What is best/highest clocked processor Nforce2 board can run?

[SaltyNuts]

I have a XP 1500+ (I think--runs at 1100 mhz) in an Epox-8RDA+ Nforce2 mobo. I wanna upgrade the processor without upgrading the motherboard.

What is the best/fastest processor that will run with that mobo? Will it run Bartons? Semprons?

Thanks for any help.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Any Socket A. Fastest would be the Athlon XP 3200+.

 

[SaltyNuts]

No kidding? The epox website only mentions "XP" . But it'll work with a Sempron? If so I'll go with a cheapie Sempron and try to OC the hell out of it.

Thanks so much.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: SaltyNuts
I have a XP 1500+ (I think--runs at 1100 mhz) in an Epox-8RDA+ Nforce2 mobo. I wanna upgrade the processor without upgrading the motherboard.

What is the best/fastest processor that will run with that mobo? Will it run Bartons? Semprons?

Thanks for any help.

Your motherboard has a max FSB of 333 MHz. So, the fastest CPU you can run is the FSB333 version of the XP 3000+ @ 2.167 GHz (but not the FSB400 version @ 2.100 GHz).

Rumors were once rife with a FSB333 Athlon XP 3200+ @ 2.33 GHz, but I'm not sure if they were ever made. Supposedly they were shipped exclusively to HP, so good luck trying to find one.

Other than the FSB400 XP 3000+ and 3200+, you should be able to run any other Socket A CPU, including Semprons and Durons.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: SaltyNuts
No kidding? The epox website only mentions "XP" . But it'll work with a Sempron? If so I'll go with a cheapie Sempron and try to OC the hell out of it.

Thanks so much.

Does your motherboard support overclocking? The only way to overclock a Sempron is to push the FSB beyond 333 MHz, and online reviews of your board say it only goes up to 333, not beyond.

 

[SaltyNuts]

Ah, so maybe I should get a 266 FSB processor and OC it?

Thanks again guys.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: SaltyNuts
Ah, so maybe I should get a 266 FSB processor and OC it?

Thanks again guys.

Well, I just found an article that shows the 8RDA+ getting up to FSB500, so I'm not sure which sources to believe. I suggest you go into your BIOS and see how far the FSB can go. Keep in mind that the "actual" FSB is half of the effective FSB. So, in your BIOS, when you see 166 MHz, that translates into FSB333. And 200 MHz translates into FSB400.

If the board can get up to FSB400 (200 MHz in the BIOS), that means you can run any processor made for Socket A. That means all Athlon XPs and Durons, and all socket A Semprons.

If your BIOS FSB setting goes up to 250 MHz (FSB500 effective), then the next step is to check to see if you have a PCI/AGP lock option. A "lock" means that you can fix the speed of the system bus, but raise the speed of the processor bus. If you have a PCI/AGP lock, then that means your board can overclock fairly well. And that, in turn, means that you might want to get a Sempron and see how far you can take it.

 

[SaltyNuts]

hurtstotalktoyou, even if the bios says it gets up to a certain speed, that doesn't mean its stable at that speed, right? So it might let me clock it up to FSB400, but still there is the possibility that is is not even close to stable at that speed?

Thanks again.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: SaltyNuts
hurtstotalktoyou, even if the bios says it gets up to a certain speed, that doesn't mean its stable at that speed, right? So it might let me clock it up to FSB400, but still there is the possibility that is is not even close to stable at that speed?

Thanks again.

Unless you overclock, your system should be completely stable.

Instability problems while overclocking can often be solved by raising the CPU voltage a bit. Note that as long as you stay at or under the maximum recommended voltage of a CPU (which is not always the "default" voltage), you shouldn't need anything more than a stock cooler.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: SaltyNuts
hurtstotalktoyou, even if the bios says it gets up to a certain speed, that doesn't mean its stable at that speed, right? So it might let me clock it up to FSB400, but still there is the possibility that is is not even close to stable at that speed?

Thanks again.

Just get an unlocked mobile XP chip. They are very flexible in that you can run them at FSB of 133/266, 166/333 or 200/400 and higher if the mobo will do it.

If the mobo requires a FSB of less than 200/400, you can just increase the CPU's multi to attain a higher-clocked CPU speed.

Just check your BIOS and make sure they allow for the CPU's multiplier to be changed, and that vcore adjustments between say 1.5v and 1.75v.

If there is no provision to change the multi, DON'T get the mobileXP

Fern

Fern

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Originally posted by: Fern
Just get an unlocked mobile XP chip. They are very flexible in that you can run them at FSB of 133/266, 166/333 or 200/400 and higher if the mobo will do it.

If the mobo requires a FSB of less than 200/400, you can just increase the CPU's multi to attain a higher-clocked CPU speed.

Just check your BIOS and make sure they allow for the CPU's multiplier to be changed, and that vcore adjustments between say 1.5v and 1.75v.

Although I don't recall the voltage adjustments that are allowed, I do know that an 8RDA+ that I recently used to assemble a PC for a Grandkid of mine had the ability to change the cpu multiplier, as long as the cpu would go along with the change.

:thumbsup: