Another RAM question

RuggieBear

I got my hands on 2x512 pc3200 RAM as i believe this is the best stuff for my over clocked XP2500 (200*11). Anyway i think i have it correctly in to make use of the dual channel thing supported by my motherboard.

This replaced a stick of 512 pc2100 generic stuff. I was wondering would i be better off leaving this out of my machine and let the faster RAM do its stuff or would it perform better with 1.5GB of RAM?

Oh yeah...setup is in the signature. Still needs a good bit of work done to it but we're getting there...:)

Thanks,

P

Woden

yeah i reckon you may have to leave it out as if its pc2100 it runs at 133mhz i think amd's perform best if running in synch with the memory which you won't be able to do if you are running at 200mhz *11 with the 1gig of pc3200

Col_Loki

Definetly leave out or sell the Pc2100 Ram , your performance will be crippled by using it. 1gb of Ram is sweet, i doubt you would see any change performance wise if you had anymore.

The Adata Ram is known for hitting higher than stated FSB. Your up to Xp3200+ which is nice, atleast your Ram will go higher if you want to overclock more. Hows the PSU holding up? Might be worth watching the rails while running Prime95 (you have probably checked your stability with it after the overclock rite?).

Other than that, nice work so far

RuggieBear

Originally posted by COL_LOKI
Hows the PSU holding up? Might be worth watching the rails while running Prime95 (you have probably checked your stability with it after the overclock rite?).

Ran Prime95 for an hour and it seemed fine. How do i check the rails?

Bit concerned about the PSU as its not the best. Will hopefully be getting my hands on a replacement 9800pro within 2 weeks. Will probably try and overclock it too at some stage...just want to get one that works first!!!!

Not sure how well the PSUwill hold up? Will have to wait a month or two before i can afford any more upgrades.

Actually had my eye on this Would it be worth it, just upgrading to 350w...

And congrats Col_Loki on the moderatorship...

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Col_Loki

I think it would more than lightly be fine running your system. Antec are good quality PSU's, the TruePower (newer version) is better than the smartPower.

Mabye think about the Sonata. I cant compliment this case enough, it is ultra silent, comes with a fantastic PSU , a 120mm fan, lovely finish, great features inside...... its a little extra and you dont have the clear side or blue psu.

Ran Prime95 for an hour and it seemed fine. How do i check the rails?

You could download MBM5 (motherboard monitor) or normally theres software on the motherboard CD which will show you it. Main ones to watch are the +5v , +12v and +3.3v (ohh and a little eye on Vcore).

Asus probe should be on your CD....... or mabye you installed it already check programs.

And congrats Col_Loki on the moderatorship

Cheers, much appreciated!!

RuggieBear

Do these reading look ok? Not really sure what is good and what is bad....

I Suppose the more pressure you computer is under the more voltage is required? At the moment all i'm doing is surfing the net. could play a level of Farcry and see what is happening....

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Col_Loki

Your 12v is a little on the high side but for a hec 300w PSU there not bad voltage rails. If you run prime95 you will probably see a decrease in the 12v rail and it will put the PSU in general under pressure. With a 9800pro i seriously doubt that PSU will do ....... 350w antec will be fine IMO. But when you get the card test it and find out for sure.......... you might be very lucky

Jammer

the antect lanboy case mentioned above is in Maplins for 82 euro! a bargain at that price. i bought one from elara 3 or 4 weeks ago, a very well built case! PSU is grand too.

RuggieBear

Bloody typical.....computer rebooted itself within 8mins of running the Prime95 test. First time that has happened. Temp went up to 60 according to AsusProbe but was probably way more (Not sure how accurate these things are!!).

Seemed to do fine with the test when i had 512mb pc2100. Just realised that I had set the bios to "agressive"....Might just set that back to "optimal" or perhaps i should relax the overclock a wee bit until it's running Prime95 a little longer????

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Col_Loki

Were you watching the voltage rails?

Generally when the computer reboots its a PSU problem and with the chip overclocked thats what id be betting on. The Ram or CPU usually gives you errors, while i found to high FSB gives you stalls....... thats just my general findings , but also a high temp can do it aswell.

60' degree's is too high IMO on an Asus board, you definetly need a little case cooling!!

You should set the asus probe to record the temps and monitor the voltage rails and see if what you find.

RuggieBear

Originally posted by COL_LOKI
Were you watching the voltage rails?

Generally when the computer reboots its a PSU problem and with the chip overclocked thats what id be betting on. The Ram or CPU usually gives you errors, while i found to high FSB gives you stalls....... thats just my general findings , but also a high temp can do it aswell.

60' degree's is too high IMO on an Asus board, you definetly need a little case cooling!!

You should set the asus probe to record the temps and monitor the voltage rails and see if what you find.

I'm at work at the moment and i cant remember the voltage when it rebooted but had asusProbe recording it so i'll find out.

I'm reckoning i'll have to get myself a new PSU....I'm still thinking of getting a Lanboy (especially if it's 82euro in maplins - thanks Jammer!!!) but otherwise i'll go for your fav, the Sonata. What's your opinion on it's cooling? I don't really mind noise as i'm a big games fan so volume and bass are always cranked up high!

At the moment i have an 80mm sucking air in from front bottom and another 80mm blowing air out the back...and boy are they loud! Bloody cable all over the place tho....

Think i might reseat my cpu cooler as well...perhaps its has come loose with all the recent fiddling i've been doing!! it's a GlacialTech Diamond 2100 GOLD...is it any good?

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Col_Loki

The LanBoy for €82 seems like a steal, provided it has a PSU!!

The sonata comes with one 120mm fan installed at the back, on full power it moves alot of air and is very effective (and that noisey). It has space to install another 120mm fan at the front which would be a good idea. If you run two of these at 12v there will be good case cooling, running them at 7v wouldnt be bad either and should set you up nicely (also quiet)........ or you could run them from the PSU's fan connector which means they are regulated by load on your system - nice idea!!

Heatsink doesent look too bad, good idea to make sure its on the right way and making a decent connection!!

RuggieBear

Groovy....i'll go and investigate maplins tomorrow....suppose i better pick up some more thermal compound as well. Jesus i hate that stuff....awkward as hell to use IMO or maybe i'm just incompetent Might explain the high CPU temps....:D


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Col_Loki

awkward as hell to use IMO or maybe i'm just incompetent Might explain the high CPU temps....

lol, i hate the stuff sometimes aswell, i usually use antec reference silver thermal compound as its much easier to apply and i find it pretty decent... With the thermal compound you should watch not to have too much on or it will kill your temps. Thin coat only needed .

Lanboy is a pretty nice case, nice clear side with blue PSU. I had the 480w TrueBlue in my other case....... lovely i must say. Not too bright so you can sleep with it on, but makes a nice glow come from the side.

RuggieBear

Goin into serious debt this month...but at this stage i'm thinking "**** it"!!!! I've bought in the last 3 weeks or so....

Adata 1GB pc3200 €212
Radeon 9800pro €202
Gainward soundcard €19 (thanks!!!!)
and now possbly a new case: hopefully €82... possibly €150

Jesus....thank god i get paid on wednesday!!!!:D


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Col_Loki

Quite a bit of upgrading there alright . I know exactly how you feel, once you start upgrading its hard to know when to stop!!

I think im going to hold off with my current system for a good bit (excluding the Tv card and remote thats on its way from komplett). Have spent way to much of late!! Majour upgrade prob at the end of '04 , but until then i gotta sort out some bills.

Well i suppose in your case when you do a little more you will have a sweet rig that glows (mabye) and performs at the same time !!

RuggieBear

Originally posted by COL_LOKI
Well i suppose in your case when you do a little more you will have a sweet rig that glows (mabye) and performs at the same time !!

I think if i do get the Lanboy, i'll spend a bloody fortune on lighting the bloody thing....perhaps spending a little bit more on the sonata will save me money in the long run.....:D

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RuggieBear

Okie dokie....got my hands on the last Lanboy for €82.49 in Maplins Blanchardstown having missed the last one in town.

Never been to the Blanchardstown shopping centre before and have to say i'm quite impressed.

Decided to go across the road to PCWorld and picked up a artic cooling VGA silencer for €15...now hopefully i'll get my 9800pro back and i'll be laughing my way to an over clocked gfx card....

Anyway i'm off to rig my new case....


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Col_Loki

I must say you picked up 2 good deals on that one !!

RuggieBear

Originally posted by COL_LOKI
I must say you picked up 2 good deals on that one !!

Yup...that what i thought!!!:D

I always thought the vga silencer was about £20 sterling not €15.

Anyway got things up and running....heres a picture or two!! I know to experienced tweekers it's not all that but its my first steps into this arena....!!!:)

RuggieBear

bloody camera is a nuisance....

RuggieBear

no2

RuggieBear

Cant seem to take non fuzzy pictures when the flash is disable apologies for the shaky view...

Col_Loki

Must say that looks very nice!! Good job with keeping the cables out of the fans way aswell.

You should have a look on www.hitide.ie for a nice bright cathode tube, there great for the first while but will keep you awake !! Good thing they have a switch. Bet your system will run fine with the new PSU, stability is always nice.

RuggieBear

Actually had to run out of the shop to stop myself buying more stuff including cathodes....:D

Think i might have ****ed up the CPU heatsink installation again as my idle temp is 50degrees!!!

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EDIT: 6mins into prime95 and only gone up a degree so far...fingers crossed!!!!

Col_Loki

Make sure the ridge on the heatsink is matching up with the ridge on the socket. In general this means that the screwdriver leverage yolk will be pointing up toward the PSU (with all the one ive fitted that i remember).

Just make sure the cut down ridge on the heatsink is ontop of the hump in the socket .

Hopefully prime95 will run ok for ya!!