Asus P4B266 Overclocking help!!!

[Shano]

I need some tips on BIOS settings for the P4B266 when trying to OC my 1.8A. I can get it to post in windows at 2400 at 133fsb and 1.5V but it locks up shortly after using it.

Just a few questions:

1. Is there a way to lock the AGP/PCI bus when overclocking on this motherboard. I think my problem is I have an older Adaptec SCSI card and it doesn't like the speed increase.
2. For some reason I have better luck overclocking using the jumper block on the motherboard then in the BIOS. But using the jumper block will not allow my to up the voltage.
3. What type of memory settings should I use? I can get it completely stable at 2200@122fsb but I have to run my memory at 122fsb which is kinda slow.

Please give some help....

System Specs:
Asus P4B266
P4 Northwood 1.8A
Crucial PC2100 DDR 256MB
CMEDIA On-Board Sound
Intel 10/100 PCI Network card

Shano

 

[JimmyJoe]

If it will post at 2.4 133FSB why not try increasing the Voltage to the CPU from 1.5 to 1.6 or 1.65? At 133FSB MEM/AGP/PCI should be running at spec of 133/66/33.

I don't think there is a setting for AGP/PCI speed in the bios, it is automatic for this MB, right? Anyone know for sure? (Mine is on it's way but I don't have it yet)

Edit: Increasing voltage to the CPU is always at your own risk and might shorten the life of the CPU.
Edit: I had incorrectly said that at 133FSB spec would be 166/66/33 it is 133/66/33 (133FSB and over P4B266 locks fsb:memory ratio at 1:1)

 

[KenAF]

Yes, for 2400, you'll probably need to increase the voltage to 1.6 or 1.65V, as the previous poster indicates. Increasing the voltage does not present a danger to the cpu, as heat is still not an issue. Anything up to 1.8V on the Northwood P4 is generally considered safe with stock cooling, although you should not need to go that high. Even at 2700MHz with stock cooling, the P4 still runs cooler than the latest Athlons. Hell, another poster on this forum has their P4 1.6A running at ~2700MHz with the AVC Sunflower, and their idle temp is only 33C.

At 122fsb, you should be using the 3:4 multiplier to run your memory at 163MHz. If necessary, your memory timings back to the defaults to hit this speed, and they gradually move them back towards CAS2 (checking after each setting to ensure that everything is still rock stable).

 

[XMan]

You say the memory runs at 166 when the FSB is set to 133?

What's the best DDR memory to run at 166, then?

 

[BigJ]

<< You say the memory runs at 166 when the FSB is set to 133?

What's the best DDR memory to run at 166, then? >>



If you have the cash, you can get some PC2700 DDR (and one PC3000 DDR). Here's a few different brands with stores/prices:

Mushkin CAS 2.5 256MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM $116 - Mushkin.com
MULTIWAVE 256MB PC2700 333MHZ NON-ECC DDR DIMM CAS 2.5 $105 - Mwave.com
OCZ DDR RAM 256MB PC-2700 333MHZ CAS 2.5 $81 - Newegg
OCZ DDR RAM 256MB PC-3000 366MHZ CAS 2.5 $89 - Newegg
Corsair 256MB PC2700 DDR RAM 333MHZ $137 - Newegg
KINGMAX DDR333 PC-2700 256MB CAS 2.5 $93 - Newegg

This stuff is approved at 166mhz, while the PC3000 is approved at 183mhz.

 

[KenAF]

<< You say the memory runs at 166 when the FSB is set to 133? >>

The Asus P4B266 has several multiplier options for memory.

If you use the 3:4 option with a FSB set to 132MHz, the DDR memory will run at 132*1.33=176MHz. A number of people are using the Kingmax DDR333 to run this memory speed, although I imagine there are other memory types/brands that will clock to 176MHz as well.

 

[Shano]

Well, after lots of testing. I can't get it stable at any FSB or higher voltage with my adaptec SCSI card in the system. I take out the card and the system will run at 2400 133fsb at 1.6v stable. I tested other odd bus speeds and the SCSI card doesn't like it. I think I will stick with 100fsb and 1.8ghz....



Shano

 

[KenAF]

Shano,

Did you set the PCI divider correctly? There should be no difference to the Adaptec card if you maintain the 33MHz PCI speed, as the P4B266 can do. There are plenty of others using Adaptec SCSI boards at high speeds without any trouble...so it must have something to do with your bios setup.

The P4B266 has divider options of 1/3 PCI under 120FSB and 1/4 PCI over 120FSB, so whatever FSB you select should keep PCI within the appropriate limits. Also, I have read the P4B266 has a "turbo 1" function that is supposed to fix other PCI/AGP issues. Have you tried that?

 

[Shano]

I guess I need to look harder in the BIOS because I don't see those PCI divider settings. I will try that and report back....


Do any of the other P4B266 users know where in the BIOS I can find those settings?


shano

 

[Shano]

Maybe I am blind. I don't see any PCI divider options within the BIOS. I thought I needed to update the bios, I am running 1005 with no change. Maybe I will try to use the dip switches instead of the BIOS to do the overclock....


Anyone with some P4B266 experience please help me out.....


Shano

 

[Possum]

The BIOS revision that came on my P4B266 was 1005, and I know it doesn't have some of the divider options that other people have. For example, some people have an option for a 1:1 or 3:4 FSB/Memory ratio, but all I have is 1:1. I haven't see the PCI divider anywhere in the BIOS either.

 

[JimmyJoe]

<< You say the memory runs at 166 when the FSB is set to 133? >>

I did say that. I was wrong, sorry, I have edited my previous post. At 133FSB the P4B266 only gives you a 1:1 ratio so memory is at 133Mhz also. 100-132FSB will allow a 3:4 ratio.

 

[JimmyJoe]

<< Maybe I will try to use the dip switches instead of the BIOS to do the overclock.... >>

Please report back your findings. I thought that the P4B266 would automatically run at 66/33/133 with the FSB at 133. Maybe this is also related to the USB problem people are having where they can't post with a USB device connected at higher FSB speeds, like above 120. I have seen posts that after booting into windows at 133, USB devices could be added and work properly, it just would'nt boot with them plugged in. So maybe, just maybe, the adjustment for 66/33 at 133FSB (or something else) does not take effect until AFTER the bios has posted.