Asus A8N32-SLI initial impression....WOW!

[Marios]

Well...im going to specify everthing that i have done.

With everthing in default in BIOS, i enabled the NVRAID, put the SATA 1 and SATA 2 as RAID ENABLE. I can see the HD Drives in the First Bios Menu. I Save and Exit. I go to the NVRAID BIOS (F10), configure the RAID0, F7 (Accept), and in the main menu of the NVRAID Bios...the option "[B] Set Boot" is grayed. ok... CTRL-X ...i exit. Im going to the Board Bios again, and put in the HARD DRIVES BOOT, i put NVIDIA STRIPE in first place. Save and Exit.

OK....everthing fine.

I put the WinXP SP2 CD, F8 to choose to boot from CD...F6 to install third part drivers. I put the Floppy.....i choose the 2 drivers, etc etc....when it copies all the files...reboot.....and.....and.....it shows a message saying, please insert a boot media...or something like that.

I already tried to put the jumpers in the Hard Drivers to Force it being in SATA1, i already put in SATA 3 and SATA 4, and SATA 1 and SATA 3...etc. I flashed the Bios with the 903 version.

And i find in Asus Forums another 2 people with the same problem.

http://vip.asus.com/forum/bbs_view.a...nt=29&recc=288

http://vip.asus.com/forum/bbs_view.a...nt=29&recc=288


I need to put this machine working as fast as possible.....i already didnt sleep nothing, trying everthing.....i need to sleep.....i need to rest...

Please help !!

Your discription on how to set a RAID was great.
I only write here the same things with pictures, so check them just in case you forgot something.
First of all remove any floppy disk, PCI cards and USB devices (ie. a USB key).
USB devices become first in boot order when the floppy is the first boot device and without a bootable operating system you get the error you said.
You may overcome this by pressing F8 at boot time to chose your boot device.

Enter BIOS MAIN - IDE configuration to enable SATA1 and SATA2, the nVidia RAID Function and SATA1 SATA2.


Select to open each hard disk at MAIN - IDE configuration


Set 32bit Data transfer to enabled


Check you memory clock. It should be 200MHz


Save restart press del and F10. You should see something like this


and this


Set your RAID as your first booting device.

Good luck.

[ben805]

Don't want to speak for Ben805, but IIRC Ben's has removed his IHS so he chose to use thumbscrews so he could tighten each simultaneously and not put too much stress on one side of the naked core. I have a TTBT and with the A8N32 all I had to do was remove the retaining mechanism from the front of the motherboard (the black plastic square around the CPU socket), leave the standard Asus backplate in place, and using the two shorter mounting screws provided just put them through the H bracket and screw them into the threaded holes that will be sticking up through the mobo from the backplate. With the back plate Asus provides you could almost install the BT without removing the mobo from the case if you can get a screw driver in there at the angle it needs to be to clear the aluminum fins.

ubern00b,

Thinkingbear is correct

I haven't touch any setting ever since I had this board up and running, basically use it as my file server and HTPC, I'm still using the older 703 BIOS and it has been rock solid so far

[Brave]

Your discription on how to set a RAID was great.
I only write here the same things with pictures, so check them just in case you forgot something.
First of all remove any floppy disk, PCI cards and USB devices (ie. a USB key).
USB devices become first in boot order when the floppy is the first boot device and without a bootable operating system you get the error you said.
You may overcome this by pressing F8 at boot time to chose your boot device.

Enter BIOS MAIN - IDE configuration to enable SATA1 and SATA2, the nVidia RAID Function and SATA1 SATA2.


Select to open each hard disk at MAIN - IDE configuration


Set 32bit Data transfer to enabled


Check you memory clock. It should be 200MHz


Save restart press del and F10. You should see something like this


and this


Set your RAID as your first booting device.

Good luck.

I already tried to take out every USB's, ..i notice that you dont have the SET BOOT enabled aswell.

The only thing that is diferent....its the 32Bits transfer mode in the HardDrives config...i think i have that option disabled.

Going to confirm

Brb :P

[Brave]

Ok...back.

I had everthing ok. 32 bits transfer enabled.

I keep problems install windows ....keeps freezing all the time...when is formating the HD or after copying the windows files...i got a bsod with error saying "unnmountable boot volume"

I disconnect my DVD-RW from ide cable and power, and use the dvd reader asus to install. Put all the jumpers of the IDE drives in Cable Select, i disconnected the other SATA HD that is not in raid, and i GOT IT !!

Windows installed with no probs, im in the machine now.

Now...i have to see what is the problem...if it is the jumpers in IDE drives or the other SATA HD, or if the my DVD writer have some problems.

:P

[CODE 4]

Ok...back.

I had everthing ok. 32 bits transfer enabled.

I keep problems install windows ....keeps freezing all the time...when is formating the HD or after copying the windows files...i got a bsod with error saying "unnmountable boot volume"

I disconnect my DVD-RW from ide cable and power, and use the dvd reader asus to install. Put all the jumpers of the IDE drives in Cable Select, i disconnected the other SATA HD that is not in raid, and i GOT IT !!

Windows installed with no probs, im in the machine now.

Now...i have to see what is the problem...if it is the jumpers in IDE drives or the other SATA HD, or if the my DVD writer have some problems.

:P

Good. I am glad you made so progress.

[Brave]

Still some problems at booting....sometimes....i have to force with F8 to boot from RAID...and sometimes freezes. Still dont know why.

But yes..some progress were made.

[Marios]

This sounds like a memory problem.
Check with memtest96+.
You may also try one dimm only.
Do you still have problems with one Dimm?
Is your memory clock set at 200MHz or 250MHz?

[Brave]

yeah...i though that option to.

I tested with 1 Dimm only (Patriot XBLK) , in Slot 1, 2 and 3.
I tested with a GEIL PC3200 ...same thing.

Memtest doesnt give me any errors.

Even with everthing in default in bios....the PC freezes at boot sometimes.

Really dont know whats going on here.....

I turned off the RAID and im using a diferente SATA HD ...no probs till now...i think.

Im at work...cant test more now. But im beggining to think that some HD of the raid have some problems......

I have to test another 2 SATA HD that i have in another PC in nVraid 0 ...to see if there is some problems.

[Cisco]

I'm confused about memory dividers of this board (BIOS 1009)

I have OCZ ram that isn't supposed to go very high, 2 GB of PC3200 OCZ EL Platinum--not rev. 2. Even so, I've run on "Auto" with 10 X 250 CPU and it was reported in Everest at 250 3-4-4-8. I saw a review by someone who got it going on a DFI board at 2.5-3-3-7 @ 260 so I decided to try tighter timings yesterday @ 250. Here's the problem:

I set the FSB at 250--both FSB and SB>NB-- LDT and chipset multipliers at 4X and then set memory to limit and 200 for 1:1. I used the 2.5-3-3-7 timings and booted into memtest which ran tests 5 & 6 fine...however, the BIOS POST reported a DDR of 400.

Is the BIOS post misreporting the speed or is there something weird going on with the divider settings on this board? I've also noticed that if I set the mem divider to 166 with a FSB of 250 the BIOS will report the DDR at 333. It's like the dividers are not working like dividers...like they were direct frequency settings independent from the FSB setting.

Anyone else noticed this?

[arctic-k20]

i think the board steps in and changes settings even if you force it not to...

i have manually typed in timings and the board will over ride those timings and select its own based on fsb speed!!

[Cisco]

OK...I'm answering my own question here, I think

Used the same settings and this time I skipped memtest and went straight into windows and everest and CPUZ. It's reported as DDR500 by both although BIOS reports it as DDR400...must be BIOS Post misreporting...and my memory doing speeds that OCZ says it's not suppose to do...220 should be the max according to them...go figure.

[Marios]

The BIOS reports the limit you set.
This actually is the CPU memory controller nominal speed.
So when you set the limit at 200 this is DDR400 for the CPU controller or a 1:1 state. Your memory runs at the same speed as the K8 to NB speed.
When you set a limit of 166 the CPU memory controller is programmed to accept and establish a conversation with DDR333 Dimms.
We say we use a divider of 400/333.
In this case there are programs to show the actual DIMM's speed depending on the FSB.
I have also posted a similar program on this thread.
Your memory actually works at 250 MHz and is not limited with this board.
Cheers !!!

EDIT
I checked 220 X3 X4 and x5 and Xauto K8 to NB hypertransport speeds (16up 16 down) with super pi and I got the same scores.
Does anyone know which benchmark might show different results according to the hypertransport speeds?
I know PCMark05 does this but it takes a long time to finish.

[Deus Excalibur]

Did anyone ever find a fix to the warm boot(restart) problem? It's really beginning to tick me off when my system doesn't POST 90% of the time I reboot. I've tried every single BIOS and bumping up the CPU voltage like HK Police suggested doesn't even increase the chances of it booting.

[stone_cold_Jimi]

Did anyone ever find a fix to the warm boot(restart) problem? It's really beginning to tick me off when my system doesn't POST 90% of the time I reboot. I've tried every single BIOS and bumping up the CPU voltage like HK Police suggested doesn't even increase the chances of it booting.

Blast, I was hoping a newer BIOS would fix this; I'm still on 703 because I've just started using the board again, and the warm boot failure is getting old. Do the newer BIOSes fix the voltage problem, as in the 0.2v overvolt not kicking in from the get go?

[Deus Excalibur]

Blast, I was hoping a newer BIOS would fix this; I'm still on 703 because I've just started using the board again, and the warm boot failure is getting old. Do the newer BIOSes fix the voltage problem, as in the 0.2v overvolt not kicking in from the get go?

I don't think it has to do with CPU voltages. I turned off the .2v overvolt w/ 1.275v and just cranked the main voltage control up to the max(1.5625 I think) and I still had the warm boot bug. The CPU is 24 hours dual prime + 3dmark 2k5 stable @ 1.47v so 1.5625v should be more than enough to get it to boot if that was the issue.

[Marios]

I think it is your CPU.
DO not enter Windows and check the BIOS everytime you increase the FSB.
Ie. You give 270X10=2700. Your BIOS reports 2700. This is OK
Now you give 276x10=2760 and your BIOS reports 2740 for your CPU.
Isn't it obvious that your CPU mulfunctions now?
In case you enter Windows you may be able to work but ...
on reboot the BIOS detects the problem and resets to defaults.
I think this might help a bit.

[$JG Money$]

Hey Cisco, you mind sharing what your settings were for the memory? As you know i have the same kit but dont know jack about how to make them run at optimal speeds/settings..whenever i try i cant bootup at anything above 133 divider. I have it running at 313x9 i have both my frequencies running at 3x. Any idea how i can get my memory at the same level as yours? Is there any harm/advantage from changing the SB to NB frequency to like 300x3=900 (the goal is to reach 1000 without going over rite)

[djneils98]

Hi all
i'm new to the forums (have been an FM'er for years) and could do with some advice on my new set-up:

A8N32 (shipped with 902 bios - now trying 702)
opteron 165
gf6600gt
seasonic s12 600
antec p180
seagate sata 80gb

have not bought any RAM as yet so am using crappy old PC3200 generic ram just for testing (2x512) using 133 divider

inititially couldn't get past 2.25ghz on stock volts without problems. Seemed a little too hot (56c load - 1 instance of prime on each core)
tried it with 1 stick of memory instead of 2 and now its prime stable at 2.4ghz (266x9) at 1.4v

Does this mean the memory controller on the CPU is crappy or just that the ram is ???

thanks in advance guys.
This thread is why I got the ASUS and you guys seem really knowledgable about your overclocking.
Particular thanks to Ben for such informed posts.

[stone_cold_Jimi]

I don't think it has to do with CPU voltages. I turned off the .2v overvolt w/ 1.275v and just cranked the main voltage control up to the max(1.5625 I think) and I still had the warm boot bug. The CPU is 24 hours dual prime + 3dmark 2k5 stable @ 1.47v so 1.5625v should be more than enough to get it to boot if that was the issue.

Ah, but the trouble is (at least with my Opty 146) that although the normal voltage range goes right up to 1.7v and beyond, in practice it limits to 1.5v without the overvolt. I have the same issue with a K8N-E and a s754 Venice, where despite a large theoretical range, 1.44v is the limit. To get the Opty over 2.8 GHz, I need the overvolt. This is where the warm boot problem kicks in. It seems to be an Asus thing.

[Marios]

Ah, but the trouble is (at least with my Opty 146) that although the normal voltage range goes right up to 1.7v and beyond, in practice it limits to 1.5v without the overvolt. I have the same issue with a K8N-E and a s754 Venice, where despite a large theoretical range, 1.44v is the limit. To get the Opty over 2.8 GHz, I need the overvolt. This is where the warm boot problem kicks in. It seems to be an Asus thing.

So what is your limit?
1.5v?

[Brave]

Hello Again

Marios...i think i found the problem. One of the HardDrives doesnt work very well.....i deleted the Array Stripe, and tested installing windows xp in each HD.

In one of the HD, the windows refuses to start installing....the first imagem when i boot with windows xp CD...doesnt show up at all.

I tested now with SeaTools and the program cant start reading the disk...it gives a error. So...this HD is going to RMA.

By luck i have one HD iqual. Going to try now with this one, to see if still there are problems. :P

[koSmiQ]

Ok, I was looking in the BIOS a little deeper today and felt completely lost as I have not been tampering with BIOS's that much since my Athlon XP was kinda new...

Was going to tighten the timings of the memory and test what my new A64 E4 3700+ could do. As I said I got completely lost...

First of the memory timings.. If one goes to where the settings can be changed and sets it to manual they do not have names I am familiar with (of course CAS is simple but the others)... Or more like, what would I change to set my RAM to the specified timings without f*cking something up?

I have Corsair TWINX2048-3200C2 memory pack, its specified for 2-3-3-6 (CAS, RTC, RAS PRE, TRC) according to Corsairs site. But in the memory config there is nothing named RTC or something close...

Please help me out here, I feel totally lost. Had been looking forward to get going again with overclocking....

Then about FSB overclocking, I know as much as limiting the HTT so that it stays under 1000 (but aren't regular A64's made for 800 or am I thinking of something else? Would I need HT overvoltage if going above 800?).

I am not going to do any insane overclocks, but just get the feel of it to begin with and maybe later I will get going a little higher...

God I feel like some overclocking beginner here... Why must they change so much from SocketA to Socket939...

If you can give me some tips to get started that would be great....

[djneils98]

I have a question for anyone using the Zalman 9500 CPU cooler on this board. My CPU temps on my Opteron are around 40*C idle, up to 47*C under full load for hours. These temps are higher than on my previous Asus A8N SLi Premium using the same Zalman cooler.

Can anyone explain this? I've reseated the cooler thinking I didn't apply enough AS5, but I did. I am thinking that the black bracket around the CPU socket on this board is taller than on the A8N SLi Premium, so the downward pressure from the Zalman cooler is not enough. This is just a theory, however, as I can't measure it since I RMA'd my A8N SLi Premium.

Can someone else post their temps with a Zalman 9500 please and let me know what's going on.

i have the same cooler on an opty 165 on the A8N32 and am getting 43c idle, 55c load at 1.4v

[Marios]

Ok, I was looking in the BIOS a little deeper today and felt completely lost as I have not been tampering with BIOS's that much since my Athlon XP was kinda new...

Was going to tighten the timings of the memory and test what my new A64 E4 3700+ could do. As I said I got completely lost...

First of the memory timings.. If one goes to where the settings can be changed and sets it to manual they do not have names I am familiar with (of course CAS is simple but the others)... Or more like, what would I change to set my RAM to the specified timings without f*cking something up?

I have Corsair TWINX2048-3200C2 memory pack, its specified for 2-3-3-6 (CAS, RTC, RAS PRE, TRC) according to Corsairs site. But in the memory config there is nothing named RTC or something close...

Please help me out here, I feel totally lost. Had been looking forward to get going again with overclocking....

Then about FSB overclocking, I know as much as limiting the HTT so that it stays under 1000 (but aren't regular A64's made for 800 or am I thinking of something else? Would I need HT overvoltage if going above 800?).

I am not going to do any insane overclocks, but just get the feel of it to begin with and maybe later I will get going a little higher...

God I feel like some overclocking beginner here... Why must they change so much from SocketA to Socket939...

If you can give me some tips to get started that would be great....

HTT up to 1000 is ok without HT Overvolt (the limit is 1000, not 800).


Set them the way they appear when you have auto settings (actually this is your SPD readings).
This should look like this.

CAS (Tcl) =2
RTC (Trcd) =3
RAS (Tras) =6
TRP=3
Trc =10
Trfc=14

This is my latest OC

[stone_cold_Jimi]

So what is your limit?
1.5v?

Yes Marios. After that, I go to 1.3x + 0.2, and that's when the trouble starts.