Doesn't SDRAM limitation suck for overclocking?

[Clevor]

I've been playing around with a BE6-II Ver. 2.0 and a Slot 1 866EB lately. I checked the database and I guess this cCO chip rocks, since it will boot at 160 FSB at 1.85 volts and barely touch 41 C with a Golden Orb.

Problem is, with two sticks ram I have to drop down to 3-3-3, plus it will lock up in 3DMark2001. Maybe its my AGP bus running 106 mhz, heh. The best I can do at 2-2-2 is 150 FSB with two sticks. With one stick I can hit 155 2-2-2 stable in 3D.

I found 1 stick of 128 MB Mushkin Rev. 3.0 will do 160, 2-2-2, but still that lockup in 3DMark2001.

Problem is games like Serious Sam Second Encounter and IL-2 Sturmovik will stutter a bit with 256 MB (especially when you run them at 1600x1200 like I do on my Radeon 8500), so I want to run 512 MB.

I checked Mushkin and Crucial and they don't sell 512 MB ram so I'm stuck with 2 sticks to get 512 MB.

BTW, these are my findings:

1-128 MB Crucial PC-133 CAS 2 will only do 153 2-2-2.

1-128 MB Mushkin Rev. 3.0 will do 155 2-2-2 (will do 160 2-2-2 but won't pass 3DMark2001). This is the old 7.5 ns Infineon.

2-256 MB PowMan memory, 7 ns Infineon (same as current Mushkin Rev. 3.0), will do 150 2-2-2. One stick alone will do 155 2-2-2, but not 160 2-2-2. Two sticks will do 160 3-3-3, but have that lockup in 3dMark2001.

When I say 'do', I mean I can run 3DMark2000, 3dMark2001, the Serious Sam Second Encounter demos, and the IL-2 Sturmovik tracks with no lockups. I would say this is a pretty good indicator of 3D stability. As far as I'm concerned, if it ain't stable in 3D it ain't stable.

I was able to get some of the good Tonicom ram a year ago but it's at my stateside address. When I pick them up in August it will be interesting to see if they will do 160+ 2-2-2 like some people say

'Guess the only other way to go is Athlons and DDR. Some guys are claiming to hit 160+ 2-2-2 with Thunderbirds and Athlons, but I wonder if they are truly stable in 3D.

 

[6502kid]

You are correct.

Where is the high speed cas2 PC180 at ?????

 

[tainice]

you still looking for them? tell us when you find it...guess not in the U.S. tho.

 

[BadThad]

I hear you on the 3D test bro. When I overclock I test by playing about 2 hours of Quake3 Excessive mod. If it never locks up after that, it's rock stable. Usually I can run Sandra and SETI for days and the system appears stable. A couple hours of Quake 3 can quickly change that opinion. IMO, it's the best stability benchmark out there...very sensitive and robust.

 

[Lancelot]

Clevor: The BE6-II only takes sticks of max. 256MB, so it's a good thing you couldn't get 512 cuz it would've been useless anyway, the mobo would only have seen the first 256Megs of it. I'm using two 256MB sticks in DIMM slot 1 and two cuz slot 0 is covered by my Alpha PEP66. I can run cas222 @133Mhz like this no problem, so maybe you should try different combinations of slots and sticks if you can.

 

[Celemine1Gig]

In my opinion you should try to improve your northbridge cooling!!! Just think about the BX-chipset having been engeneered for 100 MHz FSB. You try to run it at 160 MHz, that's a 60% overclock. You also improve CPU cooling if you overclock. Got it?

 

[Clevor]

"Clevor: The BE6-II only takes sticks of max. 256MB, so it's a good thing you couldn't get 512 cuz it would've been useless anyway, the mobo would only have seen the first 256Megs of it. "

Uh oh, I just bought a 512 MB stick of Kingmax PC-150. But it's OK since I got other motherboards for Coppermines which it might work with (VIA Appollo Pro, Intel 815). I can also sell it used here in Japan and recoup part of my costs. I heard one stick of 512 MB usually won't make it past 133.

Celemine1gig, the Northbridge is the chip with the green heatsink on it, correct? One problem with that chip is if you run a Slocket, Golden Orb, or Alpha P3125, it sorta blocks it. The Alpha blowing (and even sucking I guess) would help cool it though. I might try putting a low profile sink and fan on it.

Last night I stuck in my Voodoo5 PCI, hoping that it was my AGP bus at >103 mhz holding me back but it's definitely the SDRAM. I can boot into Win98 fine at 160 3-2-2 or 155 2-2-2 with both sticks, but I keep getting a lockup in 3DMark2001 (wouldn't be surprised if I can clear SETI or Prime95). If I drop down to 150 2-2-2, no lockups. Same deal with a Radeon 8500 AGP card.

I found however that a Ti500 doesn't even like it at 150 FSB (100 mhz AGP), as it keeps locking up in 3DMark2001 even at default clock.