OK, Alfie, RAB and Paul...you got me into this!

[Bixler]

Upgraded my K62 333 to a K63 400, and have run into some odd setup issues.

The Old K62 333 needed a 95Mhz FSB and a 3.5x divider at standard non-OC'ed settings.

I popped in the new K63 400 and set the FSB to 100 mhz and the divider at 4.0x as recommended, and promptly lost one of my 64 mb sticks of 8ns Sdram!

OK: when I drop the FSB down to 95 mhz, my memory shows back up again, but of course My K63 drops back to 380 from 400. I have found that I can use 4.5x divider and 95mhz FSB and I get a 428mhz proc, and my 128mb of memory is recognized.

Any problem here? System seems to run cool and stable, although I haven't noticed any quantum leap in speed.

------------------
AMD K6II 333
on SOYO SY5EMA
128M 8ns PC100 SDRAM
Marvel G-200 TV
w/DVD HW Card
Promise Ultra 66 HDD Controller
Win 98--running 98 Lite
(A GREAT program)

[paulcs]

Tim, I think you want to check the jumpering for your DRAM modules. Apparently, there are separate jumpers for the CPU and DIMM slots and they must be configured separately to be in sync.

I really think this might be a driver/chipset issue, and you have a particularly interesting chipset. This is a snippet from one of Anand's reviews of another Soyo Super7 board using the same chipset:

"The Northbridge Chip on the 5EH5 bears the noticeable ETEQ logo, something rarely seen in the motherboard industry, fortunately for the sake of keeping the Super7 world from becoming any more complex the ETEQ chipset is nothing more than a re-labeled VIA MVP3 chipset. The VIA Bus Master Drivers work perfectly fine on the 5EH5, as do the VIA AGP GART VxD's."

Soyo's website confirms that the ETEQ chipset is just a VIA chipset, although I would hope one of the VIA guys on the forum would confirm whether or not your board is compatible with the new VIA 4in1 drivers.

VIA driver should be downloaded from VIA's site. It appears motherboard manufacturers are absolutely horrific about posting updated drivers. Case in point: VIA posted new drivers on Dec. 6th. AOpen posted much older drivers on Dec. 15th, so go figure. The drivers posted on Soyo's site are not the most recent VIA drivers.

If these drivers are compatible with your motherboard, I think you should uninstall your video drivers, install the new VIA 4in1 drivers, and then reinstall your video drivers.

But I'm not a VIA user, although I seem to have spent the entire morning researching the chipset. Hopefully Rags or Joel will chime in.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[This message has been edited by paulcs (edited 31 December 1999).]

[Bixler]

Thanks Paul:

I'm very aware of the ETEQ/VIA stuff. It was an ugly little secret/marketing ploy that I had to uncover while chasing down another problem.

When Installing 98 for the first time (clean, reformatted HDD) I found that 98 installed their standard busmaster drivers...the Old VIA ones were so buggy in 95 that I just left well enough alone, and have been running on the standard ones ever since.

I am somewhat concerned about this bastard FSB/frequency divider that I've got going on with my new k63400...are you saying that the BM issue and this problem are related? HMMMM

I've got the VIA 4-in-1's downloaded, just never installed them. Reply with advice--and thanks for looking into it. I've been running for about 4hrs in this bastard config, and haven't seen any anomolies.

------------------
AMD K63 400
on SOYO SY5EMA
128M 8ns PC100 SDRAM
Marvel G-200 TV
w/DVD HW Card
Promise Ultra 66 HDD Controller
Win 98--running 98 Lite
(A GREAT program)

[paulcs]

I'm suggesting just that, although there's no technical reasoning behind that suggestion, other than the fact that a myriad of seemingly unrelated problems seem to get fixed after installing the driver updates.

VIA claims you don't have to install the IRQ Routing Driver and the ACPI Registry if you are running Windows 98se, although they are not included in Windows 98 "First Edition."

I've seen this problem before; I just can't remember where. Joel, Rags, and RAB are the VIA poobahs here. I'd wait until they chime in. Joel does have his specs, BIOS settings, and installation sequences posted on his web page. Maybe they'll help.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Bixler]

Thanks Paul:

But.

I d/l'ed the newest Via 4 in 1's, and am running now with the latest...but no joy regarding the Front Side Bus speed settings.

I tried again after installing the new drivers, but the same symptoms remain. With FSB set at 100Mhz, I lose 64 MB of ram...it just isn't recognized. Set FSB back to 95mhz, and I'm back to 128.

The SOYO board is fully voltage adjustable in .1 v increments with a lot of flexibility, but no matter what else I try, if I go above 95 on the FSB--I lose half of my SDRAM. Both sticks are supposedly pc100 compliant...but I've never pushed them above 95 until now. Is it just a substandard stick?

Just my luck...bought the stuff 14 mo. ago.!!

------------------
AMD K63 400
on SOYO SY5EMA
128M 8ns PC100 SDRAM
Marvel G-200 TV
w/DVD HW Card
Promise Ultra 66 HDD Controller
Win 98--running 98 Lite
(A GREAT program)

[Wombat]

Are the two DIMMS exactly the same? SS7 boards often had timing problems with mis-matched RAM sticks.
Also, make sure they both run @ 100Mhz on their own. 100Mhz FSB, and then try running just one DIMM at a time.

[Alfie]

The memory suggestion sounds like the right approach.
Another approach is:Set bus speed to 95mhz and try 4.5 multiplier.
A gentle overclock,true,but within the boundries.
You may consider a larger fan and heatsink,if you find it running to hot,however it should be ok.
Also in bios set memory to cas 3,perhaps try this first,just to see if both sticks are recognized at100 mhz setting.
We'll get it right,just hope it doesn't turn into a Mchrea string!
You did check your anti-virus program,didn't you?

[paulcs]

I with Wombat as well. Time to start experimenting with that RAM. We know one of them is working. Is it the DIMMS or is it the motherboard? This is the next step.

Tim, do you think you can borrow a DIMM?

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Bixler]

Ah! The gentle warmth of helping hands.

Wombat: Are the two DIMMS exactly the same? SS7 boards often had timing problems with mis-matched RAM sticks. Also, make sure they both run @ 100Mhz on their own. 100Mhz FSB, and then try running just one DIMM at a time.

They are both 8ns PC 100 SDRAM, but they are of different manufacture, and were bought separately.--Second stick was bought when I upgraded to Win98. (but still running at 95MHZ FSB)

Alfie: Another approach is: Set bus speed to 95mhz and try 4.5 multiplier. A gentle overclock,true, but within the boundaries. You may consider a larger fan and heatsink,if you find it running too hot, however it should be ok.

I'm one step ahead of ya guy. That is how I'm currently configed. The Bios picks up my 400 at 428 mhz since I'm running 4.5 instead of 4.0x. I've been watching all day with the case off (never overclocked before). That was my original question, and if this is OK, then WTF, I'll run it. I'm just a nervous newbie to this stuff. I've never broken the rules before. Are you sure I won't go to hell or anything???

Paulcs: Tim, do you think you can borrow a DIMM?

Nahh! In Mississippi, we still have to saddle up the horses to get to the gen'ral store. But I can go with one stick and then the other at 100 mhz as suggested above. No time now, gotta go abuse my body for what we call 'amateur night' He He.

Thanks for the HELP.

[Bixler]

Well, here's what happened:

Apparently I do have a substandard DIMM. With only the suspect DIMM mounted, the machine would not boot with Front Side Bus set to 100 mhz. No Boot regardless of CPU Clock. (tried at 3.5, 4.0, & 4.5 dividers)

I left the same DIMM in, dropped the FSB back to 95mhz, and VIOLA! Boot up was OK, and I could run any divider I wished. Running the same tests with my other DIMM, I could boot in any divider/fsb combo that I wanted.

Alfie: I'm currently 'gently overclocked' as you say, and pleasantly surprised that life on planet earth continues. The BIOS picks up my K63 400 at 428Mhz. So a 5% overclock won't send me to purgatory when I die? God this is GOOD. Next thing I'm gonna do is go rip off all those mattress tags! Hehehehe.

NOW FOR THE STUPID QUESTION.

Am I giving up any significant performance with this bastard config? I can't seem to see any stability problems--at least so far. What should I be looking for? The bad DIMM was the OEM one that came with my Soyo board when I bought it 14 mo. ago, so I'm screwed as far as an RMA. Wombat got me worried about these timing problems he referred to. I'd like to hear back from some of you SS7 gurus.

[Wombat]

Well, I'm glad you managed to track down your problem. Sorry that your PC100 really wasn't. What company did you buy from, so we know not to buy from them?

As far as speed goes, your system is running slightly slower, but it's imperceptable, really.

Don't worry about the timing thing. Not unless you start getting random crashes. I had a 128MB stick and a 64MB stick that just wouldn't play nice together.


------------------
K6-2/350@400, 503+ rev 1.2a, 128MB PC100 RAM, Millenium G200, RH6.1 w/ 2.2.12-20, Win98, and too many classes

[Bixler]

Thanks for the help Wombat:

I think I'm still gonna go for that RMA, but I bet I'm screwed. Before I ruin the Co.'s rep among friends, I will try first.


------------------
AMD K63 400
on SOYO SY5EMA
128M 8ns PC100 SDRAM
Marvel G-200 TV
w/DVD HW Card
Promise Ultra 66 HDD Controller
Win 98--running 98 Lite
(A GREAT program)

[paulcs]

I hope they do right by you. Many DIMM's come with long term or lifetime guarantee.

Good luck.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Alfie]

Tim,
Here's a link with actual benchmarks showing performance with your configuration. http://www.amdzone.com/reviews/processors/K6-III_400/
Did you try to set latency to cas 3 in bios?
It could be one stick is cas2 and the other is cas3.Just a thought!

[Bixler]

Alfie:

No latency settings in my BIOS that I can see. I'm dimly aware of the concept, but see no settings referring to anything CAS.

The only thing my Award Bios V 4.51PG allows for is for recognition of the various DRAM/SDRAM memory types. Mine is supposed to be 8NS SDRAM that is PC100 compliant. Both sticks say so on thier labels. My BIOS is set for 8NS SDRAM--as far as I know that's all I can do.

I've also had my first lockup (when I put my outer case back on there was a noticeable temperature rise.) I've since installed a trusty 120V AC Radio Shack 3in dia. fan in the front of the case. (That was lotsa fun! Not too terribly noisy, but my wife noticed from across the room. ) I'm hoping that will cure the problem.

Should a 'gentle overclock' (only 5%) cause this much extra heat?? Jeez! what do you guys that OC in the 30-40% range do? THIS is why I have never OC'd before.

OH Well...I've taken it on now, and I'm off, I'm afraid, on another one of those 'rolling upgrades.' Before this is over I'll probably end up with a MAX.

[This message has been edited by Bixler (edited 02 January 2000).]