RDRAM - 1.8@2.4 / 1.6@2.13 - Pass or Fail

[SteelCityFan]

Before I decide on either the 1.6 @ 2.13 or the 1.8 @ 2.4 I would like to know more about the pass fail rates specifically with quality Samsung 16 module RDRAM and the TH7II.

Also, did you have to bump up the voltage...

I want to run a 133FSB to avoid running the PCI/AGP bus out of spec.

 

[SteelCityFan]

OK.. Bump for more numbers...

...and to ask for more information from those of you who can't hit 2.13 with the 1.6A. I was under the assumption that pretty much all of them could, but the numbers are 7 can 3 can't (I voted stable to see the results). Not as high of a success rate as I had hoped... almost makes me consider the 1.8 .. at least if I can't hit a 133FSB, I can drop to 1.8 and run the PCI bus in spec.. and not be too slow..

For those that failed...

Which Motherboard?
Which brand of RDRAM?
16 chip or 8 chip for 256MB sticks?
8 or 4 chip for 128MB sticks?

 

[SteelCityFan]

The search for data continues....


For those people who reported it not to be stable... what are your RAM and MoBo setups? Help me fill in the blanks...


Please take a second to answer the poll if you have not already...

To be honest, I was hoping for a higher success rate for the 1.6A, and I find it hard to believe I have not gotten any 1.8A data.

 

[lastig21]

I can't really vote on any of your choices the way they are written. My Rdram is unstable at 1066 speeds, but my 1.6a is perfectly stable at a 133 bus. I just have to drop the multiplier of the Rdram. I am currently running at a 150 bus on a TH7-II Raid, which means with the 3x multiplier my ram is at 900 speeds.

For a 133 bus, I did not have to bump up the voltage of the cpu. I have not found a voltage adjustment for the ram.

edit: Samsung 256meg 16device rimms

edit #2 With the 77beta bios for the TH7-II, you can use the "fix" option in the bios to run the pci/agp in spec at any speeds.

 

[Jgtdragon]

Interesting thread. I want to know too out of curiousity.

 

[SteelCityFan]

<< I can't really vote on any of your choices the way they are written. My Rdram is unstable at 1066 speeds, but my 1.6a is perfectly stable at a 133 bus. I just have to drop the multiplier of the Rdram. I am currently running at a 150 bus on a TH7-II Raid, which means with the 3x multiplier my ram is at 900 speeds.

For a 133 bus, I did not have to bump up the voltage of the cpu. I have not found a voltage adjustment for the ram.

edit: Samsung 256meg 16device rimms

edit #2 With the 77beta bios for the TH7-II, you can use the "fix" option in the bios to run the pci/agp in spec at any speeds. >>




It's a little discouraging to hear that your RAM is unstable at that speed... I have heard from a few people that said theirs was...

Have you tried the 77beta bios? THis would be just what I would be looking for. Since the TH7II has this feature, I might just end up getting the 1.8, try it at 2.4, but if it did not make it, I could leave the PCI/AGP in spec... as I assume this is what you currently do or plan on doing once the bios goes final?..

I don't quite understand the 3x RAM multiplier giving you 900Mhz. What are you multiplying 3 by? Obviously 300, but where did the 300 come from?.. 100x2? Please explain this if you have a moment.

BTW.. this would be my first planned overclock. I am pretty new to it although I have experimented with small OC's.

 

[SteelCityFan]

Jgtdragon

I see you have pretty much the same system I was planning on getting....

Have you tried to OC your 1.8A?

 

[Jgtdragon]

This is how it works:

If you run the memory at 3x, its 3 x 133 fsb = 400 hmz (which is Pc800) Not really overclocking the rimms.
If you run the memory at 4x, its 4 x 133 fsb = 533 Hmz.

Also, where can you get this 77 beta bios? The part about "fix" agp and pci at 66/33 sounds interesting.

I just got this board yesterday. It comes with the AC2001 on board sound which I disabled. I just overclock it a little now. Running it at 2078 (4 x 115) at default voltage now. Might try higher, but worry about the Agp/Pci going out of spec.

I got an Asus P4T-E too. I like the overclocking feature of the Abit a little more; therefore, the Asus P4T-E is for sell.

 

[SteelCityFan]

<< This is how it works:

If you run the memory at 3x, its 3 x 133 fsb = 400 hmz (which is Pc800) Not really overclocking the rimms.
If you run the memory at 4x, its 4 x 133 fsb = 533 Hmz.

Also, when can you get this 77 beta bios? The part about "fix" agp and pci at 66/33 sounds interesting. >>





OK, makes sense... so, if my RAM won't handle the 133 FSB, I can run the RAM in spec and the CPU at 133FSB. Cool, but I still don't know if I want the 1.8 or the 1.6 .. haha

This is really sounding like a very good board. I also notice that the price difference between RAID and non-RAID on newegg just dropped to $14.

 

[RazeOrc]

Hey have the Th7-II RAID here running PC800 Samsung RIMMs x32 and they OC awesome, I have an old wilamette 1500 (was waiting for the Northwoods to go higher) but with these slightly older sticks of ram I have yet to kill my comp, the only reason i can't get beyond 2000MHz from this socket 478 is the pci divider fix does not work with the latest BIOS from ABIT : th7h38, both sandra and WCPUID report it's still not fixed, and when i drop the ram speed to 300MHz to get over 2000MHz, it boots but just wont load windows cause the PCI divider is messed up, I am very anxious to get this BIOS that "WORKS" cause then I can really see how much I can squeeze out of this older and seeming more stable ram....

 

[lastig21]

Check my old thread here for links to the 77beta bios. There is also a link to a discussion on Hard Forum with alot of good info on that bios. The two great things about the bios is fixing the "fix" option and allowing for voltage adjustments over 1.8v



I don't quite understand the 3x RAM multiplier giving you 900Mhz
FSB(150) x multiplier(3) x 2(dual channel)

I have not tried to run my ram at pc1066 since I flashed to the 77bios. Even if it could run that speed now, I really doubt that it could run at the pc1200speeds that my 150fsb would force on it. Even with the 38bios, my ram at that speed was stable enough to benchmark it. I got sandra Scores of about 3240 at 1066speeds and have Sandra scores of about 3160 at 900speeds. The performance hit isn't great.

 

[FishTankX]

150FSB=150X3XDDR=900.

RDRAM PC800 is 400MHZ DDR. Get it?
RDRAM running at the 3X multiplier is 3XFSBX2 (For DDR, not for dual channel)

 

[SteelCityFan]

Question about the "fixed" AGP/PCI bus...

Will running them asynchronously (ie. not 2/3, 1/3 respectively) of the FSB hurt performance? In other words, would a FSB of 105 with a fixed PCI/AGP force the system to run slower overall than a 100 FSB with the proper divisors?

 

[lastig21]

Question about the "fixed" AGP/PCI bus...

I have read that the fixed AGP/PCI bus does hurt performance, and I'm sure it does, but I haven't noticed. My system is still fast, and all my benchmarks still went up with the faster cpu speed even with the fixed bus. I wouldn't be running a fixed bus if I didn't need to, but my onboard sound does not work at a 150fsb even with the 1/4 divider. I've been looking for an excuse to get a new soundcard though

 

[Jgtdragon]

I do see that "Fixed" option in the BIOS. I thought it only fixed the AGP at 66 and does nothing for PCI. Please correct me if I am wrong.

For example, I set my FSB to 115. The Pci will be at 38 Hmz and my AGP remains at 66 if I seleceted "Fixed" in Bios.

 

[SteelCityFan]

I think the PCI might gets it's speed from dividing the AGP bus... so fixing the AGP would then fix the PCI bus as well... although I could be wrong.

 

[ginfest]

Just FYI; "*foo" at HOCP checked his TH7-II PCIslots (with "38" BIOS and "fix" option) with an ocilloscope. He found that the "fix" option kept the PCI at 33Mhz +/- 1 Mhz
check out this thread, I linked page 4 with the results but actually the whole thread has some great info.

HOCP "Strictly Intel" Forum

Also, check out these search results on the same forum, there is a great thread on the "77" BIOS also.

HOCP

 

[lastig21]

Using the "fixed" function with the 38bios, I could never load windows at a fsb of above 125 (not even 133). I could however use the 1/4 divider and run just fine at 133. My voltages didn't allow me to reach a 150fsb with the 38bios, so I flashed to the 77bios. At a 150fsb, my sound would crap out, so I gave the "fix" option another chance (this time using the 77bios). The computer worked great, including my sound.

 

[Jgtdragon]

Let me try out the 77 Bios. I didn't see the 1/4 option in the bios with 38. Will look at it again.

 

[lastig21]

I believe it is listed as 2/4 in the bios. I guess 2 for the agp, and 4 for the pci? When you select the option in the bios, it will show what your agp/pci speeds will change to. It was in the 38bios on my board, so it should be on yours.

 

[RazeOrc]

My experience with my "Willy" and a TH7-II RAID has been mixed in terms of OCing with the 38 BIOS, could up to about 1.8 GHz but it had stability issues, and I would have to drop the ram to 300. I could NEVER boot into Win2kPro @2GHz, Now with the 77 BIOS my lil' "Willy" can run 2GHz with RAM @ 300 and 400, err should I say 533 @ 2GHz (effectivley FSB = 133). I have some stability issues @ 2GHz and I'm still testing for optimum performance, @ 1830 she runs fine, stable as a rock, I have never been able to do this with the 38 BIOS, and if I can figure out a way to get my lil' "Willy" to 2 and keep him there then I will Hope 77 is as good for all of you as it has been for me.