A7N8X extra poor memory bandwidth

[ZeR]

I've been installing my A7N8X last day, but I have been extremely disapointed about the memory performance of my new PC.
When I work under windows, everything seems to be slow. I dont have that problem in Games.
My system seems to run stable but still freezes once or twice a day only in games, let's say its normal.

I have been reading arround to find a solution. Then I found someone posting his sisoft sandra benchmark scores (aprox 2900 I think), and I decided to test my config.

My Config:
350W Power suply (Q-Tec)
a7n8x (not the delux)
CPU AMD +2200XP
Memory 2X 256 DDR 333 (seitec)
G-Forcee 4 4280 AGP 8X 128DDR
HDD 60G Maxtor 133 7200rpm

Here you go, I run da test and here are my results:

1932

OMG OMG OMG !!! jeez, i wanna buy a P 2 for these results!

I'm joking . But seriousely, jeez, I have been changin my mobo cus I've been reading to mutch Tomshardware guides , I had an Aopen AK77 333 with great perfs in games and apps. I know its not the easy to install mobo. But seriousely, I know where te major problem is "the memory" , unfortunately, here in Europe, we CAN'T buy Corsair sticks. My dealer has Apacer, He tells e it's good stuff, but I dunno. What do you think?
Can anyone help me?
Do you know if this is normal to have such a poor mem bandwidth with low quality sticks?

Is there any config I can tune up in my bios?

I have been switching from 166 to 133 (166 caused me non stop freezin).

I dont consider me a noob, but I never work with frequency, voltage etz. If I can get some advice, tell me, i'll understand.

Best regards
David

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by ZeR on 02/21/03 05:52 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Civilized]

I look at your set up and the first thing I notice (which is not always bad) is that you are using a generic low wattage power supply on a power hungry system (alot of generic psu's @ 350watts barely push out an actual 200w of power) and generic ram that I have never heard of (im sure it is not cas2 rated)....BUT it is pc2700 and yes it will give the same bandwidth as other pc2700 modules (quality doesnt affect the bandwidth) but it does affect stability at lower cas timings and higher speeds.....I personally have never used Apacer nor heard any great things about it....but it is brand name memory.....the best memory modules come from of course Mushkin, Corsair, and OCZ
Please list the amps that this psu supplies to all three rails...3,+5,+12

Have you installed your chipset driver?
<A HREF="http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=nforce_udp_winxp_2.03" target="_new"><font color=red>Here is a link</font color=red></A>

What memory timings are you running presently?..

I have read that the asus mobo is a real memory stresser, has anyone else experienced this problem???



<font color=green>Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza<font color=green><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by civilized on 02/21/03 01:17 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[unoc]

I was in the same situation.
A7N8X deluxe, windows XP and everything very slow and also the OS installation was a venture.
I substitute my Promise RAID controller with an Adaptec 1200A.
I don't know if this was the solution, but after this the system runs as a rocket.
I suggest you to check the driver, or you can provide a clean installation on a very simply system (1 HDD 1 CD rom) without extra component. After the installation of the device driver for your mobo you can put on the PCI board and all other components untill you find the performances killer.

Principle of the highest harassment for engineers says: having two events, one bad and one favorable, with the same probability to occur, it is most probable that the bad event will occur

 

[ZeR]

Thanks for the help,

Question:
What memory timings are you running presently?..
Do you have the 333fsb version of the xp cpu or the 266?

Answer:
I'm running 133 at the moment and it runs stable
But about the 333FSB version of the XP cpu, I have no idea! Where can I find this info? onto the CPU or with a software?

About the ATX power suply, I dont think this can cause mem perfs loss. But idd it is low cost stuff, I'll change this also later for my own information .

I fergot to tell you I was running windows ME!
But anyway, let me tell you what I did, maybe this can help;

I have been installing windows ME, the correct way it is suposed to be installed : first Dx, then mobo drivers, then gfx drivers etz etz

But I made a mistake: The mobo drivers I have installed has been downloaded from NVIDIA website (latest version), but I readed womewhere arround the net it was recommended to use the ASUS drivers (ASUS tells they made modifications onto that driver). Reading this, I've been installing those ASUS drivers, and I started to benchmark.

So the question is: Do I have poor perfs because I Installed "older" ASUS drivers over the "new" NVIDIA driver?

No idea :-/

I will install windows XP now, ill see what perfs I get afther this.

Ill keep you guys informed.

Many thanks for your reply

Best regards
David

 

[ChipDeath]

Nothing much to add to what the other guys have said, except:

here in Europe, we CAN'T buy Corsair sticks.

I live in England. one of my mem sticks is Corsair XMS PC2700 DDR333, bought from:
<A HREF="http://www.overclockers.co.uk" target="_new">http://www.overclockers.co.uk</A>

I think they'll ship anywhere in europe.

They have pretty much all the Corsair range there I think...

I've bought a fair amount of stuff from them, and their service has seemed fine.

[EDIT]
oops - just noticed

I fergot to tell you I was running windows ME!

That will seriously NOT help... AFAIK that's the worst version of windows, performance-wise.
[/EDIT]

---
:tongue: <P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by ChipDeath on 02/21/03 06:10 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Civilized]

My bad earlier, I dont know what the hell i was thinking earlier(brain fart)...your 2200+ is only available in the 266fsb...so running your processor at a 166fsb is a very high overclock without some major cooling....so lockups can be expected....the only models with the 333fsb are the 2600-2800+

I dont see why switching to the nvidia would cause any problems...I would definately give it a shot...

And no a power supply will not make your computer run any faster lol...BUT will improve stability when overclocking etc especially if you have a lot of power hungry devices

<font color=green>Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza<font color=green><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by civilized on 02/21/03 01:32 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[igo_hams]

I've got an A7V8X and have the same problem with mem.
Amd 2400+ And kingston 256 PC 3200 Cas 2.5
I send back the mem and i'm waiting for new mem.
Kingston is now sending me Winbond ram.

But i also have a poor PSU. 230 Watt Brandless.
Do you know a good PSU and what should the power at least be?
I don't have many powerconsuming devices.

Don't bother upgraden your PC, Microsoft wil alwayse be able to slow it down.

 

[CompSci]

I'm runnin Kingston DDR 2700 cas2.5 and it does what its supposed to do++ - 166fsb set agressive - ~2600 sandra mem bandwith score consistantly.

Have been using kingston quite a bit lately over the past year and don't even have 1 kingston stick in the "Questionable" memory drawer, lots of others, but no Kingsston yet - Tha's why I'm still usin the stuff, perhaps not the best, but its "Always" been reliable as rated for me, and seams to always have "some" extra in it...

Not all Athlon's will go 166! NO mater what mem speed modules ya use.
Seams most of the new TBredB's will, but if not a new "B" core around 150 is about all to be "Expected" from what I read... give or take per individual processor.
Come on now, anything reliable over the processors 133FSB rating is a Freebie...

Set the a7n8x, default setup, stock cpu speed, Mem SPD AUTO, CPU interface Aggressive, so it POST's with the "Preformance DDR enabled" message, and go from there...
Should be like ( with cas2.5, agressive, Auto detected by SPD)
external freq 133 => 2050+
external freq 166 ~= 2600
Cas2.0 should be ~10% faster...

Maybe, the default setup of this mobo is seting the external frequency of the processor to the auto detected speed of the memory!!!
It sure does it with my 1700+ - Default setup "Enables Preformance DDR" and comes right out runnin the Ex Freq of my DDR 2700 memory - Ex Freq 166! If I didn't have an new "B" core my 1700+ just wouldn't run at Load default settings. After hitting default setup, I have to back in and set it back to 133, and the only options then are 100,133,166. When ya change the default multiplier from Auto - that opens up the full rance of Ex Freq speeds..
So, after loading defaults, go back and insure the Ex Freq is set to the rate of the processor - not the speed of the memory - work from there...

Changing the multilier seams to have little or no efect on the mem bandwith numbers. And settings that dont give that "Preformannace DDr Enabled" on POST "Do" knock back the mem scores...

Tinkerin around with "User defined" and "Manual settings, I just can't beat 'Preformance DDR Enabled" reliably!

Take reliable "Preformance DDR, Agressive and be Happy...