pipeline burst cache & amd cooling?

[901C]

Hello,

I am looking to upgrade my system from a 433Mhz Celeron to a 1.2Ghz Athlon... big difference. Actually its just taking what I can use out of the old machine like videocard, monitor, NIC etc. Anyway, I was searching to buy the processor on the web and I noticed "pipeline burst cache". It says: "Memory / Cache Installed ( Max ): 256 KB ( 256 KB ) - L2 Cache Pipeline Burst". Is this good? The url is

http://www.computers4sure.com/Product.asp?ProductID=122813

Also I plan on getting a case that comes with a casefan and then getting a , "Cooler Master Heatsink + Fan for AMD Socket A Duron and Tbird up to 1.2GHz". the url for that is:

http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/product.asp?dept_id=&pid=2199&sid=DLNHX3SB9QG98P0JS0F76QV0PU36ATFD

Is this going to be enough to keep the CPU cool and safe? The room that I'm going to keep it in isn't hot, it has a ceiling fan... well.. lets just say the room is probably around 80 degrees F, maybe cooler. The motherboard I'm going to get is the "Abit KT7A-Raid Socket A VIA’s KT133A chipset ATX Motherboard"

Thanks for the help.

 

[xscape]

Well I did this sort of thing a little while ago so I'll see if I can help you out.

Firstly, the motherboard you've gone for (Abit KT7A-RAID) is a really decent one so that's a good choice. I bought the non RAID version but they're essentially the same apart from the RAID controller. I've had no probs with it so far anyway. Very stable and versatile too.

So the processor. Well, I'm not sure how much you know about the cache on a processor, but I'll briefly tell you about it. The CPU uses level 1 and level 2 cache to store small amounts of data whilst it carries out its operations. Cache sits inside the CPU and runs at the same speed as the CPU (essentially Very fast RAM inside the processor). Pipeline burst is just a way of telling you how the CPU uses the cache to pass data in and out of. There is nothing very unusual about Pipeline burst nowadays. The amount of cache seems pretty normal too. 256Kb of L2 and probably two lots of 64Kb level 1 cache giving a grand total of 384Kb. The more cache you have the better, however it is very expensive compared with other storage. Some of these server CPU (the Xeon I think) have up to a meg og Cache allowing very fast operations and many things to be done symaltaneously. This makes them really expensive though. So in short, you've got a pretty normal 1.2 Gig Athlon. As far as I'm aware they don't vay is cache sizes, but I may well be wrong. I haven't seen any with more cache anyways.

So cooling then. Well with a 1.2 you need something really good to keep those temps down. As long as it below about 50C you'll be fine, mid 40's seem the norm. You'll need a case fan. A lot of cases allow you to bolt an exhaust fan to the back so I'd recommend having one case fan sucking air in the front, and another reversed so it blows air out the back. This stops the hot air just circulating. There are lots of good coolers. The one you're looking at is OK, and it is rated up to 1.2, but you might want something a little better. Coolermaster were the kings once, but there's plenty of others I'd recommend. The Thermaltake one looks a bit better (

http://www.allstarshop.com/shop/product.asp?dept_id=63&pid=2778&sid=CU9TN9SQCLXX8KMF5GDBE97NW47E3CA4

)but judging by the size of the fan it's probably gonna be pretty noisy! My favourite cos it's really quite and very good (and has a decent clip to hold it odn too) is the TaiSol CGK742092 Socket A Cooler. I don't know if it is available in the US, but I would assume it is. For more info you can try here:

http://www.theoverclockingstore.co....24e7e0f75db46af344ad559bd72e361b&categoryid=5

which is where mine came from. Good cooler too!

Oh, and the Abit board has the CPU mounted quite high on the baord. If you're getting a new case, try and go for one with a good clearance between the bottm of the PSU and the top of the motherbaord. This will reduce the amount of heat genrated by the PSU warming the processor too much.

Hope this samll novel has helped!
Good luck, and hope it helps!!

 

[901C]

Yes it does, very much. Thank you. I think I might go with the TaiSol CGK742092 the other model of it. Thanks again.

 

[paparazi]

Really good info from XScape, I too have the same set up, and can confirm what he says about the extra fans needed to keep this chip cool, 50C max, mid 40's possible, don't be surprised to see 65C plus if you don't fit any extra cooling.I personally found that the extra case fan I fitted close to the processor had the greatest effect in dropping the temperatures. Martin.

 

[901C]

Well, I bought everything. I had to return the first CPU because they tried to rip me off; i orderd a 1.2Ghz w/ 266Mhz FSB and they gave me one with a 200FSB anyway, I got another case fan. there will be one in the front sucking in and one in the back blowing out. I ended up buying the Thermosonic Thermoengine and put a delta fan on it. Thanks for the temps. ill need them to judge how cooling is going. thanks again.