A simple explanation on FSB speeds please....

[Qballbandit]

ASUS "A7N8X" nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU -RETAIL(New Version, now support AMD Barton 400MHz)


Model# A7N8X
Item # N82E16813131455

This is the MOBO i have (below). Can somebody explain to me what the FSB speeds mean exactly, and which one of those speeds I should be expecting to run at? I am using 2 sticks of 256 PC3200 dual channel ddr as well. I am always thinking that my PC is not giving me full potential, but I am not sure about the meanings of all the speeds when it says 400/333/266/200mhz., and all that stuff.With the ram I currently have, and the mobo I have, I just want to run it at full, but safe, capability, you know what I mean?
Thanks for any knowledge passed on. I can't believe I still don't understand all of this..:-groggy

Neil

A7N8X
Specifications:
Supported CPU: Socket A AMD Athlon/Athlon XP/Duron Processors
Chipset: NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 + MCP
FSB: 400/333/266/200MHz
RAM: 3x DIMM for Dual Channel un-buffered non-ECC DDR400/333/266 Max 3GB
IDE: 2x UltraDMA 133 up to 4 Devices
Slots: 1x AGP PRO/8X, 5x PCI
Ports: 2xPS2,1xCOM,1xLPT,6xUSB2.0(Rear 4),1xLAN,Audio Ports
Onboard Audio: Realtek ALC650 6CH w/ built in HP amplifier
Onboard LAN: Realtek 8201BL 10/100Mbps
Form Factor: ATX

Specs:
AMD Athlon XP3000
ASUS A7N8X nvidia nForce II Ultra 400 mobo
ATI Radeon 9600 pro, 128mb
512 PC3200 ddr
WINXP Pro, dx9b










http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...da5ad61e56.jpg

[jdk2]

Here is a link to a post within AMD's Processor Support forum : [link:forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=11141|Guide to the Frontside Bus]
This will probably explain in more detail than you have requested but will aid in your quest for knowledge :)

You also need to know what processor you have, eg. 333 FSB or 400 FSB.
This post in the same forum will help you identify it: [link:forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=16381|Are you sure you're trying to run the processor at the correct FSB?]

HTH

[Qballbandit]

Ok, I am on my way...thank you for this info!!! :7

Neil

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...da5ad61e56.jpg

[zoynyne]

In a nutshell FSB is the speed of the components between the processor and RAM.

The motherboard will have an FSB rating, and from there you try to have your processor and RAM match that rating.

You can run "mismatches" and the whole system will drop to the lowest common denominator.

Or in a few cases not run at all...

EDIT - I'm simplifying this a lot, and there's plenty of "details" that could be "corrected" here, I'm just spitting out a basic explanation.

[Qballbandit]

I learned alot this weekend, I think :-lol. My XP300+ is a 333 fsb model. And my mobo supports up to 400. So I started fooling around. First I changed the CPU external freq, which was set to 100mhz by default in the bios, to 133. All of my temperatures stayed steady (asus probe tool), the vcore and other voltages stayed stable at the recommended settings, and my FS8 & FS9 saw a 3 to 4 fps improvement tested in heavy AI, addon-airports. I was happy.
So, if I understand this all correctly since my mobo can support up to 400 fsb, and my processor can support up to 333 fsb, I still have room to play it up - like 266, or 333, right? I don't want to push it really, especially since I noticed the temps rise 1 or 2 degress after I turned it up (but well in the norms..). But I would like to try 266 and see how that goes.
I thank you for these links, I hope my understandings are correct :-hmmm

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...da5ad61e56.jpg

[Qballbandit]

Thank you zoynyne!!!! :7

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...da5ad61e56.jpg