939Dual-SATA2 and AMD 4800+

[rickeb1]

Hello,

New to the forum, and wondering if someone could help me do a quick vet of my system. I have a Windows XP Pro system built on an ASROCK 939Dual-SATA2 board, 4Gb memory. I just upgraded the processor to an AMD 4800+ (got a good deal on one), and was wondering if I have my settings set correctly for maximum performance, especially the memory settings. I'm not really looking to overclock anything unless there is a simple, stable overclock that can be done.

What info can I supply that would help someone verify my system settings? I have the CPU-Z numbers, should I post that?

Thanks very much!

~ Rick

p.s. Is there a way to get Windows XP to recognize the full 4Gb rather than just 2Gb?

 

[borisvodofsky]

If you're using 2x2gb stix, make sure it's 1T, if 4x1gb stix, use 2T

Memory timings should be loosened depending on how OLD those sticks are, "overvolted" etc


Your CPU should reach 2.7ghz min w/1.45v to 2.9ghz TOPs.

I'd recommend keeping ram at stock if these are 2x2gb because they do not overclock well to begin with, and you really will not see ANY performance gains outside of Sismark.

Voltage you can go as high as 1.55v depending on your cooling. If you're on air try to keep it at below 1.5 if this will be a 24/7 machine ie download box, + games etc.

On water you cannn technically go to 1.6v :twisted::twisted:

I am running a similar processor Opteron 165 at 2.7ghz 300x9 \1.4v. I am using a borrowed pair of ocz plat rev 2. at 300mhz 1 to 1. but these are 2x1gb so they can takes it..:twisted:

ALSO TURN OFF ANYTHING on the motherboard you're NOT USING,, 939 is very problematic..

I'm running DFI-NF4 SLI board.

 

[Faxfane]

For the 939Dual-Sata2, it would depend largely on if you're using the 939 socket or the AM2 slocket, as they have different ddr support. (Built a rig on the eSata2 version, with a 939 Opty 144 massively OC'd...one helluva sweet board.)

Re: 4G and Xp, you're pretty much stuck with 3.5 of it being 'seen'. Opinions vary regarding the usage of different startup switches.

There's a lot of good info here regarding your board, which can help you dial in your optimal settings. I recall filling notebook pages with various dividers, htt values and voltages trying to find my max fsb, max cpu and max ram on the eSata2. Lucky for me, I bought it second-hand from a reviewer, who had already performed volt-mods for the cpu and memory.

 

[rickeb1]

Thank you for the response!

Here are a couple of screens from CPU-Z. Can you tell from these what I should change in my settings? It looks like I could raise the voltage as you suggested; what other changes should go with it (bus speed, memory)? The case is a large ATX tower case (plenty of space), and the CPU is air cooled with the stock AMD heatsink and fan that came with the 4800+. The memory is 4X1Gb.

Thanks for your help!

~ Rick

 

[VirtualLarry]

Those CPU-Z screens look right to me. When you fill all four RAM slots, the RAM speed drops from 200 to like 160-166Mhz. It does it to me too.

 

[rickeb1]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I appreciate it! The link to more info on the 939Dual-Sata2 was pretty impressive - it will take me awhile to digest all of those pages of posts!

A couple of your comments caught my eye:

Your CPU should reach 2.7ghz min w/1.45v

Can you tell me more about this? What other items would I need to set, such as FSB, HT, etc., to go with this?

4G and Xp, you're pretty much stuck with 3.5 of it being 'seen'.

I'd be happy with that, but my Windows only 'sees' 2Gb, not 3.5Gb, even though the BIOS, CPU-Z, and Sandra SiSoft all see the full 4Gb. Is there some setting that enables this (it looks like PAE is already turned on)?

Thanks again!

~ Rick

 

[colonel]

it's funny, I still use Socket 939 (dont need to upgrade) one of my systems is this board, I recently changed my Venice 3500+ to a San Diego 4000+ and the board with a Beta bios dont pass 135. I used to post in 160 with the Venice. My other board is a DFI-NF4 SLI board, but the chipset is the same. I can get a lot of info about this board in OCworkbench forums.

 

[HumblePie]

skt 939 chips can fluctuate on overclocking by a wide range. I had some chips go no higher than 2.6Ghz no matter what I did. I also had one opteron 165 go all the way to 3.2Ghz on air. That thing was a monster at the time and it took using some really good memory and DFI motherboard to get that high as well. The chip may have even gone higher since around 1.45volts if memory serves me right with very low temps. Just the motherboard wouldn't go any higher FSB.


Feel free to play around and do searches on the web for people using your board to see what bios settings they used to achieve their overclocks.