HELP: Overclock of 2400+ Mobile XP

[Spudd]

Quick question: is the +3.3 rail also known as the Vbat? Also, would that FSB problem cause Test #5 errors in Memtest86? Thanks for the help!

 

[pelikan]

The VBAT sensor monitors voltage from the CMOS battery.
Its possible to get memtest errors from chipset issues. You'll find out for sure what's going on if you find stability at a lower FSB.

 

[Spudd]

Ok, I'm going to drop the FSB down to 166x2 and run memtest to see if I still get the errors on Test 5. I'm also putting in an order for a Vantec Iceberg northbridge cooler, since after reading some ariticles, it is apparent that the passive cooling for the chipset on this board sucks and prevents stability at 200FSB. Thanks pelikan.

 

[pelikan]

You're welcome. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[ectx]

Originally posted by: pelikan
Since prime95 is okay but 3D crashes, you have a chipset issue. Your FSB is too high. You should find your max stable FSB. Back it down by 5 MHz at a time, starting at 195 MHz. Keep a low multi that you know works. Play some games for an hour or so. When you find something that seems stable, loop 3dMark 2001 overnight.

Agree. Nowadays you need to run a 3d test before being sure that the system is stable*. I found the best test this is 3dmakr2003, but any if you loop through any 3d app, it would be a good test.

What I found odd is tha he aslo has problem w/ power dvd. I'll try my machine to see what happens (I have a 8rda+ that becomes unstabel at 194 fsb - at that bus speed prime would go for a long time but 3dmark2003 would die in 30 sec).

* 3d tests, under certain situations, detect the problem much quicker. I have a P4 3.0c on a p4p800 (which is 3d stable at 280 fsb w/ a 2.4c) that would fail 3dmark2003 cpu test in 30 sec but would last for a few hours in prime 95 custom large fft tests (eventually errors out), In this case 3d test serves me better (I want to detect instability asap)

 

[Tnvolsfan]

Originally posted by: Spudd
Ok, so far this is as far as I've gotten it: 200 x 11.5 = 2.31 Ghz @ vcore of 1.75, but my board (8rda+) overvolts, so according to MBM5 it's actually running at b/w 1.78-1.81 vcore. Temps are 38 C for CPU at idle, and 30 C for case. FSB is running at 400Mhz too (200*2). I tried running at 200 x 12, but it wouldn't finish loading windows. Tried dropping below 1.75, and it would either go into a reboot cycle, or just hang and scramble the screen when trying to load windows. So, right now I'm just going to run Prime95 and then DScaler to make sure it's stable. I'll report back later.

Edit: Just for the record, the dashboard of MBM5 says Core 0 vcore = 1.57, and Core 1 vcore = 1.78. :beer:

What is your cooling?

 

[Spudd]

I've got a Speeze WhisperRock II on the CPU. Idle temps in the case when I was overclocking at 400FSB and 2.31Ghz were 31 C case, and 48 C load on CPU. Right now, I've backed the system down to 333 FSB with the Mobile 2400+ overclocked to just 2.06Ghz. Current temps are 31 C case, 39 C idle CPU and 1.68-171 Vcore. Ran War3 FT for about 40 minutes without a problem--no more memory errors apparently. Also ran memtest86, after 4 passes, it didn't have any errors. So, it appears as though pelikan was right--the chipset was frying. Funny, because right after the last War3 crash, I felt the northbridge passive heat sink, and it didn't feel all that hot to me, just warm. Either way, I'm ordering the Iceberg for it. I guess my PSU is fine, but why is MBM5 showing that the +3.3 is steady at +2.54 volts?? And ectx, since you have anm 8rda+ also, where do you check your +3.3 volt in the bios?

 

[ectx]

I'll check and get back to you (I was going to buy another mb so I did not put my 8rda+ back into service). I know I have some strange reading im MBM before but I always think it is a MBM problem. (Don;t you get 3.3 reading in bios and at boot up - lower part of the screen - if those are ok, i would think it is a mbm problem).

There is a well-known problen that vbat reading could be low.

 

[Spudd]

Ok, just flashed the bios successfully to 2/12/2004 for the 8rda+. Doing more reading, I found out that the motherboard used to have a problem getting PC3200 memory to run at 400FSB. It said you had to try memory timings like 7,2,2,2.5. So far, the comp is running smoothly at 334FSB, overclocked to 2.04Ghz, temps at 39 C for CPU idle, and 30 C case. As soon as my Vantec Iceberg comes in and I put it on, along with putting on some new rounded IDE cables, I'll post my results. Thanks for all the help folks; as usual, Anandtech members rock!!!! :beer: