The Maximus Formula Thread - Help/OCing/Guide/Rampage conversion

[Warboy]

I got my New Ballistix Tracer sticks in today

[Nuckin_Futs]

Sorry, I dont understand this performace stuff. Everyone says run disabled and 0-2 for high fsb.

I run 475fsb with twister strong and booster enabled at 2 at 1:1 ram at 2V and nb at 1.65V non se. I can get into windows at 490fsb still booster enabled at 2 but not stable. Will changing this setting help stability?

I can get to 545fsb and e6600 with booster on auto also but changing the booster will still not let it clock higher.

It's gonna' be a compromise between high FSB/Clock and RAM frequency for Tight timings and high MHz. To figure out your max FSB and or clock, leave all that booster and performance stuff out of it for now. THey were mostlt intended for cheap performance boost for light or non OC'd set-ups. So to add all that strob, boos and so on will only add to unstability issues and more crashes before you can ever get to find you highest OC's.

So Key points for high FSB are ENABLED Static Read control, Ai Clock Twister = Disabled or Light, And Performance Booster Disabled = 0 and 1+ as needed, FSB Strap = AUTO, Added CPU PLL/FSBT to 1.7v/1.5v respectively, and For sure GTR Ref to max; 63x/67x for CPU/FSBT.

I just got my two Maximus boards yesterday. I installed one so far and so far (knock on wood) it's been smooth sailing. I'll be installing the other tonight and then overclocking the #$%@ out of it this weekend .

I have sifted through this thread, but I was wondering is there any "golden rule" on this board of BIOS options I should DEFINITELY turn off/turn on, or configure a certain way?

I'm coming from an eVGA 680i where my e6600 was pushing 3.4Ghz. I'm hoping to get an equal or better overclock.

Currently, at stock speeds, I'm sitting at 27C for the CPU (1.3v) and 38C for the NB (1.4v). Are those temps ok for this board (specifically the NB) or do I need to work on getting that down in order to pump the FSB?

Thanks!

P.S. - What's the best way to flash the BIOS? AsusUpdate? Or traditional floppy/CD method? I'm running Vista x64 if that matters at all...

Follow the above quote and you should be good to go fo close to 500FSB with that core if you got a good batch. I got 495FSB out of a !975x P5WDG2-WS and X38 has more to offer so go figure the potential. This mobo is pick with dividers so stick with 1:1 for now untill you need more and tweak from there. Like any overclocking, stick to 2 sticks of RAM for any size, but 2x 1g is best for stability and high FSB. So many are focusing on bench scores of synthetic so they tend to crank everything up so high it is just sloppy and unstable. This mobo loves 500FSB so if you feel your CPU is up to it then again no prob.

As mentioned so many times, leave the CPU FSB Strap to AUTO. Unless somebody can come up with a worthy reason of fixing it to anything spaciffic (even if it does boot, mine hardly does) with the exact same DDR frequency chioces, please add comment. Otherwise, the same choices are made available in pull down if you have set as AUTO. For me, mine on many BIOS versions would just not boot with anything other then AUTO for a native 1333FSB CPU, and even on the one BIOS it did (401) I saw no difference of performance for the same exact ratio choices.
Also, the 2nd RAM slots (White) are noted as being best for highest 2 stick OC to 1300MHz (good RAM, average= DDR1200). Pop in 2 more and back to 1st slot limitation of around 4x 1066+ but with losser timings and more volts overall.

May I suggest you start slow with the bios update. Once you go to 09xx with Vista x64 there is no going back unless you can load a 32bit OS. I've actually been meaning to put a xp 32 dual boot on my machine just to flash the bios to an earlier version.

I actually suspect the earlier bios are better for our chips but since flashing back is such a pain I haven't been able to test.

Is this spaciffic to Vista x64 and not XP Pro x64 and Server Ent R2? Cause I can use Flash Old BIOS from Live Update v6.10.x.

However, since my mobo is stuck from recent EZ-Flash from from 802 up to 903 again, I guess I get to try Crash Free BIOS recovery from CD.

[xgman]

Also, the 2nd RAM slots (White) are noted as being best for highest 2 stick OC to 1300MHz (good RAM, average= DDR1200).

Anyone else here seeing this?

[Renegade5399]

I don't see this. My Ballistix got to DDR2-1257 in either blue or white.

[Grnfinger]

I don't see this. My Ballistix got to DDR2-1257 in either blue or white.

Same for me
blue or white the ram will run the same , same bench scores and will crap out at the same MHz.

[Ymir]

Anyone else here seeing this?

I haven't. Could vary by board and RAM, because I have seen other accounts that are similar.