The OFFICIAL Asus AV8 tips, tricks and guide thread

[Raptor]

Asus A8V via k8t800pro


(pic is a rev2.0 board)

overclocking options
Bus Speed: 200-300mhz in 1mhz steps
Bus Multiplier: 1x-5x
CPU Multiplier: 4x-20x
AGP speed: default, 66/33, 75/37 locks dont work on most rev1.xx boards!

overvolting options
Vcore: 0.8-1.80 in 0.025v steps
Vdimm: 2.50-2.80 in 0.1v steps
Vagp: 1.60, 1.70
Vlink: 2.5, 2.6

periphals and features
IDE: 3 ATA 133 slots (2 VIA and 1 Promise 20378)
IDE raid: 0,1,0+1,JBOD
SATA: 4 SATA 150 slots (2 VIA VT8237 and 2 Promise 20378)
SATA raid: 0,1,0+1,JBOD
sata+ide drives in raid: no
Firewire: 2 IEEE 1394A ports
LAN: Marvell 88E8001 gigabit ethernet
Sound: realtec ALC850 8 channel

links
mainboard homepage: A8V Deluxe
forum discussion: The OFFICIAL Asus AV8 tips, tricks and guide thread
review #1: Anandtech revision 2.0 review!
review #2: Hexus.net revision 1.0 review!
review #3: Hardwareluxx (german) revision 1.0 review!
vmod #1: vcore
vmod #2: vdimm
vmod #3: vht missing
vmod #4: vdd


pros
locks are working on all rev2.xx boards
stable and high vcore up to 1.85v
good pcb layout
runs great with bh5
runs great with ocz eb
runs great with tccd
2x Memory Interleaving?
tracks vtt, ocz booster works up to ~3v

cons
locks not working on most rev1.xx boards!
generally starts topping out in the 250's htt (bios 1005.021 beta for rev 1.02)
OVP on VDimm at ~3.15v with a vdimm mod and ~3v with an ocz ddr booster

cpu temperature reading not working correctly


TIPS
TIP: you have to disable cool n quiet when ocing
TIP: disable fast writes
TIP: if you have problems to boot or get your system stable at very low cpu temps try the beta bios 1009.002 or a newer bios version
TIP: bios 1008 might cause prime95 instability, get the latest bios
TIP: you need bios 1007.xx or later to get a winchester 90nm cpu working on this board
TIP: if you have a winchester and your current bios doesnt support it use 1 stick of ram (in slot B1)
then boot from a floppy and flash to 1007 or newer:
1. power down your system
2. Reset cmos
3. boot from a bootable floppy
4. use another floppy with the new bios and the AFUdos.exe program on it
5. type at the A prompt: afudos.exe /ia8v1007.ami
TIP: 1007 seems to give some people problems with the agp/pci locks, use 1008.002 or later
TIP: thermaltake xp120 and corsair xl pro wont fit on this board
TIP: use the promise ide controller when ocing, the via controller is rumored to get unstable when ocing (not locked?)
if you are using the via controller already and want to switch to the promise controller follow this short guide:
1. Copy the PROMISE SATA drivers to a floppy.
2. Turn off your computer and switch your HDD to the PROMISE controller
3. Turn on goto the BIOS ; Advanced > OnBoard Devices Configuration > Onboard Promise Controller [Enabled] > Operating Mode [IDE]
4. In the BIOSchange Boot priority to CD and exit BIOS
5. Pop in your XP CD and press F6 (look carefully for the message at the bottom of the screen)
6. Pop in your Floppy and let XP copy the PROMISE Drivers.
7. Exit install when asked for.
If the above method doesn't work, follow the same steps only let XP repair the existing installation. You should not lose any data.
TIP: you need a fan connected to the cpu fan slot
TIP: if your having stability problems unplug low speed fans, low rpms are rumored to make the board unstable
TIP: if your board has no working locks try to enable them with a hacked bios, works for some boards
TIP: if you have problems booting with one stick try it in slot3 (counting away from the cpu socket)
TIP: 1007 seems to give some people problems with the agp/pci locks, use 1008.002 or later
TIP: bios 1009 beta seems to have coldboot and stability issues above 240fsb (no lock?)





check out the ultimate 939 mobo guide here for informations, bugfixes and tips for all 939 mainboards


EDIT:
-saaya

[StormPC]

Beta BIOS 1005.021 has the locks working too. the newer ones dont have the locks for 1.02 and 1.01 boards


Try DDR in 2 and 4 and the booster in 3. Make sure the 4 pin connectors are plugged in properly to power and to the booster.

[Raptor]

I tried both 1005.021 and 1005.020 and i liked them both.

I was just wondering if Asus had realeased any oficial or beta bios with PCI-Lock already... guess not

As for the Booster, i'll try in a minute!


Thanks for the repply!

[Raptor]

Both in Slot1 and Slot3, if i pass 2.8v, the system simply refuses to boot!!!

[Mongoose420]

with the 1003 bios that shipped with my board i could run 220mhz htt easy enough 1:1 with my bh-5. With both the 1005.020 and the 1005.021 did over 270htt and 250htt 1:1 with my 3700EB.

Both beta bios and clockgen/setfsb can be found in my sig.

[iboomalot]

Originally posted by Raptor
Both in Slot1 and Slot3, if i pass 2.8v, the system simply refuses to boot!!!

ram in slot 1 & 3??

where is booster at??

Iam thinking about that thing if needed but want more info.


Raptor AMD Athlon64 3500+@2500MHz || Asus A8V Deluxe || XFX Geforce 6800 Ultra 256Mb (470/1250) || Watercooled (Prometeia Mach2 R404a beeing modded.)

what is that getting scores wise??

[Mongoose420]

most likely his rams in slot 2(dimm_a2) and 4(dimm_b2) like described in the manual. For some reason i got a yellow page that said it needed to be in slot 1(dimm_a1) and slot 3(dimm_b1) for dual channel contricting the manual. Havnt tried mine in slots other than 1&3 however so im not sure how it works there even without the booster.

Have you tried just one stick in slot 1 and the ddr booster in slot 3?

[iboomalot]

I know when putting together my a8v i put one stick in ram slot 1 and wouldn't boot. It had to be in slot 3. Seems like a very picky board where the ram goes.

let us know what combo works.

[xgman]

I couldn't get the booster past 2.88v in slot 1 . haven't tried slot 3 yet because it touches the ram cover in slot 2.

[xgman]

Originally posted by Raptor
Both in Slot1 and Slot3, if i pass 2.8v, the system simply refuses to boot!!!

I get the feeling that this board (1.02) has some sort of over voltage protection.

[xgman]

Originally posted by iboomalot
I know when putting together my a8v i put one stick in ram slot 1 and wouldn't boot. It had to be in slot 3. Seems like a very picky board where the ram goes.

let us know what combo works.

slot 2 & 4 runs dual channel fine.

[Raptor]

Originally posted by Mongoose420

Have you tried just one stick in slot 1 and the ddr booster in slot 3?

No, but what's the point of using this board without DualChannel... (i'll try it, don't worry).


Ohh, and by the way, what's the normal score in SisoftSandra Mem Buffered benchmark with default settings? I get 4800MB/s but a user with the exact same system gets 5400...

I get this with some A-Data PC4000 with terrible timings @270MHz FSB:

http://sapp.telepac.pt/raptor/270.jpg

[quicksilverXP]

Is your memory running 1T or 2T? You'll notice a huge performance loss if you're running 2T. On my FX-53 I lost 1000 points by running 2T, although I was able to overclock less..... it's a tradeoff I guess.... less memory bandwidth for more speed.

[Raptor]

God point... i'm using 2T Enable...

Edit: WOW... that's a huge performance hit! Thanks!

[Mongoose420]

yea, looks like your use'n 2T . I got like 59xx/59xx at 200x11 on my 3500+ 2-2-2-5.

[Hell-Fire]

I am aware there are several threads about this board and its mods, but I am in the process of consolidating the many threads into a single point of information.

I will be this to many threads it appears, as I continue to see the same questions asked over and over again on the same components. I aim to post as many threads about mods I work on, and consolidate the many other threads and basically condense them into the actual important information versus making members read thru vast numbers of pages looking for the answers they seek.

This is the mods I performed for pkrew on his A8V board. I did them a little different from the other mods I perform as he has graciously decided to send me some items that are going to be very useful to me. I have done the mods so that he has the option to go back to straight stock if he decides to do so versus only having the option of using the installed VRs.

Onto the mods.

A8V Vdimm Mod:

There are several different posted methods for this mod, and I have choosen the method that I would have done if this were my board. You remove R422 and replace it with either a 5k or 10k VR set to 2.135K-ohms (gets to stock voltages).

Note that you do not have to remove R422 to do this mod. I had previously removed it working a one of the other methods for this mod and decided to leave it off. All you need to do is solder a 50K VR to pin #6 of the Vreg chip and GND.

You can see that I set the mod up so that he can use a jumper to go to stock or run modded.




A8V Vcore Mod:

For this mod you remove R167 (near the Vreg), and replace it with a 100-200ohm VR set to 20 ohms.

You can see that I also included a method for him to go to stock using the jumper.




Before anyone asks the question about why bother adding the jumper to get back to stock when adjusting the VR will allow the same result....the reason is simple, it keeps the user from having to constantly adjust the VRs. Lets say that you get to a voltage that you like to play with, but from time to time you want to run stock plain and simple...then a simple jumper change and all is good.

Now, if anyone can check these FETs and point me to the one reading Vdd we can work on that. If I dont get a response by tomorrow, I will have to go ahead and ship this out to pkrew so he can get his toy back.

[pkrew]

Those are absolutely beautiful mods my friend. Thanks for a great job.

[Hell-Fire]

Incidently, this board does not require a Vtt mod as it tracks properly.

Tested up to 3.25v and Vtt was dead on 1.625v.

[pkrew]

Looks great, Hell-Fire, 3.25 vdimm, more than I expected

[Hell-Fire]

I dont know if the OVP built into the board will limit that or not bud. I ran it that high, and it was still climbing, without a cpu mounted. Some boards will power up with high Vdimm but not post.

[Hell-Fire]

I need someone with this board to check something for me please.

Possible Vdd Mod:



Here is a blown up location of the possible mod site:




pkrew, I went ahead with the mod, but please leave it unplugged until we can confirm that it works. Sometimes it sucks to work on these boards without a cpu to test it with. Just unplug the fan header that the VR is connected to and the mod is effectively off.

[Rukee]

..anyone figured out how to get it to work yet??
I`ve seen my chip run over 3GHz, but without the PCI\APG lock..
Is there a BIOS or anything that will do what we want??

[JNav89GT]

www.bleedinedge.com
bios 1005.021

[Rukee]

Sweet!!!
Thanks a ton man!! I`ve never been able to run this good 1:1.
Who says tight timing are what`s needed for bandwidth??
Check it out...with a 1gig kit OCZ PC3500EBs

[bh2k]

Wow, insane bandwidth!!