Trouble installing PIII 450

[TomB]

I posted this a while back but still haven't solved the problem, so I'm trying again.

I recently put together a system with an Abit BE6 and a PIII 450 using 128mb of PC100 memory. It boots fine, with the bios recognizing the processor and the memory, but it freezes soon afterward. When I first put it together, I got the whole way to windows, only to have the screen freeze. Now, however, it doesn't even get that far. I started it up in safe mode and it opened windows, but froze immediately afterward.

If I change the bus speed in setup to 66, the computer will run fine, although at a slower rate. I don't tinker with voltages or multipliers, I just let the bios choose the numbers.

Someone mentioned on here that I might not have PC100 memory, but I've since changed the memory (just in case) and the problem still occurs.

Any help would be apppreciated.

[Target]

I'm betting (since you said that if you put the FSB speed back to 66Mhz it runs fine) the problem is that when you bump up the FSB speed to 100Mhz, you have not changed the PCI and AGP clock dividers to compensate for your other devices.

In the CPU setup section of the bios, in the user settings section, make sure that at a 100Mhz FSB, the PCI clock divider is 1/3, and that the AGP clock divider is set to 2/3.

I'd try just those first and see if it clears up your issue. Leave the voltage and other settings to their default values, and the PC should boot up fine. If not, we can then go on to other bios settings that may be incorrect and causing the problem, but this is a good place to start.

[Sterling_Aug]

It also sounds like you may not in fact have a P3-450. Can you post the markings on the top of the processor. There should be two lines of numbers and letters. This info will help us identify the processor and the speed.

[TomB]

Thanks for the help....

-first, I tried going into CPU setup and looking at the user settings. At 100 mhz, the PCI clock driver was 1/3 and the AGP was 2/3.
So no dice with that.

-second, I had already downloaded and ran the Intel Processor Freq. ID, and it did show it was a 450 /c 100 mhz bus. But I went ahead and looked at the numbers,

450/512/100/2.0v

Like I said before, I appreciate the help.

[Target]

Guess we need to begin investigating other possible causes then.

Check to make sure that your memory timings are set to match your RAM specifications. CAS latency, CAS timing, etc. If you don't know what they are, simply set them to their slowest setting as you won't notice much of a performance hit anyway....btw, CAS=3 is the slowest.

We might also look at some of the other peripheral devices you have, so please list them as well.

One more thing to double check is whether or not heat is an issue for your CPU. Do you have a good heat-sync and fan attached to the CPU and is it getting power? Also, have you used thermal compound between the CPU and the heat-sync?

[alpha]

Don't believe the numbers. Any remarker worth his/her salt will change the numbers on the chip. Also, most remarked chips are fitted with a device to fool the intel detector. You may have a 300mhz PII deschutes. There are ways to tell if a chip is remarked, loads of ways, but intel ain't prepared to diclose them to the public. Bring the chip back to the store and tell them it don't work.

[AuraEdge]

If you go to the Bios, go to the place with the temperature, what does it say? If you stay in the BIOS does it still freeze? Is the processor bare? (No heatsink/fan?)

[TomB]

Sorry!!!

I looked at everything and can't get any change. I'll give you all the peripherials when I can. Would it help to stip the box down to just the video board, and check it there?

I initially though I got a remarked processor, it came with a fan, but when I ran the Intel Id utility, I thought I was safe. What else can I run to check the actual numbers of the CPU?
I got it over the internet so I'd rather check it myself.