1700 DLT3C: I Need Advice...

[KrazyDawg]

My system current consists of the following hardware: Athlon XP 1700+ DLT3C, Volcano 11 HSF, MSI KT4 Ultra, 2x OCZ Dual Channel Optimized DDR PC-3200 High Performance 256 MB [512 MB]. For now I have my CPU running at 1.85 GHz [166 x 11]. The temperature is 98ºF / 36ºC on 100% load. I have my CPU voltage set at default [1.5v] and my AGP voltage at [2.8v], default is on Auto [??? v]. RAM timings are set at the fastest possible. I've been able to overclock it to 2.1GHz but it wasn't stable so I decreased the multiplier. The maximum voltage I can set on my CPU is 1.6v. If I set the CPU FSB to 200, I can't boot and I have to clear the CMOS. In order to test the stability of my system, I've been attempting to run Prime95 for a period of 24 hours. So far, I've been unsuccessful. It froze in about 3 hours. I was at work and when I returned from work, I noticed the colors were all messed up and I had to restart. Sometimes, it would lock up even if I wasn't at 100% load. I had a weird error message that popped up causing my firewall to not work. Windows Media Player 9 didn't run when it did before and it prompted me to re-install. Those are just a few of the problems I've had since overclocking. All the problems I've mentioned up to this point occured when the CPU was overclocked at a higher speed than I have set now. I've tried increasing the voltage and setting my RAM timing to the default (I thought the default setting was the slowest) or fastest, while also adjusting the speed between 333 and 400. I haven't tested it out yet on the slowest memory timings but I don't see how the timing can affect stability. I understand that when changing the FSB from 133 to 166, I've overclocked my PCI and AGP cards. The only thing I've done differently now is I've increased the voltage of my AGP card to the maximum possible. I'm not having any problems yet but it's too soon to tell. Any suggestions? This is my first attempt at overclocking.

Settings:
AMD Athlon XP 1700+ [1.47GHz] AXDA1700DLT3C 4155317280201 JIUHB0302MPM @ 1.85GHz 1.5v 166x11
AGP voltage @ 2.8v
Memory timings are at the fastest possible. CAS 2 CL 2-2-3-6 1T @ 400MHz

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I got tired of seeing the computer crash. I finally set the computer back at default settings and it still crashed on me [2x] as I attempted to install Office XP. I disabled my virus scanner and changed some settings for my RAM in the BIOS. It seems stable for now. My temperature at 1.47GHz is 87 - 89ºF.

[darrelld]

I'm not saying it will, but you should be able to get it stable at 166*12.5. I've had experience with several of these and they were all easily capable of that. You may want to ease up the RAM timings a bit. You could probably squeeze a few more Mhz out of the FSB. You were having trouble at 200 Mhz becuase that board doesn't lock the PCI bus, so at 200 Mhz you were running your PCI at 40Mhz and your AGP at 80Mhz. Neither one of those respond well to overclocking. I am able to run my PCI out of spec only 3 to 4 Mhz. That would mean to run yours 3Mhz out of spec your FSB could be run up to 180.

I run mine currently at 166*12.5@1.575V. It will do more, but it is problem free at this setting.

[Buzioid]

What could be your problem is your PCI bus. Can you change that?

I got tired of seeing the computer crash. I finally set the computer back at default settings and it still crashed on me [2x] as I attempted to install Office XP. I disabled my virus scanner and changed some settings for my RAM in the BIOS. It seems stable for now.

you need to address the issues of it crashing at default speeds before oc'ing it. Also keep in mind that just because someone else has had their chip oc'ed to 2.0mhz range doesn't mean your going to get yours there. And I'm assuming since you took such a big jump in fsb you don't have any seeting in between?? most of the oc's I've seen in the 2,mhz range with this chip have been 185x12.5 185x13 and 185x13.5

[pinoy87]

You shouldnt have to increase the AGP voltage since your board resets to the default AGP and PCI speeds when running at 166 but will overclock when running at FSB speeds between 133 and 166, 166 and 200(if your mobo supports 200). Also try overclocking using the slowest timings then when you reach your desired CPU speed you tighten it little by little. Remember slower timings on ram will let your ram operate at faster FSB speeds. Also the reason your comp doesnt boot at 200 FSB is because i dont think KT400's can run at 400 FSB.

As darrelld said you'll probably be able to run this at 166*12.5.

When i built my friends comp I used this same CPU stepping and got his to run at 197*10.5 stably using an nforce2 mobo and geil ram.

EDIT:In my friends comp we used the same HSF as you. At 197*10.5 his runs at a temp between 45 and 55 C.

good pickup on that 200 clock speed setting I didn't really think of that...your right these boards don't run at settings of 200 its 100/133/166 clocks speeds only with fsb speeds of 200/266/333

[KrazyDawg]

Does it affect stability if I run the memory at 400 MHz instead of at 266 or 333 MHz for FSB of 133 and 166 respectively? Should I try changing the CAS latency to 3 instead of 2 even though my RAM is rated for CAS 2.

I forgot to mention that when I overclocked to 1.85GHz, Prime95 ran stable for approximately 12 hours before the computer rebooted on me. Before it rebooted, I had my virus scanner running in the background and I was watching a movie at the time. Halfway into the movie, it rebooted. I've disabled my virus scanner and left my RAM settings on Auto while also setting my CPU back to the default setting of a 1700. It seems as if my motherboard overclocks the FSB. The 1700 is rated at 1.47GHz 11X133, 1463MHz to be exact, however my BIOS reads the CPU as 1500Mhz and Windows XP reports it at 1.49GHz. I don't know how much that can impact stability when I start overclocking.

Before I installed Windows XP, I had my processor overclocked to 2.1GHz. I didn't have any problems getting the POST screen so I decided to install my OS. There were no problems that I saw while installing the OS. After I finished installing, I updated to SP1 without any crashes so far. Then I proceeded to install my firewall, virus scanner, and the VIA 4 in 1 Drivers. It crashed before I finished installing my VIA 4 in 1 Drivers so i decreased the speed to 2GHz. I installed it a second time but I wasn't sure if it completely installed. I checked the driver date with the one installed on my computer and they match so I'm assuming that it finished installing. I don't know if there's an option to remove the drivers from the Add/Remove Programs menu. After I finished installing the programs I needed and downloading all the critical updates from Microsoft I ran Prime95. The computer crashed after 3-4 hours. I was at work when this happened and when I came back all the colors were messed up. A reboot fixed the problem. I've noticed that occasionally I wasn't able to boot into XP and I had to retry again. On the second attempt it would normally boot up. I had this problem too when I decreased the speed of the processor again to 1.85GHz. This time I was able to run Prime95 for a longer period of time. I'm probably going to have to set the timing of my RAM to the slowest possible while increasing the voltage of my CPU to 1.6v because that's the maximum my motherboard supports. I guess I'm paranoid that I have corrupt installations so I'll probably leave it at the default speed. There was a virus on my network which is why I left my virus scanner running in the background. Normally, I have it off because it slowd down my overall performance. I'm satisfied with the performance of my 1700 but I need it to be stable for now. Overclocking is for bragging rights but if it's not stable than it's pointless. I rather have a stable slower computer than a faster computer that crashes all the time. I'll attempt to overclock again after I finish stressing out my 1700 at the default speed. Thanks for everyone's help and I apologize for the long posts I leave but I feel it's the only way I can explain my recent problems.

[KrazyDawg]

Originally posted by Buzioid
What could be your problem is your PCI bus. Can you change that?

Unfortunately, my motherboard doesn't have an option to change the PCI/AGP bus.

[pinoy87]

If you still have problems running at default speeds you might want to just format your hard drive and reinstall everything. This will most likely fix everything.

Well now I'm confused whats prime 95 and why in the world would you not setup your computer install your os and drivers and such before attempting to overclock. I've always made sure all my components work and my os is installed before attempting any kinda of setting changes. That way you know for sure your system is running stable and things are ok.

Just because an oc appears stable enough to get to a post screen doesn't mean much until you start running and using cpu power. I'd leave it at deafault doa format and reinstall and make sure things run fine before attempting an oc. You should have no problems bein oc'ed to some where in the 1.85mhz range but higher than that is some extreme oc'ing.

As for your motherboard oc'ing the fsb on its own thats not much of an issue my board changes the fsb a tick or two here and there