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Can't get XP to boot w/new 3200+

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Viper-one, 22 Mar 2004.

  1. Viper-one

    Viper-one What's a Dremel?

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    :jawdrop: I have just purchased a new 3200+ chip and what I thought was two 512 sticks of DDR 3200. Wrong, I got 2700 even tho receipt says 400. Got them exchanged. Any way, installed the new cpu, made sure my bios was flashed from Abit, and then tried to bring up Windows XP. Got to where the XP splash screen would normally come up and it just hangs. If I change it to 2500+ in the bios, Windows will come up.

    My system:

    Abit NF7-S (don't know if v1.0 or v2.0, Belarc Advisor says: Board: http://www.abit.com.tw/ NF7-S/NF7-M/NF7 (nVidia-nForce2) 1.X)


    2 DDR 400 3200 Samsung sticks
    NVidia Asylum TI4200 128mb video card
    1 WD180 SATA 7200 HDD
    1 WD160 7200 HDD
    1 WD100 7200 HDD
    Floppy
    Promise IDE PCI card
    Pioneer DVR-A07 DVD burner
    LiteOn DVD Reader
    LiteOn CD-R
    LiteOn CD/RW
    Antec 550 powersupply
    Windows XP SP1

    Bios settings are defaults mostly.

    Any and all helpwill be appreciated.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. Go4t

    Go4t i

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    windows is just gay like that, it cant handle too much change
    the only way tu use the 3200 with xp intact is underclocking it
     
  3. Viper-one

    Viper-one What's a Dremel?

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    I want to add also that the previous CPU was a 2400+, with 2 512M DDR 266 sticks and 1 512M DDR 333 stick. Everything else is the same. Bios settings are:

    cpu to 3200+
    xternal clock set to 200MHz
    multiplier factor set to x11.0
    AGP Freq set to 66MHz
    CPU FSB/Dram ratio set to Auto
    CPU Interface set to Disabled.

    Timings as follows:

    Memory Timings Optimal
    x - Row Active Display 8
    x - RAS-to-CAS delay 3
    x - Row precharge delay 3
    x - CAS latency time 3.0

    Ram is in DIMM slots 2 & 3.

    I figure it has to be a config setting, but what but what and where?

    Any and all help is appreciated.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  4. Go4t

    Go4t i

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    its just a stupid feature microsoft put in to stop people from changing to much hardware
     
  5. Trickle

    Trickle What's a Dremel?

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    I've never 100% quite pinned this one down. I've heard people say all it does is tell the mobo to use manual settings instead of spd settings and I've had some empirical evidence myself to suggest this :/

    Have you tried lower mem timings? I've had some memory recently refuse to work at certain higher settings even though it will work at tighter settings. I've had plenty of mobos pick their spd timings up incorectly aswell.

    Have you tried any speeds inbwteen 2500+ and 3200+? Can we ditch with the '+' ratings? I ran a 2500+ for 2 months and I've no idea what its stock speed is - I never ran it at stock so the plus ratings are meeningless to me for most of the chips people talk about :(
    (queue someone posting a link to a spreadsheet of them ;)
     
  6. Trickle

    Trickle What's a Dremel?

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    [cough]Never having bought a copy of win XP myself[/cough] is this really what it does when you change the hardware too much for it? I thought it would have warned you why its not working at least, and ideally given you the activation dialog again perhaps?
     
  7. felix the cat

    felix the cat Spaceman Spiff

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    format your hdd and reinstall windoze??

    always best to do anyway...
     
  8. kenco_uk

    kenco_uk I unsuccessfully then tried again

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    It could be the memory. Try setting it in the bios to something lower (I think it's 'Normal' or something like that) rather than 'Optimal'. Might be that it just can't handle the settings it's set to atm.

    Evidence that it could be memory is that you were able to run at 2500 (1.83ghz) speed and with everything set to auto, synchronous and by spd, the memory would have been running at 333 instead of 400 so would have been okay at optimal setting. Quite a few PC3200 sticks will not run with tight settings at their quoted (400fsb) speed. I have two sticks of TwinMOS PC3200 that are quite stubborn and although they run at PC3200 speeds, they don't like being overvolted too much and won't run with tight/optimal settings. Mind you, they were the cheapest at the time, so I got what I paid for.

    I don't think it would be the processor - I find XP tends to reboot rather than freeze if the cpu plays up (not sure if it's the same for everyone though :) ).

    Give it a go and let us know how you get on.
     
  9. olv

    olv he's so bright

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    Sorry but to me that is complete bollocks. Changing the CPU definately does not require a format, that's like saying you need a fresh install every time you overclock! no one would overclock if that was true lol.

    How old is your nf7? I think that it is a version 1.x board and won't have the nforce 2 ultra 400 chipset so doesn't fully support 200fsb cpu's so is instable and crashes when loading windows. If it is a v2.0 board then i dunno. take a look at the sticker next to the pci slots to see what version it is.
     
  10. Viper-one

    Viper-one What's a Dremel?

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  11. Viper-one

    Viper-one What's a Dremel?

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  12. SpeedFreak

    SpeedFreak What's a Dremel?

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    surely a reformat would fix your problems??
     
  13. olv

    olv he's so bright

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    i wish i knew of this magic way to format that actually updates the chipset of your motherboard!
     
  14. Hippo

    Hippo Pre-dates 5.25" Floppies

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    *me thinks someone didnt read the DOUBLE post above* :hehe:
     
  15. Go4t

    Go4t i

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    if you change the processor speed to much windows freaks out thats just another reason why it didnt work
     
  16. olv

    olv he's so bright

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    i refuse to accept that there is any substance in that. I could sit here all day rebooting and chaning to speed of my cpu and i'm sure windows couldn't care less...
     
  17. Tim S

    Tim S OG

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    I've never noticed this myself! :eyebrow: :worried: :duh:
     
  18. Trickle

    Trickle What's a Dremel?

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    Is it worth changing the board over just to get another 30-35 fsb? I'm running my old rev1 A7N8X at 180 fsb as it wont do 200 even with the 3200 mem in it. Its not worth the £60 - 70 of a new board (or 30 ish if you include selling the old one), and quite frankly its the signifaicant time hassle involved in swapping a new mobo in and having to sell the old one.
     
  19. olv

    olv he's so bright

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    Not if you are satisfied what what you've got. You wouldn't really notice a real world difference between 180 and 200 fsb but benchmarks would show it.
     
  20. Tim S

    Tim S OG

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    I notice windows is much more snappy at 225fsb than it is at 200fsb ;)
     

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