{I have posted this on Hard forum too BTW} I have an MSI KT3 ultra-ARU (not a KT3 Ultra2) The 1.3 Duron I'm using is pitifully slow. But the week before I planned an upgrade I got laid off So the PCI-E card/Mobo and dual core CPU will have to wait. So now I need to get some more out of this board and my ever faithful GF2MX I'm going to chuck a bucket of DDR SDRAM at it. But I'm not sure about Max CPU speed. Both boards are badged identically as Marketing Name KT3 Ultra Model Name 6380E PCB Version 1 Latest BIOS Version A6380VMS.570 Marketing Name KT3 Ultra2 Model Name 6380E PCB Version 1 Latest BIOS Version A6380VMS.570 Identical model name. Identical PCB version Identical Bios version for download. But the second one supports socket A Bartons with a 166 bus, instead of a 100/133 (the Ultra using that bios officially uses upto 2600+ thorobreds 133 chips). I've also read that using the that Bios, the Ultra can use Socket A Barton 3000+ with the selectable 166 bus speed (but not officially supported), just like the 2 can, but the 2 automatically selects bus, and has official manufacturer support. That would make one last big CPU leap possible and affordable still. Anyone know anyone who is using a KT3-Ultra ARU (not a 2) with a Barton chip with the FSB manually set to 166?
Budget is as very little as I can snipe from Ebay if one turns up. Going to have to chance on a used one.
Ahh... I cut my teeth at overclocking with the same board! Basically, the Ultra2 board has an updated Via chipset, which officially runs at 166fsb OK... However, your board *should* also run OK at 166 (It definately has the needed PCI divider, though I remember mine having the odd boot problem when I was running at 166) - If you're gonna do it, I would recommend upgrading the heatsink on the northbridge with something like the blue Zalman model, if you havent already... I've never run a barton chip in mine, but any socket A chip should be fine, though the BIOS may not report the correct chip name. - If you have any probs finding a Barton chip for a reasonable price, don't be afraid to look at TBred B chips as well...Like this one maybe: Ebay (That's nothing to do with me btw!) - The performance gain for the extra cache is only small, and that 2700+ has got a slight clockspeed advantage I think....
Ah, excellent. That was basically what I heard. Once running the 5.7 BIOS, the 166 clock becomes available, just not auto detected like the Ultra2. Hmm, that Thoroughbred does seem substantially cheaper than a Barton. Christ I know even Barton technology is old hat. But I need to squeeze every penny out of this. I reckon going from a 1.3 Duron and 512meg, to a Barton or highend TBred and 2gig ram will help there. And if the job front don't improve, then I can maybe see about a used AGP 66/6800GT to boost graphics.
