MSI Neo2 / P4 2.6C

[Lava Lamp Freak]

I just got my new parts in today.

MSI Neo2
P4 2.6C
2x 256MB OCZ PC3700

Everything runs ok at 220FSB, vcore 1.7 and ram 2.8, but at 233 no go. I've tried raising the vcore to 1.9 and ram to 2.85 but still it isn't stable. It will boot but crashes shortly after Windows loads. Also my temps are mid 50s right now. How high temp is safe for the processor? What should I try to find stability at 233 and higher? I know this CPU, mobo, and memory should be able to hit 250.

[Lava Lamp Freak]

I've lowered the vcore back down to the default, 1.525 I think it was. Now it runs much cooler, high 40s and idle. But, still at 233FSB it boots but if I do anything, open a browser window or outlook or any program, it just freezes. According to reviews the processor can run very high FSBs and the Neo2 reviews show that it can run very high also. I mean I should at least be able to run at 233 in sync with the ram, which is set to "by SPD." Also the performance setting is set to slow in the bios as MSI recommends if you are overclocking the FSB.

[Mista K6]

Bahhhh, man, the temps are what is crashing ya. 50's are horrible. What case you using and how many fans? You might not have enough air circulation. Get some more fans if you can. If not, you might be able to get some hot air out by cutting a blow hole in the top of your case. And finally, you might have to get a new case. But that's all looking way ahead, ya might not have to. But I def think it's a cooling issue. Good luck :thumb: . : peace2: Mista K6

[Lava Lamp Freak]

I have a Coolermaster case that has 4 case fans. Two on the front and a blowhole on the top and back. With my previous mobo and cpu I had good temps. I applied Arctic Silver 3 same way I have before. Maybe I should redo?

Oh I did have to change one thing in my case. The power cable on the fan that come with the case wasn't long enough so I had to replace the fan with another one that I had bought online for a spare. Maybe it isn't good enough?

[Lava Lamp Freak]

I've left the computer on all day running at 200FSB and the temp was 41 a few mins ago. I upped it to 220FSB and after a few mins checked and it was 45. Also at 220 I have visual glitches in the ATI Chimp demo. At 215 its fine but over that there are all kinds of extra lines and other stuff in the images.

[The__tweaker]

Bahhhh, man, the temps are what is crashing ya. 50's are horrible.

Sorry m8 but 50-55C won't crash any computer.. Specially not a P4.. ;)

[Wiggo]

Well I wouldn't have said "Sorry m8 but 50-55C won't crash any computer." as I have K6-2's and a K6-3+ that will promptly lockup at 53C but yes P4's won't do that but will in the mid 70C's start to throttle themselves and if that don't help temps then they'll just shut themselves down. I've never been a fan of OCZ products either but ya just may have a CPU that just doesn't have the puff to go any further.

[Mista K6]

whoops, I forgot to post that here, maybe it is the thermal paste? :?: . Hmm... but that OCZ is rated at 466 and able to hold 2-3-3-7 timings there, I was actually gonna get the same two modules myself. What PC3700 RAM do you recommend Wiggo (I know for PC3500 its Cosair XMS, lol) ? J/w : peace2: Mista K6

[Lava Lamp Freak]

Well I wouldn't have said "Sorry m8 but 50-55C won't crash any computer." as I have K6-2's and a K6-3+ that will promptly lockup at 53C but yes P4's won't do that but will in the mid 70C's start to throttle themselves and if that don't help temps then they'll just shut themselves down. I've never been a fan of OCZ products either but ya just may have a CPU that just doesn't have the puff to go any further.

Well I got an RMA but since I took off the thermal pad on the HSF to use AS3 that might have voided my warranty. Do you really think its something with the processor? I know that the 2.6C can overclock to 3.5GHz according to reviews online.

Out of the box the processor had a couple bent pins so I had to fix that before I could even get it to plug in. Could that have anything to do with it? I assumed that if it worked when I turned it on everything was ok with the processor.

[Lava Lamp Freak]

Its been running stable for about 15 mins now at 233FSB, vcore 1.7, ram 2.8 and 2.5-4-4-8-8. I still have the video problem. All of the ATI demos have all kinds of visual artifacts. I've changed the setting in bios so that the AGP/PCI is set to its lowest setting since it automatically overclocks it. At its auto setting the screen goes blank after the post screen.

[Wiggo]

Mista K6[/size]]
What PC3700 RAM do you recommend Wiggo (I know for PC3500 its Cosair XMS, lol) ? J/w : peace2: Mista K6

Corsair's XMS line also carries PC3700 and PC4000 rated memory.

[Wiggo]

Lava Lamp Freak[/size]]
Its been running stable for about 15 mins now at 233FSB, vcore 1.7, ram 2.8 and 2.5-4-4-8-8. I still have the video problem. All of the ATI demos have all kinds of visual artifacts. I've changed the setting in bios so that the AGP/PCI is set to its lowest setting since it automatically overclocks it. At its auto setting the screen goes blank after the post screen.

Those video cards run hot so if ya already havn't get a side air intake fan fitted over the card to supply it with fresh air.

[Lava Lamp Freak]

Well I'm disappointed cause my goal was to run at 3GHz. I don't think the problem is at all related to heat. Right now at 220FSB my case temp is 37C and the cpu is 46C. I've tested all combinations of settings to try to find a solution to no avail. First problem is I can not run the cpu and memory at 1:1 above 220FSB. If I change the memory to run at 400 then I can take the fsb on up to 233. Regardless, above 200FSB video shows artifacts. The higher the FSB the more numerous the artifacts. (Artifacts include lines coming out of objects and random shapes popping up on the screen.) The only way that everything works 100% fine is at 200FSB.

So questions that need answering...

1) Why doesn't my 466MHz memory run at 466MHz? Is it a problem with the CPU or the memory?
2) Why does my video have artifacts above 200FSB?

I was wanting to buy Corsair PC3700 but it was out of stock at Newegg with no estimated stock date and I couldn't find it anywhere else. So, after reading raving reviews of OCZ PC3700 I decided to go with it. Reviews say the OCZ PC3700 can run at 500MHz and I can't even get 466???

Anyone have any ideas what could be my problem?

[Wiggo]

OCZ use to have a bad practise of pretestin' their products and then sendin' out the best of the bunch to reviewers for review (likely they still do but I can't say) plus they also had a very bad reputation of burnin' ppl with their products that don't perform to spec's which is why I will not recommend them in any shape or form. The other thing is that if ya usin' the standard Intel HSF then consider changin' it for a Volcano 7+ or Spark 7+ but ya just may have a CPU that isn't capable of goin' that far. : peace2:

[Lava Lamp Freak]

What do you think the video artifacts mean? Is the video card dying or do you think its related to the cpu and ram? At 200 its fine but the higher the fsb the more artifacts there are. I've been reading other forums and it look like the artifacts is a sign there is a problem with the card.