ASUS P5W DH - Problems + Fixes Thread

[Chrysalis]

I am now using 2704 bios was using 2004.

The only change I have noticed is now hd idle shutdown now works properly on every drive it must have been buggy in 2004. system is stable and C1E and speedstep both appear to work properly unlike in 2504 which was buggy and also unstable on my system.

so 2704 -> 2504 on a 6420 cpu.
so far seems to also be -> 2004.

I have my ram at 4-4-4-10 1:1 (cpu at 333fsb) its possible to run at 4-4-4-4? which some people seem to be doing.

[dhooper7]

Hi guys, this is my first post, what a goldmine of a forum this is....

I'm not a computer pro so excuse me if I have posted a little too much info!

First here are my specs...

Core2Duo E6600 (B2) + AC FP7 @ 3.2GHz (400x8) (good temps.)
Asus P5W DH Deluxe (BIOS 2004)
2GB GeIL DDRII 6400
BFG 8800 GTS OC 512
X-Fi 7.1 Xtreme Music
2 x Samsung 500GB SATA
1 x Seagate 120 GB SATA
Hiper Type-R 580W Modular PSU

Now my questions....!
1. The computer hangs on the ASUS screen for ages, around 50seconds before it get to the XP boot screen... Is there any way to speed this up?
2. Whenever I leave a USB drive plugged in it wont boot, is there a way around this?
3. Every now and then the motherboard randomly beeps (just one beep)!
4. I have 2 500gb HDD's I'm want to Stripe, they will have the OS on them, which ports on the board do I use and where do I plug my additional 120gb drive?
5. Are my OC settings below correct? Which is the most suitable BIOS realease for my system?


Love this motherboard (shame it's not SLi)
Thanks guys



Now my OC settings (all of them!)

Advanced

AI Overclocking...Manual
CPU Frequency...400
DRAM Frequency...DDR2 - 800MHz

Performance Mode...Standard
PCI Express frequency...Auto
PCI Clock syncronisation mode...Auto

Memory voltage...1.90v
CPU VCORE Voltage...1.3250v

FSB Termination Voltage...Auto
MCH Chipset Voltage...Auto
ICH chipset voltage...Auto

Digital Home Mode...Disabled

CPU Config.

Modify Ratio Support...Enabled
Ratio CMOS Setting...8
Microcode updation...Enabled
Max CPUID value limit...Disabled
Execute diable function...Disabled
Enhanced C1 control...Disabled
CPU Internal Thermal Control...Auto
Virtualisation Technology...Enabled
Intel SpeedStep technology...Disabled

Advanced Chipset Settings

Configure DRAM timing by SPD...Enabled
DRAM ECC Mode...Disabled
Hyper Path 3...Disabled
DRAM throtolling threshold...Disabled
Memory remap feature...Disabled

Boot graphic adapter priority...PCI Exp/PCI

PEG buffer length...Auto
Link latency...Auto
PEG root control...Auto
PEG link mode...Auto
Slot power...Auto

[Xeon Zombie]

Hi All,

Another first time poster here. Been a member at OCN for a bit now, but no P5W thread there, lol.

I have this board paired up an X3220 Quad Core, an 8800GTS 320MB, and am currently waffling between 3 sets of RAM I have, but I can figure that one out.

What I am wondering, is the age old question: Is now the time to upgrade?

With the P35, already eclipsed by the X38/X48 (which are most drool worthy I might add), is my beloved P5W really becoming a dinosaur?

I never really even considered it until I recently read an article in which the 975X chipset was referred to as "aging" and "esoteric".

I've had this board going on a year and a half now (actually I am on #2, as #1 had a capacitor issue) and really like it, but I see the X38 pushing the quads upward of 4.0GHz, makes me wonder if I should splurge on a Rampage Formula or something snazzy like that.

I would love any opinions on the "current relevance" (for lack of better terminology) of the 975X, and more specifically, the P5W DH Deluxe.

In other news, I recently upgraded to BIOS 2704, and hate it. My system feels strange to me, and is a little buggy. Will be trying to flash backward to something more solid.

[w2richwood]

did you clear cmos after you flashed if not try that first
Rich

[alexlyc]

Now my questions....!
1. The computer hangs on the ASUS screen for ages, around 50seconds before it get to the XP boot screen... Is there any way to speed this up?
2. Whenever I leave a USB drive plugged in it wont boot, is there a way around this?
3. Every now and then the motherboard randomly beeps (just one beep)!
4. I have 2 500gb HDD's I'm want to Stripe, they will have the OS on them, which ports on the board do I use and where do I plug my additional 120gb drive?
5. Are my OC settings below correct? Which is the most suitable BIOS realease for my system?

1. Disable AI Quiet in Power>Hardware Monitor
2. Make sure the 1st boot device is set to your windows hard disk
3. ??? when does it beep? during post or while in windows?
4. ??? u mean two more sata disk beside your 2x 500gb samsung?
5. looks good to me... 400fsb

[dhooper7]

1. Disable AI Quiet in Power>Hardware Monitor
2. Make sure the 1st boot device is set to your windows hard disk
3. ??? when does it beep? during post or while in windows?
4. ??? u mean two more sata disk beside your 2x 500gb samsung?
5. looks good to me... 400fsb

1. AI Quiet is disabled, still hangs for what seems a long time, sometimes it also go goes back to the ASUS boot screen after displaying the JMicron details, weird!
2. Done!
3. It beeps in windows, randomly a few times a week
4. I want to RAID0 my current and only 2 Samsung drives (with OS on), where do I plug them in and which drivers do I use? I'm getting confused over the ICH7R and JMicron
5. Can I squeeze any more out of the processor? Would you recommend updating my BIOS from 2004?

Thanks

[Lurker246]

Hi All,

Another first time poster here. Been a member at OCN for a bit now, but no P5W thread there, lol.

I have this board paired up an X3220 Quad Core, an 8800GTS 320MB, and am currently waffling between 3 sets of RAM I have, but I can figure that one out.

What I am wondering, is the age old question: Is now the time to upgrade?

With the P35, already eclipsed by the X38/X48 (which are most drool worthy I might add), is my beloved P5W really becoming a dinosaur?

I never really even considered it until I recently read an article in which the 975X chipset was referred to as "aging" and "esoteric".

I've had this board going on a year and a half now (actually I am on #2, as #1 had a capacitor issue) and really like it, but I see the X38 pushing the quads upward of 4.0GHz, makes me wonder if I should splurge on a Rampage Formula or something snazzy like that.

I would love any opinions on the "current relevance" (for lack of better terminology) of the 975X, and more specifically, the P5W DH Deluxe.

In other news, I recently upgraded to BIOS 2704, and hate it. My system feels strange to me, and is a little buggy. Will be trying to flash backward to something more solid.

Hi Zombie,

BIOS 2504 seems to be the most stable BIOS at the mo' from posts I've seen. Personally I've run every BIOS from 2004 - 2602 and 2504 is definitely my fav

As for your upgrade, I'm thinking the exact same thing lately. I'm torn between an AMD 780G htpc or upgrade my mobo to a Rampage X48

Crossfire is bottleknecked on my Quad @ 3.0Ghz. As much as I like the P5W, even a small boost to 3.4Ghz would help my cf setup alot.

Roll on payday

[Jkswe]

Yesterday i got the urge to update the old bios on my motherboard, and after that thought, all hell broke loose

Anyhow, my problem is that when i try to flash the bios, it allways halts at the "verify" part.

I got the 1801 bios and im running a 2.4Ghz Dual Core cpu, 4GB ram.

The MB is rock solid, a stable 1GHz OC since the day i bought it (2006) but i thought, a bios update might be in place anyhow.

Any tips? Suggestions?

I tried afudos, asus update, ezflash... u name it.. it allways does the same.

Loading BIOS rom, verifying, clearing EEPROM, installing, Verifying.. UNABLE TO VERIFY.

And back to 1801, seems nothing works.

Bumping

And as i staed, it seems i cant flash my EEPROM. Anyone had the same problem?

[sandman666]

Hi...Can anyone point me in the direction of an overclocking guide for this mobo with a Q6600 G0 cpu,i have read some nightmare stories in this thread so i would appreciate it if someone could point me to a guide or let me have the settings to get the best from this board and cpu combo,i have the 2704 bios installed...THANKS.

[t_ski]

Bumping

And as i staed, it seems i cant flash my EEPROM. Anyone had the same problem?

I don't know the exact answer, but I'm going to guess that there is a command switch that may allow you to bypass.

Are you sure you have the exact correct file?

[secretworld]

3. It beeps in windows, randomly a few times a week


Thanks

Might not be a problem, windows uses the case speaker too, when it wants to warn you of something, and the audiocard is unavailable/busy. I have a server which beeps when I connect to it via remote control.

[Xeon Zombie]

Hi Zombie,

BIOS 2504 seems to be the most stable BIOS at the mo' from posts I've seen. Personally I've run every BIOS from 2004 - 2602 and 2504 is definitely my fav

As for your upgrade, I'm thinking the exact same thing lately. I'm torn between an AMD 780G htpc or upgrade my mobo to a Rampage X48

Crossfire is bottleknecked on my Quad @ 3.0Ghz. As much as I like the P5W, even a small boost to 3.4Ghz would help my cf setup alot.

Roll on payday

Hey Lurker,

Thanks for the tip on the BIOS. I tried EZ-Flash, but it didn't want to downgrade the BIOS for me. Took a look at the manual, and a few sites and found out I need to launch Afudos 2.17 or older from DOS, and then run the "afudos /iP5WDH.rom" command. I don't have a floppy drive, so I used Nero 7 to create a bootable DOS CD, and burned both Afudos, and BIOS 2504 (renamed "P5WDH.rom) onto the CD. When I rebooted, Caldera DOS launched, but both the command above, and simply "afudos.exe" fail to launch. Do you know where I could find a decent step by step for downgrading the BIOS on this board w/o a floppy drive?

As far as the possible upgrade to a Rampage Formula goes, I think I'll need to do a lot more research before pulling the trigger on another high end board. I had some great OC success last evening that I think will keep the P5W my buddy for a while to come yet - I've had a few different sets of RAM on hand lately that I have been fooling with. I finally settled on a 2GB kit of Corsair XMS2. The P5W makes love to this stuff! I can run it at over 1000MHz at 5-5-5-15 2T timings while OC'd to 3.0GHz. Also - you mentioned 3.4GHz being a good # to hit. Last night, I clocked it at 3.4GHz, RAM @ 945MHz 5-5-5-15 2T timings (Prime stable approx. 6 hours - no errors.) This is a whole new level of OC'ing on this board for me. I attribute it all to the RAM I am now using, as that was really the only variable.

I had previously used a 4x1GB kit of OCZ Platinum XTC DDR2-800, and a 2x1GB kit of Crucial Ballistix Tracer DDR2-800. Neither ran above the stock 800, even though the tracers were EPP rated for 1000MHz @ 2.2v. Also, I couldn't even get stable at 3.2. 3.4 was a pipe-dream.

I still want to downgrade to the 2504 BIOS though, even with the above OC results thus far. This 2704 BIOS seems slow (the actual BIOS interface) and I am unable to change my CPU multi downward anymore.

[dhooper7]

1. Disable AI Quiet in Power>Hardware Monitor
2. Make sure the 1st boot device is set to your windows hard disk
3. ??? when does it beep? during post or while in windows?
4. ??? u mean two more sata disk beside your 2x 500gb samsung?
5. looks good to me... 400fsb

1. AI Quiet is disabled, still hangs for what seems a long time, sometimes it also go goes back to the ASUS boot screen after displaying the JMicron details, weird!
2. Done!
3. It beeps in windows, randomly a few times a week
4. I want to RAID0 my current and only 2 Samsung drives (with OS on), where do I plug them in and which drivers do I use? I'm getting confused over the ICH7R and JMicron
5. Can I squeeze any more out of the processor? Would you recommend updating my BIOS from 2004?

Thanks

[Falkentyne]

Hey Lurker,

......

I still want to downgrade to the 2504 BIOS though, even with the above OC results thus far. This 2704 BIOS seems slow (the actual BIOS interface) and I am unable to change my CPU multi downward anymore.

You didn't answer the other guy's question though.

You *DID* Clear CMOS immediately after the flash, right?

[mikepaul]

I got one quiet week out of the Q9450. No reboots, no issues.

Then Saturday it rebooted a few times, and even doing a Restart from Windows was an adventure when it either refuses to POST or took a while to get around to the USB/hard drive part.

So I went in and reset the CMOS, then set everything as Auto,and it still had issues. One less issue: Auto now means 2.66Ghhz, except for the frequent times it refuses to boot and I use F2 to get it going, then I'm at 2.134Ghz @ 1066Mhz FSB.

Is 2704 really this buggy, or is there a track record of Q9450s not working?...

[Xeon Zombie]

You didn't answer the other guy's question though.

You *DID* Clear CMOS immediately after the flash, right?

My apologies, yes, I did. It's been like this since I flashed and reset.

[riiaku]

do you guys recommend any 4gb ram that runs at 4-4-4-12 for my setup? I was deciding between gskill and corsair

core 2 duo e6400 @ 3.2 1:1 8x400, stock voltages, OCZ plat rev 2 2gb. What do you recommend for 4 gb.

[quake6]

I have this mbo on my second comp,and I always got NO MASTER HDD press F1 to continue (something like that,dont know exact words) on boot up and everything is working good...How to remove that message?

[Xeon Zombie]

do you guys recommend any 4gb ram that runs at 4-4-4-12 for my setup? I was deciding between gskill and corsair

core 2 duo e6400 @ 3.2 1:1 8x400, stock voltages, OCZ plat rev 2 2gb. What do you recommend for 4 gb.

Go with the Corsair... see my above post. I have used many brands of RAM on this board. Started out w/ G.Skill, then OCZ, then Crucial, Kingston, and (finally) Corsair. Since I installed the Corsair modules (see sig), everything runs better. My OC is higher and more stable than ever, and I can still keep the timings tight if I want to. I have it at 5-5-5-15-2T now, as I am OC'd to 3.4GHz w/ my quad, but it will run @ or near 800MHZ @ 4-4-4-12.

Bottom line: Corsair + P5W DH Deluxe = Happy Camper

[Xeon Zombie]

So does anyone know of a way to downgrade the bios w/o a floppy drive?

Or even just a link to some info on it?

I don't know - it's wierd. I am perfectly satisfied by the OC performance of 2704, and with the rig while it's running in windows, but the BIOS interface is overly sluggish, and if I change my multi downward, it won't stick, meaning when I hit F10, and restart, it goes back to 9 every time.

(had been shooting for 8x400 as an "all the time" OC, although I have never hit 400fsb with a quad on this board anyway, so doubtful it would have worked)

[lawrywild]

Use a bootable USB thumb

[dhooper7]

Hi

Well my second Samsung 500gb drive arrived today...

I have decided not to use the EZ RAID ports as I heard they are slower...
And I dont think I'm using the JMicron drivers...

My drives show up on the Intel Matrix boot screen and the array (raid0) displays fine...

I have no floppy disk drive so I slipstreamed what I though was the correct driver onto an XP SP2 cd using nLite...

When I boot to install XP (32) onto the array no hdd appears in the installation...

Can someone please point me in direction of the correct driver to use with nLite and quick guide to make sure I'm doing it right....

Spec:
Core2Duo E6600 + AC FP7 @ 3.2GHz
Asus P5W DH Deluxe
2GB GeIL DDRII 6400
BFG 8800 GTS OC 512
X-Fi 7.1 Xtreme Music
2 x Samsung 500GB SATA (RAID-0)
Seagate 120 GB SATA

Thanks guys and girls

I hope you can help

[riiaku]

Go with the Corsair... see my above post. I have used many brands of RAM on this board. Started out w/ G.Skill, then OCZ, then Crucial, Kingston, and (finally) Corsair. Since I installed the Corsair modules (see sig), everything runs better. My OC is higher and more stable than ever, and I can still keep the timings tight if I want to. I have it at 5-5-5-15-2T now, as I am OC'd to 3.4GHz w/ my quad, but it will run @ or near 800MHZ @ 4-4-4-12.

Bottom line: Corsair + P5W DH Deluxe = Happy Camper

Do you game in fedora 8? or do you use xp or vista to game in? cause you seem to have quite a sick gaming setup, so i just wondered. Also theres a guy in here with gskill 4gb ram and he runs 4-4-4-4, so is he just lucky or is it also good ram. frys has the 4gb corsair ram for 100 bucks, so yeah i was going to get it today and see how it performs.

[Lee13168]

Yeah stay away from 4gig gskill crap with p5w. They need high trfc to run at rated speeds. Cant see why its so hard for them to test it and not just stick 975 chipset compatibile sticker on it. What a pain.

[Random Murderer]

Yeah stay away from 4gig gskill crap with p5w. They need high trfc to run at rated speeds. Cant see why its so hard for them to test it and not just stick 975 chipset compatibile sticker on it. What a pain.

can you say "fanboyism?"
i'm running 4 gigs of g.skill and have been for over a year without any problems, in fact it has been running way over spec.