nForce2: 166Mhz memory bus better than 200Mhz?

[screw3d]

I read this on Firingsquad's latest article.

We?d hope that OEMs know nForce2 runs best at DDR333, but we received our system running with a 200MHz memory bus.

Can anyone explain this?

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: marvie
I read this on Firingsquad's latest article.

We?d hope that OEMs know nForce2 runs best at DDR333, but we received our system running with a 200MHz memory bus.

Can anyone explain this?

They're talking about running the memory synchronously or asynchronously with the FSB. So some manufacturers are shipping it to run 333 FSB chips (like Bartons and high XP's) with the memory running ad 200 MHz DDR. In reality, you get better performance on nForce2 when you keep the FSB and memory bus synchronous, so 333/333 FSB/memory (really 166/166) is better than 333/400. Likewise 266/266 is better than 266/333 (which was not the case on the Via KT333 if you remember).

 

[NesuD]

I just run mine 400/400

 

[LED]

Although I believe the reason is that the NForce2 chipset was tweaked for CPU's running @ 166FSB, RAM in Dual with 2700 @ 2T or higher ....the best thing when someone states a questionable statemebt is to ask them to explain themselves

 

[screw3d]

I just run mine 400/400

Wish i could do that! Strange it won't go past 180..

Okay, since that it's supposed to run better at 166/166, what about..say 175/175 ? Is it that as long as it's synchronous, it'll run better than asynchronous, say 175/200 ?

Is the performance improvement noticable anyway?

 

[mschell]

You would need a memory divisor ratio that would give you 350MHz - not sure if you could do that.
When you clock up the CPU FBS you increase data transfer rate between the CPU and memory. Clocking up the memory speed allows the memory to use the added bandwidth. The bandwidths for 333FBS/333, 400/400 Memory speed match exactly so running faster than 400 memory gives little performance increase. When FBS is faster than memory speed then the memory is the bottleneck but not so apparent in real world apps as memory bus is hardly fully saturated all the time.

 

[mboy]

Originally posted by: NesuD
I just run mine 400/400

I'm with u!

 

[rwalterk]

I tested mine using 3DMark 2001SE at 266/266 and 266/333 (I have an Athlon XP 2100 with 266 FSB).

266/266 score = 10254
266/333 score = 10220

Barely a difference there, but that was just one benchmark. The important thing to note is that it actually was faster, however small the difference, by slowing down the memory bus to match the FSB. I'm waiting for the 2800 or 3000 to come way down in price, at which time I'll pop it in and move up to 333/333 (I'm not much of an overclocker ).

 

[drewski]

Originally posted by: marvie

I just run mine 400/400

Wish i could do that! Strange it won't go past 180..

Okay, since that it's supposed to run better at 166/166, what about..say 175/175 ? Is it that as long as it's synchronous, it'll run better than asynchronous, say 175/200 ?

Is the performance improvement noticable anyway?

unless you've got a stopwatch in your head you probably won't notice the difference. it was ~5%, iirc.

this performance issue is also the case on the KT400 boards where 333/333 is faster than 333/400, leading some reviewers to say "DDR400 sucks if you can't sync."

 

[bubuking]

hi
i have barton 2800 325 shipped to you

 

[letsgetsilly]

Ive got my Asus 8n7x Deluxe board running at default 133 mhz with a 2100 XP processor. Ive got the ability to lower the mulitplier and raise the FSB, but I am worried that if it will not post, I will have to remove the whole battery to the CMOS to clear it.

If i raise the FSB and it does not post, does anyone know how to remove the CMOS batter in the Asus A7N8x Deluxe? Im not used to tweaking with a motherboard, and it intimidates me a little bit. I dont want to damage anything

Thanks in advance,
Adam

 

[mboy]

Read the manual, there should be a jumper to clear the cmos if need be. U shouldn't have to take the batery out.

 

[letsgetsilly]

I read the manual. It says you need to remove the battery in most cases. Im not sure if it says only for extreme cases, but it tells you to remove the battery for a few moments. The fact that it states that in the manual makes me think that it would be required.

 

[zeroidea]

on many motherboards you can just bootup with the "Insert" key held down and it will revert to factory settings..

 

[mrman3k]

If you can't pay for a new one or don't know what to do, don't overclock or tweak.

 

[mboy]

Originally posted by: mrman3k
If you can't pay for a new one or don't know what to do, don't overclock or tweak.

Cut the guy some slack, he is here to learn and seek some help. We all started somwhere!

 

[Wintermute76]

letsgetsilly,

I ran into that problem when I tried 170x14, it didn't like it and wouldn't post. I pulled the battery and did the jumper to clear it. There is a small pair of barbs on the right side of the battery socket, push them to the right with a small screwdriver or paper clip and the battery pops right out.

 

[letsgetsilly]

Originally posted by: Wintermute76
letsgetsilly,

I ran into that problem when I tried 170x14, it didn't like it and wouldn't post. I pulled the battery and did the jumper to clear it. There is a small pair of barbs on the right side of the battery socket, push them to the right with a small screwdriver or paper clip and the battery pops right out.

Hey thanks for your help Wintermute. I appreciate it I will give it a try this weekend and tell you how it works out for me. I

f you dont see any posts for another 3 weeks, it means i screwed up the battery thing and ordered a new motherboard

-Adam