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

[QuietIce]

My board is running great. In fact, I liked it so much I bought a second one open-box from Newegg for a SETI cruncher. I don't play around with the main rig much (sig), but #2 was running 340 MHz the other day as I was checking to see if a 165 would be OK for it (new CCBBE 0610 got here yesterday!! ). The only issue I've had is the warm reboot problem (you have to shut down when OC'ed over a certain amount) but I still recommend this board for a 939 system.

On the warm reboot issue (at least on my boards):
- It has nothing to do with the Over-volt option nor the vCore. I set over-volt on the first boot and lower vCore as needed. I never have an issue near stock CPU speeds.
- It's not the FSB OC'ed, 333x6 reboots just fine.
- Over-clocked RAM w/an under-clocked CPU does not create the problem.

Low OCs don't create a problem but higher ones do. I have not taken the time to find out exactly where the line is drawn because it's below 2600 on my 180 (more than 200 MHz less than the top end) so who cares?

WAG - I'd bet the OC line is different for every rig.

It also seems to stay at the asus logo screen when i first boot up too for a long time not just a second or two. ANy ideas? I really need som help here, im sure its something simple i just cant figure out what.

Try disabling the Legacy USB support - it has caused many problems but I don't know if your KB will run w/out it ...

[granulf]

Hmm, I don't like the warm boot problem... Still no solution with that even with newest bios? And I have to ask, how is it to mount this mobo inverted? My case has the mobo inverted...

[Super strokey]

Well i countered my warm boot problem by changing teh nb>sb fsb to 200 from teh 250 i originally had it at. No idea if that will work for you. As for inverting the mobo i wouldnt suggets it as the heatpipe would be upside down and you would infact just be taking more heat to the sb and nb rather than away from them.

[granulf]

So inverted wouldn't work? . One more question: I'm running my x2 3800+ without IHS on along with a swiftech storm. That is working like a charm with my dfi expert. How does it work with the a8n32-sli deluxe? Would the actual socket be raised too much?

[Super strokey]

I dont know about that sorry. Might work but i really dont know

[QuietIce]

So inverted wouldn't work? .

ASUS heatpipes use gravity (instead of a wick) so the stock set-up doesn't work well inverted. However, some people have an air cooler on the SB and have no problems - just a matter of where the heat goes.

One more question: I'm running my x2 3800+ without IHS on along with a swiftech storm. That is working like a charm with my dfi expert. How does it work with the a8n32-sli deluxe? Would the actual socket be raised too much?

The Storm works fine on the A8N32 with an IHS - my main rig uses one. AFAIK the 939 socket frames are all the same so if it works on a DFI it'll work on the A8N32 but the pressure may not be correct on either of them if you don't trim the frame.

I've got a de-lidded FX-55 with a Storm on another rig and instead of messing with the frame I just took it off. With the Storm the frame really doesn't do anything for you anyway. As always w/out the IHS you need to be careful how much you tighten the Storm down ...

[granulf]

If you look carefully, the socket will have a sort of step upwards on one edge, which may cause problems on some mobos. I'm not talking about the removable frame, as I've never used that. You haven't by any chance tried your storm and de-lidded FX55 with the A8N32-sli deluxe?

[QuietIce]

If you look carefully, the socket will have a sort of step upwards on one edge, which may cause problems on some mobos. I'm not talking about the removable frame, as I've never used that. You haven't by any chance tried your storm and de-lidded FX55 with the A8N32-sli deluxe?

The FX-55 is on another ASUS board and it doesn't have any problems. I can't imagine ASUS having two suppliers for sockets so it's probably the same socket. And I've been on OCForums since May, nobody over there has reported any problems with the Storm on a de-lidded chip with this board.

I'll know for sure when Sidewinder gets my fans in stock - then my new CCBBE 0610 165 will go under a Storm on my second A8N32-SLI ...

[granulf]

Ok, thanks. I just ordered a8n32-sli deluxe. I got it really cheap, a DFI sli-dr would cost me twice as much! I don't really expect it to be better than my dfi expert, but I don't bench too much so for 24/7 setup I believe it will be just as good.

[QuietIce]

Here's a quick look around the BIOS: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=468038

[granulf]

Here's a quick look around the BIOS: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=468038

Thanks. I remember the first time I tried this board I used probably 15 minutes or more until I could locate everything I wanted to.

[granulf]

I got my mobo today, and it worked fine with my IHSless x2 3800+ . However, I'm struggling a bit with memory speed. Firstly I started with 166mhz divider, but that gave me cpu/10 for some reason. I went down to 133mhz, which appeared to be perfect to begin with. When I was at 270x10(2.7ghz), the divider was cpu/14. That would be perfect for 280x10(2800/14=200). So I upped it to 280x10, but then the divider changed to cpu/15. Why is that? Annoying, any advices?

[QuietIce]

Are you running the 1303 BIOS ...?

[granulf]

Are you running the 1303 BIOS ...?

I was using bios 1103, but I updated to 1303 now... Let's see where it brings me

[granulf]

Right, I think the problem is that there is no divider between 133mhz and 166mhz... Stupid, with my dfi expert I used 140mhz divider which was perfect . Any way I can get cpu/14(140mhz divider) or cpu/13(150mhz divider)?

Apart from that I'm experiencing some Vdroop, but it doesn't seem to affect stability much yet. I'm priming at 285x10(but it drops to 284.5x10 during load) and 1.6V(which drops to 1.55V during load). My DFI Expert was never stable at that speed, maybe this will be stable?
I haven't experienced any cap at 1.58V yet, I was at 1.62V earlier. No warm boot problems with the new bios either

[granulf]

Guys, I need some help now!

I think I got it stable at 315x9(2835mhz) now, but I'm getting warm boot issues. Is there any way to avoid the warm boot problem? Any advices? If I can't get this sorted out I will for sure return it . It turned out that when I hit 300 HTT and above, the 133mhz divider switches to cpu/14, so it's perfect at 2835

[QuietIce]

A 133 divider should be 14 all the time. It's very strange that yours isn't. But you're right about the jump, 166 gives you CPU/11.

Have you Enabled NB Over-volt?

Just out of curiosity did you happen to notice when the warm boot problem started ...?

[granulf]

A 133 divider should be 14 all the time. It's very strange that yours isn't. But you're right about the jump, 166 gives you CPU/11.

Have you Enabled NB Over-volt?

Just out of curiosity did you happen to notice when the warm boot problem started ...?

I know, it's strange. But I'm happy with it, since it's better to use 9x divider and over 300 HTT

No, it's still disabled.

I'm trying to find out when it happens now. Last night I changed to 300x9 and 1.35V + cpu overvolt. This morning I just changed to 305x9 without any other changes. No problems yet it seems, so I will increase to 310x9 soon enough. Hopefully I can get it to 315x9 . But I'm actually a bit surprised, the dfi expert would always crap out at some time when using 315x9, still hasn't happened with this mobo...


EDIT: I now increased to 310x9 and then on to 315x9. It doesn't seem to have any warm boot problems, but I won't draw conclusions quite yet...

[granulf]

Turned out I still get warm boot problems...

I finally got it more or less 100% stable at 320x9(2880 mhz), but I get warm boot problems. Any last advices or do I simply have to live with it? I don't have any problems with 310x9, but then again 90mhz extra for the cpu is quite a lot

[QuietIce]

Nice OC!

I'm sill playing with settings on the warm boot issue - no info as yet. Odd thing is I had the same problem with the A8N-VM (cheap board) but solved it using 8 up/down on the SB width instead of 16 up/down. I tried several settings for the SB on the A8N32 but nothing worked. Somebody else reported solving their issue by rearranging their DVD burner connection (or maybe they replaced it?), which also comes off the SB. You gotta' wonder ...

[granulf]

Nice OC!

I'm sill playing with settings on the warm boot issue - no info as yet. Odd thing is I had the same problem with the A8N-VM (cheap board) but solved it using 8 up/down on the SB width instead of 16 up/down. I tried several settings for the SB on the A8N32 but nothing worked. Somebody else reported solving their issue by rearranging their DVD burner connection (or maybe they replaced it?), which also comes off the SB. You gotta' wonder ...

Thanks. My dfi expert would never be stable at 2880 for some reason...

Lots of weird solutions there, I haven't tried all settings yet, so I don't really know... Make sure and tell me if you figure something out then!

[aasmaukr]

Hey, I'll be getting this board together with an Opteron 146 without coldbug that does 3,2 with air cooling to play with. I'll test it with my phasechange cooler before I eventually sell it.

I have a couple of questions though:

How far does the HTT usually go? Is 380 in range?
Does the board have any known issues with TCCD mem? I have five sticks laying around here that I'd like to test

[QuietIce]

IDK how far the HTT will go with this board. I personally have had one of mine up to 350 w/NB over-volt (+0.1v) but I didn't test above that. I was checking it w/my 4400 (multi turned down) b/c of a possible 165 purchase and wanted to make sure I could get to 3+ GHz w/the new chip (it's still waiting on me to get the WC hooked up). Can't remember having heard of anyone else trying it farther.

There are no TCCD problems that I am aware of ...

[QuietIce]

Just a quick update on the warm-boot issue. I had a chance to play today and found a 0.05v increase in vCore solved my problem. System is completely stable running 246x11 @ 1.45v, played games, compressed video, 2xPrime95 for 30+ hours and has been running SETI 24/7 since last July. BUT, a simple increase in vCore to 1.50v has eliminated the warm boot problem for me. I would have tried sooner but before reading this thread I just assumed it came with the territory.

Thanks guys ...!

[stormshadow]

I'm just wondering if this still is among the best motherboards out there for socket 939? My DFI Expert is starting to fail, so I'm wondering if this motherboard will do me any good with my x2 3800+?

quoted cuz I'm wondering the same thing

I'm using an Opteron 175 that I've gotten to 3.0GHz stable (273x11) on an MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum...

need to FINALLY make the jump to PCI-E and wondering which board to go with...