ASUS STRIKER 0802 bios update!!!

[GAR]

Anyone try this, i wanna make sure the vcore issue has been fixed before i update.............here is a download link


ftp://ftp.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/socke...ker%20Extreme/

[Lood007]

Taken from my post at another thread: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...3&postcount=61


Ok, I have done some prelim testing on the issue with vCore as it relates to BIOS revision.

Disclaimer: Testing only done in a manner that did NOT put my hardware at extreme risk of burning (I dont have *that* much money to burn)

I have been researching strap vs. vcore fixing that has been going on in Striker BIOS revisions.

I have tested 0402, 0505, 0701, and the new 0802.

BIOSes 0505, 0701, and 0802 suffer from vcore to strap fixing. Check it out:

I tested 3 strap 'zones' (FSB is QDR'ed).

1) Below 1333
2) From 1333 - 1600
3) Above 1600

In the BIOSes that exhibit strap to vcore fixing, typically:
Zone 1 exhibits no vcore fixing, but severe vdroop (setting 1.45 will result in 1.36-1.38 in reality)
Zone 2 exhibits a hard vcore lock at 1.40v, often dipping to 1.37v.
Zone 3 exhibits a hard vcore lock at 1.50v, ranging from 1.47 - 1.52v.


Now the great news.

BIOS 0802 FIXES vdroop issue BELOW FSB1333QDR Strap!

Tested the following BIOS settings:
1.35v in BIOS = 1.34 at load
1.40v in BIOS = 1.40 at load
1.45v in BIOS = 1.44v at load
1.50v in BIOS = 1.51v at load

I am still researching this, and I am going by BIOS and Probe readouts, not from a DMM, but so far the voltage seems consistent with the temps I am getting.

So, in summary,

0402 does not suffer from vcore to strap fix, but only severe droopage
0505 suffers from vcore to strap fix in Zone 2 and 3 and droop in Zone 1
0701 suffers from vcore to strap fix in Zone 2 and 3 and droop in Zone 1
0802 suffers ONLY from vcore to strap fix in Zone 2 and 3. Zone 1 is spot-on.

Hope this helps in your endeavors.

[Khaotic]

I tried to update to the 0802 BIOS that was on the Asus FTP and it bricked the board.
When the board gets to the DETC DRAM on the LCD, there is a little CLICK and the system resets itself. I've tried 3 different sticks of RAM and they all do the same thing. even tried single sticks.

I believe it was teh BIOS flash that did it. considering, right after rebooting AFTER doing the BIOS flash - thats when it started.

I just tried hot flashing the BIOS from the Striker in a P5W DH board. The flash utility won't do it becuase the boot's don't match or part numbers don't match. Depending on whether I use AFUDOS or AWDFLASH from Asus.


Does anyone have any Award flash utilities that won't do any of these hot swapping checks?
If so PLEASE PM me.

In the mean time, I'll call Asus Tech support and proceed to go nowhere with them.
But at least I know that going into it.

[GAR]

dang, good thing i havnt updated yet...............anyone else try this out yet???

[Lood007]

Yea, it worked fine for me.
Flashed via ASUS update utility in WinXP.

[JarOfClay]

Nope, I wanna hear more success stories before potentially getting my unit in for RMA. It's gonna be a real hassle for RMA for me here in Malaysia.

[GAR]

yeah same here.

[Drag]

thanks, very usefull information

[Khaotic]

Mine was flashed with the Windows XP ASUS UPDATE tool to.

I've not even started talking with Asus Support yet. My goal is to buy another BIOS chip or two. Then I can hot flash my old one.

[Phil The Greek]

I tried to update to the 0802 BIOS that was on the Asus FTP and it bricked the board.
When the board gets to the DETC DRAM on the LCD, there is a little CLICK and the system resets itself. I've tried 3 different sticks of RAM and they all do the same thing. even tried single sticks.

I believe it was teh BIOS flash that did it. considering, right after rebooting AFTER doing the BIOS flash - thats when it started.

I just tried hot flashing the BIOS from the Striker in a P5W DH board. The flash utility won't do it becuase the boot's don't match or part numbers don't match. Depending on whether I use AFUDOS or AWDFLASH from Asus.


Does anyone have any Award flash utilities that won't do any of these hot swapping checks?
If so PLEASE PM me.

In the mean time, I'll call Asus Tech support and proceed to go nowhere with them.
But at least I know that going into it.

It has been told before but did you try to leave the motherboard without batery and power for an hour or more?
I had the same symptoms when updated to 505 bios.Did it and everything went just fine after doing that.

[Khaotic]

THANKS PHIL!
That worked like a champ.

In my desperation (read complete and utter disgust and anger) I overlooked that little trick. With a day to get over it, and moving that machine to the work bench and off of my main desk - I did it.
The machine posts now and the EZ Flash routine shows BIOS 0802 installed.

THANKS AGAIN.

[Lood007]

has anyone else verified my findings pertaining to vcore fixing on 0802?

[GAR]

i run my fsb at 1600 so i think i would have the vcore issue, so far im sticking with 0402 for now, intill i get confirmation that vcore issue is fixed around the board.

[Lood007]

Yea, at FSB 1600, vcore is strap-locked to 1.40v

[Khaotic]

Ok, so to much may have been changed at one time.
But, once the system was back up and running wth the new BIOS, I also applied nVidia's 8800GTX driver 97.92

there is now NO MORE cracking/popping in sound while SLI is enabled. also, 3D Mark 05 performance seems to have been hammered out a little bit. Still only getting 20,000 with a C2D OC to 3.2

But i'm happy. System is BACK up, SLI is working without crap sound, I'm free to just USE my machine again.

BTW: BIOS CHIPS are $20 from Asus.
Google helpdesk.asus

[GAR]

OK, so i decided to flash to the new bios and see what it did for me, here are my findings with 1600fsb

1.6315 = 1.42v 1.41v load
1.6500 = 1.44v 1.41v load

as you raise the vcore it goes higher, so i will keep this bios, since the vcore issue for me has been fixed, finally a decent bios.

here is a SS

[Lood007]

I still dont think that the voltage difference you are seeing is anything more than voltage variation. Set your vcore in BIOS to 1.30v and it will still be right at 1.40 when measured.

0802 still has the strap to vcore locks above 1333 FSB

[Phil The Greek]

THANKS PHIL!
That worked like a champ.

In my desperation (read complete and utter disgust and anger) I overlooked that little trick. With a day to get over it, and moving that machine to the work bench and off of my main desk - I did it.
The machine posts now and the EZ Flash routine shows BIOS 0802 installed.

THANKS AGAIN.

You are welcome

[GAR]

I still dont think that the voltage difference you are seeing is anything more than voltage variation. Set your vcore in BIOS to 1.30v and it will still be right at 1.40 when measured.

0802 still has the strap to vcore locks above 1333 FSB

You might be right, i havnt tried it that low yet. Also temps are a bit higher with the new bios....compared to 0402.

[GAR]

well......been using this for a couple of days now, and stable and good so far, a keeper for now.

[Khaotic]

It's listed as a BETA and has a list of fixes

Striker Extreme beta BIOS 0802
1. Enhance memory compatibility
2. Fixed power Fan can't work after S3.
3. Set DDR2 Termination Max default Votlage to 1.25V (Memory Voltage is 2.5V)
4. Add patch to support Creative X-FI sound Card
5. Speed up S3 resume time.
6. Change CopyRight year from 2006 to 2007.
7. Fixed memory clock mode option may disappear when SLI ready memory is used.




#4 is of particular insterest to me. All I can say is whew. I was starting to get worried Asus would not address this. Since recovering from the UGLY bios flash, I have noticed no sound CRAP while playing around in SLI.
All I can hope is that the flash to the final revision of whatever this BIOS matures into - goes SMOOOOOOTH

[jonbass]

I have been using BIOS 0802 for a couple of days now and everything seems to be working fine, I used 0701 before and must say that 0802 feels a lot more stable.

And like others already said the voltage on 0801 is more right on, when raising the voltage to 1.5 I get about 1.47v, which is a big improvement from 0701.
To get 1.47v with 0701 I had to raise the voltage to 1.55 in the BIOS.

I flashed BIOS with a floppy using EZ-Flash and there were no problems.

[Leeghoofd]

"has anyone else verified my findings pertaining to vcore fixing on 0802?
"

Well I found out the hard way , bought this board to replace my broken P5W (damn powercuts, was a lovely board ,400mhz FSB with almost no extra voltage required ) I tried to get my E6600 ( week 32a) up to 3600mhz via 9 x 400. I upped core voltage to 1.5 volts just to see if it would post, it did , it booted into windows but 5 secs under orthos it crashed, started messing with voltages , memtimings etc... nothing worked...

Till I installed Probe and saw that the core voltage was stuck at 1.37 volts no matter what was set in the bios. Then I stumbled on this post, updated the 701 to 802 ( just for the hell of it) but voltage lock still occured. Also it corresponds to Loodz post, good work mate hope it will get those mad ASUS engineers fixing it, I want my 3600mhz back as my watercooling setup will arrive soon ....

So to get my 3600mhz I reverted back to 402 bios which allows me to do it 1.45 needed for my cpu ( 1.55 set in bios )

[Lood007]

Thanks for the confirmation.
I have verified this on 2 other striker boards as well.

Bad bad asus!

[day187]

looking at getting this board but i need to know does the asus striker have raid issues?

Thanks