T-bird overclocking issue

[Fricardo]

I have a rather old system, but I'm trying to milk as much performance out of it as I can. My comp contains the following:

Athlon T-bird 1.33
MSI KT3 Ultra (KT 333 based, AMI BIOS v. 5.x)
PC 2100 CAS 2.0 (256x2), Kingston PC 2700 CAS 2.5 512 MB
Geforce 3
etc.

The problem is that I can't seem to keep synchronous memory timings at anything other than 133 Mhz. I can change the fsb easily enough, but I can't seem to get the RAM frequency to change with it. The options for RAM frequency configuration are: SPD and Host Clock. I have it set to Host Clock, which should make it run at the same speed as the fsb, right?. However, no matter what I do (I have tried all the settings) it won't change the RAM frequency.

I've raised the RAM timings to the highest available and that didn't help. I know that half the RAM is only rated to run at 133, but the problem isn't stability. The RAM literally won't change frequency, higher or lower.

I know this is kind of an old board, but if any of you have ideas, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

there's your holdup..

PC 2100 CAS 2.0 (256x2)

the 512 stick of 2700 Kingston by itself might allow 166mhz but your proc (1.33 is a 133mhzx2=266) if not unlocked won't.

 

[Fricardo]

The processor can go higher though. I have no problem upping the fsb. And even though the RAM is only rated to run at 133 cas 2.0, it should definitely run even a few MHz higher than that, especially at cas 3.0.

 

[Fricardo]

Once again though, the problem isn't that it won't run stably at higher frequencies, it literally won't go to higher frequencies. No matter what the fsb is and RAM settings are, at post it always says: DDR RAM 266 MHz.

 

[Fricardo]

Apparently no one has ideas? I've never really heard of anyone actually not being able to raise their clock frequency. I know it may be kind of an odd problem, but I was hoping that maybe someone would have an idea. I've been trying to work this out on my own for months now w/o success. Ideas? Anyone?

 

[QTPie]

TBird is kinda maxed out around 1.4G without watercooling. My 1.2G TBird with 266 FSB is unlocked and I could only o/c it to 1.4G @ 133, 10.5X.
I found out it was unlocked by messing around with the multiplier settings in the BIOS. You might wanna give it a chance. (Lower the multiplier and increase the FSB)

 

[Duvie]

Ficardo it may say 266mhz at post but are you sure it isn't raising the mhz of the ram??? Have you verified that with any other programs??? Have you ran aida or sissoft memory test to see if the bandwidth increased...Run memtest and see if the memory bandwidth has increased in there....

It wouldn't be the first time I saw mobos fail to identify things correctly at post screen...

 

[Fricardo]

Thanks Duvie!

I reinstalled Sandra 2004 (I had lost it on my last hard drive wipe) and checked the speeds under MB info. It said both fsb and memory clock were at the same speed overclocked. I can't belive it was that simple and I was missing it all along. It really annoys me that my MB misreports the speed though. That caused me so much trouble :/.

Current OC on my 1.33 Tbird (default 10x133):
1.47 (10.5x140)

My RAM won't go any higher at CL 2.0, so I'm leaving it there. For stock cooling it's not that bad though.

Anyways, thanks again