flashing a AsRock 890GX Extreme3 BIOS on a 880G Extreme3 motherboard

[Davey]

Arroyo, I explained a bit the special settings in 2.42B on this post.

Try these:
*Droop Adjust: 1/4
*OVP - 250mV (default)
*PSI_EN - Disabled
*PSI_A - Two Phase (no matter what you choose, if you have PSI_EN disabled)
*DPM Setting - Disabled
*VCore Offset - 0.05V

PSI options and DPM relate to IC phase management (all disabled to oc), so the only relevant options are the other three (Droop, OVP and VCore offset).

*Droop Adjust: 1/4
This is the slope of the dropping voltage when load finishes, I think. Maybe slope in raising voltage too. If I disable droop adjust, cpu freezes on the beginning of load.
1/4 raises voltage more on load than 1/2, don't know the exact function though.

*OVP - 250mV (default)
Over Voltage Protection. Maybe board won't let Vcore above (Vcore set in bios + OVP) no matter what.

*VCore Offset - 0.05V (Vcore increase from that set in bios when CPU is full loaded).

The only thing with 2.42B is that it enables CnQ on reboot, but not on initial boot. 2.51 fixes that.

So then,
- NB voltage is CPU-NB that has to do with IMC and NB frequency (memory system) stability ?
- mGPU voltage has to do with FSB and onboard GPU stability ?

I improved my ram timings yesterday lowering them to 1806-8-9-8-24-1T from 9-9-9-24-1T. You should try 1T if you haven't, it's faster than 2T. Put them also on the two slots farther from the CPU, it helps.

I don't remember well if I tried memory voltages lower than 1.6V but 1.35V for my mem is for 1600-7-8-7-24-2T and i'm running them at 1806-8-9-8-24-1T...
Maybe I should try isolating components to test each component limit for overclocking, though you can do that better with a BE cpu. I think you should do the same, try to leave all things you can at default settings except memory, for example. Only thing is that to oc memory you have to raise fsb...
Maybe I should try again 2.51 raising mGPU voltage.

I hope Asrock releases new bios also for 890GX Extreme3 and 880G.

[arroyo]

@ Davey

- NB voltage is CPU-NB that has to do with IMC and NB frequency (memory system) stability ?
- mGPU voltage has to do with FSB and onboard GPU stability ?

NB voltage affects only IMC and helps with memory stability. Although my 1055T has very bad IMC so after 1.275V i saw no difference.
mGPU at about 1.25V helped me with stabilizing FSB at 250 MHz

You were right about 2.42B. This bios is better than any other. I was able to push FSB to the stable 265 MHz. Voltages are on screen. I know my timings are weak, but I am starting to play with 8GB of RipjawsX (2x4GB).

I also found one nice trick. I was not able to push FSB past 265 fully stable on any bios and with any memory I've had. My 2 HDDs were always in RAID1 and I am using Crucial M4 as a system drive. To stabilize system FSB=265 I have set 1.2V on SB Voltage. BAM! 265MHz stable FSB. I think if you have any RAID matrix or you are using SATA3 SSD drive, setting higher volage on southbridge will be helpfull.

[Valg]

http://www.asrock.com/news/events/2011Bulldozer/

[Davey]

@arroyo

Why does CPU-Z read 1.112V for your cpu? Do you have CnQ/C1E enabled? My CPU is never under 1.384V even with CnQ enabled...

11-11-11-28 latency for your mem seems a bit too high latencies. Your memories seem to do 9-9-9-24-2T at 800x2Mhz (recommended factory settings, http://www.gskill.com/products.php?index=355)

I've got 2 HD's, not on RAID though, so maybe I should try bumping SB voltage too.

[arroyo]

@Davey
I am using K10Stat for my private Cool&Quiet. I do not know how C&Q works in Asrock BIOS. If I turn it ON it changes the clock and voltage automatically but if I turn it OFF it changes the clock and voltage automatically. Weird? Although with C&Q ON I can reach higher clocks. Sound like totally BS, but for my CPU and Mobo this works.

I know that my latencies are far for being god. Right now I am at 9-11-9-24 and still searching for better ones. Bios 2.42B (other also do this) sets weird subtimings fot my RipjawsX, all are unstable. I have set one that I found on Internet as a remedy. But I am still progressing and searching for better ones.

Right now I have rock stable 3,7 GHz which was impossible on 2.51 bios. My settings from 2.42B bios:
CPU Clock = 265x14 (3710)
CPU V = 1.4 V
NB Clock = 2650 MHz
CPU/NB V = 1.25 V
HT Link = 2120 MHz
MEM = 1413 MHz 9-11-9-24 (subtimings manual 6-5-6-12-39-10-9-10-3-4-160-160-2T)
MEM V = 1.547 V (lowest stable voltage)
HT Voltage = 1.3 V
NB (mGPU) = 1.3 V (lowest stable voltage, at AUTO my mobo sets it at 1.4V)
SB V = 1,2 (due to RAID 1 and SSD) - great setting if you have unknown stability problems at FSB>250 MHz and couple of HDDs
C&Q = ON
LLC Settings 2.42B = Davey ones (TM)

[oneb1t]

i dont get it why 880g extreme3 and 890gx not getting am3+ support bios....

and do someone fixed PCI-E issue when reflashing to 890gx? :-(

[Valg]

Well they did!

http://www.asrock.com/mb/beta.asp?o=...0GX%20Extreme3
http://www.asrock.com/mb/beta.asp?o=...80G%20Extreme3

[oneb1t]

hurray 100+ for asrock :-)
someone tryed to flash it? i used mmtool to compare both of them and they looks pretty similar in functions so we dont need to crossflash to 890gx anymore


edit: so i flashed it sucessfully (2.01 880g extreme3) but second PCI-E slot is not working at all...
some fuctions are removed and integrated graphic card disabling is much better now

[Valg]

Try the L3.01 from 890GX Extreme3, maybe it will work for You.

[oneb1t]

ill wait for while as i dont have spare chip
EDIT: 2.03 beta released hurray

[arroyo]

After a day playing with L2.01 for 880G Extreme3 ... I can say that:
- they have removed stupid "Turbo 50" overclocking in L2.01
- Memory Timings have only important settings (Asrock removed timings that I have never set before)
- overclocking is worse than on 2.42B
- VCore do not go crazy high on load (LLC=Normal)
- in L2.03 they have added stupid "Turbo 50" overclocking
- Multiplier for TURBO mode works

Nothing to worry about. I am working on these bioses with 1055T.

UPDATE 12-06-2011 10:30 AM (GMT+1)
These bioses have very nasty bugs. Multiplier for 1055T tries to be set at x16 (which is impossible). Also the Bus clock and CPU clock do not show proper values in some cases. I think I will play with them a day or two but 2.42B is still the best bios.

[oneb1t]

can someone test performance with bulldozer CPUs as i want to upgrade my athlon x4 to phenom x6/FX-8120 :-)

i dont really understand why turbo50 is back in 2.03 as its pretty much useless function

ps: what is your highest FSB clock? i cant get over ~310 but in one review of 880gx they managed to get 390mhz!!! some trick how to make that?

[arroyo]

ASROCK just released official (not beta) BIOS with AM3+ support for 880G/890GX Extreme3:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/download.as...80G%20Extreme3
http://www.asrock.com/mb/download.as...xtreme3&o=BIOS

Going back to test them. I hope they made something better than 2.42B :-)

[oneb1t]

just flashed 2.10 everything is ok PCI-E is working again
green logo after start is hidious

[Valg]

just flashed 2.10 everything is ok PCI-E is working again
green logo after start is hidious

Could You take a photo of the Logo?

[Davey]

What are your thoughts about the new bios? Haven't had time to test it yet, but I will.

It's a good thing for Asrock to support its products.

[arroyo]

@ Davey
I cannot say anything really bad about those new bioses. Cannot say anything good either.
Best clock I could reach was made on 2.42B (HTT=275).
On 2.10 (880G AM3+) I cannot reach more than HTT=265. So Overclocking capabilities are worse. But I like that it boots quicker, voltage jump is smaller under load and I like simpler memory settings.

Davey, can you share your memory settings, that you are using to achieve such clocks from your signature? I am unable to reach memory clock higher than 1500MHz. What kind of timings you have. I knot that you may set only 9-9-9-24-1T, but motherboard sets other timings automatically. I would like to know them if it's not a problem.

Or I am doing something wrong or you have damn good 1055T. With voltage settings from:
your post my motherboard does not boot at all. Do you have enabled C&Q?

[Davey]

@arroyo,

Now i've got my mem running stable at 903x2(1806)@1.603V.
Unganged, 7-9-7-24-1T. My bios doesn't automatically change my timing settings.

I've got two sticks of G. Skill F3-12800CL7-2GBECO.

To achieve this clock i've set FSB at 271Mhz and the corresponding mem multiplier. C&Q disabled.

[oneb1t]

i can boot up on 310fsb with 2.10 (same as on 1.71L)
now running stable on 275*13,5 = 3712 mhz
NB-CPU is 275*10 = 2750mhz
HT 1925mhz

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=2149913

[arroyo]

@Davey
I think we misunderstood each other. I have your CL-TRCD-TRP-TRAS... thank you for them.
But I would like to know what AUTO settings for sub-timings (TRTP-TRRD-TWTR-TWR-TRC-TRWTTWB-TRWTTO-TWRRD-TWRWR-TRDRD-TRFC0-TRFC1-MA) are set when you boot your computer with 7-9-7-24-1T. This would be helpful because I have GSkill also (LV RipjawsX) and they are not correctly recognized by 880G Extreme3.

[Davey]

@Davey
I think we misunderstood each other. I have your CL-TRCD-TRP-TRAS... thank you for them.
But I would like to know what AUTO settings for sub-timings (TRTP-TRRD-TWTR-TWR-TRC-TRWTTWB-TRWTTO-TWRRD-TWRWR-TRDRD-TRFC0-TRFC1-MA) are set when you boot your computer with 7-9-7-24-1T. This would be helpful because I have GSkill also (LV RipjawsX) and they are not correctly recognized by 880G Extreme3.

3 months after...

I've just tried bios 3.10 in my 890GX Extreme3... it's way less stable than 2.42B with the same settings, but somewhat better than 2.50, OK, as I expected.

The info you need, but I don't think it'll make a big difference for you, my memory probably just raises better than yours (mine is 12800 CAS7 @ 1.35V, yours is 12800 CAS9,for example) but here they go, for 7-9-7-24-1T:

TRTP 5
TRRD 4
TWTR 5
TWR 10
TRC 33
TRWTWB 7
TRWTTO 6
TWRRD 2
TWRWR 3
TRDRD 4
TRFC0 110
TRFC1 110
MA TIMING 1 (1T)

I don't set them manually, they're set automatically by bios 2.42B.

My apologies for the BIG delay.

[oneb1t]

i just saw that some older gigabyte motherboards get UEFI support.
is same thing possible for our 880g?

is there some safe way to test this? i really like UEFI faster boot

[BeepBeep2]

If the 890GX has a UEFI bios I'm sure it will work on the 880G

[oneb1t]

unfortunately 890gx dont have uefi support :-(
(only 890gx extreme4 R2.0 have)

but there is motherboard from asrock on 8xx chipset which have it http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.us...l=890GX%20Pro3


second question: do asrock going to support piledriver CPUs on old motherboards? as i want to upgrade my athlon to smth more powerful (mainly for compilation in visual studio 2010 so i can use a lot of cores :-))
its better to buy fx-8120 or wait to new piledriver?

[arroyo]

@oneb1t

I think you should wait for Piledriver. I have 1055T and I had an opportunity to test FX8150 and x4 970 on my board. At the same clock speed 3,6GHz there was almost no difference (1055T was most snappy in Photoshop).
Now it is less than 5 months until Piledrivers come to retail. I only hope that Asrock update their BIOSes to support them. Right now support for Bulldozer is more like workaround, not a solution for white socket AM3 boards.