nForce2 Voltage regulation...

[txxxx]

Hello,

Im using an MSI K7N2-L (nForce2) with a AMD Athlon XP 2100+ currently @2700+ (i just increased the fsb to 166). I currently have left the voltage to core at 1.775v (I remember reading in a long 2100+ thread that 1.775v seemed optimiun), however looking at the readings in speedfan , it drops as low as 1.70 and as high as 1.84v. Is this normal for nForce2 mainboards?

I also was reading through another nForce2 review when I seen this, http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&number=9&artpage=137&articID=56, I wonder if other Epox user's are suffering the same?

cheers txxxx

 

[Soulkeeper]

.14v swing is a big swing
it shouldn't hurt anything but it is a lot

sounds more like a board component thing tho and the motherboard manufacturer would be responsible not nvidia
or your PSU might not be up to par

 

[txxxx]

Ive tried 2 PSU's, all the rails with exception to the vcore are pretty solid, making me think it is the board.

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

sounds like a huge swing..
overvolting, to undervoling...

it just might be the moob...so bump for other k7n2-l owners ( iwas bout to become one of them, but asus was only 15bux cad more so i opted for that heh)

 

[Woodie]

I've noticed pretty big swings in Vcore on my K7N2G-LISR as well. Even w/ a manual Vcore instead of the "auto" setting. BTW, I'm running a brand new Antec TruePower plugged in to a brand new APC UPS/surge protector, so I don't think the PSU is bad.

I also can't get the board to boot right @166, but running fine at 164x13 w/ Vcore set to 1.600. Not bad for 2100+ w/ OEM cooling.
Maybe I should just skip the 166 speed??

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I just bought the golden flame and while reading reviews beforehand ran across this nice little explaination of the VRM for us non-IEEE type laymen Link. It explains why my Asus boards with 2 phase design overvolt, I just knew that they did, now I know why, because "There is, however, no substitute for multiple phases, since all improvements done on a 2-phase design can also be implemented on higher number of phases, albeit at greater cost. To compensate for the coarser granularity, and higher delays in switching, often enough a small offset in voltage is being used, meaning that the default voltage is set slightly higher than necessary so that even negative spikes can be absorbed more easily" This also begs the question why Asus charges more than most when using a cheaper solution in the 2 phase :frown:

 

[Ketchup]

As Dapunisher was saying, it's the board. MSI uses cheap 2-phase power on their boards, so you will get pretty wild fluctuations. Asus uses much better 2-phase power, but I still prefer three-phase power.

 

[Woodie]

MSI uses cheap 2-phase power on their boards,

Information that would have been more helpful LAST month! Like I was supposed to figure that out! In any case, I'm not looking to do extreme o/cing w/ this board, just a little extra. +25% for free is not a bad deal at all.

 

[txxxx]

Originally posted by: Woodie
I've noticed pretty big swings in Vcore on my K7N2G-LISR as well. Even w/ a manual Vcore instead of the "auto" setting. BTW, I'm running a brand new Antec TruePower plugged in to a brand new APC UPS/surge protector, so I don't think the PSU is bad.

I also can't get the board to boot right @166, but running fine at 164x13 w/ Vcore set to 1.600. Not bad for 2100+ w/ OEM cooling.
Maybe I should just skip the 166 speed??

Could do with increasing your Vcore abit before pushing any further

 

[txxxx]

Originally posted by: Woodie

MSI uses cheap 2-phase power on their boards,

Information that would have been more helpful LAST month! Like I was supposed to figure that out! In any case, I'm not looking to do extreme o/cing w/ this board, just a little extra. +25% for free is not a bad deal at all.

Agreed I dont extreme overclock either , just that when you've been spoiled with an Abit KR7A-133 that fluctuates 0.01v.......

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
I just bought the golden flame and while reading reviews beforehand ran across this nice little explaination of the VRM for us non-IEEE type laymen Link. It explains why my Asus boards with 2 phase design overvolt, I just knew that they did, now I know why, because "There is, however, no substitute for multiple phases, since all improvements done on a 2-phase design can also be implemented on higher number of phases, albeit at greater cost. To compensate for the coarser granularity, and higher delays in switching, often enough a small offset in voltage is being used, meaning that the default voltage is set slightly higher than necessary so that even negative spikes can be absorbed more easily" This also begs the question why Asus charges more than most when using a cheaper solution in the 2 phase :frown:

asus is using 4phase on a7n8x i think it looks like but it sitll overvolts by 0.04v ive found