BR problems for some of you?

[dragonz1r]

Howdy all, been some time since I last came here.

After reading about the "new" BIOS, I do not understand what the need for it was?

P08 or G25 it matters not. P08 is more stable, but both will work.

I am running at 1905 mhz (fsb) and 14/28 for the past several mos. w/o a single glitch with a 920 direct from intel replacement (my first cpu had a bad mem. controller). I have had the system to 2100mhz, but I found no need for this amount of speed. I have all voltages set to just before redline, and the usual preferd settings as well.

Perhaps it's your CPU memory combination, or perhaps it's the PSU that limits your particular FSB, I do not know for sure, but what I have found, is that when in SLI mode (2- 285 GTX extreams) you need very stable power- even with one card they are demanding. i7 is picky about memory and the power it receives.

I think many of you have one or two things, perhaps both going on, but I am not sure:

PSU issues and/or Memory issues (most likely cause)

I went thru 5 different memory module types and 3 PSU's before I was satisfied.

Antec 1000 watt PSU and Gskill Perfect Storm Memory kit.

And I dont use the fan cooler the memory came with- totally stable for well over 4 mos. 4GHz is pleanty fast for me- perhaps I should update my sig?

It works- Thats all I can say.

edited for spelling- sorry.

[Utnorris]

I haven't had any problems with the new board. I did have a few issues with my old board, but I pretty sure it was a memory issue. I have no problem running 4.2Ghz 24/7 at just 1.26v vcore and VTT at 1.24v with everything else on auto. No need to push the voltage. I think most of the problems you hear about are coming from very few people. You can check out the BR thread over on overclock.net and there is a lot more people there with very few issues.

[r1ch]

I haven't had any problems with the new board. I did have a few issues with my old board, but I pretty sure it was a memory issue. I have no problem running 4.2Ghz 24/7 at just 1.26v vcore and VTT at 1.24v with everything else on auto. No need to push the voltage. I think most of the problems you hear about are coming from very few people. You can check out the BR thread over on overclock.net and there is a lot more people there with very few issues.

[PiLsY]

I wouldn't say I have any issues beyond trying to get 24/7 stable at the absolute limit.

200bclk is a breeze and requires little voltage extra. Above that and things get harder quicker in terms of 24/7 stability, especially if you're trying to use 10x mem and/or a c0 at high clock speed. Things seem to be on average a little easier with d0 cpus. Elpida hyper helps with bclk at lower volts too.

Too many variables really. Its hard work tweaking out the limit but pretty easy to get close to it.

[saaya]

yeah theres nothing major...
there are at least two threads where people collected bugs n issues they have.
i think the only problems are raid card compatibility with bioses after p05 or p04, and people seem to have problems with psu and mem compatibility like you... people keep complaining about vcore fluctuating as well which isnt perfect but really not an issue id say... thats about it... besides that there are tweaking options missing... but yeah, there arent any major issues with the latest bios id say... its still sad that there arent more regular bios releases though to adress those minor issues and add more tweaking features...

[dragonz1r]

hello again,

well I was just reading thru the latest and saw several complaints. They very much reminded me of some of my troubles when I began with i7, it is a very picky set up with concern to power stability, and esp. memory.

I have had this set up to 4.56 ghz on air and booted fine but after 2 hrs of hard gaming, she would lock up, I found that this was a two fold issue, first off- heat, secondly, power stability- the PSU actually heats to the point the efficientcy drops below 75%. When this happens all sorts of wierdness begins to happen, sadly I have yet to find a PSU above 1000 watts that is stable at above 65c temps, therefore my issue becomes one of system cooling for my given set up parameters.

Pretty staight forward, performance creates heat and heat kills performance if not controlled. And given that my system is air cooled I am limited by my enviroment, and since I am a human being and require 68-74f (average) to be comfortable, my system pays the price via heat killing performance that I know is there, yet isn't because of my required enviroment.

The company that invents a self-contained nitrogen chiller, at a resaonable cost, that creates no humidity (or controlled humidity) that will not damage system components will quickly become millionares.

Maybe this winter I will pour some aluminium/copper and experiment.

[dragonz1r]

BTW, utnorris, you can never have to much "pure" energy i.e "ampreage", this also allows for better system cooling, for a few obvious reasons. Hence why many people "over buy" for their PSU needs- at least I do.

Twin 285's on this system run fine with a quality 850 watt PSU.

Therefore, running ANY system to "redline" should not cause ANY problems - short or long term, provided the power is stable and CLEAN.

Heat creates dirty power, and dirty power, when it's ac converted to dc, can be a very bad thing. Rectifiers do not do well with heat.

Hmmmm, an all tube PSU?

[Utnorris]

But you can have too much vcore which can shorten the life of the cpu and also create unneeded heat. I don't push the voltage for one simple reason, what is 4.6Ghz going to get me that 4.2Ghz cannot? Other than benching I cannot think of a single thing.

[saaya]

well if you do video encoding, ripping... or your into f@h or other dc stuff... but yeah, thats more workstation stuff...
for a desktop system 4.2g is more than enough, even with several vgas...

[lesstutrey]

i'm just wondering how you manage to get that PSU so dang hot, that's like.. absurd temps.

[saaya]

is it? with 30C ambient 65C isnt far off, and if your on a heavy loaded system im not surprised a psu can get that hot...
most psus dont have a temp monitor so nobody knows how hot they get internally
im surprised he knows the temp his psu reaches, i guess hes into ee and possibly psu engineering

[lesstutrey]

is it? with 30C ambient 65C isnt far off, and if your on a heavy loaded system im not surprised a psu can get that hot...
most psus dont have a temp monitor so nobody knows how hot they get internally
im surprised he knows the temp his psu reaches, i guess hes into ee and possibly psu engineering

well, my PSU (HX1000) has a temp probe in it, for the fan, when it gets too warm the fan speeds up. I am a psu nut myself (as well as fans, i love fans), and have a mild EE background (i am a "maintenance mechtrician", means i fix industrial machinery, or at least used to). Running 1 4850x2 paired with either a 4870x2 or a 4850 and a qx9650 @ 1.7v 5ghz+ it hasn't even turned up the fan. Granted it's not i7 and it doesn't act as an exhaust fan in anyway. However i'm not much of a fan of antec trupower quatros of any variety. Enhance did a horrible job as OEM, and cut every corner they could, that's why it's such a cheap 1000w PSU. They have bad cooling systems, sorry 1 80mm fan don't cut it when it has almost no place to intake air, and it's really a terrible design, You might be able to get by with an 80mm if you put SOME FORM of vents on it, and it was more like a 750w psu. Caps do not have very long lives at that temp (65c), even solid state name brand polymer ones, which that antec does not have any of. I say ditch the antec and get something decent. PSU is so overlooked by many, and it can cost you your whole system when they fry.

[saaya]

hmmm really a shame... antec was the best brand for psus a couple of years back... :/
it seems like every psu maker goes through the same cycle, sucess -> cut down psus to make even more money -> fade away or dissapear from the market...

[CobraXP]

hmmm really a shame... antec was the best brand for psus a couple of years back... :/
it seems like every psu maker goes through the same cycle, sucess -> cut down psus to make even more money -> fade away or dissapear from the market...

seems to be the nature of the psu market

[lesstutrey]

my rule of thumb with psu's is just to make sure it's got a good OEM.. most of the companies that come in and do good and then fade away switched oems and go to crap. Sorry for thread jacking, just think you might consider giving a PCP&C 750w a try, at around $100 they are hard to beat, and definitely have more capacity than they are rated for, you just get a little drop in efficiency. For the same price the tx750 by corsair is also killer... for 1000w i think the best bargain out there is the corsair hx1000, and not just because i own one. Channel Well Tech. made the thing a beast and put name brand solid state caps in places that hardly even need it, but can you complain about having nice caps, also it's two rail system is actually kinda nice to balance loads nice and even. Of course spend a bit more and get something with one big rail and you don't need to do that, but you might have to worry about a 80+ amp short..