help with 1800+

ElChicoDeMaravilla

Junior Member
Mar 1, 2003
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I am not too terribly educated in overclocking, but i know enough that fooling around with CMOS settings can't do much damage, so I have been testing with things.

I can't get a stable overclock though. When I get an overclocked speed, apparently it is unstable because it reboots right before it looks for other hardware back to my original settings.

I need help finding a way to stabilize an overclocked speed.

I have an 1800+ with a MSI K7T266 Pro 2 mobo, and I have a CPU overclock aspect that goes all the way up to 164/41.10. I have tried in interval all the way up to 145 (which gives me 1700 Mhz) so I obviously have quite a bit more room to even break 2 Ghz.

I need to know other factors that will stabilize my overclock speed such as DDR voltage, Vcore, multiplier, etc..

The CPU FSB clock only offers 100 and 133, even though it says i am runnin at 266 on bootup (?). I have my multiplier at 11.5, and i haven't fooled much with that, last time i did, i had to reset the CMOS when i reached about x13 i think. My vcore starts at 1.72, so i cant go lower than that unless i use auto which makes it around 1.5.

Keep in mind that the FSB is 266 defaultly
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
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just start over
lower it to default clock/voltage
then start to slowly increase the multiplyer
.5 at a time if it's not stable then it comes down to either voltage or heat, maybe even psu

can you adjust vcore in yur bios ?
what kinda psu ??
what kinda hsf do you have ?
also, is this a palomino core ?
 

ElChicoDeMaravilla

Junior Member
Mar 1, 2003
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Yep, I can adjust the vcore, but the interval starts at 1.72 and goies up. You can see the vcore voltage in the CMOS right below where you adjust vcore voltage, and it seems that the actual voltage doesn't match that setting. like if you set it to 1.75, THEN it'll do 1.72, and so on.

I have just a standard athlon XP 1800 plus with the AMD hsf it came with OEM. The heatsink may be a tad unsatisfactory, but I have more than adequate cooling. I have fans up the wazoo, including one that empties right onto the heatsink. It wouldn't be too hard to go grab a new hsf though.

What is a palomino core? I don't....think i have one

(Edit): My average core temp is 32 and my chassis at 25 :) So I am running preeeety cool.
 

Doh!

Platinum Member
Jan 21, 2000
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Since your default voltage is 1.75, I would say you have a palomino core Athlon XP (there are various versions of Athlon XP: palomino (oldest), Thoroughbred (new), barton (newer). Your cpu wil very unlikely reach 2ghz. It wil top out at 1.75~1.8 ghz. Look at the cpu die, is it a square shape or a rectagular one? If it's square then it's palomino. If you had a thoroughbred, then yes, you can most likely reach 2ghz with proper cooling and setup.

Again, I am pretty sure you have a palomino based on the default voltage, so you shouldn't expect too much of an increase (since you're already at 1.7ghz).
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
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yeah palomino with a standard HSF
you ain't getting far

especially since you can't adjust the voltage higher (like 1.8 1.9)
 

Doh!

Platinum Member
Jan 21, 2000
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Hmm... I just read your message again and this part "My vcore starts at 1.72, so i cant go lower than that unless i use auto which makes it around 1.5" caught my attention. It sounds like the default voltage is really 1.5v (the voltage when set at auto). If this is the case, then it's a thoroughbred.

So which is the default voltage? Were you getting 1.72v by manually setting it at 1.75? Or were you getting 1.72v without manually adjusting the core voltage?
 

HoMeZ

Senior member
Jan 20, 2003
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Originally posted by: Soulkeeper
yeah palomino with a standard HSF
you ain't getting far

especially since you can't adjust the voltage higher (like 1.8 1.9)

I have the palomino, but I'm going to be using the SLK-800A w/ AS3 and I have an EPOX 8RDA+... What o/c do you think I would be able to reach?
 

ElChicoDeMaravilla

Junior Member
Mar 1, 2003
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Yeah, its definately a palomino. It is a square, and i bought it like 2 years ago (November 2k1). I assume the thoroughbread looks like a newer p4...a small rectangle.

I just confirmed that my default/auto core voltage is ~1.71, not 1.5. sorry :eek: And the max is 1.85v

Given my processor and mobo information, what can I do with what I have? I dont care if i can't get it over 2 gigs, I just want to overclock to the highest possible...I figured it'd be a good idea since i have VERY adequate cooling, and I've had the processor for quite a while, so it wouldn't be a biggie if i wrecked it or wore it out faster than its supposed to.

Any advice towards what I should change to keep it stable at a certain speed since I know I can attain such speeds (at least XP 2000+ speeds).
 

Doh!

Platinum Member
Jan 21, 2000
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Originally posted by: HoMeZ


I have the palomino, but I'm going to be using the SLK-800A w/ AS3 and I have an EPOX 8RDA+... What o/c do you think I would be able to reach?

It doesn't matter. As long as you have a palomino, you will most likely top out around 1.75~1.8ghz (unless you go with super-cooling).
 

Doh!

Platinum Member
Jan 21, 2000
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Originally posted by: ElChicoDeMaravilla
The CPU FSB clock only offers 100 and 133, even though it says i am runnin at 266 on bootup (?). I have my multiplier at 11.5, and i haven't fooled much with that, last time i did, i had to reset the CMOS when i reached about x13 i think. My vcore starts at 1.72, so i cant go lower than that unless i use auto which makes it around 1.5.

Keep in mind that the FSB is 266 defaultly

The boot screen is saying you're running at 266 since the fsb is set at 133 (133x2(for DDR)=266). Based on the above quote, it sounds as though you've unlocked the multiplier by connecting the L1 bridges since you can change the multiplier from 11.5 to 13. Is this correct? Or were you trying to change the multiplier in the bios without doing any mod to the cpu?


Any advice towards what I should change to keep it stable at a certain speed since I know I can attain such speeds (at least XP 2000+ speeds).

Increase the core voltage, increase the mem. voltage, better cooling, unlock the cpu/lower the multiplier/increase the fsb....etc. It's basically trial & error. By the way, you're not attaining any speed if the system is not stable. You know you can attain certain speed when the system is stable.
 

ElChicoDeMaravilla

Junior Member
Mar 1, 2003
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Ok, thanks. I just wanted to make sure going farther with my trials with DDR voltage was safe or not. I'd rather wreck the chip just screwin' around than DDR.

I haven't made any mods to the chip, but I have heard about what you are talking about with connecting the L1s (pencil lead works, no? Send me a site about that if you know one). I've just been using the bios multiplier.

Thanks again -El Chico De Maravilla
 

Doh!

Platinum Member
Jan 21, 2000
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You system has failed to boot previously not because of stability issue but due to the fact that the multiplier is locked. With palomino core cpus, you need to fill the pit with either crazy glue or nonconductive thermal paste and connect the L1 bridges with either a car window defogger kit or a conductive pen. Search google for "unlocking palomino" and you'll get plenty of sites with helpful hints and pictures. Just play with the fsb setting/core voltage by increasing them by the smallest increment for now. Also set the memory settings at a very relaxed (higher numbers or set it at "auto" or "spd") when playing with the fsb setting. Once you achieve a certain speed increase with the fsb, then play with the memory settings (lower the numbers one by one).

If you really want to get into overclocking, you can do the L1 mod and lower the multiplier/increase the fsb speed to get more boost. This won't kill the memory.