A64 Overclocking..

[Ka0t1x]

I've had to format my drive a few times because the hdd can't find the bootup files or programs will just stop running. If I try to install windowas at 2.6 I get IRQ Errors, I've cleared the CMOS and all that before overclocking.. I was running 237x11 and HT at 4x ( won't boot at 5x ) .. I'm new to A64 overclocking but I'm pretty good with P4's. I've never really had a problem like this before =( Also the voltages were.. 1.6v on the CPU and 2.8v on the memory.

3500+ NC -- Zalman CNPS 7000Cu
MSI Neo2 Plat
2x512mb XMS PC4000
9800 Pro 128mb
80gb Seagate 80gb.


Any help is appreciated. Thanks...

 

[Sparky19692]

I had the same problom. I have the asus A8V and had simply forgot to Lock the PCI speed. I know that some NEO's do not have working Locks. Do a search on PCI lock and you will get this fixed.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

here you go everything you need to know about your board.

 

[Ka0t1x]

I tried what they said with the AGP Freq @ 67mhz, and it will get to the windows welcome screen, flash the desktop, and then crash, for any FSB setting I have it to with AGP @ 67mhz.


--Also My games worked perfectly while not having SP2 installed, after I installed SP2 no games would load, just like before, I just uninstalled SP2 again and now everything's working fine, - Suggestions? ( I know this isn't the right place, but.. )

 

[o1die]

Why do you want to use sp2? You may not need it. I would wait for the next sp2 update from microsoft before trying it again. I'm still using win 2k. I don't even bother with xp.

 

[Ka0t1x]

It's just second nature for me to install SP2 after I install all my drivers, don't really have a need for it..

 

[Duvie]

I have SP2 and no issues...

Did you follow the instructions and hook any SATA drives into ports 3 and 4??? NOt 1 & 2 as they appear not to have working locks....

Other thing that corrupt windows is bad ram!!! Start testing....

 

[Icepick]

Is that Seagate a SATA? If so make sure it's on SATA port 3 or 4.

 

[Ka0t1x]

Tested to 150% ZERO errors a few hours ago. I am using SATA channel 3, set the agp freq to 67, vcore to 1.6 and set the fsb to 230mhz, and now it will post but it won't get into Windows, last night it was doing it fine,. well, until it corrupted, but I even changed it back to what it was last night, and it still won't boot, it will post though.

 

[Duvie]

What bios is being used???

 

[Icepick]

Try to loosen the memory timings. Try 3-3-3-10. I had problems getting over 225 until I relaxed the timings on the DRAM. To give you a point of reference right now I'm running 3-4-4-10-1T. DRAM voltage is at 2.65, CPU is at 1.5V, Over VID 5.0%.

 

[nealh]

I bet the cpu is over its limit...first lower ram 133 3-3-3-10 2t....just to start and leave the cpu alone..see whether you can boot...

Did you test the cpu prior to trying to installing winxp at 2.6ghz...not all 3500 will overclock to 2.6...it is always YMMV

I would only do a winxp install at default everything

few tips...make sure agp fast writes is off this can cause issues

make sure dynamic overlclocking, nv/ati speed up is off, speed spectrum is disabled, set htt to 3x,

again I wonder is this cpu known to be stable at 2600

also when I first tried overclocking my A64 3200 I had my ram set 166= for 208 and my cheap ram could not do it...winxp loaded slowly and starting redetecting all my hardware on boot..I hit reset..lowered the ram settings and viola...I was fine....

 

[Ka0t1x]

2.6Ghz was just my limit.. I made the topic because it was the limit I found on the CPU.. I know how to OC and the memory is rated for 3-4-4-8 @ 250mhz it's PC4000... I found out that most of the errors I was having with windows was due to SP2, why I have no idea yet. But since I've formatted and reinstalled ( at stock settings ), I can't OC anymore, not even at 215mhz FSB, it faults as soon as I get a desktop. I found a Neo2 OCing document.. I even followed all the steps on it.. 67mhz AGP for the lock, even tried upto 1.6v on it ( thought it really couldn't hurt) but I always crash when windows loads, just reboots itself.

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: o1die
Why do you want to use sp2? You may not need it. I would wait for the next sp2 update from microsoft before trying it again. I'm still using win 2k. I don't even bother with xp.

Why not? Worried about a legit release?

XP + SP2 is good and i have no complaints..

Skin down XP to the bare minimum and you have 2k with better driver support.

 

[nealh]

what ram divider are you using...o/cing with this mobo is very different than Intel..I know I just went from P4b 2.4@2.9...to A64 3200@2550

I prime95 stable for 10hrs..I stopped testing...

what bios are you using..I tried the 1.41 modd bios...but this caused issue...2550 was no longer Prime95 stable...I went back to my first o/cing bios 1.36b...and was again Prime 95 stable

avoid modded bioses IMHO...official final or beta are good...alot of people like 1.36b, 1.37b, official 1.3(which came on my board is actually later than 1.36b/1.37b)

I have read that A64 works well and in some cases better with a 10 setting in ram timings..this was reported over at extremesystems

Please I was not trying to offend you but set the ram 133 and 3-3-3-10 2t

my suggestion:
AGP fast writes off
sidebanding auto

make sure you are using sata 3 or 4 since sata 1&2 do not seem to lock
vcore 1.5 w/3.3 over vid
agp67
ddr 2.7v
speed spectrum disabled
high performance manual
dynamic o/cing off
cool n quiet off
try 10x 250 and see if you can load winxp...then go back and up the cpu

oh yea what slots are you using for the ram...slot1&2 seem to work best for many(slot 3 & 4 are an issue)...is the ram double sided this has caused some issues

I know 2 people with OCZ pc3200 plat rev 2 having lower ram settings to get stable

I disabled in the bios
parallel, serial and IR ports
SATA 1&2...

also did you disable APIC...I did this once and winxp would not load

 

[Ka0t1x]

I don't know what the Bios is.. is there an easy way to tell? Also the Bios flash sounds like it would take forever, is there a different way other than booting to a win98 disk? I'll go try those settings right now.

 

[nealh]

when you boot..hit DELETE key to enter bios and look under the first highlighted item..I am sure it is probably 1.3 or eve n1.4

you can use MSI Liveupdate to do a winxp flash..but if you use a beta bios you will need to rename to the 1.4 official bios and place it in the folder where msi live update d/ls the new bios info..delete the 1.4.bin file and replace with the beta bios...I would suggest skipping this since it sounds like you never flashed the bios...of course you can do bios flash from a dos..probably safer but I have dumped my floppy drive

 

[Ka0t1x]

Okay I'm running 230x10 right now and everything seems to be working fine.. I tried it at 250x10 with Timings at 3-3-3-10( didn';t even post), didn't seem right becuase the memory is only rated at 3-4-4 so i tried it with 3-4-4-10 and it seems to be working, going to try 250mhz right now

 

[Ka0t1x]

Also this is the same CPU that pastorjay used for an article, claimed he git it to 2.55Ghz at 1.6v, it was posting last night at 2.6Ghz.

 

[nealh]

sorry on the ram settings.. I did not see it was 3-4-4-10...but at ram 133 I would thought you would ahve been ok...


I bet the cpu will max out at 2550...pastorjay test the stuff well

 

[Ka0t1x]

You'll never believe this, the BIOS rev is v1.0 - hah. Guess I should get to work on that one.

Anyways, running 250x10 @ 3-4-4-10 2T. I guess I found my sweet spot for this memory. Thanks a bunch. Also which bios was found the most stable?

 

[Duvie]

Rev 1 is famous for not letting much OCing over 215-220fsb....

Get that to 1.36mod or better and try again...

A good flash app that can be done painlessly in windows is winflash 1.51....Very easy I have used it half a dozen times now....

 

[Ka0t1x]

I thought i'd try 2.6Ghz ( 237x11 ) and it made it into windows, so I fired up distributed.net and it crashed as soon as it started crunching..

Currently running at 236x11, 3-4-4-10, and 1.6v on the CPU .. I'm running distributed .net and it's getting errors while the CPU is at 100% usage and while trying to do other things ( ie, opening Outlook, Winamp.. ).. But without d.net running I don't see any errors yet.

 

[Ka0t1x]

Ended up the CPU at 2.58 didn't work out too well ( crashed ) anyways, I've got it to 2.55Ghz 100% stable so far, I've made "backups" of 2 DVD's an played a few games.

CPU-Z =)

Another few questions.. Would the CPU burn in and be able to OC higher? And would updating the BIOS help at all? Also, I'm currently flipping over my Lian LI PC-73SL ( custom mod to make the motherboard flipped over.. ) and I'm waiting on the case to be finished to order a waterblock for my 3500+, would water help with OCing at all too? -- The temps of the CPU at 2.58Ghz when I would get errors were showing as ~61C in SpeedFan.. Not quite sure on how accurate those temps are as all MFG's differ.

 

[frankierx]

Originally posted by: nealh
I bet the cpu is over its limit...first lower ram 133 3-3-3-10 2t....just to start and leave the cpu alone..see whether you can boot...

Did you test the cpu prior to trying to installing winxp at 2.6ghz...not all 3500 will overclock to 2.6...it is always YMMV

....

What does YMMV stand for?