Old Timer GA-7VAX with ATHLON XP-M Barton

[tinkering]

This is my first whack at overclocking. I am working on an obsolete motherboard but expect to have fun learning. Here is the link to my thread that was started in the Memory Forum. http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=467247 It has a bunch of interesting info in it for reference but now we need to work in the Overclocking Forum proper.

Here is the hardware I am working with:

- GIGABYTE GA-7VAX Motherboard
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/...ctName=GA-7VAX

- AMD ATHLON XP-M Barton @ 3600+! 2600+ 2800+ 3000+
I purchased it from eBay seller voodoo1337
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K7/AMD...2400FQQ4C.html

- ZALMAN CNPS6000-CU (copper / adjustable fan speed)
Purchased from eBay
http://www.zalman.com/ENG/product/Pr...ad.asp?Idx=272

- CORSAIR VS1GB400C3 (2 x 1G sticks)
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...Tpk=VS1GB400C3

- Western Digital Caviar Black 750GB SATA
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16822136283

- SOLTEK GEFORCE4 Video Card
http://ncix.com/products/index.php?m...roduct_id=8956

- Sound Blaster, simple addon sound card

- VIA IDE to SATA (with USB expansion) PCI Controller Card
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7598
Could also use (no USB expansion):
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4706

- 7 Carat Diamond Thermal Paste
Purchased on eBay
http://www.innovationcooling.com/

- Tower HP LR 112193 / PSU Tsunami LC-B300ATX
http://apex-technologies.industrialp...c-b300-atx.htm

I am still waiting for the PCI Controller Card to arrive so if it is kosher, I will proceed for the time being, with the old HDD in place. I need to button in a bunch of parts and then I'm ready to move on it.

[jedihobbit]

Interesting flash from the past!!

[uddarts]

something to watch.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cas...dology_15.html

So, returning to the above-discussed PSUs, we can say that the MP-360AR Ver.2 complies with the ATX12V 2.0 standard, while the LC-B300 – with ATX12V version 1.2, hence the difference in their CLCs. Well, the problem is not only in a formal compliance with this or that version of the standard. I said above that the LC-B300 cannot provide the declared wattage on the +5v rail, and now let’s compare its CLC diagram with Intel’s recommended CLC for ATX12V 1.2 units:

As you see, this power supply just doesn’t meet the requirements to 300W models in the allowable load on the +5v rail, so we can only regard it as a 300W PSU with a reservation that these watts are not very honest. For comparison, here’s the diagram of the MP-360AR in comparison with the recommended CLC for 350W ATX12V 2.0 units:

edit: found some additional info on the psu.

problem with 9700 pro

Power supply is 300W, by Premier (LC-B300ATX) It says: 3.3V 28A, 5V 30A, 12V 15A (but combined it's of course less)

But I read in the official power supply/bios thread that the 5V line is important. My bios says it's only 4.83V or something. I used a multimeter and I measure 5.05V.
However when I start a 3d game, it drops to 5.0-4.99V. If I underclock the card a bit, I measure 5.01-5.0V and then it doesn't crash. So maybe that's it?

which would be well within specs but as i mentioned, something to keep in the back of your mind.


ud

[tinkering]

So my PSU could be suspect for required delivery but it is still possible that it will be sufficient? We just go ahead with it but keep an eye out if problems arise?

[tinkering]

Should I pull the aluminum foil off of the Northbridge heatsink, along with the old thermal pad material, and apply the new paste straight to the HS? I have some aluminum tape here but wonder if the adhesive on the one side will spoil the heat transfer?

[uddarts]

So my PSU could be suspect for required delivery but it is still possible that it will be sufficient? We just go ahead with it but keep an eye out if problems arise?

yeah go with it. i can be a bit paranoid at times.

Should I pull the aluminum foil off of the Northbridge heatsink, along with the old thermal pad material, and apply the new paste straight to the HS? I have some aluminum tape here but wonder if the adhesive on the one side will spoil the heat transfer?

i'd lose the foil. your going to need to clean things up. don't know exactly what you have on hand to make any suggestions.


ud

[tinkering]

I've got Brakleen, rubbing alcohol, white gas, acetone, for cleaning up the old mess. I use an old sock to wipe with (clean

I have heard different methods of applying paste:

- lay dob of paste on center of chip (less air bubbles are produced while it spreads out from the middle as the heatsink presses down)

- spread paste out on chip before placing the heatsink (some say more air bubbles are trapped this way)

What do you figure?

[uddarts]

I've got Brakleen, rubbing alcohol, white gas, acetone, for cleaning up the old mess. I use an old sock to wipe with

sounds like you have it covered. whatever you use to get off the excess, the acetone should remove anything organic left. worked in chem lab.

with that vintage hardware i'd spread the tim. the other way is for cpus with heat spreaders.


ud

[tinkering]

I didn't like how that 7 Carat Diamond paste tooled (Zalman paste was nice and soft and squishy). 7Carat was so thick and it didn't seem to adhere to the chips. I hope I didn't get it too thick on the Northbridge. I had to leave it thick or it just pulled of the chip when tooling.

I think I might be ready to start going on this. What is first? I don't want to fire anything up with this different CPU in there until you coach me a bit. I'm dumb here. I assume the first thing to do is go into the bios? Anyway, awaiting your instruction.

[uddarts]

yeah that new paste is probably made for the squish method on a cpu.

the corsair vs ram should pretty much set itself.

i'll be interested to see what the bios boots the mobile at and whether it is recognized as such.

ud

[tinkering]

Well the CPU and chipset are in there so here's hoping my paste tooling works.
So should I boot it and go straight into Bios (if I can remember which key for that on this one)? Are there any jumpers or anything that need to be changed first or anything? Mr Question at it again...

[uddarts]

at this point we can only guess.

should be delete key.


ud

[tinkering]

Huh, got no power. What could I have gotten wrong when puttin the motherboard back in? Could it be those little wire connectors at the bottom of the board...no they look correct. What could I have done there?

[uddarts]

no nothin'? yes could be the front panel connections. do you have the manual? download here.

manual

ud

[tinkering]

Front panel connections look right. What the?