Testing / comparing : Intel D975XBX2 / Asus P5B DX ***56K WARNING***

[gtj]

Thanks for your previous answers on the partitions!
2 more dumb questions:
A- the alternate front panel power led head (3 pins): what are its polarities? in the book it shows the ground(negative) as being towards the edge of the board and in the sticker they included, shows it being towards the inside (reversed from the book); well it's not a biggie because it won't short if I get this wrong
B- for those with P180 cases, did you install your PSU's with the fan down or up (upside down)...I got the Corsair 520hx

A) blue towards the front.
B) Fan down. Not sure it matters though.

[gtj]

Thanks again for all the info.

It also seems (from posts on another forum) that you can connect an eSata header directly to the Intel SATA controller vs. using the Marvell one. I'm not sure what the advantages/disadvantages are but I might give it a go first seeing as it does not involve the installation of any other drivers and the Intel controller can do 3gb/s vs. only 1.5gb/s on the Marvell controller.

The Marvell can do 3.0gb/s.

[gtj]

I'm building this new rig (specs in signature) and I'm having loads of problems with it. I'm actually starting to think I may have a defective Mobo.

What happens is this:

Problem No1:
I can _NOT_ install Windows (Vista64, Vista32, XP) on the Intel Matrix RAID controller with my Raptors in RAID-0. I can only archieve a succesful OS installation when I use my Marvell RAID controller.

The reason why I can't use the Intel Matrix is due to the fact that the RAID drivers aren't recognised by the Windows install. It just gives an error saying that those drivers aren't meant for my RAID controller. This with the floppy's I got in the box. With the newest drivers from the Intel website (6.2.1 IIRC). It doesn't matter if I load them from the floppy, USB-stick or USB-HDD.

WinXP does load them, but BSOD's as soon as the file-copying is finished and windows tries to start up.

Neither version of Vista needs special drivers for the Intel RAID. Don't use any. If you want latest and greatest, update the driver after the install is complete.

Problem No2:
Like I mentioned, if I use the Marvell controller I can install Windows (only tried Vista32 & Vista64). Everything seems to be in working order until I go and install drivers. The combination of the latest Audio drivers (Sigma something, the intergrated audio chip) and Catalyst (7.2, 7.3 with and without CCC) just gives me BSOD's till I drop. I haven't seen so many BSOD's since WinME, no trouble in safe mode though.

So I can either install the audio's latest drivers, and use the MS-supplied driver for the x1600. Or use the latest Catalyst, and use the default Vista32/64 audio driver.

The board is a rev.505, came with BIOS2333, but I upgraded it to the latest (2674) in hope of solving this. No luck though.

I haven't even got the chance of tweaking/OC'ing the hardware. I've got the QX6700 at 266FSB and 12X multiplier (3.20 GHz) and I'm running the 266/800 strap with 4-4-4-12 timings at 2.16/2.20V. I guess that's a small OC, never ran it at stock speeds hihi. I have disabled all watchdog-like features, although I can still see the multiplier go down in CPUZ when I'm doing nothing (the time I got it stable before updating the sound driver)

Now, my question. Is this something that more of you have experienced. Or is my mobo a lemon?

I tried to give as much info as possible (all by heart, at work now where there's a working computer at my disposal ) I hope some of you have some things I can try.

You only need the audio drivers if you need to use the front panel audio jacks.

The multiplier changing is normal. There's a BIOS bug where disabling C1E doesn't actually disable it.

[Hooker]

Neither version of Vista needs special drivers for the Intel RAID. Don't use any. If you want latest and greatest, update the driver after the install is complete.

Okay, it doesn't do that though. I don't see my RAID setup when I get to choose the destination drive. At that point I chose the load-driver option.

You only need the audio drivers if you need to use the front panel audio jacks.

The multiplier changing is normal. There's a BIOS bug where disabling C1E doesn't actually disable it.

That's not an excuse though. Updating a driver shouldn't give me BSOD's.

I reckon the culprit may be the VGA card as well, for that I'm going to see if I can "borrow" my housemate's X300 for a couple of hours.

Appreciate you trying to help me out ^^.

[jmpage2]

Okay, it doesn't do that though. I don't see my RAID setup when I get to choose the destination drive. At that point I chose the load-driver option.

That's not an excuse though. Updating a driver shouldn't give me BSOD's.

I reckon the culprit may be the VGA card as well, for that I'm going to see if I can "borrow" my housemate's X300 for a couple of hours.

Appreciate you trying to help me out ^^.

No No No.

You must go into the BIOS and tell it that you want the Intel SATA controller set to type "RAID". Then you must go into the Intel RAID setup at boot time and configure your array and SAVE it. The array should show up in the Intel utility at boot time after that. Put your RAID devices on the first SATA controller ports and put any other devices (extra hard disks, optical drives, etc) on the leftover ports.

Once your array is configured Vista will automatically see it and install to it with no pressing F6 or any drivers needed at setup time.

I've done this three times with both RAID 1 and RAID 0 and haven't had a lick of trouble.

[Hooker]

That's the first thing I did. And turning it back to IDE or the other one (ADHI?? The one for NCQ) whenever I use the Marvell controller.

Making an array and such is no problem at all. Making it's existance known to Windows is.

I've been at it for like 20 hours in 2 days (got the thing 29 hours ago, puts things in perspective...) So no usual rookie mistakes... I hope




(did take a while to find out how the BIOS works, way different from the Pheonix ones I used on previous systems)

[gtj]

That's the first thing I did. And turning it back to IDE or the other one (ADHI?? The one for NCQ) whenever I use the Marvell controller.

Making an array and such is no problem at all. Making it's existance known to Windows is.

I've been at it for like 20 hours in 2 days (got the thing 29 hours ago, puts things in perspective...) So no usual rookie mistakes... I hope




(did take a while to find out how the BIOS works, way different from the Pheonix ones I used on previous systems)

So, the controller is in RAID mode.
You have a RAID0 array created.
You can see it in the Intel Matrix BIOS screen.
But you don't see it at all in the list of destinations to install Vista to.
Yes?

In the BIOS Boot screen, make sure the array is the first boot device.

Exactly what's plugged into what SATA ports?

Is your CD/DVD IDE or SATA?

When you boot, do you get prompted to "Press Enter to boot from CD/DVD" or does the system boot directly to the Vista install?

Was there anything on these drives previously or are they clean?

[Hooker]

So, the controller is in RAID mode. Yes.
You have a RAID0 array created. Yes.
You can see it in the Intel Matrix BIOS screen. Yes.
But you don't see it at all in the list of destinations to install Vista to. Yes? Correct.

In the BIOS Boot screen, make sure the array is the first boot device. It isn't, the DVD-rom drive is for the VistaBoot CD (OEM)

Exactly what's plugged into what SATA ports? Port 1,2 are 74GB Raptors, 0,3 are empty

Is your CD/DVD IDE or SATA? SATA, NEC 7170S. Connected to the Marvell controller, along with a WD 500GB RE2 (YS) I guess I can try with me IDE drives.

When you boot, do you get prompted to "Press Enter to boot from CD/DVD" or does the system boot directly to the Vista install? Don't recall, will check again when I get home. I guess "press enter to..."

Was there anything on these drives previously or are they clean? Both clean & "dirty".

I will triple check all of this when I get home again. Once again, thanks mate ^^.

[hotchoc]

Thanks for your previous answers on the partitions!
2 more dumb questions:
A- the alternate front panel power led head (3 pins): what are its polarities? in the book it shows the ground(negative) as being towards the edge of the board and in the sticker they included, shows it being towards the inside (reversed from the book); well it's not a biggie because it won't short if I get this wrong
B- for those with P180 cases, did you install your PSU's with the fan down or up (upside down)...I got the Corsair 520hx

i installed the fan facing downwards.

[Last Hegemon]

thanks a lot gtj and hotchoc

[Kluster]

Hey guys, I just got the Badaxe 2 and the E6700 and am kinda bummed about the locked 10x multi. There's no way to run 1:1 memory unless I underclock which doesn't make sense, or way overclock which doesn't seem healthy.

Also, I need some advice on what case to get and what air cooler to get. This is for an office environment (Desktop/Workstation) so nothing fancy. I consider my home Lian Li PC-201B a little overkill for an office workstation.

Thanks for any help,
Kluster

[Chas_The_Man]

For the office, I have a Lian Li, PCA05B. Nice Case. I put 3 74 gig raptors in it (RAID 5) and a 500w seasonic P/S with 4gigs of ram. I used an E6400 with the stock cooler and ran it up to 2.9 GHZ. I backed it down to 2.7. I felt it wasnt needed and it will live longer I hope.

The 6700 I have in the wifes PC here at home runs a little toasty on the stock cooler. All these chips react differently. You may get away with the stock cooler just fine. Give it a try. If your looking for lower temps, check out the air cooling section. All of the favorite coolers fit the Bad Axe.

[Hooker]

Okay, I tried everything again (in safe-mode now on the Marvell RAID controller, everything else BSODs) and still no dice.


One thing that I didn't remembered correctly, was when the Vista-install asks for the additional drivers, it's even before selecting a destination. It's also before the entering of the product-code. It comes up seconds after selecting the regional settings.

Latest Catalyst driver (installed from the INF-file) and latest Sigmatel Audio driver also glitch bad, BSOD's just before the log-on screen...

At which point should I be thinking of RMA'ing this board?

[gtj]

Okay, I tried everything again (in safe-mode now on the Marvell RAID controller, everything else BSODs) and still no dice.


One thing that I didn't remembered correctly, was when the Vista-install asks for the additional drivers, it's even before selecting a destination. It's also before the entering of the product-code. It comes up seconds after selecting the regional settings.

Latest Catalyst driver (installed from the INF-file) and latest Sigmatel Audio driver also glitch bad, BSOD's just before the log-on screen...

At which point should I be thinking of RMA'ing this board?

Wait, Vista is ASKING for drivers? Something's seriously wrong. Are you doing 32bit ot 64bit? Is it maybe asking for the SATA DVD drivers? Do you get to the "Install Now" screen? Can you try with a IDE DVD? I've seen lots of install problem reports related to SATA DVD drives, not specific to this board.

[gtj]

Hey guys, I just got the Badaxe 2 and the E6700 and am kinda bummed about the locked 10x multi. There's no way to run 1:1 memory unless I underclock which doesn't make sense, or way overclock which doesn't seem healthy.

Thanks for any help,
Kluster

Forget 1:1. It has no meaning other than how fast the memory clocks. Use the ratio that gets you the fastest memory throughput.

Check the guide in my sig for a memory calculator.

[hotchoc]

Forget 1:1. It has no meaning other than how fast the memory clocks. Use the ratio that gets you the fastest memory throughput.

Check the guide in my sig for a memory calculator.

How do you find the fasterst memory throughput gtj ?

[ChaosMinionX]

How do you find the fasterst memory throughput gtj ?

By selecting the Mem Frequency 533/667 and so on running different dividers of course depending on your reference freq. for example 400fsb with a 266ref freq and a 533 mem freq gives you DDR2 800 1:1 running with mem freq of 667 gives DDR2 1000 4:5 and so on and so forth. Each time your ddr2 speed goes up, your throughput will go up and changing dividers as well.

[Blacklash]

Here's an idea for RAID problems. Try port 0 and 1. I have been able to do RAID under MCE 2005 and Vista in the manner GTJ describes.

[hotchoc]

By selecting the Mem Frequency 533/667 and so on running different dividers of course depending on your reference freq. for example 400fsb with a 266ref freq and a 533 mem freq gives you DDR2 800 1:1 running with mem freq of 667 gives DDR2 1000 4:5 and so on and so forth. Each time your ddr2 speed goes up, your throughput will go up and changing dividers as well.

Yes i know that. What i am referring to is how do you find out the actual throughput speed i.e 5 Gb/sec etc.

Any software to monitor the changes?

[shimmishim]

Yes i know that. What i am referring to is how do you find out the actual throughput speed i.e 5 Gb/sec etc.

Any software to monitor the changes?

there's sisoft sandra, you can look at latency through everest.

[nissangtr]

Hey guys, I've got a problem with the board that I need help with. I recently replaced my psu with a more powerful one in anticipation of the ATi R600. I plugged everything in and when I hit the on/off power button, nothing happens. I double checked all of my connections: 24 pin, 8pin, and even the extra 4pin molex connector. I thought it might be a doa psu, so I plugged the new Silverstone OP1000 into an old P4 550 with an Asus P945 board and everything booted up fine. So I know there's nothing wrong with the psu. Now I go and plug my old Fortron Epsilon 700 psu that I was using back into my current Badaxe2 system, checked all of the connections, and I got the same result; no boot up.
OK, so I thought it might be my computer case's on/off power button that's died. I decided to use an old Antec Super Lanboy computer case that I know works because I had just tried it with the P4 550 and new OP1000 psu. I reassembled the Badaxe2 and all of my components into the old Antec case, checked all of the connectors, and powered it up. You guessed it, nothing happened. I do see the green led light near the 24pin connector on the Badaxe2 being lighted. So I'm guessing power is being fed to the motherboard. It's just that I can't turn on the computer when I hit the on/off power button.
It was working fine earlier in the week until I swapped the psu. Then no response even though I switched back to the psu that I was using before. I've verified both psus to be working. Do you guys think my motherboard is dead?

[Zucker2k]

Okay, I tried everything again (in safe-mode now on the Marvell RAID controller, everything else BSODs) and still no dice.


One thing that I didn't remembered correctly, was when the Vista-install asks for the additional drivers, it's even before selecting a destination. It's also before the entering of the product-code. It comes up seconds after selecting the regional settings.

Latest Catalyst driver (installed from the INF-file) and latest Sigmatel Audio driver also glitch bad, BSOD's just before the log-on screen...

At which point should I be thinking of RMA'ing this board?

Did you remember to use CTRL+I to go into the matrix raid setup to actually create the raid partitions? Also, if you have already slip-streamed matrix raid drivers onto a windows installation disc, then you'll get errors if you try to load drivers by F6.

I'll suggest you check the raid setup, in case you don't know, this is how you do it:

During the post process, as soon as you see the matrix raid screen, press both CTRL key + I simultaneously (you can do it repetitively) till it takes you into the raid setup. Everything else is simple. You can even create multiple raid partitions.

[Hooker]

Like I said in previous posts, I did. And this isn't the first time I've set-up a RAID-array, so I know the basics pretty well ^^. It's also an OEM-disc, no altered settings, drivers or added stuff. Just the stuff Microsoft put on there. (and yes, both Vista32 and Vista64 are the same).

I'm not pushing F6 (you don't need to in Vista), the installer itself prompts me to install drivers, way before you have to select the destination drive. That should come after you put in your productkey, this happens before I enter my productkey.

I'm going to try what Backlash said, using port 0 & 1 and disconnect every other SATA device, I'll disable the Marvell controller as well during the installation. Not the way I want to setup windows but I'll try anything at this point. I'll report back, hopefully from a functioning PC

[rpr]

Any body have any idea why I have a question mark next to a PCI device in Device Manager?

I only have 2 PCI devices (Radeon X1900XT and Creative XFi Extreme Music) and their drivers are installed and they both show up correctly.

[Forceman]

There's a little power button on the MB itself, down near the SATA connectors. Did you try using that? I had a similar problem when I first built mine, but I disconnected the power switch connector from the MB and turned it around and reconnected it and then it worked fine. You wouldn't think that polarity of that connector would matter, and I don't know if it did or not, but it was strange anyway.

Hey guys, I've got a problem with the board that I need help with. I recently replaced my psu with a more powerful one in anticipation of the ATi R600. I plugged everything in and when I hit the on/off power button, nothing happens. I double checked all of my connections: 24 pin, 8pin, and even the extra 4pin molex connector. I thought it might be a doa psu, so I plugged the new Silverstone OP1000 into an old P4 550 with an Asus P945 board and everything booted up fine. So I know there's nothing wrong with the psu. Now I go and plug my old Fortron Epsilon 700 psu that I was using back into my current Badaxe2 system, checked all of the connections, and I got the same result; no boot up.
OK, so I thought it might be my computer case's on/off power button that's died. I decided to use an old Antec Super Lanboy computer case that I know works because I had just tried it with the P4 550 and new OP1000 psu. I reassembled the Badaxe2 and all of my components into the old Antec case, checked all of the connectors, and powered it up. You guessed it, nothing happened. I do see the green led light near the 24pin connector on the Badaxe2 being lighted. So I'm guessing power is being fed to the motherboard. It's just that I can't turn on the computer when I hit the on/off power button.
It was working fine earlier in the week until I swapped the psu. Then no response even though I switched back to the psu that I was using before. I've verified both psus to be working. Do you guys think my motherboard is dead?