What's a safe chipset voltage?

[Corey0808]

I'm running a ABIT NF7-S V2.0. I have a sneaking suspicion that my chipset is to blame for me not being able to O/C my memory very far. I'm running Mushkin Level 1 PC3500 (2x256Mb). Pretty much no matter what voltage I keep the memory at I can't get past 220 stable. I've also tried loosing memory timings also. I don't know what the deal is. I haven't had a chance to try new memory so I'm trying to troubleshoot the problem. Just so you know I'm running Bios Version 20.

Just check out my Sig if you need info

 

[Soulkeeper]

up to maybe 1.9v (maybe 1.8v)max with stocks cooling
i suggest adding better cooling if you wanna go any higher

 

[Corey0808]

Is it possible my BIOS could be to blame?

 

[TheTick2]

What volts are you giving the memory, as the chipset voltage shouldnt be doing anything with the memory. I left my chipset alone, and I can get up to 220 with my Mushkin BH-6.

 

[Soulkeeper]

it is probably just your memory holding you back
i have trouble getting my mushkin level II past 220 stabily
see if you can get 2.8 or 2.85 vdimm then set the vdd to 1.8 or so
try 2-2-2-6 timings because the winbond chips don't really seem to care what latencies you use
you might wanna try another ratio too other than 1:1
run the memory a little slower and see if that doesn't help you get more cpu mhz


good luck

 

[TheTick2]

Level one I believe is BH-5, right? If thats the case, the memory can get to 500 mhz (250). Just give it more volts, mine likes 3.2 volts at 220 mhz.

 

[Jeff7181]

Overclocking is not guaranteed. Some parts are capable of certain speeds... others are not. 220 Mhz is nothing to scoff at.

 

[TheTick2]

BH-5 can get to 220, all day long, if it cant, RMA it. Especially Mushkin.

Im just saying I very highly doubt it is his ram giving him problems. How about extra cooling on the mosfets? have you done that yet? Like ramsinks for the mosfets, that usually helps out a bit, when trying to get higher fsbs

 

[Corey0808]

My ram is rated at 215FSB I think it's pretty sad I can't get past 220 on RAM rated at 215. 5mHz extra seems pretty lousy to me. I would think that it would be my board reaching it's limitations. That's why I figured I would try and up the chipset voltage. I haven't tried using heatsinks on the MOSFET's. I would appreciate it if someone explained to me what a MOSFET looks like on the motherboard. I've been thinking about getting some new cooling for my northbridge though... That might help some of the problems. I would try some new memory but I don't have any decent memory around to try and do that. Thanks for all the suggestions. Any others would be greatly appreciated

Max RAM voltage setting on my motherboard is 2.9V and I've used that and I can boot into windows at 225 but it will lock up...

 

[TheTick2]

It might not be your ram. have you run memtest at 220? To narrow it down?

Here is an example of ramsinks used on the mosfets
http://www.rojakpot.com/article/MOSFET_Sink_Guide/img_0446.jpg

another one http://www.microcool.it/img/1024/Chipsink_foto_2.jpg

heres what those fets look like

courtesy of me (not sure how long the pic will stay up)http://www.angelfire.com/ct2/ryansthoughts/mosfet_picture.JPG

edit: They have tested the northbride cooling, with aftermarket heatsink and fans, and also with water. They have not been able to get any more fsb from northbridge cooling, on the nforce2 boards.

edit #2: Dont forget as well, Abit undervolts its cpu, so you put it to 1.75 in the bios, Abit gives you 1.7. So so you know, any other questions, ask away, hope I can help, and steer you away from general things like its your ram.

 

[Corey0808]

I currently don't have a floppy drive in my computer so I can't run memtest from dos..... Thanks for the tip on the northbridge cooling. Also thanks for all the work you put into taking pictures and showing me the MOSFETS It's really appreciated.

As far as my problem is concerned I won't be able to try new memory until my semester is over at college and I can try my brothers HyperX pc3500. I'm trying to narrow the problem down to the memory and the motherboard/BIOS. I know the processor isn't at fault because I set the processor speed at just below the max it can handle at the current voltage when I try and up the FSB so I know it's not a processor instability problem. I've heard that there has been an issue with the ABIt NF7-S V2.0 getting over 220FSB with certain BIOS versions, I don't know if that is the case for me. I haven't update my BIOS since I got my motherboard about 1.5 months ago. From what is says in the bottom right of the BIOS screen I have version 20. Is this one of the versions with the problems getting over 220 FSB ?? I would like to try and get my FSB as high as possible.

I would like to say it's a memory problem but I can't be sure... In my opinion not being able to get even a 5mHz OC is pretty lousy.. I don't know what anyone else thinks... The only other thing I can think of is it's the motherboard because it's already running at 215 because that's what my memory is rated at.

 

[JBT]

uhh You can get Memtest on CD you know? I have Memtest 3.0 and + on CD I have had it on CD for like a year.

 

[TheTick2]

have you run prime95 at stock speeds already? Are you using MBM5 to give you all the volts and the rails? What brand and power are you using? Also the 5V has been notorious for giving Abit owners problems.

Like I said, why do you think its only those two things, you havent done anything to narrow anything else at all done. It could be your power, not giving out enough, your 5V could not be getting enough, you could have power fluctuations, I dont know what the temps are, what you are using for cooling, there are other forms of memtest, for windows usage here http://www.benchmarkhq.ru/fclick/fclick.php?fid=151 Its not as good, but it does get the job done, and you can use that in windows. Your timings for the Mushkin should be at 2-2-2-11 (11 has been tested to be the best for Nforce2 boards) and give it all the voltage you can through your Abit.

It could be more than those things I have listed, but I dont want you to get new memory, just because and still have this problem. Let the memtest I gave you run all night while you are sleeping, or for a few hours if you go out and have some drinks, hang out with some friends. But the problem needs to be narrowed down by a process of elimination.
Hope what I gave ya helps out

 

[Corey0808]

Yes I have run Prime95 at stock speeds. Yes I use MBM5 to check the voltages on all the rails... When under full load my voltage on all lines is well within' the 3% rated by my Antec True430 power supply. Most of the time my 5V rail is 4.98v. For cooling I'm using a SLK-947U with a Tornado fan running at about 3100 RPM. My temps CPU temps are 36C ambient and 40C load and my case temps are about 20C ambient and 23C load. I actually run my memory timings at 2-3-3-11. That is what they are supposed to be rated at. I've checked it before and when I bought it the timings were 2-3-3. I'm not actually at my computer right now I won't be able to get there until tomorrow night but when I get there I'll try and run that program you sent me.. Thanks for the help again TheTick2

 

[TheTick2]

Either way, you should be able to achieve that with the volts. Worst case, is you might need to do a volt mod to your ram, because Level one is bh-5, which will do 220 all day. And if its BH-6, then you just need 3.0 or more volts to get there. Because BH-6 can and has done over 250 with more volts. Anways, Level One is supposed to be timed at 2-2-2-11, any BH module is supposed to do that, or it needs more volts. Also, the mosfet cooling is guaranteed to help you get more fsb out of your setup too.

 

[Corey0808]

How do I figure out if it's BH-5 or BH-6? Where can I get those mosfet heatsinks and what do I attach them with? Tonight when I go back I'll run mem test at something over 220 before I Go to bed. I would like to get more than 220 since my RAM is rated at 215. I don't think you should have to force over 3v to get only 5 mHz out of my RAM. I can understand if I wanted to hit 230 which would be very nice. I Don't want to fry my RAM by putting more than 3.0v into it. I would like it to last for a decent amount of time.... The timings on my RAM are 2-3-3 the link is posted here. The supported voltage is up to 2.8 so I Would think giving it over 3 volts would be bad. My board overvolts RAM by as much as .06 so when I set it to 2.9 I usually get 2.96 or so. Hope this helps... Thanks again.

 

[Big Lar]

Level 1 is usually bh-6, so I would expect it to run at Level 2 speeds.

 

[TheTick2]

Well, I was wrong, it is not BH-5, or BH-6. Giving it more volts is never bad to a point, going up to 3.0 Vdimm is not bad for Mushkin, and it could help get more numbers out of that ram. And make sure you dont pay that much for the ram, muskinf overprices their stuff.

 

[daos]

my Mushy lvl2 is running 250 2-2-2-5 in my Abit Max3 at 3.3v with the psu 3.3 rail volt modded. i say apply the vdimm mod to that nf7 since its such an easy mod. bring it to a TV repair man if you cannot do it yourself. and then mod the 3.3 rail to say 3.6v. you will be good to go if your CPU can keep up.

i do not suggest pushing anything higher than 3.2v if the memory is not BH-5. Mushy's early version of lvl2 came with BH-5 and now they are BH-6. i believe lvl1 is CH-5, and in that case, DO NOT APPLY over 3.2v or it wil fry in no time. i speak from experience

and the answer to your question about Vdd, well i cannot since im not running nf7. i can tell you that on my Max3, im running 1.75v to the northy. from 1.71-1.75 the performance gain is linear. after 1.75v, there isnt much improvement. my Vagp is also modded to help with stability at 1:1, and 5:4 since the circuitry directly feeds the northy and stabilizes its voltage. my Vagp is set with a fixed resistor to 1.9v. i guess thats what your mainly talking about within your BIOS. Vagp. i always set that to the highest it can go. seems like the "safest" voltage to increase.

 

[Corey0808]

I already have the RAM. I'm just trying to figure out if it's my motherboard or my memory that won't allow me to push past 220 FSB... I would just like to know how I can tell if my motherboard/BIOS is at fault for not getting to 220. I've heard that on certain versions of the NF7-S V2.0 board that some of them can't get past 220 because of the BIOS. I'm running BIOS version 20. I'm going to try and run memtest tonight to narrow it down.

 

[Corey0808]

well I tried running memtest last night off of a boot CD. I set my FSB to 225 and memtest actually locked up... 57% through the first pass What does that mean?