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

[Grnfinger]

At no time has KUP ever taken credit for anything he is not responsible for, he has always given credit were it was due.
I still owe him for bailing me out on my bad Maximus flash to bios 903, it was KUP that found and older version of ASUS update would revert back to older bios files, oh and he didnt want anything in return.
Bashing the guy cause he is trying to make things better is rather counter productive imo

[trt740]

Flashed to 0308 using a usb stick + EZ-Flash, no probs.

Oh it works and I flashed it with ezflash but 219 lets my fsb run stable 24/7 at 8x 535 at 1.4v 308 won't and has trouble booting with my ram.

[kup]

Thank you for the support guys. It's you folks who inspire me to wade through the threads looking for the best things to add to the first posts.

And about the bios recovery thing, no worries dude, you'd have helped me the same!

[Talonman]

The OC Maximus Formula part 2 just got merged into this thread...

Check the link.

[Xilikon]

kup, don't worry about those who criticize your move. It's now moot since it's made into a fat thread but at least the first thread can be updated.

[kup]

Yeah...I noticed... Looks like Safan got his way...

Kind of screws up the idea of having the infomation easily accessible IMO.

[zlojack]

The CPU is the other half of that equation...isn't it. The North Bridge itself might be able to run at 500 MHz and the bus between the NB and the CPU might, but if the front side of the CPU can't do 500, game over. Correct?

zlojack: how far did you get in your efforts to OC the FSB for your quad?

The furthest I got was 450.

I sold my QX9650 on Ebay and I just took it out of my rig today to package it up for shipping.

I've slapped an E8400 in for now (nothing special, but it'll go into a secondary rig later) and I'm going to wait a while and try to get my hands on the C1 QX9650.

[Grnfinger]

well isnt this special

AND THE MAXIMUS PART 2 wtf

[zlojack]

WTH happened... did they merge all the threads into one?

[kup]

I believe so, yes.

[XtremeTiramisu]

OK, I flahsed the bios to 0308 from 0219 using EZflash and no problems.
However, I do find the 0308 to be more picky in setting the right performance level and pull-ins config to eliminate DET RAM hang. I was also experiencing DET IDE hang after post but it seems to go away after I disables rampage formula boot screen logo...go figure. I swear I never had any DET IDE hang ever when using various MF bioses as well as previous 0219 RF bios. 0308 has being giving me a werid OC experience. Overall, I don't really see or feel any sort of an improvement over the previous 0219. Actually 0308 seems to be giving me a bit of trouble after FSB465 and I've a hard timing staying away from DET RAM hang if I set performance level to 7 or 8 with pull-ins all enabled. Whereas 0219 I could go up to ~470 with perf lvl 7 disabled pull-ins or lvl 8 with pull-ins enabled. As for Everest bench, memory bandwidth/latency is roughly the same in identical OC config. If some says faster booting or feels faster in any other way, I'd say it may be just a placeble effect...or maybe I'm wrong. If any of you 45nm OCers wants to start criticize my points above, let's say we're on a diff boat as I'm using 65nm Q6600 G0 if you havn't noticed that in my sig. OC a 65nm quad G0 will always be a lot harder than some of you lucky OCers with 45nm duals or even quads. The more I said this everytime, the more I feel I want to get rid of this soon to be a year old Q6600 G0 for the better I hope. But then I heard Q9450 *8 multi doesn't clock that well above ~450FSB and not really worth the upgrade from Q6600 G0 if it's presently capable of going above 3.7Ghz.

[zlojack]

I believe so, yes.

Ok...that's totally lame.

[By0T0xN]

Kup you should start a Conversion thread over at Redline. It would be easier to follow than this mess.

BTW is everyone elses email goin nuts with notifications on this thread?

[XtremeTiramisu]

Kup you should start a Conversion thread over at Redline. It would be easier to follow than this mess.

BTW is everyone elses email goin nuts with notifications on this thread?

LOL here is another one for ya

.....

[Grnfinger]

I didnt have any strange boot issues with 308 but I agree, I see/feel no performance increase with it.
I also get the odd det dram hang, to solve it quickly I just change trans booster from manual to auto back to manual ( without making any real cange)exit the bios and its boots every time. I know it sounds lame but it does work for me anyway

[Xilikon]

BTW Grnfinger, did you have any luck finding the elusive BIOS 0215 ?

[kup]

Kup you should start a Conversion thread over at Redline. It would be easier to follow than this mess.

BTW is everyone elses email goin nuts with notifications on this thread?

Lol...I like that thinking...

And not even checked my mailbox yet, do I have that to look forward to?

[XtremeTiramisu]

I didnt have any strange boot issues with 308 but I agree, I see/feel no performance increase with it.
I also get the odd det dram hang, to solve it quickly I just change trans booster from manual to auto back to manual ( without making any real cange)exit the bios and its boots every time. I know it sounds lame but it does work for me anyway

Auto for AI transation boost for RF bioses = Performance level 10 for me using 333 strap and 5:6 divider. Of course if just leave it at auto, det ram hang issue will be completely 100% eliminated but the bandwidth and latency dropped down rediculously low to ~9200 read from ~10000 read using performance lvl 7. So like you've said before, if we can set the exact right config for RF bios, it'd be a tad faster than MF bios But that's only theoritically and techinically correct if you don't care about the cost of stability or DET RAM hang for the extra performance increase. RF Bios is technically a tad faster than MF bios becouse of its finer tuning options but at the cost of stability, I don't really see a major advancement over MF bios. However we're comparing an intial released RF bios to a serveral revised MF bios so my hope is that RF will out perform MF bios in the future, but that's just my speculation atm.

[Grnfinger]

BTW Grnfinger, did you have any luck finding the elusive BIOS 0215 ?

I looked everywhere with no luck seems no one has it

[ericab]

thread merge =

[Nuckin_Futs]

Believe me, I know what it's like to not get any credit or just plain ignored only to have what I just POSTed relisted in different words. Example, I mentioned from the get go of origional tread, started by myself, that ASUS Live Update v6.10.02 back flashed and is XP/S2K3 x64 compatable. Most just complained that they dont like the Windows based update. I also dont mind giving advice where appreciated just like Kup. I brought up the idea of DOS utility, AfuDOS and got no feedback till months later.

Anywayz, I'm not here for the credit. However, I don't like to be dogged on for offering advice to one, just cause another doesn't like it, or set in their own world. There's many options.

I seem to have my rig (in sig) stable at 3774 GHz and 444 FSB. So I thought I'd post my BIOS settings (1004) in case it might give anyone else some ideas or if anyone cares to comment on any improvements I might make.

I went with the FSB of 444 because it allowed me to select memory speed of 1066. I can't even get to 1080 on these G.Skills without relaxing the timings. So I figured to keep it at 1066 at auto timings.

Looks like at this point these Core 2 procs are more FSB limited than anything else. Having a proc at >4 GHz probably means the proc is waiting a lot to get data in and out of memory. Getting the FSB from 400 to 444 did more for my benchies than most other similar tweaks I've made.

I tried to hit 500x7.5 @ 1:1 DDR1000 a la Nuckin_Futs, but I couldn't even POST with that. That gives me hope it's a config problem, not a massive instability at 500. Nuckin_Futs, if you're out there, would certainly be interested to see what you set to hit that 500 @ 1.1. Are you still running the settings posted at http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ostcount=2704?

Extreme Tweaker 
Ai Overclock Tuner : Manual 
Ratio CMOS Setting : 8.5
FSB Frequency : 444
FSB Strap to North Bridge : 333
PCI-E Frequency: 100
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-1066 
DRAM Command Rate : 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Auto
DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled 
Ai Clock Twister : Strong
Transaction Booster : Disabled
Relax : 0

CPU Voltage : 1.400000   (measured 1.38xxxx)
CPU PLL Voltage : Auto
North Bridge Voltage : Auto (measured 1.61)
DRAM Voltage : 2.00   (measured 2.04xx)
FSB Termination Voltage : Auto  (measured 1.42?)
South Bridge Voltage : Auto
Loadline Calibration : Enabled
CPU GTL Reference : .63
North Bridge GTL Reference :  .67
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : Auto
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : Auto
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage : Auto
SB 1.5V Voltage : Auto

Sure I think it has potential. I found that just ablut every Core 2 I messed w/ hits 500FSB w/ lil' effort (E6550/6750/6850) and even my m8's E8500 scales beyond that. My e6600 was the most challanging one to stablize @ 500FSB. YES, the old profile settings are good to start. Only change since then would be if going for 4GHz on 500x8 is the 1.632 PLL, and 67x NB GTL.

Back up a sec.... You've got a 2.4 GHz proc running at 3.4 GHz... That's at 41% overclock! Isn't that enough?

You do know that voltage requirements jump up very quickly when you reach those higher speeds? Going from 3400 to 3600 is an additional 5.8% increase in core speed and a much larger increase in votage. I wouldn't stress it.

O.K. and this coming from a tread almost geared towards guys tightening their RAM to the gills and stressing that chipset and tweaking them GPU's to the max.

BTW is everyone elses email goin nuts with notifications on this thread?

Oddly enough, I dont get anymore email nootification from my subscribed treads anymore. What happened? I have to manually visit subscriptions list often to keep up.

If anything, the RAM and RAMpage tread POST stuff should be sepperated.

[kup]

If anything, the RAM and RAMpage tread POST stuff should be sepperated.

Exactly my thinking. A thread for the mod and a thread for the board itself...

[rangerone7669]

question about DETDRAM
i get that error time to time for no apparent reason. i'll need to reboot from windows update, or when i shut it off for more that a few minutes. it just wont post, every time i try to power it up, it hangs at DETDRAM. pulling the battery does not fix it but it does reset bios settings. the only way to get it to post again is pull my memory and put in some kingston ddr2 667. i dont even need to change any bios settings. i just shut it down after it fails at overclocking(that kingston wont run at my oc) pop back in my ram it it boots up and runs fine. it only did this with the lanfest ram.

i just sent in a 4x1gig set of crucial lanfest because no matter what i did it would hang at detdram, even at default bios settings. now i'm running some adata vetista's with d9's until my axeram 1200mhz show up later this week.

i can get the adatas to about 1100mhz but any higher fails and hangs at detdram, but it will repost and just go to overclock failed. also with both sets of ram i've tried if i set the performance level to any thing but auto, it nukes my windows install. only thing i've found to fix it is a repair install.

does this board just not like d9's or an i doing something wrong? i usually just use settings people list as working on there q6600, which is what i have.

the anandtech setting work fine for 450x8 except
DRAM Static Read Control [Disabled]
Ai Clock Twister [Strong]
Transaction Booster [Enabled]
those must all be set to auto or i either nuke my os, or it just fails to post and i have to clear the cmos. i'm hoping the axerams will fix most of my problems as others have had great luck with those rams. altho the axe's use the same ic's as my lanfest and the adata's so i'm a litlle concerned.

[Nuckin_Futs]

Final Report on my FSB limit for now...


"Recap of my findings:
So far With the Maximus and my Q6600 GO:
My CPU Voltage setting of 1.46250v (BIOS), will allow error free Priming with a FSB Frequency 414 giving me 3.7GHz with my 400 NB Strap.
My CPU Voltage setting of 1.506v (BIOS), will allow error free Priming with a FSB Frequency 424 giving me 3.81GHz with my 400 NB Strap.
My CPU Voltage setting of 1.51875v (BIOS), will allow error free Priming with a FSB Frequency 428 giving me 3.85GHz with my 400 NB Strap.
My CPU Voltage setting of 1.51875v (BIOS) starting taking errors 4 minutes into prime with a FSB Frequency 432 giving me 3.8888GHz with my 400 NB Strap.

I did successfully prime 3.9GHz with a FSB Frequency 435 for 45 minutes, but stopped the test.
For my system it requires me to set in the BIOS a CPU core voltage of 1.55000v's, and Everest reads 1.53v.
You also must bump your CPU PLL to 1.60v's.
1.55 Core and only 1.56 PLL would not Prime 3.9GHz error free."

** I added in a TV tuner card 2 days befor my GPU swap, and the system was fine. No problems booting, still 3.8GHz under 907.

I took out an 8600 GT, put in a GX2, and could not boot withought getting a CPU init hang on the LCD poster, right on the initial boot after the install.

I had to back down my FSB speed to give me 3.3GHz to boot for the first time with the GX2 installed. I did fight my way back to 3.4GHz, but no more. (Still on 907)

Now I flashed to BIOS 1004, GX2 still installed, and I am back at a 3.465GHz limit. Any more FSB than 387-388'ish will result in core dumps, Vista lockups, and sometimes not posting. I threw more volts at about everything I could... Took all the posted settings, and combos I could, Enabled, Disabled, and Autoed settings for 2 days...

Made no differeance... Thanks for everybody's help BTW!!

I am keeping 3.465GHz for now until some new info comes into light. Until I hear from another Q6600 Maximus SE dude, who was running at 3.8GHz or faster, and plugged in a GX2, and still heald his speed... I think it's a limit of some sort right now...

I have no explanation, but there it is...

If I have to run my water cooled rig at 3.4, I turned some bells and whistles back on in the BIOS that I like...

I also backed down the voltages to show how easy I can run with a FSB Frequency of 385...

It's not a bad chip! It's a Maximus, Q6600, GX2 combo thing....

Only about 45 minutes, but my stability is there. I have had no problems so far, and don't expect to... (Still on the good side of my 390 FSB limit)
For trivia, a Q6600@3.465GHz and a stock GX2 SSC = 17,775 3DMark06 points at default settings. (Only for the 3DMark fans.. don't yell at me!)

I still love my GX2, but i'm not sure the Maximus SE does?

In regards to your boot failure and messages, yes they are for real. It usually happens because Windows becomes damaged after many hard crashes and especially when crashing during an OC test liek we so love to do. I try to keep to safe mode for starters till I feel it can go further. If this doesnt work, try your last good profile and in OS, reinstall current inf, GPU and RAID (if any) drivers. It worked for mine when it happened.

You mentioned 907. Are you back on that now or came from that at some point? I had BIOS chip corruption when moving away from 907, no matter what version I flashed to. I has the very USB hang ups and lots of the det_ram hangs even in stock. So just to clear up, did you have the USB hang up in 903 and also was the GX2 installed then too? It may be worth a shot to try it. I am most interested to know, cause I really dont want another 907 USB and RAM hang up experience again. When I was on v0907, the few times I got to XP x64, I would even loose USB support, and RAM hang ups (frozen desktop and or video, requiring a hard reset. Sometimes, USB hang can be fixed by unplugging mouse and plugging it back in. but the whole experience was driving me Nuckin Futs up the wall. Lol!

[Factotum]

Thanks for this forum. I'm flashing my P5E in RF bios 0219 and get nice mobo and nice settings tested Linpack:

AI Clocker Tuner: [Manual] 
CPU Ratio Control: [Auto] 
FSB Strap for North Brige: [333] 
FSB Frequency: [500] 
Dram Frequency: [1201] 
PCIE: [112] 
DRAM Command Rate : [2T] 
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel A : [Normal] 
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel B : [Normal] 
DRAM Timing Control: [Manual] 
CAS# Latency : [5] 
RAS# to CAS# Delay : [5] 
RAS# Precharge : [5] 
RAS# ActivateTime : [12] 
RAS# to RAS# Delay : [Auto] 
Row Refresh Cycle Time : [35] 
Write Recovery Time : [5] 
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] 
Write to PRE Delay : [Auto] 
Read to PRE Delay : [Auto] 
PRE to PRE Delay : [Auto] 
ALL PRE to ACT Delay : [Auto] 
ALL PRE to REF Delay : [Auto] 
DRAM Static Read Control: [Disabled] 
Ai Clock Twister : [Moderate] 
Transaction Booster : [Manual] 
C/P: A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 | B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 
LVL: 07 08 08 08 08 | 07 08 08 08 08 
Common Performance Level [8] 
Pull-In of CHA PH1: [Enabled] 
Pull-In of CHA PH2: [Disabled] 
Pull-In of CHA PH3: [Disabled] 
Pull-In of CHA PH4: [Disabled] 
Pull-In of CHA PH5: [Disabled] 
Pull-In of CHB PH1: [Enabled] 
Pull-In of CHB PH2: [Disabled] 
Pull-In of CHB PH3: [Disabled] 
Pull-In of CHB PH4: [Disabled] 
Pull-In of CHB PH5: [Disabled] 
CPU Voltage : [1.26125] :) 
CPU PLL Voltage : [1.5] 
North Bridge Voltage : [1.39] :)  
DRAM Voltage [2.2] 
FSB Termination Voltage : [1.3] 
South Bridge Voltage : [1.1] 
Loadline Calibration : [Enabled] 
CPU GTL Reference : [0.67X] 
North Bridge GTL Reference : [0.67X] 
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage : [DDR2_REF] 
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : [Auto] 
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : [Auto] 
SB 1.5V Voltage : [1.5] 
NB LED Selection : [NB Volt] 
SB LED Selection : [SB Volt] 
CPU LED Selection : [CPU Volt] 
Voltiminder LED : [Disabled] 
CPU Spread Spectrum : [Disabled] 
PCIE Spread Spectrum : [Disabled] 

   [CPU Configuration] 
CPU Ratio Control: [Auto] 
C1E Support: [Enabled] 
CPU TM: [Enabled] 
Vanderpool Technology: [Disabled] 
Execute Disable Bit: [Disabled] 
Intel SpeedStep: [Enabled]