AMD Sempron Processor 3100+ & ECS NFORCE3-A Motherboard for $80 at Outpost.com

[furballi]

Yes, but ClockGen will NOT support automatic saving of the FSB setting until 1.0.4.3. I think ClockGen also support GHOST mode.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: furballi
Super Pi is within 10% of the A64 3200, at 60% discount! One of the best deal around if you are not a hard-core gamer.

Whadd'ya mean if you are not a hard core gamer? Games are all video card, as long as the rest of the system is enough. Does a 5% framerate difference define "hardcore gamer" from "casual gamer?" Not just no, but hell no.

Originally posted by: kmmatney
I haven't read the whole thread, but can you overclock to 300 MHz using ClockGen software?

Theoretically yes, but I'm not aware that anyone was able to do that with this particular board. So far I've heard success stories to about 270-280Mhz.

 

[OhioState]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: furballi
Super Pi is within 10% of the A64 3200, at 60% discount! One of the best deal around if you are not a hard-core gamer.

Whadd'ya mean if you are not a hard core gamer? Games are all video card, as long as the rest of the system is enough. Does a 5% framerate difference define "hardcore gamer" from "casual gamer?" Not just no, but hell no.

Originally posted by: kmmatney
I haven't read the whole thread, but can you overclock to 300 MHz using ClockGen software?

Theoretically yes, but I'm not aware that anyone was able to do that with this particular board. So far I've heard success stories to about 270-280Mhz.

funny clockgen locks my system as soon as i hit apply settings

friend told me to up the agp bus in the bios and try again so im off to do that now.

 

[OhioState]

ok i just cant figure it out clockgen locks my comp hard the moment i hit apply settings now matter how small the setting changes are :| i think im stuck at 250


anyone got any ideas ? ive increased voltages // agb bus ive done it on stock setting nada .

 

[kmmatney]

Originally posted by: OhioState
ok i just cant figure it out clockgen locks my comp hard the moment i hit apply settings now matter how small the setting changes are :| i think im stuck at 250


anyone got any ideas ? ive increased voltages // agb bus ive done it on stock setting nada .

What is your memory speed when your FSB is at 250? (e.g. what memory divider are you using?)

 

[yukit]

Originally posted by: furballi

The DDR400 Kingston ValueRAM works fine in DIMM1. If I added a 2nd stick to DIMM2, then I cannot pass Prime95 or Memtest86 at 1T. A work-around solution with the Kingston modules is to run two sticks at 2T. With the Corsair VS, I can run 1T with two sticks and still pass Prime and Memtest.

I am also using the PC3200 Kingston ValueRAM 512MBx2.
The command rate issue is consistent with what I am seeing as well.

I have some PC3500 Kingmax RAM I can swap with, but it is not critical for me to squeeze every last drop of performance. 2T is just fine. I am only clocked the FSB @240 to run the memory @200 (with 5:6 divider).

 

[OhioState]

Originally posted by: kmmatney

Originally posted by: OhioState
ok i just cant figure it out clockgen locks my comp hard the moment i hit apply settings now matter how small the setting changes are :| i think im stuck at 250


anyone got any ideas ? ive increased voltages // agb bus ive done it on stock setting nada .

What is your memory speed when your FSB is at 250? (e.g. what memory divider are you using?)

well i set the ram to 166 so with the overclock it is ddr 408 or so

problem solved tho i had the ht set to 4x i set it to 3x and was able to hit 2325 but not stable so ima just stick with 2249 still a killer deal imho for 99 shipped .

 

[furballi]

Glad others had the same 2T limitation with Kingston ValueRam. The latest version of Clockgen does not support ghost mode. Anyone with a link to the older Clockgen?

 

[BlueWeasel]

Damn it, guys. My wife loses her job on next month and I can't believe I'm considering ordering this combo for both myself and a friend (see above).

I've got a Epox NF2 Ultra MB now running a XP mobile @ 2.4Ghz. Considering I could likely sell those for more that what this combo costs, I'm about 2 seconds away from ordering this myself. I'm definately gonna order this one for my friend's system.

 

[PrinceKee]

Quick question. This board has a 2 pin male power led and I have a 3-pin female power led from my case so what do I do? Still haven't received my HSF so I can't turn it on yet to see...

 

[furballi]

Sorry about the job thing. I suspect the old system will work okay until you get a 2nd source of income. This board can get picky about RAM. I'm sure the Corsair VS will run fine at 1T with two 512MB modules at 2.5-3-3-6. Currently testing 2.5-3-3-5.

Move the pin on the female connector to match the motherboard. LED only requires 2 leads. Check your case for wiring schematic.

 

[PrinceKee]

Originally posted by: furballi
Sorry about the job thing. I suspect the old system will work okay until you get a 2nd source of income. This board can get picky about RAM. I'm sure the Corsair VS will run fine at 1T with two 512MB modules at 2.5-3-3-6. Currently testing 2.5-3-3-5.

Move the pin on the female connector to match the motherboard. LED only requires 2 leads. Check your case for wiring schematic.

HUH? LOL I don't know what you mean I'm a noob when it comes to this stuff. I have a green wire on the first pin and and white wire on the third pin with the middle unused...

 

[PrinceKee]

I got it I believe. I just pulled the green wire and placed it in the middle pin and plugged it in to the 2 and 4 pins on the board and so the first unused pin on the connector is hanging off the front edge. Hopefully this works I can't test it until I receive my Coolmaster HSF tomorrow from ZipZoomFly...

 

[furballi]

Should work. The green wire should line up with pin #6 on the motherboard.

 

[PrinceKee]

Originally posted by: furballi
Should work. The green wire should line up with pin #6 on the motherboard.

Pins 6 and 8 are for the power switch on this mobo. My green wire on my case is for the Power Led which goes into pins 2 and 4...

 

[furballi]

okay, green wire to pin #2 on the MB.

 

[PrinceKee]

OK, also all the white wires should go on the (-) on the board right? Just checking because I don't want to fire up my system and short something out...

 

[psykohog]

Pretty good deal for the money!
2249 MHz at 1.456v Memory 2.5-3-3-7 at 1T

 

[furballi]

Yes, white is usually the (-) wire. LEDs will only work with proper polarity.

You can search the NET for Clockgen version NVNF3 if you want Clockgen to automatically overclock your FSB higher than 250MHz. I was able to run at 266MHz at 1.46VDC (+1.7% Vcore).

 

[elcamino74ss]

has anyone gotten the onboard raid to work? I couldn't get the xp install to load a driver so I could run a pair of pata drives in raid 1. I got this combo a month or so ago and have it paired with a 1gb stick of the kingston value ram and run this as a 2nd pc but my other box is similar. Soltek nf3 250gb chipset, A64 2800.

 

[furballi]

I don't use RAID. More troublesome for me. Were you able to run two modules of Kingston VR at 1T?


More power update on this ECS NF3 board and the Sempron 3100.

Tested this rig with a 350W Mad Dog, 350 Antec, and 495W Enermax dual rail.

Here are the power numbers in various modes (one floppy, one hard drive, zero optical drive, two 120mm x 38mm Panaflo fans, one Zalman 7700Cu CPU cooler, one Nvida Vanta video card):

-5.3W...off/standby (PSU switch OFF)
-13W...off/standby (PSU switch ON with amber LAN light ON)
-96W...idle Cool n Quiet ON (1.14Vcore at 1334MHz core speed)
-108W...idle Cool n Quiet OFF (1.46Vcore at 2400MHz core speed)
-183W...100% CPU load with Prime95 in Max Heat mode

Measurements were taken with Fluke true RMS ammeter. Note that these numbers were obtained at the AC line input. Since the Enermax PSU has an efficiency of about 80%, the ACTUAL load by the PC is 20% lower. A high-end video card and optical drive may pull another 100W, bringing the actual PC load to 246W. A QUALITY SINGLE rail 12A @12VDC PSU should be able to power this rig. Bump the number to 20A @ 12VDC if you have a powerful video card.

 

[Melectricus]

There is usually an arrow or triangle on the plug that designates the (+) pin, very hard to see and most people never knew they are there. Maybe not all cases but the ones I've recently worked on do.

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Anyone ordered one of these in the last week or so and had it shipped. I've talked to a few people who have ordered in the last 1-2 weeks and still waiting on their order to ship, even though the site clearly shows the items as in stock. outpost.com turning into the next buy.com?

One guy even said they shipped him a HSF by itself as part of a "partial order", but he hasn't gotten the rest in almost 2 weeks.

 

[bookster]

I ordered on Mon or Tues last week an had it by Fri.

 

[PrinceKee]

I just got my HSF and installed it and turned on my system and nothing comes up on the monitor. I know I have everything installed right so what is going on? My green and red leds on the case are on. I'm really getting frustrated. Anyone have any suggestions?