Question about Front Side Bus speed...

[joelo]

If I purchase a MB that supports 200 & 266 FSB for Athlon processors, and I plan to use a 1 ghz 266 FSB Athlon cpu on the board..will I have to use PC 133 Ram, or can I still use PC 100. I'm a little confused as to whether the FSB pertains just to the CPU, or is this the overall BUS speed of the entire board. I'd like to be able to use my 512 mb of PC 100 for a bit longer to help cut down the initial upgrade cost, but at the same time I'd rather buy a 266 FSB cpu since the price diff isn't much.

Thanxs for any input

[Randy_tx]

Well, it IS very confusing; however, this might shed some light on the subject........It is not so much the Athalon cpu that determines what ram you can use as the CHIPSET on the motherboard. If you choose a motherboard with the AMD 760-1 chipset or the Via KT 266 chipset, you MUST use DDR Ram; however, if you choose a motherboard with the AMD 750 chipset or the Via KT133 chipset...then you could put PC100 in it. Keep in mind, the AMD 760(1) chipset is the best chipset on the market now for this series (266 FSB Athalon) and you will probably regret getting any other chipset, even though it requires DDR memory. Tough situation they have created by gearing this series of Athalon chips to this new memory type (which isnt that much faster than plain ole SDRAM and a bit more expensive).
It is as if AMD wants us all to buy a new mobo, the new cpu + buy new ram all at the same time if we want to upgrade to the latest greatest speeds!
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Will XP save Me ?



[This message has been edited by Randy_tx (edited 05-15-2001).]

[joelo]

Thanks for the reply Randy,

I'm still a little confused. What I need to know is if I've got a Asus A7V 133 MB (which supports 200/266 FSB) and I stick a 1ghz 266 Athlon in there, will I be able to use PC 100 RAM, or does this particular cpu require a 133 mhz bus speed, and therefore PC 133 Ram ? In other words, if I want to be able to migrate my exsisting PC 100 Ram to the new mainboard, will I have to settle for a 1 ghz 200 Athlon ?

Again, thanks for any help http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

[rtd2x]

joelo,

Yes you can use your PC100 RAM. For more information about the board click here (http://www.asus.com/products/motherboard/socketa/a7v/index.html).

rtd2

[tjaymadison]

Look more closely at the board's specs at the ASUS site,
and you'll see that the FSB speed is listed as 200MHz.

If you do actually "...stick a 1ghz 266 Athlon in there",
don't you "...have to settle for a 1 ghz 200 Athlon" by default?

Unless you plan to overclock, in which case you may stretch
the limits of your PC-100 RAM, depending on its quality.



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"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage, mathematician, computer pioneer, analytical engine designer (1791-1871)
-- (Question: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?')

"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand."
-- Homer Simpson

[joelo]

Well, I've just read the entire Manual in PDF on the ASUS website for the A7V 133. It seems I can use PC 100 ram on that board, but would have to use a 200 FSB Athlon instead of a 266 FSB chip, UNLESS, I was willing to run a 266 FSB chip @ 200 FSB while using PC 100 ram, and then increasing the FSB when I replace the ram with PC 133.

Anyone see any major flaws in this plan ? Please let me know if this wouldn't work. I'm only going to use the old ram for about a month, then I'll be replacing it with PC 133, so I'd like to get the faster FSB Athlon.

Thanks again, Joel

[Randy_tx]

If you are gonna spend all that money on a 266 FSB Athalon, why aren't you buying a motherboard that supports DDR Ram ........that is what the cpu is designed for in the first place http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif. You aren't gaining a THING by going to the 266 FSB cpu without INCLUDING the DDR ram too!

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Will XP save Me ?