[18th Anniversary] Asus Black Pearl - P5k-Premium Testing Report

[ocZZZ]

nice one

[andyr(uk)]

Has anyone flashed with 0302 yet and if so is it any good?

[deadsquirrel]

That is good news. I would like to try this myself. Is it possible to install the driver on an existing Vista 32 installation? or do i need to reinstall the OS?

I tried to run the driver but it came up as "this computer does not meet the minimum requierment to install this software" error.

If i decide to re-install, how do i make a driver disk out of it?

Many thanks for your help.

From ASUS FAQ, "This is because older versions of ICH9R IMSM (Intel Matrix Storage Manager) driver (include VISTA boxed driver) has compatibility problems with several models of HDD from particular vendors.
Please kindly build a new AHCI/RAD driver diskette using makedisk tool v7.5.0.1017, and load this driver prior installation of operating system (Windows XP and VISTA) to fix this problem."

Personally I tried 7.6.0.1011 from Intel site for XP install cause I thought newer should be better. Wrong. With 7.6.0.1011 it never install, died somewhere always, not exactly at the same spot but always dies somewhere. When changed to 7.5.0.1017 as ASUS sugguested, fine ever since.

EDIT: berdde, you are a STAR!!!!!! IT WORKED! Many thanks!

[deadsquirrel]

Has anyone flashed with 0302 yet and if so is it any good?

not tried myself but people on the ASUS forums are saying its not much of an improvment.

[Tarowah]

Just got my board from the Egg and I am priming at 3.6Ghz with the 204 bios (it was already installed), no SATA II issues at all so I am happy with the board, the thing that I like the most is the .01 vdroop =).


I have zero clue what most of the bios settings do so I am going to take it slow and learn as I go, any pointers that you guys feel like tossing my way would help alot though.

[petercintn]

From ASUS FAQ, "This is because older versions of ICH9R IMSM (Intel Matrix Storage Manager) driver (include VISTA boxed driver) has compatibility problems with several models of HDD from particular vendors.
Please kindly build a new AHCI/RAD driver diskette using makedisk tool v7.5.0.1017, and load this driver prior installation of operating system (Windows XP and VISTA) to fix this problem."

Personally I tried 7.6.0.1011 from Intel site for XP install cause I thought newer should be better. Wrong. With 7.6.0.1011 it never install, died somewhere always, not exactly at the same spot but always dies somewhere. When changed to 7.5.0.1017 as ASUS sugguested, fine ever since.

Thanks, this eased my mind. Have ordered the premium from zzf and having to use a MO it will take a little bit for me to get it end but I'll let ya'll know if she works good when I get it.

[scaramonga]

The beta bios 0302 for P5K Premium

Old & worthless

Looking more like a 'hardware' fault and not a single peep from ASUS

[gosmeyer]

Ready to RMA my 2nd one One more try and thats it!

[sofarfrome]

Just got my board from the Egg and I am priming at 3.6Ghz with the 204 bios (it was already installed), no SATA II issues at all so I am happy with the board, the thing that I like the most is the .01 vdroop =).


I have zero clue what most of the bios settings do so I am going to take it slow and learn as I go, any pointers that you guys feel like tossing my way would help alot though.

Do you have the voltage dampner enabled? On mine with it enabled I have ZERO vdroop.

[Tarowah]

Yes I have it on, the Bios is set at 1.43v and the Asus Probe II reports 1.42v, I am not sure if that is correct or not but I'll live with .01 hehe.

[Gunlance]

Oh man I so want this board, but due to my last OCing board(DFI CFX3200) having crazy hdd issues, I will def steer clear until its fixed. I still want this board man. Hopefully the blitz doesn't suffer from this.

[Apoc@]

This board sucks really, ohhh man. Have the 0302 beta bios running now but had 2 times a BSOD today. My new XP installation took me 3 hours because the pc could not find my hd's.

Next week im off for 3 weeks to the states for a holliday, when i return and there is still no better bios update, than i will dump the board. And i will never buy a Asus again.

[sofarfrome]

I am running the 302 beta bios with a Xeon X3210 G0 and this thing is great. It runs 3.0GHz (kinda like the QX6850 at stock aye?) at 1.25vcore with 3-3-3-12 timings. 3.6GHz with 1.42vcore at 4-4-4-12 timings and 3.8GHz at 1.53vcore with 4-4-4-12 timings. So far I have had no problems with this Premium board.

[Apoc@]

When it works it works great i know.. I have made great runs on the board, but for 24/7 use it has too be stable.

[sofarfrome]

I run the 3.6GHz settings 24/7 with no problems so far (about 2 weeks).

[Vapor matt]

Well i have just swaped out my PK5 deluxe for the PK5 premium black pearl


system is 1000w enermax Psu
PK5 premium water cooled - D-tek fuzion CPU swiftech N/B
Q6600 GO L720B058 pack date 15/08/07
4 X 1G cellshock 4-4-4-12
GTX 8800 water cooled D-tek
3 X seagate 7.10's 320g
2 in Raid O and 1 slave
Netgear N speed wireless card
X-meridian 7.1 sound
1 X 18 speed DVD-+R

Currently running 3.6g just as 100% stable as my deluxe M/B bios is the one it came with 0102 i wont bother updateing untill i see some advantages of doing so as from what i can gather the new official bios dosnt offer anything extra.

Things ive noticed diffrent with this board. it dosnt do the double boot like the deluxe did. it just boots once when the power has been off. also shutdown seems alot smoother with the premium. the deluxe would kinda shut down with a instant cut off, this board seems to shut down in a relaxed way is the only way i can describe it.


so far this seems a little better than the deluxe board but i wouldnt say it was worth the upgrade over the deluxe. great board though just like the deluxe is

[sofarfrome]

I have my x3210 running 3.8GHz prime stable. However, I hit a FSB wall of 485 this morning trying to get to 4.0GHz. I really want to see how far this board will go on the FSB so now I guess I will have to pull my Xeon 3060 from my work rig. I know that has a FSB of at least 550.

[MarcusXP]

I have P5K Premium and Q6600 G0. I also have 2x1GB DDr2 1066 Crucial BallistiX Tracer (goes 1200mhz+ with stock 2.2V).
I don't know why I cannot pass 460-470FSB for the CPU. There is a limitation in the CPU?
The CPU goes 3800mhz and maybe more, as long as I don't pass 470FSB..
Maybe there are some special settings to do in bios ?

[noobzed]

[Apoc@]

My mobo has been send for RMA today, i have asked for a refund. No more P35 mobo in my pc, will get the DFI X38 in 4 weeks when i'm back from holiday.

[scaramonga]

Well, I just got this baby fired up tonight and so far seems OK. Small 25% overclock on stock voltages just to break it in . Running 3 x 320Gb Seagates in RAID 0 mode with no problems to report also.

2 weird things though

CPUz (1.41) shows my core speed 1000 below what its actually running?? so it shows 2003.9MHz when its really 3003.9MHz and a multiplier of '6' when its really '9'??

Voltages are way off the mark!! These read +3.3 @ 3.28, +5.00 @ 5.51 and +12.00 @ 9.61!!!! WTF

I then tested in 'Everest Ultimate' to make sure CPUz and MBM weren't giving false readings and they show exactly the same figures there too??

Checking the BIOS itself shows the voltages and core speed to be what they should be and not the silly numbers above.

Any ideas??

[palese]

Well, I just got this baby fired up tonight and so far seems OK. Small 25% overclock on stock voltages just to break it in . Running 3 x 320Gb Seagates in RAID 0 mode with no problems to report also.

2 weird things though

CPUz (1.41) shows my core speed 1000 below what its actually running?? so it shows 2003.9MHz when its really 3003.9MHz and a multiplier of '6' when its really '9'??

Voltages are way off the mark!! These read +3.3 @ 3.28, +5.00 @ 5.51 and +12.00 @ 9.61!!!! WTF

I then tested in 'Everest Ultimate' to make sure CPUz and MBM weren't giving false readings and they show exactly the same figures there too??

Checking the BIOS itself shows the voltages and core speed to be what they should be and not the silly numbers above.

Any ideas??

Diable CIE in bios

[scaramonga]

Diable CIE in bios

I tried that and no difference??

[theonlybabyface]

Also disable Speedstep....

[scaramonga]

Also disable Speedstep....

Same........

Been through every BIOS setting and nothing changes? Reports OK in BIOS itself, but not in Windows?

Maybe I'll try a BIOS upgrade? I'm using the 0102 that came with board but I cant see that making a difference.