ASUS Maximus Formula SE

[binormalkilla]

Oke some quick Questions before I start to setup this board along with a Q6600. What ram should I use for the sake of ease for starters on this new board: 2x1GB Ballistix PC8500 tracers, or the 2x2GB G.Skill PQ8000. The ballistix I used for my P5K deluxe , was running a nice 1200mhz 5-5-5-12 @ 2.05v. The G.Skill I didnt test it yet it is still new in the package, along with a new Q6600. So I try to run 400x9 at first. What Bios are u guys suggesting? 0903/ 0907? Thanks!

My advice is to get the RAM that requires the smallest amount of VDIMM to POST at the SPD frequencies/timings. My RAM wouldn't POST for the first boot with this board (or the P5K Deluxe....) so I had to buy some cheap DDR2-667 that requires the DDR2 standard 1.8V.
I have to replace my Ballistix with this every time I clear the CMOS. I am going to have to reprogram the SPD data using the SPD tool......because it's really annoying.
Another thing to consider is that the dividers aren't stable yet, so it would be unwise to spend extra money on DDR2-1066 and up memory....
My advice? Get these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820146565
and reprogram the SPDs with this:
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=20349

I'm running 0907 right now, and my RAM is stable at DDR2-1066 5-5-5-15, but this isn't stable with an FSB over 400. Let's hope they get a BIOS that allows stable dividers at a high FSB.....

[CERO]

so it seems more like a divider FSB: RAM prob huh with these boards, and 1:1 shoudnt be much trouble right? well I main goal is look for a nice max sweet 24/7 overclock then I am gonna bother with them RAM settings I ques.

[MonkY]

Hi, did you load "optimized defaults" first after flashing bios?

How did you flash bios?

I have no temperature reporting issues on 907. Temps are reported the same as previous bioses, except for CPU temp, but everest and Coretemp report the same...

Well, i flashed the bios as i normally do. Download the bios file, put it on an USB stick, entering Bios, going into Tools, starting Asus EZ Flash, flashing, reboot, loading Bios Defaults... and then reboot again to see if everything is ok. And then.... my CPU temp goes arround 8-10 degrees Celsius. What else can i do ? Shall i go back to an earlier bios or try to flash it again ? Thx.

[binormalkilla]

so it seems more like a divider FSB: RAM prob huh with these boards, and 1:1 shoudnt be much trouble right? well I main goal is look for a nice max sweet 24/7 overclock then I am gonna bother with them RAM settings I ques.

Well I'm going to for max OC on 9x multi at first, but I would like to be able to run 475*8 or more so my memory can have the highest frequency as possible.... I may have to just tighten the timings though.

[CERO]

ait , well I like XP more then vista, but I plan on using the G.Skill 2x2GB, but XP wont reckon full 4GB, but would Prime Blend stress the ram enough, for doing some 24/7 tests? Or can I better use Vista 64 bits for that and onces attained a stable clock swap back to XP. I want to use Xp64 bit I dont have that OS, only XP/ Vista 64 ( genuine)

[ChaosAD]

Hello all.Although I m new i have read almost all the posts in here.But i still have a prob.I dont have a mind blowing O/C on my Q6600 but im trying to learn through reading and testing.
My question to you is the following.I have managed to run @ 8x425 with 1.4v in bios (903) 1.38 in Win Cpu-z.This is Prime95 1+hour stable.Going to 8x426 at the same Volt and i get an error within 10 mins.So i guess this is the absolute Max for this Voltage.The problem is that i cant run Prime95 Blend test stable at all.i get an error within 5-7 min.I run my Crucial at 1020@5-5-5-15 through priming.I also have:

FSB Strap @ 333
Cpu PLL @ 1.54
NB Volt @ 1.49
DRAM Volt @ 2.06
FSB Term Volt @ 1.3
SB Volt @ 1.05
Loadline @ Enabled
CPU GTL @ 0.63x
NB GTL @ 0.67x

Do u think there is a way to run it stable for Prime 95 blend test?
Is 1.38 real Voltage 100% safe for 24/7?If yes, whats the max i can go for 24/7?

Thank u all in advance...dont be harsh on me

[binormalkilla]

Hello all.Although I m new i have read almost all the posts in here.But i still have a prob.I dont have a mind blowing O/C on my Q6600 but im trying to learn through reading and testing.
My question to you is the following.I have managed to run @ 8x425 with 1.4v in bios (903) 1.38 in Win Cpu-z.This is Prime95 1+hour stable.Going to 8x426 at the same Volt and i get an error within 10 mins.So i guess this is the absolute Max for this Voltage.The problem is that i cant run Prime95 Blend test stable at all.i get an error within 5-7 min.I run my Crucial at 1020@5-5-5-15 through priming.I also have:

FSB Strap @ 333
Cpu PLL @ 1.54
NB Volt @ 1.49
DRAM Volt @ 2.06
FSB Term Volt @ 1.3
SB Volt @ 1.05
Loadline @ Enabled
CPU GTL @ 0.63x
NB GTL @ 0.67x

Do u think there is a way to run it stable for Prime 95 blend test?
Is 1.38 real Voltage 100% safe for 24/7?If yes, whats the max i can go for 24/7?

Thank u all in advance...dont be harsh on me

You need more FSB Term. voltage. I'm suprised you're stable that high with so little.

[ChaosAD]

I thought that NB Volt was the only responsible for the ram stability.I am gonna try what u said.Shall I increase by 1 step or i ll need more than that?Any voltage from what i posted above that can be lowered?To reduce heat that is.

[Typhoon2000]

Hello all.Although I m new i have read almost all the posts in here.But i still have a prob.I dont have a mind blowing O/C on my Q6600 but im trying to learn through reading and testing.
My question to you is the following.I have managed to run @ 8x425 with 1.4v in bios (903) 1.38 in Win Cpu-z.This is Prime95 1+hour stable.Going to 8x426 at the same Volt and i get an error within 10 mins.So i guess this is the absolute Max for this Voltage.The problem is that i cant run Prime95 Blend test stable at all.i get an error within 5-7 min.I run my Crucial at 1020@5-5-5-15 through priming.I also have:

FSB Strap @ 333
Cpu PLL @ 1.54
NB Volt @ 1.49
DRAM Volt @ 2.06
FSB Term Volt @ 1.3
SB Volt @ 1.05
Loadline @ Enabled
CPU GTL @ 0.63x
NB GTL @ 0.67x

Do u think there is a way to run it stable for Prime 95 blend test?
Is 1.38 real Voltage 100% safe for 24/7?If yes, whats the max i can go for 24/7?

Thank u all in advance...dont be harsh on me

Yes try more FSBT votage, Then try raising NB volts a bit. I'd run the small FFT's in prime to test stability of your CPU before moving onto blend, which stresses your RAM more.

[ChaosAD]

Yes try more FSBT votage, Then try raising NB volts a bit. I run the small FFT's in prime to test stability of your CPU before moving onto blend, which stresses your RAM more.

If u check what i said in my first post is that with the current Volt i run i am 100% 1+hour of Prime95 small FFT stable.My only prob is the blend test.So yes i have a mem prob atm.

But I would also like to know what Core Voltage is considered 100% bullet proof for 24/7 use.And i mean for air-cooling.

[eSp!s0]

Humm... I can think of some AS5, which is conductive, falling on some of the electric parts of the MB, or else a bad cabling connection (an USB cable?), or bad luck...

I will make a pic of the burned part of the motherboard next days. It`s a very little black chip between sata ports and buttom of the board/Q-Connector. I didn`t see any other damages on the board or other components. Ram works fine after, made a quick test on a friend`s board.
No AS5 has touched the board. Put AS5 on cpu away from the board with cpu in my hand in this black plastic protection bottom. And for NB I put AS5 on the HR-05 IFX Sli and only in the middle of the cooler and the cooler doesn`t fill out the NB. On SB, I didn`t make any AS5 on the Enzotech cooler, only used the squared protection ring around the SB chip. SB has no heatspreader and I thought that would be best.
Don`t know excatly any more but there isn`t any pad between Asus pipe and SB, isn`t it!?

Now I am very afraid of making same with my non-se I ordered today. I don`t even know, if that has something to do with my alternativ mb-coolers and mounting or if I only had bad luck....

[Typhoon2000]

If u check what i said in my first post is that with the current Volt i run i am 100% 1+hour of Prime95 small FFT stable.My only prob is the blend test.So yes i have a mem prob atm.

But I would also like to know what Core Voltage is considered 100% bullet proof for 24/7 use.And i mean for air-cooling.

Along as your temps are ok you can raise your Vcore. I use 1.47v for 24/7 and my Prime temps are low 60's. I have the same RAM as you and I use 2.12v in BIOS which for me is closer to 2.22 actual.

[Warboy]

That's on air? There is absolutely no way that you get 16C idle ever.....let along 5C. Even a chilled water loop couldn't get that. You do realize that 16C=60.8F? That's WELL below room temp
I would try another application (such as Everest) for monitoring temps....
BTW I get 50C load at 3.8 GHz with 1.480V (in CPU-Z while in OCCT stress)....and I have a high end water cooling loop. I idle at 28C with an ambient of 65-67F (~19-20C)

I was using everest man.

I said when I was working on it "WTF, how is that possible" then i checked Via Core-Temp, Everest, and other programs and got the same readings.

[ChaosAD]

Along as your temps are ok you can raise your Vcore. I use 1.47v for 24/7 and my Prime temps are low 60's. I have the same RAM as you and I use 2.12v in BIOS which for me is closer to 2.22 actual.

My prime temps with current air cooling are like 69/69/66/66...so i guess i ll stick at my current 1.38v although no game/app will raise temps so high.One attempt i made with 1.4v was around 71C. (1.4v=3.49Ghz for me)

I also see in your sig that u run your mem @ 1:1 ratio.Does this give better performance?

[Grnfinger]

1:1 would give you better stability, dividers on this board are sketchy

[ChaosAD]

So your answer is that 1:1 is not recomended for better performance right?

[Grnfinger]

3.6GHz at 1:1 900MHz
read:8929 write:8184 copy:7393 latency:57.4

3.6GHz at 5:6 1080MHz
read:9580 write:8207 copy:8642 latency:52.0

numbers speak for themselves

[Nuckin_Futs]

First thing off the bat that can be said is hat ACPI support is lacking something in this new beta BIOS. Not even in a 1:1 or low OC profile will it at the very least enter S3 "Sleep".

As for the volt thing, interestingly enough at my mild 500x7 the E6750 loads and runs fine in AUTO vcore but mobo still locks into TM1 mode so no support for reduced vcore w/ mult in C+P State Combined. I overclock for daily use so this lack of support is immediately prooving to be a problem.

Anybody else use this mobo in full or partial ACPI modes?

It turns out that this mobo does suport BIOS Flash 3 Recovery from ASUS DVD/CD or USB but I cant get the Flash Recovery menu to come up without a failed flash attemp. So booting to ASUS DVD and trying to flash to ROM file on DVD is no good, it is still date constraining. So if we can figure out how to safely change the ROM file date, then we can flash in EZ-Flash just the same.

[Darkstormz]

It turns out that this mobo does suport BIOS Flash 3 Recovery from ASUS DVD/CD or USB but I cant get the Flash Recovery menu to come up without a failed flash attemp. So booting to ASUS DVD and trying to flash to ROM file on DVD is no good, it is still date constraining. So if we can figure out how to safely change the ROM file date, then we can flash in EZ-Flash just the same.

Just do as I did. Start flash of 0907 bios, and during the "Writing Bios" power down. Then power up with the CD and you´re set to go.

[Krav]

Could anyone point me to some settings for 3.2 or 3.4?

Im on 6600 GO
4gb ram (2x2gb) ocz ram 1000mhz
formula se board (obviously)

[binormalkilla]

I was using everest man.

I said when I was working on it "WTF, how is that possible" then i checked Via Core-Temp, Everest, and other programs and got the same readings.

Hmm.....that's strange.....what version of Everest? I run Ultimate Edition 4.20.1170 in Vista x64 and it reports my temps correctly.....


Update on my FSB testing:
I'm stable at 475 for the CPU only with 1.488V according to CPU-Z, but I think I can use less VCore....
My memory isn't stable at DDR2-950 4-4-4-12 and I refuse to overvolt the RAM.....so hopefully we can get this divider issue sorted out before long so I can go with a higher FSB.

[Nuckin_Futs]

O.K. back on BIOS v0802. Just to note, ASUS Live Update v06.10.02 is an X64 version and did work in XP X64 as long as Downgradable BIOS was checked in options first. I did change name of file to of "MAXIMUS_F~" to OLD_BIOS.ROM as have done in the past. Not sure if it is was a must, Ijust knew it was so in the past.

USB Moue Update: The only thing I noticed with this version as I did before and forgot to identify this. But in BIOS v0802, after resume from S3 "Sleep", and wired 5 button USB mouse, pointer may drop out after a few moments requiring to unplug and relpug USB for mouse to get it to load up again. Has anybody had this experience in 802. I only mention it as I did not get this in v0901. However, the randomness of fail to resume from S3 and failed S4 resume is already looking better, even on the same devider as I used in profile 2 in sig.

RE: BIOS v0907, I forgot to confirm if option for Pnp OS was Enabled in my recent 0907 test to know if it had any effect on ACPI support before I tested any further. So maybe current v0907 testers can confirm this for me and upcoming users. Test for ACPI support in S3 or S4 and weather or not Pnp OS is Enabled.

[MonkY]

Is it just me or Maximus overvolts NB & SB like hell ? I mean, i just realised why my NB & SB are running so hot (61 and 54 degrees Celsius). Even i setup my NB & SB on Auto, i see in Everest i get 1.63V on NB)... Setting it manually to lowest setting resulted in some BSOD's... Can somebody tell me what's the default voltage for NB/SB/PLL ? Or maybe there is some page with the default settings written (as i don't trust my bios anymore... i mean, who could, when the CPU temperature would be shown as 20-25 degrees lower than room temperature.... crazy Asus).

[yobi]

bios 907

[MonkY]

Very strange... i don't know what to think anymore... i guess i'll try to downgrade the bios to 802, in hope i'll get ok temperature reports, and some normal voltages...