ASUS Maximus Formula SE

[Grendel66]

sorry if this has already been posted but

0903 has been pulled from the page and the ftp site..
0902 is now the latest beta

Not. Like I said before, use the ASUS master ftp server at ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/so...ximus_Formula/ . Any other location is a mirror that may roll back to an older copy of the master if it got hacked or corrupted (hence BIOSes "disappearing")

Edit: kup, the server you list as master in your thread is a mirror in germany. The master server is in taiwan.

The intel RAID/AHCI needs to be enable to be seen by BIOS and Windows. However, the iostar driver is not there so it can't load, and yet you can't add it to the OS if you can't get it to boot. This is why stil to this day, us S2K3 and XP users need the f6 install, because it needs to be enabled and directed to the floppy during initial install.

Use nlite to slipstream the driver into your Windows installation disk.

[Renegade5399]

i went back to the bios that worked for me and it didnt help....sux for me

Now that would be a reason to RMA. Sorry for your loss. Don't let it sour your opinion of the board though. I am really enjoying mine, it's a great board.

[tylerw13]

Now that would be a reason to RMA. Sorry for your loss. Don't let it sour your opinion of the board though. I am really enjoying mine, it's a great board.

ya i loved my board till i decided to update my bios!!! honestly it has been the most stable board i have ever owned but well sometimes you get thrown a curve!! lol

[Nuckin_Futs]

So, if I have the Vista 64 upgrade from xp and I have to install xp first, this should work fine, right? (please say yes)

I knew about this and thought Vista had RAID drivers imbedded. I tought I'd try to install normally in xp, not having to deal with the f6 "add 3rd parts driver" thing in xp and once I got to vista I tried to create my array. Only thing is the matrix storage utility software that I remember from xp wasn't available for vista. I found a knowledge base somewhere that said if you edit the msahci registry to 0 before you switch from IDE to RAID in the bios, you should be fine, but I didn't know that until after I had a problem.

Long story short, from what I understand of your post, I should be able to install my RAID driver in xp, install OS on a single drive and create a storage array and then upgrade to Vista and be fine. Right?

If it was set up correctly as RAID ready on your XP X64 then yes, you can move it to Vista x64. If x86 XP or legasy ATA on XP x64, then you still ned to get the driver installed correctly befores you can boot to Vista X64 w/ RAID endabled. However, if "iostar" (Intel ICH driver) is not used origionally, it never got put to where Vista needs to see it to be used. So you may still have to direct it in the same fashion as mentioned before (from 2nd SATA controller). Because Enabling it to RAID alone doesnt make it ready just cause the driver was on the DVD/CD. You still have to update it so might as well go to Intel for newest one.

Use nlite to slipstream the driver into your Windows installation disk.

This is just the same as having to reinstall all over again or go through repair mode. I dont believe nLite can be run in a x64 OS (correct me if thats changed). The iostar driver is spacific to AHCI, RAID, x86, or x64 for several different varients of the ICH9R so you must choose only the one correct driver to slipstream and it is now only good for that configuration, and must have another one for say an XP x86 install. But it's cool, I have guys doing it and they just make one for each PC and keep it for that one only. It will also out date quickly but you can update once in Windows.

I myself, just do it the f6 method for each XP x64 and Server 2003 Ent x64.

[TheSamurai]

According the Anandtech, anything aove 47*c started to cause instabilities. Try to keep it below 45*c to be safe.

i'd agree, and reseathing the heat sink made a huuuuge difference for me!!

[thelawns]

So what do you guys think to the following temps, in Everest & PC Probe. This is idle now and I have my E6550 at 500x7, 50% OC...

[leoftw]

FYI: AiSuite doesn't work in Vista or in XP SP2 for me .

[Nuckin_Futs]

So what do you guys think to the following temps, in Everest & PC Probe. This is idle now and I have my E6550 at 500x7, 50% OC...

Looks pretty good. What vr of Everest are tou running? I have v4.20 and beta 4.10 and they do not give correct volts on vcore and no more vdimm anymore . I'm on BIOS v0903, it starte since v0901. Also, I odnt get the choice to display NB, SB and correct +12v in options anymore.

FYI: AiSuite doesn't work in Vista or in XP SP2 for me .

I had various instability at even my most stable profiles with this installed, under XP pro x64 SP2 and Server 2003 Enterprise x64.

Also, anybody notice we can no longer change Performance options in PC Probe without having to restart system. And no 3wire DC PWR control so really no use in using it if you have to either restart or leave off and manually control fans to load.

Any suggestions on external fan/volt monitor to be controlled in Windows based on CPU or system load?

[Grendel66]

This is just the same as having to reinstall all over again or go through repair mode.

Not if you started out w/ the disk

I dont believe nLite can be run in a x64 OS (correct me if thats changed).

Beats me, but vLite is in the works.

Edit: nLite does run in x64.

The iostar driver is spacific to AHCI, RAID, x86, or x64 for several different varients of the ICH9R so you must choose only the one correct driver to slipstream and it is now only good for that configuration, and must have another one for say an XP x86 install.

Not exactly to my knowledge -- Iastore.sys supports all ICH7R-9R in AHCI or RAID mode and is a PnP driver. Install the whole thing and Windows will set it up via device IDs. You do need x86 and x64 versions naturally.

I just built a XP x64 install disk that way, to be installed tomorrow. If I'm wrong I'll post here.

[Grnfinger]

FYI: AiSuite doesn't work in Vista or in XP SP2 for me .

32 bit or 64?

6.0 beta will work in 32 bit os, I know I was a victim

[eSp!s0]

Any suggestions on external fan/volt monitor to be controlled in Windows based on CPU or system load?

Did you try newest speedfan? I haven`t used it a long time and don`t know excactly if this works on it, or if something like that has been implemented in last versions!?

[safan80]

According the Anandtech, anything aove 47*c started to cause instabilities. Try to keep it below 45*c to be safe.

lol mine runs at 65C under load.

[pphx459]

To pazza316 with 477x9 - Dzammmnnn! What are your settings?

I've done some more tests and found that cpu pll is directly related to vcore, as I upped the vcore, I needed less pll. It's back down a little now, I didn't realize that pll was overvolted as well..

[Nuckin_Futs]

lol mine runs at 65C under load.

Mine runs to 50c @ my 4GHz @ 500x8 as 1.504v (stock fusion block sepperated from PWR blocks and remounted w/ ARS#5). My 2nd 480x8 on 5:6 required 1.52v NB and only hit 52c. As I tighten timings, the NB temps go up and it does seam to get less responsive as it nears 54c. So I believe for mine, 52c is comfort max zone, especially with devider as it puts more load on NB. The RAM sinks also ge hotter faster on my new 5:6 test devider but the overall performance feels good compared to the one in sig.

[loften]

well i got it all together but i am waiting for my xp 64 to get here then i can fire it up. thanks for the part 2 thread it will come in very handy.

[tylerw13]

ok well just an update on my computer it looks like im not going to rma my mobo after all...after messing with it for a long while i decided to flash to 902 upon doing so i shut down my computer and reset my cmos...i left my computer off for about 15 minutes and wuala its back up and working with my full overclocking capabilities back as good as normal!! wow what a freakin crazy thing...it seems stable so far so we will see...lol

[Nuckin_Futs]

What versions of Everest are you guys using o this mobo to get correct volt readouts?

I have Everest Ultimate v4.10.1152 beta and v4.20 and the each read something different. I noticed this just since BIOS v0901 to now on v0903. beta ver reads CPU as 1.5v which it is set as in BIOS but working as 1.80v. In v4.20 it reads the as 1.10v.

Just curious.

EDIT: I replaced with current v4.20.1201 and it is back to normal and reads better. Except, I do not get the external options for NB/SB and other sensor items like others are showing. I selected the CPU/RAM ratio and timings but do not get it reported in sensor window. Is this just to display it in RAM Bench readout?

Edit: I got it now, the NB & SB readings.

[JasoN!!!]

ran in a problem after putting in the maximus when i load it up everything load the led the screen and then its just shuts off the little LCD screen that came with mobo read cmos error i tried clearing Cmos by pressing the botton clear Cmos...

[Renegade5399]

Just messing around, I dropped my multi to 8. Set the FSB to 506, RAM to DDR2 1215, left all other settings alone. Booted fine, 1 hour OCCT RAM stable. Been running fine since. 0903 is a nice BIOS.

[binormalkilla]

So are there any benefits for 0903 over 0902 as far as stability, voltage/temp variance, and latency goes?

[Nuckin_Futs]

So are there any benefits for 0903 over 0902 as far as stability, voltage/temp variance, and latency goes?

There must be, as I can make better use of my 5;6 devider with stability and not so much volts as befor for 480x8 in 5:6 DDR1152 @ 5-4-4-10 @ 2.288v & 5-5-5-15 @ 2.24v

Only weird thing I noticed in each v090x was an occasional loos of settings if BIOS would slug randomly during POST or in loading of XP (loading bar would fade slightly as if it was gonna crash loading to RAID). This being in known good profiles and would pass many times but just do this after hrs of hot loaded stress.

Just something to mention, and like I said, it only happened twice each in each BIOS from 901~903 so far.

[binormalkilla]

There must be, as I can make better use of my 5;6 devider with stability and not so much volts as befor for 480x8 in 5:6 DDR1152 @ 5-4-4-10 @ 2.288v & 5-5-5-15 @ 2.24v

Only weird thing I noticed in each v090x was an occasional loos of settings if BIOS would slug randomly during POST or in loading of XP (loading bar would fade slightly as if it was gonna crash loading to RAID). This being in known good profiles and would pass many times but just do this after hrs of hot loaded stress.

Just something to mention, and like I said, it only happened twice each in each BIOS from 901~903 so far.

Good to know! I'll flash her later tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for the input nuckingfuts, informative as usual :thumb:
BTW, my watercooling gear arrives tomorrow! w00t

[leoftw]

32 bit or 64?

6.0 beta will work in 32 bit os, I know I was a victim

i tried that one and the one that came with the board. both didn't work and bot were 32bit systems. Oh well

[devilhood]

I've been testing further as to why I have such instability at 3.6GHz and it must either boil down to the CPU or the 0903 BIOS. I can easily hit 450 FSB with a lower CPU clock (x7 multiplier) when my board volts are only: 1.45 NB and 1.30 FSBT
I thought it was the memory causing problems because of the 4x1GB, but it doesn't look that way now.

Is it normal for the CPU to require over 1.43v for it to be stable at 3.6GHz? 3.4GHz is completely 12+h Prime stable at 1.38v. Does VID really play a significant part when it comes to clocking above 3.4GHz with the G0? because mine is 1.2875v.
After Prime at 3.6GHz I always get a BSOD, usually the 'system encountered an uncorrectable hardware error' kind of BSOD. Prime never actually reports a problem in the log, the system just BSOD's sporadically.

My temps on full load with 3.4GHz only ever reach about 57-60C max per-core according to Everest and Core Temp; at 3.6GHz they reach about 67 on average. I might try lapping my heatsink because I'm pretty sure the Ultra-120 eXtreme should be keeping the temps a tad bit lower than that.
Core's 3-4 are always slightly cooler than the first two as well, usually by about 2 or 3 celcius, but anyways, these temps are hardly a worry.

My previous mobo P5W64-WS Pro was reporting much higher temps than this ~80c and it was due to the temperature monitor being bugged, and ironically, the Maximus Formula suffered the same fate with its recent BIOS releases.

[Nuckin_Futs]

Now I'm not sure if it's the new BIOS 901~903 but I lost full ACPI function once on a devider. No matter what FSB/RAM config. I put it back to any CPU/RAM config of 1:1 and is fine again.

I realize this is or may be of no concern to most on here, but wanted to know if others were experiencing the same.

This goes back to what I said in the past. I'd choose in the end the profile that holds the most stable, reliable daily user functions v/s performance.

My 480x8 @ 5:6 tested well and retuned good overall performance. Later, I will test to see what area of mobo needs to be tweaked to get it to work. In the past like this on deviders other then 1:1 or 1:2, I could at least get S4 Hibernate to function even if S3 didn't.

I welcome any input here.

Just my findings.