ASUS Maximus Formula SE

[ShawnTRD]

arrived the mainboard.

bios installed 505..

what is the best bios use for this hardware?

ram gskill f2 8500 (4 4 4 5 ) 2.4v
x6800 (dual core)
raid 2 raptor 74gb
8800 gtx

thank's

0903 works good for me

[kup]

Odd, that ASUS Update says I dont have an ASUS board installed lol

The current version (7.1) says that the 505 is incompatible with my board as well.

Bummer guess Im stuck.

Are you by any chance running a bios emulator for Vista? To emulate the SLIC information? The same thing happens with nVidia boards and their software if you run the bios emu'!

[Nuckin_Futs]

Nuckin futs and others when you are quoting CPU PLL voltages are you quoting the voltage you are setting in bios or the bios hardware managers given voltage?

At the moment I have PLL at 1.72V

I am and have bean reffering to as reported in CMOS Power Management. For my mobo, the lowest BIOS set of 1.5 + 1.612 fright off the top so that's a starting point. 1.60v set should get you over 1.7v

Can someone clear something up for me? why is it that everyone's FSBT seems to be drastically different?
Some people can leave it at 1.30v at 400 FSB, where-as some people claim that anything from 1.34-1.40v is recommended for 400 FSB and above.
Is there a definite value here that we can all stick with?

FSBT is directly related to hte CPU PLL, so if not upping the FSBT a lil with the PLL and too low a GTL volt ref, it is not gonna' return as stable or high CPU and system FSB for overclock. The quads are already limited to higher FSB OC, so you need to make use of PLL, FSBT and CPU GTL to get it up a bit more. 1.712v reported is a good average for a quad to beyond 450 w/ an FSBT of 1.5v and of corse the max GTL for us on this mobo is only 63x. DFI lets us up it to 73x or above, so a 500x7 on that mobo is a lot easier to reach.

If at least wanting to try it just to know it's possable, do so w/ only 2 slot occupied for best results. You can put them back in later and lower as need be but just so you guys know this is what hinders a higher CPU and system FSB overclock.

CPU speed 4.3ghz , 477 x 9

Wow, you got a good one like mine. So you should be able to get 500x w/ lil mod easily. Why not make use of lower 7 or 8x multi for better FSB?

[iadstudio]

New thread is here Asus Maximus Formula *Part 2*

It has everything we've learnt, right from the start!

WOW, 5000 posts into 1 !!! Thanks. I learned how to beat the out of my p5w dh in a thread just like that. Time to duck and cover maximus, here I come!

[Nuckin_Futs]

SO the drives don't need to be plugged in for the install, right? I just have to make sure RAID mode is enabled in bios when I install the single drive OS.

The intel RAID/AHCI needs to be enable to be seen by BIOS and Windows. However, the iostar driver is not there so it can't load, and yet you can't add it to the OS if you can't get it to boot. This is why stil to this day, us S2K3 and XP users need the f6 install, because it needs to be enabled and directed to the floppy during initial install.

Now it can be added but you need to have/or borrow "2" other SATA HDD's (nothing will be written to them). And a 3rd party legasy SATA controller.

Connnect the 2 extra HDD's to the Intel ICH9R port 1&2 with RAID Enabled and delay to 35sec. Connect your existing OS to the SATA drop in card (MAXIMUS has no J-Micron SATA like P5E). If this card needs drivers, make sure they were installed when OS was on Intel IDE as before so they are ready. You will need to have the "2" HDD's cause Intel ICH9 is not active if NO or only 1 HDD is connected, so Windows will not see it and of corse you wont be ably to run Matrix app. This is why we trick the BIOS and the Intel RAID booot ROM to think it has a set of RAID disc ready to set up.

You will now be able to boot into Windows and run Intel RAID app to install the iostar driver and the rest of the Matrix Storage Manager as would have bean done in the first place.

You can now boot to XP and go to Device manager to confirm you see Intel SATA RAID Controller in SCSI and RAID Controllers. Now you can shut down, rearrange your HDD's as before or with the RAID Ready 2nd HDD to port 2 of ICH9R next to your existing OS you're done w/ SATA drop in card and other HDD's if borrowed).

Congrats, you ae now Intel RAID Ready and can follow the set up in Matrix app to migrate RAID in a Windows inviorment. It will even run in background if you still wanna' work.

Good Luck!

[Nuckin_Futs]

I realize a lot may not have a SATA drop in PCI or other type of card so the here's option 2 real quick.

Since Intel RAID arrays are transfeable such as ICH8 to 9R, you can connect as described above on another borrowed or your previous mobo that has both Intel ICH8/9R and an onboard 3rd party (J-Micrn or Sis) SATA controller.

Load your OS in safe mode, do not allow to update anything at this point. Go directly to the save ICH9R RAID app and run as described above. If for some reason it needs to run in regular mode, go ahead but cansel any "found new hardware" and updates and go directly to Intel RAID app.

Move back to you Maximus and you are good to go.

For those who only want the RAID/AHCI but not the Matrix app, do as above but when you go to Device manager, use driver to update manually and direct to a folder where you extraced the iostar driver from the f6 floppy.

[jonny_ftm]

Did you read any of my previous post? They all point to overclocking challanges when running 4 slots and overclocking at the same time. I and many serious overclockers since the birth of DDR have never fussed with overclocking 4 slots occupied. It put a major address load on the memory controller and is really only a bennifit for servers, not overclockers. 2 gb of RAM in 2 slots has prooven to be the most reliable for several years now. even dence RAM of 2gb x 2 is adding a challange.

You can do it but you now need to do a lot of relaxing and upping on some mobo volts.

For starters, try this. Keep strap and frequency to AUTO (1:1), up PCI-E to 111, open timings close to stock (usually 5-5-5-18 for 1066), Enable Static Read Control if using or wanting higher FSB, Disable DRAM Booster and relax to 3~5, set Ai Clock Twister to light. Up CPU GTL Ref to 63x, and chipset GTL Ref to 67x, FSBT to 1.47~1.50v, and NB to at least 1.5v~1.52v for the 450~485FSB range. Although, the 4 slot configuration is a compromise of a bit of less FSB on top of looser timings and yet a lil added mobo volts.

This should get you to Prime further. Scores will report a tad less on paper but you may never notice if you didnt see the numbers.

Let me know how it works

Wow, impressed.
Well, please don't take it personal, no need to go in flaming after my post, as I well understand you can take my comments bad.

Well, first I don't see in your setup anything of a "serious OC", just air cooling, no motherboard modding... So, basic OC we can call it rather

Also, OC a C2D is not a C2Q. And, I'm still waiting to see your stable Q6600 OC at OCCT RAM for just 4h (no, no priming, but OCCT in RAM mode, the motherboard and X38 are the limit, and Prime95 won't show it even in Blend)

Why I write this? Just because I hate hearing wrong affirmations like it is possible to get a 470-500 MHz FSB from a quadcore, getting 500MHz from a C2D as if it is the habbit... If getting 3.8GHz was so easy (for C2Q or C2D), this wouldn't be quiet longest thread after just few weeks of its release

The rule of thumb is that most people won't exceed 3.6GHz of their C2Q, few will reach 3.8GHz, and some very very lucky people will get it over. I say lucky, not only serious OC, as you need a really good CPU/MB combo. Also, a +480MHz on a quad is already a rockser
Anyway, just really impatient to see some screens from your Q6600

[ChaosMinionX]

I will post up some more settings in a bit, prolly when I get home from work....

I have 0505/0802 prime/OCCT and Memtest stable with the settings, had to retweak alot of it from 0505 ---> 0802 then after I will post up some 0903 results.

[ElEctric_EyE]

alright, i've updated to the 0903 bios and it sucks a ing donkey's ing . i can't get for an over clock. what programs/version were you guys using to falsh it back to an older version? my stable 3.8 and 3.9 won't even boot anymore!!!!

lol, you'll come around dude. I had to put transaction on auto. Try farting with settings. I had to start from scratch on this one, but it's noticeably better, I promise.
I say this because for speeds sake alone and with no load test, I got it to post and go into windows fine at 4.1GHz. 200MHz higher than with 0701 (never tried 0802...).Now loading this beotch is a whole 'nother story. I expect something close to 3.9GHz, maybe 3.8GHz 24/7 loaded.. Right now I'm stable at 3.91GHz with 5minOCCT load, CPU only... Stable 2x so far anyway, stability needs repeatability under different ambient air temps! Still testing... GL & HF!

[ElEctric_EyE]

New thread is here Asus Maximus Formula *Part 2*

It has everything we've learnt, right from the start!

Dude, that is awesome. Let's keep all the rants and raves on this thread, and "official" stuff on the new one. Your effort is appreciated

[Renegade5399]

On my C2D I am still not having any issues with 4x1GB sticks of PC8500. Only thing I have to complain about is the 266 strap. Everything else has been great for me. Watercooling the NB is really the way to go. My OCCT RAM load temps barely cracks 35°C with 1.62v put to it. This is with the RAM at 1200 5-5-5-15-2T, 4:3.

[tylerw13]

alright, i've updated to the 0903 bios and it sucks a ing donkey's ing . i can't get for an over clock. what programs/version were you guys using to falsh it back to an older version? my stable 3.8 and 3.9 won't even boot anymore!!!!

samurai i had the exact same problem as you did and i couldnt flash back so i have had to rma my board!!! im pissed that i was so damn stupid to flash when my mobo was rock solid @ 3.8...now i have to run @ stock settings or it wont boot so i called asus and got an rma number...although it pisses me off that i have to remove it from my damn case and remove the water cooling which is a B!TCH hope you can get yours going again i tried everything

[Renegade5399]

Why would you RMA? Just follow the instructions from previous posts on how to go back to a previous version.

[cuke2u]

Does that make a difference?

Hi, because I believe the motherboard looks for a boot drive first on Sata 1...
Chris

[Clump]

SO the drives don't need to be plugged in for the install, right? I just have to make sure RAID mode is enabled in bios when I install the single drive OS.

That's right. It probably won't hurt to keep them connected, but makes it simpler to unplug them. I did more or less the opposite. I have a RAID0 boot drive and a 500GB secondary drive. I leave the secondary unplugged for OS install, then once it's done plug that drive in to get my drivers, etc. loaded from it.

[Aldy402]

sorry if this has already been posted but

0903 has been pulled from the page and the ftp site..
0902 is now the latest beta

[iadstudio]

The intel RAID/AHCI needs to be enable to be seen by BIOS and Windows. However, the iostar driver is not there so it can't load, and yet you can't add it to the OS if you can't get it to boot. This is why stil to this day, us S2K3 and XP users need the f6 install, because it needs to be enabled and directed to the floppy during initial install.Good Luck!

So, if I have the Vista 64 upgrade from xp and I have to install xp first, this should work fine, right? (please say yes)

I knew about this and thought Vista had RAID drivers imbedded. I tought I'd try to install normally in xp, not having to deal with the f6 "add 3rd parts driver" thing in xp and once I got to vista I tried to create my array. Only thing is the matrix storage utility software that I remember from xp wasn't available for vista. I found a knowledge base somewhere that said if you edit the msahci registry to 0 before you switch from IDE to RAID in the bios, you should be fine, but I didn't know that until after I had a problem.

Long story short, from what I understand of your post, I should be able to install my RAID driver in xp, install OS on a single drive and create a storage array and then upgrade to Vista and be fine. Right?

[ElEctric_EyE]

sorry if this has already been posted but

0903 has been pulled from the page and the ftp site..
0902 is now the latest beta

I still see 0903 on FTP as of 1546 GMT0500

[kup]

0903 (plus most of the other Bios') is linked in the new Maximus thread...

[Relic27777]

Sorry, little off topic but what kind of NB temps are acceptable at load if q6600 B3 is @ 3.4ghz FSB: 425 with stock NB cooling (no w/c)?

[kup]

According the Anandtech, anything aove 47*c started to cause instabilities. Try to keep it below 45*c to be safe.

[Relic27777]

According the Anandtech, anything aove 47*c started to cause instabilities. Try to keep it below 45*c to be safe.

Hmmmmmm just did a quick 1 hour OCCT test and NB was hitting 47-48 during load, of course this could be part of the fact that I still have the rubber caps on the w/c barbs which would probably cause air inside the block to heat up and increase pressure. The highest temp any of the cores hit was 66C (everest) but it was stable (again only a 1 hour test though). What kind of voltage should i be throwing at the NB at this FSB of 425? I currently have it at 1.52v (as seen in everest).

edit: Getting W/C for xmas by the way so NB temps won't be a problem that long, just want to make sure it's stable at 3.4ghz before trying any further on air...

[gonx_me]

the 903 is on the taiwan ftp

[tylerw13]

Why would you RMA? Just follow the instructions from previous posts on how to go back to a previous version.

i went back to the bios that worked for me and it didnt help....sux for me

[Clump]

So, if I have the Vista 64 upgrade from xp and I have to install xp first, this should work fine, right? (please say yes)

I knew about this and thought Vista had RAID drivers imbedded. I tought I'd try to install normally in xp, not having to deal with the f6 "add 3rd parts driver" thing in xp and once I got to vista I tried to create my array. Only thing is the matrix storage utility software that I remember from xp wasn't available for vista. I found a knowledge base somewhere that said if you edit the msahci registry to 0 before you switch from IDE to RAID in the bios, you should be fine, but I didn't know that until after I had a problem.

Long story short, from what I understand of your post, I should be able to install my RAID driver in xp, install OS on a single drive and create a storage array and then upgrade to Vista and be fine. Right?

I didn't try this as I installed Vista from an OEM DVD. This article http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...rade_clean.asp
shows how to do a clean install with an upgrade key. I didn't load any F6 drivers at all for Vista, so if this works it should save you a bunch of pain.