ASUS P5W DH - Problems + Fixes Thread

[X7007]

Not sure I can show you a SCREENshot but here's a photo:

totally awsome m8, exacly what i needed

[begundal]

Yep, blind as a bat.... LOL
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...postcount=4184

after i saw your pic i found it
thanks bichi

i could've swore that option wasn't there before :o

[dddan]

Hello chaps, I'm in a bit of a fix and wonder if you can help?

I've recently bought the P5WDH mobo - love it, although to say it has it's quirks is understating things somewhat. Anyway, I was running the 2205 bios which I found totally stable, except that it would disable the sound every time I rebooted.

Hoping that an update would fix this, I tried the 2206 beta that has been mentioned. Asus Update erased the eeprom but then refused to load any bios file, even the backup of the original I made before starting.

Now my PC won't boot - won't even post. I switch on the machine and it checks both cdroms but won't load anything (the board I got was an oem version and didn't come with a recovery cd - in fact, it didn't come with anything). I've tried making a CDrom with only the P5WDH.ROM file on it and switching on with it inserted, leaving it for half an hour, but it hasn't done the trick. Am I missing something? Does it look for a disk with a particular name or something?

Is there

a) anywhere I can download the recovery CD

or

b) some way I can make one

or

c) anything else I can do to try and get this board to reload a rom?

I have a C2D so I'm guessing that's a sticking point - someone mentioned sticking a Celeron or old P4 in there just to reflash the bios, but I don't have one and really hope there's another way.

Any help you can give a n00b on this would be much appreciated.

[lawrywild]

Try this:

http://www.overclock3d.net/news.php?...oe_bios_issues

You could modify the .iso with a newer bios yourself (with PowerISO). Rename 2004 to the same bios as on this image and replace it, then burn)

EDIT: actually you can't replace the bios on the image, seems the bios is in a hidden sector of the disc. Should do the trick 'as is' anyway.

[dddan]

Try this:

http://www.overclock3d.net/news.php?...oe_bios_issues

You could modify the .iso with a newer bios yourself (with PowerISO). Rename 2004 to the same bios as on this image and replace it, then burn)

EDIT: actually you can't replace the bios on the image, seems the bios is in a hidden sector of the disc. Should do the trick 'as is' anyway.

Thanks lawry.

I burnt the image to a disk and switched on with the disk in the drive, but it doesn't seem to have done anything, even though I left it for a good 20 minutes. Is there anything else I can try (I'm guessing I'm not the only person who has experienced this problem )

[Ragdd]

Maybe put the latest bios on a floppy or CDR(W).
The filename must be P5WDH.rom

When you power on the computer, press ALF+F2 several times.
That should trigger the EZ flash program.

[dddan]

Maybe put the latest bios on a floppy or CDR(W).
The filename must be P5WDH.rom

When you power on the computer, press ALF+F2 several times.
That should trigger the EZ flash program.

Thanks Ragdd.

I tried using both floppy and cdrom with P5WDH.ROM file in the root of each, but have no luck. I get no output on the screen whatsoever and if I press CAPS or NUM lock keys, no lights switch on on the keyboard. I do have a core2 processor installed - am I going to have to buy a cheap Celeron to be able to reflash this?

[Falkentyne]

Forgive me for the noob question,
But will a QX6850 (g0) work on the p5wdh?
If so, will it work at full speed? I know this is a 1333 FSB CPU....

[lawrywild]

Should do, unless it's a really bad board. Chances of 333fsb will decrease with 4GB ram (4x1) but it's unlikely you won't be able to run 333fsb.

[nicepun]

I should get a Q6600 G0 sometime next week, I will give your bios a try, but I'm currently using 2103 w/out problems but I can't remember if it's supported.

[bichi]

Hello chaps, I'm in a bit of a fix and wonder if you can help?
c) anything else I can do to try and get this board to reload a rom?
Any help you can give a n00b on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks Ragdd.
I tried using both floppy and cdrom with P5WDH.ROM file in the root of each, but have no luck. I get no output on the screen whatsoever and if I press CAPS or NUM lock keys, no lights switch on on the keyboard. I do have a core2 processor installed - am I going to have to buy a cheap Celeron to be able to reflash this?

Bummer!
- all the best luck!

PREP:
- rename selected BIOS file to "P5WDH.ROM" and copy to clean floppy
- if no floppy, then copy to flashdrive with BIOS file renamed to "P5WDH.ROM"
- (never personally tested CD-ROM method)
- use PS/2 keyboard, if available

PROCESS:
- power off system
- unplug all external USB, eSATA, LAN, RS-232, etc.
- remove cards, except graphics
- clear BIOS (jumper, 10sec)
- insert floppy with renamed "P5WDH.ROM"
- if no floppy, connect flashdrive with renamed "P5WDH.ROM"
- (not sure if process will access CD-ROM drive...)
- note: use only floppy or flashdrive, not both
- power up system and hold "ALT-F2"
- recovery screen should appear and begin to seach for "P5WDH.ROM" file (see attached pic)

If the "ALT-F2" screen does not appear in reasonable time, (few minutes), then a replacement
BIOS chip will have to be ordered from ASUS. (if USA, 510-739-3777, ask for BIOS department)
- cost is $1 USD, with expedite shipping extra
- old BIOS chip must be sent back to ASUS, or $20 USD will apply
- some shops have replacement BIOS chips or ability to re-write BIOS chips
- BADFLASH.com is another alternative: http://www.badflash.com/

ASUS AFUDOS:
http://support.asus.com/technicaldoc...Language=en-us

- if you are technically savvy, HOT-FLASH, but thats another discussion
- part number below, about $2.73 USD

WINBOND PART: W39V080FA (PLCC 32)
8mbit, 3.3vdc, 1Mx8bits

[lawrywild]

Yea, if you know someone else with this board, hotflash the chip. It's really not hard aslong as you're careful taking out the chip without damage.

[nickfd]

Not sure I can show you a SCREENshot but here's a photo:

^-- there's my box with the g0 q6700. I'll be trying out your bios and the CPU in a couple of days, lawry. I need to pick up some more as5 + remover + prepper, and find some time to do it. Always a pain to clean up your old cpu and mounting plate from as5!

[nrs250]

I read this post:

I just updated the BIOS on my Asus p5w dh delux to the latest 2206 Version.
For some funny reason. when i disable the onboard sound in the BIOS. And save. It keeps enabling again. It wont let me disable it.

Has this been fixed with any BIOS version, reversion or mod, including P5W-DH-ASUS-Deluxe-2004-G0-45nm-Edition (Modified by lawrywild)?

Also is anyone running PC2-6400 at 800MHz with this chip (Q6600) and board.

I want to sell my E6400 (OC to 3.2 Ghz) on BIOS 1703, update the BIOS, buy the G0 Stepping Q6600, but am reluctant to move to this if the BIOS versions are so flaky on a fundamental level.

[Lemmingsbeest]

Same problem exists by me...check also speedstep...problem is here it stays disabled...I have the 2103 bios now on my p5wdh and the Q6600(65nm)...Works oke for me...2205 and 2206 give the problem with sound card and speedstep...I hope that asus will bring out a good bios update...

[nrs250]

Are you saying that with BIOS 2103....

No Sound Card Problem..
No Memory Issue....

Oh... and the Speedstep issue- not a major feature for desktops I guess.. (posted by Lemmingsbeest above)

Anyone have a Q6600 45nm with a bulletproof BIOS revision on basic items like sound and memory?

Chip is $300. I would like to have a working sound card for $300 and be able to use my Corsair Dominator RAM as well. It would not be OK not to run memory at 800MHz at least. I would like memory to run at spec minimum... leave OC'ing alone for now.

I don't know why Asus would claim to support the Q6600 with a major issue like that. Its like saying.. this car works fine....just don't make right turns....

I am running 1503 BIOS because I have a stable 3.2 GHz OC on an E6400 on WC.. For every 10 revisions ASUS puts out there there is like 1 real improvement.

[dddan]

Bummer!
- all the best luck!

PREP:
- rename selected BIOS file to "P5WDH.ROM" and copy to clean floppy
- if no floppy, then copy to flashdrive with BIOS file renamed to "P5WDH.ROM"
- (never personally tested CD-ROM method)
- use PS/2 keyboard, if available

PROCESS:
- power off system
- unplug all external USB, eSATA, LAN, RS-232, etc.
- remove cards, except graphics
- clear BIOS (jumper, 10sec)
- insert floppy with renamed "P5WDH.ROM"
- if no floppy, connect flashdrive with renamed "P5WDH.ROM"
- (not sure if process will access CD-ROM drive...)
- note: use only floppy or flashdrive, not both
- power up system and hold "ALT-F2"
- recovery screen should appear and begin to seach for "P5WDH.ROM" file (see attached pic)

If the "ALT-F2" screen does not appear in reasonable time, (few minutes), then a replacement
BIOS chip will have to be ordered from ASUS. (if USA, 510-739-3777, ask for BIOS department)
- cost is $1 USD, with expedite shipping extra
- old BIOS chip must be sent back to ASUS, or $20 USD will apply
- some shops have replacement BIOS chips or ability to re-write BIOS chips
- BADFLASH.com is another alternative: http://www.badflash.com/

ASUS AFUDOS:
http://support.asus.com/technicaldoc...Language=en-us

- if you are technically savvy, HOT-FLASH, but thats another discussion
- part number below, about $2.73 USD

WINBOND PART: W39V080FA (PLCC 32)
8mbit, 3.3vdc, 1Mx8bits

Yea, if you know someone else with this board, hotflash the chip. It's really not hard aslong as you're careful taking out the chip without damage.

Thanks guys - in fact, thanks to everyone who has replied and tried to help me.

I'd really be up for hotflashing, except my only other system (which does happen to have a PLCC32 chip) has it soldered to the board, so it isn't gonna happen.

I'm going to try a couple of the local PC stores, see if they can reprogram the chip for me. If not, I've found a UK-based supplier who can ship me a replacement flashed with the revision of my choice in a couple of days. (It's a bummer having your system out of action for any length of time, isn't it?)

Anyway - to the poster who asked if they can run the 1333FSB chips on this board - I can answer quite categorically YES, it is certainly supported in rev. 2205. I was running the E6850 quite happily with 4x1GB sticks of Geil PC-6400 until the BIOS mishap (I'll never use Asus Update ever again - Asus should be shot for releasing such shoddy code!) Only thing I had to do was set the RAM to 833MHz and up the voltage by 0.5V when I added in the extra two sticks and it worked fine. (Strangely enough, I didn't need to touch the voltage at all until I added the extra two sticks, but I guess that's just another of the board's quirks).

One question - I'm using the onboard sound, and 2205 kept disabling this in bios everytime I rebooted (hence why I tried to flash to 2206). Does anyone know if this bug is definitely fixed in rev. 2206? Does the onboard sound stay enabled, or is it just the same and I can stick with 2205, which ran fine except for helpfully (ahem!) disabling the onboard audio?

[w2richwood]

lawry has a modded 2004 bios that my work even better

[X7007]

Are you saying that with BIOS 2103....

No Sound Card Problem..
No Memory Issue....

Oh... and the Speedstep issue- not a major feature for desktops I guess.. (posted by Lemmingsbeest above)

Anyone have a Q6600 45nm with a bulletproof BIOS revision on basic items like sound and memory?

Chip is $300. I would like to have a working sound card for $300 and be able to use my Corsair Dominator RAM as well. It would not be OK not to run memory at 800MHz at least. I would like memory to run at spec minimum... leave OC'ing alone for now.

I don't know why Asus would claim to support the Q6600 with a major issue like that. Its like saying.. this car works fine....just don't make right turns....

I am running 1503 BIOS because I have a stable 3.2 GHz OC on an E6400 on WC.. For every 10 revisions ASUS puts out there there is like 1 real improvement.

Q6600 is 65nm not 45nm m8, use the lastest bios and disable the sound card from windows, it wont bother you after anymore.

[MarcusTaz]

Thanks guys - in fact, thanks to everyone who has replied and tried to help me.

I'd really be up for hotflashing, except my only other system (which does happen to have a PLCC32 chip) has it soldered to the board, so it isn't gonna happen.

I'm going to try a couple of the local PC stores, see if they can reprogram the chip for me. If not, I've found a UK-based supplier who can ship me a replacement flashed with the revision of my choice in a couple of days. (It's a bummer having your system out of action for any length of time, isn't it?)

Anyway - to the poster who asked if they can run the 1333FSB chips on this board - I can answer quite categorically YES, it is certainly supported in rev. 2205. I was running the E6850 quite happily with 4x1GB sticks of Geil PC-6400 until the BIOS mishap (I'll never use Asus Update ever again - Asus should be shot for releasing such shoddy code!) Only thing I had to do was set the RAM to 833MHz and up the voltage by 0.5V when I added in the extra two sticks and it worked fine. (Strangely enough, I didn't need to touch the voltage at all until I added the extra two sticks, but I guess that's just another of the board's quirks).

One question - I'm using the onboard sound, and 2205 kept disabling this in bios everytime I rebooted (hence why I tried to flash to 2206). Does anyone know if this bug is definitely fixed in rev. 2206? Does the onboard sound stay enabled, or is it just the same and I can stick with 2205, which ran fine except for helpfully (ahem!) disabling the onboard audio?

Hey is there anyway to get a socket soldererd to the mobo and a new chip to avoid this in the future?

[MacClipper]

It is actually already socketed on the P5W.

[holwill]

Just wanted to say that I have just done the Vdroop pencil mod and have gone from a Vdroop of 0.06 to 0.02-1 and it has helped lower my vcore to 1.4875 from 1.5125 @3.6 and be 12hrs Orthos stable small ffts. Will try to lower it further tonight! Big thanks for the info in this thread!

[5OH]

I have a few questions I hope someone can answer.

1. Is there a general overall problem with the P5W DH and the Q6600 CPU (G0)? Because I have a Q6600 which I know can overclock to 3.2GHz on air on a P35 mobo, but I can only get 3GHz (333x9) with it on the P5W using water cooling. I'm using the 2206 BIOS.
2. On P35 boards using the Q6600 multiplier 6, 7, 8 & 9 are available, but on this board even when I select multiplier 6-9, it always defaults to 9. I take it the multiplier can't be changed when using the P5W DH with the Q6600?
3. I would like to try an older BIOS, but can't seem to because it tells me I CAN'T LOAD AN OLDER BIOS. I tried using a floppy and AFUDOS, with same result.

Help would be appreciated.

[purecain]

I'M ONLY GETTING 3.2GHZ on air at the moment. no matter what i do it wont clock any higher and be prime stable. i think there could be certain settings needed or conditions i have yet to find. strange as i could get 3.6 easily with the e6600 installed instead of the quad....

[MacClipper]

2. On P35 boards using the Q6600 multiplier 6, 7, 8 & 9 are available, but on this board even when I select multiplier 6-9, it always defaults to 9. I take it the multiplier can't be changed when using the P5W DH with the Q6600?

I see this presently on the Commando 1404 BIOS too but for that mobo, it is a misreporting of speed on POST. The set multiplier actually works as can be seen using CPU-Z in Windows.

Anyway, do give 9 x 356FSB a try if you are still going for 3.2GHz. I am not sure if the P5W can do 400FSB with quads. Haven't had the chance to try it out yet with my SLACR, still testing it on my Commando.