Hi, im in need of help, prolly a simple answer but im a pc noob (first pc that i have built) :O. I just want some help in getting my pc 2 work properly, guessing u guys could help . Rite, I am having trouble with my RAM and the External clock speed in BIOS. This is my PC: AMD 2800+ barton 512mb RAM DDR3200 400mhz Asus an78x v2 deluxe maxtor 120gb hdd ge-force 4 ti4200 128mb Ok, im having trouble with the RAM and the external clock speed. I need the external clock speed on 166mhz so that my cpu has 2083 mhz as clock speed. If i turn the external clock speed down then my cpu's clock speed goes down. Rite, the prob is that when i have the external clock speed on 166mhz then i keep getting errors about corrupt data in windows xp and my RAM fails memtest (around 150 errors at 100%). But when the external clock speed is at 133mhz i get no probs in windows and the RAM gets 0 errors in memtest. But this means that my cpu only clocks at around 1.6ghz. Can someone plz help, i dont know what im doing wrong, in sure that there is an easy answer. Thanks

Hi there Schism Ok first things first. Switch the power off at the wall socket, and unplug the cord. Grab your Mother Board manual, and retrace your hardware setup steps. Page by page step by step. Make sure all connectors are seated correctly. Place the ram module in the number one Dimm slot, unless otherwise instructed by the manual. Connect the power cord, boot the machine, jump inot the bios and load and save the fail safe defaults in the bios. This should get you inot the operating system,on a mch more stable basis. Unless already done so, go to the asus website and use the bios update utility supplied on the Mother BOard supprt disk and update your bios with the latest version. If there is one. If you can get a stable boot under the deafult settings and there is no update for you bios, and still having the ram error have the ram module tested, it could be faulty. But the cpu speed on the 2800 should be higher than 2083, thats the running speed of the XP2600+ not the XP2800. waether you manage the bios update or not, if the system boots without arrors in the failsafe deafult configuration, go back in the bios and set up your CPU multiplier to AOUTO, and the FSB clock speed to 166, this will give you the resulting frequensy of 333mhz. In addition make sure the AGP setings in the bios are set correctly. See how you go with that for the moment and if you have no joy with the failsafe dafults repost what errors you are still getting and see where we go from there. Good Luck Regards Janos

Ok thanks, ill give it a go (and the 2800 does only clock 2083mhz, the 2700 clocks faster, but clock speed isnt what really matters :D)

Schism In reference to your 2800, that should be posting a speed of about 2130, or arround that figure not 2083. I just built a amd comp about 5 days ago using a xp2600+ with 333fsb on a Gigabyte 7NNXp board, the speed was at 2079.53 so your 2800 MUST be clocking higher than 2083. Sugest you have alook at the box the processor came in . I assume it was a retail pack. It quotes the actual speed for your processor if it doesnt check on the amd sight. Quiet correct the clock speed is not important in your case but it must post its true speed in stock pc setup. Hope that works for you. Regards Janos

http://www.doublehammer.com/winxp/amd_xp_speeds.htm :D

Hmmm didnt work, gunna have 2 send the RAM back I think.

Hi Yeah that sometimes happens, ram is very touchy. Be very carefull when installing it, try not to touch the ram chips with your fingers. Havent looked at that site yet but im prety sure the 2800 should be posting higher speeds than 2083. Il go look now and il check amd just to make sure. regards Janos