Asrock 775Dual-VSTA Volt Mods

[Jor3lBR]

IMPORTANT

Just wanted to know, has anyone experienced a decrease in overclockability when upgrading to the 2.90 BIOS? I seem to have lost either the ability to run tight timings stably and some of the FSB headroom

Whats your system Bravo?

[Johnny Bravo]

X6800 @ 3.3GHz -> 330FSB x10
2x512MB 8000UL 3-2-2-5 330MHz
various AGP cards

You know , the usual

[Jor3lBR]

Humm I can't help you on that, my mobo is a 4coredual-vsta and I'm using the 2.0 original bios.

I completed your vdd, vddr and vagp mod yesterday (finally), and the mobo is ready to fire. I replace the cheapos capacitors too.

I was able to boot right away with 335*10 with my E4400. Did some memtests and m-prime for about 4 hrs.

Didn't go further because I was just shaking down (using the intel standart cooler). I will put the mobo in case and turn the watercooling to see how further it can go.

Thanks for the tips.

EDIT: turns out that the board wasn't booting in 335*10 with the e4400. My bad. 335*10 was with an e6600 sorry about that I was testing both but didn't release at the time witch was I was using.
Max boot with the e4400 315*10 and mem timmings 1t 22225 ddr1 gives a reading average of 6300-6400 on everest.

[Johnny Bravo]

Thats a great start on the FSB Jor3lBR! I honestly think I will move over to a 4coredual board I have a feeling this one isn't as good as it used to be

[jimmor]

Humm I can't help you on that, my mobo is a 4coredual-vsta and I'm using the 2.0 original bios.

I completed your vdd, vddr and vagp mod yesterday (finally), and the mobo is ready to fire. I replace the cheapos capacitors too.

I was able to boot right away with 335*10 with my E4400. Did some memtests and m-prime for about 4 hrs.

Didn't go further because I was just shaking down (using the intel standart cooler). I will put the mobo in case and turn the watercooling to see how further it can go.

Thanks for the tips.

Just for interest Jor3lBR, what levels of CPU-volts, Vtt, Vagp and Vdimm allowed a "stable" 335MHz overclock with the E4400 ?

[Jor3lBR]

Just for interest Jor3lBR, what levels of CPU-volts, Vtt, Vagp and Vdimm allowed a "stable" 335MHz overclock with the E4400 ?

Bravo: Sure you could do that, I spent $38 on a recertified 4coredual + another $30 on brand new good quality capacitors.

Jimmor:
Vtt: 1.5
Vdimm: 3.0v (I use ddr Mushkins Redline PC4000, they where doing 250Mhz 2-2-2-9-1t stable on my DFI)
Vagp: 1.8v
Vcore: 1.50v

I will hook system up on the weekend and start Primming to get 8hrs + without erros.

[jimmor]

Bravo: Sure you could do that, I spent $38 on a recertified 4coredual + another $30 on brand new good quality capacitors.

Jimmor:
Vtt: 1.5
Vdimm: 3.0v (I use ddr Mushkins Redline PC4000, they where doing 250Mhz 2-2-2-9-1t stable on my DFI)
Vagp: 1.8v
Vcore: 1.50v

I will hook system up on the weekend and start Primming to get 8hrs + without erros.

Thanks Jor3lBR,

Your Vagp seems a bit low for such a high overclock. In fact nothing appears special with any of your settings. So maybe your good fortune somehow related to your option to fit good quality capacitors ?

[Johnny Bravo]

I'd have to agree with Jimmor, you're either very lucky with your board or the cap swap has proven to be quite the decider!

Could I possibly request that you run some memory bandwidth benchmarks as I'd like to see how "fast" your memory system is in comparison to mine

THis is as good as I've gotten so far ...

[Jor3lBR]

The caps are a big factor, especially for overclocks, but we will only be able to find out after I really put this machine to 'work' hard.
I still dunno about bios options etc, I will have to play by the song. And maybe go even further.

I learned a lot with my DFI nF2 that was a pandora's box.

As soon as I finish my moving and set the pc up I will continue my post and show pictures of my modded board etc.

And only then I will be able to post more serious results and screenies.

[Johnny Bravo]

was it the full set of capacitors on the board you replaced or just certain ones round the cpu, NB, memory ?

[Jor3lBR]

was it the full set of capacitors on the board you replaced or just certain ones round the cpu, NB, memory ?

Replaced all the cap's in the board... Usually we only replace caps above 800uf, but in this board all of them where (at least 90%). Most of them where Evercon (crap)...

There are to Nichicon's near the ddr mosfet's that are suppose to be a good brand but that particular model (m-m) is crappy (blows often).

So I pretty much had to change evry single one of them, I'll post pictures latter.

[Johnny Bravo]

Jor3lBR, is your 4coredual board got stickers on it for the model name, seems that my new board is actually older than my "old" board! 4coredual is rev 1.00 and the 775Dual is rev 1.02 ?!?!

[Jor3lBR]

Jor3lBR, is your 4coredual board got stickers on it for the model name, seems that my new board is actually older than my "old" board! 4coredual is rev 1.00 and the 775Dual is rev 1.02 ?!?!

I don't see any reference in the rev. # because my mods maybe on the way.

But the rev version is only apliable to each model. So you can see an old 775 with more revisions then a new coredual, thats normal.

Here are some pics of my board ready to gain case status.

You can see here all the blocks, heat sinks, coolers, new caps (samxon), and new points for measuring voltages vtt, vagp and vddr (see the 3 little blue plastics knobs next to the ddr slots, right side and next to the pot's):
http://i14.tinypic.com/5xom712.jpg

And here are the new capacitors all around the board:
http://i3.tinypic.com/4ytqp2e.jpg
http://i12.tinypic.com/4mhk2v4.jpg
http://i12.tinypic.com/4lgi0kg.jpg

[Johnny Bravo]

I see your board is rev 1.00 (between first and second PCI slot) The thing with my board is that the 4Coredual is not printed on the board like yours, its a sticker over the older 775Dual board! I also notice that some of the components used are different on the 1.02 board so I will be interesting to see how this 4coredual board preforms "stock" in comparison.

I see you've used Samxon caps, good choice so am I I've also noticed that the power circuits for both Vagp/Vnb and Vddr aren't that great that there's alot of droop between idle and load - I've a few power circuits I'm making up atm to try and run these off board see if I can improve stability.

Good work so far mate

[Jor3lBR]

thansk bravo.

well that weird don't you think?

what have you found out about your mobo so far?

do you know if DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) will work in these 4coredual?

[Alchemist]

thansk bravo.

well that weird don't you think?

what have you found out about your mobo so far?

do you know if DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) will work in these 4coredual?

Super Talent PC8500

http://www.pro-clockers.com/review.php?id=207&page=1

[Johnny Bravo]

Should be fine I've used a variety of DDR2 in the board and all seem to boot with default BIOS settings. Currently running Corsair PC2-8000UL sticks for instance.

[jimmor]

do you know if DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) will work in these 4coredual?

DDR2 PC2-6400 is an excellent choice for this mobo considering it is very cheap and easily capable of running at the max possible FSB quoted for this mobo of 340MHz.

Personally have been using 2x1Gb Geil Ultra PC2-6400 at 3-3-3-9 and 320MHz fsb on a 4coredual mobo for some time now with no problems whatsoever.

[Jor3lBR]

DDR2 PC2-6400 is an excellent choice for this mobo considering it is very cheap and easily capable of running at the max possible FSB quoted for this mobo of 340MHz.

Personally have been using 2x1Gb Geil Ultra PC2-6400 at 3-3-3-9 and 320MHz fsb on a 4coredual mobo for some time now with no problems whatsoever.

Thanks for all the tips guys, but turns out that is the e4400 that's crapping out on me

The mems are fine, they are running 2-2-2-2-5-1t (400mhz) with 315fsb.

Passes all memtests overnight and s&m. But the processor is giving Orthos error with 8k and 10k fft (cpu stressing).

Raising the vdd and vagp doesn't help at all. Same error with 10k fft.

My cpu is currently running 1.525v do you guys think that I should give more volts or did I reach limit of this cpu on this board?

Current temps with watercoling 7v:
- 33-35o.C idle
- 50-55o.C load

Readings are from TAT, Everest gives -10oC. on all temps.

Thanks again!

[jimmor]

My cpu is currently running 1.525v do you guys think that I should give more volts or did I reach limit of this cpu on this board?

Current temps with watercoling 7v:
- 33-35o.C idle
- 50-55o.C load

Readings are from TAT, Everest gives -10oC. on all temps.

Thanks again!

The core volts regulator of this type of mobo is not very good, so expect your 1.525 is not held very well when loaded above 3GHz.

Intel quoted max for your cpu type is 1.55v, but have seen instances of people running with up to 1.6v. So there is certainly scope for you to try a higher level ---> especially since you are water cooled?

I currently find 4coredual limit to be around 320 with E4300 and E4400 types, regardless of cpu volts being anywhere around 1.41 to 1.55v. Which is why I was very interested in what you did to achieve your 335 overclock ?



EDIT:

When you show watercooling at 7v, I assume you mean you are running the cooling fan at 7V?

If so, then does your E4400 run more "orthos" stable when running fan(s) at 12v, and thus cpu at lower temps than current 55ish ?

To achieve error-free stable 320 with E4400, I had to change to a Big Typ 120 VX cooler. This keeps cpu temps around 50C under orthos. Any lesser heatsink which allowed temps to go above 56C caused some orthos errors. And above 60C sometimes caused errors within 30 secs !

Since all temps were actually within spec for CPU type, assumed that just maybe errors were caused by much hotter "hot-spots" within the cpu (an Intel design/manufacturing flaw ???) which were not properly being identified by TAT or any other temp measuring software ---> just a thought ?

So I currently do whatever it takes to make sure my heatsinking is keeping temps to max of around 50c under heavy loading !

[PAIIITET]

DDR1 vs DDRII

Core 2 Duo E4300@2700Mhz (300*9) 1.325V (Real 1.29V)
ASRock 775Dual-VSTA (AGP, PCI-E, DDR1\DDR2)
[ voltmod VAGP 1.6V@1.84V and VNB 1.35V@1.47V ]

Culer: Thermaltake Big Typhoon 1300

DIMM DDRII 2*1024Mb Kingstone KVR667D2N5 600Mhz 3-3-3-6 1T 2.00v (Dual)

Leadtek GeForce 7800 GS [G71] 256Mb AGP
Core 375@620Mhz VID-voltmod 1.1@1.3V (Real 1.33V)
Memory 1200@1400Mhz Ultra Low Timing's

[jimmor]

DDR1 vs DDRII

Core 2 Duo E4300@2700Mhz (300*9) 1.325V (Real 1.29V)
ASRock 775Dual-VSTA (AGP, PCI-E, DDR1\DDR2)
[ voltmod VAGP 1.6V@1.84V and VNB 1.35V@1.47V ]

Culer: Thermaltake Big Typhoon 1300

DIMM DDRII 2*1024Mb Kingstone KVR667D2N5 600Mhz 3-3-3-6 1T 2.00v (Dual)

Leadtek GeForce 7800 GS [G71] 256Mb AGP
Core 375@620Mhz VID-voltmod 1.1@1.3V (Real 1.33V)
Memory 1200@1400Mhz Ultra Low Timing's

It's not a fair comparison unless both types of DDR are running with same latencies and speeds ?

And even if you exclude differences in latencies, there's a huge difference between running Memory at a 4:3 stepdown of 225MHz and 1:1 at 300MHz ?

[Jor3lBR]

Interesting comments!

Jimmor:
I did an improvement on watercooling and temps should not be an issue (the 2 rad hose where touching the back of the hot psu). The temps where higher duo to that problem.
Now I'm using Win Xp x64 and can't find a reliable temp reader, do you have any suggestions? What about that ddr vs ddr2 chart can you share some light with the question below?

Paitet:
Ummmm, so that means that a ddr1 running 1:1 222251t is slower then a ddr2 running at 1:1 444492t?


And how sucky is this mobo onboard LAN!

[Jor3lBR]

Jim:

Regarding the 335fsb I edited my post above, please read.

Turns out it was a e6600 not the e4400, I brought 2 exact systems (for me and cousin) and as I was assembling them together and doing the move at the same time I screw up on the processors.

e6600 max was 335fsb.
e4400 max unstable was 315-319fsb

e4400 at 315fsb gives instant errors os orthos cpu stress (10k fft).

[jimmor]

Now I'm using Win Xp x64 and can't find a reliable temp reader, do you have any suggestions? What about that ddr vs ddr2 chart can you share some light with the question below?

Paitet:
Ummmm, so that means that a ddr1 running 1:1 222251t is slower then a ddr2 running at 1:1 444492t?


And how sucky is this mobo onboard LAN!

Not yet used xp64, so no knowledge of reliable 64bit temp reader.

And I expect DDR1 @2225 to perform better than DDR2 @4449, when both are running same 1:1 speed?

The only real benefit of DDR2 is, in spite of in-built higher latencies, it can provide better performance than DDR1, but only when run at "much" higher speeds than DDR1 ?

You just have to go back to the early days of DDR2, when it was usually easily beaten by DDR1 because at that time it couldn't run high enough to overcome its higher latency losses!

Easy way to show proper DDR1/DDR2 design comparison would be to try 1:1 at something like 275MHz (DDR550) and 3-3-3-8 for both types. And easily done since there is a lot of DDR1 memory out there capable of running such speeds ?



EDIT:

And haven't yet had a need to use the mobo LAN, however the "quality" of all the mobo's parts are simply a reflection of why it was a cheap buy!