X58 Chipset B3 Stepping Changes

[Zorlac]

Found the changes for B3 here:

http://www.intel.com/Assets/PDF/specupdate/320839.pdf

If you have B2 and are curious what changed in B3, then it looks like the following were either fixed or do not apply to B3:

3319486, 3319733: DEVCON2[3:0] and CTOCTRL not accurately set the
completion timeout value.

3319609: Boot-dependent QPI CRC errors

3319688: Some Gen2 endpoints will not complete the training in Gen2 mode.

3319737: MIERRCNT does not properly count persistent SMBus retry failures
and MINNERRST doesn't log the errors (HEDT only)

3319811: EOI to the I/OxAPIC can be blocked

3319755: GTIME upper 32 bits can not be read or written.

3319791: Intel® QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) L0s and L1 Power Management
Link State Fails

3319795:PCI Express* 2.0 L0s Link Recovery Fails

3319874: IOH May Falsely Assert THERMTRIP_N Signal After a Reset Event

3319408: VT-d queue-based invalidation is enabled only when enabled on both
channels (WS only)

3319432: VTd does not support the draining of compatibility-format interrupts
(WS only)

3319452: Hardware applies HPA_LIMIT to upstream memory request when VTd
is disabled (WS only)

3319630: VT-d: Memory read request with AT=11 results in malformed TLP

3319532: VT-d: IOTLB Domain-page-selective invalidation not working
correctly.

3319847: The IOH Ignores Snoop Behavior Bit in VT-d Page Table.

3319819: VT-d reports an Invalidation Queue Error when the Queue size is 7
(HEDT only)

Now I want to know if/when the DX58SO desktop board will include this. The latest revision E29331-503 does not mention this new B3 X58.

[dinos22]

no idea what that means
i hope it reads "We have finally improved QPI overclocking try it out"

[Mav451]

no idea what that means
i hope it reads "We have finally improved QPI overclocking try it out"

Lol agreed. Just need to see some actual #'s from some users before I go i7.

[Anemone]

Need B3 stepping boards before I go I7

[Falkentyne]

Stepping changes ONLY ever have, or ever show, Errata/compatibility fixes, as that's the main focus for a stepping change.

They never mention "we improved silicon tolerance for higher overclocks and more robust handling under harsh stock conditions". But Yield increases have usually been a product--although not the documented reason, for a stepping change.

Except for that 12 year old FDIV bug, the only thing we care about is more overclockability. But that's not what Intel is focused on

[orangekiwii]

I hate to bring this back up... but does B3 bring any benefits to the average user?

Is there any proof you get higher OCs with it? I'm thinking of diving into i7 soon and would like to know whether some of the older boards are "bad" now.

[003]

When the hell are we gonna get some kind of confirmation that there are boards circulating with the B3 stepping??!

[ILikeCosmosS]

i waiting as well so i can upgrade to westmere later on

just wonder when this will be implanted on most boards

[bingo13]

Need B3 stepping boards before I go I7

Why??? There is no difference in clock rates between the two with the same CPU and BIOS. There are a couple of minor changes that a really good BIOS engineer could take advantage of but for 99.93% of us it will not make a difference.

[jcniest5]

The latest is almost the greatest if you can wait. Those that don't care can buy current technology. The two boats must not try to turn over the other boat. Just continue to row your boat and let the technology be enjoyed to the fullest.

[nge769]

When the hell are we gonna get some kind of confirmation that there are boards circulating with the B3 stepping??!

Figured id chime in , my P6T7 WS Supercomputer has it for sure

[WhiteFireDragon]

i hope B2 to B3 is as good as C0 to E0/D0. intel only mention a few subtle things on these stepping differences and nothing about how they clocked. after people OC'ed the E0 and D0, look how they turned out after many people go to play with them!

[ACE76]

Figured id chime in , my P6T7 WS Supercomputer has it for sure

I've been trying to choose between this board and the EVGA Classified but was leaning towards the EVGA for high BCLK...I have the P6T6 and if the P6T7 has the newer chip I might just get it instead...can you post a screenshot of CPU-Z showing the revision??

[nge769]

I've been trying to choose between this board and the EVGA Classified but was leaning towards the EVGA for high BCLK...I have the P6T6 and if the P6T7 has the newer chip I might just get it instead...can you post a screenshot of CPU-Z showing the revision??

Yeah im trying to resize it at 600x600 ..it wont upload

[ACE76]

You can link to external site too if you cant do it here

How do you like the mobo? Have you tried to OC it? If it can hit 240 bclk I'm getting it right away. give us your impressions of the board and bios, etc etc.

[jcniest5]

Figured id chime in , my P6T7 WS Supercomputer has it for sure

Did you use Diagnostic software to get the info or how do you know for sure yours has B3 chipset? If you use CPU-Z, go to the About tab, click on Validation and type in your email address. The next screen will contain a bunch of information.

On one of the lines, it will contain info like:

MB Brand : MSI
MB Model : Eclipse Plus (MS-7566)
NB : Intel X58 rev 12
SB : Intel 82801JR (ICH10R) rev 00

Here you will see the report as "NB : Intel X58 rev 12" for the current (old) chipset. The newer chipset should report different than the "Rev 12."

We want to know that information.

[bingo13]

The B3 stepping does not make a difference in clocking. Intel says it, the motherboard guys say it, and my own tests confirm it. What will make a potential difference is the maturity of the manufacturing process and new board/BIOS designs on the upcoming refresh products. However, at this point B2/B3 is a wash, said this two months ago, still holds true today.

[003]

Figured id chime in , my P6T7 WS Supercomputer has it for sure

How are you so sure? Are you just guessing? Please post a screenshot of Everest with the Chipset information displayed, like this:


Host images for free and with no registration at ImageShack Also it's a shame that the Asus P6T boards all suck

We need the B3 chipset on the likes of the RIIE and RIIG, and the DFI, Gigabyte and eVGA boards.

[nge769]

How are you so sure? Are you just guessing? Please post a screenshot of Everest with the Chipset information displayed, like this:


Host images for free and with no registration at ImageShack Also it's a shame that the Asus P6T boards all suck

We need the B3 chipset on the likes of the RIIE and RIIG, and the DFI, Gigabyte and eVGA boards.

[IMG][/IMG]

I'm getting conflicting reports here, sandra reports B3 but i just checked everest trail edition and it says B2, so the only true way to determine stepping is by visual inspection of top markings(SLGMX 901076)only.

[jcniest5]

The B3 stepping does not make a difference in clocking. Intel says it, the motherboard guys say it, and my own tests confirm it. What will make a potential difference is the maturity of the manufacturing process and new board/BIOS designs on the upcoming refresh products. However, at this point B2/B3 is a wash, said this two months ago, still holds true today.

You have a B3 board already? Show some screenshots please...

@NGE, can you use CPU-Z and get a Validation screenshot please...thanks.

[003]

I'm getting conflicting reports here, sandra reports B3 but i just checked everest trail edition and it says B2, so the only true way to determine stepping is by visual inspection of top markings(SLGMX 901076)only.

If you've popped the NB cooler and it says SLGMX, you indeed have the B3 stepping. Still I want to get a Rampage II Gene with a B3 X58... The P6T boards are garbage for overclocking (see my previous post).

[bingo13]

I am going to repeat this about every fifth post, but B3/B2 is a wash in performance.

[nge769]

I am going to repeat this about every fifth post, but B3/B2 is a wash in performance.

Probably true ,I'm just answering some posts ,either way I'm happy with my board so far

[jcniest5]

I am going to repeat this about every fifth post, but B3/B2 is a wash in performance.

If there are some fixes, than it's better than there were no fixes. Unless they introduce some no fixes in the fixes.

[Anemone]

How do you like the P6T7?