Abit KG7RAID and memory???

Tomteriffic · September 15th, 2002, 09:48 PM

Here's the skinny. I ordered an Abit KG7RAID which, as it will be delivered, needs a BIOS flash to support Athlon XP processors. I have everything I need to slam together a system and intend to run an XP1600+ in there. In order to do the BIOS flash, I've borrowed an Athlon 800, which is supported by this board in it's current state, so I'm cool there.

The question is, in order to do this BIOS flash, will I need to put in some PC1600 RAM? All I've got for this thing is PC2100, and this is a board with an AMD northbridge and VIA southbridge, so I'm a bit fuzzy on whether it'll tolerate PC266 RAM with a 200 Mhz FSB processor, even temprorarily. My guess is that the PC2100 I have will run OK at the lower speed, but my inexperience with this motherboard chipset has me wondering?

Anybody wanna sell me a clue?

daveleau · September 16th, 2002, 12:56 AM

The ram should work at the lower speed. Worst case, if you slap in the PC2100 and it is incompatible, the system will give you BIOS beep codes saying it is "bad RAM". I'd try it. It should work. Good luck with the flash.
Dave

DemonKnight · September 17th, 2002, 12:45 AM

You've got a good board there. Mines done me no wrong. (I wronged it thanks to breaking the center tab on the zif socket..) Be careful when installing the heat sink, make sure you dont put it on backwards! (Its not that hard to messup like that.....-_-; )

Either way, you should be good to go. I've run my PC2100 ram lower and higher than rated for about 80 of the time I've owned this machine.

Tomteriffic · September 17th, 2002, 07:55 AM

Thanks, guys

The board should be here in a couple of days. I'll post back on the results.

F/A-18 MechDood · September 17th, 2002, 10:39 AM

Remember to install the ram in reverse order on the slot numbering. If you have one stick of ram it goes in slot 4. Also, the ram slots are verrrrrrrry tight. Make sure you get the ram seated well. Even when the clips engage you should push a bit more. Also the cpu fan connection goes on fan header 4 on the mobo.

Kuasimodem · September 17th, 2002, 10:30 PM

Hmmmm... I built a system for a buddy about a year ago with a KG7-RAID/XP1600+ combination, and it runs sweet without a bios flash

Maybe the bios flash is for XP2000 and up?

Tomteriffic · September 17th, 2002, 11:19 PM

Kuasi, nope, any XP and some of the high end original Athlons, too, as well as Durons. I suspect these were a batch that were getting dusty in somebody's warehouse and CompGeeks found them and bought 'em.

Kuasimodem · September 17th, 2002, 11:47 PM

That could be, if I remember correctly, the board that I used has the 5W bios, which does support XP's up to 1900. (board was purchased from NewEgg in November 2001).

DemonKnight · September 18th, 2002, 12:15 AM

I read on the KG7 FAQ site, that the KG7-RAID only supports upto XP2000 IIRC.

bill1971 · September 18th, 2002, 12:54 AM

I managed to pick up two of these boards acouple of months back. Got a great price on them.

As long as the FSB and clock multiplier are OK, won't say an XP 1600 at least boot to DOS and/or BIOS so the BIOS could be
flashed? Or will the 1600 require a possibly unsupported voltage,etc.? Thanks.

- Bill