ASUS Maximus Formula SE

[Krav]

hi quick question would you guys recommend the se version or the non water blocked version?

Thinking of watercooling but air would be easier.

Thanks.

[Zucker2k]

This is good for bioses 0802/0902/0903 (These are the only bioses I have tested so far and haven't bothered with earlier bioses, however, it should work for all bioses so far released). Also, it may NOT work for you due to hardware limitations. Goodluck.

System Specs.:

Maximum Formula Rev. 102G
Q6600 GO (Low vid. of 1.2125 - needs low voltage overall but heats up quickly as you increase voltage. If your vid. is anything higher, you may need to add more vcore to be stable)
4x1GB RAM (2GB Team Xtreem 6400, and 2GB Corsair Dominator 8500s) If your memory is not capable of DDRII 1100+, then you may want to change to the 1:1 divider by lowering DRAM frequency to the next lower level in bios, in this case DDR II 900 (noobs)

Note: I'm watercooling my CPU, Northbridge chipset, and Southbridge chipset on the same loop; in the following order, Pump -> CPU -> NB -> SB (CPU->SB->NB should be best but I had design problems )

OK.


Extreme Tweaker

Ai Overclock Tuner: Manual
OC From CPU Level Up: AUTO
CPU Ratio Control: Manual
Ratio CMOS Setting: 8
FSB Frequency: 450
FSB Strap to North Bridge: 333
PCI-E Frequency: 100
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-1080
DRAM Command Rate: 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Auto (You can change this to manual and tweak after you've established stability and saved the profile in bios).
DRAM Static Read Control: DISABLED
Ai Clock Twister: STRONG (You can experiment with this by switching between Light (most stable), moderate, and strong).
Transaction Booster: Disabled
CPU Voltage: 1.3875
CPU PLL Voltage: 1.50v
North Bridge Voltage: 1.45v
DRAM Voltage: 2.10v (Bear in mind that the board overvolts vdimm by about .04
FSB Termination Voltage: 1.30v
South Bridge Voltage: 1.05v
Loadline Calibration: ENABLED
CPU GTL Reference: AUTO
North Bridge GTL Reference: AUTO
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage: AUTO
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage: AUTO
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage: AUTO
SB 1.5V Voltage: AUTO

NB LED Selection: NB Volt (Your choice)
SB LED Selection: SB Volt (Your Choice)
CPU LED Selection: CPU VOlt (Your Choice)
Voltiminder LED: ENABLED (Your Choice)

CPU Spread Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled

This setting is OCCT/P95 stable for me at 8x460 also, except with slight changes in vcore.

All these settings were good at room temperature (72 degrees). Hope this helps. Cheers.

Edit: I call these settings GREEN as all the chip monitoring lights stay green due to no excessive voltages.

[giorgos th.]

finally i ended my tests and i resulted to these settings for 24/7 usage..

BIOS 0901
Extreme Tweaker
Ai Overclock Tuner : Manual
OC From CPU Level Up : AUTO
CPU Ratio Control : Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting : 9
FSB Frequency :400
FSB Strap to North Bridge :266
PCI-E Frequency: 103
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-1203
DRAM Command Rate : 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency : 5
RAS# to CAS# Delay : 5
RAS# Precharge : 5
RAS# ActivateTime : 5
RAS# to RAS# Delay : 3
Row Refresh Cycle Time : 25
Write Recovery Time : 6
Read to Precharge Time : 3

Read to Write Delay (S/D) : AUTO
Write to Read Delay (S) : AUTO
Write to Read Delay (D) : AUTO
Read to Read Delay (S) : AUTO
Read to Read Delay (D) : AUTO
Write to Write Delay (S) : AUTO
Write to Write Delay (D) : AUTO
DRAM Static Read Control: Enabled
Ai Clock Twister : Moderate
Transaction Booster : AUTO

CPU Voltage : 1.4000v
CPU PLL Voltage : 1.52v
North Bridge Voltage : 1.45v
DRAM Voltage : 2.20v
FSB Termination Voltage : 1.4v
South Bridge Voltage : 1.05v
Loadline Calibration : ENABLED
CPU GTL Reference : AUTO
North Bridge GTL Reference : AUTO
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : AUTO
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : AUTO
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage : AUTO
SB 1.5V Voltage : 1.5v

NB LED Selection : NB Volt
SB LED Selection : SB Volt
CPU LED Selection : CPU VOlt
Voltiminder LED : ENABLED

CPU Spread Spectrum : Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum : Disabled

[DMight]

Thanks Zucker2k, and giorgos th. for some more settings to experiment with.

Question. I'm going for an air-cooled stable OC. I have the non-SE board so I don't even have the fusion water block. I've reseated the heatpipe using MX-2 thermal compound on the NB and SB. At stock, unaltered BIOS settings Everest reports my NB temp as 43C with 1.36 NBvolts. Any time I try to raise the NB voltage to accommodate an overclock my NB temps get up to ~51C. Is this higher than it should be with air-cooling? I haven't yet directed a fan at the NB, and I'm wondering if I reseat my TRUE on the CPU to a South->North orientation as opposed to the current East->West if that will draw a bit more air across the NB. Is that NB temp just wrong? Do I need to try and reseat the heatpipe?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[iadstudio]

Also, if your CPU OC is not found it may be better to make a formal request for bios settings using your CPU then to frustrate yourself changing settings.

So if one wanted bios settings for a week 24 e6700, with 4gb of RAM, how would I go about that? My board is waiting to be installed tonight!

[kup]

ok,

i probably found why they removed the 0903 bios.

Unless im doing something wrong here, if in cpu configuration u enter a multiplier number (i.e. 9) and you want to change back to "auto" you can´t !! then you loose the speedstep option lololol of course going back to the main oc page the cpu will be 9 of course, and nothin else.

maybe this is not such a major problem, but its irritating not being able to go back to auto settings as an option.

You guys think i could keep the C1E state on to save power on low cpu loads, or just disable it.? any loss of performance on the cicle it takes the cpu to enter normal 9x mode from 6x.?




greets

You have to use the + and - on the number pad to change it up and down... Works if you do that.

[kup]

So if one wanted bios settings for a week 24 e6700, with 4gb of RAM, how would I go about that? My board is waiting to be installed tonight!

I'd go with the E6850 settings, and obviously have your multiplier with 8x as the highest for you?

If not, check out the Maximus Anandtech review, they set the board up for 450MHz FSB and it's a good starting point, helped me out big time!

[Zucker2k]

So if one wanted bios settings for a week 24 e6700, with 4gb of RAM, how would I go about that? My board is waiting to be installed tonight!

Thanks Zucker2k, and giorgos th. for some more settings to experiment with.

Question. I'm going for an air-cooled stable OC. I have the non-SE board so I don't even have the fusion water block. I've reseated the heatpipe using MX-2 thermal compound on the NB and SB. At stock, unaltered BIOS settings Everest reports my NB temp as 43C with 1.36 NBvolts. Any time I try to raise the NB voltage to accommodate an overclock my NB temps get up to ~51C. Is this higher than it should be with air-cooling? I haven't yet directed a fan at the NB, and I'm wondering if I reseat my TRUE on the CPU to a South->North orientation as opposed to the current East->West if that will draw a bit more air across the NB. Is that NB temp just wrong? Do I need to try and reseat the heatpipe?

Thanks for any suggestions.

You should actively cool both nb and sb to get better results. Attach some small hi-speed fans to both. If possible, I would cool them independently for even better results.

[iadstudio]

I know the fact that I still have my week24 e6700 is funny to you, but the laughter is hardly necissaray.

I could at your x850 XT or your Thermaltake Water Cooling Kit, but I won't. That would be distasteful.

I will at your avitar, that's nice.

I'd go with the E6850 settings, and obviously have your multiplier with 8x as the highest for you?

If not, check out the Maximus Anandtech review, they set the board up for 450MHz FSB and it's a good starting point, helped me out big time!

Thanks, it's actually a 10x multi so I don't think the board will be pushed much. I've had little luck bringing the multi down on this chip, bt I'll try since i ned to get this board ready for a quadcore OC in January.

[pphx459]

Edit: pphx459, you only need 1.32 for vcore at 400 FSB? weird, I need to retest with this new BIOS... last time I tried 400 FSB, it needed a bare minimum of 1.38 otherwise things would go slightly odd, but I'm starting to believe that this was because I was playing around with RAM latencies too much. 0903 has put the latencies into perspective for me now.

Yep, sorry I didn't clarify. I am still using bios 0505. I just got the board (non se, rev 1.03g) recently to test several Q6600's and to test Crossfire. Haven't had a chance to play with memory settings and the bios' out there. One of my other q's needed 1.38 and above, try maybe just testing the CPU.

So I'm getting ready to purchase new ram, my G.Skill 6400's can't really do anything higher than 900 so was wondering if the 4:5 divider is working now. I've been following this thread since the beginning (I may just be blind) but haven't seen anything about this one.

[DMight]

Thanks again Zucker2k. I've got a Zalman FB123 w/the included 92mm fan that I intend to point at the NB. I think in order to do so I'm going to have to re-orient the TRUE to the S->N to allow some room for the Zalman fan. I don't have an active solution for the SB at the moment.

[Zucker2k]

I know the fact that I still have my week24 e6700 is funny to you, but the laughter is hardly necissaray.

How do I even go about this? I wasn't laughing at your CPU, I didn't even notice the cpu model in your sentence, I thought you were actually being sarcastic with your remark - like asus will actually build a bios around an individual customers's cpu woes. No offense meant.

By the way, I own 2 E6700s, 1 ES, and 1 retail. I don't think they're anything to laugh at. I won't even laugh at a 486. People on this forum don't laugh at other people's hardware. When I see a 386, or a 486 all I'm thinking is how to make it ran faster, etc. etc. etc.

[wreckage]

Hi, i have an Maximus ofc, and 2x Raptor 36GB SATA and trying to install Vista 64bit, i have enabled RAID in bios, and made both the disks to a RAID thingy, both are working Member Disks, it sais "RAID: INTEL RAPTOR" in bios, since i named it Raptor, but Vista dosnt find any hard drive to install windows on, do i need to download any files to my USB and try to load them so windows can find my raid?

Please Help //wreckage

Edit: What did you guys do for it to work with Vista? I see in alot of signatures that you have Raid 0 with Vista 64bit for example, but why am i having problems? My raid worked fine on ASUS P5W DH Deluxe X975

[iadstudio]

How do I even go about this? I wasn't laughing at your CPU, I didn't even notice the cpu model in your sentence, I thought you were actually being sarcastic with your remark - like asus will actually build a bios around an individual customers's cpu woes. No offense meant.

By the way, I own 2 E6700s, 1 ES, and 1 retail. I don't think they're anything to laugh at. I won't even laugh at a 486. People on this forum don't laugh at other people's hardware. When I see a 386, or a 486 all I'm thinking is how to make it ran faster, etc. etc. etc.

I was just going by the comment that "Also, if your CPU OC is not found it may be better to make a formal request for bios settings using your CPU then to frustrate yourself changing settings." Knowing Asus or who ever would't waste their time with me, I thought the xtreme systems members might have some advice. It was actually my way of asking people like you for some advice on settings.

I wasn't offended or anything, just saw an opportunity to give you a little good natured ribbing

As I said in my post, I don't even have my board installed yet and reading this thread being the novice that I am, all those bios settings are starting to intimidate me.

I guess I'll figure it out as I go along. At least RAM is cheap these days incas anything gets fried.

Hi, i have an Maximus ofc, and 2x Raptor 36GB SATA and trying to install Vista 64bit, i have enabled RAID in bios, and made both the disks to a RAID thingy, both are working Member Disks, it sais "RAID: INTEL RAPTOR" in bios, since i named it Raptor, but Vista dosnt find any hard drive to install windows on, do i need to download any files to my USB and try to load them so windows can find my raid?

Please Help //wreckage

Edit: What did you guys do for it to work with Vista? I see in alot of signatures that you have Raid 0 with Vista 64bit for example, but why am i having problems? My raid worked fine on ASUS P5W DH Deluxe X975

Gotta be a Bios setting, jumper or something hardware based. Vista 64 should be just fine with RAID 0.

[tylerw13]

i need help i just updated my bios to 902 and now i cant overclock nothin but it wont let me go back to 505 because it says its to old how do i get it back??

[Zucker2k]

I was just going by the comment that "Also, if your CPU OC is not found it may be better to make a formal request for bios settings using your CPU then to frustrate yourself changing settings." Knowing Asus or who ever would't waste their time with me, I thought the xtreme systems members might have some advice. It was actually my way of asking people like you for some advice on settings.

I wasn't offended or anything, just saw an opportunity to give you a little good natured ribbing

As I said in my post, I don't even have my board installed yet and reading this thread being the novice that I am, all those bios settings are starting to intimidate me.

I guess I'll figure it out as I go along. At least RAM is cheap these days incas anything gets fried.

Good natured huh? You got personal there for a moment, but no problem, I love my x850 , plays Crysis, COD4, and GRAW II, etc. I owned both an Ultra and HD 2900xt but returned them. I will probably be getting two 3870s soon. Should be fun.

Back on topic. The best way to get help is let members know what hardware you've assembled for your build.

[ninogui]

Hi people,


I wonder if anyone around has a G0 vid 1.2875 with a full bios (now im on 0903) tweaker list for 400fsbx9multi... full air mobo?

my corsairs suck, thinking of upgrading to Transcend DC Kit 2GB DDR2 AXERAM PC2-9200 TX1200QLJ-2GK which are easy to get here.

not in 3.4 or 3.6ghz league yet,

i just started playing for 3ghz, but having a hard time going to 3.2... im looking for a starting point from 3ghz for cpu/nb/fsb volt, etc..


thks a lot in advance!

[kup]

i need help i just updated my bios to 902 and now i cant overclock nothin but it wont let me go back to 505 because it says its to old how do i get it back??

And here is the AsusUpdate that allows downgrading from the 09xx series.

AsusUpdate v6

Here you go...

[Zucker2k]

i need help i just updated my bios to 902 and now i cant overclock nothin but it wont let me go back to 505 because it says its to old how do i get it back??

Read a few posts up. I believe EastCoastHandle posted the utility you need. Once you install and fire up Asus Update (the utility), check under options, check the option to "make bios downgradable", then locate and flash your desired bios.

Obviously you do this at your own risk!

[ZilverPhish]

I can confirm that cpu ratio is locked in 0903 bios.

\Edit not locked just very ...strange..Cpu ratio [08.0]

[iadstudio]

Good natured huh?
Back on topic. The best way to get help is let members know what hardware you've assembled for your build.

OK, so what's been happening is I have no problem OCing this processor with enough volts and propper cooling (cooling in sig, last OC on my 680i was 375fsb, 10x milti @ 1.64v), but it has a real hard time with lowered multi's and high fsb. I've had it on a p5w dh, p5b and 680i and same results for all of them. It might just be a processor thing, but I want to get a good fsb OC on this board to get ready for a quadcore (I'll be getting one in Dec or Jan and whatever quadcore I get, it'll reequire a pretty agressive fsb OC)

What's the best way to go about this or will I likey just have to wait til I I get a different processor?

[devilhood]

I can confirm that cpu ratio is locked in 0903 bios.

\Edit not locked just very ...strange..Cpu ratio [08.0]

CPU Ratio works fine, just use the Numpad to change the values

[kup]

The problem you're having isn't the CPU it's the boards you're using. 400+ with the 9x or 8x multi is putting a lot of stress on the board. Only the best earlier boards or the top end boards did it ok.

Something P35 or upwards would be ok? I think on the Maximus you'll be more than ok with 8x450MHz... Try these for starters...

450FSB Quad-Core BIOS Settings
CPU Feature
Ai Overclock Tuner [Manual]
OC From CPU Level Up [Auto]
CPU Ratio Control [Manual]
Ratio CMOS Setting: [8]
FSB Frequency [450]
FSB Strap to North Bridge [400MHz] or [Auto]
PCIE Frequency [110]
DRAM Settings
DRAM Frequency [DDR2-1199MHZ] or [800MHz] or [Auto]
DRAM Command Rate [2T]
DRAM Timing Control [Manual]
CAS# Latency [5]
RAS# to CAS Delay [5]
RAS# Precharge [5]
RAS# Active Time [12]
RAS# To Ras# Delay [3]
Row Refresh Cycle Time [42]
Write Recovery Time [6]
Read To Precharge Time [3]
Read To Write Delay(S/D) [8]
Write To Read Delay(S) [3]
Write To Read Delay(D) [5]
Read To Read Delay(S) [4]
Read To Read Delay(D) [6]
Write To Write Delay(S) [4]
Write To Write Delay(D) [6]
DRAM Static Read Control [Disabled]
Ai Clock Twister [Strong]
Transaction Booster [Enabled]
Boost Level [0]
Voltage Settings
CPU Voltage [Whatever your CPU needs for 3.6GHz]
CPU PLL Voltage [Auto]
North Bridge Voltage [1.61v]
DRAM Voltage [2.16v]
FSB Termination Voltage [1.54v]
South Bridge Voltage [Auto]
Loadline Calibration [Enabled]
CPU GTL Reference [0.63x]
North Bridge GTL Reference [0.67x]
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage [Auto]
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage [Auto]
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage [DDR2_REF]
SB 1.5V Voltage [Auto]

[iadstudio]

The problem you're having isn't the CPU it's the boards you're using. 400+ with the 9x or 8x multi is putting a lot of stress on the board. Only the best earlier boards or the top end boards did it ok.

Something P35 or upwards would be ok? I think on the Maximus you'll be more than ok with 8x450MHz... Try these for starters...

Thanks! I'll try that tonight and let you know how it works.

[kup]

Cool, I'll look forward to the results.