Weird A7N8X-e Deluxe issue

[Nocturnal]

I tried to overclock my Barton using the multipler method and I guess it's locked. I then attempted to overclock using the FSB method so I went ahead and changed the FSB to 200mhz. This did not work. What also happend was I could post the board but I had to clear the CMOS, always. I even tried upping the DDR voltage to 2.8 for my two 512mb Ballistix PC3200 modules and it would not post after I saved the BIOS settings. Luckily this is my work bench so I tested the PSU out and it still didn't post. I changed the memory to some generic PC3200 stuff and it posted just fine. After it posted, I shut it down, reinstalled the Ballistix and it is now posting fine even at 2.6 DDR voltage. I just changed it to 2.7 just in case. Ballistix is rated for 2.8.

Anyway here are the system specs:

ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe Lastest BIOS 1013 I believe
Crucial Ballistix 512x2mb PC3200 memory
AMD Barton 2500+ retail with retail heatsink/fan
WD hard drive
Antec 450W PSU
Geforce MX video card

Any ideas?

 

[Fern]

Any ideas?

I think the answer lies somewhere in the BIOS setting. When you cleared teh CMOS the defaults kicked in, as well as the SPD readings on the Ballistix. Then when you put the crap ram in, the spd gonna change again....

Also on these boards the BIOS settings don't always take the first time.

I see it as basically a fluke. If you wanna try to reproduce the error, then take note of the BIOS settings after each CMOS reset, and after each change of the ram. I bet the answer would present itself with that data.

BTW: Move your FSB up incrementally and increase vcore too.

Fern

 

[ectx]

a7n8x has a well known problem with: system failed memory test. For my board. You reset CMOS, it would boot up. You then set the memory timing and it stops booting,

For my a7n8x, I find it simply does not like CAS3 for certain memory sticks - setting it 2.5 would solve the problem for me. Very odd.

 

[Nocturnal]

Is it even possible to change the mhz in increments instead of 100, 133, 166, 200?

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Is it even possible to change the mhz in increments instead of 100, 133, 166, 200?

Should be, IIRC on my version of the NF2 set CPU/FSB to "expert" and it brings up the whole range (in 1mhz increments).

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
Is it even possible to change the mhz in increments instead of 100, 133, 166, 200?

Yes it is, and I thought the Barton2500+ was an unlocked processor as well, at least my mobile versions certainly are.

 

[Fern]

Desktop CPU's made after week 39 of 2003 (IIRC) are uber-locked.

All the mobiles are unlocked.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: Fern
Desktop CPU's made after week 39 of 2003 (IIRC) are uber-locked.

All the mobiles are unlocked.

Ahhh....thats why I was buying Mobile Bartons last year