KD-7 Air Cooled Goodness.

[RoydRage]

I wanted to bring up the front for the Air Cooled guys....

Here are my initial results with the KD-7 and new XP2200 Chip:

First As OPP Reported I have All Multipliers with a bone stock Chip! AWESOME. I must note that this is the new core.... My other XP2200 That is currently in my main rig... Is old larger core... There is not much surface area on this chip to transmit heat...

Note that these results are with my Test Rig, that has inferior equipment compared to my main rig... (same case).

Almost right away... Under Windows 98'SE... I'm at an Air Cooled

2100MHz!!! 12.5 X 168.... 2.05vCore..... 3.01 vMem This Board ROCKS!

This with KingMax DDR 333 Which would not run worth a dam in my KX-7... And a Antec PSU That has a running 11.5v for the 12v line....

Problem is HEAT..... I can't keep this sucker cool..... It's idleing at 43C. I'm running a Swifty 462 With Vantec Toranado 80mm. 84 CFM Fan

My KX-7 With XP2200 2.00vCore..... Idles 10C. Cooler! @32C.!

I have put a Crystal Orb on the N.Bridge, and a H.Sink on the S.Bridge as well.... Now this case has no 'blow-hole' fans in the top.. and less fans altogether than my main rig... But still...

Also in my main rig I'm running the new ThermalRight SLK-800 With the Toranado. This is an amazing H.Sink, that is keeping the CPU Temps the Same as Case Temps! UNREAL!

There has to be some Register settings that would help... The System temps are really Soring, Again as OPP Reported....

I have ordered an another SLK-800 for the test rig, and an NEW TGII PSU from Directron As well.... When I get that Installed... I'll borrow the Corsair XMS3200 from my other rig.... And see what she will do.... I'm very optimistic about this board/Chip.

I'm going to order up... A 512mg Stick of the new Corsair XMS3500 C2 after the weekend. Man This is costing a Mint! LOL!

There Are Some Issues that have to be resolved...

1)... With APIC on or off... I'm Getting the On Board Lan on the same IRQ 11 With the Verto GeForce 4, 4600... Of course you can't move either of these to another slot....

2) Windows in not seeing my Iomega 100 Zip Drive... AGGHH... Iomega Issues Again! I thought that would be fixed being that this is a new S.Bridge... I'm going to do another install tonight with with the On Board LAN Disabled, and stick in a 3com NIC... And see if that helps....

I'm really dying to see what this thing will go with better RAM/PSU/Cooling...... It would be nice to hit 2200MHz On Air...

I'll Keep you posted....

RoydRage.

[Road_Runner]

I got a K7 and xp2400 coming tommorrow. I'll contribute some results as well

[RoydRage]

Have Installed 3Com NIC, Disabled On board LAN in BIOS, And Re-Formatted....

Now everything is on it's own IRQ, And acting Nice.

Even the Zip Drive Working properly.... Now I just have to wait for the parts to get here.

I'm Really liking this board!

WAIT!.. I Almost Forgot.... I HAVE A 1/6 Divider! I don't know if it's working properly... But It is in the BIOS???


Royd

[mdzcpa]

Unfortunately that 1/6 divisor is a no go. It's a dead option.

In fact, because you still have it, you must be running the original release BIOS. I strongly recommend that you flash to the newer B8 bios. It made a big difference for me in high FSB overclockability. You "lose" the 1/6 divisor option...but you're really losing nothing at all as the option does not work.

BTW, if you disable APIC support you will also find better high FSB stability. I'm not sure it will help everyone, but I've confirmed this improvement with 2 seperate KD7's. And unless every PCI slot is full and you are running out of IRQ's, APIC really won't do much for you anyhow.

[RoydRage]

Thanks Mike,

Much Apprieciated.... I thought It ran a little better with APIC On.... But I've run it so little do to the heat problems...... I've got better cooling on the way, Anyway.... I do have SBL/NIC/Raid Card In besides AGP... But I have Serial, and Comm Ports disabled, So IRQ's are not an issue.

I hope that someone can come up with some WPCREDIT settings that can help with the heat... Right now that and the RAM are the limitation .... If I can hit 2100MHz. With
that RAM... I wonder What will happen with the Corsair XMS3500, and the better TGII PSU...

Can't wait...

Thanks, Royd

[xgman]

I have tried the wpcresit cpu cooling tweaks and I am wondering if there is any downside in stability or possible "hickups" by using these cooling tweaks. Anyone know?

[MrIcee]

xgman

The cooling tweaks are fine for everday stuff and benching if you can get thru Prime95 or 3Dmark2001 or the myriad of benches successfully and stably. I have found when competitively benching 3Dmark I have to disable the cooling tweaks to stabilize the system in order to successfully complete the bench...and it works splendidly. For all other day to day tasks I leave the HALT command enabled

Randi

[Marci]

There's a common prob arising in the KD7's ppl...

If it won't boot, but powers on, turn it off but leave mobo connected to psu with power to it. Feel the southbridge. See if you have any skin left on your finger.

Several boards have died, and when PC is off but still connected Southbridge is RED hot, and if you feel it with your thumb it develops a lump in the middle...

I haven't got a clue what's happenin to em or what's causin it, but I know of at least 10 ppl with the same problem... I have one board in the shop at the mo with it, and others from around the world have mentioned it to me as well as one supplier...

Finally I've got a buyer for this epox board, so insteado f getting the KD7-Raid as planned, I'm gonna get me a shiny new KX7-333R and vmod it again...

Looks like you're right as always Icee... KX7 is still the king...

[xgman]

Does the AT7Max2 have the same southbridge problem with the heat etc.?

[Marci]

I dunno... not had any faulty ones returned as yet, and I haven't confirmed whether the problem is due to the boards or a batch of common hardware that links the owners. None of them have given me full sys specs of what was hooked up to it at the time it went... all I know is there are a few dead boards around with the same after effects of this red-hot southbridge, but I don't have any left at the mo to find out if this is the case when the board is alive. AT7-Max2 and IT7-Max2 are in demand in the UK at the mo and all my normal suppliers are out of stock. Have some KD7-Raids coming in on Tuesday i think, so won't get chance to check a live board til then...

[Marci]

Just noticed from another thread that you own an AT7-2... stick your hand near the southbridge and find out ffs!

[mdzcpa]

Marci,

Based on your observations I doubled checked the heat of the southbridges on two KD7 mobos I have here in the lab. When running the SB does get warm...but not hot. After a typical power down (with PSU still "on"....power light on mobo still lit) the SB on both systems eventually cool down to room temp.

Is it possible that the mobo mounting holes are a bit tight on the specs, or off a bit, resulting in some shorts against the case studs? My small sample of only two mobos is hardly conclusive, but I though it may add to helping figuring out what is going on.

BTW, slightly off topic, but I'm working on another KD7/AT7Max2 issue...hard drive corruption at higher FSB speeds. Based on a tip from Player0, I'm going to be looking at the new V-Link 533mhz bus and see if HD corruption can be avoided at higher FSB speeds by disabling the V Link Bus option in the BIOS.

Anyone else who can try this too would be helpful

[RoydRage]

Hmmm....

Well It's good that I have a giant Copper heat sink on the S.Bridge... I'm going to check this out right now.....

TTGI Power Supply is here now..... I'm also going to check out the voltages..... And Open it, and tweak the pots if necessary....

ThermalRight Heatsink, and a 512mg Stick of Corsair XMS3500 arrive tomorrow.

Then I'll see what this sucker will do! This Chip is a AIRGA Like Mr Icee's ...... Only a Wk 34...

Royd

[slayher]

was your KX7 modded to read the internal diode? maybe that is the reason for the big temp differnce. I dont know much about the kd7 but i'm pretty sure it does. but i may be wrong.
just my $.02

[N8]

slayher,

Have not seen you for some time

Welcome to Xtreme!

[slayher]

thanks.. been working alot and taking care of life..... lota stuff going on.
I had to sell my old box, now I'm working on getting a 2400axp, and a kd7

[RoydRage]

Flash......

Firstly..... I have no abnormal temps on the South Bridge... It stays luke warm...

Second I have installed the TTGI 520 PSU.... It had 5.04/11.85...

Dude, If your reading this..... I found only 1 pot... But it seemed to control both these voltages.... I adjusted it, and now have 5.19/12.05v......

The system seems more stable at the speeds that were shakey with the Antec 400w..... I'm Happy.....

Funny..... It's running 3C Cooler with this PSU... The only thing I can figure is that I only was getting 11.5v with the Antec.... And Maybe with 12.05v it's spinning the fans faster... Or Maybe because of the 3 fans this unit has. Just a guess... One thing I don't like about this PSU is that it has an adapter for the Main connector for the motherboard...... Un-sightly..

Dude does the older unit have this adapter also.. If not I want to order one for my main rig...

I'm just waiting now for the other heatsink, and the XMS3500 C2....

Thanks Royd...

P.S. Slayher... No I did not mod the board for that.... And OPP has first confirmed this board runs hot... R.R.

[Wayne H]

My KD7 has died for no reason?? It just refuses to post any one know why?

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by Wayne H
My KD7 has died for no reason?? It just refuses to post any one know why?

Need more info. Were you OCing? Did you clear CMOS? Etc?
May be best to start another thread

[RoydRage]

Originally posted by Wayne H
My KD7 has died for no reason?? It just refuses to post any one know why?

Did You Try overclocking higher right before it happend?

If so Either reset the CMOS Jumper..... Or as soon as you turn the power on Hammer the Insert Key... Then Boot again, and you should be able to get into the BIOS...

Royd

[Wayne H]

Basically i put on my tec and it was running fine at 1950mhz so i restarted checked my temps and they were crap made a few changes inb the bois reset and it wouldent boot so i cleared cmos and it starting making all beeping sounds and just wont boot now at all. But i never tried pressing insert so before i send it back ill give that a try.

[RoydRage]

Got the Corsiar XMS 3500 C2 today.... And the new heasink...... It's a slight improvement... But It looks like a stable 2100MHz. Will be all I can hit... Still pretty good for air-cooling...

Not really getting much out of the RAM.... I was running memory Bencmarks @ 12X172... That's about As High as I can get .... This is with default settings.... Enhanced Off, etc. Thing is even though it's 8MHz Faster than my main rig.... The benchmarks aren't that much faster.....

I'm really disapointed with this..... And It took 3.25v To get there!

If anyone has any ideas... Let me know... I'm thinking of RMA'ing it.

Royd

[mook]

Drop the multiplier through the basement to like 9, and then turn up your memory.

You're probably running into a limitation of the chip, and not the memory.

[RoydRage]

Na...

It will run 2100.... And 12X172 is only 2064MHz.


I even dropped the multiplier lower than that.. 172 FSB is all I can get...

How about hooking that extran ATX@ 4 Pin Connector up also.... Maybe get some juice in the board.... Anyone try that?

Royd

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by RoydRage

How about hooking that extran ATX@ 4 Pin Connector up also.... Maybe get some juice in the board.... Anyone try that?

Yep...it works great to. It keeps the 5v rail running very strong...never below 5v loaded.

But, this will likely give you more CPU stability versus memory stability...but it might be worth a shot.