ASUS Maximus II Formula - new P45 king?

I was playing a lot with GTLs as this was the first thing for which I found a good guide for this mobo (thanks Cryptik).

And for sure I can tell that there is not such thing as one good GTLrefs for range of vtts and also there is not such thing as good one GTL for everyone.... there might be CPUs which dont mind it and they will be stable on same GTLrefs for range of VTTs but I still believe that fine tunning GTLs would just be an improvement for those CPUs.

Your guide is impressive and I am going to follow it to see what differences it will give me but to prove your theory on GTLs you would need at least more CPUs and probably more MF2.

When I was playing with GTLs I was doing exact same thing testing different GTL and writing results then uping fsb or some voltages and testing again range of GTLs - GTLs r very sensitive and very random in effects even on minimal changes at least on my board. Of course I got bracket of stable GTLrefs but performance wise and OS feeling they are different.

And finally I am using 90/50 on 1.365vtt as they r just the best for my setting (and I found them same way you suggest to look in your guide - tho I was repeating testing of them each fsb / vtt /vcpu / vnb change - this is why I can tell they r sensitive and they make hell of the difference).

Seban,

WOW, 90/50 CPU GTL's... Anyway, let me know if the guide help you out.
I am currently trying to make 508FSB stable on my quad, and will report back.

[]'s
Simps

@Simps

Just read your guide! Awesome dude! Nice work!!!

At least with this:

Quote:

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From 1.20VTT to 1.32VTT
CPU GTL Reference (0): +30mV | +20mV | +10mV
CPU GTL Reference (1): -10mV | -20mV | -30mV
CPU GTL Reference (2): +30mV | +20mV | +10mV
CPU GTL Reference (3): -10mV | -20mV | -30mV

From 1.32VTT to 1.44VTT
CPU GTL Reference (0): +40mV | +30mV | +20mV | +10mV
CPU GTL Reference (1): -05mV | -15mV | -25mv | -35mV
CPU GTL Reference (2): +40mV | +30mV | +20mV | +10mV
CPU GTL Reference (3): -05mV | -15mV | -25mv | -35mV

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It will be easier rather than go through all of them in the past.

@andressergio

Damn dude, every time you post you have something new up your sleave. LOL!!! CONGRATS DUDE!!! I'm still busy and have no time to play with my M2F....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simps

Seban,

WOW, 90/50 CPU GTL's... Anyway, let me know if the guide help you out.
I am currently trying to make 508FSB stable on my quad, and will report back.

[]'s
Simps

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Well what so WOW about it? those numbers does not mean anything. Those GTLrefs give with my vtt GTL=0.95v so exactly the same what your suggested numbers give for vtt 1.44 and 40/-05.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by seban

Well what so wow about it? Those GTLrefs give with my vtt GTL=0.95v so exactly the same what your suggested numbers give for vtt 1.44 and 40/-05.

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I said "WOW" as I never saw such CPU GTL's running good. But hey, I have never tested a 45nm quad... Anyway, whatever is better for you man!
For me, GTL's, SKEWS, etc are "fine" tunes... Anything extreme, has never gave me good results... like GTL's on the 90's... or Skews on the +500, -500 or so... For me, they always seen to un-balance my system on high FSB / clocks. But if CPU GTL's on the 90's are the best for you, then I might be wrong on my guide, and might re-write it, adding this more extreme values...
I have absolutely no problem with that, but I will wait for your feedback on following the guide, to see what happens.

I didn't spend a tremendous amount of time but I did modify a few setting using your guide Simps. Went from 450x8.5 I was running on my x3360 to 470. I haven't tried going further yet. The cpu maxed at 475 fsb on a ga x48t dq6 so I suppose I should try and surpass that at least at some point. If it goes well maybe I'll throw my q9650 in and see how much that has on the m2f.

http://lakesidepc.com/m2f113.jpg
edit:for screenshot

Quote:

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Originally Posted by loonym

I didn't spend a tremendous amount of time but I did modify a few setting using your guide Simps. Went from 450x8.5 I was running on my x3360 to 470. I haven't tried going further yet. The cpu maxed at 475 fsb on a ga x48t dq6 so I suppose I should try and surpass that at least at some point. If it goes well maybe I'll throw my q9650 in and see how much that has on the m2f.

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Going from 450FSB to 470FSB is a nice boost! I can bet you can top that 475FSB (if raw cpu clock won't hold you down) from your X48. P45 tends to clock FSB higher then X48.

Looking good!

PS: I see you have a i7 rig! Shouldn't you forget about your p45 rig now that you have that monster to play with =/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by xzulu

@Simps

@andressergio

Damn dude, every time you post you have something new up your sleave. LOL!!! CONGRATS DUDE!!! I'm still busy and have no time to play with my M2F....

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Thanks xzulu :up: nothing amazing tough this chip is a normal vid i think is that what we can expect from it, also i have hughe troubles on multi X9 wich made me went to X8,5 and i couldn't believe the stability i have now...X9 a month of trials and errors and what i could pass today on IBT, 3 sec BSOD few hours later...and I tried all and no go...This X8,5 it's very stable and took me minutes to get stability as it shows error patterns.

Cheers mate
Sergio

Quote:

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Originally Posted by seban

Well what so WOW about it? those numbers does not mean anything. Those GTLrefs give with my vtt GTL=0.95v so exactly the same what your suggested numbers give for vtt 1.44 and 40/-05.

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Guys i think we all made our own findings and post to help as it's what we do here...

I agree with Seban that there's no pattern for GTL's maybe Simps sounded as they should be those for what he found, but that can be aplied to a system or not...In my personal findings I'm very close to what Simps found and couldn't even boot with any Seban findings...For what i saw the average amount of quads uses positives refs to work, mine does not like them, could be mobo, cpu i don't know-

Either way, Cryptik, Seban, Mikeyaname, Simps and so others that posted they're findings are always a great help :up:

Cheers all, keep the good work up
Sergio

All I was trying to say is that there is no point in demonising GTLrefs and simplifying them to few values because it can lower OC and in the end weaken effect of a very good guide.

What matters about GTLs is actual GTL value so GTL voltage not correction numbers applied in BIOS - those numbers are only variables...

EDIT I am saying all of this because of ppl like me who have little free time and would follow guide like this blindly (I would if it was posted 2months ago :D - why wouldn't I? why invent something which was already invented?) and GTL section in guide is IMHO misleading :P.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by seban

All I was trying to say is that there is no point in demonising GTLrefs and simplifying them to few values because it can lower OC and in the end weaken effect of a very good guide.

What matters about GTLs is actual GTL value so GTL voltage not correction numbers applied in BIOS - those numbers are only variables...

EDIT I am saying all of this because of ppl like me who have little free time and would follow guide like this blindly (I would if it was posted 2months ago :D - why wouldn't I? why invent something which was already invented?) and GTL section in guide is IMHO misleading :P.

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Hey man, no problem! I just updated the guide. Please check it, and see if it is more realistic for you now. Thanks for your contribution!
I think andressergio said it all! We are here to help each other. I have no problem in updating that guide, if it was wrong. I just did it!

What do you think of it now?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simps

From 1.20VTT to 1.32VTT
CPU GTL 0: +100mV | +90mV | +80mV | +70mV | +60mV | +50mV | +40mV | +30mV | +20mV | +10mV
CPU GTL 1: +060mV | +50mV | +40mV | +30mV | +20mV | +10mV | +00mV | -10mV | -20mV | -30mV
CPU GTL 2: +100mV | +90mV | +80mV | +70mV | +60mV | +50mV | +40mV | +30mV | +20mV | +10mV
CPU GTL 3: +060mV | +50mV | +40mV | +30mV | +20mV | +10mV | +00mV | -10mV | -20mV | -30mV

CPU GTL 0: -060mV | -50mV | -40mV | -30mV | -20mV | -10mV | +00mV
CPU GTL 1: -100mV | -90mV | -80mV | -70mV | -60mV | -50mV | -40mV
CPU GTL 2: -060mV | -50mV | -40mV | -30mV | -20mV | -10mV | +00mV
CPU GTL 3: -100mV | -90mV | -80mV | -70mV | -60mV | -50mV | -40mV


From 1.32VTT to 1.44VTT
CPU GTL 0: +100mV | +90mV | +80mV | +70mV | +60mV | +50mV | +40mV | +30mV | +20mV | +10mV
CPU GTL 1: +055mV | +45mV | +35mV | +25mV | +15mV | +05mV | -05mV | -15mV | -25mV | -35mV
CPU GTL 2: +100mV | +90mV | +80mV | +70mV | +60mV | +50mV | +40mV | +30mV | +20mV | +10mV
CPU GTL 3: +055mV | +45mV | +35mV | +25mV | +15mV | +05mV | -05mV | -15mV | -25mV | -35mV

CPU GTL 0: -060mV | -50mV | -40mV | -30mV | -20mV | -10mV | +00mV
CPU GTL 1: -105mV | -95mV | -85mV | -75mV | -65mV | -55mV | -45mV
CPU GTL 2: -060mV | -50mV | -40mV | -30mV | -20mV | -10mV | +00mV
CPU GTL 3: -105mV | -95mV | -85mV | -75mV | -65mV | -55mV | -45mV

*** The CPU GTL's in green, are, from my experience, most like the candidates of the most stable CPU GTL. But feel free to try whatever you want!

*** The positive values for the CPU GTL's, are not available on the 1901 BIOS, from 5 to 5mV increments. Only 10mV to 20mV and so on. So if you need a positive CPU GTL value like "+25mV", you will have to round it to +30mV or +20mV, or better then that, leave the 5mV to the negative CPU GTL's, as they are available on the 1901 BIOS!

*** You can select on your bios, other CPU GTL's that are beyond the +100mV and -100mV showed here. Its very unlikely that those are the best CPU GTL's for you, but you can always try them too!

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superb job Sims ;)

Hey Simps

I passed IBT, had to put PL10 on Moderate, it freezes after test 3 on IBT if i run PL8...I will have to tune more mems settings to see if i can get it IBT stable on PL8, i also try always with the same amount of memory on vista 64 to get a pattern.

here it goes

vcore set 1,35 idles 1,336
pll 1,55
vtt 1,35
nb 1,45

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/6...1207pl1fj5.jpg
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4...pg/1/w1280.png

Cheers
Sergio

andressergio,

Nice! If going from PL8 to PL10 made it pass the test, then the problem is probably your ram needing more volts. Your NB is already at 1.45v, so that is not the problem for sure. This NB at 1.45v can handle PL8 - STRONGER at DDR2-1250+ easily.

Anyway, give it a try at vFSB: 1.37825 on your bios. See if it will make things better for you. From my experience, that vFSB is the best to go with +10 -35 +10 -35 CPU GTL's.
If vFSB alone don't help, try a 1.57vPLL with it.
If still no go, then try all this at once:

vFSB: 1.37825v
vPLL: arround 1.57v
vDIMM: arround 2.15v

I can almost bet that with this 3 settings going at once, you will go stable. I would only run your g.skill ram at 2.1v for 24/7, but for a short test like this, it is fine, you are not going to damage it at 2.15v.
I hope it helps.

[]'s
Simps

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simps

andressergio,

Nice! If going from PL8 to PL10 made it pass the test, then the problem is probably your ram needing more volts. Your NB is already at 1.45v, so that is not the problem for sure. This NB at 1.45v can handle PL8 - STRONGER at DDR2-1250+ easily.

Anyway, give it a try at vFSB: 1.37825 on your bios. See if it will make things better for you. From my experience, that vFSB is the best to go with +10 -35 +10 -35 CPU GTL's.
If vFSB alone don't help, try a 1.57vPLL with it.
If still no go, then try all this at once:

vFSB: 1.37825v
vPLL: arround 1.57v
vDIMM: arround 2.15v

I can almost bet that with this 3 settings going at once, you will go stable. I would only run your g.skill ram at 2.1v for 24/7, but for a short test like this, it is fine, you are not going to damage it at 2.15v.
I hope it helps.

[]'s
Simps

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Thanks Simps will try :up:

I think there's no problem with the Gskills on 2,15 or even 2,2 for 24/7 but i was doing 1200 PL7 on x9 multi on 2,05vdimm, maybe is FSB then, not vdimm, will try those settings

Cheers
Sergio

BIOS settings for 500FSB DDR2-1200CL5 PL8 STRONGER on a quad!

Ok, as I promissed, here are the key settings I found to make 500FSB stable on a quad, with DDR2-1200 5-5-5-18 and PL8-STRONGER. It is 100% stable. Even if your target is not 500FSB on a quad, if this settings work for you just as they did for me, it would be the sweet spot of your board, allowing you to drop a lot of volts, and keep your current overclock, or go higher.
With this same settings, I am booting up to 535FSB, entering windows up to 520FSB, and currently trying to make 508FSB stable, all on a quad.
This settings were found after days of tests, following the guide I wrote earlier.
Everything here is for 24/7 use, so there are no extreme values or voltages.

It would be interesting, if someone else could try this exact settings, and report the results. Especially on a 45nm quad.

CPU Skew: Delay 100
NB Skew: Delay 300
DRAM Skews: Delay 50
CPU GTL's: +10 -35 +10 -35
NB GTL: +30
CHA / CHB Reference: +12.5
NB DDR Reference: -25
DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled
DRAM Read Training: Disabled
MEM OC CHARGER: Enabled
PULLINS: Disabled
PCI-E Frequency: 100
vPLL: 1.59275
vFSB: 1.37825
vNB: 1.45775
vSB1.5: 1.55300
vSB1.1: 1.20600
CPU Configuration: All disabled
Load line calibration: Enabled
CPU and PCI-E Spread Spectrum: Disbaled

[]'s
Simps

Looks great Simps.
Tho I am new to overclocking, I can understand your guide.
Now if we can only get something like this for the 45nm and Core 2 Duo.
Or, would it be the same order of testing no matter what?
As I said, I'm a noob and I am need of a guide as to the proper order of testing to achieve the best settings.
Thanks to GrnFinger, and his willingness to help me out, I have my Ram and CPU tested and passing.
Anyways, I'm still learning.

Looks like you did some extensive testing and took your time to get your guide together.
I am sure alot of peeps with quads are gonna be trying it out.

Thanks!

Post #2720 on page 109!
Guide to full tune your Maximus II Formula for max performance!

I have updated the guide, and I believe it is really complete now.
That is probably the best way to really use all of the power of your Maximus II Formula. Once it is tunned the right way, you will then be able to see the full limit of your cpu and mem for 24/7 usage.

Enjoy!

[]'s
Simps

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simps

Thanks!

Post #2720 on page 109!
Guide to full tune your Maximus II Formula for max performance!

I have updated the guide, and I believe it is really complete now.
That is probably the best way to really use all of the power of your Maximus II Formula. Once it is tunned the right way, you will then be able to see the full limit of your cpu and mem for 24/7 usage.

Enjoy!

[]'s
Simps

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just linked into my board ... :p

Simps

You saw the screen i posted ? well today same crap as on x9 multi, i let IBT run on exact problem size and BSOD in 8 seconds, this is driving me crazy...:(

I've been trying more volts, dif GTLS on CPU and NB, something's not right :(

andressergio,

Yes I saw. Are you testing the settings I am showing you? Without your feedback, I can't help :(
Your problem with the 9x mult is strange, since 9x is the default mult and usually the best for your chip.
Can you do a test for me?

Try to run IBT with your 9x mult, with this:

CPU GTL's: 10 -35 10 -35
NB GTL: +30
CPU skew: Delay 100
NB skew: Delay 300
Ram skews: Delay 50
vFSB: 1.37825

Tell me how it goes with those settings.

[]'s
Simps

well i finally got my board back from RMA.it's a little better.but it this one is still warped under the heatsink of the PWM. the one on the edge of the board.you can see that five of the pwm's are not touching the thermal tape.only the two outside ones where the heatsink is screwed in are touching. but i think a little adjustment can solve it. tommorrow ill be getting my new harddrive and powersupply. that way i can test it out with out tearing apart my UD3P setup.that was getting annoying with all these rma's,taking one system apart and putting the other one together and then doing it all over again.cause quite frankly,even if the last maximus II that i got from rma worked,since i didnt have the parts for two systems to be up and running at the same time,i would have torn it apart and use the UD3P.cause i feel that is the superior board at the moment.but this is just my opinion based on my limited experience with the maximus II boards that ive had.hopefully this one will perform on par with the other maxII boards in this thread.and i can finally have the fun most of you guys seem to be having.i really do miss the ability to see all the temperature sensors and voltage sensor readouts.very limited on the UD3P.well ill get back to you guys tommorrow,till then........

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simps

andressergio,

Yes I saw. Are you testing the settings I am showing you? Without your feedback, I can't help :(
Your problem with the 9x mult is strange, since 9x is the default mult and usually the best for your chip.
Can you do a test for me?

Try to run IBT with your 9x mult, with this:

CPU GTL's: 10 -35 10 -35
NB GTL: +30
CPU skew: Delay 100
NB skew: Delay 300
Ram skews: Delay 50
vFSB: 1.37825

Tell me how it goes with those settings.

[]'s
Simps

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well started to happen on 8,5 :(

what speed you want me to test ? i can pass IBT for sure...then if a re run hours or at the other day later...BSOD....

tell me what speed for those

Thank you for your help
Sergio

Quote:

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Originally Posted by andressergio

well started to happen on 8,5 :(

what speed you want me to test ? i can pass IBT for sure...then if a re run hours or at the other day later...BSOD....

tell me what speed for those

Thank you for your help
Sergio

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Test it at the speed you are failing now... I believe you are at 8.5x483 right? Test it with 9x mult, at close to that speed... And you can test with the 8.5 mult too.

And add this to the test:
vSB1.1 - 1.20600
vSB1.5 - 1.55300

[]'s
Simps

Hey Simps i tried this before trying x9 multi and passed IBT on 3000+Mb memory at 1207 PL8 Moderate again...I used the settings you gave me

I couldn't post at

CPU Skew: Delay 100
NB Skew: Delay 300

I tried all and the best is the one i show on the screen, also PLL 1,55 the rest is the same, i NEVER tried with more SB volts, Tim told me to try it also so i modified that.

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/5...1207pl8pi9.jpg
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4...pg/1/w1280.png