[18th Anniversary] Asus Black Pearl - P5k-Premium Testing Report

[TI66ER]

I think you're right,its for p5q,oops musta been half asleep or summat.

[Kilyin]

Anyone want to share BIOS settings for E8500 (or E8400) for this board? I'm having some stability issues that I didn't have with my 65nm CPU.

Thanks.

[Kilyin]

bump..

setting NB GTL to auto seemed to help.

[roger_h99.nor]

Hi there.
I run my E3110 @ 4.2 Ghz (467 x 9) with everything except Vcore on AUTO on this board. Only 2 sticks of ram though.

Any instability below this FSB should be due to Vcore - nothing else (If your memory divider is set right).

Think this board can do FSB above 500 on AUTO.

Regards.

[Kilyin]

The thing with leaving everything on auto is, I have no way to know what settings the board will choose.. unless you know?

And could you clarify the statement "if your divider is set right"? I use two sticks as well and I'm positive the memory isn't holding me back. I can run it up to 1200 DDR2 speeds, it's the CPU that likes to flake out. For example Vista x64 seems to expose flaws moreso than XP 32 bit. Vista will give me MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION BSOD on bootup a lot if my CPU is unstable, whereas XP will boot up fine and even run Orthos.

[roger_h99.nor]

If your memory can do 600 FBS - you wont have any worries in that apartment.

My point in my earlier post was that you probably find the limit of your cpu leaving most of the bios setting on auto. Once this is established feel free to play with vtt, nb, cpu pll etc.

[powellandy]

Hi

I have the following system:

Intel Core 2 Quad 9300 with Arctic Cooler Freezer 7 Pro
Asus P5K Premium (BIOS 0612) with stock cooling
2x2GB Corsair Dominator PC2-8500 DDR2 RAM with Dominator fan
Antec P182 case with 4xNoctua P12 fans

Current BIOS settings

FSB 440
Strap 333
(RAM effective 1057)
RAM 5-5-5-15 (subtimings on auto -3-52-6-3-3 I think) and 2N
Static disabled
Trans booster on enabled 3 (gived tRD of 6)

Volts - Core 1.2750 (with LLC enabled - gives 1.26 measured in Everest), FSB term 1.1, NB 1.25, SB 1.05, overcharge 0.7, PLL 1.5, DRAM 2.2, CPU GTL 0.61, NB GTL 0.67.
Both spectrums disabled.

System stable with OCCT RAM for 10h and Prime95 small FFT for 4h.

However when I try for 445 I have to increase NB to 1.55 (have tried inc FSB term instead but not stable), even if drop down RAM speed/relaxing timings or trans booster.

I note that some can get all the way to 475+ with NB at 1.25 so my questions are:

1) Is 1.55 NB safe with stock cooling in case as above (sys temp when stressing is about 45, thermistor from voltmeter on NB heatsink reads 49).
2) Is there anything else to tinker with to hit 450 (or higher) without increasing NB voltage.

Cheers,
Andy

[pmp]

ASUS P5K Premium BIOS build 0702

E0/R0 Wolfdale/Yorkfield stepping uCode's + uTune added
RAM modules interoperability improved
minor changes

[powellandy]

ASUS P5K Premium BIOS build 0702

E0/R0 Wolfdale/Yorkfield stepping uCode's + uTune added
RAM modules interoperability improved
minor changes

Can't find this on the Asus website or FTP. Is it beta??

Andy

[w2richwood]

think that p5k3 premium bios not p5k premium ftp://ftp.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/socket775
Rich

[fearun]

It's P5K Premium not P5K3 Premium.I flashed it.There are new options in the bios CPU Skew and NB Skew.

[w2richwood]

has anyone else tryed this bios out yet ?
Rich

[powellandy]

Hi

Have tried. Still have OC failure at boot (same as jonny_ftm describes earlier) despite system being stable for hours with Prime95/OCCT. Have new BIOS skew options - tried changing from auto to CPU -300 / NB -100 and system became wouldn't post - so put back to auto until someone figures out whats good.

No other real difference noted.

Regards,
Andy

[Kilyin]

Is that BIOS official?

[jonny_ftm]

Hi

Have tried. Still have OC failure at boot (same as jonny_ftm describes earlier) despite system being stable for hours with Prime95/OCCT. Have new BIOS skew options - tried changing from auto to CPU -300 / NB -100 and system became wouldn't post - so put back to auto until someone figures out whats good.

No other real difference noted.

Regards,
Andy

In my case, it was sorted by adjusting NB et RAM voltages. I no longer have those issues now.

Interestingly, I found a way to trigger that boot hang up when my OC is unstable. If I decrease NB or RAM volts, when I try to enter the bios, it hangs up, a reset is needed, than I can boot without even an OC error message sometimes. As soon as I adjust NB and RAM voltages, I'm again rock stable at boot/bios load.

Guess, every system has its specifics The most important to consider, is that it's hard to 100% be sure ofan OC, it needs time...

[powellandy]

In my case, it was sorted by adjusting NB et RAM voltages. I no longer have those issues now.

Interestingly, I found a way to trigger that boot hang up when my OC is unstable. If I decrease NB or RAM volts, when I try to enter the bios, it hangs up, a reset is needed, than I can boot without even an OC error message sometimes. As soon as I adjust NB and RAM voltages, I'm again rock stable at boot/bios load.

Guess, every system has its specifics The most important to consider, is that it's hard to 100% be sure ofan OC, it needs time...

Thanks. The only way I got mine stabe (despite inc NB volts and DRAM volts) was to change strap to 333 and hence DRAM speed from 1103 to 1057 - memory rated at 1066. Seems to be OK now on specs about 5 posts above.

I am interested in your thoughts on NB voltage. I can get to 440 FSB with 1.4 but any higher needs 1.55. I notice you get 475 at 1.25 but use aftermarket coolers - is there any voltage you would tweak to allow 450+ at 1.4 (I have tried most with no success).

Cheers
Andy

[TI66ER]

My E6750 does 450fsb @ 1.41vcore which is 3.6ghz.I am running it at 400 fsb(3.2ghz) at 1.35vcore atm.Temps are good at that.

I am thinking of getting a asus p5q-e soon though.

[jonny_ftm]

Thanks. The only way I got mine stabe (despite inc NB volts and DRAM volts) was to change strap to 333 and hence DRAM speed from 1103 to 1057 - memory rated at 1066. Seems to be OK now on specs about 5 posts above.

I am interested in your thoughts on NB voltage. I can get to 440 FSB with 1.4 but any higher needs 1.55. I notice you get 475 at 1.25 but use aftermarket coolers - is there any voltage you would tweak to allow 450+ at 1.4 (I have tried most with no success).

Cheers
Andy

If I believe most what was said here and some other forums about the P5K, most boards will do +450 on lowest or 1.40v for the NB. Many others will need much more. Could depend on your particular setup (memory speed/timings, number of modules...) or the just the NB batch. Remember, the NB is like a CPU, some batches do overclock well, some others not. There are also often hidden revisions of the NB chipsets that intel often hides claiming them: minor or not to be considered bugs. The P965 was a an example...

Finally, motherboard manufactures often make hidden PCB revisions enhancing the overclock or fixing the bugs. The P5K premium is another good example with the SATA bug

Manufactures no longer note the boards/chips revisions just to be able to sell all their old stocks.

[coolldh]

http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n...h/3ef6aaa5.jpg
set CPU skew and NB skew AUTO,you'll increase CPU FSB without too much voltage

[coolldh]

0612 Bios setting: 533*7.5 NB 1.70V CPU 1.40V
0702 Bios setting: 533*7.5 NB 1.25V CPU 1.28V
Thank you,ASUS!! my E8200's tempture lower from 70C+ to 60-!!!

[jonny_ftm]

0612 Bios setting: 533*7.5 NB 1.70V CPU 1.40V
0702 Bios setting: 533*7.5 NB 1.25V CPU 1.28V
Thank you,ASUS!! my E8200's tempture lower from 70C+ to 60-!!!

My god, seems they messed with every thing or you're missing it all...
How can you believe such a change? The NB, maybe, but the CPU change is a no no. Going from 1.4 vcore to 1.28 vcore for same OC has two explanations:

- you don't know what you are doing (LLC, stability testings...)
- they now overvolt everything like they often did

About the temperature readings, if these are CPU reading and not coretemp readings, than it is ASUS as we know it: 10°c difference whith every bios change

I'm waiting before I upgrade. I can't believe your comparision results

[powellandy]

Certainly nothing that spectacular here. Stable at 443MHz with all volts on default other than CPU 1.2875 (for Q9300) and NB 1.4.

No real change in Everest benchmarks either.

Cheers,
Andy

[diablos]

Hi guys,
what is the max fsb at air with this mb?
and with which PL?

thanks

[coolldh]

I know what i am doing.Just test and share with everyone.
Now my newest test result.


http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n...h/Capture1.jpg

http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n...apture_2-1.jpg

I can boot 6*600,but lock at windows

[coolldh]

Maybe i should replace the stock NB cooler with HR-05 IFX to boot into windows