How far can I go with PC2100 RAM ?

[SpeedyGonzales]

Hi guys,

I currently running my 1.8 Northwood (already bought in Feb) at 123 FSB, which gives me roughly a 2.2 CPU, this is very stable now since months. I have fixed the AGP and PCI speeds to 33Mhz. I am using the stock sink/fan combo and the CPU temp is 36 / 53 Celsius (idle vs. running 3DMark2001 over 30 min.).

When I fire up the FSB to 133Mhz (CPU @ 2.4), I can get the system to boot and load Windows, but it crashes, when running 3dmark. I have to up the voltage to 1.6, in order to get the system to boot.

I am unsure, if the CPU is holding me back or the fact, that I am running PC2100 RAM. The RAM is Kingston Value RAM CL 2. I tried already with increased RAM voltage, but it did not change anything. Maybe the CPU is simply not good enough, because it is a very early Northwood, from early this year.

Does anybody have experience with PC2001 RAM @ 133 Mhz ? Or should I run it at 2.5 CL ?

Cheers
Speedy

 

[minendo]

PC2100 ram is set to run at 133mhz stock.

 

[SpeedyGonzales]

Yep, thanks for the answer. I used the search function and found some older posts about the same question.

So actually, that means as long as my 1.8 P4 can make the 2.4Ghz, the Ram should not be holding me back. It should be absolutely safe to run it at 1:1 settings (133 Mhz). Correct ?

Speedy

 

[Lizardman]

Kingston ram is low end. I agree that it should do 133mhz. Try to see if you can buy some samsung or crucial that stuff wont let you down. PNY is repacking samsung ram so check your local CC or BB.

 

[SpeedyGonzales]

Hm, bought that stick of 512Mbyte, CL2 Kingston Value Ram in Feb. Could order other memory directly from Crucial, however I do not want to invest into memory again, before DDR-II is out or 2 channel memory solutions are common. If I can run the memory at 133, that should be fine for time being. At least I know now, that I have to focus on the CPU, when oc'ing in the direction of 2.4Ghz, as I said, my Northwood P1.8 is an early one from January, so I do not expect, that it will make the 2.4 easily (if at all).

Anyway thanks for your input
Speedy

 

[Su1c1da1]

I have a 256mb Kingston.......... pc2100.... it's running my 1600+ at 166fsb default voltage and 172fsb making the cpu a 2200+ at 1.825 voltage... dunno if i can go more.. havn't try yet

 

[CrazySaint]

Originally posted by: Su1c1da1
I have a 256mb Kingston.......... pc2100.... it's running my 1600+ at 166fsb default voltage and 172fsb making the cpu a 2200+ at 1.825 voltage... dunno if i can go more.. havn't try yet

Nice OC, man. Btw, does that mean you sent back your P4 or are you still working on it?

 

[Yeti101]

 

[Yeti101]

Whats wrong with a 1.6 Vcore?.... My friend runs his 1.8a @ 2.53 with a 1.71 Vcore, and is rock-stable.... try giving the Vcore a little juice, and if it is still having problems, its probly your ram... May want to boost the timmings to 2-6-2-2

Hope this helps

Yeti

 

[Yeti101]

 

[NuLLxXx]

I'm having the same issue PC2100 RAM is good for 2.2 with my 1.8A....
Only difference I did have luck running 3dmark at 2.4 it was sandra and some other progs crashed
in later testing!

For 3Ghz I have a nice pic of my system running 2.8 and 2.9 with WCPUID running only thing
it crashed twice as I saved them and no other apps would run at those speeds...

I need to get in and change some things before I call it down for the count...

 

[SpeedyGonzales]

Did some tests last night, the RAM is really not blocking.

Ran my Northy 1.8@2.4 with an 133Mhz FSB. Prime95 ran stable for 30 min, however I was not happy with the die temperatur, which went up to 62 C at Vcore 1.75. At 2.2Ghz I never went higher than 55 Celsius on the die (Vcore default). Don't ask me why, but I do not want to run the die hotter than 60 C, but I think I have some open cooling options.

I think I have to wait for my new AluCase and other some other stuff, which should help cooling the CPU better.

Interesting thing was, that over more than 1 hour the machine was running stable @2.4 Ghz including Prime95, however 3dmark2001SE crashes (actually stops) at the Dragothic benchmark saying something like it had lost connection to Windows. Anybody ever had this problem before ?

Cheers
Speedy

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: SpeedyGonzales
Yep, thanks for the answer. I used the search function and found some older posts about the same question.

So actually, that means as long as my 1.8 P4 can make the 2.4Ghz, the Ram should not be holding me back. It should be absolutely safe to run it at 1:1 settings (133 Mhz). Correct ?

Speedy

Correct. Absolutely safe, 100% stable, guaranteed by the manufacturer. Unless you have horrible ventilation in your case and the air temperature is extremely hot, the RAM should not be your problem.

I have a P4 1.8A, which is about 6 months old, and it is not 100% stable at anything above 2.25 GHz. At 2.4 GHz I tried everything: overvolting to 1.75 V, running @ 1.7V, everything between 1.6V and 1.7V and it always will crash in one CPU/video intensive application or another (3dmark, a game, prime, etc). I believe it's the same for you: ~500 MHz is around the best you can do, no 600 MHz+ overclocks for you. Maybe with more voltage you can, but for me it caused scary instability (Win XP would get a protection error every other time, memory errors (yet it was running at a lower speed), crashes galore, etc.)

 

[SpeedyGonzales]

Hi jiffylube1024,

I am pretty sure, that your conclusion is correct.

My P4 1.8 is from end of January and the chance that it does 2.4 easily is quiet low. I am running it stable with default voltage at 123 FSB since several months now and I was just curious how far I could go with it.

As I said, I can boot into Windows XP at 133 FSB (with the Voltage at 1.7), I can run Prime95 stable, but 3DMark2001SE constantly fails in the Dragothic benchmark. This does not change, when I went up to 1.75V vcore. I stopped all experiments for the time being, because I just ordered a new case and fans, which will improve cooling (something I wanted to do anyway, regardless of further overclocking) and did not want to let the die get too hot.

When I have the new case/fans and PSU I will try once more with 1.8V vcore to get 3Dmark2001 stable, but if that does not work out, I will give up.

I am already happy to have a cheap/realiable P41.8@2.2 since January, it is not the end of the world, if this baby does not get to 2.4.

Anyway, thanks for your input, this was very useful as it confirms, that those early Northwoods are no guaranteed 2.4Ghz overclockers.

Cheers
Speedy

 

[Su1c1da1]

Originally posted by: CrazySaint

Originally posted by: Su1c1da1
I have a 256mb Kingston.......... pc2100.... it's running my 1600+ at 166fsb default voltage and 172fsb making the cpu a 2200+ at 1.825 voltage... dunno if i can go more.. havn't try yet

Nice OC, man. Btw, does that mean you sent back your P4 or are you still working on it?

I sold it.

 

[NuLLxXx]

Just for a project SpeedyGonzales and jiffylube1024 would it be to much trouble to post your
chips info Product Code FPO/Batch # Version # and Pack Date? If you have them....

Everyone who has a 1.8A thats never run @ 2.5 or higher stable.... Im curious now!

I'll post mine to start things off.... Even so my chip has reached a stable boot @ 2.8 and 2.9
Product Code:BX80532PC1800DSL63X
FPO/Batch: L149B193
Version #: A78297-001
Pack Date: 1-14-2002

 

[nealh]

NullxXx..you got a great chip....O/Cing is not a guarantee by any means....

My crucial PC2100 DDR does fine in my amd system at 150 fsb(cas 2-2-6-2T) but my chip will crash in 3D gaming or video editing with certain programs.....148fsb works fine...my mobo is KR7A which at least at the time I bought last dec was one of the best o/c board for Athlon XP

I think in most cases good pc2100 ddr ram will do 150 fsb...higher maybe a stretch unless timings are lowered....In my cases I was initially using an alpha6035 HSF and recently moved to an AX-7 with 32.5 cfm fan...my temps dropped but my o/c is still locked now at 148fsb(when I first got my athlon XP it did 150fsb fine in MOHAA and occasional crash with RTCW..was not doing video editing...never really tested prime95...for me it is stable if I can run my apps without a hitch...so I dropped back to 148 in mid spring...I thought was heat but the reality was my chip just did not make for a stable o/c at 150...but 148 was o/c....)

Interestingly winxp runs flawlessly at 150 fsb...cd burning etc is ok....problems show up with heavy cpu usage with games etc...

I agree for extreme o/cing ..cooling, ram and mobo are critical but often we do hit the limit of the cpu and try getting all these expensive upgrades(ram hsf, mobo) when if you used the money for a faster chip you would get the same result at same cost...now with that said..it is more fun and exciting to try for the higher o/c

 

[SpeedyGonzales]

NuLLxXx,

is the information you require only on the box or also on the chip ? I binned the box back in early Feb, however if that information is also on the chip itself, I could get it by Monday night, as I am going to apply some better thermal compound to my P4/Heatsink.

Cheers
Speedy

 

[NuLLxXx]

Originally posted by: SpeedyGonzales
NuLLxXx,

is the information you require only on the box or also on the chip ? I binned the box back in early Feb, however if that information is also on the chip itself, I could get it by Monday night, as I am going to apply some better thermal compound to my P4/Heatsink.

Cheers
Speedy

Yeah to bad.... You can find the last section of the Product code, country produced, and FPO/Batch.
Which is just about as good... I still have my box since I didnt use the stock HSF assembly I just put
it back inside and tossed it in a pile of computer parts.

Thanks

 

[SpeedyGonzales]

Hi NuLLxXx,

sorry, will take me until Wednesday to provide you this information. I ordered the new thermal compound and a new case/PSU/cables, but it will only be delivered by Tuesday.

I will post it, as soon as I have the time to move my mobo/drives into their new case.

Cheers
Speedy

 

[NuLLxXx]

Yeah no big rush its something your going to want a record of that info anyway!

It can only be one of 4 sSPEC #'s I hope you have a SL63X.... Batch and pack dates
inside the SL63X seem to not change how OC'able the chips are. As for the others
from what I've been reading in other forums those 2 dates can make a big difference.

I'm off to get a Q chip from NewEgg..... and some RAM with head room....

 

[SpeedyGonzales]

Hi NuLLxXx,

So this is the complete information on my CPU:

Intel P4
1.8A/512/400/1.5
SL63X Malay
L150A385-0424
INTEL M C 01

Hope that helps
Speedy

 

[SpeedyGonzales]

Update:

Today my new Coolermaster Case, some rounded airflow IDE cables, some better thermal compound arrived as well as a new 420Watt PSU from TSP (which won several reviews).

Ok, I put this all together this evening and...surprise, surprise:

1.) the temperature went down by an average of 7 degrees Celsius for both CPU and System, idle and running at full load (Prime 95)
2.) I am now able to overclock this P4 to 2.4 Ghz, currently at 1.65Vcore, but I will slowly try to lower that. 3DMark is not crashing anymore and Prime95 was stable already before. The box is running without any glitches since 3 hours now.

Seems that the additional cooling and the PSU really helped. I remember, that one guy in this forums once posted, that 50% of all stability problems with overclocking have to do with the PSU. Maybe it was that.

Your happy camper
Speedy

 

[nealh]

congrads ..speedygonzales on getting things faster and more stable

 

[NuLLxXx]

Yup you have a 1.8A not much older then mine!

SL63X Malay
L150A385

L= Malay Plant, 1 = Year 2001, 50 = 50th Week

Mine is the same but 49th week...

Yeah one often neglected spot with Intel chipsets is the North Bridge a little 40mm fan
can help some higher speeds.... Most Intel 845 chipset coolers I've found are HS only
no added fan support....

SpeedyGonzales which CPU HS have you been using stock Intel?