stoennes Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Hi, I upgraded my CPU to an Athlon XP 3200+ / 400MHz in my 333MHz frontsidebus ASUS A7N8X PCB Rev 1.04 with latest official BIOS 1007 and 3 Corsair xms512-3200c2 modules running in dual channel mode. It runs OK with the following settings: CPU External Frequency 200 MHz Memory Frequency 83% (means 333 MHz) SDRAM Active Precharge Delay = 5 SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay = 2 SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay = 2 SDRAM CAS Latency = 2T When setting the CPU External Frequency to 166 MHz the system shows an XP 2500+ only at bootup. When trying to run the memory at 100% the system does not boot, I guess the memory settings have to be adjusted. My 3 questions: What would be the optimal settings for the above configuration with CPU and Memory capable running at 400MHz but the Board at 333MHz only to get the best performance? Someone said after a CPU upgrade CMOS should be cleared an BIOS defaults should be loaded before applying changes, is this true? Would a new Motherboard supporting 400MHz busspeed improve the performance significantly, since I cannot see much improvement after upgrading from XP 2600+ Thoroughbread to XP 3200+ Barton? Stefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wired Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 What would be the optimal settings for the above configuration with CPU and Memory capable running at 400MHz but the Board at 333MHz only to get the best performance? It's not recommended to run the mem and CPU async, as it can cause system instability. Someone said after a CPU upgrade CMOS should be cleared an BIOS defaults should be loaded before applying changes, is this true? Yep. Would a new Motherboard supporting 400MHz busspeed improve the performance significantly, since I cannot see much improvement after upgrading from XP 2600+ Thoroughbread to XP 3200+ Barton? YES! AMD CPUs like the memory and CPU to be in sync with each other. Also, the C2s aren't specced to be @ 2-2-2-5, so consider yourself lucky, however when running @ 200 Mhz, they may not run @ those timings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoennes Posted November 22, 2004 Author Share Posted November 22, 2004 With the above settings the system runs. But according to ASUS this PCB Version with this BIOS supports 400MHz xp 3200+ CPU and 400MHz Dual Channel memory so that CPU and memory can run in sync. So I left CPU External Frequency at 200 MHz and set Memory Frequency 100% (for my 400 MHz Corsairs) SDRAM Active Precharge Delay = 6 SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay = 3 SDRAM RAS Precharge Delay = 3 SDRAM CAS Latency = 2T as recommendet somewhere else in the forum. Result = Bootloop before Windows starts properly or hangup during POST. Even if I set the BIOS values to Optimal and let the system handle the values for memory and timing the system shows 200 MHz dual channel mode but the result is the same bootloop or hangup. Any suggestions to get my CPU and memory in sync? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wired Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Change your CAS to 2.5, try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted November 22, 2004 Corsair Employees Share Posted November 22, 2004 Check the FSB Jumper and set it too pins 2-3 for 200 FSB and set your Dim Voltage to 2.8 Volts and see if that will help. Also the latest bios for A7N8X Rev 1.0X is 1.010. I would suggest you use the latest bios as well. ASUS FTP A7N8X. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoennes Posted November 23, 2004 Author Share Posted November 23, 2004 Hi Ram Guy, Thanks for your reply. I will test th 200MHz Jumper setting. But wouldn't this creat a bottle neck?? What if I run CPU and Memory at 333MHz? Would this use the 3200+ capabilities even if it shows a XP 2500+ at bootup? By the way the 1010 BIOS is for the board Rev. 2 only. The 1010 file from your FTP link and the official ASUS download side are exactly the same. And the Download side says:' A7N8X BIOS 1010 for PCB revision 2.0 and later only.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted November 23, 2004 Corsair Employees Share Posted November 23, 2004 Please look again, there is 2 bios versions one for Rev 1.0X and one for Rev. 2.0. And you will need to run the memory in sync with your CPU. You stated that you had a 3200+ not a 2500+. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoennes Posted November 24, 2004 Author Share Posted November 24, 2004 Yes, I do have a 3200+, BUT when I set the CPU External Ferquency to 166MHz in the BIOS the system only shows a 2500+ during the boot sequence. So again, if the memory does not run at 400 MHz but at 333MHz only and I reduce CPU External Ferquency of the 3200+ to 166MHz to have CPU in sync with memory will this have any negative effect on the processors capabilities? This is the content of the ASUS FTP directory I cannot identify the BIOS you mention, the 1010_B.ZIP is the one for PCB Rev 2 ONLY it is identical to the vesrion 2 file on the official download side. The A8NC101D.ZIP is dated 2002, a very old one. And there is no readme. Up to higher level directory 1010_B.zip 221 Kb Wed Aug 10 15:31:00 1904 A8NC101D.zip 214 Kb Sun Feb 9 03:56:00 1902 AN8B1007.zip 215 Kb Tue Dec 9 15:06:00 1902 AN8B1008.zip 215 Kb Sat Jun 18 14:11:00 1904 AN8B1009.zip 215 Kb Sat Sep 17 02:56:00 1904 C18B1007.zip 221 Kb Tue Dec 9 15:06:00 1902 an8b1002.zip 216 Kb Fri Jan 30 11:06:00 1903 an8b1003.zip 217 Kb Fri Apr 3 04:49:00 1903 an8b1004.zip 215 Kb Fri May 15 14:00:00 1903 an8b1006.zip 216 Kb Thu Aug 20 18:36:00 1903 an8b102a.zip 216 Kb Thu Feb 26 11:01:00 1903 aw101e2m.zip 214 Kb Tue Jan 13 03:53:00 1903 awdflash.zip 21 Kb Sat May 9 07:46:00 1903 c1005b02.zip 220 Kb Wed May 13 10:14:00 1903 c18b1002.zip 217 Kb Wed Mar 25 04:42:00 1903 c18b1003.zip 217 Kb Wed Apr 8 07:41:00 1903 c18b1004.zip 218 Kb Sat Apr 25 11:16:00 1903 c18b1005.zip 220 Kb Fri May 22 06:02:00 1903 c18b1006.zip 221 Kb Thu Aug 20 18:36:00 1903 e1293_a7n8x.zip 1769 Kb Wed May 6 06:04:00 1903 j1177_a7n8x.pdf 4929 Kb Sun Feb 9 04:12:00 1902 j1293_a7n8x.pdf 3849 Kb Wed Aug 5 04:25:00 1903 t1293_a7n8x.zip 3244 Kb Wed May 6 06:06:00 1903 u1177_a7n8x_qsg.pdf 256 Kb Sun Feb 9 04:16:00 1902 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoennes Posted November 24, 2004 Author Share Posted November 24, 2004 According to ASUS the 1009 BIOS is the latest beta for A7N8X PCB Rev 1.x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted November 24, 2004 Corsair Employees Share Posted November 24, 2004 You have to set the memory Frequenct to 100%! And according to what listed (1010_B.zip 221 Kb Wed Aug 10 15:31:00 1904) should be for MB revision 1.0X. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoennes Posted November 25, 2004 Author Share Posted November 25, 2004 I am still waiting for a reply of ASUS before applying any Bios updates. I once had a bad experience ... At 100% the memory definitely does not run with CPU external frequency at 200 MHz. Regardless if I do settings manually or let the system do the settings with AUTO, SPD, optimal. I experimented again yesterday. Result: I will have to clear the CMOS since the system every time stops now after counting through the memory. I am not very pleased. Why does the memory run at 400MHz with my old 2600+ CPU that ran at 333MHz (although I reduced the memory speed after a while to be in sync) but not with my new 3200+ that runs at 400MHz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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