AthlonXP 2600+ OC

[PP Mguire]

Ok before you laugh this is a test thing im doing for my gf. I want to give her my old 2600+ so she can drop the 2500+ Sempron BUT i want to OC it alot with the HSF it has.
First off the details.
AMD AthlonXP 2600+ 1.92ghz
Shuttle AN35N nF2 ultra-400
1.5gig Kingston DC ram PC2700
ATI(AMD lol) Radeon 9800XT
Antec 450watt SP PSU
ect ect

Now ive gotten it to 2.41gig before but it wont go any higher than that. I believe it was 2.7v on the ram, auto on the V-core, and 210FSB. If i go any higher than that it gives me some beeps and defaults back to 100mhz FSB.

Now when i jump it from 166mhz FSB (1.92gig cpu, 333mhz ram) it goes to 2.3ghz cpu and 333mhz ram (guessing ram divider). When i jump from that to 210mhz FSB it goes to 2.41ghz CPU and 358mhz ram. If i try to go any higher than that it beeps and defaults. (2.7v ram, auto v-core)

Any suggestions? BTW its a socket A XP so multiplier is locked.

[werty316]

Try setting the CPU voltage manually. If I am not mistaken is the stock speed of an AXP 2600+ 1.92GHz? (1920MHz/200FSB = 9.2x CPU multiplier???)

[Kougar]

That's a pretty impressive OC actually, I think! I'm not an expert on AMD chips though, so I'll leave it to them to say either way... ;)

Manual OCing with the Vcore ought to get you further in your overclocks though. However I think your RAM is actually what is holding you back. Most non-performance RAM doesn't go much over stock speeds, and you are already running DDR-333 RAM at DDR-358.

You might try leaving your last best working settings, and raising the RAM voltage to 2.8v and see if that lets you OC further, and if it does then you know the RAM was/is holding you back. Also make sure the RAM timings are relaxed as well if you try this.

[PP Mguire]

Try setting the CPU voltage manually. If I am not mistaken is the stock speed of an AXP 2600+ 1.92GHz? (1920MHz/200FSB = 9.2x CPU multiplier???) Stock speed is 1.92ghz at 166FSB which should be 13x multiplier. Anywho, even if i raise the cpu voltage it dosent seem to do anything and i cant raise the ram voltage over 2.7. Ill try the cpu voltage again but i think even its locked from the cpu. Idk why, but thats just my feelings.

[Kougar]

Considering the components used, OC limitations, and it is a socket A part I think 2.4ghz is pretty decent for it with stock cooling. Doesn't sound like there is anything else to do except replace parts to OC further though, which isn't really worth it IMHO. Maybe someone else knows of some tricks to try...

[PP Mguire]

The cooling is actualy a Thermaltake Silent Tower and AS5. I think i forgot to mention that.

[Bio-Hazard]

I wouldn't expect much more out of that chip, mainly with the cooling and memory that you're running. All in all that's a very respectable OC you got out of it for what you're running.
The best I ever got out of a old XP was 2.646 GHz from a old 1.8 GHz Barton. That was also running with water cooling.

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/6844/cpuz2400ql.jpg

[werty316]

Ah I forgot some AXP chips use a 333MHz FSB. Drop your memory divider to 133Mhz and manually increase the CPU voltage and see if that helps.

[Kougar]

Whoa Sbrehm, at 2vCore that must have really been loading your water cooling!! Those chips are hot even under the best air cooling at stock speeds...

[Bio-Hazard]

It did heat up pretty good if I remember righ, but it was still a lot cooler than any type of air cooling at the time. I was using my custom built external water cooling rig at that time, one of my best projects I've ever done. And just a little pimpage for Mushkin memory, I was running their LL 2-2-2-5 1T PC3200 Dual Channel (2x512) kit 1:1 during that time. I think they called it their Mushkin Black Level II kits.

http://www.systemcooling.com/waterbox-01.html

[PP Mguire]

Well even at 2.4ghz its running 48c at full load. The memory is 358mhz 2.5-2-2-6 in dual channel. FSB is 210 currently. Pretty nice actualy. With this 9800XT im running Battlefield2 max settings 1024x768@85hz. And you got a 1.8ghz up to 2.6?? Thats almost a whole gig on a Socket A processor!!! :eek: Thats freakin crazy!

[PP Mguire]

Id say she got a pretty decent upgrade!
First machine (she built w/ my parts)
AMD 2500+ Sempron
ECS Socket A board
Geforce3 TI500
1gig of PC2700 ram
30gig ATA133 Maxtor
DVD/CD-rw combo
Raidmax Scorpio case
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/pp_mguire/S4020022.jpg
To this
AMD AthlonXP 2600+@ 2.41ghz
Shuttle AN35N nF2ultra-400
1.5gig Kingston PC2700DC ram@ 358mhz 2.5-2-2-6
9800XT w/ Zalman CF-700
200gig Maxtor PATA133 (disregard backup drive ontop)
SB Live! 24bit
Antec Sonata II
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/pp_mguire/S4020003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/pp_mguire/S4020004.jpg

[Kougar]

Hmm, and I see a Antec TruePower 450watt in there too... That's definitely going to be a "small" upgrade! :-D

The Sonata II took a very good case and made it even better! But did you mod that red 120mm fan there, or does the case actually have a mounting point there for one? I thought it had one on the other side of the drive rack.?

[Bio-Hazard]

My wife also just got a pretty nice upgrade to her system, her old system is now the home network server. She went from a AMD 2600 XP on a ECS MATX MB with onboard graphics and 512 ram all in a Aspire QPack case, to a AMD A64 3200 Winchester core on a Abit AV8 with 1 gig (2x512) of OCZ Gold and a reflashed ATI 9800Pro. Needless to say she's extremely happy with the upgrade she got.

[werty316]

Love the interior lights and the case; I was thinking about getting an Antec Sonata.

[PP Mguire]

Thanx guys. She likes it so im happy. And yes there are mounting holes there. The Sonata II has a dust filter in the front so there is no room for a fan. Kougar she went from a 300watt that i pulled out of an eMachines to that Antec. So much more stable than the 300 haha. I was always afraid the 300 would die on her but it didnt.

[Kougar]

Thanx guys. She likes it so im happy. And yes there are mounting holes there. The Sonata II has a dust filter in the front so there is no room for a fan. Kougar she went from a 300watt that i pulled out of an eMachines to that Antec. So much more stable than the 300 haha. I was always afraid the 300 would die on her but it didnt.

Interesting, when I looking around for cases I almost got a Sonata, then the Sonata II when it came out, but I never knew that was where they stuck the 120mm fan... much better location for it than between the front plastic bezel and metal of the case shell itself. I went with an SLK3700BQE from them as it has the same hard drive tray arrangement as the Sonata's but was much lower in price. I think I should have stuck with the Sonata II in hindsight, but oh well... live and learn. ;)

[PP Mguire]

Yup its really nice. For it being such a small case i was suprised that it had 2 120mm fan mounts. 1 intake, 1 exaust. Really nice and keeps my HDs cool. I can tell they work well just because the filter in the front is always dusty.

[PP Mguire]

Well heres an update. ONe day when i had to get up early i stayed up late and tried a bunch of things. I actualy got it to 217 FSB which was 2.5ghz core clock and like 360mhz ram. (ram was acting funny, i think the clock was supposed to be higher but oh well). Anyways i had to push the Vcore up to 1.95 and the ram timings to 3-7-7-15 and i got it. To bad Windows didnt boot. After that it never went back up to 217 again. So i gave up lol.

[Xero (1)ne]

BTW its a socket A XP so multiplier is locked.
ACTUALLY (a litle late here i know) you CAN unlock a anthalon XP
http://www.cluboverclocker.com/guides/XP_Unlock/index.htm
you can also(if you have a steady hand) take a .5mm lead mechanical pencil and just create a bridge with the lead,
it will create enough conductivity just for the OC'ing ;)

[PP Mguire]

Yea i also saw some other PCB mod as well. I dont want to take a risk of frying this machine if my gf is supposed to get it. Back a year ago today when i used this board and processor i would have done it. I still considerd a n00b back then though so i prolly wouldnt have. Not to mention i didnt have a job then so i wouldnt have been able to replace stuff.
EDIT: Just read the part about the MP unlock, ive doent that before to my dads old 1800+XP and turned it into an MP. To bad the FSB was 266mhz :(

[Assassin]

Upping the voltage on the cpu should do it.

[Xero (1)ne]

yah, and then clock like theres no tomorrow:twisted:

[Bio-Hazard]

I think I still have 1 or 2 old Athlon XP's that are unlocked (factory). One of them is a old 266 FSB 2600 that clocks like a wildman, it hit well over a 400 FSB on my NF7-S MoBo. Boy thos were some fun days.............;)

[PP Mguire]

To assassin and Xero, ive had the voltage up to 1.95 and stock is 1.65. Ive also had the clock up to 2.5 from 1.92. I think its fine now. Even at stock she will still be getting a better upgrade from what she has now.
@sbrehm
Now would you be willing to give one of those up?

[Bio-Hazard]

I would if there weren't 2 other XP boxes in the house. My server as well as my son are both XP's ATM. My son keeps saying that he's going to upgrade to a A64, but he keeps spending his money on other stuff. I think he expect's me to buy/give him everything to him that he needs for a new system, life just isn't that easy, you have to work for what you get.................;)

[PP Mguire]

So they are using them right now? Cause i dont see a reason to be using a 266mhz FSB processor unless your using it for a server. And he probably does think that. I was that way once before until i got my own job and now i cant stand it when my parents buy me stuff. I feel bad.