Good design, good overclock, good pipe-The MSI P35 Neo2-FR overview

[wyemarn]

Anyone with a Q6600 @ 3.6ghz care to share their bios settings? I have a rev 1.2 board from clubit. Have tried both the 1.8 and 1.84 bios. With the jumper on the board left at default, I can't overclock at all doesn't matter voltage. However I can set the jumper to 333 and the machine boots up fine. I manually set to 9x multiplier and leave everything else and it's prime stable for 8hrs now. However, even 334 is not stable at any voltage apparently. I am using Vista Business x64 and 8gb of ram (4x2gb Adata ddr2 800, 5-5-5-15 1.8v is what its rated at and what I have it set to)

Try removing both jumpers to set FSB at 400. Try upping tRFC level, NB and FSB voltage.

[mreld3r]

hey flak, i found this at a review of this board at anandtech maybe this can help you a little.

From anandtech review:

We utilize a 9x400 setting with our Q6600 set to 1.4375V, MCH at 1.450V, and VTT at 1.30V. Memory voltage was set to 2.1V as recommended. Our 4GB memory configuration uses a 4:5 ratio at 5-5-4-15 timings with performance level (tRD) at 6, which results in a DDR2-1000 memory speed. The 8GB memory configuration uses a 5:6 ratio, memory timings at 5-5-5-18, and tRD at 7. This results in fractionally lower performance (~1&#37 during application testing with a variety of benchmarks.
It seemed anytime we clocked this board up, we had to set SB I/O to 1.7V or 1.8V with quad-core CPUs.

I dont have a quad yet, so I cant really be of much help.

Edit: correct me if im wrong but MCH=NB <---is this right?

[NickS]

For Anyone getting the BSOD "irql_not_less_or_equal" on VISTA with this board, and it involves the file ndis.sys, read on.

Apparently it has to do with Microsoft's drivers for the P35 Platinum's Realtek PCI-E ethernet port. I got this BSOD randomly as well, maybe once a week tops.

My Fix: Downloading the new Ethernet drivers off MSI's site. They're relatively new too, 2-21-08.

Link

Server 5 seems to be the fastest for me.

This doesn't seem to affect XP but if it does you could always download the newest ethernet drivers for XP as well.

[wyemarn]

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/...&GetDown=false

Or download the latest one from Realtek website. Realtek always update their drivers. Once every one or two weeks.

[tty]

Anyone with a Q6600 @ 3.6ghz care to share their bios settings? I have a rev 1.2 board from clubit. Have tried both the 1.8 and 1.84 bios. With the jumper on the board left at default, I can't overclock at all doesn't matter voltage. However I can set the jumper to 333 and the machine boots up fine. I manually set to 9x multiplier and leave everything else and it's prime stable for 8hrs now. However, even 334 is not stable at any voltage apparently. I am using Vista Business x64 and 8gb of ram (4x2gb Adata ddr2 800, 5-5-5-15 1.8v is what its rated at and what I have it set to)

First set the jumper to 333.
If you're planning to achieve 400x9 then you need no extra voltage for NB. However, you need to increase the fsb VTT to 1.250-1.300v also SB to 1.7.
For the cpu vcore you might need as much as 1.45v. That's 1.475 in bios.
For example I keep my Q6600 at 425fsbx8 = 3.4GHz using a 1.3850v vcore in bios.Everything over 3.4GHz up to 3.6GHz needs too much voltage and it's not worth it.

For the adata memory you need to set manual settings of 5-5-5-18-54-6-12-6-6 and 1.9v .
Also set the fsb/mem ratio 1:1 not auto.

[Flak]

Thanks for the help, tty I'll try those settings when I get home. It seems I may just have a bum quad. It does 333x9 at stock, but anything above that and one core (the same core everytime, and according to coretemp the coolest core) fails prime95.

[ban916]

Had a question for you guys, have this board on the way already have my e8400. Will I hit 4Ghz with this e8400 on this board?? I'll be running on air and my ram will ber 4 gigs Crucial Ballistix Tracers ddr2 800. Thanks guys I'm excited about this build. Picked this board due to hearing about it good overclocking for cheap price. Excited for my build. Thanks guys.

[ownage]

Had a question for you guys, have this board on the way already have my e8400. Will I hit 4Ghz with this e8400 on this board?? I'll be running on air and my ram will ber 4 gigs Crucial Ballistix Tracers ddr2 800. Thanks guys I'm excited about this build. Picked this board due to hearing about it good overclocking for cheap price. Excited for my build. Thanks guys.

Yes, 4ghz is not a problem on this board. Clon22 benchmarked his e8400 @ 4500mhz on this board, we've also seen 1500mhz ddr2 Ballistix on this board, so this wouldn't be a bad choice for you're build. This board is just unbelievably cheap.

I found a good article about this board. Neo2-Fr with Q6600 under cascade by Gomeler
http://gomeler.com/2008/01/13/review...under-cascade/
Quadcore 4cores enabled 511fsb benchable

[ban916]

Yes, 4ghz is not a problem on this board. Clon22 benchmarked his e8400 @ 4500mhz on this board, we've also seen 1500mhz ddr2 Ballistix on this board, so this wouldn't be a bad choice for you're build. This board is just unbelievably cheap.

I found a good article about this board. Neo2-Fr with Q6600 under cascade by Gomeler
http://gomeler.com/2008/01/13/review...under-cascade/
Quadcore 4cores enabled 511fsb benchable

Just what I wanted to hear, thanks now I'm excited Damn 511fsb on quad!! That is impressive!!

[Flak]

Thanks for the help! I may disable the on board raid to try for higher. But it seems 3.2ghz is my max (1.42 on the cpu, 3ghz it does with all voltages at default values). At 3.3ghz core 3 fails no matter the voltage (and like I said earlier it even shows in coretemp as being the coolest core) in prime95.

[NBF]

Thanks for the help! I may disable the on board raid to try for higher. But it seems 3.2ghz is my max (1.42 on the cpu, 3ghz it does with all voltages at default values). At 3.3ghz core 3 fails no matter the voltage (and like I said earlier it even shows in coretemp as being the coolest core) in prime95.

Too bad to hear that.

I have the Platinum (which is virtually the same board) and very similar setup.

Runing 4 sticks demands more from the NB, and may demand some more Vmem also, maybe you could raise a bit and try out again.

My Orthos stable seting is:

450x8 = 3600
Vcore at 1.5V (my board is rev. 1.0, Vdroops a bit more, real Vcore is 1.43V)
MCH (NB) at 1.525V
VTT at 1.30V
Memory Voltage at 2.1V
SB at 1.8V

Timings for Adata mem sticks
5-5-5-15-54-6-12-6-6 @ 900 - 2,1V

Hope this help your quest to 3600

[ ]s

[ban916]

E8400 and Cooler installed get rest of parts tonight..Will have it up and running will update you guys on overclock. I'm hoping for 3.8-4.0 with lowest volts. Hope I got a good chip.

[ban916]

Got a new package All I'm waiting on is the case should be here shortly!!! My first build. Halfway there.

[NickS]

Make sure you remove the protective plastic sticker over the SB heatsink on the MSI logo

Other than that, looks great so far. That heatsink is sexy

[ban916]

Make sure you remove the protective plastic sticker over the SB heatsink on the MSI logo

Other than that, looks great so far. That heatsink is sexy

Thanks for the tip, I caught it when I was putting the cpu in...

[Frodin]

How is the chipset cooling on this mobo? Does it need a lot of airflow at 400-450 FSB? I am watercooling the CPU and GPU, and the chipset doesn't get a lot of airflow, which has caused my P5W to do a few hard resets under load (gaming etc).
I am thinking of getting this board, and was hoping I would not have to watercool the chipset too. It does not seem to need that much cooling, but switching for a bigger chipset cooler seems a little counter- productive when going for this cheap mobo. It goes for less than half the price of an X38, and I'm not into Crossfire, and certainly don't want an Nvidia mobo.

[ownage]

I can run 500fsb full orthos stable with a passive cooled NB, and didn't even try higher I think the NB cooling is ok, it really doesn't get warm. I have a 80mm fan on the PWM area, which cools the mobo heatsink a little, but nothing more.

[ban916]

Well guys spent all night building last night...My first build Posted first time and no problems since. Have it oced to 3.8 with 1.2 cpu volts and running stable as ever..I have pics up soon and go for 4.0+ as well.. This board is badass!!! Any tips for updating the bios?? Never done it before, don't have a floppy drive and running vista 64 bit. Running the e8400 on 1.4 bios want to update to 1.8. thanks

[NBF]

Well guys spent all night building last night...My first build Posted first time and no problems since. Have it oced to 3.8 with 1.2 cpu volts and running stable as ever..I have pics up soon and go for 4.0+ as well.. This board is badass!!! Any tips for updating the bios?? Never done it before, don't have a floppy drive and running vista 64 bit. Running the e8400 on 1.4 bios want to update to 1.8. thanks

If your PC is runing from a nobreak power suply, you may want to update using the Live update online, it's as easy as browse the forum

http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?f...ame=liveupdate

It's even safer if you boot with default values in BIOS options prior to update

[ ]s

[ban916]

If your PC is runing from a nobreak power suply, you may want to update using the Live update online, it's as easy as browse the forum

http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?f...ame=liveupdate

It's even safer if you boot with default values in BIOS options prior to update

[ ]s

Wish I could doesn't work with vista 64 bit...

Here are some pics of the thing running... 1.32 vcore 4.0ghz 56c load

[lawrywild]

Thinking about changing to this motherboard.. do the jumpers actually change FSB or just the strap?

[ban916]

This board is a smoking deal... I have my e8400 stable at 1.3 volts at 4ghz 55c max temp under 100&#37; load and scored 14.5k In 3dmark 06 with and 8800gts 512. I love this setup.

[mreld3r]

BAN916 congrats on the AWESOME build, nice box ya got there.

lawrywild yes the jumpers actually change the FSB. I think it is the same as the BSEL-MOD. @266 jumper you cant select lower than 266 FSB in bios.

I got my neo2 @ the egg; open-box for $69!! It looked just like the retail box. It had everything nicely packaged in the box, just like brand new. Even the back-plate was still wrapped in plastic. $69!!! Now thats a bargain. I gotta bum e2160 tho (1.4875 Vcore just to run 3.1Ghz) Now I want a q6600, but im scared that I wont get one that runs 3.6Ghz like everyone else has. I was waiting for the q9450, but I'm starting to think that there's not gonna be $100 worth of difference between that and the q6600. I dont wanna pay $100 more just for a few hundred more MHZ. If I can get 3.6 out of a q6600, I think I would have to get well over 4Ghz out of a 9450 for the price, and maybe well over 4Ghz aint gonna be possible! I guess that there is ALWAYS something better just around the corner, Just gotta pick a point and jump on.

[ownage]

BAN916 congrats on the AWESOME build, nice box ya got there.

lawrywild yes the jumpers actually change the FSB. I think it is the same as the BSEL-MOD. @266 jumper you cant select lower than 266 FSB in bios.

I got my neo2 @ the egg; open-box for $69!! It looked just like the retail box. It had everything nicely packaged in the box, just like brand new. Even the back-plate was still wrapped in plastic. $69!!! Now thats a bargain. I gotta bum e2160 tho (1.4875 Vcore just to run 3.1Ghz) Now I want a q6600, but im scared that I wont get one that runs 3.6Ghz like everyone else has. I was waiting for the q9450, but I'm starting to think that there's not gonna be $100 worth of difference between that and the q6600. I dont wanna pay $100 more just for a few hundred more MHZ. If I can get 3.6 out of a q6600, I think I would have to get well over 4Ghz out of a 9450 for the price, and maybe well over 4Ghz aint gonna be possible! I guess that there is ALWAYS something better just around the corner, Just gotta pick a point and jump on.

I personally don't expect this board will fail with a quad @ max 4ghz for 24/7. I think you only will notice a difference between a p5k-dlx/blitz/maximus/dfi-lt when you clock the cpu much higher like 5ghz. P35 is just a killer chipset and the overall quality of this board ain't bad either, and especially for $69 (lucky bastard) .

[ban916]

Here are some numbers!! Stable as a rock!!