XMS 3200 and ABIT IC7: cry for help

Hi, I'm a new member. I wouldn't call myself a newbie or enthusiast either. I have bought an Abit ic7 motherboard (latest bios and all). I'm using two Corsair 512Mb XMS3200C2 (dual ddr enabled) on the board. My cpu is a P4 2800 533fsb. I have NO desire to overclock anything, since I have some temperature problems as it is. Is there no way to make the ram run at 400 Mhz without changing fsb frequency? Am I stuck with 333? I had a gigabyte 8sg667 before this and ram ran at 400 Mhz although the board was quite bad on the whole. What are the best settings I can take this ram to without overclocking OR with as little oclocking as possible? Thanks.

Unfortunately, the only way you will get the RAM to run at 400mhz on that MOBO with that CPU is to OC the FSB. On your old MOBO there were ratios available to run the RAM at a higher frequency than the CPU so you could run the RAM at 400 and the CPU at stock speeds without OCing. Unforutnately, those same ratios are not available (that I know of) on the IC-7. This is because the CPUs run as fast and even faster than the fastest JEDEC spec RAM available at the time of release. So, there is no ratio available in the bios to run the RAM faster than the CPU. It's set up to run the CPU faster than the RAM, i.e. 5:4 or 3:2 ratio. You would need to run a 4:6 ratio for the 533mhz CPU and 400mhz RAM. I don't think that option is available with your MOBO UNLESS your MOBO offers that ratio when it detects a 533mhz CPU. You will need to ask someone who has an IC-7 series MOBO along with a 533mhz CPU. You could also contact Abit tech support to see if that ratio is available. The best idea would be to ask with a post at [url]http://forum.abit-usa.com/[/url] , at the Abit forums. I have an IC-7 MAX3 but I have never run a 533mhz CPU in it. If all else fails, OC the CPU as far as you feel comfortable. Good luck, Mike.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by specmike [/i] [B]This is because the CPUs run as fast and even faster than the fastest JEDEC spec RAM available at the time of release. So, there is no ratio available in the bios to run the RAM faster than the CPU. It's set up to run the CPU faster than the RAM, i.e. 5:4 or 3:2 ratio. You would need to run a 4:6 ratio for the 533mhz CPU and 400mhz RAM. I don't think that option is available with your MOBO UNLESS your MOBO offers that ratio when it detects a 533mhz CPU. [/B][/QUOTE] Actually you can take a look at all available ratios by changing the N/B Strap parameter in the bios, so you can fool the system about your fsb speed and obtain more ratios. If you want to take a look it should be in your bios softmenu too. There are 1:1 ratios and 4:5 ratio which gives you 333ddr instead of 266. Anyway there is no trace of a 4:6 ratio, there is a 3:4 ratio but the system wont' even post when I enable that. I may try to tweak other settings with the 3:4 ratio but I don't understand why I would need to, since with 3:4 I'd get 350ddr and the ram is made to run at 400... Maybe it's a matter of voltage? I heard the ddr voltage on ic7 series boards often needs to be upped.

The voltage is always a good idea. You can go up to, but not over, 2.8v and be safe with your RAM. Also, since you are OCing the CPU, you may need to raise that voltage a modest amount. Try about .25v over stock which is safe with stock Intel or better cooling. Good luck, Mike.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by specmike [/i] [B] Good luck, Mike. [/B][/QUOTE] Thanks.

Oh, and your best bet will probably be the 4:5 ratio if all else fails. You OC from there and I'm guessing you will be able to raise the FSB to the 155-170mhz range depending on the CPU and how hard you are willing to push it. I don't know how well the 2.8b CPUs will OC though. Good luck again, Mike.