Water cooling the Asus Maximus SE X38

[Fitseries3]

you know, the best part about this whole thread is the fact that it applies to the new rampage formula board as well. im pulling my blocks off today because i just heard word that my rampage is on the way!

[ChaosAD]

After cleaning up both NB and SB i applied new thermal paste and reseated hs on stock form. I am afraid i dont see any difference on temps at all. Maybe i did something wrong.

[Durkadurka]

Allright, I am now testing for leaks.

So far so good...

Running the pump (MCP655) at full speed, and I can't really hear it over the PSU (which is also very quiet)

[TheSamurai]

After cleaning up both NB and SB i applied new thermal paste and reseated hs on stock form. I am afraid i dont see any difference on temps at all. Maybe i did something wrong.

you'd be the first not to notice a difference... something here is odd.

[TheSamurai]

Allright, I am now testing for leaks.
[img]So far so good...

Running the pump (MCP655) at full speed, and I can't really hear it over the PSU (which is also very quiet)

man i love that black feser one!!!

[Talonman]

Allright, I am now testing for leaks.
So far so good...

Watch it like your first born!!

Good job buddy!!

[Talonman]

After cleaning up both NB and SB i applied new thermal paste and reseated hs on stock form. I am afraid i dont see any difference on temps at all. Maybe i did something wrong.

Did you do the block too, or just the base?

just figured id point this out, look at how little contact area the TIM is making to the stock NB heatpipe cooler

[ChaosAD]

I just did the base, i have the non-SE version.

[Durkadurka]

Have hooked everything up now, but cannot get passed "CPU INIT".
The CPU is a QX9650 and I put one stick of Corsair DDR2-6400 in the ramslot.
Is there a common cause of stopping at CPU INIT ?

[neo_rtr]

Have hooked everything up now, but cannot get passed "CPU INIT".
The CPU is a QX9650 and I put one stick of Corsair DDR2-6400 in the ramslot.
Is there a common cause of stopping at CPU INIT ?

1) Does the PC start, meaning do you get power to the mb.
2) i was getting the following... the reset button on the mb is green, the power botton is lighting red.
no matter how much i ws presssing the "power" button on on chassi it wouldnt boot. i was pressing the power button on the mb for up to 2 mins before i could get it to start. It turned out to be a sort circuit on the mb.
iam writing this just in case same is happening to you

[Durkadurka]

Yeah LEDs are on across the board. Reset has a green light, while the power button has a red light.
Both the RAM and CPU leds are up to red.

[neo_rtr]

Yeah LEDs are on across the board. Reset has a green light, while the power button has a red light.
Both the RAM and CPU leds are up to red.

So you get power to the mb but it will not boot. you get lights across the mb when you press the power button, meaning the funs are working

you might try this already and changed the ram from one slot to the other.
Red means that the voltage is high, unless you find a way to reset your bios, as it might be stuck in some strainge voltage.

[zlojack]

Did you set everything back to default before you took the CPU out?

[Durkadurka]

This was my first ever run.
I put the cpu in, mounted waterblocks, ran leaktesting, and then started up for the first time today.
This MB should run QX9650 right of the shelf right?
I have an e6600 on the computer I'm writing on right now, would it be worth it to test this on the Maximus perhaps?
If that boots, flash to BIOS 0907 and give it another go?
Or am I reaching here, and should be looking for other possibilities?

[zlojack]

I would say definitely test if it boots with another CPU....

Then update the bios.

Process of elimination...

[deepcover]

This was my first ever run.
I put the cpu in, mounted waterblocks, ran leaktesting, and then started up for the first time today.
This MB should run QX9650 right of the shelf right?
I have an e6600 on the computer I'm writing on right now, would it be worth it to test this on the Maximus perhaps?
If that boots, flash to BIOS 0907 and give it another go?
Or am I reaching here, and should be looking for other possibilities?

I know that was the case for me for the E8400. I had to put an older chip in and update the bios before I could use the E8400. It's definitely worth trying the other chip when you exhaust your other options. I would first try clearing the CMOS if you haven't already. Remember, to clear the CMOS the sliding switch on the PCB must be in the correct position. By default, mine was set to disable. Thus, when I hit the clear CMOS button on the back of the computer, it just reboot my computer, but didn't clear the CMOS.

[WFO]

This was my first ever run.
I put the cpu in, mounted waterblocks, ran leaktesting, and then started up for the first time today.
This MB should run QX9650 right of the shelf right?
I have an e6600 on the computer I'm writing on right now, would it be worth it to test this on the Maximus perhaps?
If that boots, flash to BIOS 0907 and give it another go?
Or am I reaching here, and should be looking for other possibilities?

Early bios' did not support the 45nm chips. I believe you need to install the E6600, flash to 907 and then swap the cpus. I'd clear cmos once the E6600 is out before installing the 9650. If your board came with the beta 907 maybe someone else has a better answer.

[Durkadurka]

One thing I notice is that I was mistaken about before, is that I get no lights on the CPU LED. I get red on all the other LEDs; NB, RAM and SB.
Oh well, I'll try the other CPU tomorrow after work, too tired now to do it.

[Durkadurka]

Early bios' did not support the 45nm chips. I believe you need to install the E6600, flash to 907 and then swap the cpus. I'd clear cmos once the E6600 is out before installing the 9650. If your board came with the beta 907 maybe someone else has a better answer.

I've had this board since it came on the market, was the first item I got for my new build.
So it probably has one of the earlier bioses that didnt support 45nm then.

[Durkadurka]

Crap! During the process of switching CPU, I managed to pull one of the hoses off the D-Tek block, and spilled quite some liquid (Feser one) onto the MB.
How should I go about cleaning/drying it?
Should I remove all the blocks and hang it to dry ?

[Pete]

The bord do not what so ever persiod ship with the new bios to suport 45nm, you have to flash it.

No matter what rev or date of this bord.

I think you can get into it without a CPU.

Hopefully it aint killed the CPU!

[deepcover]

Crap! During the process of switching CPU, I managed to pull one of the hoses off the D-Tek block, and spilled quite some liquid (Feser one) onto the MB.
How should I go about cleaning/drying it?
Should I remove all the blocks and hang it to dry ?

If your board wasn't plugged in you shouldn't have anything to worry about with Fesser 1 or distilled water considering your loop was new and not likely contaminated. I would just dry it thoroughly with a rag and perhaps let it sit for 24 hours to ensure all of the moisture is evaporated. Perhaps use a hairdryer to ensure all water is evaporated as well.
Anyone else?

[Durkadurka]

I had already disconnected all power, so yeah I guess I need to empty the loop, remove everything and make sure everything dries up. *sigh*

[Durkadurka]

Well, it seems I have managed to kill my MB. Hooking everything up again after cleaning/drying, and the card simply wont start.
I get the red light on the power button, green light on the reset button and greenish light on the clear cmos on the back of the MB. Also blue light in the LED poster.
But it seems the PSU dont get the signal to start up, if I take out the 24-pin and use a starter-pin, it starts like normal.
Is there anything other than a dead MB that would cause it not to start the PSU ? I've checked all the cables several times, tried with different mem modules, with or without PCI-e videocard and there is just nothing that will make it start.
Just thought I'd ask if anyone have any suggestions before I order a new MB.

[neo_rtr]

Well, it seems I have managed to kill my MB. Hooking everything up again after cleaning/drying, and the card simply wont start.
I get the red light on the power button, green light on the reset button and greenish light on the clear cmos on the back of the MB. Also blue light in the LED poster.
But it seems the PSU dont get the signal to start up, if I take out the 24-pin and use a starter-pin, it starts like normal.
Is there anything other than a dead MB that would cause it not to start the PSU ? I've checked all the cables several times, tried with different mem modules, with or without PCI-e videocard and there is just nothing that will make it start.
Just thought I'd ask if anyone have any suggestions before I order a new MB.

I had exact the same things happening. The lighs on mine as you say and the light on the LCD with CPU INIT exacly the same.
It turn out to be sort-circuit on the backplate of the SB.
if you take the mb out of the chassi and just power it up outside the box with just the onboard speaker , probably a sound can be heard, (beep) and you go feom there..