HELP Cant OC with my ASUS A7N8X Deluxe

[juggernut]

Hi All,
I have an Asus A7N8X Deluxe (nForce 2), I am running an athlon XP 2200+. I used to OC PIII all the time but am new to Athlons an P4's. Any time I change the FSB or or multiplier I get an boot error and have to clear the CMOS. It says the Default multiplier is 13.5, I am assuming the FSB is 133.
Questions,
1. How do I know what core my proc is?
2. How do I find out what revision my A7N8X mobo is?
3. Most important how do I start to OC???

Here are the things that are confusing me, in the BIOS the CPU External Freq is the FSB Setting. System Performance, CPU Interface, Memory Frequency. What does by SPD mean. Some one please give me a hand.

Thanks,

 

[Jeff7181]

SPD is Serial Presence Detect... basically it asks the RAM how fast it is, and sets it at that speed.

As I said in the other thread... set everything to User Defined. The A7N8X Deluxe has some problems when you change too many things at once in the BIOS. Change one thing at a time.

1) If the stepping info is "printed" on the core itself, it's a Palomino, if it's a sticker stuck on the substrate, it's a Thoroughbred. To tell if it's a Thoroughbred A or B, you need to know the stepping... look at the 2nd line... the 5th letter is either an A or a B... that designates whether it's a Thoroughbred A or B. Use this web page to find out even more info.

2) The revision will be printed on the motherboard itself... between PCI slots 2 and 3 most likely.

3) Find out that information, and tell us what RAM you have, then we can give you better advice on where to start.

*EDIT* Since you have an XP2200 it won't be a Palomino since an XP2200 Palomino doesn't exist, so that part of my post isn't applicable to you.

 

[juggernut]

Here are the settings in the BIOS, what should I set them too?? Also should I try and unlock the multiplier??

CPU External Frequency (MHz)
I can adjust this in 1 MHz

CPU Frequency Multiple Setting
Should I leave this at auto or user defined??

CPU Frequency Multipule
Auto is 13.5
should I change this

System Performance
Optimal
Aggressive
User Defined

CPU Interface
Optimal
Aggressive

Memory Frequency
By SPD
Percentage from 50 - 200

 

[juggernut]

I have samsung 3200

 

[Jeff7181]

You still need to find out what revision Thoroughbred you have. It makes a difference.

 

[juggernut]

Ok here is what the processor says
AXDA2200DUV3C 9315937260448
AIUHB 0246RPAW

So it looks like it's a B. Thats good right??
So where should I start???

 

[juggernut]

I cant change anything without it saying system fail memory test.

 

[Jeff7181]

Can you change the multiplier? Try to lower it if you can. Try setting it at 10... it probably will let you change it in the BIOS, but when you reboot, it'll go back to what it was. In that case, just step down .5 at a time until it won't let you go any lower. Then I'd start raising the FSB in say, 5 Mhz incriments until the system becomes unstable. Here's a step by step on what I would do...

1. Find lowest multiplier you can choose
2. Raise FSB in 5 Mhz incriments, allowing it to boot into windows after each increase, and start Prime 95, if it runs for 10 minutes, go raise the FSB another 5 Mhz. That might take a while to go from 133 on up... but that's how overclocking goes, trial and error.
3. When it won't run Prime 95 for 10 minutes without errors, go increase the voltage in one incriment, usually .025.

use a program to monitor your temps... if temps ever go above 60 degrees C, stop, because that's where heat becomes a fairly significant issue for overclocked CPU's.

Once you find a spot where it either won't complete 10 minutes of Prime 95, or your at 1.8 volts, or your temps are above 60 C, back it down 5 Mhz and do some longer Prime 95 tests... usually if it completes about 6 hours with no errors, it's stable.

Next step after that would be to decrease your RAM timing... I said to set it at 6-3-3-2.5 which should eliminate the RAM as a source of instability while you're overclocking the processor. Once you find the max of the CPU, try to get the RAM timing down to 5-2-2-2 for best performance.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: juggernut
I cant change anything without it saying system fail memory test.

You could have bad memory, or you might be running it out of spec.

 

[juggernut]

You could have bad memory, or you might be running it out of spec.

Yea your probably right it was cheap stuff I just made sure it was 3200, but they are samsung chips.

Here are my settings
CPU External Freq.
133 MHz
CPU Frequency Multipule Setting
Auto
CPU Freq Multipule
13.5
System Performace
Optimal
CPU Interface
Optimal
Memory Frequency
By SPD
Resulting Frequency
200 MHz

Thanks for all the help, what should I set it to for just wanted to go user defined for the settings of a 2200

 

[Dustswirl]

Asus A7N8X Deluxe + "By SPD"= not the best of friends...
you should listen to what Jeff7181 said in his first reply mate!

cheers :beer:

Edit: try synching FSB w/ mem speeds coz at 2x(133FSB/200mem) you won't get that much of a performance "boost"

 

[Dustswirl]

your module timings should be 7 3 3 3T or 8 4 4 3T to set manually (dunno if SPD gives you the same) if you want to perform at 3200 speeds

i recommand running synched FSB/mem esp if there's no ocing

 

[juggernut]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
Can you change the multiplier? Try to lower it if you can. Try setting it at 10... it probably will let you change it in the BIOS, but when you reboot, it'll go back to what it was. In that case, just step down .5 at a time until it won't let you go any lower. Then I'd start raising the FSB in say, 5 Mhz incriments until the system becomes unstable. Here's a step by step on what I would do...

1. Find lowest multiplier you can choose
2. Raise FSB in 5 Mhz incriments, allowing it to boot into windows after each increase, and start Prime 95, if it runs for 10 minutes, go raise the FSB another 5 Mhz. That might take a while to go from 133 on up... but that's how overclocking goes, trial and error.
3. When it won't run Prime 95 for 10 minutes without errors, go increase the voltage in one incriment, usually .025.

use a program to monitor your temps... if temps ever go above 60 degrees C, stop, because that's where heat becomes a fairly significant issue for overclocked CPU's.

Once you find a spot where it either won't complete 10 minutes of Prime 95, or your at 1.8 volts, or your temps are above 60 C, back it down 5 Mhz and do some longer Prime 95 tests... usually if it completes about 6 hours with no errors, it's stable.

Next step after that would be to decrease your RAM timing... I said to set it at 6-3-3-2.5 which should eliminate the RAM as a source of instability while you're overclocking the processor. Once you find the max of the CPU, try to get the RAM timing down to 5-2-2-2 for best performance.

Ok based on this, I dont understand the frequency settings as far as percentage goes. Should I set it at 100 or 200??

 

[juggernut]

Ok I got the multipier down but I left the memory frequency on auto, when ever I change it I get the system failed memory test. What the hell is this setting it has somehting to do with the resulting frequency setting but what??? And what should i have it at.

 

[MDE]

Set the memory to Aggressive or Optimal instead of Auto to sync the FSB and memory speeds.

 

[juggernut]

I cant it has to be a percentage, Auto, or By SPD

 

[Jeff7181]

Should be 100%

 

[juggernut]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
Should be 100%

OK so what does this controll the speed of???

 

[Jeff7181]

RAM... sets it to 100% of the speed of the FSB. If you set it above 100%, your RAM will be running faster than the FSB, if you set it below, it will be running slower.