**OFFICIAL** Abit BG7 (i845G) Thread

[TuffGuy]

Setup:

P4 1.6A
Intel HSF (for now)
Abit BG7
256MB Corsair PC3000
GF2 GTS
Antec SX630 w/ 300W power supply

 

[Sukhoi]

Cool, let us know how it goes!

 

[zuze]

I am sorry, but it really seems to be a good thread to post my question in.
I have epox 8KHA+ with a 1.4G Thunderbird Athlon, 512mb DDR PC2100, Voodoo 3 3000. I want to upgrade really bad to an intel system for once.

I want to get an i845G board from abit for my box with a 2.26Ghz P4 533FSB, and 512mb DDR PC2700. I figured that I will use onboard graphis to get me by through the summer until ati and nvidia cards get knocked down in price a bit more. I think that onboard graphis should be fairly comparable to my v3. I should not feel too bad about it. Is this a good idea?

 

[TuffGuy]

The 2.26GHz P4 costs ~$250, whereas the 1.6GHz(1.6a) costs $130 and overclocks to 2.13GHz with ease. If you bump up the bus to 140MHz, you'll have a 2.26GHz P4. People have hit 2.4Ghz-2.8GHz with better cooling.

As for the graphics card, it depends on whether or not you plan on playing any of the new games like GTA3. But if you can hold off, you should.

 

[TuffGuy]

First impressions: great board, installation was a breeze. No problems whatsoever during WinXP install. And it's so much quieter than my 1800+ XP.

I won't push it hard until my Alpha gets here, but here's some preliminary scores:

@133Mhz fsb, 2128MHz CPU and 1:1 fsb:memory

Sandra Memory - 2055 / 2055
Sandra CPU - 4067 / 2610

@133Mhz fsb, 2128MHz CPU and 3:4 fsb:memory

Sandra Memory - 2744 / 2744 :Q
Sandra CPU - 4137 / 2612

@145Mhz fsb, 2320MHz CPU and 3:4 fsb:memory

Sandra Memory - 2993 / 2990
Sandra CPU - 4512 / 2852

 

[AGodspeed]

Nice overclocks and scores TuffGuy. I assume this is a 1.6A?

Keep us updated with any general info.

 

[TuffGuy]

Yup, it's a 1.6A. I also updated the first post with the specs.

 

[THUGSROOK]

<<< subscribed to thread >>>

145fsb so far - kewl

is 3:4 the only ratio you get?
is it available from 133-200fsb?

also if you time - would you please quick test something for me?
use a 1:1 ratio (145fsb) and in "cas by spd" mode, please run sandra memory test.
then change it to cas222 and retest.

im curious to see if the cas settings actually work. on alot of i845s it doesnt

TIA

 

[WideMouth40]

Sweet, been looking for a second source of info on this board!

1. What are the memory dividers?
2. Does it have a setting for DDR333?
3. What are the agp/pci dividers and do they lock?
4. What CPU voltages and adjustments?
5. Memory voltage adjustments?
6. AGP voltage adjustments?

I'm really surprised I haven't heard more about this mobo, sounds like a winner.

Thanks

 

[TuffGuy]

Softmenu III Setup:

[*]Ext. Clock (CPU/AGP/PCI)

• Select FSB

[*]PCI Bus Frequency:

• Ext. Clock / 3

• Ext. Clock / 4

• 44MHz (fixed); 88MHz AGP

• 37MHz (fixed); 75MHz AGP

• 33MHz (fixed); 66MHz AGP

[*]DRAM Ratio H/W Strap:

• By CPU

• Low (400MHz)

• High (533MHz)

[*]DRAM Ratio (CPU:RAM):

• 1:1

• 3:4

• By SPD

[*]CPU Voltage:

• +5% (1.575V)

• +10% (1.65V)

[*]DRAM Voltage

• 2.5V - 2.8V

 

[TuffGuy]

Chipset Features:
[*]DRAM Timing Schedule

• By SPD

• Manual

If manual:

[*]CAS Latency - 1.5, 2, 2.5
[*]Act to Precharge Delay - 5, 6, 7
[*]DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay - 2, 3
[*]DRAM RAS# Precharge - 2, 3

 

[TuffGuy]

Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
<<< subscribed to thread >>>

145fsb so far - kewl

is 3:4 the only ratio you get?
is it available from 133-200fsb?

also if you time - would you please quick test something for me?
use a 1:1 ratio (145fsb) and in "cas by spd" mode, please run sandra memory test.
then change it to cas222 and retest.

im curious to see if the cas settings actually work. on alot of i845s it doesnt

TIA

identical scores with both settings: 2241/2240. "By SPD" automatically changed it to 2522.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

TuffGuy you have an antec 300 watt powersupply right? Because that is the same one that I have. How is the stability? Is the 300 watter holding up fine? Also does the mobo officially support DDR333? I heard it does but only at 133 fsb, so what speed is the memory gonna be at when you up the fsb higher than 133? I am very curious and would like to know, thanks.

 

[TuffGuy]

Originally posted by: Sudheer Anne
TuffGuy you have an antec 300 watt powersupply right? Because that is the same one that I have. How is the stability? Is the 300 watter holding up fine? Also does the mobo officially support DDR333? I heard it does but only at 133 fsb, so what speed is the memory gonna be at when you up the fsb higher than 133? I am very curious and would like to know, thanks.

It's stable. to answer your question:

@133Mhz fsb, 2128MHz CPU and 1:1 fsb:memory

Sandra Memory - 2055 / 2055
Sandra CPU - 4067 / 2610

@133Mhz fsb, 2128MHz CPU and 3:4 fsb:memory

Sandra Memory - 2744 / 2744 :Q
Sandra CPU - 4137 / 2612

@145Mhz fsb, 2320MHz CPU and 3:4 fsb:memory

Sandra Memory - 2993 / 2990
Sandra CPU - 4512 / 2852

 

[gpanda]

Can you throw in a 3DMark2001SE score every so often?
That means more to me since that will directly show gaming. Best indicator I know of, at least until the Unreal Tournament 2003 benchmark is available.

 

[TuffGuy]

Originally posted by: gpanda
Can you throw in a 3DMark2001SE score every so often?
That means more to me since that will directly show gaming. Best indicator I know of, at least until the Unreal Tournament 2003 benchmark is available.

Definitely, but I only have a GF2 GTS... Do you still want me to?

 

[5150Joker]

Tuffguy,

Another poster on HardOCP (http://www.hardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=4904545#post4904545') said his board allows +15% voltage for the cpu and he has the 4:5 cpu:memory option available to him. Are you sure you don't have an older bios?

 

[TuffGuy]

I might, but I don't have a floppy drive to flash it with... I fried my old one.

 

[WideMouth40]

Originally posted by: 5150Joker
Tuffguy,

Another poster on HardOCP (http://www.hardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=4904545#post4904545') said his board allows +15% voltage for the cpu and he has the 4:5 cpu:memory option available to him. Are you sure you don't have an older bios?

hehehe, I was about to ask the exact same question! Sorry to hear about newegg splitting up your order.

Peace

 

[5150Joker]

By the way once you get the floppy here's the updated bios Abit has posted for the BG7: ftp://ftp.abit.com.tw/pub/download/fae/bg700.exe

 

[5150Joker]

Originally posted by: WideMouth40

Originally posted by: 5150Joker
Tuffguy,

Another poster on HardOCP (http://www.hardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=4904545#post4904545') said his board allows +15% voltage for the cpu and he has the 4:5 cpu:memory option available to him. Are you sure you don't have an older bios?

hehehe, I was about to ask the exact same question! Sorry to hear about newegg splitting up your order.

Peace

Thanks, hopefully the rest of my stuff arrives tomorrow so I can post some results too Just sold off my athlon 1800xp setup so I look forward to seeing how well Intel P4's perform.

 

[gpanda]

Yep, I would still like to see the 3DMarks. If nothing else they give a good relative change in gaming performance as you modify things.

Abit doesn't have the ability to flash bios from windows I take it. Do like that about my ASUS P4B533-E.

 

[tyoung88]

Looks like we may have a winner! I was disappointed after all the reviews of the EPOX came in, and the Gigabyte is still MIA. Now where is the best place to buy this board for someone in CA?

 

[5150Joker]

Originally posted by: tyoung88
Looks like we may have a winner! I was disappointed after all the reviews of the EPOX came in, and the Gigabyte is still MIA. Now where is the best place to buy this board for someone in CA?

www.newegg.com that's where I ordered mine.

 

[5150Joker]

Tuffguy, have you been able to get passed 150 fsb? The guy on HardOCP said he can't reach 150 fsb stable so far. He thinks the heat on the NB is limiting him.

Edit: just realized you have stock cooling..still should let ya hit 2.4 ghz though.