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

On. ;)

Vdroop should be as low as possible and the BIOS option "Advanced PowerSlope", or whatever it's called, helps to reduce Vdroop.

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Originally Posted by GunnySpook

Uh, bofors, you dropped a word after "turned...."

On or off? :)

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Whoops... yes I meant turned on.

When you go from motherboards that effortlessly recover from a bad OC to having to play with the CMOS jumper again, it's no fun.

My Asus board would just stop at post and tell me to enter the BIOS to check it when I screwed up. With the Abit you could turn off the PSU for 5-10secs and it would reset.

Also enthusiast motherboards should not default the <insert expletive here> ram to 1.84v. Most high performance ram requires more to be stable even at very tame settings. So everytime my BIOS goes to default I have to pull a stick of ram in order to post. 1.84v on this board is not enough to fire up both my sticks in dual channel mode even @ 5-5-5-15.

I am wondering if this board is undervolting or if the Abit was overvolting as the ram would post with default voltage in the Abit which claimed to be below 1.9v.

I'll formulate a solid opinion about the BX2 when my new HSF arrives. Right now there are odd little things I dislike intensely. If it does well on the 1333 strap I'll endure it. Currently I don't feel like playing with the CMOS jumper and pulling a stick in and out every time my OC fails and I have to go to default settings to boot.

here is what I did to clear my cmos : installed a switch on the back of my case

I also installed 3 noctua 1200 120mm case (2 case fans, 1 on TT120)....REALLY silent, perfect for 24/7 rig :eek:

here's my actual vdroop : idle / load :slobber:

edit : I'll write to intel bios department tomorow. Let me know your problems / bugs and i'll communicate the "like/dislike" about the bios :)

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Originally Posted by Supertim0r

here is what I did to clear my cmos : [URL="http://simon.webideal.ca/Temp/XBX2/noctua%20fans.JPG"]installed a <snip>
edit : I'll write to intel bios department tomorow. Let me know your problems / bugs and i'll communicate the "like/dislike" about the bios :)

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Well, here's a compilation of the problems reported in this thread (could've missed one ...):

1st problem

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Originally Posted by tjelaw

With my P5W-DH I could boot @ 410x10 mhz with my Tuniq,
With this board, max seems to be about 370x10 no matter what voltages I set.

This well could be the vCore limitation because I was running 1,7 on the P5W, and the BX2 can only give 1,6. Hope there is a possibility to raise this with a bios, otherwise I will have to voltmod when my results with SS are also poor.

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2nd problem

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Originally Posted by malficar

I do wish the BX2 had a tRFC setting from the BIOS like the AW9D-Max. I can easily set it with memset though.

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3rd problem

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Originally Posted by malficar

When you go from motherboards that effortlessly recover from a bad OC to having to play with the CMOS jumper again, it's no fun.

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4th problem

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Originally Posted by malficar

Also enthusiast motherboards should not default the <insert expletive here> ram to 1.84v. Most high performance ram requires more to be stable even at very tame settings. So everytime my BIOS goes to default I have to pull a stick of ram in order to post. 1.84v on this board is not enough to fire up both my sticks in dual channel mode even @ 5-5-5-15.

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So, four problems. Some affect performance, some mental health. Do we (read "you guys") know which of these can be fixed with a bios update? How likely this is?

5th problem

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Originally Posted by GPSeek

I wish Intel could publish a document explaining each item in the BX2 bios screen.:stick:

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6th problem

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Originally Posted by GPSeek

USB ports do not provide enough current to power my 80gb 2.5" USB drive. My laptop can do it.

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http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813121059

They dropped the box to a measly 300.... woo for 30 dollars less than before.

Being constructive :p

Yes, I'll reiterate and expand on some of what was quoted from me. Here are my ideas for a better board BIOS.

1. Add tRFC from the BIOS. If you want to be taken seriously by overclockers in addition to tRFC add the full range available under memset in the BIOS. If I must choose a few in addition to what is already available; tRFC, tRD, and refresh mode select (RMS).

Example:

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/5999/memsetexxx9.jpg

2. Make it so when you fail an OC it stops at the post screen and forces you to check the BIOS, ala Asus. "Your OC failed please check BIOS, F2". This is much more desirable than playing with the CMOS jumper for configuring and clearing. If the OC fails to apply it keeps what you had before the attempt, or rolls back to that last save.

Perhaps make is so with extreme failure overclocking cases turning the power off via the PSU for 5-10 seconds without a proper save and shut down causes a reset of BIOS settings to default. Or make that a selectable option for people that hate the idea, enable|disable.

3. Change the default ram voltage to at least 2.0v. Please. I am having to remove a stick and boot in single channel everytime I must return to default BIOS settings due to a failed OC. Oddly enough the Asus P5W DH Deluxe, P5B Deluxe Wifi and Abit AW9D-MAX at default settings still provided enough voltage to my memory below 2.0v for this to not occur. It's much easier for someone with lower voltage preferences to enter the BIOS and change 2.0v than it is for me to get failed post black screens and have to remove sticks due to low voltage. Enthusiast boards ought to be oriented towards performance ram. Said ram typically needs 2.25v-2.45v to be effective.

4. Make it so you can directly enter values rather than going up and down with + and -. tRAS would be a good example here.

5. Make 1T and 2T selectable in the BIOS ala, 680i.

6. Add a functioning downward multiplier adjustment. My board is stuck @ a 9x multi. 6-9 would be nice. The option is there in the BIOS and it's stuck to "automatic".

Finally, I noticed with memset one of my ram sticks is coming in with different settings than the other in some areas. For example; one will have tRD 7 and the other 6. This is with the most current BIOS. This doesn't happen all the time and not on the three other motherboards I earlier noted. I have been correcting it with memset.

IMO 1-6 will make the BX2 much "badder" in a good way.

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Originally Posted by GunnySpook

Malachi, what temp monitoring are you using?

I'm using 'TAT'.

The Gunny

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TAT??? I use the intel desktop utilities and CoreTemp found here: http://www.thecoolest.zerobrains.com...p/history.html

Intel Thermal Analysis Tool

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/392

Google it, then read some of the reviews.....

The Gunny

Thanx

Well I can bench SuperPi and do regular tasks at up to 3.5GHz with the stock HSF on this board. 3.6GHz is just too much for the stock HSF to tame, and no it can't handle Orthos @ 3.5GHz on the stock HSF :p:

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8...pi1mal7.th.jpg

I am hoping to have my new aftermarket cooler by Thursday night, then I can get down to business.

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Originally Posted by malficar

Being constructive :p

5. Make 1T and 2T selectable in the BIOS ala, 680i.

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2T is default because it's a chipset limitation. If you want 1T, go get a 680i, as this option would never be available for any 975X.

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Originally Posted by Reinvented

2T is default because it's a chipset limitation. If you want 1T, go get a 680i, as this option would never be available for any 975X.

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It's not that important to me and was just a suggestion. Thanks for the heads up.

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Originally Posted by Reinvented

2T is default because it's a chipset limitation. If you want 1T, go get a 680i, as this option would never be available for any 975X.

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While on that subject, and as we're drifting from reporting problems into wishful thinking, this would be nice (written regarding Bad axe 1 but I guess it mostly applies to Bad axe 2 as well):

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Originally Posted by Tony

The ultimate system will allow the CPU strap to hit 1333 so you can push over the 370fsb wall, but the NB needs to be fooled into thinking it is still working with a 1066 CPU and stay on the 1066 strap to keep the internal latency low..so in theory we are engaging PAT on 975 etc.

<snip>

[PAT] really was a tweak to bring back some of the performance loss by using 2T command.

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Part of this post in this thread here on XS. You've probably already read it.

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Originally Posted by casse

You've probably already read it.

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I have and it's not clear if the BadAxe1's 1333 strap problems exist on the BadAxe2 yet. Furthermore, my problem with the 1333 strap on the BadAxe1 is that it does not seem to work with four sticks of RAM, the performance seems fine with two.

In order to unblock the bios in the BadAxe2, it must make the ocdebug?
Thanks
By

No, the OC-Debug mod. does not apply to the BadAxe2.

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Originally Posted by bofors

No, the OC-Debug mod. does not apply to the BadAxe2.

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ok. the bios is unblocked without to make nothing?

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Originally Posted by dj883u2

ok. the bios is unblocked without to make nothing?

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Yes. :)

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Originally Posted by bobov

Yes. :)

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Thanks.
:)

when is it necessary to use the 4pin-power molex on the motherboard? the one next to the flame-heatsink
http://resources.vr-zone.com/Shamino/badx2/9.jpg

I just finished hiding my cables and now found that the board has another socket for extra power :D

I didn't plug the 4pin-power molex.

is it just for the extra pcie cards?

CPUID didnt work to me even with EIST. other things like IDU doesnt work either (eg: voltages wont get read out). what could be the problem ?