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Author
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Topic: RAM warning.
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Jv44~Siggi
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 01:58 PM
   
For those of you with x4AGP video cards (Ge-Force etc) who are thinking of upgrading their MB to a x4AGP model, the following warning;
At present, to the best of my knowledge, there are two main choices of x4AGP motherboards...the Intel 820 chipset and the Via Apollo 133 series chipsets.The Intel model was designed for the new high-speed RAM, but they've included a weird device that allows for the use of standard SDRAM...it slows the board down and wipes-out the advantage of having x4AGP. I went with the Via Apollo Pro 133A chipset, only to find that it doesn't support PC100 SDRAM; it requires PC133 SDRAM, an expensive additional requirement. I don't have a CPU that supports the 133 bus speed, so my 133RAM is actually running at 100 bus speed. Logically one would assume that PC100 RAM would do the job, but it doesn't. Be aware guys; it gave me a nasty shock.  IP: Logged |
Spanky the Mad Dog
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 02:07 PM
Spanky here... Hi man. I'm going to be using a board with the via ali or apollo chipset. Not sure which. I guess i should figure it out. They never mention that problem in the review, And the board manual says you can run the ram at the same speed as the bus or -33mhz or + 33mhz. Maybe you just need to set that?
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Whirlwind
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 03:27 PM
Uh, the Via 133 supports PC100 memory, I have the Abit VA6 and PC100 memory works rather well for me.IP: Logged |
Spanky the Mad Dog
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 03:50 PM
K heres what my manual says. The Apollo Pro 133 is a high performance, cost-effective and energy
efficient chip set for the implementation of AGP/PCI/ISA desktop
personal computer systems from 66MHz, 100MHz and 133MHz based on
64-bit Slot 1 super-scalar processors.
The Apollo Pro133 chip set consists of the VT82C693A system controller
(492 pin BGA) and the VT82C596B PCI to ISA bridge (324 pin BGA).
The system controller provides superior performance between the CPU,
DRAM, AGP bus, and PCI bus with pipelined, burst, and concurrent
operation.
The VT82C693A supports eight banks of DRAMs up to 1.5GB. The
DRAM controller supports standard Fast Page Mode (FPM) DRAM,
EDO-DRAM, Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) and Virtual Channel
SDRAM (VC SDRAM), in a flexible mix / match manner. The
Synchronous DRAM interface allows zero wait state bursting between the
DRAM and the data buffers at 66/100/133 MHz. The eight banks of
DRAM can be composed of an arbitrary mixture of
1M/2M/4M/8M/16M/32MxN DRAMs. The DRAM controller also
supports optional ECC (single-bit error correction and multi-bit detection)
or EC (error checking) capability separately selectable on a bank-by-bank
basis. The DRAM controller can run at either the host CPU bus frequency
(66/100/133 MHz) or at the AGP bus frequency (66 MHz) with built-in
PLL timing control. I see your talking about the 133A chip set so that might be a difference. Also straight out of the MoBo book.
my fav part of the board. The SY-6VBA 133 supports an incredible wide range of CPU FSB
frequency settings:
66, 75, 81, 83, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 120, 122,
124, 126, 133, 135, 137, 138, 140, 142, 144, 150 and 155 MHz.
This ensures that the SY-6VBA 133 has an overwhelming overclocking
potential. IP: Logged |
Jv44~Siggi
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 04:24 PM
The 133A is definitely different from the earlier 133 chipsets, it supports x4AGP. I'll quote the manual:"IMPORTANT: SDRAMs used must be compatible with the current Intel PC133 SDRAM specification." When I tried to boot-up with the PC100 RAM I got no further than a black screen. After buying PC133 RAM I had no further probs. Maybe it's just a x4AGP thing. IP: Logged |
Yardstick
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 05:41 PM
There are some interesting articles on the coppermine RDRAM, Apollo and over-clocked BX options at Tom's Hardware. Seems that an overclocked BX board will out perform all but the fastest (and prohibitively expensive RDRAM). I may stick with the good old 440BX until Intel gets their act together. ------------------
Yardstick painted this
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Spanky the Mad Dog
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 06:11 PM
Spanky here. AH now I understand Siggi. Yard. Yep I read that review. I wouldn't touch RDram anyway. TO crazy expensive. I was going to go with the board i got but the BX version. But I found this one used and cheap so I took it. It won't be quite as fast but it will do its job and its better then the one i'm using right now. I am recomending a BX board to Mad Dog.
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Spanky the Mad Dog
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 06:13 PM
Spanky here.. Also I wouldn't say till Intel gets its act together. There are and will be other maybe even Better options then an intel chipset. Just not at the moment really. IP: Logged |
Nat
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 06:17 PM
one Q here, does this mean that contrary to what I expected, PC100 SDRAM can't be overclocked to 133mhz??IP: Logged |
Whirlwind
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 07:35 PM
My next Mobo upgrade - DDR. SiS is developing the Samurai chipset and VIA is doing their own. Allegedly the memory is as cheap as current memory, and is as fast or faster than RDRAM. Oh, I beleive that warning is for people using 133 SDRAM. It is odd that your PC100 memory doesn't play well with the MOBO. Weird. Are you going faster than a 100mhz bus? IP: Logged |
Jv44~Siggi
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 07:48 PM
Nope, I've got a P3-600 which runs at 100Mhz. I've been thinking about overclocking it to 733 via the manual dipswitches on the MB. I tried running it up too 800 via the BIOS but it told me to piss off.
Tom's Hardware sight had some interesting info regarding the AGP drivers for my board. It ships with version 4.17 Via All-In-One driver set. Versions 4.18 to 4.20 are available on the Via web-site, but these cripple the 3D speed. Stay with the shipped 4.17 until they've sorted the problem is Tom's recommendation.
There's so much new stuff coming out now that I'm totally confused by it all. DDR RAM seems promising...I'm certainly not touching the new RDRAM at the current prices, jeez, what are they on?!
As long as I can get B17-2 running maxed-out at 1600x1200 with a minimum 30 FPS I'll be very content. SDoE already flys. IP: Logged |
Spanky the Mad Dog
Pilot
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posted 03-22- 10:02 PM
Spanky here.. you might be able to run Pc100 ram at 133. But I wouldn't count on it thats big MIGHT!!! I really don't think you see a HUGE perfomance increase in running your ram at 133. Although it may be needed to oc a chip to a higher speed. Yep read the same artical Siggi. I already DLed the 4.17 drivers for when I switch the MoBo.
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