Intel X38 chipset has PCIe problems

Found this here.

Intel X38 chipset has PCIe problems
Written by Lars-Göran Nilsson
Monday, 17 September 2007 07:14

No fix currently planned


According to a list of errata's that we've seen from Intel with regards to its X38 chipset, there's a problem with some PCIe cards and the x16 PCI Express slots. There's no real need to worry though, as graphcis cards will work just fine.

Intel isn't planning on fixing the issue either, since it's aparently only related to some x4 and x8 cards, such as RAID controllers and dual or quad network cards and these aren't really intended for the X38 chipset.

There are some other minor issues with the chipset and according to some of the motherboard manufacturers we've talked to, there are some problems when it comes to making their own board designs as Intel hasn't proveded a design kit this time around.

It almost sounds as if Intel doesn't wan't its board partners to succeed in creating top-notch board so that Intel can steal some market share with its own X38 board, or will it be X48?

Can anyone confirm these problems with RAID cards when you get a board? I run an Areca 1220, so if there are problems on the X38, I'll have no choice but to get an nVidia mobo.

I guess that we have to consider the source when making our opinions on this, so I certainly hope this turns out ot be a non issue for those of us running add-in raid controllers. First I've heard of this.

Hmmm....should we hold off?, is it shipping with A1 or A2 silicon for the X38 chipset?

what website is this info from?

the infamous Fudzilla ... credibility is extremely high then... is it really based in the chipset or is it a mobo's design error ? We just will have to wait and see what gives....

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Originally Posted by GAR

what website is this info from?

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MOost likely straight out of Fuad's ass like most of the crap he spreads there...

lol RAID controllers aren't intended for Intel's FLAGSHIP chipset? Come on, now. You have to assume, naturally, that true 'power users' are going to implement Areca cards when faced with onboard RAID (although Intel Matrix RAID is pretty good, it can't touch a high end PCI-E card).

As for the PCI-E NICs, that's less of an issue, but still.

Amazing YET another Incomplete Motherboard from Intel @ a premium price with no intended fix:mad:

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Originally Posted by Brother Esau

Amazing YET another Incomplete Motherboard from Intel @ a premium price with no intended fix:mad:

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What? What was wrong with the Bad Axe/Bad Axe 2, and every other recent Intel box motherboard? They've all seemed pretty damn stable to me.

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Originally Posted by Omastar

What? What was wrong with the Bad Axe/Bad Axe 2, and every other recent Intel box motherboard? They've all seemed pretty damn stable to me.

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I'd have to agree with Omastar here. My favorite Mobos I have ever used are the XBX and XBX2.

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Originally Posted by Omastar

What? What was wrong with the Bad Axe/Bad Axe 2, and every other recent Intel box motherboard? They've all seemed pretty damn stable to me.

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Lets see Sata issues NIC issues Raid Issues

All mobos have problems, just like on the CPUs.

I know the source is umm, shall we say somewhat less than credible, but I figured that if anyone could do the proper testing to confirm/deny the report it would be the guys here. Surely one of you guys that get 1st run/pre-release boards have access to an Areca card. ;)

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Originally Posted by Brother Esau

Lets see Sata issues NIC issues Raid Issues

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Were they widespread enough to label the entire line of boards as crap? No, not particularly. The biggest issue I ever had with the XBX2 was certain RAM:FSB dividers refused to boot my Ballistix at default DDR2-1000, but the secondary SATA controller issues were fixed in later BIOSes, as well as the HDD activity light and other things.

I seem to remember NF680i having many more SATA issues than 975X or P965, as well as more RAID issues. If you'd use the Intel Matrix RAID, you'd see it's quite good for what it is (onboard). There were problems with certain RAID controllers under Vista, I'm fully aware, but that's more an OS hitch than a chipset hitch.

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Originally Posted by metro.cl

All mobos have problems, just like on the CPUs.

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Server boards don't have problems that Brother Esau is talking about, let me put it this way, Intel doesn't care, it's a desktop board. Whose going to run RAID/HBA controllers? Very few, like me or Brother Esau.

Now thats pretty much it in a nutshell isn't it? Why is it that Intel can produce problem free server boards and not duplicate that onto high end Desktop boards? High End is supposed to mean just that and not just referring to price either!


@Omastar........Just going by my personal experiences and what I see others by the droves experiencing. We cant all be noobs now can we?

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Originally Posted by need.for.mhz

Server boards don't have problems that Brother Esau is talking about, let me put it this way, Intel doesn't care, it's a desktop board. Whose going to run RAID/HBA controllers? Very few, like me or Brother Esau.

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They all have problems, have you heard the word errata makes it sound nicer but it really is a bug or problem

Hey, Metro whats up? Yes you are right everything does have problems to some degree but.....these high end Desktop boards over what the past year are beyond a joke and then they get abandoned for the next thing/project whatever .

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Originally Posted by Brother Esau

Hey, Metro whats up? Yes you are right everything does have problems to some degree but.....these high end Desktop boards over what the past year are beyond a joke and then they get abandoned for the next thing/project whatever .

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True there have been several mobos / chipsets with lots of problems.

But read the "problem" carefully see there isnt really a need to fix it:

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According to a list of errata's that we've seen from Intel with regards to its X38 chipset, there's a problem with some PCIe cards and the x16 PCI Express slots. There's no real need to worry though, as graphcis cards will work just fine.

Intel isn't planning on fixing the issue either, since it's aparently only related to some x4 and x8 cards, such as RAID controllers and dual or quad network cards and these aren't really intended for the X38 chipset.

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So if raid is a problem maybe but you probably will get integrated raid support as well as lan support, if you look at the stats i bet there is a really small amount of people that will run external raid cards and dual or quad network cards.

Of course i wish there want any erratas but that would make our hardware way more expensive and it would take a lot more time to have it.

I could post all the erratas for AMD chipsets (existent and upcoming) but it is not worth as most have BIOS fixes or planned fixed.

No no no I was referring to on board Raid issues not my Raid Controller!

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Originally Posted by Nasgul

Get an nVidia chipset, they've proven to be the absolute best for Intel CPUs since the introduction of nVidia chipsets, specially the nFarce 4 and the one that never saw the light of the day, the nFarce 590.

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ROFLMAO - you mean like that current utter crap 690i everybody's spitting on? :rolleyes:

Or their famously :banana::banana::banana::banana:ed-up earlier ones? :rolleyes:

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God knows how Intel chipset survived in the past, I mean, it's not like VIA and SiS didn't try but...........:rolleyes:

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Dunno what kinf of :banana::banana::banana::banana: you're smoking but now I want some... :ROTF:

Nasgul´s post was ironic ;)
But if there is some problems in X38 then we will see it soon.
My Board arrives next week.

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Originally Posted by BulldogPO

Nasgul´s post was ironic ;)
But if there is some problems in X38 then we will see it soon.
My Board arrives next week.

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Ahhh, I didn't get it. :D

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Originally Posted by Nasgul

Get an nVidia chipset, they've proven to be the absolute best for Intel CPUs since the introduction of nVidia chipsets, specially the nFarce 4 and the one that never saw the light of the day, the nFarce 590.

God knows how Intel chipset survived in the past, I mean, it's not like VIA and SiS didn't try but...........:rolleyes:

Crying out loud! what kinda crap fudzilla is making up now.
Fudzila :down:

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LOL! Nforce 780 FTW! (I hope... :( )

A few things should be noted: almost all Intel chipsets have problems with PCI-e stuff. Even server stuff - like you can't run a non-GPU in the primary x16 slot (hey, WTF it's a server board I really DON"T want to run a GPU there ;)
Second: WTF do you use a non-x16 PCI-e slot for? Coffee brewer? It has to work with RAID cards, it's the only thing available to fit there... aside from a few even rarer GPUs and noone-needs-'em-on-desktop NICs.

Alfaunits: Yes you can and it works fine ;)

Got a raid controller in one here at work.

Also for the PCIe issue, its either bull or undercutting. Because GFX cards would fail too since PCIe is PCIe. There is not 2 types or anything.

So either all fail, or none fails.

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Originally Posted by Shintai

Alfaunits: Yes you can and it works fine ;)

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If you mean non-GPU in first slot, I was not clear: non-GPU in the first slot AND GPU in second slot - that won't work on Intel systems, even server chipsets (that I know of). Never gave me issues on other chipstes.

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Also for the PCIe issue, its either bull or undercutting. Because GFX cards would fail too since PCIe is PCIe. There is not 2 types or anything.
So either all fail, or none fails.

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What did you say here, I know I am sleepy, but I didn't get it ;)

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Originally Posted by Shintai

Also for the PCIe issue, its either bull or undercutting. Because GFX cards would fail too since PCIe is PCIe. There is not 2 types or anything.

So either all fail, or none fails.

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Errr no, it's not true at all.