Linux (slackware) doesn't like overclocking?

[aceO07]

I'm using an 1.6a @ 2.4ghz. I just installed slackware 8.1 two times and both times I get a crc error when I boot up to it. Win2k will load fine if I select it from lilo.

I remember when I tried slackware 8.0 it didn't work either when I was overclocked (800mhz @ 900mhz). I can't verify this since I don't have that computer anywmore. I did get it working, but I'm sure I was back at 800mhz. (no point to overclock just for the extra 100mhz).

Does anybody have this problem or know about it? How do I go about making it work? My computer is stable, prime95 tested. There are no bad sectors. The linux installation goes smoothly. I'll try it again (some time) using default speeds, until then I hope there is a solution for this.

 

[n0cmonkey]

memtest86

Try loading slack at default speeds and see what happens. My money is on the ram not quite liking the speeds, but since I dont own a p4 I dont overclock. 🙂

 

[cleverhandle]

It might run just fine overclocked, but need to be initially installed at stock speed. I can't say that I've heard of Linux doing that, but it happens pretty frequently with Windows installations. I've run Slack 8 on an OC'ed system, after installing at default speed, with no problems. But my OC is just an Athlon FSB bump from 133 to 145 along with more aggressive memory timings, so it didn't stress the system as much your Northie OC will.

 

[aceO07]

Update.

I tried installing it once again. This time at the default speed of 1600mhz. It installed fine, as always (even when oc'd). Slackware did load completely though.

I set the speed back up to 2400mhz. It gave the same error as before. crc error when it was uncompress linux or something like that. It was the second line slackware displayed. So I thought maybe I should turn up my PCI latency timer. It was already at 42, so I changed it to 48 and slackware loaded. It still doesn't always load, but if I reboot after I get the error, it'll load the next time. Odd, so I have the latency timer at 52 now. It still happens. I wonder if it has anything to do with the pci latency timer, or maybe I just needed to reboot after the error and try again.

Any thoughts or idea?

 

[Electrode]

You must have bad memory or something. I installed Slackware and built LFS on my P3 866 @ 1170 without a hitch. It's as stable as a masterfully engineered skyscraper and goes for months without a reboot. 🙂

 

[Nothinman]

Linux is a lot more sensitive to overclocking than Windows is, for whatever reasons. There's obviously something in your box that just doesn't take the stress of overclocking very well. Windows must have some form of compensation that Linux doesn't, but in general you're not going to get much help as long as you're running your hardware out of spec.

 

[aceO07]

Originally posted by: Electrode
You must have bad memory or something. I installed Slackware and built LFS on my P3 866 @ 1170 without a hitch. It's as stable as a masterfully engineered skyscraper and goes for months without a reboot. 🙂

It runs stable when I get past the uncompress linux part. Unfortunately, I just can't figure that out.

 

[Electrode]

It still sounds like memory is to blame. I also suggest you run memtest86 to make sure that you don't have some bad RAM.

 

[aceO07]

I'd personally hate to find out it was faulty ram. I'll give memtest86 a try and see how that goes.

 

[aceO07]

I have it working now. I found what seems to be the problem. Apparently, LILO was the culprit. If I choose Linux through LILO, it will get an error during uncompressing linux. In my current installation, the LILO menu doesn't come up anymore and it doesn't give me that error anymore. If I ask for the selection menu (for OSes) it will give me an error when I pick Linux.

Strange.. 😕

 

[CTho9305]

if any os is unstable when overclocking, then your OC isn't stable (assuming that it IS stable at stock speed). if one crashes and the rest dont, you still need to back off the overclock.