My BH-5 sucks or something...

[Bop]

I took a peak under my Kingston memory heat spread and I saw the BH-5 on my RAM, first thing I thought was YEAH!!!!

My computer is giving me one hell of a time with it though. I can run 11.5x210 at 2-3-2-11 Prime95 stable at 2.8v but if I try 217mhz 2-3-3-11 at 2.9v Prime95 fails in an hour. I ran memtest86 all night with it at 215mhz, 2-3-2-11, 2.9v and got zero errors.

If I try 210mhz at 2-2-2-11 it fails in minutes, I shouldn't have to lax my timings with BH-5! Shouldn't 2.9v be enough?

[SJetski71]

I took a peak under my Kingston memory heat spread and I saw the BH-5 on my RAM, first thing I thought was YEAH!!!!

My computer is giving me one hell of a time with it though. I can run 11.5x210 at 2-3-2-11 Prime95 stable at 2.8v but if I try 217mhz 2-3-3-11 at 2.9v Prime95 fails in an hour. I ran memtest86 all night with it at 215mhz, 2-3-2-11, 2.9v and got zero errors.

If I try 210mhz at 2-2-2-11 it fails in minutes, I shouldn't have to lax my timings with BH-5! Shouldn't 2.9v be enough? As with all other computer hardware, not all components are able to get monster oc's. Back in the day when BH5 was plentiful there were plenty of people getting lousy oc's for various reasons. You may have mediocre chips. On the other hand BH5 does love voltage and there is a good chance that 3.0v or 3.1v will net you better results.

[Bop]

What confuses me is that memtest passes 12+ hours when all tests are run at 215mhz 2-3-2-11 timings at 2.9v. I also can run 11x210 for 9+ hours in Prime with 2.8v but if I take the timings down to 2-2-2-11 it fails in seconds even if I bump it to 2.9v.

Also if I run 10x220 it seems to run Prime ok but right when I put it to 10.5x220 the things fails in seconds.

I'm beginning to think its a motherboard/CPU combination. People over at the ABIT forums are having a tought time even getting 208mhz with the NF7-S v2 and the mobile AMDs. Maybe I should consider myself lucky and leave it at 2.4ghz?

Would I get a noticible increase bumping my FSB up 7mhz? Also what would be faster, an XP-M at 2.4ghz(11.5x210) or a desktop Barton at 2.3ghz(10.5x220). I'd like to know as I have an unlocked 2500+ stored away and if my OC problem is caused by the XP-M and NF7-S combo I might get more FSB at the cost of overall mhz.

[SJetski71]

Sometimes getting that last "2" in your memory timings needs an extra voltage boost. Otherwise i'm pretty sure 11.5 x 210=2.4ghz is faster than 10.5 x 220=2.3 ghz with 'most' apps. 7-10 mhz higher fsb with a slower cpu isn't much of a speed increase.

Keep in mind that every 75mhz with amd equals 100mhz with intel (in amd's book anyway)

Whats your max fsb running Cas2-2-2-11 ? (11 is better for Nforce2 mobos btw, nets almost 100 bandwidth points in sandra).

The issue with Mobiles and high fsb is one i've never run across btw. It always seemed to come back to the fact that many abit NF7-S didn't like to oc past 210-220 fsb (unlike DFI).

[Bop]

I would've bought the DFI but I was on a budget(buying a 6800GT for some DooMing).

I think the max FSB I can get with 2-2-2-11 is 205mhz, not sure. I think I'll just blame the motherboard. I'll also try bumping just the multiplier and see how that goes, but it could be like how 10x220 passes but 10.5x220 fails.

I'm getting a SLK900a but I doubt that will do anything as 54C CPU temp and 34C case temp shouldn't cause Prime to fail.

[SJetski71]

I would've bought the DFI but I was on a budget(buying a 6800GT for some DooMing).

I think the max FSB I can get with 2-2-2-11 is 205mhz, not sure. I think I'll just blame the motherboard. I'll also try bumping just the multiplier and see how that goes, but it could be like how 10x220 passes but 10.5x220 fails.

I'm getting a SLK900a but I doubt that will do anything as 54C CPU temp and 34C case temp shouldn't cause Prime to fail. Your two best options would probably be cas2-2-2-11 @ 205fsb, or cas2-2-3-11 @ 210fsb (as you mentioned before). Many would probably choose the lower 205fsb cas2-2-2-11 though (probably faster).
but it could be like how 10x220 passes but 10.5x220 fails
You've either hit some barrier, likely some mobo/cpu/voltage/mem timing limit. Nforce2 mobos and all XP chips can be finicky bastards that insist on some mysterious balance being achieved. Many of them hate multi's 10.5 thru 11.5 (and at certain fsb to further complicate matters)
as 54C CPU temp and 34C case temp shouldn't cause Prime to fail. 55C is when my cpu & system starts exhibiting weird behavior, crashes to desktop etc. These temps are off software and bios measurements btw, a temp probe may display something different. I keep my cpu cool with an slk800, high cfms and cool air funneling in some flexible tubing (http://www.svcompucycle.com/ovcokitbl.html) <- that kit dropped me about 6-7C idle and 4C load on my cpu. This is after strenously testing before and after. The downside is thats its for 80mm unless you adapt it.

Edit: my mess of a post somewhat fixed

[Bop]

Seems like it runs ok at 12x210 with the memory at 2-3-2-11. Prime has been running for 30 mins so far, I'm going to find out in 30mins-2 hours if it is more stable. If my memory passes at 215mhz and my CPU runs ok at 12x210 then I can jump to the conclusion that it is indeed the motherboard or the CPU/motherboard combo.

2525mhz isn't bad at all though if I can keep it running. When I get my SLK I can check out 2.6ghz too :) At least its not as bad as the people who can't even keep it stable at 205mhz, but FSB gives the biggest performance boost so I'm a little bummed.

[uwackme]

On the FSB front, there is something going on with NF7-S and 2x 512M sticks of BH5.

They dont get along, first you need a CPC "off" bios, You also need a serious PSU... 530W Fortron or 550W SuperFlower min. You need serious cooling as well. The ram wants higher than 2.9V max from the board stock... I Vdimm/Vtt/Vdd mod'd my NF7-S.

I never got past 215Mhz stable even with CPC off on it with 2x 512M. On a DFI Infinity or LanpartyB the very same ram did 250Mhz without breaking a sweat.

This is all 11,2,2,2,2.0. The default "alpha" timings in NF7 bios are also too tight, but are only changable by bios-mod, not by settings.... though you can use WPCRSET from windows to slow them down, but if they are a problem, you wont GET to windows to set them loose.

I made the switch, the ram is much more valuable than any motherboard. The bios support from DFI is lightyears beyond all others.

Mind you, with 2x 256 sticks, the NF7-S seriously SCREAMS!! Mine with 2x 256M CH5 does 246Mhz x10.5; 11,2,3,2.0; 24/7 stable and does 20,780 3D2k1 on a stock speed 9800XT!