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advice OCing/optimizing mediocre system? (pics)

L

LadyJaqie

I Have No Title
Joined
Jun 9, 2002
Messages
1,422
Hi there! I got this system on a spur of the moment, all the parts were from a local computer store, I couldn't wait to get a computer again after being without for so long, so I admit I really jumped the gun and settled for much less quality then I would have otherwise. I have been a computer technician for over 10 years, and have OCed things almolst that entire time, but never got extremely deep into it, and honestly just never bothered learning how to optimize memory timings, even though I know it can result in HUGE performance gains. *shrug* The last processor i ever OCed was an unlocked athlon AXIA 1Ghz/133FSB... never did much with it tho... I did take a duron spitfire 600 to 952... didnt have any speed jumpers on the board I had so I blow bridges and pencil-clocked and voltaged it. So, I do have experience OCing.

Fast forward to the present... I have an athlon XP 2500+ barton (stock HSF)... 2x512MB PC2700 DIMMs (the chips on one is samsung and on the other is micron UGH!)... ATI radeon 9800 PRO retail... Gigabyte GA-7VA-C mobo with the F11 BIOS in it (giga is awesome boards if you dont wanna OC, blech I wanna)...

case.jpg

as you can see my case has been modded for more airflow. stupid stock HSF...

inside.jpg

more modding for better airflow... I actually soldered in extentions to the PSU wires to get them behind the mobo tray...

cpu.jpg

ugh digicam cost me $320 and it wont take good closeups

ram.jpg

again stupid cam. its good so long as I dont need closeups tho!

bios1.jpg

bios2.jpg

you see how SEVERELY limiting the BIOS is. they do have something called enable top performance but it seems to make my system really unstable.

*sigh* ok... at present I am getting ready to move so NO MONEY can be spent on the computer. Once I get settled in I want
1) new mobo...which? I prefer reliability over anything else and was lookin at chaintech but dunno if they are good for OCing...
2) much better HSF... when I had the AXIA 1Ghz I had a PAL8045 and ADORED it... but most mobos dont seem ot have the socket A mounting holes for it.
3) new case... im thinking the enlight midtower I had back when I had the AXIA, I also adored that... and I would mod it for air like I did this one (hint: I own a hole saw the proper size for the fans so no biggie. GO HOLE SAW! forget dremels.)

but what I am looking for HERE is any way I may be able to improve performance NOW without money being spent... Ideas? Please? --Thanks a TON in advance! *hugs*
 
~edit~ K.I.S.S. *smack head*
Nobody has any ideas on how I can get this sys to perform better?... its kinna hot cuzza the HSF is stock... maybe someone has memory timing advice or maybe something i dont know about this board? or maybe even a way I can enable the mysterious 'top performance' without my system going unstable? *sigh*
 
well, I bought an Abit NF-7, and it was cheap, and has worked well for me.

HSF wise.... i persoanlly am a fan (hehe, so clever) of the Thermaltake silent boost, but that's mainly because I like quite....:)
 
jagie, what type of amd platform is that board? i.e. KT266/333/400, nForce2?..

what FSB are you at currently and what timing... default?

Is your barton 2500+ a mobile or just regular? what total clock are you at now?

i gotta ask these questions to start answering/helping you..
 
sorry. its KT333. it couldnt be a KT266 because the 2500+ is 166 FSB, that's one of the reasons I bought it, for higher FSB.

im running at 166 just like it says in the BIOS settings picture.

I dont know the timings of the RAM because the stupid BIOS doesnt show them...

its not a mobile or I would have said mobile...

edit: total clock is default... 1836.11Mhz 166.92x11 actual clock as shown by WCPUID

and thanks a ton for helping :)

linky to the WCPUID screenie
http://jaqie.mine.nu/jaqie/h/wcpuid.jpg
 
I see you're currently running at FSF : DRAM ratio@ 1:1 Sync. Good....

so I take it you're at 11 x 166 FSB and default ram timing(hidden by your bios).

Check to see if you have "Fast Command CPU decode" in the memory section in the BIOS. sometimes it's located nearby the CPU / FSB clock, sometimes nearby the memory section. Enable it, or if it gives you to choose between "Ultra", "Fast", and "Normal", choose "Fast".

Set the CAS Latency to 2.0
Set the RAS to CAS Delay to 2
Set the RAS Precharge to 2
Set the TRas cycle time to 6 or 7.

Check to see if you have 1T and 2T command options available. Use 1T if possible. Will put strain on the memory(just like FastCPU decode puts strain on memory).

Do these settings if your memory is able to take cas2-2-2. More memory voltage maybe necessary. Increase it to 2.8 or higher.

Leave the multiplier at 11x.
Leave the FSB at 166 for now. Increase it later if the system is stable.

These are the kind of memory settings to make your system run at its best performance.

Many Bartons do 2.2~ 2.4ghz air cooled@ upto 1.85v. Since you're using factory HSF, maybe stay under/upto 1.8v. You'll need to find out what's the total clock your CPU can handle first. Then move on to FSB clocking alone. You know what to do so I won't continue here..

There maybe few more settings in the memory or elsewhere so if you're not sure, ask us and we'll try to help.
 
another thing to worry about is your memory sticks. You have some massive amount of ram there. 2x512 mixed stick and PC2700 might be a little toughy... for making super-tight memory setting.. but try it. I would play with 2.7~ upto 2.85'ish volts memory. I wouldn't push it too much. Too much memory voltage can cause instabilities too when making tight settings.


a long way back, I had an Abit KR7A (kt266a) at 193FSB@ tightest timing &@ 97+mhz AGP and 48.3mhz PCI and the performance was like a mad dog.. it was so fast that it was similar to the performance of nForce2 clock for clock FSB for FSB. some amazing board I had.. God I loved it.. my HDDs are able to handle 50+mhz PCI(still using them). :cool:
 
bios version F11 being used. damn this board sucks for OCing, looked everywhere there isnt anything for anything other then what I show in the screenies... the ram can be driven +0.1v +0.2v or +0.3v, and the CPU can be driven +5% voltage wise or +10%

if I try increasing the FSB the RAM stays at 166 too :(

looks like to tweak my sys imma hafta buy some stuff. blech. Ive never bought for OCing, just for reliability and OCd what I had. *sigh* chaintech and mushkin? corsair and DFI? *shrug*
 
oh and the mystery 'top system performance' option that makes my system hang on boot...
 
yea.. that means it's too hard on your system. You memory is probably struggling. More voltages could help.. but like you've said, it's very limited in your board...

man.. guys, wanna see my macro shots? talk about macro, i can show you some serious macro'ing... weeeeeeeee.......
 
if you want a very good silent hs, go with the Zalman7000alcu, better then the silent boost iv read the reviews and done research b4 buying it..though im moving on the water cooling so i might hand it down to for cheap soon..
 
Do you, or did you, work for Voodoo? That cabling job you did is very impressive. I suggest the following.

Shuttle AN35N-ULTRA motherboard= $55

1 Gig(2 sticks of 512) of Geil PC 3200= $180

Once you have all that:

Set the FSB to 200 mhz, effectivly making your 2500+ a 3200+

Oc your 9800 to 412/730, effectivly making your 9800 Pro a 9800XT.

Case looks roomy tho, very nice!!!
 
*giggle* no, ive never worked for voodoo. :p

I think the cabling is a cruddy job, but thanks!

I dont know about giel or shuttle really, Id like to go with something top tier if I upgrade to OC. thanks for the input tho!

and cat, thanks a ton for the help! much appreciated!

now to track down a place to get the barton unlocking kit...
 
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