!UPDATE! abit AW9D-Max (retail) arrived

[BAR*B*Q]

u guys made sure to clear cmos after flashing ?

I find i need less for the same clock speed. 1.475 for 3552 mhz on the aw9d-max vs 1.4825 on the ICFX3200.

at least i can clock far better with my p965 boards.
for example, i can prime on asus commando for hours with 1,34v @ 3,6ghz.
with aw9d max its impossible to do that below 1,4v with the same cpu.

BUT my p5w also needed less vcore then the abit

[century child]

2 modules works just fine here. Using Cellshock by the way.

[jugeen]

is it possible to fit Thermalright Ultra 120 and HR-05 on AW9D-MAX? space is enough?

[fgw]

is it possible to fit Thermalright Ultra 120 and HR-05 on AW9D-MAX? space is enough?

i use a thermaltake big type which is just a few mm smaller (122mm compared to 132mm) than your ultra 120. in combination with an hr05-sli, it fits almost perfectly. have a look:


in my installation, the hr05-sli is overlapping the ttbt by about 15mm which does not really matter, as the hr05 is a huge overkill in cooling the nb on the aw9d-max especially when a fan is moving some air through the hr05-sli. the fan i'm using is mounted in the case. the red square on the picture symbols the fan location in relation to the hr05-sli. you can also place a fan directly on the hr05-sli. in order to fit, i had to bend the heatpipes a little, which was an easy 5 seconds job. i also moved the ddr2 modules from slots 1+3 into slots 2+4. this might not be necessary. depends what fan you plan to use with your ultra 120 (25mm or 38mm).

[cjordan61]

I'm using vmch at 1.85v , the board is unmodded , is this way too much or can I live with that?

[j4mes]

I'm using vmch at 1.85v , the board is unmodded , is this way too much or can I live with that?

Thats pushing it..

[ccokeman]

1.95 on the vmch has been fine for me since november. Stock cooling until 3 weeks ago.

[cjordan61]

1.95 on the vmch has been fine for me since november. Stock cooling until 3 weeks ago.

I should be OK then. The strange thing is that I started beeing stable at 1.75, after 2 months I needed to go to 1.8 and then now I nedd 1.85 to get it stable, I don.t understand what couses this. Nothing has changed , mem is OK. Could ther be any problems with voltage regulators , are they slowly wearing down? Coused be heat. I'm watercooled and have stock cooling on NB with a 40mm fan on top of NB.

[fgw]

I should be OK then. The strange thing is that I started beeing stable at 1.75, after 2 months I needed to go to 1.8 and then now I nedd 1.85 to get it stable, I don.t understand what couses this. Nothing has changed , mem is OK. Could ther be any problems with voltage regulators , are they slowly wearing down? Coused be heat. I'm watercooled and have stock cooling on NB with a 40mm fan on top of NB.

intel specifies the 975x chipset functional operating voltage up to 1.575v and the absolute maximum rating up to 1.65v.
taking voltage drop on the motherboard into account, you are leaving intel specified voltage ranges above 1.70v vmch selected in bios.

this is from intels data sheet:
At conditions exceeding absolute maximum and minimum ratings, neither functionality nor long-term reliability can be expected. Moreover, if a device is subjected to these conditions for any length of time then, when returned to conditions within the functional operating condition limits, it will either not function, or its reliability will be severely degraded.

as this chipset is around not that long, nobody (maybe besides intel itself) has experience on longterm effects running voltages outside this ranges.
some users already reported the same symptoms you are experiencing right now. they all used high voltages, either on the chipset or on the processor or most likely on both of them and had to increase voltage from time to time in order to keep their system stable.
i can't say the reason for this is the fact that they run their components at higher voltages as they are rated for, but who knows ...
don't get me wrong, i'm not telling you don't do that, it's up to you. just keep in mind, to use a dmm to check real voltages (as the readings in bios and various utilities are way off) and take care of sufficient cooling.
i myself try to stay within intel specs as long as possible, but if i want even higher clocks i won't hesitate a second and rise voltages as high as needed! currently running an e6400@3600MHz at 1,50v on the quadgt.

hey, we are on xtremesystems and i don't plan to use my processor or chipset for my whole life. it's very likely i upgrade within the next 12 months anyway, so i don't care if i kill my processor or chipset a few days earlier ...

[fhpchris]

intel specifies the 975x chipset functional operating voltage up to 1.575v and the absolute maximum rating up to 1.65v.
taking voltage drop on the motherboard into account, you are leaving intel specified voltage ranges above 1.70v vmch selected in bios.

this is from intels data sheet:
At conditions exceeding absolute maximum and minimum ratings, neither functionality nor long-term reliability can be expected. Moreover, if a device is subjected to these conditions for any length of time then, when returned to conditions within the functional operating condition limits, it will either not function, or its reliability will be severely degraded.

as this chipset is around not that long, nobody (maybe besides intel itself) has experience on longterm effects running voltages outside this ranges.
some users already reported the same symptoms you are experiencing right now. they all used high voltages, either on the chipset or on the processor or most likely on both of them and had to increase voltage from time to time in order to keep their system stable.
i can't say the reason for this is the fact that they run their components at higher voltages as they are rated for, but who knows ...
don't get me wrong, i'm not telling you don't do that, it's up to you. just keep in mind, to use a dmm to check real voltages (as the readings in bios and various utilities are way off) and take care of sufficient cooling.
i myself try to stay within intel specs as long as possible, but if i want even higher clocks i won't hesitate a second and rise voltages as high as needed! currently running an e6400@3600MHz at 1,50v on the quadgt.

hey, we are on xtremesystems and i don't plan to use my processor or chipset for my whole life. it's very likely i upgrade within the next 12 months anyway, so i don't care if i kill my processor or chipset a few days earlier ...

People have run up to 2.4v on 975 boards and had no issues, but 2.0v in bios on a stock board should be fine 24-7.(~1.88v real)

Remember that 975 is 110nm, its not a newer process or anything...

[NapalmV5]

I've updated BIOS 14. Can't boot with 2 RAM modules. Only 1. Downgraded back to 13.

i also had the same experience. Would not boot with 2 modules on 2 different sets of memeory.

2 modules works just fine here. Using Cellshock by the way.

^mem voltage issue, and that just killz the mobo for me right there

even 1x geil pc6400 3-3-3-8 wont boot, i have to boot with 1x supertalent pc6400 module and change vmem to < first

i miss the old abit

hope the next mobos are better

[johnsally]

2.0v since the board came out=)

[Budwise]

no ram problems here at DDR2 800 3-3-3-8 2.25v 1:1. The only thing i noticed is that it hates the 667 setting when overclocking ram. When i first got this DDR2 1000 from Crucial i tried to run it at DDR2 1000 but the 667 divider freaked out on me and it wouldnt boot. I moved it to the DDR2 800 divider and it soared up to 1000 no problem. If you are using it, try a different divider.

[cjordan61]

In the CPU feature, what's the optimum settings when overclocking?

[nordien]

Last week i recieved the bios (15 beta 03) from an eu Abit support engineer. I tried it, it doesnt solve my problems but after an overclock the system only needs a power off to boot again at the old bios settings. My problem is that i cant run OCZ Ti Alpha PC8000 @ 1:1 @ 1000 mhz. The abit 975x doenst want that.
Running 1:1 DDR800 @ 3-3-3-8 is also a problem. I have to run @:

Abit AW9D-Max @ 1.75 vMCH @ 400 fsb @ 1:1 @ 1066 strap
Coolermaster Blue Ice pro nb cooler
E6600 @ 3.6 ghz @ 1.4375 vCore (L631a967)
OCZ Ti Alpha PC8000 @ DDR800 @ 1:1 @ 4-3-3-3-16 @ 2.4v
eVGA 8800 GTX with modded AC3 bios @ 640/1500/2100
Thermaltake Armor
OCZ GameXtreem 600w

Also i have to use dimm1 and 3 instead of 0 and 2, otherwise the system will not boot. The system is rock solid @ these settings so i cant really complain. To bad this board has a fsb wall @ 438 without the volt mods.

If you want the bios Mail me: nmsystems@chello.nl

[Nightprowler_77]

1.9 MCH here since Des. Stable as a rock

[ghosty1234]

I&#180;ve written to them in order to enable the "CPU.VTT" option. Would be very
good to set this option up to 1.3 or better

[nordien]

I´ve written to them in order to enable the "CPU.VTT" option. Would be very
good to set this option up to 1.3 or better

I also did two times. But the Abit Engineer stated this was not possible on the Aw9D-Max due to pcb limitations. After sending me the latest bios file he finally gave in and promised me he would talk to Abit FAE to make it happen. The theoretical max is 1.4v, but my mobo cant go over 1.23v without hardware mods (wich i dont like, voids warranty). With 1.4v you can run 3-3-3-8 @ 800/ 4-4-4-12 @ 1000 1:1

I think with the CPU VTT option in the bios this mobo is going to be up with the p5b's and quad gt's

[fgw]

I also did two times. But the Abit Engineer stated this was not possible on the Aw9D-Max due to pcb limitations. After sending me the latest bios file he finally gave in and promised me he would talk to Abit FAE to make it happen. The theoretical max is 1.4v, but my mobo cant go over 1.23v without hardware mods (wich i dont like, voids warranty). With 1.4v you can run 3-3-3-8 @ 800/ 4-4-4-12 @ 1000 1:1

I think with the CPU VTT option in the bios this mobo is going to be up with the p5b's and quad gt's

i did this mod and played around with vtt a little. on my aw9d-max this did not improve overclock at all. well, as i said, just played a little with it.

the memory timings you are talking about depend mainly on the memory module itself and on the voltage used on this modules. don't think vtt will have that much influence here. it might have some minor side effects as this is the termination voltage on the fsb (the bus between cpu and memory controller) and logic levels on this bus are relative to vtt.

[nordien]

If you want it:

nmsystems@chello.nl

[Zucker2k]

RAM slot 3 is working in dual-channel mode now

[fgw]

bios 15 can be downloaded from abit's ftp site in tw:

ftp://ftp.abit.com.tw/pub/download/bios/aw9d/

BIOS release V.15 for AW9D, AW9D-MAX

Release information:

1. EIST and C1E Enable/ Disable function now work as intended.
2. Fixed an issue where the system sometimes hangs on POST code 2A.
3. Fixed an issue where the system may not boot when installing memory on DIMM3.
4. Enhanced overclocking ability with certain CPUs.
5. Fixed the issue that the system hangs during Vista installation, when using a Kentsfield CPU.
6. Enhanced compatibility with certain memories.
7. Support E6850 and E6750.
8. Support 1333 Strap.
9. Support DDR2-400
10. BIOS compiled date: 04/18/2007

[Nightprowler_77]

bios 15 can be downloaded from abit's ftp site in tw:

ftp://ftp.abit.com.tw/pub/download/bios/aw9d/

BIOS release V.15 for AW9D, AW9D-MAX

Release information:

1. EIST and C1E Enable/ Disable function now work as intended.
2. Fixed an issue where the system sometimes hangs on POST code 2A.
3. Fixed an issue where the system may not boot when installing memory on DIMM3.
4. Enhanced overclocking ability with certain CPUs.
5. Fixed the issue that the system hangs during Vista installation, when using a Kentsfield CPU.
6. Enhanced compatibility with certain memories.
7. Support E6850 and E6750.
8. Support 1333 Strap.
9. Support DDR2-400
10. BIOS compiled date: 04/18/2007

Nice

Hope the "Enhanced overclocking ability with certain CPUs" means Kentsfield

[hawtrawkr]

has anyone tried the new bios with a kentsfield yet?

[SilveradoJ442]

has anyone tried the new bios with a kentsfield yet?

Thats what i'd like to know. I'm thinking of going q6600 but want to know if it will go anywhere on this board.