PC133 SDRAM in a BX6-2 MB?

[Brian R.]

Anyone have success running an ABIT BX6-2 MB at 133 MHz or above with PC133 RAM of any type? I have only tried very fast RAM without success.

If so, what brand and type of RAM? Where was it purchased?

I want 600 MHz for my PIII 450!!!

Brian

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Win98SE, 450 PIII @ 581 MHz (2.0 V), ABIT BX6-2 MB, 128 MB Siemens PC100 SDRAM, G400 MAX, Diamond V2 SLI, Diamond MX300, CL Dxr3 Decoder, Adaptec AHA2940 w/uw SCSI, IBM 9ZX 9.1GB 10K UW SCSI HD, WDE 4360 4.3GB SCSI HD Supermicro SC750A case with PCP&C Silencer 275W PS, serious case cooling with four additional fans, and a partridge in a pear tree.

[Wombat]

I don't think that the BX6-2 handles 133Mhz. It has too many buffering chips to run that fast. Get Guyver's attention, or someone else. I don't consider myself an expert on that motherboard, and these fellas are.

-Wombat

[Guyver]

The ABIT BX6 Rev 2 motherboard's design which uses the Intel specification of 6 buffer chips to "improve" memory access, actually degrades memory access when used at any data rate higher than 100Mhz. The best I could get with 6ns PC100 (2x64MB) memory is 129Mhz. The best I could get with PC133Memory (1x128MB) was one step below that.

I switched to the BE6 and now happily run @ 133Mhz FSB.

Guyv

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ABit BE6, PIII-450 OC'd 600Mhz. 128MB PC133HSDRAM, 2.0V, 39C, Matrox Millenium G400 MAX, Adaptec 2940UW, Seagate Cheetah 9.1GB, Quantum 4.5GB, Kenwood 52X TrueX, Mitsumi 3XDVD, Sony SDT-5010 4MM DAT, Toshiba 32X SCSI CD, Memorex 6x2x4x CDRW, Iomega 100MB Zip ATAPI, 1.44MB 3.5" Floppy, 3Com/USR 56K Voice Faxmodem Pro, HP DeskJet 895CXi, Pioneer VSX-3700S Dolby Surround Receiver, Design Accoustics 3-way fronts, Pioneer Surrounds, Logitech Marble FX

[Brian R.]

Guyver - If PC100 is OK and PC133 is not, then the question is - What is the difference between the two memory module designs? I thought that PC133 memory was just PC100-type memory which had been manufactured better and thus able to stand operation at a higher bus speed. If it won't work, then there must be a fundamental difference in the modules. Also then, are there any PC100 modules which allow operation at 133 MHz fsb? Are they rated as PC133 memory or is there another way of designating this quality of memory?

B

[Guyver]

I believe the difference lies in what timing and depth is involved. Since my PC100 was of slightly less density (2 pieces 64MB PC100 - Note: My pc100 was 6ns versus the standard 7/8 ns you find today) it worked better than the higher density (1 piece 128MB PC133)

That is what I was told when I spoke to the mushkin support technician. I don't know if I believe it or not, but I don't have anything better to offer as a plausible answer.

LB

[Brian R.]

I contacted Tufshop.com, the people I purchased the MB from and here is their reply:

Sir to the best of our knowledge the current revisions of the BX6 do not
support PC133 memory, you would need to contact abit directly for
information as to whether the board can support such memory or not, and if
so who manufactures that particular memory

In response to this, I called ABIT and spoke to a tech rep. He said he was unaware of an incompatibility between the BX6-2 and PC133 memory. He recommended Kingston or Viking memory specifically.

-Restless in Rockville-

[Guyver]

Brian,

Did you mention to the tech what speed you were attempting to run your FSB at?

I believe he/she may have changed their tune a little bit if you had..... They put their official (anything over 100Mhz is not supported, but it is available for those users wanting maximum flexibility)... But since intel's specifications are for 100Mhz with those buffer chips, that would make sense that the later "more overclockable" motherboards would be missing those buffer chips....

Guyv

[Brian R.]

Guyver - Yes, I talked with him about the situation in detail. He even explained to me the BX6-2 won't support 133 MHz processors at this point. I forgot the issue of fsb/agp divider. He said (with a smile I suppose) I should forget it and be happy with the 129 MHz fsb I can get from the Siemens memory I have in it.

I have resigned myself to this eventuality, but I'm still going to hunt for a person who may have stumbled across a memory brand/speed that will work. I don't want to buy the PC133 memory as well as a new MB.

What do you think the odds are that my Siemens PC100 memory will work at 133 MHz in a BE6?

[This message has been edited by Brian R. (edited 10-02-1999).]

[Guyver]

Brian,

I think you may find that the fast 100Mhz memory will not go beyond the 129Mhz in the new board either. My 6ns PC100 would not reach beyond 129Mhz in the BE6 (with any reliability).. Hence the expense of the 133HSDRAM.

However, the gains are slight from 129Mhz to 133Mhz.. Maybe you should hold onto your money, wait out the current high-tide of memory prices and see what's left on the beach when the tide recedes.

I am currently only looking at a couple of possibilities for upgrades, none of them seriously at this time (after the fiasco of the PIII-600 not O'cing worth crud)...

Guyv

[Brian R.]

Abit replied to my query:

"The board is definitely compatible with PC133 memory. I have personally overclock PIII450 running at 133Mhz with Cosair PC133 memory. Sorry we do not responsible for any o/c results."

Harry Yen

[Guyver]

Then maybe I have the wrong kind of memory, or maybe one of the 3 or 4 bios upgrades would have fixed it for me. I didn't wait or look.. I found something that others recommended, and went to it.

Good luck in your quest...

Guyv

[Brian R.]

Guyver,
I'm forgetting it. I'm going to upgrade to a 600 once the price is below $500. I am hoping to get 672 or 700 from it. Memory is too expensive right now to be playing "buy and hope".

Thanks for the help anyway.

Brian