Everst over-rating my CPU

Hi All,

Today I changed my motherboard, from an Asus A7N8X-X to an Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe, in order to be able to double the speed of my PC3200 RAM, which had been running at 200MHz.
No real problems, it booted straight back into Windows XP Home after I had got the mouse and keyboard working again. I don't know why, but neither of them would work until I reloaded the Nvidia USB 2.0 drivers, even though neither is plugged USB! I didn't even have to re-activate Photoshop CS.

I have one query for the CPU experts though. If I let the BIOS run the memory speed as 'Auto' it runs at 266MHz and Everest correctly identifies the CPU as an Athlon XP2500+, but if I select a FSB of 200 MHz for a memory speed of 400MHz Everest says that my CPU is an Athlon 3200+ Barton, 2200MHz (11x200) 3200+. The temps reported are the same as before, 44°C the CPU, and 20°C the mobo, with Everest bench marking the memory almost up amongst the 64 bit CPU and twin CPU machines.
Is this state of affairs likely to cause me any grief? Advice please.

Roger

 

Pete,
All jumpers are in the 'as received' position - Default?
Installed and ran CPUInfo, which gives the same report as Everest, an Athlon XP 3200+, Max Speed 2225MHz, Family Model Stepping 7.10.1.
As for the memory, you are quite right, I should have said SPD not Auto. Everest is reporting the memory correctly as 2 x 512MB DDR PC 3200 modules, and shows -

Real clock 200MHz (DDR)
Effective clock 400MHz
Core voltage 1.65 volts

In the BIOS set-up: CPU External frequency 200MHz
Frequency multiple setting (Auto)
System performance (Optimal)
Memory Frequency (Auto)
Resulting Frequency (Auto)
DDR Reference voltage (2.6 volts)
The boot screen shows my 1GB of ram at 200MHz Double rate.

All the temperatures seem normal, no warnings, and I have adjusted no clock rates or voltages to over-clock.
Photoshop really flies now, RAW conversions are very rapid. I know that the CPU installed is an Athlon XP 2500+ but if I don't get any dire warnings of possible explosions I shall sit back and continue to enjoy a very rapid machine.

Roger

 

Hi Pete,
Just an update really. An unusual problem on my machine is usually my fault, by oversight or error, and this time was no exception. All the settings I had used in the BIOS were correct, EXCEPT the fsb, which I had set as 200MHz instead of the correct 166MHz. It worked quite well as an Athlon XP3200+ with Photoshop, very fast indeed, but only for fairly short periods of the CPU at 100%, such as applying a filter effect. With longer times at 100%, playing Bridge for example, the machine crashed.
Two points worth noting. In Everest now, and with the CPU being an Athlon XP2500+ again, the memory chips are identified in SPD as PC 3200 DDR, But going to the benchmark they are identified as PC 2700 DDR! The second point is, that it is rather surprising that CPUinfo identifies the CPU according to values that I have put into the BIOS and not by values put into the CPU by AMD!
In fact, I was so impressed by the temporary overdrive effect with PSCS that I am going to raid the piggy bank, and buy an Athlon XP3200+. Anybody in the market for a young XP2500+?

Roger

 

Roger, it did seem a bit "too good to be true ". I think your original figures should have been 166, not 266.

Since you have had some success overclocking this one, why not choose a setting "in between ". Your motherboard/BIOS probably has the capability to adjust it somewhere in between.

Overclockers use instability as a guide...get to instability then back off a notch or two.

You have PC3200 RAM, so you will not be overclocking that/those.

If it is scorched now, may as well deep fry it

Matt

 

The Barton 2500 is a nice overclocker. I've seen many run at the 3200 speed, stable. IMO, I would hang on to it, but in the off chance you want to get rid of it, let me know. I would definitely be willing to talk.

 

Hi Pete,
As you requested a follow-up on an Athlon XP3200+ update.
Before changing the CPU's over I duplicated two pictures, and with the XP2500+ ran a Focal Blade sharpening, and a RAW adjustment process, keeping the same settings to try with the new CPU. I also ran the Web Photo Gallery using a folder with 48 assorted photos in it.

With the XP3200+ installed I ran exactly the same processes on the duplicate pictures. Not a world shattering difference, but noticeable.

XP2500+
Focal Blade 12 secs
RAW conv. 10 secs
Web Gallery 2m 5secs

XP3200+
Focal Blade 8 secs (-33%)
RAW conv. 8 secs (-20%)
Web Gallery 1m40secs (-20%)

So far the XP3200 has not lived up to its reputation for running hot, it's at 45/46 just like the XP2500+
I was surprised to see that the heatsink provided with the 3200+ has no plastic cowl around the fan like the 2500+ but the fan itself appears to be identical. Where the 2500+ heatsink had a flat bottom with a copper insert, the 3200+ has a ******* on aluminium plate about 3mm thick. This made installing the heatsink to the CPU very difficult, and I finished up removing the fan from the HS in order to be able to apply pressure to the retaining clip with a screwdriver. Not for the nervous!!
Not very scientific but having the memory running at 400MHz seems to have made a worthwhile difference.

Roger

I should have said s****d on !

 

r.leale - This is pretty common and its one of the reasons 2500+ Bartons are so popular. In some (most) cases, one will have to bump the core voltage just slightly to achieve rock solid stability but you can run all day long with a 2500+ set at 11x200 or 3200+. You may be wise to investigate a little better CPU heatsink fan combination because you can knock that 44C down a few degrees with better CPU cooling. Forget about wasting your money on a 3200+, if you really want a procesor for that board, buy a 2600+ Mobile and set it to 11.5 or 12 x 200 - its a lower voltage processor that runs cooler and will blow the doors off any 3200+. Not to be deceived, the 2600+ is supposed to run at 266MHz, but 400 is no problem. Perhaps the best Athlon ever produced. I was running two machines with OC'ed 2500+ set at 11x200 and switched both over to 2600+ Mobiles currently set at 12x200. They run right around 39-40C.