will this overclock work - can all P4 1.6A's go to 2.1GHz?

[grepcomputers]

If I buy a P4 1.6A, an ASUS P4B266-C and 2x crucial 256MB PC2100 DIMM's from newegg, what are the chances that the setup will hit 2.1GHz @ 133FSB (RAM @ full FSB)? What about with the retail fan & heatsink?

For a little more money I can buy the setup from pcnut.com and it is guaranteed to overclock, but I figure if all 1.6A's can hit 2.1GHz then I can save money, which is a good thing on my very limited budget...

cheers...
...grep

 

[Tates]

I've yet to hear of any 1.6a's that couldn't hit 2.1Ghz with the first boot-up.

Edit: I stand corrected.

 

[CrawlingEye]

Originally posted by: Tates
I've yet to hear of any 1.6a's that couldn't hit 2.1Ghz with the first boot-up.

I think he's worried about his RAM more than anything.


In answering the poster's question. The 1.6a's should be able to hit at least 140fsb no problem.
When I got my 1.6a, this is what I did:

First boot: 133fsb
Second boot: 140fsb
Third boot: 150fsb
Fourth boot: 155fsb

I was at 155 fsb, but I lowered it because my RAM can't handle the higher speeds, and I'd rather have 275mhz RAM then 155mhz RAM and a tiny increase in cpu speed/bus speed.

You might want to get new RAM though. newegg.com's currently selling Sammy 512 sticks for $148. :Q

 

[Derango]

Originally posted by: Tates
I've yet to hear of any 1.6a's that couldn't hit 2.1Ghz with the first boot-up.

Yep, I haven't heard of a 1.6A that couldn't do 2.1ghz, although I do know of some 1.6As that won't do anything beyond that.

 

[SupermanCK]

I say go for it but get the 1 stick of ram instead of 2...get either Samsung original, mushkin level 2, corsair XMS...if buying crucial...i also suggest getting a memory cooling system from thermaltake or something...plus the only ones that won't go beyond 2.13GHz is the oldest batch...all the new batches seem to do 150+FSB even with default voltage...some even at 166FSB...

 

[CrawlingEye]

Oh, I completely overlooked the number of RAM sticks.

As a note, it's better to have one stick of RAM, for OCing.

The Corsair's very good RAM as well.
However, the Mushkin I wouldn't consider.

The 4 RAM sticks that I would get:

256MB Kingmax DDR333 5.5ns
256MB Kingmax DDR400 5.5ns
512MB Samsung DDR333 6ns
512MB Corsair XMS DDR333 (don't know the ns?)
or the 256MB stick of Corsair.

All should be very good for OCing. Make sure you only get one stick though.

 

[grepcomputers]

why only one stick...
...grep

 

[CrawlingEye]

It greatly cripples your ability to OC. The only time you want more than one stick is if you're using an RDRAM system (where it's better to have more sticks, since it runs dual channel).

 

[Barrei]

Crawling eye there are some 1.6a's that won't do 140 fsb , Mcgrep get original Samsung pc2700 as it will come in handy for those high fsb , even though that board is rated only to pc2100 it will easily handle pc2700.

 

[SupermanCK]

hey McGrep if you want some statics...go check out my thread on 1.6A speed
Here you go

 

[zxcv]

Do I need to overclock my RAM as well if I overclock the processor? Or can I still leave it at its regular speed?

Also, if I do have more than one stick does that mean I can't overclock the processor?

 

[SupermanCK]

you only need to overclock the FSB in the bios...or by jumper setting on your mobo
you still can overclock your memory too by setting the CAS setting...if you don't know what it is...you dont' have to worry about it...
as for more than one stick of memory...it may not overclock as well because there are more component in your system...but it doesn't mean you can't overclock you system...

 

[CrawlingEye]

Originally posted by: Barrei
Crawling eye there are some 1.6a's that won't do 140 fsb , Mcgrep get original Samsung pc2700 as it will come in handy for those high fsb , even though that board is rated only to pc2100 it will easily handle pc2700.

*some* can't, most can though. Check the 1.6a speed poll.

 

[grepcomputers]

Well, because I'm such a freak ;-) I like to stick with in-spec bus speeds, as they tend to give me the most stable overclocks. So I was only planning to take the P4 to 2.1GHz on a 133FSB. Which is why I was only planning to get PC2100 RAM. Of course, the 4:5 ratio sounds good, in which case I'd need PC2700 or PC3000?

The main thing is price - I want to keep it as low as possible. Wow...a 512MB stick of Samsung PC2700 RAM is only $148 at newegg. Is the Samsung RAM good? Like Crucial good?

I know PC2100 is a 133, what FSB is PC2700? 166?

Like I said above, I try to keep everything else in spec.

cheers...
...grep

 

[CrawlingEye]

The Sammy's the best DDR333 RAM out right now. Go with that and you'll be definitely glad you did.

Here's a DDR333 shootout.

 

[gunf1ghter]

My 1.6a was not stable at 2.13 gig. Even with the vcore set to 1.75 volts and the most conservative memory timings it would run at that speed but games would occassionally lock up.

Intel still bins their cores as far as I know so getting one that will do 2.13 is not a guarentee. I'm sure many others have had cores not able to hit that speed and don't mention it because they RMA for another CPU.

 

[CrawlingEye]

Originally posted by: gunf1ghter
My 1.6a was not stable at 2.13 gig. Even with the vcore set to 1.75 volts and the most conservative memory timings it would run at that speed but games would occassionally lock up.

Intel still bins their cores as far as I know so getting one that will do 2.13 is not a guarentee. I'm sure many others have had cores not able to hit that speed and don't mention it because they RMA for another CPU.

Not really, it's really very rare for something like that to happen.
I took my 1.6a out of the box and booted as follows

(all was done in a matter of 15 minutes)

boot 1: 133fsb
boot 2: 140fsb
boot 3: 145fsb
boot 4: 150fsb

I just bumped it up to 1.675 vcore and wah-la, stable as a rock.
No, I didn't RMA it either.

You've just had bad luck. Maybe you might want to RMA yours though?

 

[gunf1ghter]

I bought a 2.2a (they are down to under $250). I am ebaying my 1.6a.

 

[Freejack2]

Got one for my wife. Won't go above 1800mhz.
It sucks but it's speced to run at 1600mhz, anything above that is a gamble plain and simple.

 

[gunf1ghter]

That's kind of my point. Some guys get fortunate and happen upon one that will do 2.13 or 2.4 and just kind of assume that they ALL will hit those speeds, and they all won't.

 

[pvhk]

gunf1gther can you tell me the reference of your 1.6A that can't sustain @2.133, is it a malay or a costa rica and what is the packdate because i intend to buy an 1.6A with a p4b533

 

[dougp]

I'm running my 1.6a @ 2.0 for right now due to shitty case fans, but a funny thing is, my 1.6a @ 2.1 will not go into windows, it just posts then locks up, yet I take it to 2.4 and everything runs fine...

I have an MSI 845 Ultra-ARU, 1x 256mb PC2100 Samsung and 1x 256mb PC2100 Crucial, all at default voltage, so I really don't get why I can't get into windows @ 2.1, but I can get 2.4... Really wierd... I think I'm gonna get 1 stick of PC2700 Samsung if NewEgg is gonna keep that price when I get my next paycheck

 

[gunf1ghter]

pvhk,

it was a retail chip from costa rica. it has been previously reported by a forum member who works for Intel that there is absolutely NO difference between the costa rica and malay chips... they are all produced at the same plant and only go to those countries for final assembly.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I think it is a rare 1.6A indeed that cannot achieve 2.1 GHz. I imagine most of the people who cannot achieve this are either suffering from a problem with their mobo or RAM, or are unwittingly setting something up wrong (voltage, RAM/CPU ratio, or something similar).

 

[gunf1ghter]

ummm..... ok.