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Ocing my Duron 800 on my K7S5A EDIT: Update, got Duron 1GHz, AK31A, we are online!!!!

A

Athlon4all

Diamond Member
Ok. After More than a year of having my Duron 800 on 2 ECS boards with little if any ocing, I've decided Im gonna try to oc my Duron to 1GHz @ 133fsb by closing the L7 and L6 Bridges. Now, for starters I have tried to set the vcore to 1.85v, and after trial and error I have finally gotten the vcore set to 1.85v. Now my next step is to lower the multiplier to 7.5. Now, I have looked at past Anandtech ocing articles for changing the multiplier using the L6 bridges, and it appears that my only viable option (I have a Volcano 2 HSF btw) is to lower the Mulitplier to 7 by shorting the 2nd bridge from the left. Now when I try to do this, I've tried several times, each time the computer doesn't boot, but then when I erase the pencil mark from that bridge, everything returns to normal back at 800MHz. Now, am I simply just not doing the pencil trick right, or is something wrong with the Mobo? Any suggestions? Thanks!!!
 
Thanks for that guide I'll try it. To be honest, it could be part cause all of my L1 bridges are closed currently cause I thought when I bought the CPU that I'd need the multiplier to be unlocked. I'll try it. Thanks🙂 Btw I did try 8x133, and no go. My HSF isn't the best the truth is and I may be pushing it as it is
 
Well I had very little luck with my 800Duron/K7S5A combo when I had it, I had to settle for 8x112= 896mhz. Since unlocking the multiplier does nothing using the K7S5A and I didn't want to physically alter the bridges, and all the board mods seemed to intense and required soldering I was stuck there 🙁
 
Well here's an update.

I tried several times to mark the bridges the way the site told me to so I could change the multiplier to 7.5 or 7.0. Now, my CPU refuses to work what so ever. 🙁

Here's what happened. I tried penciling over the L3, L4 and L6 bridges the way the site said to, and each time I tried it (I erased the pencil markings and redid the shorting's several times,although I had did just the L3 and L4 for example once to make sure that the L6 weren't being the problem for some reason) the system would not boot.

What would happen is all the fans would start up, but the monitor would act like the system wasn't booted, further,all the IDE Devices in the system would keep on blinking their lights (my cd-rom, cd-rw and HD LED), which is the samme behavior that it had produced when I was only shorting the L6 bridges, so I said, well, it must be for some reason rejecting the multiplier change, so I undid the shorting's I made to the L3, L4, and L6 bridges and it showed the exact same behavior. Then, what I did was I shorted the bridges that I would do to set the mutliplier to 8x, the way it was previously, still same behavior. I then undid the L7 bridges as well that I had made previously to set the vcore to 1.85v, still the same.

I am at a total loss. I am concerned that I may have done permemant damage to the CPU, like permemantly reprogrammed it or something. I don't have another Socket A system or CPU that I could try. Thanks for any suggestions.
 
It sounds like toast, or as you said it is at a setting the board can't run it at and another board may be able to. Good luck with it and at least this will bump your thread so someone who has a potential fix will see it.
 
Athlon4all;
Have you done the standard "dance" of resetting the CMOS on the K7S5A. That would mean removing all power to the MB first, (I even unplug all cables period), then setting the jumper to Clear and leave it for a few minutes. Then hook all back up and try to boot.
Also, you might want to go back over the CPU carefully with the eraser and then some Isopropyl alcohol to make sure it is thoroughly cleaned. Do this before trying the reset. And make sure you are very careful when reinstalling the HSF. I have caught myself a couple of times being too nonchalant about this and installing improperly.
 
Still no go, anybody got any other suggestionjs? I'm planning on tomorrow morning ordering a Morgan 1GHz if nobody can help. Thanks Buz2k
 
Just for giggles and maybe to keep some $$ in your pocket, have you tried reseating the RAM AND video card; especially the video card? Installing and reinstalling a cpu w/HSF can cause a board to flex; even small amounts. That can cause a bad "connection" problem with those items. And we know the K7S5A is notorious for that. I just saw a post the other day with a similar situation and all it took was reseating the RAM. Of course this was after he tried numerous other standard "fixes". Hey, you might as well disconnect and/or remove all "extra" items, reseat those two and try to boot with just the basics; vid card, one stick of RAM, CPU w/HSF and floppy with boot disk. If it is still a "no go" then start checking your bank account balance. 🙁
EDIT:
Actually, I forgot to ask.... are you getting any beeps at all? If not, the above procedure might not work but it is darned sure worth a try. Good Luck!
 
For the most in-depth information about oc'ing the k7s5a go here: ocworkbench ecs k7s5a. There is a, overclocking BIOS available for download there also...

...and now the bad news.... The k7s5a is a wonderful, economical board and as far as I'm concerned the first in it's breed to close the gap between a "good" motherboard and a "cheap" motherboard (some will argue that point).

regardless, I've had great luck with these boards with everything except overclocking (even using the oc BIOS).

Hell, I have an Athlon Tbird 1.333 (the stepping that cost more because it's gauranteed to clock higher), Brand Name DDR RAM, and a sweet cooling fan. It will not budge on the k7s5a.

So my only advice is: read the guides at ocworkbench thouroughly, search their posts for oc results and you will find that many people are able to squeeze a little more out of these boards, but don't get too excited and if it fails, just be happy you have a stable $50 motherboard that for less than another $100 you can buy a XP 1800 and still have a nice rig ;-)



 
I did check the RAM and Video seating, still no go🙁 Yea i hear ya aircooled. Oh well, I thought that I would not be risking my CPU at all. Oh well, guess this was just the Lord's will.🙂
 
You'll get a nice boost from the 1ghz Morgan and it's a good price/performance CPU 🙂 I had it in the K7S5A running 110x10=1.1ghz@default Vcore. I just tweaked it in my AK31A last night to 133x9=1.2ghz@1.85v and it's running smooth crunching ECCp and playing my son's educational software so I'm very happy with it.
 
Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
You'll get a nice boost from the 1ghz Morgan and it's a good price/performance CPU 🙂 I had it in the K7S5A running 110x10=1.1ghz@default Vcore. I just tweaked it in my AK31A last night to 133x9=1.2ghz@1.85v and it's running smooth crunching ECCp and playing my son's educational software so I'm very happy with it.
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Well thats encouraging🙂 Ever since the Morgan launch, I have always had a very low opinion of them and I attributed that to simply the lack of 266fsb, along with the prices of XP"s. And I would love to oc the Morgan to 266fsb (just like what I wanted to do with this Duron 800), but my mobo is limiting me🙁. But, I dont see any other option. All I,m gonna do is pray that I can hit 266fsb, and if not, oh well. My Duron 800 wasn't lacking in performance and this will only improve🙁I would love to get an Athlon XP 1500+, but I cant justify it because there would likely be no real world performance difference for me.

Oh guys, I've got a Volcano 2 right now, and I was looking at maybe throwing a Volcano 5 into my cart at Newegg. Will this give me a better chance of reaching 133x10? Thanx!
 
a Volcano 5 into my cart at Newegg. Will this give me a better chance of reaching 133x10?
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For that price, why not look at this page at SVC. In particular, look at the options for a Golden Gate or an SVC GC68 for XP2100+. The Golden Gate is an all copper HS with excellent performance and the GC68 is an all aluminum HS that uses an 80mm fan for increased performance with lower sound levels. For $5.99, you can't beat the GC68 and I would bet that it would provide more than enough cooling for your needs. I don't work for these guys but I should; I've bought probably 4 of those GC68's for everything from a 900 Duron to a 1.33 Athlon. I'll admit I did not do a lot of overclocking with those, but I was getting solid performance and roughly 37-40 C idle temps. I've also purchased a couple of Golden Gates but they were for higher performance systems. I have no idea if the folks did much overclocking but those suckers were doing the job well when I turned them over to the customers. Maybe I will do a bit of follow up but if I remember correctly, the temps were on par with my SK-6 (very close but not quite).
 
I would have to agree about the SVC GC68 being a very good price/performance HS. I have 2 and they do a good cooling job on my duron 1.0(@113fsb) and my xp1600(@137fsb.:|). and when it comes to fans bigger is better.

SVC don't raip you on shipping either.🙂
 
Well, I ordered a Morgan 1GHz from Newegg (gotta love the free shipping🙂) and I also picked up like all of ya have suggest, a SVC GC68 along with a tube of Arctic Silver 3. We'll see how it oc's. I'll post my results once I get all of it (prolly Friday)
 
Well here's an update🙁

Today I got a Duron 1GHz from Newegg. I put the new CPU in, mounted the HSF, and to my shock, it still acted the same way🙁

Anybody got anysugestions? I checked that the RAM and Video Card were seated a second time, I used different RAM and different Video Card, and finally I did again the "dance" of resetting the CMOS, no go🙁. Any suggestions? Can anybody tell me how I could've possibly killed my K7S5A? I wish this hadn't happened,although I do already have a Shuttle refurb AK31A with 256Megs of Crucial PC2100 coming in the next few days (decided to upgrade praying to sell the K7S5A and my PC133 for equal the cost), but I really need the K7S5A to be working so I can sell it. Oh well, I pray somebody can be of assistance. Thanks guys!!!

Oh thanx guys on the suggestion for the SVC 68. I can tell its gonna be a solid HSF just by looking at it!!!
 
Not good and sorry to hear that. Without reading the entire thread again, did you happen to pull and reseat (several times) the RAM and video cards again? We know that they can be problematic. The only other thing I can think of is the PS. Maybe it has started to malfunction. Any way to test or try another?
I hope others have some better ideas but that may be a place to start. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
 
Thanks Buz2b. I really cannot believe its the power supply because it is powering the devices (ie Fans start up including its own, drives started up) But I'll try over the weekend the PS in the rig I'm using now.
 
Athlon4all:
I too, have my doubts it is the PS. But you've been around the K7S5A long enough to have seen similar instances before. They were fairly rare but they did happen; everything but a full boot. It's worth a shot and I will hope for the best. I just wish I could offer more. 🙁
 
Originally posted by: Athlon4all
Tried another 300W Power supply. same behavior. I shall wait for the AK31A to get here
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Replacing my K7S5A with my AK31A was one of the most fun upgrades I'd ever made at the time I did it. I didn't realize how much I missed all the overclocking options and juicing those Durons and T-Birds for all they've got 🙂 I've had my Morgan 1ghz and AK31A stable at 155x7.5=1.165ghz so I know it's a good overclocker. I went to 1.2 (9x133) for ECCp because raw MHZ are better for it but I recently switched to SETI on it so I may go back to 155FSB since they say SETI like bandwidth best. BTW, Buz2b Turned me on to the GC68 a few months ago and it's the best value in sktA HS/F that I've seen. I just picked up several more for client's builds and they came with the SVC 80mm 32.5cfm&grill(even though the options showed none 😕 ) for less than 10$ a piece delivered by USPS priority mail. Now I recommend it to anyone who needs a good inexpensive(notice I didn't say cheap 😉 ) HS/F. Heck, add the 80mm 50cfm Sunon to it and there ain't much it won't keep cool besides maybe the T-Breds from what I've read.
 
Tried another 300W Power supply. same behavior. I shall wait for the AK31A to get here
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OK, let's make it official; the MB is gone, finnito, no mas. Man, I'm sorry to hear that. No telling what it could have been. Every time I open a box I often wonder what suprises I have in store. Seems lately that they've all been like plumbing projects; you fix one "leak" and another starts, until it seems as though it would have been easier to repipe the whole house. 🙁
But look at the bright side; you will now have a "new toy" to play with. This new toy even comes with overclocking options. And maybe that Duron is still good. You could always test it in the new board and if all is well, then sell it to make back some of your $$.
Buz2b Turned me on to the GC68 a few months ago and it's the best value in sktA HS/F that I've seen
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Yeah, I use it a lot now. You can even get it with the YS Tech high speed fan for just a few bucks more and they still give you the stock fan. Such a deal! But the stock fan works fine in almost all but extreme situations.
Let us know how the new build goes.
 
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