Do I need PC133 memory with a KT7A?

[Cignal]

I wanted to upgrade my 300A@450/BX6R2 system and was going to go with the Abit KT7A-RAID board with a Thunderbird 1000 MHZ. Can I use my 2 PC100 128 MB sticks with it? One of them is rated at CAS2 and the other is CAS3. Will performance be significantly reduced and will it affect how much I can overclock?

 

[Bignate603]

you'll have to set the FSB at 100 instead of 133 unless your ramcan overclock up to 133. You can stilloverclock the multiplier but good luck on the FSB.

 

[konichiwa]

If you go buy some nice Mosel pc133 from the FS/FT forum for around $60 you could probably sell your 256 PC100 on Ebay for a killing.

 

[blstriker]

From the tests I've seen, there is very very little difference between CAS 2 and 3. I think AT might have an article on that.

 

[andylawcc]

you can use PC100 on KT7a, even Pc66 if the tbird is 100fsb.

 

[DaddyG]

No PC66 memory, as I recall, the KT133A chipset does not support FSB-PCI clk.

 

[dunkster]

Some good quality pc100 memory will run fine at 133MHz @ cas3, but if you're going to clock your fsb as high as possible (145MHz or higher), the pc100 probably won't make the trip.

I'd look at high quality PC133 or the Kingmax pc150 stuff that will run at 133MHz @ cas2.

Even good quality pc133 may have to run at cas3 timing above 140MHz fsb.