NF7-S FSB woes

Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
edited December 2003 in Hardware
Ok, got the NF7-S v2.0 from NewEgg a little over a month ago.

I cannot get anything over 200 to be stable. 200 MHz works fine at 1.6V. When set to 1.7, still 200 is my highest stable. From here, I know there are a couple of paths to look down.

1) Memory
  GeIL PC3200 Ultra @ 2.752v (2-3-2-2)
  Same story with any timings
  Passes MemTest86 8+ hrs
  Even with 6/5 divider, 200FSB is the max.
  Same story with friend's Hyper-X 3500
I give it a PASS

2) CPU
  AMD XP 2400+ AIUGB 0244
  Has done 2300 MHz in my 8RDA.
  Unlocked multi, so I can avoid reaching CPU limits.
I give it a PASS

3) Northbridge
I've tried 2 times now to do the VDD pencil mod but I can't get it to read my current VDD (resistance reads fine). So, I cannot see if I have a power hungry NB or not.
IFFY

4) Drivers..drivers.
I've tried many sets, same ole' story. 200 MHz max :(
I give it a PASS

Within nf7vcore 0.7.8b I can do up to 225 FSB but it freezes shortly after. Even with 201 FSB, no go. 200 is fine though :shakehead

This is what gets me. The borderline of 200FSB no matter what. For kicks I tore off the NB HSF and covered it in AS5. Same results. It was around 3 AM at the time, and I forgot to look at the stepping on the NF2 :( It's an Ultra 400 though, 200FSB should be nothing to it.

The instabilities are BSODs and freezes. I've studied them, nothing special about them.

Any thing I'm missing?!? :eek3:
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Comments

  • leishi85leishi85 Grand Rapids, MI Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    add more juice to the memory, i think the NF7-s undervolts it too, if u set it to 2.9( which is what i think is the max on nf7-s), it will still undervolt it to like 2.85 ro so. try that for a start. and change your timing to 2-11-2-2, and then try higher fsb.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    My suspect is the CPU. It might need an L12 mod.
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    @ leishi85:
    I've ramped the VDIMM to 2.9V and same results. I've messed with timings so many times, even the 11 sweetspot. And the ABIT overvolts, at 2.9v it gets 2.976v. Don't think memory is limiting so far.

    <hr width=100>
    I forced 166 FSB via socket method. Now my motherboard doesn't have a preset for my CPU, so it must had worked.

    While I was at it, had a 3rd go at the VDD mod. Got it that time :cool: VDD @ 1.928 v

    Now I'll go and test it, see what will come out.

    Thanks for the lead Thrax. Don't know if it will effect, but it's something I had overlooked.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    :D
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    Meh.. 210 is the highest it hasn't BSODed/froze at. Within Windows with nf7vcore I can get it to 222 and it will last a good 5 minutes. But that's not good enough!

    Even with CPU underclocked and RAM with 6:5 divider, nothing more.

    Would setting a 200FSB default have anymore gain over setting a 166FSB default? Or should I look elsewhere for the problem?

    :(
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Elsewhere.
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    Any ideas of where perhaps? ;):scratch:
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    I've made a list of things to try:

    1) Win2k (vs. WinXP now)
    2) Dig out my EPoX board. It also hit 200, JUST like the Abit. 166FSB that biatch and see what turns out. Plus it has 3.2 VDIMM to rule out the memory even further.
    3) Different BIOS
    4) Keep going on VDD to see if that helps (not to run 24/7 tho)


    Later on I can...
    1) Try a friend's 2500+ Barton
    2) Try same friend's 2x256MB Hyper-X 3500

    Beyond that, it has to just be a crappy NB. I hope not :sad2:
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    I think the 8KHA vs. NF7-S comparo, and the 2500+ Barton are your best bets when it comes to troubleshooting.

    It rules out the two main plausible culprits: Board and chip.
  • DisvengeanceDisvengeance
    edited December 2003
    Id have to say it is the ram, because geil ram is usually rated at what its max is, so it cant be pushed much, if anything, farther than what it is stated to run at. Get different memory and see if that gives you desired results.
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    @ Disvengeance:
    Not too sure about the RAM. It works fine @ 210 FSB (CAS 2 11/2/2). Better timings and speed than it's rated. Plus, even with the divider (6:5 = 200FSB : 166 RAM) BSOD at higher than 210 FSB.
    <hr width=100>EPoX 8RDA Results:

    Max FSB: 210MHz
    166 Mod: Yes

    Hard to say what this tells me, as too many things are changed to pin point the reason for the matching FSB limit.

    Such as:
    Older chip (A2 I think)
    Lower VDD (8RDA stock)
    Switching MoBos on same Windows install

    .... Will try Barton/Hyper-X ASAP.... :ninja:


    Thanks every who's chipping in, I appreciate it :)
  • DisvengeanceDisvengeance
    edited December 2003
    I was just thininking it was the ram, because my old geil wouldnt oc past 200 fsb at all.
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    Got bored, made it a 200FSB default chip. Gained 3 MHz over a 166FSB chip = 13MHz over 133FSB chip. It's the CPU, damn :rolleyes:

    /me sells it to his bother :D
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    * Park_7677 sells it to his bother
    ;D

    Sounds like it's time to pick up a JIUHB/DLT3C 1800 from Excaliber... mine does 218MHz unmodded... :D
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    Meh.. no money at the moment for a CPU. I've got $25 sitting in my wallet to go towards SP97.. now to save the other $30 :hrm:

    My brother has an eMachines... 400MHz Celeron (it Folds though ;D). Really, I would be doing him a favor :p

    /me unloads 8RDA, GeIL, & maybe OCed Ti4200 off while he's at it :D
    Dah.. gotta figure up how much to sell all that to him for :banghead:

    /me goes back to waiting impatiently for a Barton to test with...
  • Al_CapownAl_Capown Indiana
    edited December 2003
    Would this NF7-S rev 1.2 vdd mod work for someone who has an nf7-s 2.0? If not do you know of any sites which have vdd mods for the nf7-s 2.0?
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    That VDD mod looks like a pain in the ass to me. I haven't examined my board that closely in a while, but those resistors are small as hell. I'm not sure I'd want to do it, even with the radio shack "Helping Hands" magnifying glass/parts holder thing I used to SMP-mod my bartons.

    Is there a simpler way to mod the chipset?
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    That mod is sooo easy. The hardest part is to find where on the resistor to read the resistance. Once you find that, it's smooth sailing.

    I just got an HB pencil, sharp as hell, and traced the U a couple of times, blew off any flakes and then tested. It took a LONG time to get from 600 ohms to ~420 ish (1.4 v to 1.93 v). That's with it at 1.4 VDD though, meaning 1.5 is really 2.03 ish now, and so on. You can start at 1.7 in the BIOS and make that 1.9 or w/e, making it the highest VDD for your board. That's 490 ohms or so to start at.

    The only mod easier is the 166FSB/200FSB forced socket method.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    It still sounds like a pain in the ass to me. I'd rather solder something to the board.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Less chance of screwing it up with the pencil.

    When screwups cost you $110, or a week's wait for RMA, the safest method is the best method.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited December 2003
    True
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    Ok, I'm at Jeff's (my friend with Barton & Hyper-X) and we're getting no where.

    The Barton refuses to POST at _ANYTHING_ but 166 FSB. The chip is good, doing 2 GHz right now fine.. but 166 FSB :(.

    It's an 2500+ (AQXEA 0327)
    Hyper-X is PC3500.. so we're good there.

    I know you can mod the Bartons to 133 by blowing the L12.. but we don't want to do that.

    The thing _should_ go over 166 FSB anyway, right?! So I'm mad/confused at that..

    /me keeps trying
  • ketoketo Occupied. Or is it preoccupied? Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    What mobo you on?
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    ABIT NF7-S v2.0

    It's my board.. same motherboard thread was started on :)
  • ketoketo Occupied. Or is it preoccupied? Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    wire mod the socket to make it a 133 default? Hunting for thread, brb I hope... OK look HERE
  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    i HAD geil pc 3200 Ultra I got rid of it cause it wouldnt get over 200
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    keto wrote:
    wire mod the socket to make it a 133 default? Hunting for thread, brb I hope... OK look HERE

    lol. I even posted the link ;D

    Thanks for the wakeup keto. I did it, still nothing better than without it :grumble:

    This 2500+ isn't shy though.. 2.34GHz @ 1.75v.. :clap:
  • Park_7677Park_7677 Missouri Member
    edited December 2003
    OMG :bigggrin:

    Sunday morning and I'm bored. I decided to flash BIOS and see what I get FSB wise. I wanted to start @ 17 (that's what it shipped with) and go to 20 (what it was throughout this thread)

    At v17 I struck gold. 243 MHz!. The system wont post at this speed, but within Windows I set it and it runs fine. Big w000t!

    I'm going to still try BIOS 18 & 19 to see what they top out at. 250 is mine... :rockon:

    P.S. My DDR is 6:5 right now :-/ New to come when I get the money. Still working on the overall OC also... :p
    243.gif 163.7K
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    You probably won't hit 250 without setting the VDD to 3v+, and the 3.3v to 3.6v.

    BTW, prime95 is for your CPU, not memory.
  • TheLostSwedeTheLostSwede Trondheim, Norway Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Newer version of Prime is actually a good memtester as well. Not as good as Goldmemory though.

    Great clock Park!

    Give us some Sandras!

    EDIT//** I see now that you use 6:5. Ditch that.
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