DFI DK X38-T2R Motherboard

[ExodusC]

Anyone have this motherboard? I just bought an open box one (hopefully it will come with the northbridge HSF otherwise I'll have to use an old one or buy a new one).

This is the board I decided to return my GA-EP45-DS3R for, primarily due to the fact it has x16/x16 Crossfire, and ICH10R apparently offers no RAID performance gain of ICH9R.

Just curious if it's a good board, though it's not like it really matters since I've already bought it.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

It is a good board (same bios as LT x38)

the only consideration is that the PWM is a bit weak for quads in current capacity, but as long as your not suicide running / LN2ing then youll be all set :up:

[ExodusC]

It is a good board (same bios as LT x38)

the only consideration is that the PWM is a bit weak for quads in current capacity, but as long as your not suicide running / LN2ing then youll be all set :up:
Great, wasn't planning on using LN2 or anything that serious.

Any idea what kind of FSB this board can hit? If it can go high enough, I might consider a Q9300 instead of blowing more money on a Q9550.

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

My board can hit 455 on my old q6600 so I would expect that this DK can do <465 (highest ever quad fsb @ 9x multi on the board for me) on duals it will be able to manage much higher I think

[Riggs]

Great, wasn't planning on using LN2 or anything that serious.

Any idea what kind of FSB this board can hit? If it can go high enough, I might consider a Q9300 instead of blowing more money on a Q9550.


DK Could get 444 with Dual for me. Didn't really care for the board, but if that fsb is good enough for you, it didnt seem to be a bad board. If you have a dual slot video card, problems for placement of the case audio cable could be a challenge, since its right beside the pci-e slot. Otherwise, it wasnt that bad. I love DFI BIOS.

[philbrown23]

I had a major FSB wall at 475 no matter what cpu dual 45nm/65nm or quad 65nm could not go higher at all, other than that it was a very solid board, I sold mine on ebay. Be careful with newegg open box stuff, they dont test it at all so you may just get a DOA board.

[Jor3lBR]

Tested 3 X38 and 1 X48.
QUAD CORE WALL:
X38.1- wall 465
X38.2 - wall 468
X38.3 - wall 475
X48.1 - wall 485

[ExodusC]

Tested 3 X38 and 1 X48.
QUAD CORE WALL:
X38.1- wall 465
X38.2 - wall 468
X38.3 - wall 475
X48.1 - wall 485
Hmm, with those kinds of results I think I'll have to go with something that has a higher multiplier than the Q9300...

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

Hmm, with those kinds of results I think I'll have to go with something that has a higher multiplier than the Q9300...

oh yes you will, either that or get a dual core

[ExodusC]

oh yes you will, either that or get a dual core
Yeah, it's not a big issue now... I'll have my Q6600 for some time, though I eventually plan to get something like a Q9550.

I now have another issue. I am going to have 7 hard drives for this PC, and I'm not sure what I'll do as I only have 6 SATA connectors onboard. I have a crappy software PCI-E x1 RAID card I could use as a controller, but when I eventually go Crossfire, I'll have all of my slots taken or covered up.

The configuration will be 4 x 74GB Raptors in RAID, 2 x 500GB Barracudas in RAID, and then an extra 250GB drive I intend to use for storage. I bought an external enclosure for the 250GB drive, but it only has eSATA (even though Newegg claimed it had USB). This was initially not a problem until I realized this board does not have an eSATA port, and I have no SATA ports for an eSATA bracket...

Any ideas? All I can think of now is a USB to eSATA converter...

[ExodusC]

A quick off topic question first... Are we allowed to post worklogs in the General Hardware section? I'd like to post some of yesterday's endeavors.

Anyways, my motherboard arrived yesterday, and I was not surprised to find that whoever returned the board (as it was open box) did not return a majority of the accessories (though they for some reason put an extra SATA cable in there). No big deal, right? Unfortunately, they did not return the northbridge heatsink... Right now, I have rigged up a solution with an old northbridge heatsink and some insulated wire, though this is only temporary.

Does anyone know of where I can buy the stock heatsink for this board, or another that fits it? None of my three northbridge heatsinks fit it; the pushpins are spaced farther out. It's not top priority, as I have a temporary solution that is working, I just need something for the long term.

Thanks in advance!

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

I'm pretty sure an HR-05 will do it for you, although I believe there is somewhere that does sell the stock sink, just cant find it ATM