VMem mod expert needed! (Albatron PX845PE Pro II)

[OneProdigy]

Hi, all!

I could need some help on volt modding the Albatron PX845PE Pro II mobo! I had a look at Charlie's thread, but it seems the PX845PEV Pro layout is quite different. :(

It has to be one of these chips i hope:
http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/PX845PE_Pro2.JPG

And here are the .pdf files i found so far: (dunno if they're any helpfull to you)
74HCT157 (http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/74HC_HCT157_CNV_2.pdf)
74VHC74 (http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/74VHC74.pdf)

Unfortunately i couln't find a scematic for the WL2250AM-005...


Any help would be appreciated! ;)

[charlie]

One,
I love that mobo! The silver PCB is WAY cool. How's it been for you? Mine'll do 182-183@ 2.66turbo, how bout yours?
I'm doing my mod tonight, is this the right chip (apl1581) on yours too? If so, follow the same thread as mine.
Charlie

[OneProdigy]

It's not too bad...but nothing outstanding.
I'm stuck at 160 with a 2.266 B0 @ 3:4 divider.
The mosfet you marked has only 3 pins where the middle trace isn't connected...so it's different from the one on the PX854PEV Pro.

I know my Twinmos/Winbond BH5 and also my P4 can do more...dunno what's holding me back? :confused:
Bios supports mem voltages up to 2.8V, but it undervolts like a bit** (real 2.72V).
Adding heatsinks and a 80mm fan on the socket surrounding mosfets didn't bring one lousy mhz more.
Maybe i should mod the chipset voltage a little, too?

Wish you good luck with your vmem mod! ;)

[charlie]

Are you sure there's no APL1581 anywhere? The V-Mem Mod WORKED on my PX845PEV! However, it hasn't really helped performance...
C

[OneProdigy]

Yep, i'm sure! ;)
It has to be another chip... :confused:

I found out something about the WL2250AM-005 chip - it's got something to do with "DR. Voice II".
What is Dr. Voice II???

[KS1]

the chip needs not be the same.
but the logic is always the same.
follow the logic from Charlie's thread

[OneProdigy]

Think i found something...:D

There's a mosfet at the upper right corner of the mobo.
I picket out my multimeter and got the following results at the highlighted leg of this mosfet:
Bios--------->mosfet leg
2.5V-------------2.56V
2.6V-------------2.66V
2.7V-------------2.76V
2.8V-------------2.85V

http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/VMem.jpg

Did i find something?
What should i do next? Solder a resistor between that leg and ground? :confused:

[charlie]

Can you ID that chip? And get a schematic? If you don't recognize the mfg, for example, apl1581, enter it in Yahoo and one of the hits will be anpec model apl1581...
C

[OneProdigy]

Nope, there is no label on it!

[KS1]

The end <-- if you can't find the ID.

you got to be able to identify the IC before proceeding.

Look very very carefully. You will see it. Some manufacturer does not print it clearly.

[OneProdigy]

@KS1
hehe...you scared me, so i had a closer look! ;)
There is a label on it i only didn't see it cause i already put a small heatsink on it and there was still some glue on...
Here's the pic:
http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/mosfet.JPG

It says:
NO227

FDD
6030L

The logo looks like an "F"

EDIT: Here's the datasheet i found:
FDD6030L.pdf (http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/FDD6030L.pdf)

[OneProdigy]

Here is another pic of the area around that mosfet
http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/top_right.jpg

Any suggestions? :confused:

[KS1]

you got a MOSFET that does Vddr.
now find the Vddr volt regulator.
play hide and seek game (under one of those heatsinks?)
it should be nearby.

when you find the one, i think you will be able to go thru the rest of the process by yourself.

[Holst]

Can you pull all thos heatsinks off, we cant see what were looking at.

I dont like those silver PCB much, you cant see where the tracks go, must me a nightmare to repair.

[charlie]

One Prodigy,
that's a great digi-camera, if you don't mind me asking, what make?
C

[OneProdigy]

Originally posted by charlie
One Prodigy,
that's a great digi-camera, if you don't mind me asking, what make?
C

It's a Fuji Finepix A202 (2.1 megepixels) ;)

[OneProdigy]

Well...after 1 hour of carefully removing heatsinks and glue rests i think i got pictures of all the chips and mosfets...

In the pic below you can see 3 yellow dots.
When i set vmem in bios to 2.5V the multimeter shows 2.56V at all these three traces, when set to 2.6V it shows 2.66V and so on...

So what comes next?
http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/vmem_labels.JPG

Datasheets:
RT9173 (http://www.richtek-ic.com.tw/pdf/DS9173A-08.pdf)
RT9174 (http://www.richtek-ic.com.tw/pdf/DS9174-00P.pdf)

[OneProdigy]

This pic is from the RT9173 datasheet...did i find something finally? ;)
http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/RT9173.JPG

To me it seems the RT1973 controls VMEM and the RT1974 controls VAGP and VDD(northbridge), right?

Having vmem set to 2.5V in bios i get the following voltages at the RT9173 regulator:
http://home.t-online.de/home/320072397750-0001/RT9173_volts.JPG

[KS1]

what do you think you will do next?

think carefully! look carefully!
i don't wonder why pin 1 changes according to Vddr change in BIOS.

http://home.wanadoo.nl/krairach/krairach/rt9173.JPG

i am more interested in this one.

http://home.wanadoo.nl/krairach/krairach/rt9174.JPG

[Holst]

its not the 9173 that terminates the memory bus, and is probably best not messed with.

It looks like the two 9174's are doing something

If we look at the diagram on page 6 I think thats the most likely configuation for the chips, you can check this by testing to see if pins 2,8 and 6 are connected together.... if they are then poke about and look for the two resistors shown in the diagram (altering those should change the output)

TBH I dont fully understand this, can somebody else help please :D

[Holst]

there isnt anything on the back of the board is there (holst falls over whyle cluching at straws)

[OneProdigy]

No, the entire backside of the mobo is empty...not even 1 chip or resistor. :confused:

[OneProdigy]

Well, folks...THANX FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, but my Albatron went up in smoke yesterday! *RIP, snif*
Think someone else will have to complete this mod. ;)
Dunno why... i didn't do any modding to the mobo yet!

It was running at stock voltages and speeds when an ominous smell suddenly hit my nose... :eek:
When i jumped to switch it off it was already too late.
One of the mosfets to the left of the cpu socket exploded!

Again, thanx to Holst, KS1 and Charlie! :D
But i fear that mobo won't get modded anymore! :('

[Holst]

:O

Maybee the just the thought of a voltmod was too much for the poor Albatron.

[KS1]

Would you go to a local electronic store to find a replacement MOSFET?
Pls show me the picture of your m/b after the disaster.

[OneProdigy]

Originally posted by KS1
Would you go to a local electronic store to find a replacement MOSFET?
Pls show me the picture of your m/b after the disaster.

No, i already brought it back to the store i got it from for replacement - it was less than 2 months old!
Unfortunately i didn't take any pictures...sorry! :(

[SBeaver]

Originally posted by KS1
Would you go to a local electronic store to find a replacement MOSFET?
Pls show me the picture of your m/b after the disaster.

Oh you sickie ;) :D :D

[miguel_grade]

i got the same MB and at the moment i´m limited by the at 460mhz 2.8v (ocz pc3500) the mod could help me achieving higher mem speeds .... if anyone has a clue about what resistors to solder and where to solder i could give it a shot !

[miguel_grade]

i got the same MB and at the moment i´m limited by the at 460mhz 2.8v (ocz pc3500) the mod could help me achieving higher mem speeds .... if anyone has a clue about what resistors to solder and where to solder i could give it a shot !
i got the vcore chip´s pdf , but i don´t know what to do ... if anyone knows who to do the vcore or the vmem mod i would be very apreciated!