Questions about Celeron 1.1

Beyonder · Post by **Beyonder** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 10:55 pm

I'd like to get a celeron 1.1, but I have a few questions:

1. Likelyhood of running fanless?
2. What motherboard? I need it to OC, has to have AGP - don't need a micro atx format.
3. How successful have people here been at running a 133 bus? I'd like to OC it to 133 mhz bus.
4. I don't want to spend more than $150 for everything - MB, CPU, and HSF.

I have a P2-400 server that's now just too damn slow, but I'm worried about noise (p2 is fanless, and I LOVE it - only fan in the entire case is in the seasonic PS). Any suggestions? Q U I E T is priority, since this runs 24/7 in my room where I sleep.

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 6:11 am

Look at the server system in my sig.

1)Fanless - maybe with a Zalman flower or SLK-800 at default Vcore, or maybe undervolted, with good case ventilation. I started out with this CPU at default settings and was running the retail HSF at 7-volts. It was VERY quiet but full load temps maxed out in the low 50C range. That's certainly OK, but I wanted it lower. Got a SLK-800 and put on a 7-volted M1A Panaflo. Load temps dropped to 45C or so. I can't hear this fan from 3 feet away.

2)What Motherboard? This'll be the hardest part of your project, especially if you want to OC. First of all, you have the choice of chipsets: Intel, Via and whatever else. I like stability so I (perhaps unfairly) limit myself to Intel. If you're not going to OC you can use one of the Intel D815Exxxxx series of boards, just make sure it's one that supports the Tualatin CPUs. Sometimes it's not easy to tell...

If you're going to OC you need an Asus Tusl2, an Abit ST6 or the Gigabyte GA60Xxx. Good luck finding them. ST6's are probably the best OCers (they have the most options as well) but they aren't made any more and are damn-near impossible to find, except for the occaisional egay board that ends up going for $150++. Tusl2's are very close to St6's and are *very slighty* easier to find. They are also discontinued so generally egay is your best bet. There's a guy up in Oregon that has some brand-new-in-the-box Tusl2-C's that was selling on egay a few weeks ago. I bought one from him and he says he has more left to sell. I'll get you his contact info if you want. I have no experience with the Gigabyte boards and I haven't seen one for sale in a while.

3) Getting a 1.1A to 133FSB is as close to guaranteed as anything you'll find in this OC business. Mine is running 133FSB at default Vcore. I've run Prime95 for over 24hrs several times on this setup with zero errors. It's a VERY stable setup. 133FSB is the sweet spot. Your RAM will run at 133FSB for max bandwidth and your PCI/AGP busses will also be running right at spec: 33/66Mhz.

4)$150 max. Good luck. Yeah, the CPU is $41 but the MoBo......you'll be lucky to find a Tusl2-C for less than $90-100, an Intel D815EAA2U runs around $80-100 when you can find one. The HSF, if you want better than retail (depends on OCing or not, and how quiet you need it) runs $30 or so. If you're going to OC and want 133FSB out of your RAM you'll need PC133 RAM too. If you want decent RAM (I'd strongly suggest using something like Crucial, Kingston. Mushkin etc) you're talking $30/256MB right now.

Personally I'd suggest staying at default speeds. Get yourself a retail Intel 815 board, use the retail HSF, 7-volted. It really is VERY quiet like this. That also means you can use PC100 RAM, which would save you money, if you already have it.

Any more questions, let me know but you might be better off emailing me. I usually check in here only once a day.

Beyonder · Post by **Beyonder** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 6:14 pm

Argh. I knew the problem was going to be finding a good motherboard....I spent all last night poking around the net looking for a good one, but all I came across was complete garbage. Sounds like I'm going to have to check on ebay....

at stock speeds, have you tried dropping the core voltage for a reduction in temperature? Do you know if any of those motherboards have the ability to change voltage settings for the CPU? I don't neccesarily want to OC (although it'd be nice) but moreso I'd rather just run the sucker passive. The case it's going in isn't very well ventilated, but I don't mind having it run hot just so long as it's stable (and as you stated, I wanted to go Intel chipset since I feel it's generally more stable than via stuff).

Damn. Price range might be out of the question.....bite. Well, back to the drawing board.

Zergling · Post by **Zergling** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 8:36 pm

A lot of 1.1G Cellies need around 1.7V to get 133FSB, to undervolt you'll have to run stock speed, the best undervolt mobo is Abit ST6 (1.1-2v), ... good luck finding one, other options are ASUS TUSL2, ABit VH6T, the rest are all crap, I have a MSI 694T Pro...and it sucks
The Gigabyte board has 1/5 and 1/6 divisor, the ultimate board for PIII tualatin, once in a blue moon one may pop out on ebay...
Socket 370 is a dead duck, it's outrageous that people charge over $100 for a board or a PIII

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Sat Dec 28, 2002 4:40 am

Beyonder wrote:at stock speeds, have you tried dropping the core voltage for a reduction in temperature? Do you know if any of those motherboards have the ability to change voltage settings for the CPU? I don't neccesarily want to OC (although it'd be nice) but moreso I'd rather just run the sucker passive. The case it's going in isn't very well ventilated, but I don't mind having it run hot just so long as it's stable (and as you stated, I wanted to go Intel chipset since I feel it's generally more stable than via stuff).

I haven't tried dropping the Vcore on my current setup (Tusl2-C) because it won't let me set the Vcore below default. I may try doing this on my ST6 next week. I getting a PIII-S 1.4Ghz next week and I've heard they'll run good at 1.3V (default is 1.45V).

The Asus Tusl2-C, Abit ST6, and Gigabyte GA60Xxx all have Vcore adjustments.

If I was you, I'd do like I suggested above and try running at default speed and 7-volting the retail HSF. It really is almost inaudible. You can do this with an Intel D815EAA2U which is a very good board and you can get it brand new for $55 from here. The one you'd need would be item #835905. I've bought a few of these from them and they have been very good to deal with.

Post by **MikeC** » Sat Dec 28, 2002 10:26 am

AOpen still makes a bunch of P3 mobos that have lots of features with DDR or SDRAM support:
http://www.aopen.com/products/mb/

ECS makes some too, not quite as enthusiast friendly -- http://www.ecsusa.com/products/socket370.html

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Sun Dec 29, 2002 6:47 am

MikeC wrote:AOpen still makes a bunch of P3 mobos that have lots of features with DDR or SDRAM support:
http://www.aopen.com/products/mb/

ECS makes some too, not quite as enthusiast friendly -- http://www.ecsusa.com/products/socket370.html

Unfortunately the only I815 Aopen board is "OEM only" and not available for retail purchase, as far as I can find.

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Sun Dec 29, 2002 7:26 am

Ahhh...found a good one: Soyo TISU. Intel 815 board with OCing features: $65 from Newegg with free shipping.

I'd go for this one. It puts you back in budget and will let you OC (or undervolt - it does, see this review from Anandtech) if you want.

$65 for the MoBo, $45 for a 1.1A, $30-40 for an SLK-800 + some quiet fan. BAM!