Help on setting up new GA-7VAXP Ultra

[wannaoc]

Hi all!
This is my first post here and I hope you all can help me. I am just now setting up a new GA-7VAXP Ultra motherboard with an AMD 2800+ Barton and 512 Crucial 2700 RAM, I am still waiting on my RAM or else it would be running. What I need is some info on what multiplier to run at. It came default as AUTO and I was wondering if I should leave it as is untill I OC it or what is a good setting to run the board at once I get it up and running smooth.
I already have the on/off switch set to auto to get the BUS to proper speed for the processor. Any specs and running speeds for anyone running this board would be great. Thanks.

 

[nerdlogic]

The 2800 Bartons are rated for 2080MHz, which gives them a default core multi of 12.5. The GA-7VAXP boards will only give you multi options up to 12.5 or auto. That means you can't go above 12.5 or your default multi, whichever is higher. What revision of the Ultra do you have? I'm guess you have rev. 2 considering you're talking about 1 switch for the FSB. Before rev. 2, the boards had 2 switches for FSB, which allowed you to choose a 166 option which gives a 1/5 divider and sets the FSB at 166, but can be OC'ed over 166 via BIOS. You can short the 2 pins that represent this switch (I'm not sure where it is) and you'll be able to have a default core of 166, and you can OC past 166. I'm not sure if the Auto option does that...It might not allow you to OC, I'm not sure.

 

[Hood]

OK you should just leave the multi at Auto until you start OCing. If im not mistaken the ultra has multi dips up to 18x so thats OK and as your CPU is the 333 bus one when you put SW1 to auto you will get the 166FSB as default.
When you have it all set up then its time for OCing, the best thing to do is start increasing the FSB to see how high you can get it running stable. Then once you have found that you can try increasing the multi from 12.5x to 13x, if its good try some more. Dont think the bartons are the best OCers but you should get a decent OC with it. You will probably have to increase the VCore to get the max out of the CPU but if I remember right the Bartons dont like too much VCore, well definately not like the T/Bred B's do(they love it) Also when increasing the VCore keep an eye on the Temps as the will jump up with each increase in VCore.
The best situation is to get the FSB as high as you can but at the same time trying to get the max MHz out of the CPU. You will just have to play around with the multis and FSB until you find your optimum. As an example you will get better performance from 12.5x180 than you will from 13x173 even though the CPU is approx the same MHz.
Have fun.
Hood

 

[nerdlogic]

Ah Hood...It's good to see you around. I didn't realize the Ultra has up to 18x!!! I would've gotten that one...hehehe...but yeah...
Hood is pretty much the Giga-Byte guru. He knows what he's talking about. I go by what I experience with my board and by what I read from these forums...Hood has also been a great help to me.

 

[wannaoc]

I did it! I moved the multi to 13x and moved my FSB to 180, that got my CPU to 2250 mhz. I am happy and I'm goign to try and get it up a little more. I'm hooked!!

 

[Hood]

Good one!!!
Welcome to the OC club, and it IS addictive
Hood