Can I overclock An A 1800 XP? HELP!

[arretium]

First the facts:
Athlon XP 1800+
Asus A7N8X Deluxe
Corsair 2700 DDR XMS
ATI RADEON 9700 Pro
WIN XP PRO
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My cpu has a green tint and rectangular (NOT SQUARE) shape. I'm still using the sorry aluminum cooler.

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THE SUCCESS
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I can overclock the guy to XP 2000 (1.65 Gz) directly from the motherboard with perfect stability using 12.5X multipler @ 133 MHz FSB & 1.6v (Auto setting for voltage)

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THE QUASI SUCCESS LEAVING ME WANTING MORE
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I overclocked the guy to 2.0 GHz (my sweet spot number) using FSB of 166 Mhz and 12.0 Multipler and upping the voltage on the CPU to 1.75v. It made PAST POST and LOADED WIN XP. System worked great. Runs for about 10 minutes then I decided, "Heh, I want to get a little over 2.0 Ghz, I don't want 1.995 Gz, do I? I want to see that darn 2 GHz!" So I switch back to the BIOS and set my FSB to 167 MHz. POST OK, but the bios reports memory timed at 165 MHz. I think, "What's this? I want my memory at 166 Mhz! I've got dual channel DDR baby, give me the stuff!" So I go back into BIOS and up the freq for the FSB to 168 MHz. Save, then... POST OK. Mem reports at 166 Mhz @ BIOS. I'm thinking, "Sweet, I've got my 2 GHz that I wanted...." Meanwhile, Win XP LOADS, then CRASH. I figure, "I guess I can live with 1.995 Ghz, that's not that bad right?" So I switch back to FSB 166 MHz. Try again. POST OK, Win XP LOADS, then CRASH. I think, "What the heck? It was just working 5 minutes ago FLAWLESSLY, what the heck happened?" Now I up that voltage to the max and try again. STILL NO GO. I try to jump down the multipler to 11.5 X. POST OK, Win XP CRASH. I think, "DARN IT!!!" Needless to say, I'm back at 12.5 multiplier times 133 FSB, I never see the vaulted 166 FSB again.

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IT'S A PIPE DREAM, OR IS IT? SO FAR IT'S FAILED
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All of these settings POST, but fail either while loading WinXP or within the first minute after loading WinXP

FSB 166:
12.5 X Multiplier @ 1.6 - 1.85v.
11.5 Multilplier @ 1.6 - 1.85v
11.0 Multiplier @ 1.6 - 1.85v


BOTTOM LINE:
I've gotten 12.0 x to work @ 1.75v for one short 10 minute period before I got overzeaous and decided to get a little more.


I'M TAKING ANY SUGGESTIONS. I've been reading the boards and learning a little bit about processors and overclocking. What can I do to get this guy to 2 GHz? Why can some people get the thing to 2.25 Ghz? If then can, shouldn't I be able to? Is it my motherboard? Is it my ignorance? WHAT IS IT!!!

I have already purchased an XP 2700, but I was thinking that this cheap processor might do the trick for me and I can cancel the order. I'd like to avoid spending the $300 on that processor. HELP!!!!

 

[papasmurf]

wow my polmino 1800 is running at 1.77ghz with a volcano 7 at around 45c at load it is going off 2.15v core...I am using an epox 8k3a and 256mb of pc 3200 ddr running at only 153mhz it is terrible not to be able to push it higher but the processor has reached its limit and my motherboard has no setting for pc 3200 ram. so I have to run the fsb real high to get the ram high... I need to upgrade. these parts have served me well but they are aging. I think you have reached the limit of your cpu, it was only supposed to have a fsb of 133mhz and stability beyond 150mhz is rare. I am surprised it booted at 166mhz, mine has been known to reach 170mhz but only with extreme cooling and serious prayer. alas I have never seen the 2ghz mark though god knows I would melt ever part of my computer to get there it just isnt possible with my cpu. we both need to upgrade I think a 512kb barton will do nicely!

Fighting for peace is like screwing for abstinance!

 

[arretium]

Are you saying that I have the palomino core?? My motherboard reports the core voltage of the procesor being at 1.6v, that means that I have a thunderbird-b/a, right? I thought the core voltage on the palomino was 1.75v, is that right?

Totally confused...
Anyway, does green mean palomino?
And if it does, what does it mean that by my processor booting at 1.6v under "auto" setting on the motherboard? Shouldn't it be 1.75v as the other palomino processors? I'm basising this conclusion (that palominos run at 1.75v) on the new post at Tom's hardware entitled benchmark extravangza (or something like that) where they post the results of processors from the P100 all the way through P4 3.06 GHz.

 

[svol]

No no... you got the T-bredB.

I don't know if you checked your temps but a 2GHz. with a aluminium cooler they will get pretty high.
You have to much rush OC'ing... you should do it a couple of MHz at a time if a big leap doesn't work.

Also be sure that you have a large enough powersupply (I recommend atleast 350W).

BTW 1.995GHz is the same as 2 GHz in marketing...

My dual-PSU PC is so powerfull that the neighbourhood dimms when I turn it on

 

[phsstpok]

If it doesn't run at 166 Mhz FSB with any multiplier then it sounds like your memory is having trouble. Try less agressive timings. If that works the go back to agreesive settings but bump the VDimm voltage a little.

Also, as an experiment run the memory slower (I think you can do this with the A7N8X). FSB at 166 Mhz, memory at 133 Mhz. This should tell you if your CPU can do 2000 Mhz and if your memory is the problem.

Another way to get to 2000 Mhz is to mod the chip. By cutting and closing the appropriate L3 bridges on the Tbred B (1700+ or 1800+) you gain access to the higher multipliers (13x and higher). You would probably want to mod the other L3 bridges so your processor works like a Tbred 2100+ or 2400+ so that it will still POST. On an Tbred 1700+ cutting the 4th and 5th L3 bridge will make it work like an XP2400+ (2000 Mhz, 15 * 133.33). With a Tbred 1800+ you also have to close the 1st L3 bridge. This mod will get you to 2000 Mhz but at 133 Mhz FSB.

I don't know if this will lock you into the frequency that you choose. It depends on your motherboard.

I've mod'd an XP1700+ in this way but I use old motherboards. On an Abit KT7 (KT133) the mod'd CPU post at 20 x 100. I can run several multipliers from 22.5x and down. This I can do in BIOS but on older motherboards (and maybe some newer ones) the multipliers get remapped in the fashion below

7x ----> 15x
7.5x --> 22.5x (not stable)
8x ----> 16x
8.5x --> 16.5x
9x ----> 17x
9.5x --> 18x
11.5x -> 19x
12.5x -> 20x

These I have verified for myself. I have also been told that 10x remaps to 23x and 10.5x remaps to 24x but these multipliers don't work for me.

I use the same processor on an Epox 8KTA3PRO mobo (KT133A). Multipliers work exactly the same way as the KT7 with FSB at 100 Mhz, except I can't get the 22.5x multiplier.

When I step up FSB to 133 Mhz (or higher) I'm locked at the multiplier to which I mod'd the chip (15x, XP 2400+). (Funny this board boots at 15 x 100 while the KT7 boots at 20 x 100).

Since I can't change the multiplier I run the XP 1700+ at 15 x 140 = 2100 Mhz (XP 2600+), 1.75 volt core. I'm using a $4 aluminum heatsink and a $5 fan. Temps don't go over 42 degrees in a warm room (about 23 degrees).

<b>WARNING</b>, once you do the mod you can't access the lower multipliers 5x-12.5x without UN-mod'ing the chip.

<b>99% is great, unless you are talking about system stability</b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by phsstpok on 02/20/03 03:40 PM.</EM></FONT></P>