Synchronisity...have I got this right?

[qhunter]

I'm going to Korea soon(thanks Uncle Sam) and am getting ready to build a new system for the 1st time so I can go gaming crazy. Looking at using an xp 2600+ with 333fsb on an asus a7nx mb w/ 2 sticks of corsair xms 256 cas2 pc 3200 ram for the heart of the system. Now I am new at this but I've been reading these forums for a while now and think I developing an understanding of how this oc'ing stuff works. As I understand it pc 3200 runs at 200mhz (for 400 ddr). The fsb runs at 166mhz for 333 ddr. This is asynchronus and means that I wont get top performance out of the RAM. So if i then bumb up the fsb through the bios to 200mhz (400 ddr) and lock the pci/agp at 33/66 the memory and cpu would then be syncronus (should be a good thing) and the system stable. [Q: does this require playing with the voltage and is this alone a major cooling issue if I have the stock cpu hs/fan and an extra 2 fans circulating air in the case?]

After that if i decide to oc the cpu I adjust the multiplier (fsb x multiplier...right?) to set the new cpu speed which will certainly require voltage adjustment if am getting this right. So, for example, if the fsb is now 200 and the multiplier is say 12.5 the cpu would be at 2500mhz. Ow!! my head hurts.... just bumping the fsb oc's the cpu whether you adjust multipliers or not. Duh. I feel dumb.

Please, if I am understanding correctly, let me know. Interested in any hints you may have about cooling and voltage settings and whether or not this set up should achieve synchronus operation with out too much hastle.

Thanks very much, in advance, for your input!!

 

[Duvie]

Well first of...

Yes the key to it would be run the mem and cpu fsb in synch....The bandwidth of the athlon will be maxed at 166fsb with pc2700 so yes 200fsb would be key to run and really take advantage of the potential bandwidth of the pc3200....

However 2 things.....

1) You likely will not get a 2600+ level to run 200fsb without unlocking and adjusting the multipler right off the bat...Otherwise it will be like 13 x 200 for 2.6ghz and I don't think so at current stepping I am seeing!!!

2) What amd mobos are coming with agp/pci locks??? I haven't seen them yet....Maybe a 1/6pci divider kicking in at 200 could ajust it back to 33/66 but definitely check on its availability first....


hopefully you can adjust multiplier to 12 x 200 and get a 2.4ghz overclock with 1.8v or less and that would be a sweet oc....However I haven't seen a lot of ppl obtaining thatnow which makes your likelihood not that great to be honest....

 

[TenEgg]

Ok I haven't read a lot of amd stuff but I thought the TbredBs are factory unlocked? Is this true or not?

 

[Soulkeeper]

you'll still be pushing the ram even at 166mhz if you use the fastest timings
cause they spec it with the cas latency at 2 but the other system timings higher
so if you run it at 2-2-2-5 t1 @ 166 then you'll be sitting happy
you can always up the fsb and mem to 200 as well and lower the clock mult since they come unlocked these days

welp hope you have fun, looks like a nice setup
also if you wanna save a bit you could just pick up the 2400+ and easily oc it to 2800+ speeds and higher

 

[qhunter]

Thanks for the help. Gives me more to work with. Now i just need to get a better understanding of memory settings. not quite sure what all of them are yet so don't know how to fully interpret all of the timing hints of the last poster.

thanks again!