**Official ASUS Striker II Formula Discussion/Review/Overclock/Guide/BIOS Thread**

[Guacamole]

Hi guys just rebuilt my computer after RIPPING out the SIIE and I am just beginning the OC process please remind of the settings to OC a QX9650 I want to run low FSB but high processor speed I am shooting for 4.2 and I was wondering if anyone has some tips I forgot all that I learned from before...

[Guacamole]

Thanks for the info!

My ram is 1066 cl.5. It runs fine 1066 5-5-5-15 2T. However, a few people told me that they set their ram to 900mhz 4-4-4-12 1T and they noticed better benchmark scores in everest (it lowered their latency). I tried both 4-4-4-12 1T and 2T and I couldn't get my system to post (hung at logo).

But my ram will run fine 5-5-5-15 2T 1066 @ 3.2ghz. (my mem voltage is at 2.20v)

Honestly you really need D9 to run 900Mhz at 4-4-4-12 I'm not sure but if you bought that stuff (memory) recently you probably don't have it.. I'm not positive aout that but I have 2 kits and my new OCZ can't run the 9's with 4's but my old D9 Crucial can run a 1000 at 4-4-4-12 no problem...

[Merton]

Honestly you really need D9 to run 900Mhz at 4-4-4-12 I'm not sure but if you bought that stuff (memory) recently you probably don't have it.. I'm not positive aout that but I have 2 kits and my new OCZ can't run the 9's with 4's but my old D9 Crucial can run a 1000 at 4-4-4-12 no problem...

Thank you very much for that finding.

What timings do you recommened for DDR2-1066? (what is the optimal mhz and timings I can push it to, or should at least try to push it to?)

[EvoCarlos]

this is where i found the info about my tracer's have a look and see if a any info there will help some nice oc with the tracers but nv chipset wont do low lantacy imo
pc2-8500_roundup

[Kevin1970]

Messing with my ram i got it 1000mhz for the first time. Never been able to b4. Maybe the new board, maybe the 1305 bios, who knows. Still don't know how to get latency down. But my everest score got better.

OLD
Read 8599
Write 7049
Copy 6349
Latency 61.3

NOW At 1000mhz
Read 8748
Write 7049
Copy 6605
Latency 61.7

[EvoCarlos]

ohhhh ballstik's
you should get 533mhz @ 4-4-4-9 /2.2v easy but lantacy is still about 60ns ish
and 600mhz @5-5-5-12 /2.2v lantacy is still gay @ this
and im still trying to figure that one out lol

[Kevin1970]

So question, Should i up my voltage on my ram or if it works leave it alone? And latency, what does it mean. Sure less is good. But is there a percievable performance difference?

[molotov]

SLI-Enabled Memory: Enabled EXPERT
FSB: 1700
Mem mhz: 1066 (timings set to 5-5-5-15 2T)

Loadline Calibration ENABLED
CPU Voltage: 1.3375
PLL: Auto
VTT: 1.40
Mem voltage: 2.20
NB Voltage: 1.56
SB Voltage: 1.50
1.2v: 1.25v

I checked the ASUS forums, and many people have reported that after flashing to 1305, they can not get their OC's stable that were stable at 1303 and 1101. When I got this mobo I ran it at stock at 1101, and when that ran prime95 for 7 hours, I flashed to 1305, ran prime for 8 hours stock, and then tried to OC.

The first thing I am going to try when I get home from work is to re-flash to 1303 and try again.

Look how damn high that vcore and NB are! I don't know why on earth it won't run stable. (Similar reports of this behavior with 1305 are on the asus forum)

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated.

EDIT: Would help if I listed specs *hits self on head*

CPU: Intel Q9450
Mobo: Asus Striker II Formula 780i - BIOS 1305
RAM: 2x2gb Corsair Dominators DDR2-1066
GPU: Asus 8800gts 512mb (G92)
PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower 850w
HD: Seagate Barracuda 500gb 3.0gb/s SATA

I only have E8400 OC experience, but I may not leave anything AUTO (PLL in ur case) if you do overclocking... either too high or too low will screw up your testing...

Also it is suggested to try set the memory 5-5-5-18 2T and sub-timing less tight when you are working on CPU OC. There is a official suggestion in OCZ 2x2G when doing OC: set tRFC & tWTR to a larger value (in ocz case it's 54 & 8 respectively) so that OC will be successful.

When u got a relatively stable CPU OC profile, then you work on your memory... but if a 3.4G is a high ratio of OC at Q9450, maybe 1.2HT -> 1.3X would help coz I overcomed 4.5G on E8400 only when I tuned 1.2HT and PLL to 1.4-1.5 and 1.6-1.62 respectively.

Sorry I cannot give an exact same settings to your Q9450 but a good direction (thx to Horseman) is very important. I suggest you shouldn't raise only certain voltages without the others, coz it will not succeed and may damage the mobo... (coz I tried only NB raising/cpu vcore, no help at all)

Hope other Q9450 users may give more realistic opinion. Good luck at OC~

[Marios]

In my case 1401 BIOS is even better than 1305 for video playback stability, video performance and overclocking.

[Guacamole]

In my case 1401 BIOS is even better than 1305 for video playback stability, video performance and overclocking.

where does bios 1401 live??

[nugzo]

where does bios 1401 live??

Page before this one. here's the link. http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...postcount=1010

[EvoCarlos]

So question, Should i up my voltage on my ram or if it works leave it alone? And latency, what does it mean. Sure less is good. But is there a percievable performance difference?

spd for ballstick's


epp 1 = 4-4-4-12 @ 400 /2.2v
epp 2 = 5-5-5-15 @ 533 /2.2v

at 2.2v the ballsticks still have warranty

i have run mine on this mobo @ 4-4-4-9 533 /2.2v with no problem on the cpu oc side only problem lies the latency best i can get is 54nm @3ghz anythiung after 3ghz is in the 60s.. latency= >>(some thing to do with the time info is move between the mem and cpu)

look at the test grafhs on this link it shows you what ballsticks will work @ did post it up a few posts but well
http://icrontic.com/articles/pc2-8500_roundup/page7

[Anemic]

How do you guys cool your heatsinks for the NB/SB? Extra fans?

[Kevin1970]

Strange issue perhaps not related to the motherboard or any hardware. But you all know way more then most people. I went to bed last night and left Azureus running. Woke up and Azureus was gone. like it was closed. but when i tried to restart it, it wouldnt. just wouldnt do anything. like it wasnt even there. Everything else worked. I rebooted the pc and azurues is fine now. This never happened b4 and i've running that program tons of times. Any idea?

[EvoCarlos]

How do you guys cool your heatsinks for the NB/SB? Extra fans?

i just use 80mm fan on nb it dont really go above 55c 2000mhz 1.65v
sb was cooled by 120mm blowing over gfx and sb but the sb runs @60c ish with out so took it away
as in pic hope this helps

[Anemic]

Strange issue perhaps not related to the motherboard or any hardware. But you all know way more then most people. I went to bed last night and left Azureus running. Woke up and Azureus was gone. like it was closed. but when i tried to restart it, it wouldnt. just wouldnt do anything. like it wasnt even there. Everything else worked. I rebooted the pc and azurues is fine now. This never happened b4 and i've running that program tons of times. Any idea?

Doent sound hardware related to me. The program might have chrashed cuz of your OC tho... Might just be OS related too.

i just use 80mm fan on nb it dont really go above 55c 2000mhz 1.65v
sb was cooled by 120mm blowing over gfx and sb but the sb runs @60c ish with out so took it away
as in pic hope this helps

Thanks EvoCarlos!
Yeha, that helps alot. I guess I have to get a couple of more fans if I get this board. 50-60c dosent seem very hot for this MoBO, more like standard temps.

[EvoCarlos]

Thanks EvoCarlos!
Yeha, that helps alot. I guess I have to get a couple of more fans if I get this board. 50-60c dosent seem very hot for this MoBO, more like standard temps.

oh i did forget to say that i had removed the stock cooling block from mobo and applyed AS5 dont really make much diffrence imo

[קñåkê×]

ASUS Striker II Formula BIOS build 1401
Enjoy and report any bug!

with this 1401 bios, and nero show time, the video corruption is still

[Kevin1970]

So my new issue isnt easy to pin down. I went to bed last night and left Azureus running. Woke up and Azureus was gone. like it was closed. but when i tried to restart it, it wouldnt. just wouldnt do anything. like it wasnt even there. Everything else worked. I rebooted the pc and azurues was fine. Went back to bed and woke up in the mourning i saw that a new toolbar on the side of the screen. it was created useing the right click from the taskbar where you can create a tool bar. Somehow the pc created it's own toolbar. I played arround awhile and i got a BSOD. i've got several today and have no idea why. I reinstalled the OS, and durring the install got a BSOD. And 2 since. Have no idea what is going on.

one of the crashes said "irql_not_less_or_equal

I'm not overclocking
Temps are all very good

[CapnKirk.]

ASUS Striker II Formula BIOS build 1401
Enjoy and report any bug!

how did you flash 1401?

i use a bootdisk with awdflash.
this version of awdflash below has all the command line options, just need to have a bootdisk.

version of awdflash with all the command line options here.
http://rapidshare.com/files/113389386/AWFL884.rar.html



this program makes a bootdisk that leaves room for the other files.
http://www.biosmods.com/download/bootdisk/drdos703.exe

make your bootdisk.


put the awfl884.exe file and 1401.bin bios file on the bootdisk after you extract them of course (i know you know this already)

set the current bios to defaults and save, reboot and re-enter bios.

make the floppy the 1st boot device in bios, save and reboot with the floppy installed and you will get to the dos A:\ prompt

[example]
type awfl884 1401.bin /py /sn /cc /cd /cp /Wb /f /r

a few examples
cd = Clear DMI Data After Programming
cp = Clear PnP(ESCD) Data After Programming
Wb = Always Programming BootBlock

you can see all the options by typing awfl884/? and then hit enter.

after the flash is complete, the system will restart due to the /r command and back to the A:\ prompt.
power off rig, unplug it for 15 minutes as this is supposed to reset the chipset.

remove floppy, and reboot and re-enter bios and set the new bios to defaults, then adjust to your settings.

Oh, before anything, i always unplug everything but my keyboard (PS2) really perferred!
And only ONE stick of ram in 1st blue slot.

[Guacamole]

Okay guys I have started OCing my SIIF and the results are a little ridiculous... First of all I would like to say that my quad QX9650 can run up to 1730 FSB which is just great for my memory bandwith... I thought these boards were sort of inept when it comes to Quad OCing but I guess I was wrong.... I am on bios 1202 and I am running a QX9650 and 2 sticks of OCZ Reaper 2X2GB 1066 kits.. I am hitting the same scores as I did on the SIIE but with lower voltages.. I can't friggin believe it.. Here are some screen shots:



WOW that's all I have to say I am on water so don't let the CPU voltage freak you out but I am very impressed so far.. I am beginning a prime run and I will update tomorrow with some more results...

[Marios]

Kevin1970
This irq_not_less_or_equal is a memory problem.
So you either need better BIOS settings or your memory has problems.
Try default BIOS settings with 2v Vmem, 1.3v HT and 1.36 NB.
In case you have 4GB of system memory or more, relax tRFC.
Check your memory with Vista memtest (press tab during boot) or memtest 86+ (the latest version).

קñåkê×
Last night I was watching videos for hours, with nero showtime (vista 64).

Guacomole
What kind of NB cooling do you use to get 52°C SPP?

Two questions for everyone.
1. UPDT DMI error
Whenever I run everest, or Probe II or any other program reading sensors (real temp is a bright exception - what a great CPU temp program), the backlight comes on and after a while it states "UPDT DMI"
Then even if my system is perfectly stable otherwise, I sometimes (not always) get strange behavior from games or video playback including crashes.
Now I always restart my PC after I open any of these programs and never experience any problems this way.
Did anyone else notice that? The backlight (reads the time) should not light up or give me this UPDT DMI error. This is a BIOS problem.

2. nvstor64 error
A second problem I have is with the latest nvidia nforce chipset drivers.
With a 1TB disk in jbod I get in event viewer (computer managment) an nvstor64 error "A parity error was detected on \Device\RaidPort1".
This is not the case with smaller disks (ie my 250GB Hitatchi disks).
The previous 9.99 SATA RAID driver has no problems.
I need to completely remove the newest driver to get rid of this error.
Otherwise I keep getting it even with 9.99 drivers.
The disk is OK. I suspect there is something wrong with Vista 64 recognizing large perpendicular disks.
For example you may try a cmd window under Vista with any of the following commands on your disks
winsat disk -ran -write -drive c -v
winsat disk -flush -drive c -v

I get this "Error: Failed to properly assess the disk" only on the 1TB disk. My 250GB disks are OK.

On the other hand read benching the 1TB disk is OK
winsat disk -seq -read -drive c -count 1 -iocount 256 -seqsize 65536 -v
Nice bench. Have a look. This is a copy paste output I got from my raid-0 2X250GB.

Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[0] - 101.053227 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[1] - 107.536913 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[2] - 109.020224 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[3] - 109.357951 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[4] - 103.364141 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[5] - 103.520928 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[6] - 96.963985 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[7] - 86.867162 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[8] - 95.087291 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[9] - 87.580111 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[10] - 88.480483 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[11] - 78.554025 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[12] - 71.082868 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[13] - 74.031876 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[14] - 68.966219 MB/s
Run[1] Type[0x01000001] Zone[15] - 61.795216 MB/s
> Run Time 00:00:12.53
> Disk Performance 108.37 MB/s

What is wrong with large (1TB and perpendicular?) disks?
Do you have the same problem with your disks?

Smart disk and hard disk spread spectrum control - BIOS behavior
In case you want to enable smart disk and or spread spectrum control in BIOS, do it before you create any raid.
Otherwise you end up with conflicts. The same happens with the latest Nvidia Nforce SATA IDE and SATA RAID drivers and the RAIDTOOL (do not install this).
For example. You create your raid and then you decide to enable smart disk.
This way, your raid disks do not update to support SMART operation and the non RAID disks update to support SMART.
The same is true for spread spectrum (enabling or disabling it). In case you have spread spectrum enabled on your disks, you need to enable it in BIOS, before you enable RAID.

[CapnKirk.]

comp show today, what mobo would you guys go with in a blackbird case,
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Kentsfield 3.0GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775
2X EVGA 8800 Ultras, cpu and ultras are water cooled, have tons of very good ddr2 ram so not buying ddr3, 1100 watt PSU, 2x special edition raptors i run in raid zero, and no asus BS for me anymore.
I dont want to mod the new mobo with chipset water cooling, just want a mobo that has a decent bios, no damn heat issues and all this asus non-sense.

has to be SLi and a 790 is fine if it can use ddr2, if not 780.

http://img412.imageshack.us/my.php?i...scf5457kt2.jpg

http://img156.imageshack.us/my.php?i...scf5386oa9.jpg

current best score with the asus toaster mobo
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=7150355
19214 3DMark06

thanks

[Garrett]

If it has to be SLI capable and DDR2 ram you don't have a lot of options... XFX and EVGA also make 780i boards, and then there's the MSI board:
http://www.cbcnz.com/images/134769-cbcnz.JPG
What's so terrible about your current Asus 780i if I may ask?
Mine's perfectly stable, video issue is gone with 1401 bios too....

[Marios]

CapnKirk
Nice HP blackbird case you have (I've read your posts in other forums ... )
This is not the right place to get your answers since "no asus BS for you anymore".