Can't Boot ASUS P3B-F over 120 FSB w/ any CPU

[Fear O. Carpet]

Being new to the world of overclocking, I've been spending a lot of time reading posts here and finally got around to trying it on my computer... I started with a PIII 600, but it wouldn't even beep at me when I started it up with a FSB over 120, even at sub 33MHz PCI. I aquired a PIII 850E and figured that the problem was just the CPU, but I'm having the exact same dilema! No frequency combination about 120 will work at all! :'(

Here's about as much info as I can muster on my system:
PIII 850E 256K 100MHz FSB Slot 1 SECC2
Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 3 Brand ID 2
Core Stepping: cB0
Technology 0.18 micro; Core Voltage 1.70v
FPO/BATCH# 10310013
Version# A22387-002
Pack Date 08-27-00

ASUS P3B-F rev. 1006; 1 x 256MB PC133 DIMM
Hercules Prophet II MX 32MB
Promise Ultra ATA/100 PCI + Maxtor 40GB ATA/100
Western Digital 4GB ATA/66 HD (For Ghost)
HP CDWriter 8100+ and 9100+ (For on the fly RAW DAO copying)
Kenwook True X 52X CD-ROM
Running Win2K and WinME

Other crap: Sound Blaster Live, Huappawhatever TV Tuner/FM Radio, NetGear 10/100 Ethernet Card, PCI 2 x USB expansion card
______________
I'm open to any suggestions, please help!

 

[FrankMasterFlash]

The P/// 850 is not the best for overclocking. Since it is a cB0 most max out in the 900's somewhere. If you can get it to 115mhz bus(977) is pretty good. At 120 it is at 1020 and your PCI is way out of spec at 40mhz. If you can make it to 120 it is an excellent o\c for a cbo. 124mhz bus puts you cpu at 1054 and most won't make it.
Have you tried upping the core voltage?
What kind of cooling are you using?

 

[Big Lar]

Try a bios update, I think the taiwan site has a newer 1, also, try a different dimm slot for the ram.

 

[Fear O. Carpet]

I upraded the BIOS to 1007 Beta 1, moved the DIMM and bumped the VCore to 1.70v (which is actually 1.75 'cause of the mobo), but nothing... At 120 FSB the CPU pops up at 1020 MHz and everything is duckie untill Windows loads, then WinME simply turns the computer off and Win2K gives a long esoteric error, but it seems PCI bus related... I'd be happy if I could get it to 124 FSB so I can clock the PCI bus closer to 33. If the CPU simply won't run that fast, shouldn't something happen when I turn on the computer? As it is the Hard Drives spin up, but that's about it... No beeps and the monitor doesn't even come out of powersaving mode.

After reading this forum I'm ashamed to admit this, but I have a Slot 1 GORB (but you could use it as a shaving mirror) with AS II; the CPU idles around 38C and never, ever gets out of the 40's @979MHz and 1.74V -the stock heat sink sucked compared to the HS that came with my PIII 600.

 

[klosters64a]

The P3B-F is a sweetheart with Dimms, you can get away with combinations of Sdram in just about any Dimm slot you choose. I've filled all four slots, no problem. I must mention that these were identical Dimms, but I've used fairly weird combinations without any trouble.

It looks like your CPU cooler is the culprit. I've run a P3E 600(Socket 370) @133 Mhz FSB/800 Mhz Clock Speed on an Asus Slocket on a P3B-F. This was a cA2 stepping(read HOT), with a PEP-66/Delta 38 HSF. No probs.

I'm not familiar with cooling options for FC-PGA CPU's that are in SECC2(Slot 1) form factor. I do know that Alpha HSF's are expensive for the SECC2 CPU's. 'Fraid that the GORB has gotta go. They're nice conversation pieces, but have no place on an OC'd CPU. They're OK an a GPU, but we're not discussing Vidcards in this thread.

 

[Fear O. Carpet]

I don't really understand it, but I think I agree... I got 'er to boot wihtout a hitch once at 124, but she climbed up over 50C just loading windows so I shut it down never to see 124 MHz again.

Am I straight on this: Burning in a CPU at higher voltages can make them more stable at lower voltages... i.e. more potential for stability at higher frequencies?

 

[klosters64a]

While "burning in" a CPU as practiced by Ocer's has no relation to burning in components as done by electronics manufacturing companies, and no validity at all according to EE's, it does work for some overclockers. I seriously suggest that you remove the GORB from your CPU. It's better to achieve 124 Mhz FSB by cooling the CPU better than it would be to torture the poor lil' blue creature into submission, IMHO.

 

[Fear O. Carpet]

So I took it out for a test run with a good Half Life session and its less buggy at 115 than my old CPU at 100... Later I jumped up to 124 for kicks and it booted fine, but ran hot and hung up a lot, then I clocked it down to 120 and it ran like a champ, but the PCI bus and everything on it was generally not happy at 40 MHz. I guess better cooling is the answer, but where should I start? I can sink about $200 into the thing before my computer funds (and possibly some food money ) are tapped. I'm more than willing to cut holes in my case, but I don't have time for any elaborate construction projects.