** OFFICIAL ** Intel DX38BT & DX48BT2 BoneTrail Thread

[hstuehmeyer2000]

keep that hw-pron coming!

already ordered the cheapest ddr3 i could find (g.skill F3-8500CL7D) and waiting for the board to get in stock over here.

that was a mistake

[gtj]

Well, at this point what it looks like is I can't overclock the CPU or memory. Tried overclocking the FSB just a little bit and it bounces right back to default. Maybe this board is hosed ? It must have something to do with the watchdog feature. I think I am going to throw in the towel on this one until Intel get's a better bios out. Funny thing is, the latest bios was supposed to fix a ton of related issues, and intel is usually pretty good about that. If that OCZ is 1333 by SPD, I may take a stab at it - why not, I got about $900 of memory sitting in front of me now, what's another $500.

Don't throw in the towel just yet. My OCZs are rated 1600 9-9-9-24 but the SPD says 1333 7-7-7-20.

Have you done all the usual things? Boot to maintenance mode, turned off the watchdog, reset bios settings, removed the battery, etc?

[gtj]

my board as soon as they get stock on internal intel website.

I thew together a quick edit of FCG's CAS latency window optimizer spreadsheet that has the strap/memory frequencies worked out for the bonetrial for everyone to use.

check out FCG's thread here

Hey, I missed this Monday. Thanks for posting the spreadsheet. I guess I have to read FCG's article to see what it means.

[Jasonx82]

does the DX38BT support 1600FSB like asus's x38 lineup?

[Randy]

Don't throw in the towel just yet. My OCZs are rated 1600 9-9-9-24 but the SPD says 1333 7-7-7-20.

Have you done all the usual things? Boot to maintenance mode, turned off the watchdog, reset bios settings, removed the battery, etc?

Tried everything at least twice. Can you adjust your mem voltage, or OC your memory at all ?

See, the problem is that the 1333 is not programmed in SPD on my memory, and I think that is what this bios is stuck at. I even try to underclock it to 800mhz, and it will bounce back to the 1066 by SPD settings.

[Randy]

Downloaded the new CPU-Z and it reports the memory is at 1333 ? Even the bios and Everest report it @ 1066. I wonder if CPUZ and Everest draw the info from different areas.

[gtj]

OK, I did some playing around and I think it's a BIOS bug. I can't boot at all with the memory running above the SPD setting and when I set it below the SPD setting, it still reports the SPD setting. I'll goof more with it later today.

[huussi]

that was a mistake

Yeah, after searching further, it certainly seems so

[Blauhung]

Hey, I missed this Monday. Thanks for posting the spreadsheet. I guess I have to read FCG's article to see what it means.

it's basically a quick way to normalize performance points at looser cas but higher speed for memory.

[Randy]

OK, I did some playing around and I think it's a BIOS bug. I can't boot at all with the memory running above the SPD setting and when I set it below the SPD setting, it still reports the SPD setting. I'll goof more with it later today.

Any updates ? What model OCZ are you using ?

[gtj]

I played with the memory settings yesterday evening after a long nap.

First, don't trust the BIOS main screen memory frequency display. It's only occasionally correct.

With the OCZ Platinum DDR3-14400, here's what combinations worked for me with all other settings at stock...

333/800
333/1066
333/1333
400/800
400/1066

No other reference/memory frequency settings worked (hung POST or 3 beeps) even thought they were well within the capability of the memory.

Since the best setting is 333/1333 at stock FSB, I then started raising the FSB to see what happens. Right now, I'm at 378MHz FSB with a DDR3-1511 and having no problems. So I believe the problem is not that the board can't handle the speed but the BIOS just won't let you manipulate the settings correctly.

Randy: Try my working settings and see what you get. When you try each one, go into the Everest Cache and Memory Benchmark and run a test. Keep track of the results and see what changes. Try raising the FSB as well and see if you're stable. Also create a forum signature that has your system components in it. It'll help.

[Randy]

Also create a forum signature that has your system components in it. It'll help.

Hmmm....

I have one created but it doesn't show up even though it enabled ?

[Randy]

Ok,
seems to be working here:

333/1333


345/1333


360/1333



Sorry,
I"m kind of a woos, just don't want to hose up this array ! Am I safe or How far should I try to push this ?

Everything @ 1.70V for these benches.

[gtj]

I was able to push to a 378 FSB without any voltage changes but your memory might not take it with the memory freq set to 1333. You have to decide what tradeoffs are acceptable but I'd try going up to a 378 FSB and lowering your memory frequency to 1066. This will put you at 3.4GHz for a processor speed but a slightly underclocked memory speed of 1210MHz.

If you're worried about your array, burn a Memtest86+ CD and use that to do an initial test of new settings.

I also created a version of the XBX2 memory calculator for the X38 so you can use that to see what happens to your memory at different FSB speeds.

[gtj]

Well, here's where I'm at this morning...

vCORE:  BIOS: 1.425   SENSOR: 1.37   Measured: 1.397
vMCH:   BIOS: 1.375   SENSOR: 1.33   Measured: 1.388
vFSB:   BIOS: 1.325
FSB:    434MHz        Processor: 3.902GHz

Reference/Memory Freq: 400/800
Timings: 7-7-7-20
vDIMM:  BIOS: 1.54  Measured: 1.542

8 Hours Orthos stable 

Very pleased with the FSB/Processor so far.
Still some work to go on the memory. At 400/800 it's running at half speed.

If I back the FSB back down to 423 (3.8GHz), I can run the memory at 333/1333 (DDR3-1692) and be perfectly stable.

[gtj]

I just popped the FSB up to 445 for a 4.0GHz processor speed and it started right up and is running Orthos now.

[k0la]

If only it supported SLI...

[Randy]

I just popped the FSB up to 445 for a 4.0GHz processor speed and it started right up and is running Orthos now.

....and me with my cowardly 360FSB......

[BLHealthy4life]

This board is so far the most horrible mobo that I have ever had the displeasure of working with.

The BIOS is more buggy than a termites nest. It wouldn't even POST my E4300. I put in a Quad and it wouldn't boot that without adjustments. Mobo would show that my CPU had no multiplier, memory display is off....I had problems right from the get-go.

Icannot flash the BIOS to a more recent version becuase there is no f*cking floppy drive AND I cannot get my OS to install (more below). I would have to create a bootable USB drive and that is a huge pain in the ass and that is the only other option that I have.

Now I cannot get my Intel RAID drivers to load in XP using my USB thubbdrive!!
It will sometimes read the thumbdrive to load the RAID drivers, but then again ask me again later to insert a diskette in drive A. If it doesn't at least do this, it will simply tell me that it cannot find a floppy drive....no , there isn't one...and yes i have USB devices set accordingly in the boot section of the BIOS.

BIOS boot setting keep changing for no damn reason and I have to keep making adjustments.

I've been f*cking with this board for HOURS and HOURS trying to get my damn RAID drivers to work so that I can install XP.

I hate this board so far.

[gtj]

Might I suggest doing a quick XP install with the controller set to IDE mode so you can flash the new BIOS?

[BLHealthy4life]

Might I suggest doing a quick XP install with the controller set to IDE mode so you can flash the new BIOS?

I disconnected one of my 80Gb Raptors and I'm trying to reinstall XP on a single drive now...for the second time.

Had major problems trying to get the mobo to boot to my CDROM after the first attempt to install XP failed...

I'm hoping to get to the XP desktop and flash the BIOS ASAP.

EDIT: 2nd BSOD while installing windows...this time it was with a E4300 instead of my Q6600, which was used on the previous attempt.

This mobo has to be defective...no good working board should give someone this many problems....

[gtj]

There IS a bug in the BIOS where the boot order isn't honored in the "normal" mode. If you switch to the "Advanced" view on the boot screen you can set the proper boot order.

[BLHealthy4life]

There IS a bug in the BIOS where the boot order isn't honored in the "normal" mode. If you switch to the "Advanced" view on the boot screen you can set the proper boot order.

Hi.

Yeah I figured that out....

Advanced boot overrides the normal it seems...

I still have so many other problems with the board besides this that it's awful.

I literally spent 8 hours just trying to get RAID drivers to load and XP on RAID, and when that didn't work, trying to XP on a single drive.

I know my hardware is good, except for the mobo. Everything was moved over from another build and put on this board, now I can't use any of the parts.

If I cannot return the board, i'm going to sell it and advertise the board as very unstable at best...though I've had the board since the 19, Sunday was the first day it had a CPU installed.

Looks like i'm going back to Asus...

BL

[Randy]

Hi.

Yeah I figured that out....

Advanced boot overrides the normal it seems...

I still have so many other problems with the board besides this that it's awful.

I literally spent 8 hours just trying to get RAID drivers to load and XP on RAID, and when that didn't work, trying to XP on a single drive.

I know my hardware is good, except for the mobo. Everything was moved over from another build and put on this board, now I can't use any of the parts.

If I cannot return the board, i'm going to sell it and advertise the board as very unstable at best...though I've had the board since the 19, Sunday was the first day it had a CPU installed.

Looks like i'm going back to Asus...

BL

What is he BSOD you get installing XP ?

[huussi]

So.. my board arrived. Just waiting for the DDR3 now... meh...