[First Look] DFI 680i LT NF-680i LT SLI (56K Warning~~~)

[virtualrain]

I wuold aslo like to know, if possibile, if there is some vDrop MOD (pencil) on this motherboard that you can do to fix the IDLE - FULL voltage difference .

Not that I know of and I've been following this board since Christmas.

As for BIOS, the only way I know of to tell the difference between the 2C and 4C versions if if you can control your multi or not. The 2C gives multi control to non exteme processors in 521... the 4C to extreme processors. If you can control your multi, you have the right version for your CPU. AFAIK the 723 bios does not allow multi control on any processor. None of this matters if you are using your default multi though.

[famich]

Great!... maybe DFI should ship a dual core chip with each board to help us recover from these f'd up errors.

I had to RMA mine due to an 88 error that I could not recover from.

After overclocking my friends G0 to 3.6GHz on his EVGA A1 board in just a few hours (no fuss at all), I'm very unimpressed with my DFI board experience (it took a week of fussing to get it to the same clocks).

YApp, agree, my QX6700ES + this MB gave me a haard time as well
..1st "88 " ..then "TRAP ..." BSOD s during Prime - needs a lot of testing, but then , sudedenly everything snapped to place-
3,6 24/7 stable,m for the games I had to add 1 notch more VC/ or maybe the NB V should be upped a bit /

Funny thing is that I ve made 2 setups that were able to do this- 1 withlesse VCore and higher GTL and the 2nd one vice versa

[SchiuZ]

Not that I know of and I've been following this board since Christmas.

As for BIOS, the only way I know of to tell the difference between the 2C and 4C versions if if you can control your multi or not. The 2C gives multi control to non exteme processors in 521... the 4C to extreme processors. If you can control your multi, you have the right version for your CPU. AFAIK the 723 bios does not allow multi control on any processor. None of this matters if you are using your default multi though.

Thanks a lot for answering. So for the vDrop mod there is nothing to do.

For the BIOS the problem is that I have an Extreme processor (QX6850) and a Q6600, so I have to switch between the two BIOSs to use one or the other CPU.
I have some problems with the 723 BIOS: for example the LTD Voltage and VTT Voltage in the voltage control menu have been replaced both with a new voice witch is HT Link. So now I have 2 HT link voices and no LTD Voltage or VTT Voltage. Is this normal?
I think that the best BIOS for overlclocking is still the 521, 4C or 2C depending on Extreme or non-x processor, rigth?

[SchiuZ]

Not that I know of and I've been following this board since Christmas.

As for BIOS, the only way I know of to tell the difference between the 2C and 4C versions if if you can control your multi or not. The 2C gives multi control to non exteme processors in 521... the 4C to extreme processors. If you can control your multi, you have the right version for your CPU. AFAIK the 723 bios does not allow multi control on any processor. None of this matters if you are using your default multi though.

Hi Virtualrain, I read your guide for this motherboard and I really liked it, thank you for sharing so good information and for making many links .

I have an overclocking problem with the Q6600; if I use the 2CTST BIOS I'cant enter windows if I set 400Mhz FSB. I tried more the 40 and I say 40 different VTT - GTL settings, starting from VTT 1,60 200-115-95 and also settings like the one you suggested for 1600Mhz(VTT 1,60 195-195-95) and many more (also using lower values like VTT 1,40 and 170-95-85). I tried all the possibile settings I found and I also tried to make some new settings respecting the ruels for GTL values and also tring to do, as I said, something like your setting (with very close GTL1 and GTL2 settings). Nothing to do.

Then I tried the 4CTST BIOS (I also tried the last BIOS but I have many problems about VTT and LTD voltages, as I said befeore, so I am not using that BIOS) and I could enter Vista simply setting VTT 1,40 and 170-95-85. The problem is that I am not stable because the CPU Multi is fixed @ 9X (default).

So what I think (and I also opened a discussion in the DFI Club forums) is that the 2CTST BIOS is NOT good for Q6600 because it seems to be impossibile to enter in Windows with FSB400Mhz; and the 4CTST BIOS could be much better, because you can easly enter Windows, but it is difficult to find a Q6600 that can reach 3,6Ghz at voltages good for air or liquid cooling...

What do you think?

[virtualrain]

Hi Virtualrain, I read your guide for this motherboard and I really liked it, thank you for sharing so good information and for making many links .

I have an overclocking problem with the Q6600; if I use the 2CTST BIOS I'cant enter windows if I set 400Mhz FSB. I tried more the 40 and I say 40 different VTT - GTL settings, starting from VTT 1,60 200-115-95 and also settings like the one you suggested for 1600Mhz(VTT 1,60 195-195-95) and many more (also using lower values like VTT 1,40 and 170-95-85). I tried all the possibile settings I found and I also tried to make some new settings respecting the ruels for GTL values and also tring to do, as I said, something like your setting (with very close GTL1 and GTL2 settings). Nothing to do.

Then I tried the 4CTST BIOS (I also tried the last BIOS but I have many problems about VTT and LTD voltages, as I said befeore, so I am not using that BIOS) and I could enter Vista simply setting VTT 1,40 and 170-95-85. The problem is that I am not stable because the CPU Multi is fixed @ 9X (default).

So what I think (and I also opened a discussion in the DFI Club forums) is that the 2CTST BIOS is NOT good for Q6600 because it seems to be impossibile to enter in Windows with FSB400Mhz; and the 4CTST BIOS could be much better, because you can easly enter Windows, but it is difficult to find a Q6600 that can reach 3,6Ghz at voltages good for air or liquid cooling...

What do you think?

Personally, I really think that DFI's BIOS support for this board it pathetic. Even the guru's over at the club forums don't seem to have much of a clue as to what the differences in any of the recent BIOS's are... and DFI released a beta BIOS not long ago that fried boards... clearly indicating their internal testing is also pathetic. It's a total blind shot as to what BIOS might work better for any given situation... there is absolutely little credible fact to work with other than the fact that most people with working overclocks are using the 521 in one flavor or another.

AFAIK there are still folks with X6850's with no multi support.

Sorry to sound a bit bitter, but I use to rag on ASUS for their terrible BIOS support, but now I find DFI in the same boat.

Now back to your situation... what's the highest FSB you can run stable at x9? You may be just hitting a wall.

As you know I was able to run 400x9 on the 2CTST 521 bios so it could be just that your proc is not up to 400 FSB. Are you running Vcore at 1.6V and NB Volts at something similar? Keep in mind the droop on this board is insane so you need to overcompensate by similarly insane amounts.

[SchiuZ]

Thanks for aswering. The problem is that with the BIOS 2CTST I can't even boot at 400Mhz FSB, as I told you, also if I set VTT 1,6v and 190 110 95 and other setting (also NB 1,6v etc). All the hardware has been tested also on a eVga motherboard (new revision) and this CPU is cabable of going at more then 450FSB on that motherboard.

If I use the BIOS 4CTST I have no problems to run @ 400Mhz FSB on this motherboard, I can also set NB 1,51v (1,36 read) and 1,40VTT 170-97-85 (1,36v HT Link read) and I can run a SuperPi 1M and some miutes of Orthos, the problem, as I told you, is that I have locked molti @ 9x, so I can't be stable at 3600Mhz, too high temp or non enough vCore.

This is a scrrenshot taken with the 4CTST BIOS, just to show that I am not cheating:



As you can see the motherboard is cabable to reach easly 400Mhz FSB with the 4CTST BIOS; the problem is that I can't use it because I need too high vCore (1,68 is impossibile to use for more than 1 minute).

So what I supposed I think it was right: the 2CTST BIOS is NOT good for Q6600, and if you use that BIOS the Q6600 will not go at high FSBs (not more than 360Mhz also using high VTT, NB and GTL settings).

I really can't understand this. Why DFI is not supporting the Q6600CPU?

[Gorod]

Personally, I really think that DFI's BIOS support for this board it pathetic.

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AFAIK there are still folks with X6850's with no multi support.

They dont even try to help with beta bios for QX6850 users , i've been asking them on DFI forums for over 2 weeks now to help with at least a beta bios with full QX6850 support and nobody seems to care 4CTST521 is too old and provides a very poor oveclock with that cpu and 723 has no open multi , thats after what - 2 months that cpu hit retail ? Oh well ...

[SchiuZ]

I am very disappointed, I always tought that DFI was a serious motherboard brand but I have to think again about it...

I have a Q6600 CPU witch is a very diffused CPU and it is not supported (because of what I told you in the last posts) and a QX6850 G0 CPU that I would like to test but I read (and you are telling me) that that CPU is not fully compatible with this motherboard...

DFI, why you are NOT supporting this motherboard???

[hlonipha]

Personally, I really think that DFI's BIOS support for this board it pathetic. Even the guru's over at the club forums don't seem to have much of a clue as to what the differences in any of the recent BIOS's are... and DFI released a beta BIOS not long ago that fried boards... clearly indicating their internal testing is also pathetic. It's a total blind shot as to what BIOS might work better for any given situation... there is absolutely little credible fact to work with other than the fact that most people with working overclocks are using the 521 in one flavor or another.

AFAIK there are still folks with X6850's with no multi support.

Sorry to sound a bit bitter, but I use to rag on ASUS for their terrible BIOS support, but now I find DFI in the same boat.

After spending a bit longer with this board I have to agree with virtual shame on you DFI.
USERS ---> <----DFI SUPPORT

[famich]

Thanks a lot for answering. So for the vDrop mod there is nothing to do.

For the BIOS the problem is that I have an Extreme processor (QX6850) and a Q6600, so I have to switch between the two BIOSs to use one or the other CPU.
I have some problems with the 723 BIOS: for example the LTD Voltage and VTT Voltage in the voltage control menu have been replaced both with a new voice witch is HT Link. So now I have 2 HT link voices and no LTD Voltage or VTT Voltage. Is this normal?
I think that the best BIOS for overlclocking is still the 521, 4C or 2C depending on Extreme or non-x processor, rigth?

Hello, I ve got the beta BIOS 0625 supposedly meant for the QX6850
-should have an unlocked multi I have tried it briefly / no frying at all / , but for me the 0521 is the better one.
If you like, PM me if you do not have it already .

Otherwise , ype, agree, this board is not an easy one , I had Striker before this one, but my ES is very picky, there was no way of a decent clocking for me with the ES

[justin_c]

very fustrated with this mobo, i cant get 3.8ghz stable and 4ghz for 3dm06. it clocked 3.8 stable on an evga 680i a1.

[Praz]

very fustrated with this mobo, i cant get 3.8ghz stable and 4ghz for 3dm06. it clocked 3.8 stable on an evga 680i a1.

Then the A1 is the board I'd be using. Seems a pretty simple solution.

[The Nemesis]

I'm gonna pair my board with a core 2 duo and table the Quads until the X38 chipset. I've got two Q6600's, a G0 & a B3, both of which heats up the power circuitry far too easily. I think the 680i chipset simply isn't up to par for overclocking quad cores. Stock or a little above but not serious overclocking. Suxs because I already have a decent 680i board with the Abit IN9 32-Max.

I've tried the evga a1/t1 boards and did vdroop mod. It's a nice, fairly simple board, but it struggled to clock my quads as well, though easier to setup than the DFI.

[justin_c]

im almost sure that i can get 3.8 ghz stable with this dfi, its just i need time to tweak the GTL reference voltages. once those are set and stable, then the board is great, but offers no extra gimmicks or performance over the simpler evga 680i a1.

[SchiuZ]

Hello, I ve got the beta BIOS 0625 supposedly meant for the QX6850
-should have an unlocked multi I have tried it briefly / no frying at all / , but for me the 0521 is the better one.
If you like, PM me if you do not have it already .

Otherwise , ype, agree, this board is not an easy one , I had Striker before this one, but my ES is very picky, there was no way of a decent clocking for me with the ES

Thank you, I already have that BIOS; I received that few hours ago. A friend tested it and told me that he has better performances, CPU perfectly recognized and a better RAM managment system. Anyway it is ONLY for QX6850 (also ES), so I can't use it with any other CPU.

Then the A1 is the board I'd be using. Seems a pretty simple solution.

Yes... I also tried the eVga, I personally prefer the DFI motherboard, but I don't like the DFI BIOSs; I think that they can do something better and faster.

In general I prefer P38 Motherboards for ocing quads, I had a very bad experience with the Striker, but I love SLI, so I have to use 680i or 680i LT...

[justin_c]

is that BIOS going to be modified for other cpus too (q6600 for example?)
better performance=good. hopefully more stable.

[hlonipha]

what does the vtt setting does on this board ?

thanks

hlo

[Kampfzerstorer]

what does the vtt setting does on this board ?

thanks

hlo

It helped OC my RAM when I was using the 521 bios. It also helped reduce fsb holes.

Doesn't seem to do the same thing with the newer 723 bios though.

[virtualrain]

what does the vtt setting does on this board ?

thanks

hlo

It's the termination voltage for the GTL (FSB signalling). It only needs to be adjusted for quad core overclocking... and should be done in relation to the the GTL settings.

More than you ever wanted to know here... http://www.thetechrepository.com/showthread.php?t=87

[virtualrain]

Then the A1 is the board I'd be using. Seems a pretty simple solution.

Yeah... I'm giving my RMA replacement one chance at a decent overclock or it's going in the sale bin.

[virtualrain]

Thanks for aswering. The problem is that with the BIOS 2CTST I can't even boot at 400Mhz FSB, as I told you, also if I set VTT 1,6v and 190 110 95 and other setting (also NB 1,6v etc). All the hardware has been tested also on a eVga motherboard (new revision) and this CPU is cabable of going at more then 450FSB on that motherboard.

If I use the BIOS 4CTST I have no problems to run @ 400Mhz FSB on this motherboard, I can also set NB 1,51v (1,36 read) and 1,40VTT 170-97-85 (1,36v HT Link read) and I can run a SuperPi 1M and some miutes of Orthos, the problem, as I told you, is that I have locked molti @ 9x, so I can't be stable at 3600Mhz, too high temp or non enough vCore.

This is a scrrenshot taken with the 4CTST BIOS, just to show that I am not cheating:



As you can see the motherboard is cabable to reach easly 400Mhz FSB with the 4CTST BIOS; the problem is that I can't use it because I need too high vCore (1,68 is impossibile to use for more than 1 minute).

So what I supposed I think it was right: the 2CTST BIOS is NOT good for Q6600, and if you use that BIOS the Q6600 will not go at high FSBs (not more than 360Mhz also using high VTT, NB and GTL settings).

I really can't understand this. Why DFI is not supporting the Q6600CPU?

I understand what you are saying... regardless of what board and bios, what is the best this CPU has done? Has it done 400x9 or 450x8 on an EVGA board? What Vcore? What are the stable conditions you have as a track record for this CPU (if any)?

[SchiuZ]

Thank you again. This CPU was capable of 3,6Ghz 1,58v (real voltage, not selected in BIOS but readed with a tester) 400x9Mhz. This frequency was not Prime 100&#37; stable, but at 3,6Ghz it could run 3DM06 and SuperPi with no problems (also 4x32M SuperPi).

The CPU was perfecrly stable at 3,4Ghz (425x8) vCore 1,45v. Liquid cooled, 8HRs and more QuadPrime and double Orthos blend stable (and not only, I also tried OCCT and other stability test for hours and always setting high priority).

So the CPU is not "exceptional" but it is a good CPU, and I would like to make it run @ 400x8Mhz or something like that. The main problem that I have is not possibile to have a good BIOS, because the 2CTST BIOS is not good for 4Core CPUs, I also spoke with some friends that have direct contacts with DFI, and in theri opinion the correct BIOS is the 4CTST, not the 2CTST (and it is what I also confirm trying them both), but the Q6600 has locked molti with the BIOS, and the reason is that the 4CTST521 BIOS doesn't include the support for changing the multiplier in the non-extreme CPUs. The Extreme CPUs have a differet hardware function to change the multiplier, not depending on the NB freqeuncy, while the non-extreme can lower their multiplier changing (and incrasing) the NB frequency. The forumla is NB Core Clock = (Default Multiplier/Current Multiplier) x FSB and also Praz (DFI Club Moderator) told me this think...

[justin_c]

schiuz, have you even played with the gtl reference voltage settings? thats all you need to get 3.6ghz, not 1.58V.

[virtualrain]

Thank you again. This CPU was capable of 3,6Ghz 1,58v (real voltage, not selected in BIOS but readed with a tester) 400x9Mhz. This frequency was not Prime 100&#37; stable, but at 3,6Ghz it could run 3DM06 and SuperPi with no problems (also 4x32M SuperPi).

The CPU was perfecrly stable at 3,4Ghz (425x8) vCore 1,45v. Liquid cooled, 8HRs and more QuadPrime and double Orthos blend stable (and not only, I also tried OCCT and other stability test for hours and always setting high priority).

So the CPU is not "exceptional" but it is a good CPU, and I would like to make it run @ 400x8Mhz or something like that. The main problem that I have is not possibile to have a good BIOS, because the 2CTST BIOS is not good for 4Core CPUs, I also spoke with some friends that have direct contacts with DFI, and in theri opinion the correct BIOS is the 4CTST, not the 2CTST (and it is what I also confirm trying them both), but the Q6600 has locked molti with the BIOS, and the reason is that the 4CTST521 BIOS doesn't include the support for changing the multiplier in the non-extreme CPUs. The Extreme CPUs have a differet hardware function to change the multiplier, not depending on the NB freqeuncy, while the non-extreme can lower their multiplier changing (and incrasing) the NB frequency. The forumla is NB Core Clock = (Default Multiplier/Current Multiplier) x FSB and also Praz (DFI Club Moderator) told me this think...

Ok, several things to consider here...

First, we know your CPU is stable at 3.4GHz and a reasonable 1.45VCore.

Keep in mind that the DFI undervolts the Vcore by about 0.07V and then droops an addition 0.05V under load. So to get an equivalent of 1.48V under load with the DFI you are going to want to max the CPU Vid at 1.6V... even to hit 3.4GHz.

3.4GHz is 377x9 or 425x8... Forget about the 425x8... hitting 400+FSB with a quad is extremely difficult on any board... you were lucky to achieve that on the EVGA... not many can do that... it's like winning the lotto. You should just go back to the eVGA with results like that.

With the DFI it may not be possible or would take an endless amount of tweaking GTL. Hence in my opinion you should aim for 377x9 and by the sounds of it you could use either BIOS to do this... certainly the locked multi version. The reason you may not be able to hit 400x8 is possibly due to the particular NB silicon you have on the DFI... perhaps it has a wall or hole there. Also keep in mind that the DFI undervolts the NB like crazy so you really need to crank up the voltage. You should be using something like 1.6x Volts on the NB I think. Also, my NB has holes... try going up in 5MHz increments from 360 and see if any of them work... I found my board wouldn't post at 360 but was perfectly stable at 380 (for example).

Ultimately, I don't think your issue is BIOS related at all (although I share your frustration with the various versions)... perhaps you just have unrealistic expectations for the silicon you have in hand (trying for 400+ FSB)?

[hlonipha]

It's the termination voltage for the GTL (FSB signalling). It only needs to be adjusted for quad core overclocking... and should be done in relation to the the GTL settings.

More than you ever wanted to know here... http://www.thetechrepository.com/showthread.php?t=87

thanks