Asus A8r-mvp

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01-29-2006, 04:54 PM
Supertim0r

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Well after seeing so many issues i decided to buy this board. I also had Wesley Fink revisit the board so we could compare notes.

First thing is this board has real issues 1T 260+. In 2T it clocks like a god and is pretty damn fast.We retested all settings used for the review and no way was he using 1T at 325fsb, the issue was he hit a wall at 260, probably reset the bios and forgot to switch to 1T. Now thru testing i have matched bandwidth in 2T on this asus 2.5-4-3-11 against the eXpert 2.5-4-4-10 1T so I can fully understand Wes missing this fact as the board performs just like its on 1T.

So, 2T seems to be the way, 0037 bios is still the best bios we found but you have to look past 1T vs 2T and go with what you have, for me the board is a keeper and well worth clocking up 300+ to gain some speed.

maybe a modded bios 300+ 1:1 ?
01-29-2006, 05:00 PM
Tony

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supertim0r

maybe a modded bios 300+ 1:1 ?

I can do 330+ 2t here easy 1:1 so why would i need a modded bios?

The fast is the shipping bios files are agressive, to agressive for 1T at high fsb's IMO.
01-29-2006, 05:03 PM
jinu117

I wonder why people are so unhappy with this board. Been very great performer once v-modded on my rig. I might go CF configuration for my x1900xtx for some bench fun and right now this is my trusted board to play with with my dual core cpus.
01-29-2006, 05:08 PM
Tony

It all stemmed from a review showing 325fsb 1:1 with what they thought was 1T, simple fact was it looks to have been 2t all along.

I actually like this board a lot, its not to forgving and you have to work up slow with your overclcoking but it does clock well even with low vcore ;)
01-29-2006, 07:21 PM
msimax

hey tony a quick ? OT do u have the msi rd480 since it seems to have the prob at 1t. do u know if it clocks high at 2t also using tccd thanx
01-30-2006, 03:53 AM
Tony

Quote:

Originally Posted by msimax

hey tony a quick ? OT do u have the msi rd480 since it seems to have the prob at 1t. do u know if it clocks high at 2t also using tccd thanx

No idea, I actually did not want to get this little Asus but customers were complaining about the ram when all along it was the board.

Only way to tell is test it, if you have not made your purchase yet i would wait as RD580 is about to launch andd will be the next hot chipset for a while till NV counter
01-30-2006, 12:15 PM
Mean Machine

I actually have to agree to what Tony is saying, it clocks nicely, but the 1T issue bothers me. My new Geil-sticks (Value, probably Infineon since TRCD=2 won't work) doesn't go a single damn Hz past 200MHz, 1T. Haven't even tried 2T yet, but I'll do that soon. Just as the Vcore-mod, my soldering iron was dead.
Found out that the DDR-Booster actually works too, it was my PSU that lacked -5V i found out. Didn't try more than 3.8V, which worked just fine.
01-30-2006, 12:28 PM
Tony

Im thinking a Vcore and Vdimm mod (for fine tuning) would make this board pretty slick, it actually clocks my opty 148 better than my DFI boards at a lower voltage.

1T would make this board a real killer but something in there is just to agressive for it to work properly.

Anyway , the RD580 version will be out early march and from what i hear it could be a monster overclocker.
01-30-2006, 12:49 PM
Supertim0r

1.4v max for dual core ?
01-30-2006, 04:22 PM
Mean Machine

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supertim0r

1.4v max for dual core ?

No. 1.45 + "overvoltage", ~0.07V+. So about 1.52V.
01-30-2006, 07:32 PM
Prometheus

Max vCore

As I said in the AT review, the board reads the CPU ID and sets the vCore range based on the ID. With 90nm x2 that's to 1.45V. I reported the overclock setting as 0.2V, but we measure more like around 0.1V on the several boards we have measured - so max of 1.55V.

The upcoming RD580 version has added MANY voltage and OC options. Over Voltage on the RD580 version is auto, disabled, +100mv (0.1V), +200mv (0.2V). All the other overvoltage controls now have full ranges on the RD580 version - generally 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5V instead of just on and off like the RD480 version. The 1T issue is also fixed on the RD580 version.
01-31-2006, 11:42 AM
Mean Machine

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prometheus

As I said in the AT review, the board reads the CPU ID and sets the vCore range based on the ID. With 90nm x2 that's to 1.45V. I reported the overclock setting as 0.2V, but we measure more like around 0.1V on the several boards we have measured - so max of 1.55V.

The upcoming RD580 version has added MANY voltage and OC options. Over Voltage on the RD580 version is auto, disabled, +100mv (0.1V), +200mv (0.2V). All the other overvoltage controls now have full ranges on the RD580 version - generally 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5V instead of just on and off like the RD480 version. The 1T issue is also fixed on the RD580 version.

May I ask how you know this? Don't feel like searching for the "AT review". :)
I'm pretty satisfied with this mobo though, but something better would be really nice. We'll have to see if I get my hands on that RD580-version later on.
01-31-2006, 12:24 PM
althes

That what pisses me off about asus, they use us as guniea pigs on this crap board now here comes the fix.
Selling this piece of trash.
01-31-2006, 09:56 PM
Prometheus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mean Machine

May I ask how you know this? Don't feel like searching for the "AT review". :)
I'm pretty satisfied with this mobo though, but something better would be really nice. We'll have to see if I get my hands on that RD580-version later on.

When I installed a Clawhammer on the A8R-MVP the base voltage range was to 1.55V. Some with very new chips report the voltage range sets to a max of 1.4V. This is something Asus has done before - set vCore range based on CPU ID.
02-01-2006, 12:54 AM
incurable

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prometheus

As I said in the AT review, the board reads the CPU ID and sets the vCore range based on the ID. With 90nm x2 that's to 1.45V. I reported the overclock setting as 0.2V, but we measure more like around 0.1V on the several boards we have measured - so max of 1.55V.

Interesting, if true, that would mean they treat X2s differently than DC Opterons, as the latter are limited to 1.4V VID + 0.5V overvoltage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prometheus

When I installed a Clawhammer on the A8R-MVP the base voltage range was to 1.55V. Some with very new chips report the voltage range sets to a max of 1.4V. This is something Asus has done before - set vCore range based on CPU ID.

I was wondering if this is something you'll look into with future reviews, like trying more than one CPU on the board and see if and how the BIOS treats them differently?

It's to bad that despite the numbers of review site looking at various products, it's still that often a number of early adopters have to take the fall and be the guniea pigs for the rest.
02-01-2006, 01:12 AM
jinu117

BTW for those who wants to volt mod this board... it applies the additional voltage option AFTER it posts. Something to keep in mind.
02-01-2006, 03:00 AM
Tony

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinu117

BTW for those who wants to volt mod this board... it applies the additional voltage option AFTER it posts. Something to keep in mind.

Explains the boot issues...thanks

Now all we need is to find the bios code making 1T suck, remove it and show asus what they should have done with this board from the start.
02-05-2006, 08:08 AM
csimon

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Explains the boot issues...thanks

Now all we need is to find the bios code making 1T suck, remove it and show asus what they should have done with this board from the start.

What exactly is the 1t issue? Mine works at high frequency but performs better at 2t when I bench. The latencies are lower at 1t but the bandwidth is the same either way.
02-05-2006, 01:14 PM
Tony

I have a feeling the board is purposly 1T limited. It clocks to well in 2T mode for it to really have any general issues with overclocking so a bios block seems to be in place.

I have a new bios to test and will report if it increases clocks etc.
02-05-2006, 03:09 PM
Ad Rock

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

I have a feeling the board is purposly 1T limited. It clocks to well in 2T mode for it to really have any general issues with overclocking so a bios block seems to be in place.

I have a new bios to test and will report if it increases clocks etc.

I shall be refreshing this thread every 5 mins waiting for some results :D.

I really really hope your right Tony.
02-05-2006, 03:35 PM
althes

Glad to see you giving us help tony.
02-05-2006, 03:38 PM
Tony

Same 5h1t different day with the bios, i did find running the 233 or 250 mode with the opty at a 10 multi allowed me to get the ram to clock real high and claw back some of the lost bandwidth.

bios is 0039, you can grab it off the german FTP as far as i know, if you can't let me know and I will post it
02-06-2006, 06:03 AM
Astennu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Same 5h1t different day with the bios, i did find running the 233 or 250 mode with the opty at a 10 multi allowed me to get the ram to clock real high and claw back some of the lost bandwidth.

bios is 0039, you can grab it off the german FTP as far as i know, if you can't let me know and I will post it

Is this @ T1 ? I hope its so. Because i whant to trow my A8R out of the window of my room :D Getting realy pissed becasue of the T1 problems And voltage problems.

I can unly use 1.45v on my Opteron 165 :\ Venice did 1.52v. I hope there will be a hacked bios for the v-core.

Anyway as soon as i can get a good RD580 board like a DFi or a Abit AT8 X32 this one will be gone for good and no more asus for me :nono:
02-06-2006, 08:23 AM
Astennu

ftp://ftp.asus.de/pub/ASUS/mb/socket939/A8R-MVP

Cant find the 0039 only a 0309 bios Is that the one ? because u allready have a 0402 bios ( Final )
02-08-2006, 02:18 PM
banshee[OCAU]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duronbird

Any clockgen this mobo, i hate every time boot in bios.

You can use Systool, when you go to the CPU Overclocking tag, select the Clock generator dropdown & pick ICS951422. For some reason, it often won't detect it correctly the first time, so I select a different one, (which it may or may not detect), then select the correct one. (edit: If you want to verify the number, look on your MB just above the Black PCIe 16X slot, for the chip near the clock crystal.)

Useful program, it can change your HTT multiplier in the C&Q page (whether C&Q is enabled or not in BIOS), and do lots of other stuff too.

I suspect I need to get much better RAM. I have Corsair TwinX3700 (3,4,4,8) and PQI Turbo 3200 (2.5,3,3,5) and neither of them let me OC very much. Both are 2 X 512MB. Best effort has my Opty170 at either 260 X 10 with RAM on 133 or 305 X 9 & RAM at 100. Oh well, I need to get more RAM soon for another PCs upgrade, so I'll put this stuff, (either the Corsair or the PQI), into it & get myself a good pair of 1GB sticks. Any recommendations for RAM for this board?

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