Soyo SY-6VBA-133: FLASH THAT BIOS!!!

[Roy]

Any idea as to what it changes?

[krusty the klown]

Well, flashing the BIOS should always be done with a spare pair of underwear to hand!!!

I just flashed from vba-2ba4.bin to vba-2ba9.bin and an option for 'set memory ultra fast' appeared! Default was disabled, so I enabled it and did a SiSoft 2000 mem bench.... my prevoius benches were ~150MB/sec and it went to ~200MB/sec http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

I'm running a 550E@825, generic PC100, FSB-PCI=117MHz, CAS3, normal mem timings (in other menu - can't remember where right now http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif ). But the 'ultra fast' option appears in 'Soyo combo setup'.

I got the BIOS upd8 from the SysOpt site - if U can't find it, I can eee it to you.

I'm gonna post this in the motherboards 4rum, 'cos I reckon this info will be useful there as well - hope that's OK Socalgal & Mntsnow http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[krusty the klown]

No, not really!

The explanation on the Soyo site is... minimal.

The old BIOS had a CAS 2/3 option in the 'soyo combo setup' and a memory timing option of normal/fast somewhere else (can't remember off the top of my head - I'll post back with an edit). EDIT: - it's in 'chipset features'

I had experimented with the old memory timing option using Sandra's benchmark and fould that it made little noticeable difference, so I dropped back to normal.

I had just helped a m8 upgrade his PC with one of these boards and my old celly 366, when I noticed the 'set memory ultra fast' in the Combo setup (where you sort the FSB, etc). So I flashed the BIOS on mine and saw the 50MB/sec improvement. This option appears to be different to the CAS change as well - my PC100mem doesn't like CAS2 @ 117MHz.

EDIT2:

I've just flashed one of these boards from vba-2ba3 to vba-2ba9. Here are some benchmarks:

System: celeron 500 @ 563 (75MHz FSB)
mem: 2 * 64MB generic SD-RAM @ CAS3
BIOS settings: all at default, apart from FSB and the settings I'm going to tweak for these benches.

2ba3:
timing - normal in 'chipset features'
CPU - 89MB/s
FPU - 92MB/s

timing - fast in 'chipset features'
CPU - 88MB/s
FPU - 93MB/s

2ba9:

timing - normal in 'chipset features' for all tests.
Set memory ultra fast: DISABLED
CPU - 103MB/s
FPU - 107MB/s

Set memory ultra fast: ENABLED
CPU - 118MB/s
FPU - 129MB/s

OS: Win95 OSR2
SiSoft Sandra: 2000

A very worthwhile increase of 40% and 33% for the FPU and CPU memory throughput http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Hmmm... curiously, the new BIOS had the CPU internal and external caches disabled by default!!! Win95 wouldn't even boot at first!

[This message has been edited by krusty the klown (edited 06-29-2000).]

[blade_146]

I think that option came out in either the 7 or 8 version. When I had that board I used the Hoda WPCREDIT proggy and got the same results. Then they came out with the new bios and it had that new option in it that gave the same results as WPCREDIT. I know on the proggy I had to change register 50. I can't remember what it was called but I know it was register 50. I know I had version 8 on mine when I got rid of it and ever since I flashed with that one the clock was always screwed up. Have you had that problem with version 9? I could back to 7 and wouldn't do that. Just wondering. Congrats though!! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[krusty the klown]

Actually, I haven't noticed a problem with the clock, but then I've not been looking for one, either!

The machine that I'm typing this reply on (same one as I benchmarked above) seems OK - I'll keep my eye on it!

I'm curious to know whether other manufacturers of Apollo Pro Plus mobos have written similar updates for their BIOSes - reckon the VIA chipsets need all the help they can get in terms of memory throughput.

[blade_146]

Well there headed in the right direction. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[krusty the klown]

And there's more....

On my P3550E system (OC'd to 825 on a Soyo SY-6VBA-133), I tried playing with the new 'interleave' option that my new BIOS had given me. Now I don't know what interleave is, nor could I be 'rsed to find out, I just wanted to play! The results are astonishing!!!!

OK, we're running the P3 @ 825 with 2*64MB generic PC100 sticks. The FSB is 150MHz and the RAM is clocking at 113MHz (FSB speed - PCI speed).

Interleave:

Disabled (default) - 192MB/s CPU
- 201MB/s FPU

2 way - 208MB/s CPU
- 212MB/s FPU

4 way - 237MB/s CPU
- 242MB/s FPU

Having decided that I like 4 way interleave, I'll leave it on.

OK, so let's see what this memory can do. Now I knew both sticks were good for 133MHz, so I clocked the CPU at 733/133 and the memory at 133 also.

- 256MB/s CPU
- 277MB/s FPU

Remember that my original benchmarks were ~150MB/s !!!!!!!

THEN I ATTEMPTED SOMETHING EXTREMELY FOOLHARDY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I set the CPU back to 825/150 and I CLOCKED THE MEMORY AT THE SAME SPEED AS THE FSB. That's right - generic PC100 clocking at 150MHz.

It POSTed, but only showed 64MB (OK, so one stick couldn't handle the speed). Then, as I was staring blankly at the screen, struck dumb by this, the PC loaded windows. Benchmark, benchmark!!!

- 303MB/s CPU
- 316MB/s FPU.

Naturally, the next thing to do was set the FSB to 155MHz (852MHz CPU).

- 298MB/s CPU
- 321MB/s FPU

Just for completeness, ZD CPU mark = 71 and 3DMark99max = 4670 3D and 12051 CPU (Voodoo 3 3000 @ 180MHz). My previous CPU score was ~4000.

Having doubled my memory throughput and tripled my CPU benchmark in 3DMark, I am a happy klown http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

I also want to sell the 64 stick that will only do 133!!!!!!

(all mem benches done with Sandra 2000)

[Stardog]

Very impressive Krusty. But would you mind telling me how I can set my FSB to 133MHz in VBA-2ab9? I'm only able to push it up to 124MHz before it cycles back to the lowest setting. I must be missing something obvious...

[blade_146]

Stardog you have to change a jumper on your mobo to open up higher fsb's. I don't have thsi board anymore so I forgot which jumper it is. Look in your manual it should tell ya. Or wait on Krusty http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Stardog]

Okay, but then why did my previous BIOS version (VBA-2AA5) allow access to higher FSB speeds without making and changes to the jumper settings?

[krusty the klown]

Stardog,

that's a weird one!

When I updated my BIOS, I didn't have to change any jumpers or anything!

This is my exact jumper configuration:

JP9 - open
JP8 - open
JP2 - short pin 2&3
JP7 - open

I haven't a clue why you cannot access the 133MHz FSBs any more. If you did not back up your old BIOS and want to go back, then email me (address is in my profile) and I'll send you my old BIOS.

[This message has been edited by krusty the klown (edited 07-07-2000).]

[flashngcurser]

Are those numbers normal with VIA boards?
My system has generic pc100 cas2.


An fsb of 105 all settings in bios to cas2.
Benchmarked on sandra 99:

CPU 314
FPU 339

[krusty the klown]

Hmmm... not sure! I have the settings on CAS3.

VIA boards notoriously had **** memory throughput, but they've got better. Do you have a new BIOS version?