Official ASUS X38 Boards: P5E, P5E3 - Info/BIOS Thread

[askimo]

askimo,

I have used 0107, 0402, 0405, and 0501, my opinion is the best one goes to 0107.


Amurtigress,

Thanks for the information.
As pencil mod to minimize Vdrop is indeed an interesting trick, someday I may use it w/o hesitation at all, but not now .

Like I mentioned before, this could be related to the kind of memory used.

Do you know if is possible to flash back to older bioses? I have the 0107 installed, but I don't want to try more recent ones if I cannot flash back

[eyes.only]

Any ideas on the lifespan of the bios chip?
Bad flash isn't possible because you could always refrash with the crashbios method.

[Brahmzy]

Yes very strange, perhaps the problem resides with the kind of memory used.

I think the memory has a LOT to do with it.

It has been proven the the GSkill 2x2GB PC8000 works VERY well with these boards. I had big issues with my OCZ PC6400 R2 stuff - but only in Vx64.

[doakh]

I have got the 'BUG' to upgrade to a newer board. This looks like a great board. I have done some research and I am not convinced it is really worth upgrading in general to X38. I have a P5B Deluxe running an E6600 at 3.4Ghz which I am happy with. I am seriously considering getting a Penryn (duo or quad?) when they come out. My board will support them. I am not a gamer but I crunch numbers and I want a fast system.

Also, will a Scythe Ninja Rev B. fit?

HAPPY MOTORING

[JohnZS]

I don't have a P5E3 Deluxe version, but if anyone reading this thread does and has some experience of 4 sticks and getting them to run @ their rated 1600Mhz FSB
I could do with your help in this topic here please
By the way if anyone is thinking of purchasing a vanilla P5E3 I suggest they upgrade to the latest 0703 BIOS as I had a few issues running at even DDR3 1333Mhz with 2sticks!
Oh and disable any of the on board devices you do not use as it saves a few system resources.
John

[TKC]

Like I mentioned before, this could be related to the kind of memory used.

Do you know if is possible to flash back to older bioses? I have the 0107 installed, but I don't want to try more recent ones if I cannot flash back

Yes, memory is the key point, I can use all divider on 0107, while 4:5 and 5:6 are mission impossible on 0501, but this is the experience base on my rig, just for your reference.

If you are running 32-bit XP/Vista, you should be able to flash back to old bios by AsusUpdate 6.10.02 in windows envirement, otherwise you have to purposely corrupt your bios and let CrashFree flashback to 0107, but be careful as the CrashFree program itself also store in CMOS chip and will be reflashed as well in the bios rewriting process, so you bear the risk of returning your board for repair if CrashFree fail to work.

[TKC]

Any ideas on the lifespan of the bios chip?
Bad flash isn't possible because you could always refrash with the crashbios method.

eyes.only, you always can use crashbios method but you will not always be successful as I have replied to askimo.

It's suggested that you purposely reset your computer when EZ Flash or AFDOS is erasing the bios but NOT in rewriting phase afterward, or you may also get a corrupted CrashFree!

[askimo]

eyes.only, you always can use crashbios method but you will not always be successful as I have replied to askimo.

It's suggested that you purposely reset your computer when EZ Flash or AFDOS is erasing the bios but NOT in rewriting phase afterward, or you may also get a corrupted CrashFree!

This should be me last resource!!

[Amurtigress]

Any ideas on the lifespan of the bios chip?
Bad flash isn't possible because you could always refrash with the crashbios method.

I couldn't find a dedicated BIOS chip onboard anymore since the 965 mainboards. I suspect it is integrated into the chipset. Which is an indicator to me that Intel isn't worried about write cycle limitations of their flash technology.

This has never been a serious issue tho, I read somewhere that normal NAND flashes can be overwritten several hundred times. This actually only becomes an issue on frequently rewritten media like flash cards and USB memory sticks.

BTW, does anybody know what differences there are between the P5E 1.02G and 1.03G?

My board is a 1.02...some have the 1.03 mentioned in their sigs.

[Brahmzy]

I couldn't find a dedicated BIOS chip onboard anymore since the 965 mainboards. I suspect it is integrated into the chipset. Which is an indicator to me that Intel isn't worried about write cycle limitations of their flash technology.

This has never been a serious issue tho, I read somewhere that normal NAND flashes can be overwritten several hundred times. This actually only becomes an issue on frequently rewritten media like flash cards and USB memory sticks.

BTW, does anybody know what differences there are between the P5E 1.02G and 1.03G?

My board is a 1.02...some have the 1.03 mentioned in their sigs.

Where on the mobo do you find the version info?

[Amurtigress]

Where on the mobo do you find the version info?

It is below the right end of the P5E sticker that covers the "MAXIMUS FORMULA" print on the mainboard between the two PCIe 1x slots.

A bit below and to the right of the CMOS battery.

I got my board from the first shipment that the German K&M PC store chain received. Seems I was lucky to be such an early adopter.

[Brama]

I couldn't find a dedicated BIOS chip onboard anymore since the 965 mainboards. I suspect it is integrated into the chipset.

You have to search better

Now the flash chip that contains the BIOS is a very small 8 pins one, soldered to MB.

You can find it searching near the battery.

[Brama]

Any ideas on the lifespan of the bios chip?
Bad flash isn't possible because you could always refrash with the crashbios method.

Are you so sure?

The lifespan is depending on how many writes you do on the device. Normally they are certified for more than 1000 writes on any memory location.

About the crashbios method: some BIOS rewrites the boot block too (i.e. flashing 501 from 402 or earlier) and if something is happening when the boot block is rewritten, you can say "bye bye" to your MB and request an RMA

[sauria]

I have 1.02G

[De1337]

Just updated to 501 since i had memory issues on 402...

I couldn't run my memory at 1066.. it would crash no matter what i did.

Memory rated 1066, 5-5-5-15-2T, 2.2v <- input that
random crash (would point to ati driver and say it recovered... threw me off)

tried with clock twister to most compatible and i tried the transaction booster most compatible... still crashed. Memory would work perfectly at 800 tho, also 4-4-4-12, 2.1v..

So, now im on 501, 1066, no crashes so far (can't promise anything, but crossing fingers)...

edit: i run stock cooler, and after having flashed, i restored my old OC settings (400x6, default core clock)... and it wouldn't work.. had to reboot and it would reset bios saying overclocked failed... and i was like, damn, this bios is crap ... then i figured i had set multiplier to 9:P
400x9 @ 1.2375 on stock cooler (yes i know cooler doesn't affect boot, but still).... not gonna boot, just in case you are wondering :P

[De1337]

okay, and update.

I ran through 2 runs of 3dmark (never made it through 1 before), and played some MoH: Airborne... When running 1600x1200 it would crash and give me the display driver stopped responding error, but so did it at 800mhz. Don't know if this is the game or my computer messing up. (Alt tabbing makes it possible to keep playing, but still a little annoying )
My conclusion is tho, that it has fixed the weird lockups (edit: NOT) at 1066mhz, so if any of you out there have issues running your ram at 800+, try 501.

Edit: yeah, it still crashes at 1066 ... so... maybe these ram do not like this board, i don't know :/

[askimo]

Looks like the results with this mobo are all over the place. For me the 0107 bios is working OK, but I'm affraid to flash it because all of the problems ppl are having

[askimo]

Can somebody explain the reason why in the Asus P5E and P5K Deluxe my E6600 requires 1.1~1.2 volts in the SB to run ORTHOS stable?

I can run memtest 1.70, SuperPI, and OCCT for hours, but I cannot run ORTHOS for more than 5 minutes without crashing if the South Bridge voltage is not higher than 1.1volts

[Brahmzy]

Can somebody explain the reason why in the Asus P5E and P5K Deluxe my E6600 requires 1.1~1.2 volts in the SB to run ORTHOS stable?

I can run memtest 1.70, SuperPI, and OCCT for hours, but I cannot run ORTHOS for more than 5 minutes without crashing if the South Bridge voltage is not higher than 1.1volts

What is your OC? What's your FSB?

[noel82]

Hi guys!

I just ordered my Asus P5E, a QX9650 and a Tuniq Tower; my question is: does the TT fits perfectly on this board or i have to cut the brackets??? I read that mounting it towards up it fits without problems

[Envydia007]

It fits perfectly.

[CapFTP]

Like I mentioned before, this could be related to the kind of memory used.

Do you know if is possible to flash back to older bioses? I have the 0107 installed, but I don't want to try more recent ones if I cannot flash back

I had some problem on a p5k-e flashing back after I updated to latest BIOS available.

I successfully flashed back using an old suite Asus Update
asusUpdate 61002, then you go under option and select "enable downgrade"..ten you can flash....it solved for me on P5k-e

[CapFTP]

a couple of quick test on P5E, trying to see if it works fine with the divider and some limits of the board......

max FSB = 520 Mhz



max RAM = 1:2 - DDR2-1342 5.5.5



MAX ram = 1:2 - DDR2-1406 5.5.5



2:3 - DDR2-1200 5.5.5



5:8 - DDR2-1280 5.5.5




3:5 - DDR2-1300 5.5.5





and the test I love more...

Daily "pro" use....500x6 - DDR2-1250 5.5.5

[noel82]

It fits perfectly.

Thanks for the info

[De1337]

Seems i was a little early out with the memory 1066 issues.
Still crashes in World in Conflict, like it did before... and probably also why it crashed in Medal of Honor.

Im beginning to think this is more the ram (compatibility) than it is the motherboard... since so many people run this board at much higher than 1066 without any problems.... damn

edit: CapFTP, what voltages do you use to achieve these speeds? just curious