Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Board Layout: http://www.asus.com/products/mb/so [...] 8x-x_l.jpg

Board Spec: http://www.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=A7V8X-X&langs=01

I have not yet built a system but am pretty familiar with hardware.

I was just wondering if the UDMA 100/66 on this board will take standard IDE
devices?

I haven't got a clear understanding of Serial ATA and ATA and DMA/UDMA etc.

Also will this board take standard DDR400 PC3700 RAM, the description on the
Board spec (see above link) says at PC2100 and PC2700 but also says SDRAM
PC3700 this means it will take at least modles of 512 PC3700 RAM ok?

Please someone reply i have wanted to build for ages just no one or nowhere
to clear up these little nit piks I have about which board to get.

This one seems to fit perfect for an AMD 2800 and a decent AGP graphics
gard!


Thanks (In advance)

Christo

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

"Christo" <chris@juststuff.co.uk> wrote in message
news:2p94ubFiljpaU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Board Layout:
> http://www.asus.com/products/mb/so [...] 8x-x_l.jpg
>
> Board Spec: http://www.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=A7V8X-X&langs=01
>
> I have not yet built a system but am pretty familiar with hardware.
>
> I was just wondering if the UDMA 100/66 on this board will take standard
> IDE devices?
>
> I haven't got a clear understanding of Serial ATA and ATA and DMA/UDMA
> etc.
>
> Also will this board take standard DDR400 PC3700 RAM, the description on
> the Board spec (see above link) says at PC2100 and PC2700 but also says
> SDRAM PC3700 this means it will take at least modles of 512 PC3700 RAM ok?
>
> Please someone reply i have wanted to build for ages just no one or
> nowhere to clear up these little nit piks I have about which board to get.
>
> This one seems to fit perfect for an AMD 2800 and a decent AGP graphics
> gard!
>
>
> Thanks (In advance)
>
> Christo
>

Also will the board take standard IDE cables ok or do i need specific UDMA
cables (seen these on ebuyer not sure if standard ATA cables will be ok)

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <2p94ubFiljpaU1@uni-berlin.de>, "Christo"
<chris@juststuff.co.uk> wrote:

> Board Layout: http://www.asus.com/products/mb/so [...] 8x-x_l.jpg
>
> Board Spec: http://www.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=A7V8X-X&langs=01
>
> I have not yet built a system but am pretty familiar with hardware.
>
> I was just wondering if the UDMA 100/66 on this board will take standard IDE
> devices?

Standard IDE devices are backward compatible.

They support a number of direct memory access (DMA) and polled I/O
(PIO) operating modes. Just plug and play. DMA goes faster, because
the Southbridge moves blocks of data into RAM on its own, saving
processor time. PIO is slower, because each 16 or 32 bit chunk of
data is manually transferred by the processor.

>
> I haven't got a clear understanding of Serial ATA and ATA and DMA/UDMA etc.

Serial ATA has a thin cable. Data travels faster, down a thinner lane,
to about the same effect.

>
> Also will this board take standard DDR400 PC3700 RAM, the description on the
> Board spec (see above link) says at PC2100 and PC2700 but also says SDRAM
> PC3700 this means it will take at least modles of 512 PC3700 RAM ok?

The web page you quote above says:

3 x DDR DIMM Sockets
Max. 3 GB unbuffered non-ECC SDRAM Memory [should say DDR SDRAM]
PC2100 / PC1600
/ PC2700 Max to 4 banks only)
(PC3200 Max. to 2 banks only

Memory, like the disk drive, has backward compatibility properties.

A PC3200 memory runs at DDR400, DDR333, DDR266, DDR200 with a clock
rate of 200MHz, 166MHz, 133MHz, 100MHz respectively.

A PC2700 memory runs at DDR333, DDR266, DDR200 with a clock
rate of 166MHz, 133MHz, 100MHz respectively.

A PC2100 memory runs at DDR266, DDR200 with a clock
rate of 133MHz, 100MHz respectively.

Your processor choice, of a Barton 2800+, runs at a clock of 166MHz and
the FSB transfers 64 data bits twice per clock cycle or FSB333. This
matches a memory clocked at 166MHz and transferring 64 bits of data
twice per clock cycle or DDR333. You can use PC3200 or PC2700 memory,
to match and efficiently run the processor at FSB333. For non 1:1
ratios of processor and memory clock, you have to check the manual, to
see if there are restrictions on the combinations of clock rate.

Barton 2083 (2800+) OPGA 166 512 12.5x 1.65V 85oC 53.7W

Although it might seem running the memory faster will "make it go
faster", for many motherboards 1:1 ratios give the best results.
This has to do with the fact that extra hardware delay is added to
the data path, when the memory and cpu clocks don't match, and
the gain of running the memory faster is balanced with the loss of
the added delay circuitry.

The banks statement above, should have referred to whether the memory
is single sided or double sided, and the statements made should have
been referred to the DDR rate and not the PCxxxx rating. A double
sided DIMM is "2 banks". As mentioned above PC2700 runs at a max of
DDR333, PC3200 runs at a max of DDR400. The limit restated should
say "you can use one double sided DIMM at DDR400 or two single
sided DIMMs at DDR400, you can use two double sided DIMMs at DDR333
or a combination of single and double sided DIMMs as long as the
total number of sides or banks is less than or equal to four".

MemClk DDR_rate Slot1 Slot2 Slot3
200MHz DDR400 --- --- DS (DS = double sided, SS = single)
200MHz DDR400 SS --- SS
166MHz DDR333 DS --- DS (i.e. max four "sides" )
166MHz DDR333 SS SS DS
166MHz DDR333 SS SS SS (used only three of four banks)
133MHz DDR266 (unlimited configs)

I don't know if your referral to PC3700 is a typo or not. Memory
faster than PC3200 is not a JEDEC standard and is used by
overclocking experimenters. Some chipset families handle these
speeds better than others, and a details knowledge of architecture
and the experiences of others, is needed to make a wise purchase.
There are many unwise individuals who buy PC4400 memory, thinking that
their PC will "go faster" because the number is higher. In the case
of your prospective purchase, that would be a mistake. Either PC2700
or PC3200 should do a good job for you. You can use the Crucial or
Kingston web site and their motherboard search engines, to find
compatible ram.

http://www.crucial.com/store/listp [...] &submit=Go

http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/co [...] it1=Search

>
> Please someone reply i have wanted to build for ages just no one or nowhere
> to clear up these little nit piks I have about which board to get.
>
> This one seems to fit perfect for an AMD 2800 and a decent AGP graphics
> gard!
>
>
> Thanks (In advance)
>
> Christo

First of all, building a computer is fun, because you are in control.
But, you also have to know some things, in a way similar to car buffs.
If you don't know what is under the hood of a car, you get a mechanic
to do the work. The thing about the computer, is if everything works
perfectly, virtually no knowledge is required to assemble the hardware.
But, installing drivers, debugging hardware that doesn't work,
selecting the right power supply for the job, matching bits and pieces
does require some knowledge and research. For AMD AthlonXP processors,
installing the heatsink/fan on the CPU is tricky, as the AMD processor
has a bare die, and if you are "all thumbs", you can crack pieces off
the edge of the silicon die. The heatsink can be rotated two ways, and
the contact patch has to be lined up with the silicon die. So, just
like a car buff, not everyone is advised to "reach under the hood",
if they are clumsy or error prone (know your own limits - like Homer
Simpson building a barbeque in his back yard :-)

If your decision to build was "all about saving money", builds hardly
ever work out that way. If you buy hardware in bulk from a distributor,
then yes you could save money. Buying one of each item, you won't
get any price break, and prices are such that the machine will be
more expensive. Home builders do it, so they can pick the components
they want, instead of being stuck with whatever is put in a Dell
or HP or Emachines.

If you are to avoid getting help from a professional (a computer
assembly shop), then you need to be able to identify the parts
and describe them with the right terminology, so you can post
your questions and understand the answer. A hardware list
of the parts, brand and model number, and a careful description
of the symptoms, will help get a meaningful response from people
here, if you have trouble during your build.

For your first build, it might be easier to buy components
locally, so there is less of a problem returning anything
that might be defective. Make sure the return policy of the
store is a reasonable one, before you buy.

And, everyone makes mistakes. I destroyed $25000 worth of
electronics once, by being in a rush. You'll have a hard
time matching me on that :-)

Paul