[Gigabyte GA-7ZX] Can I use ECC SDRAM? Upgrade processor?

[Vincent Delporte]

Hello

I'm using an older PC as a test host. It has a Gigabyte GA-7ZX
motherboard that takes DIMM SDRAM and runs an AMD Duron 700MHz, and I
was wondering...

1. if I could use ECC RAM on that board?

Here's what I gathered:

MEMORY
3 168-pin DIMM sockets
Supports PC-100 / PC-133 SDRAM and VCM SDRAM
Supports up to 1.5GB DRAM
Supports only 3.3V SDRAM DIMM
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2307

2. what processor I could get on eBay for higher performance? Is any
socketA AMD processor OK?

Thank you.

 

[Spoon]

I'm using an older PC as a test host. It has a Gigabyte GA-7ZX
motherboard that takes DIMM SDRAM and runs an AMD Duron 700MHz, and I
was wondering...

1. if I could use ECC RAM on that board?

Here's what I gathered:

MEMORY
3 168-pin DIMM sockets
Supports PC-100 / PC-133 SDRAM and VCM SDRAM
Supports up to 1.5GB DRAM
Supports only 3.3V SDRAM DIMM
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2307

VIA VT8363A (KT133A) North bridge

As far as I can tell, the KT133A does not support ECC RAM.

2. what processor I could get on eBay for higher performance? Is any
socketA AMD processor OK?

http://balusc.xs4all.nl/srv/har-cpu-amd-k7.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athlon

You might have some voltage problems with the last cores
(Thoroughbred, Barton). How recent is your BIOS?

 

[George Macdonald]

Hello

I'm using an older PC as a test host. It has a Gigabyte GA-7ZX
motherboard that takes DIMM SDRAM and runs an AMD Duron 700MHz, and I
was wondering...

1. if I could use ECC RAM on that board?

You mean use ECC DIMMs but without using the ECC? I can't find any mention
of ECC in the VT8363A data sheet so I'd assume it was dropped for that
chipset. IIRC, if the ECC DIMM is registered it probably won't fit in the
DIMM slot keying; if it's unbuffered it will fit but you won't be able to
use the ECC.

Here's what I gathered:

MEMORY
3 168-pin DIMM sockets
Supports PC-100 / PC-133 SDRAM and VCM SDRAM
Supports up to 1.5GB DRAM
Supports only 3.3V SDRAM DIMM
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2307

2. what processor I could get on eBay for higher performance? Is any
socketA AMD processor OK?

Check the CPU Support List on the URL you gave above - appears that
anything up to a Palomino 2100+ should work.

 

[Tony Hill]

Hello

I'm using an older PC as a test host. It has a Gigabyte GA-7ZX
motherboard that takes DIMM SDRAM and runs an AMD Duron 700MHz, and I
was wondering...

1. if I could use ECC RAM on that board?

The board does not support ECC memory. You could *probably* (but
definitely not guaranteed) put ECC RAM in the system and have it boot
and function properly, but the ECC aspect would just be disabled.
Obviously this is a waste of money unless you already have some ECC
memory sitting around gathering dust.

Here's what I gathered:

MEMORY
3 168-pin DIMM sockets
Supports PC-100 / PC-133 SDRAM and VCM SDRAM
Supports up to 1.5GB DRAM
Supports only 3.3V SDRAM DIMM
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2307

2. what processor I could get on eBay for higher performance? Is any
socketA AMD processor OK?

If you click on the link you just provided above, there is an option
for "CPU Support List" provided in the Related links. That shows that
the board will handle up to an AthlonXP 2100+ "Palomino" processor. If
you can track down such a chip it should provide a reasonable boost
over the Duron 700 you have in there now. Finding such a chip for
sale new is probably nearly impossible these days, but if you check on
eBay you might be able to track one down. Just make sure that it's a
"Palomino" (built on a 180nm process) and not a "Thoroughbred" (built
on a 130nm process) as the latter will not work.

 

[Vincent Delporte]

Just make sure that it's a
"Palomino" (built on a 180nm process) and not a "Thoroughbred" (built
on a 130nm process) as the latter will not work.

Thanks everyone. So I'll get a non-ECC SDRAM DIMM, and try to get a
second-hand AMD proc on eBay.

Hopefully, the seller can easily find the relevant information on the
CPU and certify that it's an AthlonXP 2100+ "Palomino" processor?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...lon_XP_.22Palomino.22_.28Model_6.2C_180_nm.29

 

[Tony Hill]

Thanks everyone. So I'll get a non-ECC SDRAM DIMM, and try to get a
second-hand AMD proc on eBay.

Hopefully, the seller can easily find the relevant information on the
CPU and certify that it's an AthlonXP 2100+ "Palomino" processor?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...lon_XP_.22Palomino.22_.28Model_6.2C_180_nm.29

If they need some help with that, you can point them to CPU-Z:

http://www.cpuid.com/

That will tell them what process the chip was manufacturered on (180nm
or 130nm) and I believe it also lists the nickname for the processor
(Palomino vs. Thoroughbred vs. Barton).

 

[Vincent Delporte]

If they need some help with that, you can point them to CPU-Z:

http://www.cpuid.com/

Thanks. I did find a few Athlon CPUs on eBay, and I'm about to bid on
a couple of them.

 

[nobody]

Thanks. I did find a few Athlon CPUs on eBay, and I'm about to bid on
a couple of them.

A quick check on pricewatch:

http://www.pricewatch.com/cpu/athlon_xp_2100.htm

returns 3 results starting from $75, one of them specifies "Palomino"
right in PW posting. Ebay though may turn out even cheaper than that.
Good luck.

NNN

 

[Vincent Delporte]

returns 3 results starting from $75, one of them specifies "Palomino"
right in PW posting. Ebay though may turn out even cheaper than that.

Thanks. I found a few 1000-1500 models that went for about $20.