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

[Melectricus]

Altonb 1
This is the exact same problem I had when I tried to boot up. I did as suggested here about booting outside of the case and resetting cmos and it worked for me. I believe it was the agp card not seating/aligning properly in case so I took special care to set the mobo in the case with the agp card, align it then screw the mobo down.

FWIW: I had one rig of spare parts I just couldn't get my SP2 disk to install on but SP1 did; had about 6 builds with SP2 disks with no problem.

 

[lsimpson50]

Duhh,

Page 16 of the nForce3-A manual says that using 2 "double rank" DIMMs will limit the memory speed to DDR333 even if the memory is DDR400. I have confirmed from Corsair the the Value Select is "double rank" and I have confirmed from ECS that it is limited to DDR333.

Q to ECS: I have 2 "double rank" 512 memory sticks (DDR400). The manual (page 16) says 2 double-rank will only run DDR333? How do I get them to run full speed?

A: Unfortunately, there is no way to fix this issue. Thank you for using ECS products.


Two "single ranks" will run full speed and one "double" or a "double"/"single" combo will run full DDR400 speed.


Furballi,

Right, overclocking to 243htz (based on Zap's math) moves 333 to 400 speed. Does overclocking memory running 400 stock, by 243hz run it at 486?

 

[Zap]

duhh, I encountered no SP2 problems.

lsimpson50, for "gaming" the RAM is equivalent. However, for the sake of the platform being single channel, I'd just as soon get the single 1GB stick. Yes, the board can be set to run memory that high... if the memory can take it. The DDR400/333 settings is only the divider that it uses and not what the memory actually runs at once you start overclocking.

 

[qilin]

Originally posted by: ShOcKwAvE827

Originally posted by: Flatpicker

Originally posted by: Triggerhappy007

Originally posted by: ShOcKwAvE827
I have a PSU that does not have a square 12V power cable. Will I still be able to run this board without that connection? I do plan on overclocking.

No. Just buy a decent 300+W PSU from a good mfg, Antec, Enermax, Fortron (FSP), Sparkle. I'm going to try a 300W Fortron PSU with the 2800+ combo when my AGP comes in.

Yes it will work without the 12V cable. Tried it with and without...did not find any difference. OC'd fine both ways.

awesome, i have an nf2 board right now and I'm not using the 12V either and it works perfectly. Hoping it was the same for the NF3. Thanks.

What about getting This for our peace of mind? for only 4 bucks.

 

[OhioState]

just finished putting together my 4th computer based on this mobo and cpu

NO issues with anything nothing but a solid :thumbsup:

 

[lsimpson50]

Thanks for the memory info Zap.

For the record, I'm upgrading from my current non-overclocked 1.33Ghz T'bird, Iwill KK266, 512kb crucial cas2 sdram, ATI 9500pro system - that has run trouble free for 4 years but doesn't quite have the guts for "modern" 3D gaming.

I'm hoping this new combo will be a FPS speed improvement

 

[furballi]

For the DOUBLE RANK Corsair Value Select (2 x 512MB modules)...

I set the MEMORY speed to AUTO (defaults to DDR400) and timing to 2.5-3-3-6-1T. Go into the FSB and bump to 243MHz (these chips will do at least 215MHz), and hit F10 to SAVE settings. Reboot and my RAMs will run at DDR486. Memtest86 and CPUz confirm these numbers.

The ECS board will also run with 2 x 512MB Kingston ValueRAM at DDR400. However, I cannot pass Prime95 or Memtest86 with 1T.

 

[altonb1]

Originally posted by: Melectricus
Altonb 1
This is the exact same problem I had when I tried to boot up. I did as suggested here about booting outside of the case and resetting cmos and it worked for me. I believe it was the agp card not seating/aligning properly in case so I took special care to set the mobo in the case with the agp card, align it then screw the mobo down.

FWIW: I had one rig of spare parts I just couldn't get my SP2 disk to install on but SP1 did; had about 6 builds with SP2 disks with no problem.

I was able to boot the rig initially. My issue is now I am unable to get it to post at all--inside the case, outside the case--doesn't matter. I need to find one of my old 4MB PCI cards to use strictly for testing purposes to see if it is definitely the agp port or something related.

 

[BUBKA]

right out of the box

x86-64 Paris .13u

34C with one of those nice AMD OEM heatpipe heatsinks

 

[ice2882]

I'm still waiting on my hsf from svc so I haven't hooked everything up yet, but assuming that I have a Paris core with x86-64 instructions enabled is there any major difference between installing the 64-bit linux version and the 32-bit version? Will one be much faster than the other? Or are there any other considerations there? Thanks in advance.

 

[Flatpicker]

Originally posted by: altonb1
[I was able to boot the rig initially. My issue is now I am unable to get it to post at all--inside the case, outside the case--doesn't matter. I need to find one of my old 4MB PCI cards to use strictly for testing purposes to see if it is definitely the agp port or something related.

did you connect the system speaker(beeper) to get error codes?
look here
you have a phoenix bios btw.

 

[altonb1]

Originally posted by: Flatpicker

Originally posted by: altonb1
[I was able to boot the rig initially. My issue is now I am unable to get it to post at all--inside the case, outside the case--doesn't matter. I need to find one of my old 4MB PCI cards to use strictly for testing purposes to see if it is definitely the agp port or something related.

did you connect the system speaker(beeper) to get error codes?
look here
you have a phoenix bios btw.

I hooked up the speaker, but I don't even get a beep code. I was thinking that I never got a system beep at all, but the more I think about it, I >know< I did because I was using it as a guide when trying to enter the BIOS the 1st few times I was booting the machine. Now, however, I hit the power button and the heat sink fan spins and the PSU spins, and since I still have power going to the drives (but not attached to the mobo) I also hear the drives spinning up.

I also found an old Matrox(?) PCI card and system will not POST or boot with it, either, so it isn't specifically an AGP isue. One thing I noticed yesterday, though...the orange heatsink on the board was burning hot. I asume this is normal, though, since it is metal and does not have a fan directly on it.

I have an RMA for an exchange on the system, so I guess I'll just ship it back early next week and try again. In the short term, though, if any other ideas pop up, feel free to let me know--if I get this working, I'll just use the 2nd board for a PC for my kids.

 

[ShOcKwAvE827]

Originally posted by: qilin

Originally posted by: ShOcKwAvE827

Originally posted by: Flatpicker

Originally posted by: Triggerhappy007

Originally posted by: ShOcKwAvE827
I have a PSU that does not have a square 12V power cable. Will I still be able to run this board without that connection? I do plan on overclocking.

No. Just buy a decent 300+W PSU from a good mfg, Antec, Enermax, Fortron (FSP), Sparkle. I'm going to try a 300W Fortron PSU with the 2800+ combo when my AGP comes in.

Yes it will work without the 12V cable. Tried it with and without...did not find any difference. OC'd fine both ways.

awesome, i have an nf2 board right now and I'm not using the 12V either and it works perfectly. Hoping it was the same for the NF3. Thanks.

What about getting This for our peace of mind? for only 4 bucks.

Ahh I was looking for that. Too late, I just bought an Antec Lanboy and PSU for $35.

 

[Flatpicker]

Altonb 1
I know you have probably done all of this.

Make sure you are getting a bios reset...some boards suggest that you unplug psu, remove the battery when resetting bios. make sure you are making good contact when shorting the reset pins.
Double check *all* jumpers (even the preset ones you didn't change)...pull them and reinstall
same for power connectors, and memory. You might even pull the hsf and reseat the cpu. essentially redo all of the board/cpu installation. Then try to post with only vidcard and one stick of mem.

Goodluck. I'm outa here. This stuff really belongs in another forum anyway. Zap has a thread in motherboards forum that would be more appropriate.

 

[Melectricus]

Originally posted by: altonb1

Originally posted by: Melectricus
Altonb 1
This is the exact same problem I had when I tried to boot up. I did as suggested here about booting outside of the case and resetting cmos and it worked for me. I believe it was the agp card not seating/aligning properly in case so I took special care to set the mobo in the case with the agp card, align it then screw the mobo down.

FWIW: I had one rig of spare parts I just couldn't get my SP2 disk to install on but SP1 did; had about 6 builds with SP2 disks with no problem.

I was able to boot the rig initially. My issue is now I am unable to get it to post at all--inside the case, outside the case--doesn't matter. I need to find one of my old 4MB PCI cards to use strictly for testing purposes to see if it is definitely the agp port or something related.

Personally I'd give up and assume you have a bad board and RMA it. The first board I bought from them smoked on first boot attempt and I mean huge puff of smoke with a burned circuit on the back of the board from 20 pin connector up and around the top left.

 

[BUBKA]

i cannot believe there is not a hacked bios out for this board... like the good old ESC K7S5A... elcheepo or something?

 

[ZeroBlank010]

Well...I finally bit. Ordered yesterday and already shipped. Now I just have to get the rest of the build together. Thanks OP!

 

[altonb1]

Originally posted by: Melectricus

Originally posted by: altonb1

Originally posted by: Melectricus
Altonb 1
This is the exact same problem I had when I tried to boot up. I did as suggested here about booting outside of the case and resetting cmos and it worked for me. I believe it was the agp card not seating/aligning properly in case so I took special care to set the mobo in the case with the agp card, align it then screw the mobo down.

FWIW: I had one rig of spare parts I just couldn't get my SP2 disk to install on but SP1 did; had about 6 builds with SP2 disks with no problem.

I was able to boot the rig initially. My issue is now I am unable to get it to post at all--inside the case, outside the case--doesn't matter. I need to find one of my old 4MB PCI cards to use strictly for testing purposes to see if it is definitely the agp port or something related.

Personally I'd give up and assume you have a bad board and RMA it. The first board I bought from them smoked on first boot attempt and I mean huge puff of smoke with a burned circuit on the back of the board from 20 pin connector up and around the top left.

Yeah, I'm RMA'ing the board and CPU. I figure they were bought as a combo, they can go back as a combo. It sucks that I now have to completely clean the hsf off since the thermal pad has melted on it, though. I figure that's gonna be a pita.

 

[bsipe9]

Wow, I ordered yesterday at about 3pm and they were just delivered about 5 minutes before noon. They must have a warehouse in Ohio huh?

 

[ice2882]

Mine shipped from Ohio. Wilmington I think.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: BUBKA
i cannot believe there is not a hacked bios out for this board...

What for? You have all the adjustments in BIOS for up to 250MHz HTT and then can use Clockgen for higher than that, plus if you need more Vcore than BIOS gives you (which it does give some)...

Zap's socket 754 vcore wire trick mod

Besides hacked BIOSes were just to enable stuff that the hardware is capable of but the manufacturer didn't give us control over. I've tested flashing a Biostar Tforce BIOS to the Geforce board and while the board still worked fine after the flash, some of the "new" functions in BIOS just didn't do a thing since there was no hardware support.

 

[ShOcKwAvE827]

Got this board running also at 2250 mhz at +1.7%V. Huge upgrade from my XP 2100 @ 2.13ghz.

I have a stupid question though... where do you hook up the power LED on the ECS mobo???

 

[psykohog]

The manual on page 12 says pins 2&4.

 

[JDJr]

Originally posted by: altonb1
I was able to boot the rig initially. My issue is now I am unable to get it to post at all--inside the case, outside the case--doesn't matter. I need to find one of my old 4MB PCI cards to use strictly for testing purposes to see if it is definitely the agp port or something related.

I've got this MB and CPU working fine with my old HD and I upgraded toa newer one (Another outpost deal) and when I first put it in, I had the jumpers on the HD wrong and the machine would post but got stuck in the hard drive detection spot. I finally figured it out and it booted fine. Maybe you have (had) a similiar problem? I tried the HDs on cable select and sometimes it didn't work, I had to make sure I had the master/slave stuff.

JDJr

 

[qilin]

Same question ShOcKwAvE827, couldn't figure out where to hook up power LED

Any one having trouble with floppy connection? I always get disc not formatted error. Tried the same cable and drive on other computers, works fine. Not like I need the floppy, but just in case. Any suggestion?