The EPoX 4G4A+ seems very promising.

[Labdog]

due to your configuration choice i believed you would overclock it. in that case it is not necessary, the stock HSF is sufficient.

 

[etrin]

Well after reading all the post I finally decided I would get an Epox.

Going to order a 4G4A from Mwave. They are $93.00 I don't need the raid
that is $116.

I have 2 sticks of Crucial PC2100 memory is there any change I can get
133 with this memory?

Is this board not going to work with 2 sticks?

IF not should I get the 512m crucial pc3000 at cas 2 or the pc3200 at cas 2.5 ?



thanks big time for any help with this

etrin

 

[pay]

Some people have had trouble using two sticks, but I wouldnt worry about it and spend the money to get one stick. Just try your current two

 

[zzzz]

I have 2 sticks of Crucial PC2100 memory is there any change I can get 133 with this memory?

PC2100 is DDR266 i.e. 133 fsb. You are not overclocking your PC2100 if you stay at or below 133 fsb (and 1:1 ram ratio)
I had got a crucial PC2100 as high as 150fsb in a sis P4 board.( might be limitation of the chipset as I never tested it with other chipset and sold it along with the mobo)

 

[ahsia]

Originally posted by: Labdog

i dont understand you can't correctly overclock your EPoX 4G4A(+). but whatsoever don't replace it by the gigabyte (bad overclocker). take in that case an Asus P4B533(-V ; the i845g chipset is the faster chipset from intel for the DDR memory) or Abit BG7. if you want plenty of features you have also the Abit IT7 Max which is just coming out. you can plug on this board 12 hard disks; it's a record i think.

A few posts later, I mentioned that I kepted the 4G4A+. I did some more reading, and realized that the 845G chipet is much faster than the 845E. I am able now to OC to 2.4GHz at 150FSB, DDR400 at CAS2.5 3:3:6 memory settings. I am worried about my vcore being too high, it was at 1.7v, and Prime95 errored out after 80 minutes or so. I bumped up the voltage to 1.725v, and running it again to see how long it will run. Is running the 1.6A at 1.75 or 1.775v too high and unsafe?

 

[Grumpycrab]

Originally posted by: ahsia

Originally posted by: Labdog

...

...I am worried about my vcore being too high, it was at 1.7v, and Prime95 errored out after 80 minutes or so. I bumped up the voltage to 1.725v, and running it again to see how long it will run. Is running the 1.6A at 1.75 or 1.775v too high and unsafe?

1.8V is 20% above spec. and should be OK provided your cooling is adequate. So the main question is what are your CPU and System temps. Tell us these and we'll tell you if you're OK. Also, don't be p*ssed that you can only make 2.4GHz at your stated voltage. It's still a bargain whichever way you look at it.
--
Grumps

 

[etrin]

Ok Just ordered the board from MWAVE hope the 4g4a is not oem

I have 98se and XP installed on my sytem right now.
I know that I can strip the enum from 98 and change out the board
and this will get be my reinstall.
Will XP have to be a new install after changing out board?
Not a big deal because its a new install after the last board I swapped
out the same board as replacement and XP would not boot. Said the IDE
controller was incompatable...funny it was same board

I can't wait to play with this one

etrin

 

[ahsia]

Originally posted by: Grumpycrab
1.8V is 20% above spec. and should be OK provided your cooling is adequate. So the main question is what are your CPU and System temps. Tell us these and we'll tell you if you're OK. Also, don't be p*ssed that you can only make 2.4GHz at your stated voltage. It's still a bargain whichever way you look at it.
--
Grumps

I am not really pissed off at all, I was happy with my P4 1.6A + Gigabyte 8SRX combo that only overclocked to 2.2GHz, so I am extremely happy and glad that it will reach 2.4GHz. My hopes are just to run at 2.4GHz with stability, and not to push the vcore too high. My temps are okay, under 50C full load, system temps are under 35C. I have nice air flow in my system. Just wanted to find out about a safe vcore, that's all.

 

[Bad Dude]

So is the memory problem cannot have more than 2 sticks of RAM is for nonoverclockers or for everyone? Why would anyone make a board with 3 slots and only can be use with one?
Too late I ordered one.

 

[Johnnychangs]

LOL, Audscott, you got your BD7II around the time I RMA'd mine for an Abit BG7. The BG7 ran well until I had a severe Bios failure, so I'm RMA'ing the BG& for the Epox 4G4A+.

For those of you who are running a P4 1.6A at DDR400ish speeds, can you please post your voltage settings on the 4G4A+? I should get mine tomorrow or the next day and can't wait to install it.

Also, are there any other tips I should know, like burn-in period or other quirky settings? I'm in the process of reading through this entire post, so forgive me for asking repeat questions.

One more thing, When I replaced my Abit BD7II with the BG7, I didn't have to reinstall Windows XP. I did do a driver reinstall on the motherboard related components, and everything worked fine. Since the 4G4A+ is based on the same 845G chipset as the BG7 I would think they both share the same ACPI info that Win2k/XP uses when it creates the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) during the OS setup. I guess I'll find out anyway.

Thanks!

 

[Labdog]

Originally posted by: CTPAX
Based on my experience:
1. Use dimm slot 2
2. Dont use the latest bios, flash the 04/24 one or older...
3. Use only one stick ram, try as many as u can find, till u get the suitable, the fastest ram usualy dont clock well on 4g4a+ (845G), because it causes the agp instability and lockups. Some guy said, that he switched to his old stick of PC2100 and was able to clock it over ddr400, but had no succes with xms corsair 3200, as i recall.
Thats all i think.

BTW. I run fsb160 ddr400 (4:5) p41.6@2.56, Kingmax DDR300 rated )

you have to lock the AGP & the PCI busses to succeed the overclocking.

Originally posted by: ahsia

I am not really pissed off at all, I was happy with my P4 1.6A + Gigabyte 8SRX combo that only overclocked to 2.2GHz, so I am extremely happy and glad that it will reach 2.4GHz. My hopes are just to run at 2.4GHz with stability, and not to push the vcore too high. My temps are okay, under 50C full load, system temps are under 35C. I have nice air flow in my system. Just wanted to find out about a safe vcore, that's all.

if you haven't locked both busses (AGP & PCI busses), this is certainly the source of your issue.

 

[audscott]

Hi Johnny!!

Yes, I recall you were seeing some limitations at Icronics Overclockers forum and went to the BG7.

I swaped out last week and am very satisfied with the change...the BD7II is a fine board, but the undervolting was killing my best efforts at overclocking.

The 845G chipset is a winner!!!

I've even stopped looking for the P4x400 boards - for now.

V-core setting: 1.725.

Quirks: yes - stay away from DIMM 1 - DIMM 2 is the overclocking slot you'll want to use.

Otherwise, it's a tweakers delight!!

And, I didn't format reload WinXP migrating from VIA KT266A, 845E and 845G. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Originally posted by: Johnnychangs
LOL, Audscott, you got your BD7II around the time I RMA'd mine for an Abit BG7. The BG7 ran well until I had a severe Bios failure, so I'm RMA'ing the BG& for the Epox 4G4A+.

For those of you who are running a P4 1.6A at DDR400ish speeds, can you please post your voltage settings on the 4G4A+? I should get mine tomorrow or the next day and can't wait to install it.

Also, are there any other tips I should know, like burn-in period or other quirky settings? I'm in the process of reading through this entire post, so forgive me for asking repeat questions.

One more thing, When I replaced my Abit BD7II with the BG7, I didn't have to reinstall Windows XP. I did do a driver reinstall on the motherboard related components, and everything worked fine. Since the 4G4A+ is based on the same 845G chipset as the BG7 I would think they both share the same ACPI info that Win2k/XP uses when it creates the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) during the OS setup. I guess I'll find out anyway.

Thanks!

 

[ahsia]

I am having some problems burning CDs. I have a Plextor 8/4/32 PlexWriter, and it was working just fine in my last setup. But now, I am getting buffer underrun errors. I have an 20gb hard drive on the primary IDE channel as the master device, and a 52x CD-ROM and the Plextor CD Burner on the secondary IDE channel. They are not on the RAID channels. Now I look in the Device Manager, and I don't see the Highpoint RAID drivers installed, secondly, I can't change the DMA settings either. Can someone help here? I know my burner works, and I am using the latest version of Nero.

 

[anazoal]

Anyone try to use a USB keyboard on this mobo? BTW, I'm using the highpoint controler to run 2 IDE hard drives...

I connected a USB keyboard, and my system hangs up on post code 8b (reserved?). That's right after the highpoint initilaization... the screen just turns blank. This happens even if I clock down to 100 FSB. (And yes, I have enabled usb keyboard... even flashed the latest bios from epox usa site).

WinXP update had a hard time installing usb drivers, and I had to manually install usb 2 drivers. Most of my USB devices work fine... except for my digi cam (Canon S110). Here's a listing of my usb controllers from device manager:
- IntelPCI to usb host controller
- ... 24C2
- ... 24C4
- ... 24C7
- usb 2 root
- usb root hub
- usb root hub
- usb root hub

Could someone confirm that's what they have in WinXP? Do I have a defective mobo or is there something wacky with the usb controller?

 

[Flashram]

So what should I do now? Is there a board that will overclock better with the INF drivers?

I had the INF drivers installed and ran 1.6a @ 2.4 Ghz w/ no problems.

 

[Labdog]

i have heard that EPoX motherboards have a weak 3.3v line (till down to round 2.5v instead of 3.3v). is it true? what do you think about?

 

[audscott]

I can't find the 3.3 sensor...I suspect since the VGP is 1.5 & memory 2.5 the 3.3 reading on this 4G4A(+) is a mute point.

The BD&II I had just before the 4G4A+ ran all lines low...it was stable at 165 FSB, but low.

My Epox is running V-core, V-mem, +5 & +12 very strong - all at or above specs using an Antec PP412X power supply.

Stable at 166, 4:5 memory - which to me was worth the restocking expense to exchange the boards.

 

[anazoal]

Labdog, the 2.5V value that Motherboard Monitor labels as being for the 3.3 line is actually Vdimm (which is spot on at 2.5 V). Use Sandra to read the 3.3 line.... Which you will find to be ~3.3 V.

Anyone able to look at their device manager and read the usb devices for me? (See my post above).

 

[Sarcoptic]

Speaking of motherboard monitor, I was wanting to see if anyone knew the correct settings for temperature? I just got my 1.8a and its at 2.4 at default voltage...however according to mbm5 its only at 37C at idle temperature, however in sandra it reports the temperature at 42C so I think I might have mbm5 setup wrong. As for the rest of my setup I have 2 dimms of Crucial PC2100 and was able to get my fsb up to 150 however prime95 locked up. I have dimms 1 and 2 populated for the memory sound good? Thanx for the help....

 

[kgraeme]

Those temps look great compared to my system. I was doing a sandra burn-in test and it locked up. After reboot I saw that the CPU was around 89-deg C.

 

[anazoal]

In MBM, CPU temp is 2 Diode.

Edit:
kgraeme, set the CPU temp warning and thermal shut down in BIOS (I recommend 75 C). You're lucky you still have a working CPU!!!!

Also have MBM start with windows (with monitoring alarms set) when you're burning-in a PC. Remember, you're testing whether a system is stable or not.

 

[lupohki]

I set was at 1.7v, although it showed it hovering between 1.75-1.77v.

That's odd. I have my 4G4A set to 1.7v and it's reporting 1.58-1.62v in MBM when I run Prime95 torture test.
I'm using an Enermax 550w and the April (original) bios.

 

[Johnnychangs]

Anazoal - I wrote a post about Intel chipset and USB software, that was made a sticky on the ard Forum here:
http://www.hardforums.com/showthread.php?s=1523a634766b136e046203ef7dfa6de3&threadid=429340

I don't know if reinstalling drivers would help, but its just an idea.

Lupohki - I don't think you have much to worry about with your Vcore voltage. It is fairly normal to have the voltage dip a bit when your PC is under heavy load. What you want to do is use MBM to compare your Idle voltages (all of them) to your voltages under load. If any of them has a severe fluctuation (+/- 0.10), then there may be something wrong with the board (voltage regulator) or PSU. Check your +12V, +5V and +3.3V and make sure they are all somewhat within spec. If they aren't then you may be able to adjust the POTs on your PSU, depending on the make and model.

 

[Quixotic]

Originally posted by: Labdog
Quixotic

note: Win2K & WinXP have the same kernel...

Of course... I thought most people knew that But it still doesn't mean something that doesn't work with WinXP definitely won't work with Win2K or vice versa. Many examples come to mind but I'll just leave it at that

 

[Quixotic]

Originally posted by: etrin
Well after reading all the post I finally decided I would get an Epox.

Going to order a 4G4A from Mwave. They are $93.00 I don't need the raid
that is $116.

I have 2 sticks of Crucial PC2100 memory is there any change I can get
133 with this memory?

Is this board not going to work with 2 sticks?

IF not should I get the 512m crucial pc3000 at cas 2 or the pc3200 at cas 2.5 ?



thanks big time for any help with this

etrin

The board works with two sticks but you probably won't be able to overclock as high as with just one.