> > overclocked to 964 mhz. If you've got more URL's backing up what you > > I don't overclock anything. I want bulletproof. Overclocked does not mean not stable. I've got a 1.4/266 T-Bird that runs stable at 1.52GHz @ 143MHz bus. That means that my RAM is oced to 143MHz, and running at CAS2 to boot. I have no, I repeat no, hardware glitches. Not under Win98, not under Win2k, not under Linux. If you do not want to take your chances and try overclocking your processor there are companies on the web that sell pre-tested overclocked processors. They run them for days straight using Prime95, so I would hazard a guess that they are stable. :-)
> > latest VIA KT266 mobo roundup at tomshardware. There's also the > > upcoming KT333A Via chipset for which there's a preview here: > > > http://www6.tomshardware.com/mainboard/02q1/020220/kt333-11.html > > Games garbage. My computers aren't toys. It'll be a while before I can > afford yet another new memory type the way they've been changing so fast > lately and keeping prices up. Since when is increased memory bandwidth "games garbage"? Especially under Linux, I can think of many programs that would benifit from increased RAM bandwidth. X-Windows being one... > > As for your choice in brand, I think that you are sadly mistaken if you > > are planning on going with intel. The only thing that intel has going > > Maybe you missed the point "if . . . today". Most VIA boards in retail > inventory today either require new RAM (DDR or PC2100 or whatever) or > have the handicapped chipsets (most). If I was buying at today's higher > than when I bought memory prices, I'd want to use my PC133 memory, not > spend just as much for (my current amount of) RAM as for the motherboard > and CPU. A) I have serious problems with calling VIA chipsets "handicapped". Intel is notorious for handicapping chipsets, VIA is notorious for screwing up chipsets. There is an important lack of intent there. VIA also tends to fix their mistankes, where Intel is happy to handicap their hardware (i810e, Celeron FCPGA, P4 423pin, P4 478pin, the list goes on...). B) There are perfectly good SDRAM motherboards out there for AMD processors made with VIA chipsets. The ASUS A7V133 is my favorite, and the computer I am using right now... I can guarntee that it is faster than a SDRAM based P4 system. There is also an ALi chipset that provides both SDRAM and DDR RAM slots. > AMD chipsets need faster RAM, as do the > non-handicapped VIA. SiS support doesn't seem to be mature enough > lately, so that leaves only Intel vs. handicapped. Here again, you're throwing out "handicapped" and you're not using it in reference to an Intel product. Shame. Also, you're completely missing out on ALi which is a decent chipset producer, as long as you don't mind the fact that they produce chipsets that don't exactly excel at being "gaming garbage." I.E. their RAM bandwidth is not equal to VIAs or AMDs. AMD and VIA chipsets don't "need" faster RAM. They can take advantage of it. Big diff. If you are running an SDRAM system, you can choose to get a 200MHz bus AMD processor, or a 266MHz bus AMD processor. 100MHz RAM goes with the 200MHz proc, 133MHz RAM goes with the 266MHz proc. Every AMD motherboard I have seen (And I have seen several) can detect the CAS settings from the SPD chip, so there is no problems there. In short, AMD mobos are no more picky than Intel mobos when it comes to RAM. > > >> IMHO, via has been making great chipset for ages. I wouldn't go that far. :-) They've had some winners though. MVP4, KT133A, KT266A, see a pattern here? Always wait for the VIA rev.2 chipset. :-) > Looks like an excellent reason to keep my Socket 7 systems running and > wait for wider availability of unflawed AMD support. Every system has some flaws. Most are minute. None have problems that can't be worked through in software. Don't worry so much. It's computer hardware, not national defense we're talking about. > I'm confused about this patch business. What do they patch, device BIOS > code? Drivers? Surely if drivers they would be windoze only, no? I > didn't see anything in what I snipped that indicated the patches applied > regardless of OS, which to me means windoze only and therefore useless > when I boot into Linux or OS/2. The "patch" toggles a bit in the chipset that makes the PCI bus timing more agressive. Even though VIA still has a patch up for it, most reputable motherboard makers (ASUS, MSI, Abit, Soyo) never had this problem in the first place, or fixed it in a BIOS flash. So, since it is fixed in firmware on most boards (And the firmware actually caused the problem; there is no real defect in the VIA chipset), the fix is applied to all OSes. Also, I know of one person who developed a kernel-mode "driver" to increase the timing in Linux. > > Until Dr Tom says something different than what he's posted so far, I'm > > sticking with AMD/VIA. IMO it's a winning combination. As for me and > > my house, we buy AMD. Well... I prefer to think to myself before I listen to Tom. I prefer to bash my head in with an old AT case first too... :-) Tom is not my favorite guy, if you can't tell. Hope this helps everyone. Terry
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