Frys: E4300 + ECS PT890T = $159

[Odeen]

Is anyone having any luck overclocking these Fry's E4300's on actual overclockers' motherboards?

The last two Fry's E4300's were week 41A's, and neither was stable at 3 GHz. I'm hoping they might have a new batch in....

 

[orion7144]

I bought this combo for one of my kids. Overclocking results were similar to above but I am not sure how you guys got the new drivers and bios as on the ecs site is says PT890T-A V1.0 (coming soon) and there are no downloads. I'd like to stick this 4300 in my P5B deluxe but that isnt going to happen And the coolermaster HSF for $17.99 is ALOT better than the stock coolers. I tried with the stock one that came with my 6300 then the coolermaster and there is a 5-7c difference.

 

[orion7144]

Well it seems that the main ecs site ecs.com.tw doesnt have anything for it but the uk and usa site does lol.

 

[htne]

UPDATE: I performed the pinmod as shown here:

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=498167&page=3

and I am now running at 2.4 ghz. (9 x 266 mhz = 2394 mhz). The bios is giving some weird warning during the post that the cpu speed will be reduced (??) because I am running a 200 mhz cpu at 266 mhz , but cpuz shows 266 mhz FSB and 2394 mhz for the cpu. Two instances of SP2004 running small FFTs for the last 15 minutes, cpu core temperatures at 45 degrees.

 

[htne]

Originally posted by: orion7144
I bought this combo for one of my kids. Overclocking results were similar to above but I am not sure how you guys got the new drivers and bios as on the ecs site is says PT890T-A V1.0 (coming soon) and there are no downloads. I'd like to stick this 4300 in my P5B deluxe but that isnt going to happen And the coolermaster HSF for $17.99 is ALOT better than the stock coolers. I tried with the stock one that came with my 6300 then the coolermaster and there is a 5-7c difference.

Try this address in Internet Explorer (did not work correctly for me with Firefox)

www.ecs.com.tw/.....

You MUST allow popups, and when it comes down to the actual download, choose "Taiwain" not "USA" or "China".

 

[KPACOTKA]

Originally posted by: fatpat268
bah... i wish i had a frys nearby.

closest one is about 80 miles away.

20 miles for me but still doesn't cover a gas I spend driving there.

 

[AkumaX]

Originally posted by: htne
UPDATE: I performed the pinmod as shown here:

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=498167&page=3

and I am now running at 2.4 ghz. (9 x 266 mhz = 2394 mhz). The bios is giving some weird warning during the post that the cpu speed will be reduced (??) because I am running a 200 mhz cpu at 266 mhz , but cpuz shows 266 mhz FSB and 2394 mhz for the cpu. Two instances of SP2004 running small FFTs for the last 15 minutes, cpu core temperatures at 45 degrees.

can you confirm the speed using a program (cpu-z)? i did the same mod and it didn't reflect the o/ced speed

 

[htne]

Originally posted by: AkumaX

Originally posted by: htne
UPDATE: I performed the pinmod as shown here:

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=498167&page=3

and I am now running at 2.4 ghz. (9 x 266 mhz = 2394 mhz). The bios is giving some weird warning during the post that the cpu speed will be reduced (??) because I am running a 200 mhz cpu at 266 mhz , but cpuz shows 266 mhz FSB and 2394 mhz for the cpu. Two instances of SP2004 running small FFTs for the last 15 minutes, cpu core temperatures at 45 degrees.

can you confirm the speed using a program (cpu-z)? i did the same mod and it didn't reflect the o/ced speed

I'll bet you had problems with reading comprehension in school (Grin!). Look above at my post where I said, "... cpuz shows 266 mhz FSB and 2394 mhz for the cpu." Sounds like you might need to clean off the bottom of your cpu and try re-applying the pinmod.

Has anyone had any luck with the BIOS upgrade?

 

[jackwhitter]

that kt890 chipset does not have pci/pcie locks, which is why the fsb overclocks are so poor. try increasing the pcie and pci busses a little and see if that gives you some headroom on the overclock, or use the pin mod (much better).

 

[htne]

Originally posted by: jackwhitter
that kt890 chipset does not have pci/pcie locks, which is why the fsb overclocks are so poor. try increasing the pcie and pci busses a little and see if that gives you some headroom on the overclock, or use the pin mod (much better).

I am aware that the VIA chipset used on this motherboard does not have PCI/PCIE locks, and I am happy with the results of the pinmod. But I am curious as to what you are talking about with your statement:

... try increasing the pcie and pci busses a little and see if that gives you some headroom on the overclock

What exactly does that mean? How does one increase the pci bus (other than by simply increasing the FSB) ????

 

[highwire]

Originally posted by: htne
....
What exactly does that mean? How does one increase the pci bus (other than by simply increasing the FSB) ????

I dunno either, but to clarify the situation with this board:

1. Via describes this chipset as "asynchronus" - meaning that memory and FSB speed are set independently. That is good. Cheap ram will work.

2. However, AGP, PCI and FSB are a fixed ratio determined by a bios fixed divider. Not so good.

3.Divider selection is automatic and is set by the CPU type that the BIOS sees.

4. Once the divider is selected,(100,133,166,200,or 266) the FSB and other clocks move together if changed from nominal. Increase FSB by 10%and the other clocks increase by 10%. Not so good. 15% is about max here without causing failure of things (ie, harddrives, etc.) that depend on these clocks.

5. So, to get a meaningful overclock, we have to get the divider to set up a higher FSB speed. Modding the CPU does this. With a higher FSB speed the results is a higher CPU speed, but all other freqs are normal.

6. Then, as an option, increasing the FSB with the bios setting will get a little extra overclock. This is the part I am a little uncomfortable with, since subtle problems like data coruption are possible with out-of-spec clocks if pushed a little too far.

 

[Jiggz]

This would have been a "lava hot" deal where it not for the ECS marking on the mobo! I know a lot of people loves ECS, but after being lava burned for so many times by ECS's, I just can't take another ECS mobo anymore.

 

[AkumaX]

Originally posted by: htne

Originally posted by: AkumaX

Originally posted by: htne
UPDATE: I performed the pinmod as shown here:

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=498167&page=3

and I am now running at 2.4 ghz. (9 x 266 mhz = 2394 mhz). The bios is giving some weird warning during the post that the cpu speed will be reduced (??) because I am running a 200 mhz cpu at 266 mhz , but cpuz shows 266 mhz FSB and 2394 mhz for the cpu. Two instances of SP2004 running small FFTs for the last 15 minutes, cpu core temperatures at 45 degrees.

can you confirm the speed using a program (cpu-z)? i did the same mod and it didn't reflect the o/ced speed

I'll bet you had problems with reading comprehension in school (Grin!). Look above at my post where I said, "... cpuz shows 266 mhz FSB and 2394 mhz for the cpu." Sounds like you might need to clean off the bottom of your cpu and try re-applying the pinmod.

Has anyone had any luck with the BIOS upgrade?

lol i read it just fine

the reason why i was asking was that i've had 3 separate programs tell me 3 different things when i did the mod:

BIOS - 266fsb + "The bios is giving some weird warning during the post that the cpu speed will be reduced (??) because I am running a 200 mhz cpu at 266 mhz "

CPU-Z - 9 x 200

Everest - 7 x 266 (????)

Sandra - 9 x 266

Windows->System - 1.8ghz

so its not that i didn't read it wrong, but i was seeking further confirmation upon how you deduced that your cpu was '9 x 266'

thanx for being a sport

 

[htne]

so its not that i didn't read it wrong, but i was seeking further confirmation upon how you deduced that your cpu was '9 x 266'

thanx for being a sport

No problem, glad to help. Here are further indications of the actual cpu speed:

Windows XP SP2, My Computer, Properties says:

Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU
4300 @ 1.80GHz
2.39 GHz, 1.00 GB of Ram
Physical Address Extension

Everest version 3.01.724beta, under Computer, Overclock, says:
9 x 266.0 == 2394.0

CPUZ version 1.38 says 9 x 266 = 2394

SpeedFan 4.32 beta 17, under the clock tab, says "Computed: 2392 Mhz"

 

[nataraj]

I'm looking to build a cheap pc.

Does the onboard video support Vista ... doesn't look like that ...

 

[nomadh]

I don't know anyone who "loves" ecs The typical argument is between passable and sucking. My opinion varies between the 2. Its never on my short list to buy.

Originally posted by: Jiggz
This would have been a "lava hot" deal where it not for the ECS marking on the mobo! I know a lot of people loves ECS, but after being lava burned for so many times by ECS's, I just can't take another ECS mobo anymore.

 

[Uppsala9496]

Fry's is running this combo again for $159.99.
E4300 with the ECS PT890T-A.

 

[delslow]

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
Fry's is running this combo again for $159.99.
E4300 with the ECS PT890T-A.

doesn't say if it's OEM or Boxed =/ anyone know?
Fry's is carrying OEM Vista Ultimate for System Builders for 189? Hot/Not?

-delslow

 

[Braxus]

Originally posted by: nomadh
I don't know anyone who "loves" ecs The typical argument is between passable and sucking. My opinion varies between the 2. Its never on my short list to buy.

Originally posted by: Jiggz
This would have been a "lava hot" deal where it not for the ECS marking on the mobo! I know a lot of people loves ECS, but after being lava burned for so many times by ECS's, I just can't take another ECS mobo anymore.

I say ECS boards are fine if you're just looking for a basic no-frills motherboard.

 

[Rumpltzer]

Originally posted by: Braxus

Originally posted by: nomadh
I don't know anyone who "loves" ecs The typical argument is between passable and sucking. My opinion varies between the 2. Its never on my short list to buy.

Originally posted by: Jiggz
This would have been a "lava hot" deal where it not for the ECS marking on the mobo! I know a lot of people loves ECS, but after being lava burned for so many times by ECS's, I just can't take another ECS mobo anymore.

I say ECS boards are fine if you're just looking for a basic no-frills motherboard.

I've just started doing the research on my next system (last rebuild was in 2003!).

I'm reading that these E4300 can do mad overclocking on a lot of boards, but it looks like this ECS isn't going to cut it. I'm willing to put up to $150 a good MB... I need to figure out if these ECS MBs are worth anything if I were to try reselling it... I imagine that others have the same idea and Ebay is probably flooded with them.

 

[VinceDee]

I generally haven't had problems with ECS boards. They aren't high performance boards, but they've been dependable. For a free motherboard they're not bad.

As far as the value of ECS mb, don't count on getting more than $10-30 for one. Most buyers know that you got it for free in a Frys combo and aren't willing to pay more than that. Just look at whatever you get for the motherboard as a small discount on the price of the CPU.

Vince

 

[delslow]

Originally posted by: delslow

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
Fry's is running this combo again for $159.99.
E4300 with the ECS PT890T-A.

doesn't say if it's OEM or Boxed =/ anyone know?
Fry's is carrying OEM Vista Ultimate for System Builders for 189? Hot/Not?

-delslow

Just picked it up from Anaheim, CA Fry's... it's OEM. =(

 

[Hajpoj]

Hope you didn't get the lemon I returned there last week haha.

 

[nomadh]

Well my ecs board sucks or my win2k install finally went south. I am forced to reboot every day or more. Probably windows though. This install has been through 4 or more M/B installs. now. I hate to redo it. It takes months to tweak windows to work right again. If I do all that and find it is the ecs then I'm quitting computers

 

[iuseyew]

ill be jumping on this also... it has on board video?