New PSU time.

[Holst]

Ive decided to get a new PSU for my 8KHA+

Im currently running a old 300watt unit from my P3 and my 5v is dropping to 4.7v under load.

I cant post any higher that 148fsb regardless of memory timings, voltage and multiplyer settings.

Im looking at buying this 400watt sparkle

Sparkle FSP400-60GN 400W ATX Power Supply - AMD Approved (CA-001-SP)

Is anybody else using this unit ?
If so how happy are you with it ?
Does anybody think there is anything better ?

[Superman]

I believe that Jeff is using the 350W version of it and I think he's the one that thinks all Sparkle's kick ass. Based on Jeff's advice, this will be the PS I get when I, hopefully, upgrade after Christmas.

[Paul.K]

All I can say about this PSU is that it is brillant. I have the exact model your speaking off and my rails are 3.4,5.1 and 12.6volts respectively your load. The Epox Tech guy even recommends it!!!


so go get one today,


Paul.K

P.S for the hardware overclocker there is adjustable pots to increase the rails.....

[Mentaly]

Hi all



The Sparkle rocks , nothing more to say

Mentaly

[EPoX Tech]

Recommended Purchases are Sparkle, DEEP, DEER, CWT or HEC

[Holst]

Damnit......

I got my new PSU today.

My 5v is now a healthy 4.95 under full load

Unfortunately i still can get it to post at over 148fsb

Ive tried all sorts of stuff, memory timings, voltages, unplugging HDD and PCI cards, swapping AGP cards, altering all sorts of bios settings and still no luck.

I did manage a slightly higher overclock with the new PSU and my geforce3 will clock 10mhz faster on the core with this PSU, so its not a total waist.

This now makes me think that either the board itself or the CPU are holding me back.

Could I just have a bad board ?
Im running the 8KHAL00.bin bios should i try another ?

OR is this a problem with my Duron 800. Its only a 100fsb chip so could it just not like high FSB's.

Has anybody got any answers or oppinions.

[Paul.K]

Hey Holst,

A few questions first, have you tried increasing the Vcore supplied to your Duron??? Have you tried increasing the VDimm to your DDR RAM??? From my own overclocking experience I will try an combination of settings (e.g CPU FSB and multiplier, memory and voltage parameters). Once I have obtained the highest overclock with stability at default voltage settings (within the motherboard specification) I have come to the limit of motherboard and processor capability. Now the next stage of overclocking involves modifying the motherboard (adding resistors etc) to obtain higher Vcore, Vio and VDimm voltages. It looks like you have reached the limit, however you could try the VCore mod to supply more Vcore to your Duron. The extra voltage may then gain you an extra few MHZ.


Paul.K

[Holst]

Ive tried all sorts to no avail.

Ive tried setting the VDIMM at various settings and ive set the ram to 100mhz mode. The memory runs fine at 148 with the most agressive timings and 2.6v. Its crucial PC2100 so it should do more than 150fsb easilw at slower timings.

As for the CPU voltage and speed, ive tried it with the multiplyer at 6x and with the voltage a 1.8v and it still wont work past 148fsb.

Im building watercooling this week so i should be voltmodding my board once its done. Although i dont expect to get any higher on the FSB through more voltage although i might get it to run at a higher multiplyer.

Im just worried that i have a bad board that wont run high FSBs.

Im praying that the Duron is the problem but ive now way to test it in another board.

I dont suppose anybody in the UK has a 133mhz fsb chip that i could test with ? (worth a try )

[spirits247]

Hi Holst, remember me!

Strange that you still have that limitation with the new PSU, but at least it's over the 133 barrier you had before.

I'm posting so we can compare set-ups. I doubt it's your CPU because as you know, my Duron 800 will do any FSB within multiplier limitations.

[Holst]

Comparing our specs they are very similar.

Im running

8KHA+
Duron 800
Elsa Geforce3 (also tried matrox g400)
IBM deskstar 45gb 75xgp
IBM 16gb (unknown model UDMA66)
Soundblaster live value
Generic PCI 56k modem
Matshi*ta SR 8583 DVD rom
2x256mb Crucial PC 2100
Sparkle 400watt PSU

Ive tried dropping the multiplyer to 6X
Ive tried getting it to post with only one stick of ram.
Ive tried unplugging the HDDs
Ive tried CPU voltages from 1.6v to 1.8v
Ive tried VDIMM from 2.6v to 3v
Ive tried with the slowest memory timings at 100mhz
Ive tried kicking it.
Ive tried unplugging all my PCI cards.
Ive tried a bigger fan on the CPU
Ive tried unplugging all the fans (except CPU fan)
Ive swapped the graphics card for a matrox.

Ive also tried various combinations of the above, all without any improovement.

When i ran with one stick of memory in slot 2 it just beeped at me. Is this evidence of a board fault ?

Im not running any USB devices, ps2 mouse and keyboard.

None of the FETs or the voltage regulator on the board are warm.

Ive totaly run out of ideas.. something isnt right but ive no idea what.

Can anybody tell me something to try ?

Im getting scared that i have a bad board, however unlikely that seems.

[Holst]

I had a think and i thought id try some combinations of speeds that i hadnt allready tried.

Something facinating happened and ive no idea why.

I tried to run at 133fsb but with the ram in 100mhz mode.
I ecpected this to work as the CPU works upto 148mhz.

It didnt post.....

I dropped the multiplyer back to 6 and still nothing.

So...what happened, it cant be the CPU because it wouldnt know what speed the ram was running at and it was well within the speeds it ran at before.
The ram should have either been at 100, or 133mhz either way it should work.

That just leaves my board, or my bios settings.

How ecactly should I enable the 3/4 ram devider ?

Maybee ive had a bad flash of the bios, i think i will reflash to a propper epox version and see what happens then (i can allways swap back)

If my logic is flawed, or you can see something I dont please reply.

[Holst]

EDIT

I did post here about my PSU getting how but i think my mind was playing tricks on me.

I have however found that the 6X and 6.5X multiplyers dont work even with the FSB set to 100 or 133 so im going to take my CPU out and redoo the unlocking.

Can anybody please try to use the 6X multiplyer on there 8KHA+

With the 7X multiplyer my chip is close to its limit at 150fsb.

I still cant get the ram to run at 100mhz and the chip at 133. So im still getting some very odd stuff.

[mrpcman]

I've loved all sparkle psu's that I've had. they are the best.

[Holst]

I could still do with some help on this guys.

Im worried I have a very poor board (by 8KHA+ standards)

Can anybody give a explanation as to why i cant run my ram at 100mhz ?

[Holst]

I think ie found the cause of all the strangeness. Well at least some of it.

In desperation i took the heatsink off my CPU to re apply conductive paint to the birdges.

I noticed that one corner of the CPU is very slighlt cruched.

I bought it second hand and i think it was like that when I got it, but i didnt worry too much as it ran OK.

Ive heatd that a chipped core can cause problems, often very unusual ones.

Do you guys think thats whats causing the FSB limitation and stopping certain deviders from working ?