To overclock or not?

[bhxtyrant]

For a long time now i have been thinking about OCing my system a bit.I was recommended by Fastgame to gather my PC specs and post here to get more insight and info on the possible capabilities of my hardware so here we go.

CPU-AMD Athlon XP 2400+
Code name-Thoroughbred
Voltage- 1.648v
Stepping- 1
Core speed- 1.997.0 mhz
Multiplier- x15.0
FSB- 133.1 mhz
BUS speed- 266.3 mhz
L1 data- 64 kbytes
L1 code- 64 kbytes
Level2- 256 kbytes

Cache-
L1 data cache/L1 instructions cache
Size-64 kbytes
assosiativity- 2 way
Line size- 64 bytes

L2 cache-
Location- on chip
size- 256 kbytes
assosiativity- 16 way
Line size- 64 bytes
Ratio- full
Frequency- 1997.0 mhz
bus width- 64 bits
Prefetch logic- yes

Motherboard-ASUSTeK
Model- A7N8X20 REV2.xx
Chipset- Nvidia Nforce2 Ultra 400 REV-C1
Southbridge- Nvidia Nforce2 MCP
Sensor- ASUS ASB100

BIOS-
brand- Phoenix Tech
version- ASUS A7N8X20 ACPI BIOS rev 1007

General RAM-PC3200
Type DDR SDRAM
size- 512MB
Channel- single

Timings-
Frequency- 133.1 mhz
FSB Dram- 1:1
CAS# latency- 2.5 clocks
RAS# to CAS# delay- 3 clocks
RAS# precharge- 3 clocks
cycle time- 6 clocks

As for cooling i dont have anything fancy.I did buy a new heatsink and fan that supports up to AMD Athlon XP 3200+ processors instead of using the default one that comes with the processor.

The case itself is cooled by 2 80MM fans one front and one rear.

Thats about it i think.If any more info is needed let me know and thanks in advance.

[FastGame]

That was fast :D

Hey you have a good board and PC 3200 ram, thats a great start ;)

First we need to find out the most important thing, is your CPU locked or unlocked ?

Reboot your PC and when it starts to reboot hold down the Delete key so you can get into the bios.

When your in the bios navigate to "Advanced Chipset Features" then go to "CPU Frequency Multiple Setting" and hit Enter, change to "User Defined" and exit.

Now go to "CPU Frequency Multiple" hit Enter and see if you have lower X settings, try to change it to 10 and exit.

Now hit ESC and go over to Save & Exit, hit enter and your PC will boot up if the CPU is unlocked.

If for some reason your PC doesn't boot after this :nervous: turn the power off and unplug the PC. Hit your start button so it'll discharge the MB capacitors, open case and remove the MB battery. You'll see some jumper pins right next to the battery, move the jumper block over to the next pin for a minute then move it back where it was. Replace the battery and your bios should be reset back to "Default"

This is easy and in your Manual so read it ;)

Ok report back and let us know if your CPU is unlocked or not and we'll go from there.

If its unlocked we'll wait for phishhead to come by and lets us know about the latest/safest bios before going further. There's one danger.....that board has been known to kill bios :eek: anyway phishhead is OC'n that board so he knows the ins & outs on the bios thing ;)

[Mousesk]

The only time I would OC my system is if I had water cooling in place. When your heatsink/fan says it will handle a 3200+, it means just that. It won't handle a 2400+ OCed to those speeds. (I'm sure that isn't what you are thinking, but just to make sure and not assume anything...) The gains you get by OCing with stock cooling would not be worth the risks, imho, anyway. I'm not sure the exact numbers, these are just guesses, but you probably wouldn't be able to get more than 100 MHz more out of your processor, and then you'd have to be watching the core temp more carefully. I would recommend a water cooling system if you plan on OCing. Some water cooling systems even come with ways of cooling your video, and RAM too.

[bhxtyrant]

The only time I would OC my system is if I had water cooling in place. When your heatsink/fan says it will handle a 3200+, it means just that. It won't handle a 2400+ OCed to those speeds. (I'm sure that isn't what you are thinking, but just to make sure and not assume anything...) The gains you get by OCing with stock cooling would not be worth the risks, imho, anyway. I'm not sure the exact numbers, these are just guesses, but you probably wouldn't be able to get more than 100 MHz more out of your processor, and then you'd have to be watching the core temp more carefully. I would recommend a water cooling system if you plan on OCing. Some water cooling systems even come with ways of cooling your video, and RAM too.

Oh no not by a long shot lol i would never attempt to OC that high.I just want to try and get a little extra boost in performance because some programs lately have been loading very slow for a 2GHZ PC I know the Nforce2 board can handle up to 3GB of ram so i think i will jump it up to 1GB soon as well.I may decide to upgrade the processor in the near future as well.probally to a 3200+ (i think thats the highest this board can take if im not mistaken.) or i may end up going to the AMD 64's and the Nforce 4 board.Havent really made a final choice yet on any of it.Im weighing my options basically.

@ FastGame-

I will try what you said and post the results hopefully later this afternoon.Lucky i kept all my manuals to all the hardware i put into this PC or i would be in big trouble :p

Oh also while we are on the subject of water cooling.Is it safe?I have never really tried to OC a PC before but i have read a little bit about it at another forum i used to visit sort of like this place.Know any good site i could go to find some detailed info and maybe even some images?I assume installing any type of water cooling would require heavy case modding correct?

[Conan]

There's lots of great heatsinks out there that are very good at handling loads of overclocking. Water cooling is only for crazy overclocking experts that overclock by around 1 Ghz or more!

Yes water cooling poses a risk at shorting your electricals if things go wrong.

[bhxtyrant]

I was actually looking at this Heatsink/blower earlier today it looks fancy but does it work is the question?

http://image.compusa.com/prodimages/11/2d1c6199-779b-4b0d-bc4b-07db75df4484.gif

Air Flow: 22.1 cfm
Cooling Fan Technology: Dual Ball Bearing
CPU Type: AMD® AthlonXP™ 3200+ or higher
Mounting: CPU Mounted
Noise Level: 41 dBa
Number of Fans: 1
Device Type: CPU Cooling
Voltage: VAC
Width: 80 mm
Depth: 80 mm

[phishhead]

I'm not sure the exact numbers, these are just guesses, but you probably wouldn't be able to get more than 100 MHz more out of your processor, and then you'd have to be watching the core temp more carefully.
Mousesk, I have the same board but the 1.04 older version, that Fastgame gave me and bought a 1700xp (1.47ghz)cpu from Newegg. I have it currently OC'ed to 2gigs. and running my crucial pc2100 @ 333 air cooled. My idle temp says 36 cpu and 40 under load but I know this is wrong by atleast 5-10 degrees. This is still well under the kill temp. And has been running rock solid for what would you say Fastgame atleast 18months to 2yrs.

[FastGame]

@Mousesk, as explained in another thread http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showpost.php?p=84123&postcount=15 its not so much the CPU mhz we're looking for as opposed to raising the CPU FSB to run in sync with the ram, that can be done quite safely on air without water cooling. Whether or not someone running AMD can get 100 or 400 extra CPU mhz by OC'n isn't the point, OC'n the CPU FSB to run in sync with the ram is where the greatest improvement comes. Running CPU & Ram @400fsb opposed to 266fsb is a huge improvement, more so than an extra 100mhz in the CPU.

Water cooling myth- you can OC higher than air cooling.

Well that may or may not be the case....With water cooling the water is still going to be the ambient temperature of the air around it.

If the air inside the PC is 100 F and a fan is blowing that air on the heat sink and the CPU stays at hmmm lets say 160 F, how much cooler will the CPU run if the same 100 F air is keeping the water at 100 F ?

Sure you could move the water radiator outside the case and get cooler air than inside the case, but how much cooler will that air be than the PC air if someone has the correct inside air flow ?

Chilled water cooling system is a different story, you can OC much higher with chilled water than you can on air.

Non Chilled water cooling fact- Its quieter than air cooling

I'm not going to tell anyone they should OC, its up to the individual to decide that. If someone is interested and asks then I'm going to tell them the correct way to the best of my ability.

phishhead is the man with that board ! he's got that XP 1700 & 2100 ram screaming beans !

Conan's the Intel man ! ;) and his knowledge applies to AMD just the same :)

None of us will tell you how to blow your PC up.......

@bhxtyrant, that HSF looks good & should work fine....but have Conan show you his, thats the one to get.

Before all this :rolleyes: is that CPU unlocked ??????

[Conan]

I was actually looking at this Heatsink/blower earlier today it looks fancy but does it work is the question?

http://image.compusa.com/prodimages/11/2d1c6199-779b-4b0d-bc4b-07db75df4484.gif

Air Flow: 22.1 cfm
Cooling Fan Technology: Dual Ball Bearing
CPU Type: AMD® AthlonXP™ 3200+ or higher
Mounting: CPU Mounted
Noise Level: 41 dBa
Number of Fans: 1
Device Type: CPU Cooling
Voltage: VAC
Width: 80 mm
Depth: 80 mm


Get a heatsink with heatpipes. Go with brands like Thermaltake, Thermalright and Zalman.

This is what I use, it's compact and has great cooling abilities, you just need to choose the fan to pair it up with:

http://www.thermaltake.com/coolers/comboCool/pipe101/pipe101.htm

[FastGame]

Get a heatsink with heatpipes. Go with brands like Thermaltake, Thermalright and Zalman.
I edited my post so he'd get the HSF you have ;)

[bhxtyrant]

Ok so let me do a little run down here.Before i try to do any more advanced OCing i should get a new HSF preferribly something like this one?

http://www.thermaltake.com/images/coolers/CL-P0025/dualFan.jpg

I would assume since it would be best to monitor my CPU temperature i should get a "Temperature and Speed Controller" so i can easily see everything needed?

:EDIT: just saw you guys edited your posts as well lol as ou can see by my choice i always like to go for the overkill so to speak.

[phishhead]

If its unlocked we'll wait for phishhead to come by and lets us know about the latest/safest bios before going further. There's one danger.....that board has been known to kill bios :eek: anyway phishhead is OC'n that board so he knows the ins & outs on the bios thing ;)

I am currently using the Uber1008d but I wouldnt recommend the uber bios, since these are not OEM. And yes like FG said I corrupted 1 bios chip already.

I've attached the latest BIOS for ya. Let us know if you need help flashing because you can make a nice paper weight quickly with a bad flash.

[FastGame]

Ok so let me do a little run down here.Before i try to do any more advanced OCing i should get a new HSF preferribly something like this one?
No, before you get too excited you should see if your CPU is unlocked :p

[bhxtyrant]

No, before you get too excited you should see if your CPU is unlocked :p
of course :)

[GimieGimieGimie]

How do you know when your CPU is locked?

I've managed to O/C my Athlon Barton 3000 by only 150mhz, anything higher, changing either the multiple clock, or FSB caused the pc is become unstable.

150mhz isn't much, does this mean my CPU is locked?

Or are the Athlon Bartons just not good overclockers?

I'm assuming the later theory.

It's not a matter of heat, the CPU temp is 40o idle, so it isn't a matter of heat.

[egghead]

1700xp (1.47ghz)cpu from Newegg. I have it currently OC'ed to 2gigs. .

can you clarify for our members?

did you over clock 1.47ghz to 2.0ghz in real mhz?

or did you go from a pr rating of 1700xp to a pr rating of 2000xp?

some things many people overlook when overclocking the fsb is you are also overclocking the pci bus and all components in the system

hard drives and soundcards do overclock and some will glitch or defect and thus will not last as long as the manufactered specs.

asus on my old p4 board had a pci lock so i was able to boost the fsb without overclocking the components and i was able to get insane fsb wit a stock fan. amd is much more hot and you can bet if your fan died the cpu could go up in smoke.

[FastGame]

Ok everyone take a chill pill :D

If bhxtyrant's CPU is unlocked and he gives me the green light, you better fasten your seat belts cuz FastGame going to wave his wand !
http://img53.exs.cx/img53/2741/ratfinksig9oy.gif
amd is much more hot and you can bet if your fan died the cpu could go up in smoke
hahaha, you crack me up, the only smoke AMD puts out is cuz "code" can't keep up HA!

[GimieGimieGimie]

Can anyone answer my questions? :p

[FastGame]

Can anyone answer my questions? :p
Oh sorry :eek: egghead got my panties in a wad & I forgot :o

How do you know when your CPU is locked?
You can't change your multiplier from the stock setting

I've managed to O/C my Athlon Barton 3000 by only 150mhz, anything higher, changing either the multiple clock, or FSB caused the pc is become unstable.
XP 3000 doesn't have as much leeway for OC'n as say the XP 2400, the 3000 is already close to the limit. Also don't know what MB you have ? or Ram ? As for unstability when raising the FSB ? maybe your ram can't handle it or timmings need to be changed ? V-core upped a little ? many things to consider here....

150mhz isn't much, does this mean my CPU is locked?
Nope, locked or unlocked 150mhz could be alot for the 3000, are no guarantee's in OC'n

I would need to know your entire System spec's to give answers on why things arent the way you expect them to be.

[phishhead]

nope Egg mine is a 1470mhz 1700xp running at 1992mhz 2400xp. running 166fsb X 12 CPU multiplier. I also lowered the CAS timings on my PC2100 Crucial memory, but havent been in the BIOS for awhile so forgot what they are set at.
and gimmie you can check it by the identifier on the cpu itself. I found a great site that I posted in the hardware so let me find it and I'll post it back here.

[phishhead]

http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5924 here you go nice run down on what that long number means on your amd cpu's

[GimieGimieGimie]

XP 3000 doesn't have as much leeway for OC'n as say the XP 2400, the 3000 is already close to the limit.


I thought as much :D

I would need to know your entire System spec's to give answers on why things arent the way you expect them to be.

My full pc spec can be found here:

http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13484

But you have already answered my question :p

[bhxtyrant]

I am currently using the Uber1008d but I wouldnt recommend the uber bios, since these are not OEM. And yes like FG said I corrupted 1 bios chip already.

I've attached the latest BIOS for ya. Let us know if you need help flashing because you can make a nice paper weight quickly with a bad flash.

one question.I went to the asus official site and noticed there newest bios for the nforce2 400 was 1010_X while the one you provided was 1010_b which i assume is older.should i use the version from there site?

And yes please explain a little on "flashing" as i dont want to screw up my main PC :) to much work and software here to lose.

[bhxtyrant]

Just bumping this up waiting on phishhead's reply :)

[FastGame]

hmm maybe I should bump it up waiting for you to reply "Is that CPU unlocked ?" :p

I wouldn't worry about flashing the bios yet, and I alway use the ASUS flash utility for windows, I think phish uses the DOS floppy way ?

[bhxtyrant]

Heh well i assumed it would be better to update to the latest BIOS before procedding after what phishhead was saying about ruining one bios chip already.Oh i wanted to ask something to you as well.

Remember you said i can try changing the bios settings to see if the CPU is locked or not but if it doesnt work i would have to take out the battery/reset the jumpers ect?

I was reading up a little and someone recommended a tool called "killcmos" just wanted your opinion on that before i attempted to use it or anything in the event i have to reset the bios settings.

because once i attempt to set the bios i will have no way to get online to get any help if the bios doesnt work and i have to reset it :) better to be safe then sorry.

[FastGame]

Read your manual it tells how to "killcmos" the old fashon way :)

I don't know how old your board is, if its a later model you shouldn't have any problem rebooting.

[bhxtyrant]

Ok it worked i went in and changed the frequency multiplier to 10.0x its original setting was 7.0x and the PC started fine without trouble.So whats next? :D

also on a side note in case you need/want to know my CPU is running on 133/166mhz i have never tried setting it to 166mhz

Green Light to FastGame

Also is there some sort of program that can be used to monitor my CPU temperature?

[FastGame]

changed the frequency multiplier to 10.0x its original setting was 7.0x
:confused: what the heck is the 7.0x about :confused:

hmm so your telling me you can adjust the multiplier and the setting stays ?

If it does then use these settings.

CPU External Frequency= 200

CPU Frequency Multiple Setting= User Defined

CPU Frequency Multiple= 10 or 10.5 try 10 for starters

System Performance= User Defined

CPU Interface= Aggressive

Memory Frequency= Sync

Memory Timming= User Defined

Memory set to below

CAS# latency= 2.5
RAS# to CAS# delay= 3
RAS# precharge= 3
cycle time= 11

Go to save and exit, this is where you should pray you won't need "killcmos" :p

If it works and you used the 10x multiplier the system should be running @ 2.0ghz, with the CPU and Ram in sync @ 400FSB.

Also is there some sort of program that can be used to monitor my CPU temperature?
yeah get the ASUS monitor, forgot what its called :o

[bhxtyrant]

"what the heck is the 7.0x about "

after i changed the "CPU Frequency Multiple Setting" to user defined it opened the option to change the "CPU Frequency Multiple".The "CPU Frequency Multiple" was originally set to 7.0x i bumped it up to 10x as you suggested.now im gonna try to change the other options :)

:EDIT: ok i changed everything with the exception of one.you said change the memory frequency to "sync" but in that menu there wasnt a "sync" option.the options were percentages ranging from 50% to 200% and it also had "auto" i have i changed it from 100% to "auto" hope that is correct.Everything started fine but i didi notice the CPU temp raised from 51C to 56-57C

Also would that tool happen to be called "ASUS Smartdoctor" ? http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Video-Tweak/ASUS-SmartDoctor.shtml oops looks like this tool is for GFX cards only hmm ill keep looking.

:EDIT2:found a program called "Asus Tempster 2.00 " this might be the one you were talking about.Let me know when you get a chance :)

[phishhead]

bhxtyrant which board do you exactly is it the a7n8x-x, a7n8x-e deluxe, a7n8x-deluxe, a7n8x? the bios I gave you was for the a7n8x I believe...just went to the download site and it was down for me.

here is the windows flasher that fastgame was talking about. Since I trashed the other bios using the DOS utility I've been using the windows version.here is the newest one.
http://www.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/flash/Asusupdt60301.zip

now I would set your fsb to 166 and ram to optimal. and keep your multiplier at 12 and reboot see if it stays.166 x 12= 1992. that should be your standard setting for the 2400xp (pretty sure its clocked at 2000mhz.)

[bhxtyrant]

Yep according to the utility its up from 1996.00MHZ to 2004.53MHZ the board i have is the ASUS A7N8X.Sorry for the confusion i think i looked under the wrong board on the ASUS site when i posted before.I thought i had the A7N8X-X but i just checked again and its the A&N8X.

So far everything seems to be working.I did have one problem.Fastgame said turn the "CPU External Frequency" to 200mhz when i tried the PC wouldnt start up so i had to put it back to 133 or 166.

Now i have another question.The more i mess around here the more interested i become.Im really thinking about at least upgrading to 1gig of PC3200 ram and a newer CPU probally the XP 3200+ i wanted to ask is there any certain thing i should look out for to make sure the processor i purchass is "unlocked" so i can tweak its settings?

[phishhead]

save your cash on the cpu and spend it on a gig stick of good memory. and overclock the crap out of it.
now as far as the temp that is definately high. are you using a thermal pad or grease. I would never OC a cpu using the thermal pad get yourself some artic silver and apply that. also if you take your side panel off does the temp go down? If so then now we need to work on the airflow of your case.
at min. you should have 1 80mm in the front blowing in and one in the back blowing out. then if your case has more slots I would recommend filling those bad boys up. Also getting round IDE and floppy cables will help with the air flow, along with cleaning up and tucking back any wires that you can manage. If you really want to go for it. I used round sheetmetal snips and cut a 120mm in the side and 1 in the top of my old case. the side one should be intake and top should be exhaust and that will push all the hot air from your PSU out of the case.

[phishhead]

Fastgame said turn the "CPU External Frequency" to 200mhz when i tried the PC wouldnt start up so i had to put it back to 133 or 166.
If you raise your fsb to 200 gonna have to lower the cpu multipiler to 10. 200 x 100 = 2000mhz. or 166 x 12= 1992mhz. so I would raise the fsb to say 200 and your cpu to 8x and see if it boots. then just do baby steps til it crashes on boot or wont boot then just back it down. also you might want to raise your CAS timings on the memory to relax it a bit.

Im really thinking about at least upgrading to 1gig of PC3200 ram and a newer CPU probally the XP 3200+ i wanted to ask is there any certain thing i should look out for to make sure the processor i purchass is "unlocked" so i can tweak its settings

If you want a good cpu that is unlocked then I think Fastgame would agree on the 2600XP mobile CPU. (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-436&depa=1)

and 1 gig of midgrade good memory go for the Geil Ultra Series Value Dual Channel 184 Pin 1GB(512MBx2) (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=20-144-310&DEPA=1) I posted this because its midgrade memory that will OC great. but if money is no option then ofcourse go all out like Mr. Fastgame does.

[FastGame]

Yep according to the utility its up from 1996.00MHZ to 2004.53MHZ
"CPU External Frequency" to 200mhz when i tried the PC wouldnt start up so i had to put it back to 133 or 166.

so i take it that you also set the CPU mutiplier to 12 x 166 when you did this ?

Will that CPU run @ mutiplier 10 X 166 ?

i wanted to ask is there any certain thing i should look out for to make sure the processor i purchass is "unlocked" so i can tweak its settings?
Only CPU's you can buy that are unlocked are the Mobiles like phishhead linked to

[bhxtyrant]

Dont have alot of time to post right now so i'll just ask this and answer the questions in a little bit.

As far as the Mobiles go will they fit into a regular socket A as well?May be a stupid question but im still learning :)

[FastGame]

Yes go to phishheads link and read the 167 reviews

[bhxtyrant]

save your cash on the cpu and spend it on a gig stick of good memory. and overclock the crap out of it.
now as far as the temp that is definately high. are you using a thermal pad or grease. I would never OC a cpu using the thermal pad get yourself some artic silver and apply that. also if you take your side panel off does the temp go down? If so then now we need to work on the airflow of your case.
at min. you should have 1 80mm in the front blowing in and one in the back blowing out. then if your case has more slots I would recommend filling those bad boys up. Also getting round IDE and floppy cables will help with the air flow, along with cleaning up and tucking back any wires that you can manage. If you really want to go for it. I used round sheetmetal snips and cut a 120mm in the side and 1 in the top of my old case. the side one should be intake and top should be exhaust and that will push all the hot air from your PSU out of the case.

I havent tried taking the side panel off as i had no need to go inside the case as of yet.

The way my case is set up inside is very cleaned up.All wires possible are tucked away and i have two 80mm fans one front blowing out and one rear blowing in.Id like to add a third fan on the top blowing out but i have never modded a case before so ill have to be real carful doing that.I dont have a fan in the side window panel yet either not on this PC anyway.

If you raise your fsb to 200 gonna have to lower the cpu multipiler to 10. 200 x 100 = 2000mhz. or 166 x 12= 1992mhz. so I would raise the fsb to say 200 and your cpu to 8x and see if it boots. then just do baby steps til it crashes on boot or wont boot then just back it down. also you might want to raise your CAS timings on the memory to relax it a bit.

I will give that a try right now after i finish this post.As for raise the CAS timing it was originally set to 5 and FastGame said make it 3 should i change it back to 5?

so i take it that you also set the CPU mutiplier to 12 x 166 when you did this ?

Will that CPU run @ mutiplier 10 X 166 ?

Nope it would run when i left it on 10x 166 when i tried that it made a weird beeping noise until i manually rebooted to get back in bios and change it.

Man after viewing that site i want this case! http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-144-090&depa=1 lol I just love the look of it.

[FastGame]

I will give that a try right now after i finish this post.As for raise the CAS timing it was originally set to 5 and FastGame said make it 3 should i change it back to 5?
wait a minuite.......where did I say CAS 3 ??? also I never even heard of CAS 5 Ram.

CAS# latency= 2.5
RAS# to CAS# delay= 3
RAS# precharge= 3
cycle time= 11


RAS to CAS isn't the same as *CAS*

If your Rams original CAS was 5 then it must be some crummy Ram. Also thats not what you listed in your first post with your system specs.
Timings-
Frequency- 133.1 mhz
FSB Dram- 1:1
CAS# latency- 2.5 clocks
RAS# to CAS# delay- 3 clocks
RAS# precharge- 3 clocks
cycle time- 6 clocks

One thing about OC'n, the numbers need to be straight ;)

[Dehcbad25]

When I overlocked mine, I actually first found the sweet spot to be at 390 Mhz FSB or something like that. For RAM I actually have PC3500 (since it is certified to run at 433, 400 should be a piece of cake:p)
I have the A7N8X Del V2. And did have some problems. I can't remember how I got the work.
The first heatsink you posted is similar to the one I have (Aero Jet7 from Coolermaster)
It is quite big. And it is not that great according to reviews. Kind of noisy, but when I overclocked it actually colled down the CPU very good

[bhxtyrant]

oops My mistake what i meant was origianly the setting for the RAM were set to auto.when i switched to manual setting they were all starting on 5 and i adjusted them to your suggestion

Memory set to below

CAS# latency= 2.5
RAS# to CAS# delay= 3
RAS# precharge= 3
cycle time= 11

Sorry for the confusion :o

Also i have a quesstion once again.when i go to settings for the CPU Frequency Multiple= it looks like this.
12.0x
13.0x
14.0x
7.0x/15.0x
7.5x
8.0x/10.0x
9.0x
9.5x
11.0x

why is 7.0 and 15.0 the same option? same for 8.0/10.0

[FastGame]

Also i have a quesstion once again.when i go to settings for the CPU Frequency Multiple= it looks like this.
12.0x
13.0x
14.0x
7.0x/15.0x
7.5x
8.0x/10.0x
9.0x
9.5x
11.0x

why is 7.0 and 15.0 the same option? same for 8.0/10.0
I have no clue, its been a long time since I had that board & I sure don't remember the setting being that. :confused: I have an ABIT Nforce2 and its not like that.

You better wait till phish gets home, he can look in his bios and tell you, maybe your CPU is locked ???

[bhxtyrant]

I dont know it lets me change all the setting but when i try to set the settings to 10.0x/200mhz it wont boot however 12x/166mhz seems to work fine.eh hopefullt very soon i'll grab an AMD mobile 2600+ that you guys recommended and maybe that new case that i posted the link to :)

[Dehcbad25]

you can set the board to let you up by 1 Mhz increment. Try using values between 166 and 200. You have 34 Mhz there (a lot) that you can play with.
I did have the same with my CPU. I never unlocked it, but it overclocked fine (Thoroughbred 2500+) and there were a couple of multipliers that were together. I believe the list is pretty much as you posted. I can check it up tonight when I go home

[Nate89]

Man after viewing that site i want this case! http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-144-090&depa=1 lol I just love the look of it.

i just ordered it today cant wait till it gets here the one i have now is shit i took off the sidepanel drilled a few holes cut a whole in the top and mounted a hard drive on top of it lol dunno y but tya its in pretty bad shape...got the case for like 40 bucks off ebay go figue :rolleyes:

[bhxtyrant]

i just ordered it today cant wait till it gets here the one i have now is shit i took off the sidepanel drilled a few holes cut a whole in the top and mounted a hard drive on top of it lol dunno y but tya its in pretty bad shape...got the case for like 40 bucks off ebay go figue :rolleyes:
Lol yeah i did the same at first i bought an antec mid tower case which is very nice for around $100 then when i built my second system i got a case called the

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/11-105-119-11.JPG
This case is almost identical to it except on mine the power/reset buttons are a little larger more of an oval shape,and the usb ports/speaker jacks are hidden with a magnetic door.

"super designer x-window" its a decent case i paid like $70 for but i dont really like it and neither have enough airflow to do any serious Overclocking to without major upgrade to the case which i have no expierience in.So i think the aspire case is a nice way around the modding problem.This will be my first overclocking project should be fun.

@FastGame-

Ive been on the hunt for AMD Mobile athlon xp 2600+'s with no luck however i have seen the AMD mobile athlon xp 2800+'s have any expierience with them?I actually am watching an XP-M 2600+ on ebay for $70 and a 2800+ for like $60.Still got like 3-4 days left on bidding so im trying to get a last mintute bid in lol.A local PC store i called said the XP-M 2600+ were like $140 which doesnt sound right since ive seen them average $70-96 on the net.

[Nate89]

\Ive been on the hunt for AMD Mobile athlon xp 2600+'s with no luck however i have seen the AMD mobile athlon xp 2800+'s have any expierience with them?I actually am watching an XP-M 2600+ on ebay for $70 and a 2800+ for like $60.Still got like 3-4 days left on bidding so im trying to get a last mintute bid in lol.A local PC store i called said the XP-M 2600+ were like $140 which doesnt sound right since ive seen them average $70-96 on the net.


here u go bhxtyrant mobile 2600 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-436&depa=0) ull need to grab a cpu fan though since this is oem it doesnt come with one

[bhxtyrant]

here u go bhxtyrant mobile 2600 (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-436&depa=0) ull need to grab a cpu fan though since this is oem it doesnt come with one

Ah yes i know about newegg.com :) i just prefer to go to a local shop to grab one if possible.I only like ordering online as last resort :)

[Nate89]

o ok but i still suggest newegg over ebay thats where i and many others get all their parts from its a great store and ive ordered countless parts from then and nothing has been wrong never had to rma or anything but i heard that was a breeze too

Ive been on the hunt for AMD Mobile athlon xp 2600+'s with no luck however i have seen the AMD mobile athlon xp 2800+'s have any expierience with them?I actually am watching an XP-M 2600+ on ebay for $70 and a 2800+ for like $60.Still got like 3-4 days left on bidding so im trying to get a last mintute bid in lol.A local PC store i called said the XP-M 2600+ were like $140 which doesnt sound right since ive seen them average $70-96 on the net.


Ah yes i know about newegg.com i just prefer to go to a local shop to grab one if possible.I only like ordering online as last resort.

id say use ebay as a last resort order from newegg first not off ebay because newegg u can return if it doesnt work or if they send u the wrong product

[bhxtyrant]

Indeed thats why i dont really like ebay.To tell the truth i hate ordering online period im the type of person that likes to see exactly what he's getting and not wait for 3 or so days for it to be shipped :p im not patient when it comes to waiting on things to arrive.

Eh but i'll probally end up ordering both the XP-M 2600+ and the ASPIRE case both off newegg.It seems impossible to get either especially the case anywhere in my area.

Thanks for all the help and info by the way i have a feeling newegg.com will be my new best freind they have any and everything.

[Nate89]

ya no prb dude lol looked for a case for myself ended up helpin another guy find the case and ya ur makin a good decision with newegg best site out there by far besides tigerdirect but they are a but more expensive and newegg will get ur order to u quite quickly im always tryin to help ppl and this time i did it without even tryin who woulda thought :D

[GimieGimieGimie]

I personally order everything pc related online, because you get the cheapest prices, and i can't find f**k all in the amature pc shops around here that are just here for a quick buck and don't know what they are f**king on about :D

The experts are the geeks online! :D

[Curio]

Not.

[santino]

gimie's got the right idea. online's the way to buy, you just gotta know where to look... i copy and pasted the below from another thread i posted...


has anyone suggested going to www.pricegrabber.com (http://www.pricegrabber.com/) first to check out prices and vendors? i do just about all of my online buying there. i check out the vendor reviews, which are supposed to have been submitted by actual buyers, after i find the right price, and have not gotten burnt once. you can check on vendor info, product info, and possibly some product reviews, again, by the buyers. you can search using the filters to narrow down to exactly the product you want or leave the search wide open. you can also sort by popularity, lowest price, even insert your zip code and search for lowest price with the combined total of the product price, tax, and shipping charge. ~s


we need places like pricegrabber to help us make the most informed decisions. i do agree that newegg is a great place to buy but that there are other places, well-respected places, that one can get comparible prices from. pricegrabber gives them to you. ~s


Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it.
- Chinese Proverb

[GimieGimieGimie]

gimie's got the right idea. online's the way to buy, you just gotta know where to look... i copy and pasted the below from another thread i posted...

I buy everything PC hardware related from ebuyer.com and overclockers.co.uk :D

And before i decide to buy from those stores, i check out price runner and kelkoo for the best prices around too.

I've never had such good service in my life, ebuyer has the most amazing prices/range of products, i mean, where else in the UK can you buy a 128mb ATI RADEON 9200SE PCI graphics card for only £31?

I use to buy my products from a local computer fair, never ever bought from the shops, and now with these big online stores, i get the same cheap prices, delivered straight to my door :D

[PIPER]

I use to buy my products from a local computer fair, never ever bought from the shops, and now with these big online stores, i get the same cheap prices, delivered straight to my door :D

I agree Gimie....prices are good and who could ask for more as far as convenience goes...the only issue there is package safety if your not at home when the delivery is made.

[cash_site]

I agree Gimie....prices are good and who could ask for more as far as convenience goes...the only issue there is package safety if your not at home when the delivery is made.
Hehe.. good point... Hey Gimmie, what hours do you work, and when will you be ording that 9200SE ?? :msnwink:

[Dehcbad25]

Just get it shipped to work, or to mom's house. If you cannot, just have it shipped to my work. I will take care of it ;)

[GimieGimieGimie]

Hehe.. good point... Hey Gimmie, what hours do you work, and when will you be ording that 9200SE ?? :msnwink:

That's the only downside about home delivery, you have to actually be in doors at the time! :(

Fortunately, if you build up a trust between some companies they will deliver to your work place :D

My work hours at the standard 9-5, so i get the items delivered to my workd :rolleyes:

I've already ordered and recieved a ATI RADEON 9200SE PCI, the card is pretty fast for an PCI :D

Plays Unreal II like a dream, i never thought i'd see that from a PCI!

[stone2]

Hi Phishhead, you seem to be pretty clued up on this particular mobo.
I was wondering if you could help me oc mine as I have the same setup or very close to it as 'bhxtyrant' has and that thread was never finished properly.

I can set a lower multiplyer than 15 so I guess my xp2400 is unlocked. And I tried a 200 fbs and 10x but pc wouldn't boot. I have had the cpu running at 15x 140fbs but I realise I should strive to get the fbs in synce with the memory.
Here are my spec and a photo Of my current bios settings.
Any help would be much appreciated.

AMD 2400+
Asus A7N8X DLX ACPI BIOS Rev 1008
Creative Inspire 6.1 6600 speaker
Leadtek NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT 128MB
Creative Audigy 2 value sound card
Leadtek TV2000 XP Deluxe TV Tuner
1024MB PC3200 DDR Hynix
80GB HDD Western Digital
80GB Seagate (non raid setup)
200GB sata
Asus5224A 52x24x52x CD/RW 1.35
Nec 3500A DL DVD
OS: XP Pro SP1

AMD Thoroughbred XP 2400+ chip numbers:
AXDA2400DKV3C
4134474261917
AIUHB0301MPM

Athlon XP Processor High-end
Core Thoroughbred-B
CPU Model 8
Manufacturing Process 130 nm
Approximate Transistor Count 37.6 million
Approximate Die Size 84 sq. mm
Performance Rating 2400+
Working frequency 2000 MHz
Package Type OPGA
Operating Voltage 1.65 V
Max Die Temperature 85° C
L1 Cache Size 128 KB
L2 Cache Size 256 KB
Multiplier 15x
FSB Frequency 266 MHz
Stepping Code AIUHB
Manufacture Year 2003
Manufacture Week 01
Production Batch M
Batch Production Number 1917


PSU Specs:
Thermaltake
Model: HPC-360-302 DF
Max Load 360W

[phishhead]

set your mem timing to userdefined. and cpu to user defined. so this way you can play with it alittle better.

[FastGame]

@stone2

If your CPU is unlocked it should run @12x166, try that and see if it boots.
set your mem timing to userdefined. and cpu to user defined. so this way you can play with it alittle better.
;) :) :cool:

[phishhead]

fg i'm thinking he wants to run the mem at 200.

[stone2]

Hi Fastgame and Phishhead
At the mo I'm running at 171fbs x12 and all is sweet so far. Haven't played with ram settings yet as I'm totally lost when it comes to that.
Question: Which is better a faster cpu or faster fbs? and how much improvement can I expect if I can get the fbs upto 200 which would be in sync with the ram...is that correct?
I have also checked where I can get an uber bios but not sure which one I should run if any and if you do suggest I flash my bios with one of these can I flash it with Asusupdate utility? My asus board revision is 2.0.

[Dehcbad25]

FSB higher is better and more stable than higher CPU clock, so if you lower your multiplier, it will lower your CPU clock, but then you raise your FSB, and it will be more or less to the same CPU clock, but higher FSB. If you get the FSB to 200 it will be sweet. Did you run some benchmark before uppping?
I run myself some, and I didn't get that much from going up in CPU but HEAT :p, but the FSB is another story
My setup is similar too
Athlon XP 2500+ Thoroughbred B(2100MHz) Running at 2100 x10.5 FSB 200x2
Mem Geil Ultra 433 running @ 200.5 Mhz CAS 2 RAS to CAS 3, RAS PreCharge 3 and Cycle Time (Tras) 6 in Dual Channel.
The system is pretty stable (never crashes actually)
I don't remember how long I had this setup, but it is a quite long time (I bought the RAM and CPU in the beginning of Nov 2003, so probably since Dec 2003)
My Gosh :eek: I just realized my system is aging :p For me still it is my new PC, and I am still happy about it :D

[FastGame]

fg i'm thinking he wants to run the mem at 200
I just wanted to see if his CPU was really unlocked.

Yes as Dehcbad25 says, you want higher FSB and running in sync with the CPU. Even if you can only run @333fsb its best that the Nforce2 runs in sync.....better than the CPU @333 and ram @400.

Lower your multiplier to 11 and raise the FSB some more....

Set the CPU interface to Aggressive (or enabled) so your ram will run at the 1T command rate.

Ram timming 2.5-3-3-11

Download Memtest ISO (http://www.memtest86.com/memtest86-3.2.iso.zip) unzip and burn to CD then boot to the CD after you make bios changes, test the memory :)

Memtest Home page (http://www.memtest86.com/)

[stone2]

I just lowered the multiplyer to 11 and fbs to 195 and windows booted ok.
I can't change the cpu interface as its not selectable and as for the ram timming could you please explain as if I'm and idiot cause I don't know what any of those settings do. If you could look at my bios screen and tell me what 'Active precharge delay' means and what it should be on as no one has mentioned this one yet. Also kindly explain what the others should be set as well.
Thanks...I'm finally getting somewhere with this overclocking thingy. I tried once a couple of years ago with rev 1.0 board and fried the cmos so have been a bit scared to attempt again. I'm still a bit unsure about the relationship of speeds between the cpu and mem. If I have pc3200 is it running at 400mhz regardless of what the fbs cpu is running at?

[stone2]

Ok guys this is the latest.(see attachments) Windows boots and now I will run some benchmarks and see how the system handles.

[FastGame]

Go here Rojak Pot (http://www.adriansrojakpot.com/Speed_Demonz/New_BIOS_Guide/Index.htm) and read about bios settings and what they mean/do, can't explain it any better....

Your SS looks good, looks like your running @400fsb in sync now :)

Change the Memory Timming from Aggressive to User Defined. Then change the 8 on Active Precharge Delay to 11. Change the CAS Latency from 3T to 2.5 and see if it'll boot.


I can't change the cpu interface as its not selectable
What if you highlight it and use the page up & page down keys ?


If I have pc3200 is it running at 400mhz regardless of what the fbs cpu is running at?

If the Memory Frequency is set to "Sync" they both run at the same speed (FSB) don't you have a setting for Sync ?

[Dehcbad25]

The setting for synch is the percentage. 100% is same as FSB (memory Frequency), so he is running at synch already. The CPU interface doesn't need to be changed (and cannot in that setting) It is like the filed of Memory Tmmings. It has Optimal, Aggressiva and some other. So, since he has in User Defined it cannot be changed
If I have pc3200 is it running at 400mhz regardless of what the fbs cpu is running at? Since you have the Memory Frequency Set to 100% it will run at the same speed of the FSB. If you want to run it to 216 Mhz, then I think it is 116%, but there is no need to do that, since you will take it out of synch. Better leave the RAM at 200Mhz. It is underclocked, but then, it should be more stable, and you get better performance by having Synch, and higher FSB. In my Mobo I went as high as 205 Mhz Synch, but I had some problems (now I believe the problems were actually my video card :p)

[stone2]

Well I set the memory timmings as suggested and still booting ok. I also upped the cpu vcore voltage from 1.650 to 1.675 cause I was getting random crashes or windows rebooting by itself.(should I take it further?) At this stage the only benchmark I can run without windows crashing or locking up is PCMark 2002. Others such as 3DMark 03 crash about half way through. I have only just now taken off the cpu heatsink which is a Thermaltake Volcano 7 and given it a bit of a clean as I thought the temps were a bit high at 48C idle and 52C running benchmarks. I have no idea what type of thermal grease is being used but it is white and there seemed to be a fair bit of it so I wiped off the excess and reset the heatsink. I now have idle temps of 40C. (Temps being read from external sensor taped to underside of cpu chip.) I am now gonna try running some more benchmarks and will be back to let you know how I got on.
Is there anything else you guys can think of to get more performance outa my machine. (check latest bios photo)
By the way thanks greatly for all your help so far. Great Forum with people like yourselves contributing...

p.s. One more question: Which way should the fan attached to the cpu heatsink spin? At the mo the fan is forcing air onto the cpu...am wondering if the fan shouldn't be sucking air away from cpu!

[FastGame]

At this stage the only benchmark I can run without windows crashing or locking up is PCMark 2002. Others such as 3DMark 03 crash about half way through

You're going to need to fix that, stabilty is paramount ;)

Can you lower the multiplier to 10.5 and then raise the FSB a little at a time ?

I also upped the cpu vcore voltage from 1.650 to 1.675 cause I was getting random crashes or windows rebooting by itself.(should I take it further?)

You can raise it more as long as the CPU temperature stays within reason. You should also raise the memory voltage.

Use Prime95 (http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm) to test stability, you'll crash fast if things aren't right.

[stone2]

Ok, After resetting cpu heatsink and obtaining lower temps I have been able to use all benchmarks without any problems. Downloading prime95 now..
What do you suggest I do now to push the overclocking further to find the wall of my system?
Should I raise the mem voltage if system is running stable now?

[FastGame]

What do you suggest I do now to push the overclocking further to find the wall of my system?
You lower the CPU mutiplier (10 or less) then raise the FSB till your ram craps out (memtest86), then raise the mem voltage and try again. You'll hit a limit then back off below the limit and bring the CPU multiplier up till it craps out...simple :)

When you use Prime95 set it for the "Blend" test and if it runs 12-24hrs without crashing then you should be pretty darn stable.

BTW for you to get the most out of your system you'll need better ram that'll do 250+FSB, your system is pretty powerfull the way it is so be happy :D

[bhxtyrant]

Hey FastGame,just wanted your opinion on the quality of some Ram i am interested in.The price looks very reasonable but because te price is alot lower then i expected im doubtful its very high quality.

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?DEPA=0&description=20-144-310&ATT=Memory+System+Memory&CMP=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-220-037&depa=1

[FastGame]

Hey FastGame,just wanted your opinion on the quality of some Ram i am interested in.The price looks very reasonable but because te price is alot lower then i expected im doubtful its very high quality
That ram is fine and the price is in line with other manufactures standard line. The timings are rather loose compaired to the high end stuff, don't know how well it'll OC ??? but some brands do quite well and are bargains....

I'll give an example...zipp51 bought some Crucial Ballistix PC 3200 (great stuff) and his timings are 2-3-2-5. Now he can OC that ram with those fast timings and depending on how fast he goes he might only have the change the CAS from 2 to 2.5. Thats still faster than the standard ram @PC 3200 and he could be running @PC 3700+

Now he could also change his timings to the same as the ram you link to and he now has Crucial Ballistix PC 4000 :)

The most important thing is make sure ram is approved for your MB and the company has a good return policy ;)

[stone2]

Hey Fastgame,
Just wanted to let you know how I got on with the o/c.(busy with work last couple of days)
Am running 203 fbs and all benchmarks work although I get errors with prime95 after a couple of minutes...should I be concerned? Running the cpu vcore at 2.7v and mem at 1.7v Can take mem to 1.8, should I take it further?
I do think my system is still a bit flakey but for some reason if I lower the multiplyer less than 11 my machine refuses to boot! Any idea why that is? Higher vcore maybe?

bhxtyrant what speed did you get your system upto in the end and what bios settings did you tweak?

Cheers all

[FastGame]

I get errors with prime95 after a couple of minutes
I guess if you can operate your PC without problems in your daily activities you could say everything is stable, that being said the truth is if Prime95 crashes then something isn't right.

running the cpu vcore at 2.7v and mem at 1.7v

You have those reversed ? should be CPU 1.7 and mem 2.7.

You could raise the V-core 1.75/maybe 1.8, I wouldn't raise the mem more than 2.8. I had that same ram with my A7N8X-D and it wouldn't OC high nor did it like high voltage.

I have no clue why your PC doesn't boot with a lower than 11 multiplier, did you try all the lowers ? 9/10/10.5 ?

Did you try different memory slots ?

[bhxtyrant]

bhxtyrant what speed did you get your system upto in the end and what bios settings did you tweak?
Cheers all

Hey man,glad to hear you got everything running.Unfortunatly for me i was one of the unlucky ones that got a locked 2400+ so now im planning on building a new PC with the AMD 64 3000+ 939 and i might grab an AMD Athlon M-xp2600+ to put in my current system.

[phishhead]

if you get the 2400xp mobile bhxtyrant...you'd make fastgame a happy mod. he swears by it.

[FastGame]

if you get the 2400xp mobile bhxtyrant...you'd make fastgame a happy mod. he swears by it.
Actually I'm always happy, even if someone uses Intel :D

I've used the 2400, 2500, 2600 Mobiles and they're all close, with the price difference being so close now a days the 2600 is the one to get.

If the price is about the same its always better to get the CPU that defaults at a higher multiplier (providing its unlocked), gives you more to play with incase the ram doesn't want to play ;)

[bhxtyrant]

Hey Fastgame,thanks for the info on the RAM.I have yet another question lol.

Thanks to everyones suggestions i am gonna grab a AMD64 3000+ processor.I am gonna order from newegg.then i aw something kinda odd to me.They have the AMD64 3000+ retail ($146) and OEM($149),Is there any difference besides the fact that the retail comes with a stock HSF?I would hate to order the retail and find out its locked or something if you know what i mean.I will more then likely order the OEM with This HSF (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=35-185-115&DEPA=1) ,since it supports up to AMD 64 5000+ it should eliminate having to buy another HSF for future processor upgrades.What do you think.

[FastGame]

They have the AMD64 3000+ retail ($146) and OEM($149),Is there any difference besides the fact that the retail comes with a stock HSF?I

The Retail has a HSF & 3 year warranty and the OEM doesn't.

[bhxtyrant]

Hmm so technically shouldnt the retail version cost more then the OEM?but in this case its kinda backwards lol thats why i ask :)

[FastGame]

Maybe Newegg was selling a bunch of OEM's and they wanted to move out the retails, I'd get the retail.

[zipp51]

I'm in the market for the A64 3000+ 939 version and I noticed that the price at Monarch Computers drops to $135 every Sunday night for the last 3 weeks.Then on Monday it goes back up to $146.They are a hot item,no doubt because of their overclocking potential.Even reseller venders are getting $131.80 and a bit lower the more you order. :D I'll wait a bit longer,no hurry I will buy a new SATA drive and Venus 12 heatsink to go with it.So far I have The Abit AV8 mobo,Crucial Ballistic 1GB(2 512 sticks)PC3200,ATI 9700 Radeon.I will be swapping out my Lian Li P60 case. :D

[santino]

They have the AMD64 3000+ retail ($146) and OEM($149),Is there any difference besides the fact that the retail comes with a stock HSF?

this was my same question today when i was looking at the amd athlon xp 2800+ for a friend who's upgrading. the retail is going for $101 and the oem is $104. then i looked at the comparison and saw that besides the retail box having the hs and fan, it used 1.65 volts and the oem used 1.5. does this mean the oem version runs on lower power? ~s

Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.
- Sophocles

[FastGame]

I would need to see the CPU's or link, you can't always believe all the spec's in the ads.

The 1.5 v sounds like a Mobile chip.

[lynchknot]

Mobile chip? :cool:

[santino]

I would need to see the CPU's or link, you can't always believe all the spec's in the ads.

The 1.5 v sounds like a Mobile chip.

well, here's the link to the specs page, for both oem and retail box:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=property&DEPA=1

and here's a review submitted by some guy named tyler, after some other guy posted a review also saying it was a mobile chip:
Great processor. After two weeks of rock solid stability and mid 30-mid 40 temps, I overclocked to 3200+ (200x11). Even after overclock it still runs solid on my AN35N-Ultra 400, and temps don't go over 45C under load. I'm running the processor on air with a Speeze 80mm HSF with a dab of Arctic Silver 5 for flavor ;-).

It is NOT an XP-Mobile, as previously stated. Although the mobo and Win XP recognizes it as "Unknown CPU Typ", the reason is different. Because this is a "low-power" desktop cpu, the board is confused and recognizes it as unknown, just like a mobile. If you notice the v-core voltage on this processor is 1.5, whereas on the retail 2800+ the voltage is 1.65. The unknown name is kind of lame, but it's clearly just cosmetic. I flashed the most recent BIOS, and that didn't help, but I don't mind the name. The speed is what counts!!

I like it a lot, installation was a breeze, and it's a great deal snappier than my 1800+. Plus, after OCing the FSB I can run my PC3200 mem at speed, and everything on my board is synchronized!!

you can read all nine reviews here:
http://secure.newegg.com/app/CustratingReview.asp?DEPA=1&item=19-103-509

I prefer rogues to imbeciles because they sometimes take a rest.
Alexandre Dumas the Younger

[FastGame]

What ever the OEM is multiplier is unlocked and the Retail isn't according to the reviews.....
OEM=Low Power Barton 2800+ (mobile/desktop hybrid cpu) 1.5
runs ~45C under full load.
also the chip i received is in fact UNlocked!


I don't know why your looking at those CPU's, The Mobile Bartons (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?catalog=343&DEPA=1&submit=property&mfrcode=0&propertycode=&propertycodevalue=4181) cost less, unlocked, less voltage and OC the best. Even if your not going to OC the Mobiles run cooler.

[lynchknot]

Wait! where is everyone? I can now join the "OC2+Ghz" club? Thanks to Fastgame we're at 10.5x208. Hello? Anyone here? :confused:

[FastGame]

Wait! where is everyone?
Been here the whole time waiting for the next victim, Oh wait a minuite you can't join....your a security freak and there ain't no room on an OC HD for 20 security programs ! Only Benchmark programs need to apply...MuuuuuWaaaaaHaaaHaaa

OC'ers got no time to be on the net catching bugs & germs, so move along scared-D-cat, when you can look the Blue Screen of Death in the face without flinching then you can join....hehe

Hi LK, what do you need to know :)

[lynchknot]

I, I'm here to join the c-club. I-I'll be g-good. I will not lynch, I mean flinch. :eek: With high speed, faster than virus - like star trek invisibility powder.

[bionicblond]

Once again Im listening and taking it all in, understanding so so but if I keep at.....

[PIPER]

What's up with the dates showing on each peeps post...?????...sup lk..long time no see....:D