AMD Sempron Processor 3100+ & ECS NFORCE3-A Motherboard for $80 at Outpost.com

[xyyz]

i have that exact issue with my ECS board. i've tried a few tools, but they all seem to indicate my processor is 81C.

i downloaded the following:

pcwizard

although it doesn't report the MB/chasis temp, the CPU temp seems to be accurate.

 

[furballi]

Everest Home 2.20.405 works fine with CPU temp. Aux temp is off (around 79C).

 

[MOUKIE007]

Thanks guys for all of the great info. I have been reading for a while and just signed up after I pulled the trigger on the 3100 combo. Its still on, but I had to call. The sku# was 470559. I also ordered the coolermaster HSF that Zap suggested. Thanks Zap. Its my first build, so I am looking forward to it and my first overclock too. Great price. I have a 9600xt and only play AOE3 right now (had to put WOW on hold).

Antec Super lanboy
Sempron 3100+
ECS NFORCE 3-A MB
Corsair Value Ram 2x512
Hitatchi 160gb SATA
BenQ DVD burner
Antec Smartpower 2.0 500W

 

[PrinceKee]

OK, I just got my replacement mobo and sempron 3100+ and still getting the same problem. No video. Last time I checked my video card and it worked had my PSU tested at a computer shop and they said it worked the only thing that I didn't get to check was my RAM. I still think it'sm my PSU because it sounds funny and none of my drives will eject although my neon case lights are on and my HSF is spinning. So I'm going to get a new PSU. Would bad RAM be the problem also? I'm sure I have everything connected right. So I guess I'll go buy a PSU and see if that works if not then I guess it could only be my RAM huh?

 

[thatguyant]

I just picked up the 2800+ combo since the store didn't have any left. The 3100+ seems to be back in stock now. I've got mine currently overclocked to 1.8Ghz which makes it about the same as a 3100+. I know most people have been getting paris cores w/ their 3100. I was wondering which one would be a better deal?

2800+ palermo vs 3100+ paris

 

[trevor2k]

Currently stable w/ a 2800+ combo at 2.3Ghz. Great value for the money.

 

[thatguyant]

Hey Trevor, which board are you running the cpu on? I thought the ecs board was maxed out at 250mhz?

 

[trevor2k]

using clockgen on the ecs nforce 3 board to push the fsb to 288.

 

[furballi]

Definitely Paris with the ECS board. I don't like to drop the memory divider below 166. Running at 133 RAM speed will cost you about 50MHz core speed. The 3100 with 9x multiplier should do 2.25GHz at 250MHz FSB with little to no bump in Vcore. If you want to overclock beyond this speed, then you need to auto load Clockgen at boot. I can push my 3100 up to 2.51GHz at 1.6Vcore (equivalent to a stock A64 3700). The default Vcore for the 3100 Paris is 1.5V. Current running at 1.54V max at 2.44GHz. 1M Super Pi time is 38.1 sec.

You should be able to exchange the CPU at Fry's. Also use a 5:6 memory divider to see if you can push the 2800 to at least 2GHz. I think this is your problem.

Search the net for Clockgen version CN-NVVF3.

 

[AkumaX]

just to let anyone know, the deal is back this week, fri - tues / mar 3 - mar 7

 

[OhioState]

Originally posted by: AkumaX
just to let anyone know, the deal is back this week, fri - tues / mar 3 - mar 7

woot

just ordered my third of these

the first 2 are stable at 2.249 250 fsb 4x ht 1.7+ cpu voltage

 

[PrinceKee]

Well, I got my second mobo and sempron 3100 from Outpost and the motherboard was DOA once again. So I went and bought a cheap overpriced no name board and used the Sempron 3100+ and didn't have any problems. Maybe they'll allow me to return the mobo and keep the processor and get some refund since they do sale the board seperate...

 

[thetxstang]

Originally posted by: PrinceKee
Well, I got my second mobo and sempron 3100 from Outpost and the motherboard was DOA once again. So I went and bought a cheap overpriced no name board and used the Sempron 3100+ and didn't have any problems. Maybe they'll allow me to return the mobo and keep the processor and get some refund since they do sale the board seperate...

PrinceKee, that's pretty astonishing that you received two back-to-back DOA motherboards! Sorry to hear of your troubles, and hope the new cheapie board you purchased works out for you.

 

[PrinceKee]

Originally posted by: thetxstang

Originally posted by: PrinceKee
Well, I got my second mobo and sempron 3100 from Outpost and the motherboard was DOA once again. So I went and bought a cheap overpriced no name board and used the Sempron 3100+ and didn't have any problems. Maybe they'll allow me to return the mobo and keep the processor and get some refund since they do sale the board seperate...

PrinceKee, that's pretty astonishing that you received two back-to-back DOA motherboards! Sorry to hear of your troubles, and hope the new cheapie board you purchased works out for you.

Thanks lol. I hope it works for a while also. I have never had so much bad luck when it comes to things like this before evey. And to let you know how desperate I was today when I installed the new board and it was DOA I went and spent $75 on this Jetway K8M800 mobo from this local computer shop. But, I figured since the processor alone on pricewatch is about $80 I'd just not bother with another RMA. BTW what temps are normal for the Sempron 3100+?

 

[thetxstang]

Originally posted by: PrinceKee

Originally posted by: thetxstang

Originally posted by: PrinceKee
Well, I got my second mobo and sempron 3100 from Outpost and the motherboard was DOA once again. So I went and bought a cheap overpriced no name board and used the Sempron 3100+ and didn't have any problems. Maybe they'll allow me to return the mobo and keep the processor and get some refund since they do sale the board seperate...

PrinceKee, that's pretty astonishing that you received two back-to-back DOA motherboards! Sorry to hear of your troubles, and hope the new cheapie board you purchased works out for you.

Thanks lol. I hope it works for a while also. I have never had so much bad luck when it comes to things like this before evey. And to let you know how desperate I was today when I installed the new board and it was DOA I went and spent $75 on this Jetway K8M800 mobo from this local computer shop. But, I figured since the processor alone on pricewatch is about $80 I'd just not bother with another RMA. BTW what temps are normal for the Sempron 3100+?

That's okay, I totally understand your purchasing the Jetway K8M800 mobo. You were at your wits end and were probably frantic to troubleshoot to get to the bottom of the issue. I can see myself doing the same. At any rate, it appears you isolated the problem to TWO(!) bad motherboards. Really, I'm still amazed by that. Keep us updated on how everything is working. Oh, and good luck on returning the ECS board. I hope Outpost lets you keep the CPU and gives you a nice discount on the RMA board.

Oh, almost forgot: Edited to add that my BIOS indicates the CPU temps are anywhere between 31C-37C.

 

[thetxstang]

Originally posted by: OhioState

Originally posted by: AkumaX
just to let anyone know, the deal is back this week, fri - tues / mar 3 - mar 7

woot

just ordered my third of these

the first 2 are stable at 2.249 250 fsb 4x ht 1.7+ cpu voltage

Two questions for you:

1) Did you ever try using the stock CPU voltage in the BIOS or did your setup require a 1.7+ CPU voltage increase? What happened when/if you tried using the stock voltage?

2) Did you set your RAM (i.e., "Max Memclock") in the BIOS to a fixed 166MHz or did you leave it at "Auto"?

Thank you!

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: PrinceKee
OK, I just got my replacement mobo and sempron 3100+ and still getting the same problem. No video. Last time I checked my video card and it worked had my PSU tested at a computer shop and they said it worked the only thing that I didn't get to check was my RAM. I still think it'sm my PSU because it sounds funny and none of my drives will eject although my neon case lights are on and my HSF is spinning. So I'm going to get a new PSU. Would bad RAM be the problem also? I'm sure I have everything connected right. So I guess I'll go buy a PSU and see if that works if not then I guess it could only be my RAM huh?

With both boards you installed in your case and it powers up but no picture and the PSU makes funny noises? I think you have a problem with something shorting out, likely an extra standoff in the case touching the back of the board where there's no screw hole.

 

[furballi]

Or a crappy power supply. These boards are very reliable. The only weak link is the USB. This board will occasionally not detect my old USB keyboard. Works fine with a new USB keyboard.

 

[jumpr]

Nice - I've got a new Antec case sitting around with a brand-new 20-pin PS. And one of my hard drives on my current machine is on its last legs.

 

[PrinceKee]

I still have it laying around I might decide to try and give it a go again. But, this time to make sure I had it tested for free at a computer shop and they did a check of the board and the processor. I have went and bought a new PSU yesterday before I had the board tested for $52 at bestbuy and it still did the same thing no video. I'm going to look around for a PSU on newegg somewhere because the old one does sound funny when it first comes on from a cold start but after a minute or so it's whisper quiet. I also connected my wireless USB keyboard with the USB to PS2 connector and it still didn't work. Also I put the exact number of standoffs in for the ECS board and even tried to use the first one in the box it came it and still nothing. I might have to try again later because the board I have now doesn't completely power down for some reason...

 

[furballi]

Test the system on the original cardboard box, OUTSIDE of the case. Connect only the two power plugs from the PS, the mouse, the keyboard, and the HDD.

 

[jim620]

If you're doing it that way how do you power it up without connecting the case power switch to the MB?

 

[Zap]

You use something metal (screwdriver) to momentarily short out the two power button pins.

 

[PrinceKee]

Originally posted by: furballi
Test the system on the original cardboard box, OUTSIDE of the case. Connect only the two power plugs from the PS, the mouse, the keyboard, and the HDD.

LOL the drama continues. So I go to test the ECS board so after I double checked the connections and what not I plug in that Raidmax 350watt PSU and see an orange cloud inside of the PSU and get a horrendus smell. So the ECS board was dead because I tested on the PSU I bought from Bestbuy yesterday. And still no video instide the box it came it. Luckily this Jetway board I bought yesterday and Sempron is still fine which is what I'm on now with this overpriced PSU. It probably sounds like I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to computers but I promise I do LOL. Guess I just haven't been so lucky these past couple of weeks. But, I have had everything hooked up right and those two ECS boards from Outpost were DOA. I have asked and read every possible scenario and they were just no good. When I installed this Jetway board and Semrpon I had no problems other than my system not shutting down all the way which I'm sure I can figure out sooner or later. My CPU fan, Case fan, and case leds all stay on after my light on my monitor turns amber.

So since I'm going to return this $52 Dynex 350W PSU to bestbuy what good but cheap PSU can I find on the web from like newegg? This Jetway mobo has a 24pin connector...

 

[furballi]

Pay someone $100 to pre-assemble your PC. It will be cheaper. The odds of two BRAND new ECS NF3 DOA is very slim.