Does EPoX 8RDA+ sopports PCI bus locking? And when a 166MHz FSB Athlon overclocked to 200MHz FSB, is that the PCI still running at 33MHz ? Thanks.
Source:
My understanding of Hyper Transport, which is used by nVidia, is that PCI is ALWAYS 33 unless you specifically override the value. In other words, PCI IS tied to the Hyper Transport bus and is "locked" in nForce2 at 33. You would need a PCI "unlock" to change to anything else (if this would even work on that bus, which I don't know). Hyper Transport also specs an INDEPENDENT AGP setting not tied to PCI - probably because nVidia is a video card maker and had influence on AMD's Hyper Transport spec. AMD, Intel and others have stated many times that there is no point to overclocking the PCI bus anyway, since it does not increase system performance.
This is very different from our VIA, SiS, and Intel chipset functioning where PCI is by definition half of AGP.
Yes.And when a 166MHz FSB Athlon overclocked to 200MHz FSB, is that the PCI still running at 33MHz ?
Originally posted by: halkebul
Source:
My understanding of Hyper Transport, which is used by nVidia, is that PCI is ALWAYS 33 unless you specifically override the value. In other words, PCI IS tied to the Hyper Transport bus and is "locked" in nForce2 at 33. You would need a PCI "unlock" to change to anything else (if this would even work on that bus, which I don't know). Hyper Transport also specs an INDEPENDENT AGP setting not tied to PCI - probably because nVidia is a video card maker and had influence on AMD's Hyper Transport spec. AMD, Intel and others have stated many times that there is no point to overclocking the PCI bus anyway, since it does not increase system performance.
This is very different from our VIA, SiS, and Intel chipset functioning where PCI is by definition half of AGP.
So, you don't need to manually lock the PCI because it's already locked.Yes.And when a 166MHz FSB Athlon overclocked to 200MHz FSB, is that the PCI still running at 33MHz ?
Hello. Could you possibly go into greater details about your comments.Not all Nforce2 motherboards support PCI locking.
I know FOR SURE that the Asus does. And perhaps the EPOX...but no other company has the balls or the brains to utilize the nForce2 to its full potential.
Originally posted by: halkebul
Hello. Could you possibly go into greater details about your comments.Not all Nforce2 motherboards support PCI locking.
I know FOR SURE that the Asus does. And perhaps the EPOX...but no other company has the balls or the brains to utilize the nForce2 to its full potential.
Thank you for the prompt response. Much information provided. Is their a motherboard editor here who can comment on this? I wonder if anandtech have access to these boards. It would be useful if they could test the nforce2 motherboard's PCI bus speed using a PCI measuring device. Most importantly, I want to know:Originally posted by: OverclockTHIS
Originally posted by: halkebul
Hello. Could you possibly go into greater details about your comments.Not all Nforce2 motherboards support PCI locking.
I know FOR SURE that the Asus does. And perhaps the EPOX...but no other company has the balls or the brains to utilize the nForce2 to its full potential.
Sure thing.
Straight from Anandtech's nForce2 review.
Some BS by Abit.
"The NF7-S BIOS version we received contained an AGP lock set at 66MHz, but we were unable to find any PCI lock set at 33MHz in this BIOS. We asked ABIT why the AGP lock was included in the NF7-S BIOS but not the PCI lock, and we were basically told that the only reason you don't see a PCI lock in the BIOS is because ABIT doesn't want users fooling around with PCI frequency, especially since it offers virtually no performance gain. We don't have any way of independently verifying ABIT's PCI lock claim ourselves, so take this piece of information as you will. "
Some BS by Leadtek - who the heck are they anyway?
"Leadtek has finally gotten back to us and, according to them, their K7NCR18D does not include a PCI bus lock at 33MHz, and therefore the PCI bus will be overclocked at certain overclocked FSB speeds."
Lets find out how crappy MSI is ...
"MSI sends word that the K7N2-L indeed does not have a PCI bus lock at 33MHz, meaning you will overclock your PCI bus to a certain level at a certain overclocked FSB speed."
If you look at Asus and Chaintech sections, these are the only manufacturers who have included
the PCI locking capabilities.
Originally posted by: OverclockTHIS
Originally posted by: halkebul
Hello. Could you possibly go into greater details about your comments.Not all Nforce2 motherboards support PCI locking.
I know FOR SURE that the Asus does. And perhaps the EPOX...but no other company has the balls or the brains to utilize the nForce2 to its full potential.
Sure thing.
Straight from Anandtech's nForce2 review.
Some BS by Abit.
"The NF7-S BIOS version we received contained an AGP lock set at 66MHz, but we were unable to find any PCI lock set at 33MHz in this BIOS. We asked ABIT why the AGP lock was included in the NF7-S BIOS but not the PCI lock, and we were basically told that the only reason you don't see a PCI lock in the BIOS is because ABIT doesn't want users fooling around with PCI frequency, especially since it offers virtually no performance gain. We don't have any way of independently verifying ABIT's PCI lock claim ourselves, so take this piece of information as you will. "
Some BS by Leadtek - who the heck are they anyway?
"Leadtek has finally gotten back to us and, according to them, their K7NCR18D does not include a PCI bus lock at 33MHz, and therefore the PCI bus will be overclocked at certain overclocked FSB speeds."
Lets find out how crappy MSI is ...
"MSI sends word that the K7N2-L indeed does not have a PCI bus lock at 33MHz, meaning you will overclock your PCI bus to a certain level at a certain overclocked FSB speed."
If you look at Asus and Chaintech sections, these are the only manufacturers who have included
the PCI locking capabilities.
Check out This Thread at the AOA EPoX forums.Does EPoX 8RDA+ supports PCI bus locking? And when a 166MHz FSB Athlon overclocked to 200MHz FSB, is that the PCI still running at 33MHz ? Thanks
If other sites feel AOA is irreparably compromised by having EPoX reps in our forums, then stop coming here for information, support with your problems and to download BETA BIOSes to post on your sites and in your forums. No one MAKES you come here.
If this (CPU lock) is all important to you, then by all means wait until it is known who has it (If any) and who doesn't! Don't be one of the "Earlier adoptors"! Wait until AOA membership has tested and verified their findings for you. Or go elsewhere where this work is being carried out.