows!

The watercooling I'm looking at is going to cost about £250, Prometia costs about £450.

Whilst the Prometia would cool the CPU a lot better, the water cooling will cool my CPU, Northbridge and GPU.

On the other hand, the water cooling is going to be hard to cram into my Lian-Li PC65.

What to do???? LOL

I think (as money is an issue) it's got to be the water. Also, I have found somewhere that will pre-test the CPUs and sell me one guaranteed to hit over 3GHz.

 

[markodude]

Be careful with the Pre-tested stuff, dont buy it unless its proven Prime95 stable....
Good point about the watercooling - what are you thinking of getting? What about Koolance EXOS? It looks OK....

 

[Chez]

I was looking at the OCPC stuff

Atlantis Rev3 CPU Waterblock (http://www.overclockedpc.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=38_22&products_id=111)
Atlantis Chipset Waterblock (http://www.overclockedpc.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=38_22&products_id=181)
Atlantis GF4 Waterblock (http://www.overclockedpc.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=38_22&products_id=101)
"The Tube" Reservoir (http://www.overclockedpc.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=38_32&products_id=96)
"The Deep" Rev2 Radiator (http://www.overclockedpc.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=38_26&products_id=85)
Eheim 1048 Pump (http://www.overclockedpc.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=38_23&products_id=41)

I've read good things about these kits on www.coolhardware.co.uk, but can't find many reviews on the big sites.

Chez