Author Topic: System Memory question (Read 424 times)

wrag · « **on:** June 01, 2005, 05:45:17 PM »

MB is an Asus A7V8X-X

Manufacturer states max banks with DDR400 PC2700 = 4 :: max banks with DDR400 PC3200 = 2.

Bios is award version 13 (latest last time i looked)

FSB is set 333

CPU is AMD XP 2500+ Barton

Current OS is W98SE With mods for a memory increase above 512.

current memory is 512 DDR400 PC2700

Can get Corsair Memory right now for $77.00

Specs = 1 Gig ( 512 x 2 ) DDR400 PC3200 Cas Latency 2.5

Planning on upgrading OS to XP before too long.

Question is:

Board Manufacturer states 333 on 2700+ and thereafter ::: yet I have a 2500+ running at 333.

Will the 2500+ Barton handle the PC3200 correctly and give me the advantage of dual channel?

humble · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2005, 05:59:54 PM »

PC 3200 is for a 200 FSB yours is 166. Your PC 2700 is correct for your MB. Now if you can flash the MB from 333 to 400 then the PC 3200 is the way to go. I'm unaware of any MB that runs at 333 with one CPU and 400 with another but I could be wrong. If its CPU dependent then you'd need to upgrade your CPU. My 2500+ was running on a gigabyte 400 MB just fine so I know the CPU is fine on a 200 FSB....

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2005, 06:24:09 PM »

Your board only has a 333 front side bus (FSB). Can you actually flash a board to run at a faster FSB? I thought that was a hardware issue. Anyway, right now you wont gain any benefit from plugging PC3200 RAM into your computer, unless its a lower latency than your PC2700, but thats a pretty minor gain.

wrag · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2005, 07:07:57 PM »

My board has a bios setting for FSB speed.

Normal speed looks to be 166 but it can be set to 333.

333 is the max this board can do.

Reschke · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2005, 07:52:23 PM »

If I remember correctly you could flash the Deluxe version of that board up to the 200 FSB but not the -X version.

38ruk · « **Reply #5 on:** June 01, 2005, 09:06:33 PM »

I dont think that board has dual channel capability , looking at the asus site ,they never mention dual channel in the spec , with their other boards they use it as a selling feature and advertise it as such . with the fsb restriction of 166 , or 333ddr , running the memory at a higher speed than the cpu prolly wont hurt performance , but you wont see any gain . I had a a7n8x-e dlx with a 2500+ barton , it was nice to just change the fsb to 200 x12 and run at xp 3200+ speeds.

If you want to be adventurous, the other thing you COULD do is put the pc3200 in the board , then you can bump the fsb up manually to see how high it will go, it might manually clock up from 166 to 199 or 200 1 mhz at a time , i know people where overclocking the 166fsb to 199 in some cases,with pc3200. you should be able to see how far the fsb will go if you select manual,just dont save the setting before you lower the multiplier , and while ur still running the pc2700.
The multiplier I ran was 12x 200 with my barton without issue . you might want to start at 10x199 or 200 and bump up from there ..... you prolly shouldnt do this , but im just throwing it out there as an option if you REALLY want to get allitle more outta that rig ... 38

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Reschke · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2005, 07:09:12 AM »

Found this on the ASUS website in the FAQ knowledge base searching under A7V8X-X.

Quote

Question

As I know, A7V8X-X can support up to PC3200. However, I found one note in user's manual:
"PC3200 maximum to 2 banks only and PC2700 maximum to 4 banks only"
Could you explain more in detail?

Answer

Simply to say, one single sided DIMM means one bank, one double sided DIMM means two banks, two single sided DIMMs means two banks, etc.
Hence, e.g. you can install one pcs double sided PC3200 or two pcs single sided PC3200.

wrag · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2005, 02:51:35 PM »

Noticed if I set the speed of the cpu up to 22xx it goes to a 400 fsb using auto.

I can also reach 400 fsb manually.

Auto setting is 166/33 right now but can be set much higher using manual.

Tried it at 12.5x and found it preformed worse then using auto at 11.0x. I lost about 15 FR in AHII.

Current setting is (using auto) 11.0 x , 333 fsb, 1824? cpu speed, 166/33.

I think the board can use (at the 22xx auto cpu setting) the PC3200 but not sure the cpu can? Keep seeing statements that claim the 2700+ and those made after can handle and use PC3200 but nothing on the 2500+.

Also not sure it would give me any increase whatsoever? Might even actually preform slower?

Saw a thread in on a BBS where someone claimed they were using the 2500+ Barton with PC3200 and getting preformance increases but it wasn't this board they were using.

Also where I live heat is a concern in the summer. Rasing the auto cpu settings to the 22xx could create a BIG heat issue?

I haven't tried it at the 22xx setting because of the 400 fsb setting, I have PC2700 memory rated at 333 fsb. May try it on manual and retain the 333 fsb. Just to see about the heat issues and check out the preformance.

boxboy28 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2005, 03:36:20 PM »

IF im not mistaken...... i had that same board and the VIA chipset will not got to a 200 fsb! i ENDED up swaping it out to get me the Nvidia version cause it could got to the 200 FSB and beyond (RAM depenant)

humble · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2005, 04:22:28 PM »

I had a 2500+ on a gigabyte board running at 400 with no problem...

38ruk · « **Reply #10 on:** June 02, 2005, 08:06:18 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by boxboy28
IF im not mistaken...... i had that same board and the VIA chipset will not got to a 200 fsb! i ENDED up swaping it out to get me the Nvidia version cause it could got to the 200 FSB and beyond (RAM depenant)

when i was looking at some other people's overclocks with the a7v8x-x some had a problem going over 180 fsb, but most were hitting 200 without an issue. dont know if the first revisions of the board had issues , or if it was rectified with a bios flash ... 38

wrag ,if the cpu will run a 200 fsb , then it will handle pc3200 no problem. Most 2500's ran a 200 fsb without issue so my bet is yours will too . The barton 2500's were designed to run a 333fsb , that why you see sites say that the higher speed bartons only use pc3200. Most 2500+s were just underclocked higher level bartons packaged as 2500's . I havent seen may that wouldnt run Xp barton 3200+ speeds ..... 38