Only 171 Mhz fsb on 8K5A2+...Help

[BlindBartimaeus]

I am using PC3500 and I am using win XP pro. The Tbred I am using is unlocked for lower multipliers and I cannot go over 171. I have NO pci cards and no matter what speed I try the fsb will not go above 171. Please throw suggestions my way since I bought this to get close to 200 if not over. Could the onboard sound be an issue. What bios settings may I try. I am very dissappointed with the OC and since the PCI divider is there I am pretty sure it isn't something with that...I am stuck...what about the speed spectrum setting?

HELP!:disgust:

 

[Technonut]

What kind of PC3500 do you have? What RAM timings are you using with it? Also what is your processor and RAM voltage set at? It could be quite a few things. Even with the 1/5 divider, anything over 166 is going out of spec.

EDIT: I see from another post that you are using Geil PC3500.... Not the best RAM around. It may be holding you back. Have you raised the VDIMM to 2.7 or 2.8V? If that does not work, try setting it at CAS 2.5.

I have my 8K5A2+ / MP2100+ @ 10x200, but I am running Corsair XMS 3500....

 

[JustStarting]

up the DDR voltage a little. what are your timings on the memory? set the ram timings relaxed and up the fsb from there. what CPU are you running. geil stuff is cheaper for a reason. I see a few reviews on newegg for it, but many more praises for corsair XMS. i got a great stick of XMS3200 for $181 at googlegear.com- still the same price this week. never try to save a couple bucks on RAM.

Try this to see if it might be your RAM:

leave the FSB default @ 133mhz and up the multiplier till you can't boot up. Calculate your CPU's max, then see if you can reach it with a different combination of FSB and multiplier. at some point your setup will max out. if it maxxes out before your results with the multiplier only- it's most likely the ram.

good luck and report back!

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

My comp has been down for 2days...so sorry for the slow reply

1st I am below what the cpu will do. My settings are fully SPD to see how high I can go. I did take DDR volts to 3.0 for a short period of time since it is rated to go that high although I won't run it there for any period of time. I believe I have nailed it down to the mobo, but I thought there may be some other setting or perhaps just the XP athlon will not go above 171...don't thinks so though. Any way the reference about the Geil I have mixed emotions about. There are tons of reviews on the stuff by credible sites. I had looked at the Corsair XMS which I have in another machine. All things considered I did choose the Geil with the hand picked 4.5ns ram...seemed like the best possible upside. All there stuff is very professionally packaged and documented...lifetime warranty as well. So yes I did save about 40-50 bucks but I am sure it is not the Ram that is limiting me. I did set to the most aggressive settings to see if that would make a difference showing me I was at the limit of the ram but it would perform the same regardless of the settings...although I did confirm with sandra that the settings were changing. I will be trying it in my abit Kx7333 here shortly and will update accordingly.

STILL if anyone has some mobo settings that I may extract some more performance in the FSB dept I would greatly appreciate any advice, and thanks to those who have replied already.

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

try pulling all pci cards and see if they are holding you back
are you getting windows will not load type errors past 171? or it just wont post

you've tried the raising the mult bit in JustStartings post?

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

I am well within multipliers and ALL pci cards are out.

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

Come on smart guys

 

[JustStarting]

tough to call, but see if you can borrow some different memory. you were only $25 away from getting the "best" memory out there. the XMS will without a doubt run higher. maybe try your stick in someone else's rig?? we can guess all day long, but only process of elimination will get you the answer. under advance chipset features in the bios- set the memory timings- pg 4-9 of the manual (first block) to "fast". these should be "lazy" timings to see what your RAM will do. if it craps out there- send it back!!

 

[FriedRiceBob]

try disabling the onboard IDE, run your drives off the RAID controller and vise-versa. remember, though, you cant use cd-drives with the RAID controller. also disable onboard sound. also disable ports, usb, etc. these are the final devices that are still "pci" if not cards. you will find your weak link, i am sure.
Finally, are you still with the stock northbridge heatsink? take it off and re-apply the grease...they put it on kinda thick

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

I have a KX7333 and I had the memory up to 185 and it was OK. So I agree I should have paid the extra 40 and got the Corsair but I got in at 185 for the Geil and Corsair is now about 230ish for the same...it is guaranteed to 217 though...Geil should stand behind their stuff but I am not convinced it is the ram. By the way it comes very nicely packaged and LOOKS to be a very quality product. I did read a lot of reviews and everyone said it exceeded their expectations. Anyway...still at a loss

 

[yee]

Try removing the crappy thermal pad under the north bridge heat sink.

 

[JustStarting]

read the reviews at newegg from the end users. geil has mixxed reviews- corsair not so mixxed, with many more reviews. googlegear has Corsair XMS3200-512 for $181.50 shipped via 2 day FedEx. Best price around- bar none!! guaranteed 200 FSB at cas 2.5, but many are getting 200fsb @ cas 2.

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

OK I WILL GET SOME CORSAIR...but it still has run much higher on another board. I didn't think that there was a thermal pad on this bad boy...I will check it out

 

[FriedRiceBob]

have you yet tried disabling onboard IDE/sound etc.?
if you can, get a PCI IDE card, and disable all on-board ide/raid while you are testing.
i think you should try these solutions before worrying about the ram (unless you can change out the ram and not lose much money, if any)

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

I have not thought about that! What would happen if I disable the onboard ide with the HD's. Are you saying put in a PCI raid etc card and power everything from that??

 

[FriedRiceBob]

what i am saying is that onboard IDE and RAID are both PCI devices. even though they are not "cards" they can still be your weak link.
if you have a decent PCI IDE card, try that instead of the onboard devices. you may be suprised

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

Now I really did it! It won't go anything thing off of default fsb

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

I took the stock HSF off and replaced it with a copper titan cooler...quite nice. Anyway to make a long story short. It will not go above 133 Mhz...too weird. I am going to send it back and get another one and hopefully it will be better