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

[Grnfinger]

How mutch can use CPU voltage for 24/7 ? 1.35v or 1.45v ?

Intel recommends nothing higher than 1.45 for 24/7 use

[gurusan]

Actually all you need is Everest 4.20.1307 or higher, 1307 sems to work very well with this board

I am running Everest 4.50.1330 and it's not reading my mobo name as a Rampage.

[Grnfinger]

Yeah I tried it when it came out the other day... 1307 works flawlessly

[zlojack]

we ran into a problem like that.. the clip that holds the cpu in the mother board was warping the cover on the cpu. it was a lapped quad and was flat to begin with. after weird temps removed the cooler and could see where the clip warped it. used a razor blade edge.. removed the clip off the board, checked it again and it was flat. just used the back plate to hold the cpu and cooler to the mother board without the clip and it fixed the problem..

Hmm...interesting. So you removed the actualy CPU retention clip from the board. I should check that.

That said, my CPU's IHS is warped anyway. I checked it with a razor blade when I was doing the build.

[ZenEffect]

Actually all you need is Everest 4.20.1307 or higher, 1307 sems to work very well with this board

i experienced a "unknown device"
and had no clue as to what it was because everything worked... reinstalled xp and it was gone

[XtremeTiramisu]

Hi,

I think someone here did it already, but I couldn't find any specific statement about it when I was skmming through the posts.

I am currently using a normal MF Rev. 1.03G board here.

Has anybody successfully crossflashed the Maximus with a Rampage BIOS?

If so, any issues? Anything special to be considered when doing that?

Which method did you use? Turn off the PC when flashing and then load a FORMULA.ROM renamed Rampage BIOS from a memory stick?

Anyway, infos welcome!

I've tried that method and unfortunately it didn't work. After you turned on your syste again to get auto bios crash recovery it would proceed to read the renamed RF02xx.rom as formula.rom. After reading procedure is completed you'll get an unable to proceed message due to different rom file from mf to rf ...AFUDOS is the only way. I thought this way could fool the system to flash to rf bios rom but it still identifies its original bios being diff.

AFUDOS is a little complicated for me so I'm still trying to figure out a way to flash using AFUDOS with a dos bootable USB stick. I did managed to make a bootable usb stick with afudos 2.36.exe file and rf0219 in the root directory and typed in the afudos /irf0219 /pnxx /xx i can't remember and it just keep on saying bad file name...any ideas guys?

[Maglin]

Does teaming NIC's actually help even though you are on one router/cable connection? I wouldn't think it would as it would be putting more overhead on the router and cable modem.

[zlojack]

Maybe you need to type out the full file name with .rom or .bin extension?

[XtremeTiramisu]

Maybe you need to type out the full file name with .rom or .bin extension?

the full file name is RF0219.ROM
Maybe there is something I've missed so afudos doesn't work??

[Grnfinger]

the correct syntax is

afu236u /irf0219.rom /pbnc /n

assuming your using this version of AFUDOS

Not tried the Skew settings yet but when I get some time I'll give it a go. A few people have reported a minus Skew improved FSB/Ram clocking.

Could you please post your findings on this subject, still looking for any feel /difference when using it.

[Jodiuh]

Would it affect latency at all?

[Grnfinger]

Has ne1 found a benifit to running skew off auto?

I have played with it for awhile now and I cant see/feel a difference no matter what I set it to, even benchmarks are so close I cant say if its having any effect

[icecpu]

Has ne1 found a benifit to running skew off auto?

I have played with it for awhile now and I cant see/feel a difference no matter what I set it to, even benchmarks are so close I cant say if its having any effect

I see you set cpu ratio is 8.5 , is that for the 8400 ?? that's possible for E8400 ??

[Grnfinger]

yeah you can run 8.5 for 8400

[HellasVagabond]

Thanks for ignoring my question you guys

[Leeghoofd]

Ok guys, I need some advice here.

At 3.6 GHz 9x400 with 1.26v it's perfect and runs Prime95 all day and all night.

But once I try to bump it up toe 4.0 it just won't do it. I bumped the vcore up to 1.44v and still no love. I think that's a pretty good bump for 400 MHz, no?

Extreme Tweaker
Ai Overclock Tuner : Manual
OC From CPU Level Up : AUTO
CPU Ratio Control : Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting : 10
FSB Frequency : 400
FSB Strap to North Bridge : 333 Try AUTO or 400
PCI-E Frequency: 100
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-961
DRAM Command Rate : 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency : 5
RAS# to CAS# Delay : 5
RAS# Precharge : 5
RAS# ActivateTime : 12
RAS# to RAS# Delay : 3
Row Refresh Cycle Time : 55
Write Recovery Time : 5
Read to Precharge Time : 3

Read to Write Delay (S/D) : 8
Write to Read Delay (S) : 4
Write to Read Delay (D) : 5
Read to Read Delay (S) : 6
Read to Read Delay (D) : 6
Write to Write Delay (S) : 4
Write to Write Delay (D) : 6
DRAM Static Read Control: Enabled Disable
Ai Clock Twister : Moderate
Transaction Booster : Disabled (1)

CPU Voltage : 1.4125 (1.4 in CPUZ)
CPU PLL Voltage : 1.5
North Bridge Voltage : 1.55
DRAM Voltage : 2.00
FSB Termination Voltage : 1.34 -- AUTO -- seriously undervolts
South Bridge Voltage : 1.1
Loadline Calibration : Enabled
CPU GTL Reference : 0.63
North Bridge GTL Reference : 0.67
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : DDR_REF
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : DDR_REF
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage : DDR_REF
SB 1.5V Voltage : 1.5

USB Configuration
USB Functions: Enabled
Legacy USB Support : Disabled

Try the above changes mate... be carefull Dram voltage overvolts 0.1, CPU PLL too, FSB termination voltage undervolts with my board...

Guys transaction Booster and AI clock Twister are not working with the RIPPER series...Unless you set them on Auto...Ideas ?

Ripper = Reaper ?

Why wouldn't it work with the OCZ Dimms ? you will need to give us more input on what settings you are using.. fill in the template plz...

[Exentler]

thanks...

flashed two MF now to RF bios 219. works fine.

i testing the bios settings now.

[Grnfinger]

Perhaps your question was overlooked or misunderstood
I was under the impression it was REAPER not ripper
And you will have to supply more information than "not working unless set to auto"
What do you mean by not working????

[HellasVagabond]

Yeap its the REAPER series.


Extreme Tweaker
Ai Overclock Tuner : Manual
OC From CPU Level Up : AUTO
CPU Ratio Control : Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting :9
FSB Frequency : 445
FSB Strap to North Bridge : AUTO
PCI-E Frequency: 115
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-890
DRAM Command Rate : 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency : 5
RAS# to CAS# Delay : 4
RAS# Precharge : 4
RAS# ActivateTime : 14
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: Disable
Ai Clock Twister : Auto
Transaction Booster : Auto

CPU Voltage : 1.375
CPU PLL Voltage : Auto
North Bridge Voltage : Auto
DRAM Voltage : 2.00
FSB Termination Voltage : AUTO
South Bridge Voltage : Auto
Loadline Calibration : Enabled
CPU GTL Reference : Auto
North Bridge GTL Reference : Auto
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : DDR_REF
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : DDR_REF
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage : DDR_REF
SB 1.5V Voltage : Auto

USB Configuration
USB Functions: Enabled
Legacy USB Support : Disabled

[Grnfinger]

that ram is rated 5-5-5-18 is it not?
you might want to relax the timing a bit
get trfc off auto 50 or 55 would be a good start.
NB volts will need more than auto will give it, 4GB is hard the NB I would start at 1.49 and adjust from there
FSBT 1.40
SB 1.050

Do you have 2x2GB or 4x1GB?

[HellasVagabond]

2x2GB Kits.
And i had them at 5-5-5-18 and still it didnt work.....

[Grnfinger]

again what do you mean by dont work?

What does your lcd poster say?

[HellasVagabond]

It just stays stuck in
IDENT DRAM
or something like that.

[Grnfinger]

so its not the ram its your bios settings
no biggie to fix

try this for starts

DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled
Ai Clock Twister : Strong
Transaction Booster : Enabled
Relax level: 0

[XtremeTiramisu]

the correct syntax is

afu236u /irf0219.rom /pbnc /n

assuming your using this version of AFUDOS

Yes you're right. The file name is AFU236U and that's the version of the ES AFUDOS I've downloaded. I just realized that I was too anxious to get it to flash so I made a typo of 0218 instead of 0219...

Here is the full easy steps for "The dummies" to flash your maximus to rampage:

my mobo had 0602 BIOS originally. I flashed it to the latest beta mf1004 but it's still not fully stable at ~470FSB * 8 multi Q6600 G0. So I downgraded to mf0505 BIOS using the bios crash recovery renamed formula.rom fools method. Like KUP and a few others have suggested for the better stability with 0505 bios for quads; I don't find it to make much of an improvement for me for the past few days of testing. None of the mf bios I've tested could bench at 475FSB*8 multi Q6600 G0 with 333FSB strap and stable with newest v25.6 Prime "Blend" and even OCCT. However The CPU is much more stable up to ~3870mhz using *9 multi(less stress on the NB) and 400FSB strap tested with prime smallFFT. I hope the Rampage BIOS will give me 475FSB*8 prime/occt stable.
I personally don't think it matters which mf bios you've before you can flash to the rampage bios.

1. Please refer to the 1st page in this LINK and read the procedures on how to make a DOS bootable USB flashdrive.

2. Download the latest RF BIOS as of today: RF0219 from this LINK

3. Download v.2.36ES AFUDOS progra from this LINK

4. Unzip both RF0219.rom file and AFU236U.EXE to the root directory of your DOS bootable ready USB flashdrive.

5. As with all bios flashes; revert your BIOS settings to default and reboot your system with the USB flashdrive sticked in.

6. Upon rebooting; press F8 while posting and select boot from your USB flashdrive.

7. Win98 screen splashes and you're in DOS mode with C:\>

8. Type the following and make sure you don't make a typo like I did from the screenshot:
C:\>AFU236U /IRF0219.rom /pbnc /n
*Note: NOT case sensitive.


9. When finished...reboot system...select all settings to default in BIOS and reboot again. Do a full clear cmos procedure.

10. Congrats and good luck OC.



*PS: Special thanks and credits to The Stilt and to rest of other curtious members for their kindly help.