Can't get K6-III+ to hit 600MHz

Discussion relating to Socket 7 hardware.
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Super7Dude
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Can't get K6-III+ to hit 600MHz

Post by Super7Dude »

Hi All,

It's been a while since I posted here, but I recently dug out my old GA-5SMM board along with a K6-III+ 450ACZ and 512MB of PC133 double sided SDRAM. Sadly, the board seems utterly unable to run my chip at 600MHz. I've tried 5 x 124, 4 x 133 and 6x100 but each time I get a BIOS ROM Checksum error. I'm running the F5 BIOS and I think i have Rev 1.3 of the board. The system is rock solid at 1.85v / 533MHz (4x133) or 550MHz @ 1.9v. I remember distinctly earlier that I could hit 600MHz before on this board. Any help appreciated

Super7Dude
Jim
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RE: Can

Post by Jim »

What voltage are you using? 6x100 usually takes 2.1v.
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DFI K6BV3+/66 Rev B2 (2 Meg) w/ 2x28mm Chipset Fans
2x256 Meg PC 133 Hynix SDRAM
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2x 80G Maxtor (7200) Ducted w/ 2x486 Fans Mount
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Super7Dude
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Post by Super7Dude »

I tried 2.0v and 2.1v and got the same error message both times. Although, I know the board in the BIOS reports about 0.06v less than the voltage that is set by the DIP switches. I don't want to push past 2.1v as I don't have great cooling at the moment. Maybe my chip and board have changed/aged in some way. I tried tweaking the BIOS as well (disabling caching and shadowing) but that didnt make any difference either. :?

::update:: I managed to find the legendary K6-III+/500ANZ :D. It runs flawlessly at 600MHz given just 1.75 volts on the same board! :o I have to conclude that it is the CPU and not the board. Strange as to why that happened though :? Maybe my 450ACZ is getting old :lol:

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Jim
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Post by Jim »

Could be that yours is an inferior specimen, some never will do 600 Mhz, others need "Rain" to do it. Sometimes it helps if you burn them in.
Superpuppy 3
K6-3+ 450 ACZ (6x100)
DFI K6BV3+/66 Rev B2 (2 Meg) w/ 2x28mm Chipset Fans
2x256 Meg PC 133 Hynix SDRAM
1x 20G Maxtor (7200)
2x 80G Maxtor (7200) Ducted w/ 2x486 Fans Mount
52/24/52/16 LG CDR/RW/DVD
8/4/3/12/24/16/32 LG Super Multi
ATI 9000 aiw Radeon AGP
SB Audigy 1 MP3 Sound
CMD 649 IDE Controller
NEC USB 2 Card
Super7Dude
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Post by Super7Dude »

Yep must be. I did some testing on my 500ANZ and found it to be rock solid at 466MHz (3.5x133) given just 1.27v (according to the BIOS). It was cold to touch as well with a 5v fan and a large 6cmx6cmx6cm heatsink.
DonPedro
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Post by DonPedro »

and you are able to run your 512mb ram stick successfully?
Super7Dude
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Post by Super7Dude »

@DonPedro

I have two 256MB PC133 double sided Apacer RAM sticks and both work fine at 3-3-3-7 timings and 133MHz on that board. I have settled my 450ACZ on 533MHz (4 x 133) for now and at just 1.6v it is rock solid :D Sadly, I don't have a single 512MB stick in SD as i thought they would only register as 256MB sticks.

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jsc1973
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Post by jsc1973 »

Some of them just won't do 600 MHz stable. I've had a K6-III+ 450 for five years, and it can run 550 MHz at 1.9 and 500 MHz at 1.7, but it can't do 600 even if I give it 2.3. It'll boot Windows 98 at 600 and 2.3v, but gives a BSOD after a while. It won't even boot at all in Win2K or XP.

I just backed it off to 550@1.9 and it's happily run at the speed for the last four years.
FIC VA-503+, Rev. 1.2, AMD K6-III+ 450@550MHz, 80GB Seagate ATA-100, 3dfx Voodoo3 3500 TV, TB Montego II Quadzilla, Win98se, 384MB PC100

Compaq Presario 1273, AMD K6-III+ 450@400MHz 1.8v, 40GB Samsung 5400RPM, extremely hacked Win98SE, 288 (yes, 288!) MB RAM
(Also an AMD FX-8350, which does the heavy lifting these days...)
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swaaye
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Post by swaaye »

I think it has to do with motherboard quality too. I had a FIC VA503+ Baby AT mobo that wouldn't let 2 different K6-3+ chips do 600 MHz. However, I got a ASUS P5A and now the one K6-3+ I still have will do 600 MHz fine.
Jim
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Post by Jim »

Hmm, and whether you know it or not, ASUS always overvolts. That is to say 2.1V on an ASUS board is more likely to be about 2.14V. Could be a voltage issue you were having.
Superpuppy 3
K6-3+ 450 ACZ (6x100)
DFI K6BV3+/66 Rev B2 (2 Meg) w/ 2x28mm Chipset Fans
2x256 Meg PC 133 Hynix SDRAM
1x 20G Maxtor (7200)
2x 80G Maxtor (7200) Ducted w/ 2x486 Fans Mount
52/24/52/16 LG CDR/RW/DVD
8/4/3/12/24/16/32 LG Super Multi
ATI 9000 aiw Radeon AGP
SB Audigy 1 MP3 Sound
CMD 649 IDE Controller
NEC USB 2 Card
Super7Dude
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Post by Super7Dude »

I have a P5-A which does the same thing - 2v comes up as 2.048v. But in the same way, I think my Gigabyte board undervolts cos 2V comes up as 1.94v in the hardware monitor. Yet both boards can run one of my 3+s at 600MHz fine. I must have a good chip and a lousy chip.

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swaaye
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Post by swaaye »

Jim wrote:Hmm, and whether you know it or not, ASUS always overvolts. That is to say 2.1V on an ASUS board is more likely to be about 2.14V. Could be a voltage issue you were having.
Hmmm could be. But I do remember really cranking the volts on the VA503+. I probably gave 2.2v a go.
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KachiWachi
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Post by KachiWachi »

The only way to measure the actual voltage you have there is to use a (calibrated) DVM on the fully loaded supply.


Thanks.
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swaaye
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Post by swaaye »

Another tip: Do not run the fans off the mobo headers. I think I remember that being something that helped improve stability noticeably on my VA503 mobo.
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