[18th Anniversary] Asus Black Pearl - P5k-Premium Testing Report

[sesdave]

I'd prefer not to go through the process of dismantling everything to lap it (I know, lazy heh) - Also because I've never lapped a CPU before.

I run my Tuniq on lowest fan speed, so I could up it a bit.
At least 1.52/1.53 were below/on 60, so hopefully one of the two pull through!

Up the fan speed without a doubt - then you can keep it on 3.6. Lapping is easy - see the guide. You just need some wet and dry of varoius grits and a piece of glass/mirror for a flat surface. If the IHS is not flat it will make a big difference.

[Audioboxer]

Up the fan speed without a doubt - then you can keep it on 3.6. Lapping is easy - see the guide. You just need some wet and dry of varoius grits and a piece of glass/mirror for a flat surface. If the IHS is not flat it will make a big difference.

Ok ill have an another read at the guide!

Testing 1.52v again as we speak.

I'm not going to up the FSB any higher than it is, so 3.53ghz is good enough for me.

My memory which is 1000mhz, is pretty much maxed out at this speed with the tighter than normal timings I have.

I could try to push the FSB to 450mhz (1130mhz mem will be), but that is the highest Enjoy got it - http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=163668 - And it needed 2.2v

2.2v is higher than the 2.1v standard, so really, im happy with 440FSB, a 3.53ghz clock and mem at 1100mhz

Thanks for help again, if 1.52v pulls through over 8 hours, it's running at <= 60 just now which is an improvement over 60-64 and i'll look at getting it down further with lapping/increasing fan speed.

[sesdave]

Ok ill have an another read at the guide!

Testing 1.52v again as we speak.

I'm not going to up the FSB any higher than it is, so 3.53ghz is good enough for me.

My memory which is 1000mhz, is pretty much maxed out at this speed with the tighter than normal timings I have.

I could try to push the FSB to 450mhz (1130mhz mem will be), but that is the highest Enjoy got it - http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=163668 - And it needed 2.2v

2.2v is higher than the 2.1v standard, so really, im happy with 440FSB, a 3.53ghz clock and mem at 1100mhz

Thanks for help again, if 1.52v pulls through over 8 hours, it's running at <= 60 just now which is an improvement over 60-64 and i'll look at getting it down further with lapping/increasing fan speed.

No worries - have a read of this o/c guide. http://www.thetechrepository.com/showthread.php?t=195
You might find it is better to get memory running lower MHz Cas 4 rather than raising the Mhz.

[Audioboxer]

No worries - have a read of this o/c guide. http://www.thetechrepository.com/showthread.php?t=195
You might find it is better to get memory running lower MHz Cas 4 rather than raising the Mhz.

Interesting I never thought about trying that with the memory...

[vcrajeeb]

!.4375 seems very high for running 3.2. You should be able to run 3.0-3.2 on 1.35v or less- what batch and VID is your CPU. You dont want temps like that - reduce vcore . I would recommend another HSF like mine or better - the stock fan is limited if you are overclocking. Also get some decent thermal paste like MX-2. Ideally DRAM static should =enabled for performance but you are probably best to leave disabled until you stabalise the overclock. Check my previous post for link explaining all the BIOS settings.

Well my CPU batch number is: L750A974
Stepping: G0
VID: 1.3250v

[ReverendMaynard]

that needs a water loop and 1.6v stat. lol.

[sesdave]

that needs a water loop and 1.6v stat. lol.

Thats cruel - hes new and only wants to achieve a small 3.2 overclock
P.s wheres your matrix RAID setup then ? I think my cracked rib will heal sooner than I see your stats -lol! I bought Acronis 11 and am now awaiting a response from the tech support re a bootcd that works with raid on this MB. Will post when I get the response

[sesdave]

Well my CPU batch number is: L750A974
Stepping: G0
VID: 1.3250v

Check that the HSF is seated properly - the pin attachments can look like they are properly secured into the MB when they are not.

[jonny_ftm]

Well my CPU batch number is: L750A974
Stepping: G0
VID: 1.3250v

That's the worst I've seen. I thought all intel Q6600 CPUs VID didn't exceed 1.30!!

[vcrajeeb]

Check that the HSF is seated properly - the pin attachments can look like they are properly secured into the MB when they are not.

I am planning on purchasing ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED. It comes with a Super Thermal Grease (ZM-STG1). Hope that will be fine, or should i go for some other thermal grease?

Please reply asap, as i am waiting to buy it right away.

[sesdave]

I am planning on purchasing ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED. It comes with a Super Thermal Grease (ZM-STG1). Hope that will be fine, or should i go for some other thermal grease?

Please reply asap, as i am waiting to buy it right away.

Personally I would get the HSF I have - the Thermal right Ultima-90. http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling...oc.aspx?i=3068
It has a small footprint and great performance.
Its the baby brother of the 120 extremee which if you want the best is the one to buy but its huge. If you decide to go this route get a good 92mm fan for it panaflo or sflex. You can use a 120 but I wouldnt bother.
MX-2 paste is the one I recommend. No cure time and not conductive like AS5 and great performance.http://www.xtremecomputing.co.uk/review.php?id=402

[sesdave]

That's the worst I've seen. I thought all intel Q6600 CPUs VID didn't exceed 1.30!!

Got to agree - he very unlucky. Is this the future for latest batches of the q6600?

[ReverendMaynard]

Thats cruel - hes new and only wants to achieve a small 3.2 overclock
P.s wheres your matrix RAID setup then ? I think my cracked rib will heal sooner than I see your stats -lol! I bought Acronis 11 and am now awaiting a response from the tech support re a bootcd that works with raid on this MB. Will post when I get the response

You didn't crack your rib skiing did you?

RAID Matrix is coming man, I'm just honestly reluctant to kill one of my most reliable Vista installs ever lol. I will not image it, it has to be a clean install onto RAID if I really want it super stable. Keep me posted on your finding with Acronis though.

[sesdave]

You didn't crack your rib skiing did you?

RAID Matrix is coming man, I'm just honestly reluctant to kill one of my most reliable Vista installs ever lol. I will not image it, it has to be a clean install onto RAID if I really want it super stable. Keep me posted on your finding with Acronis though.

Oh yes - first day on a green run when I tried to do flashy stop, caught an edge and did a cartwheel for the hosting group instead. Made the rest of the holiday interesting - I must learn to ski properly. Acronis is good - I have tested it in Vista x64 fine - just need it to see RAID from the recovery boot Have you installed Vista SP1 yet - I did and it seems to improve a few things.

[vcrajeeb]

That's the worst I've seen. I thought all intel Q6600 CPUs VID didn't exceed 1.30!!

Got to agree - he very unlucky. Is this the future for latest batches of the q6600?

Well, I tested my CPU using Core Temp 0.97.1 and PC Wizard 2008. Both of them showed different VID and that too very wide values:

CoreTemp 0.97.1 : 1.3250v
PC Wizard 2008 : 1.2125v

(please see the attached snapshots)

I have no idea whom to trust. Do you know any other software which gives the VID value?

Personally I would get the HSF I have - the Thermal right Ultima-90. http://www.anandtech.com/casecooling...oc.aspx?i=3068
It has a small footprint and great performance.
Its the baby brother of the 120 extremee which if you want the best is the one to buy but its huge. If you decide to go this route get a good 92mm fan for it panaflo or sflex. You can use a 120 but I wouldnt bother.
MX-2 paste is the one I recommend. No cure time and not conductive like AS5 and great performance.

I wanted to try Thermal right Ultima-90 as you recommended, but it is out of stock in newegg. So I went for ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED, as I am running short of time (my friend is in California, he will buy and bring it on Saturday). Hope this is good enough.

[sesdave]

Well, I tested my CPU using Core Temp 0.97.1 and PC Wizard 2008. Both of them showed different VID and that too very wide values:

CoreTemp 0.97.1 : 1.3250v
PC Wizard 2008 : 1.2125v
I wanted to try Thermal right Ultima-90 as you recommended, but it is out of stock in newegg. So I went for ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED, as I am running short of time (my friend is in California, he will buy and bring it on Saturday). Hope this is good enough.

The Zalamn will do the job of cooling your CPU. Must admit I had bever looked at VID in pcwizard as I mainly use it for displaying the Core temperatures.. I would go with Coretemp VID reading - I have sent an email to CPUID support asking where they read the VID from and why does it differ from Coretemp reading. Will post resposne.

[sesdave]

Well, I tested my CPU using Core Temp 0.97.1 and PC Wizard 2008. Both of them showed different VID and that too very wide values:

CoreTemp 0.97.1 : 1.3250v
PC Wizard 2008 : 1.2125v
I wanted to try Thermal right Ultima-90 as you recommended, but it is out of stock in newegg. So I went for ZALMAN CNPS9700 LED, as I am running short of time (my friend is in California, he will buy and bring it on Saturday). Hope this is good enough.

The Zalamn will do the job of cooling your CPU. Heres a review to cheer you up http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...articleID=2045
Must admit I had never looked at VID in pcwizard as I use it for displaying the Core temperatures - I like the display better than coretemp-lol! I would go with Coretemp VID reading - I have sent an email to CPUID support asking where they read the VID from.

[ReverendMaynard]

Oh yes - first day on a green run when I tried to do flashy stop, caught an edge and did a cartwheel for the hosting group instead. Made the rest of the holiday interesting - I must learn to ski properly. Acronis is good - I have tested it in Vista x64 fine - just need it to see RAID from the recovery boot Have you installed Vista SP1 yet - I did and it seems to improve a few things.

Hey man, look at it this way, your embarrassment probably made 1 if not more peoples day...maybe week lol. Cracked ribs suck, seeing that breathing is pretty much something you can't take a rest from.

I see no real positive effects from SP1 so far, but I do know that it fubared my wifi solo drivers, which cost me around 5 hours in reg cleaning, re-installing...pretty much every trouble shooting card that could have been played...I played it. Working fine now though.

[w2richwood]

ok guys i tryed the matrix on 2 x 80g wd sata 1 didn't run a tack program before and after but see windows booting faster oh and btw its on my p5w dh rig but it seems to work good im happy
Rich

[ReverendMaynard]

nice, let's see some HD-Tach

[w2richwood]

ok i run one on my 36 g raptors in raido no matrix stripe 64 but how do i get it to go on the post here
Rich

[w2richwood]

ok heres a try
nope didnt work

[sesdave]

ok guys i tryed the matrix on 2 x 80g wd sata 1 didn't run a tack program before and after but see windows booting faster oh and btw its on my p5w dh rig but it seems to work good im happy
Rich

Have a look at the matrix thread if you havent already. It specifies the best stripe size and optimum size for RAID0.The main benefits are achieved by creating a thin RAID0 for the opertating system as the first partition on the fastest part of a larger drive - about 60-80GB across a minimum of 2 drives(2x40 in my case) The more sata drives, the thinner the partition , the better the performance. You then allocate RAID1/5/10 partition on the remainder of the drive dependant on number which gives you the resilience for your data files . In your case with 2x36GB raptors you really only have enough for RAID0 and have no resilience in the event of a drive or data failure.

[ReverendMaynard]

The main benefits are achieved by creating a thin RAID0 for the opertating system as the first partition on the fastest part of a larger drive - about 60-80GB across a minimum of 2 drives(2x40 in my case) The more sata drives, the thinner the partition , the better the performance.

This is what "they" refer to as short stroke. As who "they" are...I've yet to find out

16kb is probably the best for a couple of 36g Raptors.

[w2richwood]

no i did a hd tach on both the raptors read time was worse the the two 80g in matrix rapter 88.8 80gs 146,5 not bad random access was 8.5 80g 10.3 i was going to upload it but i dont know how to show you both
Rich