Testing / comparing : Intel D975XBX2 / Asus P5B DX ***56K WARNING***

I've read to page 41 so far, but I just wanted to ask some questions and post some comments because I just cannot wait any longer.

I started my BX2 up this past Friday night and everything was going pretty well. I got up to 416x9 Orthos stable small fft's priority 9 for 1 hour when I stopped it manually and went to bed. Next day I started learning all of the dividers, but I would run into my board not posting for lots of settings even stock. I updated to the 2507 bios and it seemed like the board was getting better. That night I booted Windows at 4010 MHz, but it crashed. I tried booting at different settings, but to no avail so I called it a night.

Today I have been trying to test these value sticks I found with d9gmh, but it seems like a majority of the dividers don't work because my board just boots and shows the letters and numbers in the bottom right corner and then nothing but blank screen. I set all my settings back to stock except for vcore, vmch, vfsb and mem is on auto. The board still will not boot windows.

So my questions are:

1) Is there a list of the memory dividers that don't work and at what fsb ranges?

2) Is 2507 causing any stability issues?

3) What are users doing to get out of the endless boots that never load windows?

4) Is my Windows fubar? If it is I have never had one crash like this. Usually I will get some kind of error message.

When the board runs it's great.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SPL15

Yea bought more Ram and same exact issues to the T. After doing the mods and cooling the MCH better I got rid of the errors at 415MHZ fsb.

The thing that tipped me off what the fact that running one module of ram at DDR6xx gave me the same exact errors as 4 modules at DDR8xx regardless of memory volts.

The memory is fine, I'm running it at DDR830 and its stable up to DDR1012 with all four modules in at 4,4,4,10 2.2v.

Setup a delta fan over northdridge in my garage for testing and my problems went away. Brought system back inside and problems came back. Used a can of freeze spray to cool MCH and ORTHOS would run fine till I stopped spraying and would fail in about one minute after.

Boosted MCH volts with Vmod and I'm fairly stable again, but I;m still far below the 3.85Ghz I was doing initially. CPU has never seen higher than 60C or more than 1.45Vcore and small FFT runs all day long at 3.835Ghz at 1.4volts CPU still.

I'm just amazed how varied the results are with the XBX2. In my experiance in electronics manufacturing, this kind of variance is due to poor manufacturing. Nothing manufactured as a whole assembly such as a motherboard or video card will have that great of performance variance unless something aint right.

EDIT: I actually wish there were more options in the BIOS. I personally think it is quite weak compared to newer nvidia motherboard BIOSes. Now THATS an overclockers BIOS!!

---

Have you tried to remount the chipset heatsink with better thermal paste, AS5? That can help. I did not do this because I'm happy with 3.6GHz.

The only thing you did not blame is your CPU. Not every E6600 can do 3.85Ghz 24-7 on air or water. And passing Orthos test is only one of the dicators that your system is stable. Your system can be unstable even it passed Orthos tests for many hours. Since you're talking about enginerring and manufacturing, I have to say that you have to give your CPU some allowance if you want to run it 24-7.:fact:

nvidia motherboard BIOSes? :stick: I don't care much about bios features/options of a board if it loses to other boards clock to clock.
You buy a motherboard as a piece of hardware that is shipped with a flashable firmware called BIOS. You don't buy the bios as a program to play with. I don't want to play with any bios programs at all.:) Hopefully someday there will be a truly smart bios program that can find the optimal overclock setttings itself when user hitting F8 or the Fool key.:D Such a smart bios won't be called smart by some overclockers if it does not reserve some small allowrance and does not provide the beloved F2/Del key to have them to fool around with the settings and squeeze out the last drop of performence at the expense of stability.:)

I think BX2 bios can be better with new releases anyways.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Coroner Kyle

I've read to page 41 so far, but I just wanted to ask some questions and post some comments because I just cannot wait any longer.

I started my BX2 up this past Friday night and everything was going pretty well. I got up to 416x9 Orthos stable small fft's priority 9 for 1 hour when I stopped it manually and went to bed. Next day I started learning all of the dividers, but I would run into my board not posting for lots of settings even stock. I updated to the 2507 bios and it seemed like the board was getting better. That night I booted Windows at 4010 MHz, but it crashed. I tried booting at different settings, but to no avail so I called it a night.

Today I have been trying to test these value sticks I found with d9gmh, but it seems like a majority of the dividers don't work because my board just boots and shows the letters and numbers in the bottom right corner and then nothing but blank screen. I set all my settings back to stock except for vcore, vmch, vfsb and mem is on auto. The board still will not boot windows.

So my questions are:

1) Is there a list of the memory dividers that don't work and at what fsb ranges?

2) Is 2507 causing any stability issues?

3) What are users doing to get out of the endless boots that never load windows?

4) Is my Windows fubar? If it is I have never had one crash like this. Usually I will get some kind of error message.

When the board runs it's great.

---

1. there is a caculator. you can find it in this thread.
2. stable for me

I think this board likes 10x multi very much. 400fsb 266 and 667 all is good for me. This baord needs good cooling on nb. I have advantage over most in that department using chilled liquid on nb and cpu allowing me to use 10x multi 4gig stable. vcore 1.55 mem 2.3v.all rest stock. With this board it is a good idea to have set of cheap ram around so when there is an OC fail u can change jumper pop them in and it always boots. My p5b was the same and my p5wdh also but not as much. None of the other boards i have tried could run this x6800 at 4 gig stable 1.55vcore they needed 1.6+vcore and were never stable. This is the best board i have had ever so far i am very happy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eluzion

I hate all of you running 400x9 with < 1.40 vcore. ;)

---

LOL. It's not all good below 1.4V either, I went back to 3.4GHz on stock voltages for the time being as I found that I am hanging on the edge of thermal runaway at 3.6 with 1.3875 in bios. Very easy to make it all of a sudden race for 78C and crash Orthos just by dinking with fan speeds. I didnt like my 50C idle temps either. I need to lap my CPU and Tuniq, I kind of get the feeling there isnt the greatest thermal contact there. Getting a 40mm fan for the northbridge also and will AS5 that too after seeing what's hiding under there. I also ordered a 120mm PWM fan for the Tuniq for automated control on that.

for those looking for a BX2 $175 http://microcenter.com/byos/byos_sin...duct_id=251723

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Coroner Kyle

So my questions are:

1) Is there a list of the memory dividers that don't work and at what fsb ranges?

2) Is 2507 causing any stability issues?

3) What are users doing to get out of the endless boots that never load windows?

4) Is my Windows fubar? If it is I have never had one crash like this. Usually I will get some kind of error message.

When the board runs it's great.

---

1) The memory calculator is in my sig but which ones will actually work on your board is determined by your specific cpu and ram.

2) Not problems with 2507 here either.

3,4) Every time I've seen this it's a boot order problem. Make sure it's correct in the BIOS and make sure you don't have a USB flash drive connected.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ajfina

for those looking for a BX2 $175 http://microcenter.com/byos/byos_sin...duct_id=251723

---

Awesome. Major kudos for the link.

Im really wanting this board, but im torn between it and the p5w64 ws i have looked and looked over and i still cant decide, arg.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Circaflex

Im really wanting this board, but im torn between it and the p5w64 ws i have looked and looked over and i still cant decide, arg.

---

You want us to decide for you? :)

This thread needs a sticky, too many complaints about issues already covered. Anyway, you asked for it. Here you go:

http://static.tigerdirect.ca/pdf/Int...oductBrief.pdf

Maybe everyone should go thru this meticulously before posting here. :) 106 pages of Bad Axe 2 goodness!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zucker2k

This thread needs a sticky, too many complaints about issues already covered. Anyway, you asked for it. Here you go:

http://static.tigerdirect.ca/pdf/Int...oductBrief.pdf

Maybe everyone should go thru this meticulously before posting here. :) 106 pages of Bad Axe 2 goodness!

---

OHHH Very very nice find.

I recommend everyone gets this Document and read.

Nice 1 Zucker2K:toast:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zucker2k

This thread needs a sticky, too many complaints about issues already covered. Anyway, you asked for it. Here you go:

http://static.tigerdirect.ca/pdf/Int...oductBrief.pdf

Maybe everyone should go thru this meticulously before posting here. :) 106 pages of Bad Axe 2 goodness!

---

Nice find! :worship:

ok in the document it mentions a piece of software from Intel called the "Intel Intergrators Toolkit" which you can download from here http://www.intel.com/design/motherbd/software/itk/

Once you have that if you get the Iflash BIOS Update from the intel site "Link here for the 2507 bios" http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scri...ional&lang=eng

Extract the IFlash bios file to a temp directory and you will have a ITK (Intel Toolkit Template" to play with.

It allows you to "customise a bios image" for your own use. DISCLAIMER --- !!!!! Use at your own risk and make sure you have a bios recovery floppy disk just incase !!!!!

It also allows you to change the bootup image for another one.

It also has the settings for the CPU Multi -I got very excited when i saw this and changed it from Auto to Manual. Unfortunatly it made no difference and the Multi remianed LOCKED....Grrrrr

Anyway at least i have a nice bootup image now and a bios file that has all the settings disabled that i want disabled by default "such as Watchdog".

Hope its of help

Topboy

This board rocks. And my new ocz pc2 8000 titanium alpha vx2 memory loves this board. MCH 1.6v fsb 1.4 memory 2.3v. 266\533 divider. I will try droping multi and see what this things fsb will do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AndyM

LOL. It's not all good below 1.4V either, I went back to 3.4GHz on stock voltages for the time being as I found that I am hanging on the edge of thermal runaway at 3.6 with 1.3875 in bios. Very easy to make it all of a sudden race for 78C and crash Orthos just by dinking with fan speeds. I didnt like my 50C idle temps either. I need to lap my CPU and Tuniq, I kind of get the feeling there isnt the greatest thermal contact there. Getting a 40mm fan for the northbridge also and will AS5 that too after seeing what's hiding under there. I also ordered a 120mm PWM fan for the Tuniq for automated control on that.

---

Hm, well my question is - what decreases the life of the CPU more, vcore or temps? My temps are pretty good. 32c idle/60-62c load (orthos) @ 1.475vcore (1.5 set in bios).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Severance

This board rocks. And my new ocz pc2 8000 titanium alpha vx2 memory loves this board. MCH 1.6v fsb 1.4 memory 2.3v. 266\533 divider. I will try droping multi and see what this things fsb will do.

---

Nice OC BTW
BUT How the hell are you getting such low temps.

I got WC here in a Lian-Li VX2000 Case and my temp are 52c Idle with 1.45cpuv. I just dont get it. Does seem seem tohigh guys.

would like to know what youre running to get 36c.

Cheers

Topboy

Got one of these boards..Thanks for all the info:)

Hi everybody:

Does anyone had any experience with quadcores on this mobo?:confused:

Overclocking, multipler setting, etc

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by adrap

Hi everybody:

Does anyone had any experience with quadcores on this mobo?:confused:

Overclocking, multipler setting, etc

---

quad core = max 390ish fsb with XBX2

unlocked down multi on Kentsfield and fully unlocked multi on QX6700

So that's why and can't reach beyond 380 fsb with 266 strap and 395 fsb with 333 strap, ok so I've to find a completely unlocked CPU.

Thanks a lot I was starting to think I got bad luck with my mobo and cpu, but is really a design limitation, is there a mobo that can reach higher fsb with quadcores?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by topboy

Nice OC BTW
BUT How the hell are you getting such low temps.

I got WC here in a Lian-Li VX2000 Case and my temp are 52c Idle with 1.45cpuv. I just dont get it. Does seem seem tohigh guys.

would like to know what youre running to get 36c.

Cheers

Topboy

---

Im using window ac unit to chill liquid. All is liquid chilled. 2-ati1950xtx,northbridge and cpu. Antifreeze chilled to around 8c.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by topboy

Nice OC BTW
BUT How the hell are you getting such low temps.

I got WC here in a Lian-Li VX2000 Case and my temp are 52c Idle with 1.45cpuv. I just dont get it. Does seem seem tohigh guys.

would like to know what youre running to get 36c.

Cheers

Topboy

---

Wow, 52c idle is definately on the high side. With my WC setup (see sig) and fans at half speed (~1200rpm), I am seeing a Core Temp reported idle temp of 29c with E6600 @ 1.46 Vcore, 423 FSB and room temp @ 20c.

This may seem like a silly question, but how are you measuring your idle temp?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by adrap

So that's why and can't reach beyond 380 fsb with 266 strap and 395 fsb with 333 strap, ok so I've to find a completely unlocked CPU.

Thanks a lot I was starting to think I got bad luck with my mobo and cpu, but is really a design limitation, is there a mobo that can reach higher fsb with quadcores?

---

1)Asus P5B DX, Commando
2)Abit quadGT

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sdgserv

Got one of these boards..Thanks for all the info:)

---

SDG I HOPE YOUR FLYING!:cool: