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

[Nuckin_Futs]

Just curious, but can a 2nd card in CrossFire be turned off (disabled and converted to dual non CrossFire for quad display) in Windows on this mobo or is it a CrossFire thing?

[Grnfinger]

hey guys. I haven't checked in , in a minute.

Those who went from a Q6600 to a E8400 was there a slight drop or boost in performance. I mostly play video games on my PC (Team Fortress, COD4, and some other games) . What would be better for me on this board. A Q6600 or a E8400 ?

I ran my quad at 3.6GHz / 1200 ram (450x8) and performance was great.

My wolfdale at 4.3GHz / 1147 ram (478x9) and I can say I cannot tell any difference from the quad.
Ram bench is faster on the Wofdale, 3DMark is down 450 points from the quad but hardly noticable.
The overall lower volts and lower temps in my mind make it a worth while switch.

hello !!

do you know if Xeon 3220 and 3230 are compatible with this motherboard ???

thx

I have tested a Xeon 3220 and can confirm it will work

[ante_ante]

What´s the highest FSB u seen on this board on AIR ??

[tommithy]

Just curious, but can a 2nd card in CrossFire be turned off (disabled and converted to dual non CrossFire for quad display) in Windows on this mobo or is it a CrossFire thing?

Just UNCHECK the crossfire option in the ATI control panel and they will be treated as 2 individual video cards. It's a driver thing.

[Viss]

What´s the highest FSB u seen on this board on AIR ??

Air for cpu i got 550mhz for 1M with E6600 but thats max FSB of that cpu. Cpu on dice and stock cooled board i got 590mhz 1M.

[Spyrus]

I changed from bios usb legacy to enabled from disabled.
booted in windows and lost the first ethernet controller.
Is that a known bug? Latest 0907 bios.

[Den_Sjaekert]

My Xeon L747A was limited to about 3.4Ghz, with either 8 or 9 multi
I've tossed in a Q6600 L737B and all is great now. 3.6Ghz is running like a breeze!

Only need to lap my TRUE120 since 2 cores are running about 10C warmer than the others. But that'll come tomorrow

[kup]

My Xeon L747A was limited to about 3.4Ghz, with either 8 or 9 multi
I've tossed in a Q6600 L737B and all is great now. 3.6Ghz is running like a breeze!

Only need to lap my TRUE120 since 2 cores are running about 10C warmer than the others. But that'll come tomorrow

Make sure the TRUE hasn't moved during mounting it. My cores were all over the place, up to 15c difference at times, and it turned out it was TRUE slipping as I tightened it up. I got someone to hold it PERFECTLY square over the CPU without it moving and then I tightened up the screws. Now all my cores are within 1*c of each other!

[Nuckin_Futs]

Air for cpu i got 550mhz for 1M with E6600 but thats max FSB of that cpu. Cpu on dice and stock cooled board i got 590mhz 1M.

Wow, I couldn't get past 510FSB with my old E6600 but it was on each a !975X/!P965, & P35. Yet these mobos took an E6300 to 533FSB easy.

I might give it a try on here since it is all torn down from recent BIOS crash. What multi and overall system voltages did you need for at least 533FSB on the E6600?

[phurn_87]

i got 500 fsb to post with this board, but i cant quite get it stable, ill post my settings, maybe one of you wants to try adn succeed where ive failed (so far) bios 0907 by the way.
Extreme Tweaker
Ai Overclock Tuner : Manual
OC From CPU Level Up : N/A (doesnt appear)
CPU Ratio Control : Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting : 9.0
FSB Frequency : 500
FSB Strap to North Bridge : 400
PCI-E Frequency: 100
DRAM Frequency: DDR2- 1000
DRAM Command Rate : 2t
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency : 6
RAS# to CAS# Delay : 6
RAS# Precharge : 6
RAS# ActivateTime : 20
RAS# to RAS# Delay : auto
Row Refresh Cycle Time : auto
Write Recovery Time : auto
Read to Precharge Time : auto

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: auto
Ai Clock Twister : Light
Transaction Booster : Disabled
Relax Level 3
CPU Voltage : 1.40125
CPU PLL Voltage : 1.64
North Bridge Voltage : 1.53
DRAM Voltage : 2.4
FSB Termination Voltage : 1.46
South Bridge Voltage : auto
Loadline Calibration : enabled
CPU GTL Reference : 0.63x
North Bridge GTL Reference : 0.67x
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : DDR2_REF
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : DDR2_REF
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage : DDR2_REF
SB 1.5V Voltage : 1.55

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

CPU Spread Spectrum : Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum : Disabled

Advanced CPU Configuration
CPU Ratio Control : Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting : 9.0
C1E Suppport : Disabled
CPU TM Function : Disabled
Vanderpool Technology : Disabled
Execute Disable Bit : Disabled
Max CPUID Value Limit : Disabled


USB Configuration
USB Functions: Enabled
Legacy USB Support : Disabled

[HousERaT]

What´s the highest FSB u seen on this board on AIR ??

I've gotten superpi 32mb at 523x9 on air. Haven't gone higher yet.

[Nuckin_Futs]

Wel, after some testing, I did find it is the DRAM Frequency and Timings Control that are a problem whn loading defualst and selecting Save and Exit CMOS.

If I hard reset and press F1 to enter set up, I need to at the very least change DRAM Frequency to fixed 800 and Timing Control to Manual, changing no timings, leaving as they just were in AUTO. I know strange. This test was with OCZ Platinum PC2-6400 with defualt of 5-5-5-15 but rated for 4-4-4-12. I tested with the RAM in sug as regular for this set up, and it did the same thing.

So this confirms and corrects my last POST about the voltages. It didn't matter what voltages were fixed, it wouldn't boot if I left the 2 settings mentioned in AUTO. This is obviously some new and happened since testing BIOS v0907. Any other bad experiences with BIOS v0907.

Also to the guys who mentioned better feel or results with older BIOS, I think I see what you mean. I used to get only 49ns on latancy but now get 48ns on same profile, so go figure. I tested as low FSB of 450x8 (3.6GHz) in 3:4 for DDR1200 and I now can get 47ns but R/W scores is slightly less then when @ 48ns latancy on 480x8 (3.8GHz) and 5-6 for DDR1153 You guys on the lower FSB seeing this too?

Has anybody experienced this after any BIOS flash?

[Nuckin_Futs]

Well at least the tRFC is fixed. Cant wait to test!

What was wrong with it before? I never really moved it from AUTO anyways. What setting if any will boost performance over that of AUTO?

What app are you guys using to read the RAM advance timings that is different from what we see in CMOS?

[kup]

New memory tweaker for chipsets Intel

[Warboy]

Kup, I found a more realible link for Bios 1003 then RapidShare :P Found off the ASUS Forums from one of the mods.

New BIOS 1003 for the Maximus Formula - USE EZ-FLASH METHOD - ASUS UPDATE HAS CORRUPTED MANY FLASHES

I saw Helmiec's Post on the new beta 1003 Maximus Formula Bios Version and checked it out. It looked legit so I contacted Asus in Taiwan and they sent me this copy of it.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=412708&da=y
Once Again, Flash at your own Risk!!

Please post your likes and dislikes about this version.

I think it added the MicroCodes for the upcoming Yorkfields.
The Q9550, Q9450 and the Q9300.

[Nuckin_Futs]

So this issue with corrupted BIOS, is it likely to be fixed by future BIOS since all of the previous to v0205 did nothing to repair? I have to allways from now on manually fix DRAM spd to manual 800 so far) and timings to manual (5-5-5-15 so far, but I can tighten bk to as before).

I know I never use auto, but am greatly concerned why or how this happened. 2nd, in v0602 on 5:6 I cant use booster enabled (not even 0) anymore at any setting of twister.

It's been too long since I was on 602, but was this noted before for spds of 1150+ RAM

[Nuckin_Futs]

I got my hopes up too soon. Good thing I didn't cansle my RMA #.

After much testing it just became unstable even on once reliable v0602. I moved to v0903 (where I had good profiles and results) and all my save (on USB HDD) return a boot block cannot be read error. Same for my v0602 and even one just saved minutes before flashing and coming back.

Again, I can only guess since nobody has made comment on this, I am an isolated case and will just chock it up to a luck of the draw. It was a nice 5 months though. Now I get to start over and now maybe the all so talked about forced FSB strapping will actiually work for versions other then v0602.

I will keep on reading as I will be on my old P5K Deluxe by the end of the week.

[Aurhinius]

Has anyone been able to get TRD of 5 on this board?

Tried my hardest to replicate Anand's article about TRD and cannot get TRD of 5 to post at 900mhz CAS 4 266 STRAP. TRD 6 works but memory performance isn't great and it needs hefty vNB 1.63v or so.

Anyone had any luck with 1T command as well?

[Spyrus]

tRD = 5 is possible only with X48 (i think the Rampage Formula article you have read,right?)

[Titus]

what's the best PCI slot for a sound card?...the one on top or the one on the bottom?...I have an AuzenTech X-Fi Prelude and don't want any issues...or does it not matter either way?

[Kondik]

what's the best PCI slot for a sound card?...the one on top or the one on the bottom?...I have an AuzenTech X-Fi Prelude and don't want any issues...or does it not matter either way?

IMO as far from other componets as possible .. I preffer the lowest PCI with my Elite Pro and i put an aluminium plate to the PCI above the last one to Shield it ... and it works

[devilhood]

It has been a while since I posted on this thread, but I gotta let you guys know, if anyone here is using a CM-Stacker with air cooling, please buy the Scythe Zipang CPU Heatsink, you will love it.

You can have all 4 side fans in without any problems, temps are lower than what I got with the TRUE, and also the Thermalright HR-05-SLI fits perfectly on the NB, leaving enough space next to the CPU HS, it also doesn't brush against the RAM sticks.
My system is absolutely sorted now and I'm happy

I'm still with the 0907 BIOS, running Vista SP1 and haven't encountered any BSOD's or hardware instability problems at all.
I managed to swap my Q6600 with one that had a lower VID, couldn't believe how much difference the VID makes, it allowed me to drop the volts considerably.

P.

[zaracattle]

Hi guys, I want to ask why I can't run Asus AI and PC Probe...When I installed these software and ran them,a notice board have appeared that informed that "Error: Open I/O dll fail " for Pc probe and "aacenter: access violation at address 00000000. Read at address 00000000" for AI.Thanks

[Kondik]

It has been a while since I posted on this thread, but I gotta let you guys know, if anyone here is using a CM-Stacker with air cooling, please buy the Scythe Zipang CPU Heatsink, you will love it.

You can have all 4 side fans in without any problems, temps are lower than what I got with the TRUE, and also the Thermalright HR-05-SLI fits perfectly on the NB, leaving enough space next to the CPU HS, it also doesn't brush against the RAM sticks.
My system is absolutely sorted now and I'm happy

I'm still with the 0907 BIOS, running Vista SP1 and haven't encountered any BSOD's or hardware instability problems at all.
I managed to swap my Q6600 with one that had a lower VID, couldn't believe how much difference the VID makes, it allowed me to drop the volts considerably.

P.

I have eXtrme 120 Ultra .. NB 05 SLI and its great it doesnt block the CPU the RAM's are with Thermaltake RS 0026 Spirit there is a 1 mm hole btw RAM heatsinks and NB Thermalright cooler. it doesn't block even the PCI-E 1x where Supreme FX II [ i hate it i hate it i hate it ] doesn;t block the GT 8800 With Zalman VF 1000, however the SB is a differen fairytale ... it cools the SB great ... but it scratches the VGA zalman and the Heatpipes from RAMS scratch the back side of VGA ... i moved the Heatpipes in the Thermaltakes a bit and there is a 3 mm tollerance hole so it's OK however the VF 1000 on VGA and Thermalright 05/IFX isn't . I used the Noctua one for test but the tems went from 44 to 51 that sucks ... , oh BTW the mosfets are cooled with Thermalright Mosfet the 2nd series and's its cool .. 42 load . But THermalrighting the board is hard. However the PC is very silent and well cooled

[Robin77]

Whats the safe voltage/temp for NB & SB (Max Formula), mine sometime hits 55c & 48 ~ 50c for SB.

Thanks

Hi! It was already discussed in this threat. There are different opinions on this.
Best is to get information from source, which is the Intel thermal design sheet for X38 chipset which says max load longtimeuse NB temp is 92 C.

I have 67 C idle and I think 76 or so loaded. This are oced values but are prime and 3DM 48h stresstest rockstable.

Some say all over ~ 50 C is unstable, which my case and official Intel specs proof wrong.

But it's also true that the higher temps are, the less space there's for oc'ing stable. Also longtime life is influenced, but shouldn't be a problem in nowadays product lifetimes.

Hope that helped.