PC Upgrading Questions - Page 3

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 16:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Sava
it's a specific make... both are labeled clearly... also... it tells me the speed of the RAM at my startup screen... 266 MhZ

Yes... but what make?

Crucial?
Corsair?
Mushkin?
Kingston?
Viking?

anyone else and I'd worry.

Sava · March 11, 2004, 16:12

****... I forgot the name... I believe it's Kingston - (something else)

Sava · March 11, 2004, 16:13

wow this sandra thing is ****ing sweet!

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 16:14

ValueRam?

something like this?

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 16:22

Quote:

Originally posted by Sava
wow this sandra thing is ****ing sweet!

its not what you know, its knowing where you need to get what you need to know, that counts

Sava · March 11, 2004, 16:34

aight I'm gonna open my puter again and check my RAM, brb

Sava · March 11, 2004, 16:55

my RAM is SimpleTech - Elixir

alva · March 11, 2004, 17:09

Isn't there something with using memory bank 2 & 3 on AMD's?

Stick them in bank 1 & 2 ( IIRC start counting from the processor)

Sava · March 11, 2004, 17:14

yeah, they were in 2 and 3, I put them in 1 and 2... but I'm scared to try messing with the FSB settings again

anyone think that was the problem with the FSB setting and the crash? Will putting the RAM in 1 & 2 make the FSB 133 setting work? I really would like to use my processor and not have it underclocked..

Mercator · March 11, 2004, 17:47

Check your motherboard manual about the jumpers for the FSB, the BIOS would probably update automatically then...

I have no idea how this caused those WinXP problems, but you got it working again, so...

alva · March 11, 2004, 17:47

hmm, I knew there was something, not sure if you're gonna like it though

Quote:

The new CG revision of AMD64 microprocessors resolves some issues with current 64-bit chips, e.g. enhances 2T DRAM timings to enable desktop customers to achieve higher density and/or higher speed memory and removes requirement for use of identical DIMMs for the 2nd and the 3rd DIMMs in 3-DIMM mainboards.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/dis...309094236.html

Sava · March 11, 2004, 18:03

3 good things have happened.

1. I found out how to reset my BIOS settings when I have a problem, and with the internal LED's, I can see when the processor doesn't like my settings before Windows has a problem.

2. I have been increasing my FSB incrementally, 115 produces 1.267 GhZ which is above my 1.10 Ghz that I was stuck at. So things are improving.

3. I downloaded an update for my BIOS which supposedly solves some problems.

More experimentation to come

pray for me

alva · March 11, 2004, 18:09

Terrible DP, I know. I was gone for a bit then clicked 'sent' again.

Sava · March 11, 2004, 18:21

nice double post alva... 22 minutes apart

all right, I messed around with the FSB settings... I can go to at least 120 without the processor hanging on me, but there's a problem with Windows. Because my processor has been known as "AMD Athlon Processor 1.10 Ghz", any FSB above 120 makes it think it's an Athlon XP 1500+... which either bugs Windows in one of two ways:

1. It is an Athlon 1700+ and the 1500+ recognition screws Windows up.

or

2. Windows thinks it is a whole new processor and wants me to change my hardware settings, which I can't do because Windows crashes upon starting with FSB settings higher than 115.

Suggestions?

I think I might try setting it so it thinks it's an Athlon 1700+ (which it is) and seeing what Windows does. If that doesn't work, does anyone know how to change the hardware settings so Windows won't crash when it sees a "new" processor?

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 18:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Sava
nice double post alva... 22 minutes apart

all right, I messed around with the FSB settings... I can go to at least 120 without the processor hanging on me, but there's a problem with Windows. Because my processor has been known as "AMD Athlon Processor 1.10 Ghz", any FSB above 120 makes it think it's an Athlon XP 1500+... which either bugs Windows in one of two ways:

1. It is an Athlon 1700+ and the 1500+ recognition screws Windows up.

or

2. Windows thinks it is a whole new processor and wants me to change my hardware settings, which I can't do because Windows crashes upon starting with FSB settings higher than 115.

Suggestions?

I think I might try setting it so it thinks it's an Athlon 1700+ (which it is) and seeing what Windows does. If that doesn't work, does anyone know how to change the hardware settings so Windows won't crash when it sees a "new" processor?

You have to be careful with settings much higher than 100... except when you reach 133... because of wonderful things called PCI Bus divisors.

Basically, these buses run at a fractional rate of the FSB, which means for speeds other than 100 or 133, you'll be running them out of spec...

Some newer motherboards are able to lock the AGP/PCI bus independently of the FSB.

That said... the inability to run at 133Mhz may be due to the mobo's controller. Is it actively or passively cooled?

alva · March 11, 2004, 18:39

Quote:

1. It is an Athlon 1700+ and the 1500+ recognition screws Windows up.

IIRC there was a windows patch for this, anyway it SHOULD only be the labeling that is wrong.

Quote:

nice double post alva... 22 minutes apart

Quote:

Terrible DP, I know. I was gone for a bit then clicked 'sent' again.

Sava · March 11, 2004, 18:55

Quote:

That said... the inability to run at 133Mhz may be due to the mobo's controller. Is it actively or passively cooled?

I have no idea... is that the processor fan? I have a huge processor fan which keeps my processor around 50-55 degrees Celsius. I have two case fans. Does this answer the question? I'm not sure what you mean by mobo(I assume motherboard) controller.

alva... is there a downloadable version of this patch? I have had problems with Microsoft's auto-update site.

Sava · March 11, 2004, 19:15

well, the FSB settings are unstable, so I have to stick with 100...

I'm back to square one, and my desktop is dark again.

Anyone have any idea why I can't have my FSB at 133?

I'm open to suggestions.

btw, my motherboard is a K7T266 Pro2A... if that helps...

Sava · March 11, 2004, 21:49

c'mon, doesn't anyone know? UR?

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 22:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Sava
I have no idea... is that the processor fan? I have a huge processor fan which keeps my processor around 50-55 degrees Celsius. I have two case fans. Does this answer the question? I'm not sure what you mean by mobo(I assume motherboard) controller.

alva... is there a downloadable version of this patch? I have had problems with Microsoft's auto-update site.

Nope...

Here is a picture of the mobo... I can't remember if its called the North or South Bridge off the top of my head... but the chip circled in green, IIRC, is the one that controls the memory transfers.

Sometimes the (lack of) cooling on this chip can give you problems with memory and/or general bus traffic.

Often passive cooling is enough... but sometimes not.

Sava · March 11, 2004, 23:00

there's a heatsink (is it sync? or sinc?) on mine... is that good 'nuff?

tinyp3nis · March 11, 2004, 23:06

I really doubt that being it. Would be wierd if they sold a mobo that didn't have enough cooling on stock speeds, he is not overclocking, just trying to get what's his.

I would think that cooling the board will come in play when overclocking more than just little, some mobos simply don't need a fan anywhere else than on the cpu. My old one didn't have any.
"Set certain defaults" settings are bad because they change so many settings at once it's hard to know which one of them caused the system not to work.

So your comp crashes at 133? Hmm.. Is the fan for 1700xp's or above, if so then it shouldn't be the cooling. Too fast memory timings? Hardware forums could be of more help, just go check if others have had similar questions. Google is your friend too, atleast sometimes :/

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 23:06

heat sink... and maybe it is... I can't tell.

I could probably solve this in person, through a process of eliminination, but I'm not sure it can be solved without any alternative parts...

I had an AMD mobo that simply wouldn't do 133, even with different procs, different sticks of the best ram, and different components. I worked on it for a while.

Now I stick to sure bets. Abit IS-7. P4. Corsair XMS. ATI. everything onboard. I have no problems.

Sava · March 11, 2004, 23:14

Quote:

I had an AMD mobo that simply wouldn't do 133, even with different procs, different sticks of the best ram, and different components. I worked on it for a while.

sounds exactly like my situation...

MrBaggins · March 11, 2004, 23:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Sava
sounds exactly like my situation...

Well.. you haven't tried alternatives. It wouldn't surprise me terribly if you never got it to work, though. I've seen the issue before.

Akka · March 12, 2004, 08:27

I'm pretty sure that the problem is not from the proc, but from the mainboard.

It's entirely possible that the chipset isn't able to endure the 133 MHz settings, despite the name of "KT266".
In fact, I had a KT133 that was never able to do better than 110 MHz before freezing/crashing.
My actual MB is supposed to be able to reach 166 MHz, and is able to go as far as 200 MHz for the RAM, but crash as soon as I go to 147/150 MHz.

Richelieu · March 12, 2004, 08:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Sava
well, the FSB settings are unstable, so I have to stick with 100...

I'm back to square one, and my desktop is dark again.

Anyone have any idea why I can't have my FSB at 133?

I'm open to suggestions.

btw, my motherboard is a K7T266 Pro2A... if that helps...

I have a K7T also (6330) and i can't get the bus to 133 either. If yours is an MSI also, have a look here: http://www.msicomputer.com/support/f...sp?newsearch=1

There are a few good tips there, but be careful: i found one post where they tell me how to get the FSB to 133... and another one that says it can't be done. And both are from the tech support of the MoBo manufacturer.

Mercator · March 12, 2004, 10:23

Have you checked the jumper setting yet?

Motherboard details are here (including the manual, if you don't have it already): http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...il.php?UID=386

Oh, and according to that, it supports up to Athlon XP 2600+, so you should be able to just upgrade the CPU if you decide your current one isn't good enough after all.

FSB jumper is here... Once that jumper is set correctly, I think the BIOS should update itself correctly... I think what you're doing now is overclocking the 100MHz FSB to 110 or so, rather than having the FSB set to 133 correctly in the first place (if that makes any sense)...

Sava · March 12, 2004, 11:04

thanks Merc, I'm gonna try that now...

ermmm wait, that mobo pic isn't the same as mine... the SW3 on that diagram is where JBAT1 is on mine.

thanks for the links guys

Sava · March 12, 2004, 11:06

I'm looking in my manual, and I can't find an SW3 jumper.

Mine only has 3 jumpers and none of them have anything to do with FSB. DAMMIT &*#TY*()$&&)#$)#*)$@#