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

[Maglin]

Anyone?

Also, what kind of vMCH is needed for running 8GB at 1066?

I'm running 1.53 vMCH and it's overvolting to 1.54 in windows according to PC Probe. That is running 8GB G.Skill PC2-8000 memory at 2.02 volts in BIOS and 2.11 in PC Probe.

[HDPC]

Hi,

I converted to Rampage (308) without a problem.

Now I am trying to OC but I can't change CPU Ratio Control to "manual". I was able to change Ai Overclock Tuner to manual. Can someone help me out? Thanks.

-HDPC

[Da_maniaC]

Hey guys,

I figured i'd just run a HDTach bench after i figured out how to turn 'Write Back Cache' on...look at this:

Click!

[Grnfinger]

After lapping the chip temps are down 5c better but still not acceptable

[Nuckin_Futs]

I've just got a new P5E in my system. Does the Rampage Formula BIOS help with vDroop issues? That would be the main reason for me to cross-flash.

The Loadline Calibrtion is built in to the P5E/E3 just like the Maximus and P5K, So hacking the BIOS just for that is pointless. Most are just doing it for bench scores in RAM scoring.

I would like to know the answer to this, too. I've been digging around but it's hard to find out exactly what the benefits would be of converting my P5E.

------

One more question, I'm thinking of upgrading my RAM from 2x1GB. Is this board more comfortable with 2x2GB or 4x1GB? I would probably be running ddr2 800MHz ram, CL4, somewhere in between 400-440MHz in 1:1 timing.

The MAXIMUS FORMULA is a binned out slightly better version of the P5E. So it offers a bit more. The only benifit is if you must have integrated eSATA on rear I/O and addition of optional onboard Wi-Fi. Otherwise, NO, no big benifits. if for the P5E3 Deluxe, then of corse, the gain is DDR3, Or if for the P5E3 Premium, teh big benifit is now X48 and DDR3, w/ 2 phase NB PWR and 3 phase VDIMM aswell a better stock cooling with real copper this time around.

I found better stability in 2x 2g @ DDR800 up to 1000MHz for overclocking v/s 4x 1g. It was less stree on the MCH and OC profile. You still need to loosen up timings a tad, but not as stressfull on chipset for overclocking. If you do need 4G's on an OC.

[trt740]

After lapping the chip temps are down 5c better but still not acceptable

did you check out the failure rate on the ballistix tracer 8500 kit I posted

[panfist]

Thanks for the very detailed reply, Nuckin_Futs.

I basically know all I need to know except where to measure my Vcore and the like.

Also, I'm getting a Vdroop of around 20mV, like 1.38V to 1.36V when I am running my e8400 @ 3.6GHz or higher. I think I should do the Vdroop mod so that I'm not pushing an extra 200mV on my chip when it's idling. The mod is reversible, right? I mean, it's just a few strokes of graphite, so if it screws up your overclock I'm assuming you can just rub it off.

[trt740]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231166

this is from the egg reviews some pleople are hitting ddr2 1200 with these 4 gb kits thats damn good for 2gbX2


here is a post a Gskill rep posted on the forum.



thank you for your support.

just want you guys to know, we tested with Asus X48 Rampage Formula, Gigabyte X48-DQ6, and Asus 780i Striker II Formula and no problem to run. just some heads up for all of you.

thank you
GSKILL USA REP

External Link(s):
F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK USER MANUAL

[Durkadurka]

I know it's a little OT, but can anyone suggest a sound card to use with my MF board? I've been using a Soundblaster Audigy ZS, but every now and then it just flakes out and makes nasty buzzing noises, plus it makes pops here and there.
Only requirement: Not more than about $150 and NO CREATIVE LABS!
Any suggestions appreciated!

ASUS Xonar

[Cranox]

Anybody got this wierd error :

CPU core to bus ratio or VID configuration has failed.
Press F1 ( bios )
Press F2 load defaults

I press F1 then , in bios i press ESC and quit with no saving .
When i reset the pc no more error , got these only with a cold boot ...

OK , now i know from where the error comes .
Its from the MP , when i set it on 9 x 400 ( or 350/380/420/ ) no probs but if i change the MP to 10 or 8 then i get this error ( all the rest stays the same , voltages enz.. )
Is there a bug with this bios and the QX9650 ??
Touge http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...postcount=4636 also got this error and he also got a QX9650

[Grnfinger]

did you check out the failure rate on the ballistix tracer 8500 kit I posted

When everyone was having a ulcer over my post a week back, I called Crucial. ( no1 else seemed to be motivated enough to do so, it was easier to argue my claim)
The lady on the phone was dumb as a bag of hammers. I had to go to the web site and do a live support chat
So I ask'd if the Ram was compatible and she could not find the Motherboard.
I pasted both Maximus and Rampage links from Asus. Many many mins later the cow came back and responded with..."Crucial no longer supports" compatability with B.T ram and these board, the only ram supported is PC5300. The class action law suit post was most amusing it seems to many ppl watch tv and try to apply the story of the week to real life. But if anyone has taken a few mins to read Asus QVL sheet you will see there is NO support for this ram.
Even back b4 christmas ppl were complaining on the failure rate of these dimms. Maybe we should chalk it up to degradation

[dimsdale]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231166

this is from the egg reviews some pleople are hitting ddr2 1200 with these 4 gb kits thats damn good for 2gbX2


here is a post a Gskill rep posted on the forum.



thank you for your support.

just want you guys to know, we tested with Asus X48 Rampage Formula, Gigabyte X48-DQ6, and Asus 780i Striker II Formula and no problem to run. just some heads up for all of you.

thank you
GSKILL USA REP

External Link(s):
F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK USER MANUAL

I just can't imagine people getting 1200 with this kit with any kind of decent timings. I've got 8 GB of this G. Skill 8500 memory. It's great at 1066 5-5-5-15. No errors, after days of memtesting, etc.

But I can't get it rock solid stable at anything over 1066. Would be very interested in seeing some detailed timings from those 1200 folks.

[eSp!s0]

I just can't imagine people getting 1200 with this kit with any kind of decent timings. I've got 8 GB of this G. Skill 8500 memory. It's great at 1066 5-5-5-15. No errors, after days of memtesting, etc.

But I can't get it rock solid stable at anything over 1066. Would be very interested in seeing some detailed timings from those 1200 folks.

I have this kit and the highest frequency I successfully tested is 1080Mhz. Above I tried 1142 or sth. and didn`t get it stable....

[Nuckin_Futs]

I have this kit and the highest frequency I successfully tested is 1080Mhz. Above I tried 1142 or sth. and didn`t get it stable....

Are you trying to OC w/ 4 sticks or 4 GHz 92x 2gb)? This is simply the old back. Take two out and see what happens.

As for the Ballistix tracers, what is so different in them over the non Tracers (Gold Edition)? Do the LED's make that big a voltages stress? Also, both the Gold abd Tracers use binned top quality ic used in thier PC2-6500 anywyaz so I dont see the reasoning other then they are no longersupporting D9 Micron for overclocking, cause thats what a lot of the better ram is gonna, and has used.

How do they acc. for the many experienced users that knew how to cool them and ime them to last. Mine are over a year old now. I only recently managed to reduce vdimm under BETA v1004 casue of the trfc 50 setting. Best I can figure is the many score chacers forcing the tightest timings w/ hi=ghest vdimm (just to bench it) and wearing them donw. I believe you can stress any good RAM if you treat it like that.

As for the few, (retail reviews) who had bad experiences, I'd also bet a majority of it to user knowladge. I knew from the get go (like it or not) they get hot and need to be kept cool. But too many claimed RAM doesnt get hot enough to need any fancy cooling (quoted from many forums).

What RAM is taking Crucials place on X38/X48 for smooth DDR1200 on a 2 stick cinfig, either 2x 1gb or 2x 2gb. I'd like to stay with OCZ. Who has some good OCZ PC2-8500 to 1200+ on reasonable vdimm.

[trt740]

Are you trying to OC w/ 4 sticks or 4 GHz 92x 2gb)? This is simply the old back. Take two out and see what happens.

As for the Ballistix tracers, what is so different in them over the non Tracers (Gold Edition)? Do the LED's make that big a voltages stress? Also, both the Gold abd Tracers use binned top quality ic used in thier PC2-6500 anywyaz so I dont see the reasoning other then they are no longersupporting D9 Micron for overclocking, cause thats what a lot of the better ram is gonna, and has used.

How do they acc. for the many experienced users that knew how to cool them and ime them to last. Mine are over a year old now. I only recently managed to reduce vdimm under BETA v1004 casue of the trfc 50 setting. Best I can figure is the many score chacers forcing the tightest timings w/ hi=ghest vdimm (just to bench it) and wearing them donw. I believe you can stress any good RAM if you treat it like that.

As for the few, (retail reviews) who had bad experiences, I'd also bet a majority of it to user knowladge. I knew from the get go (like it or not) they get hot and need to be kept cool. But too many claimed RAM doesnt get hot enough to need any fancy cooling (quoted from many forums).

What RAM is taking Crucials place on X38/X48 for smooth DDR1200 on a 2 stick cinfig, either 2x 1gb or 2x 2gb. I'd like to stay with OCZ. Who has some good OCZ PC2-8500 to 1200+ on reasonable vdimm.

8500 and 6400 kits

[ericab]

I know it's a little OT, but can anyone suggest a sound card to use with my MF board? I've been using a Soundblaster Audigy ZS, but every now and then it just flakes out and makes nasty buzzing noises, plus it makes pops here and there.
Only requirement: Not more than about $150 and NO CREATIVE LABS!
Any suggestions appreciated!

HT OMEGA CLARO Plus+

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829271003


this will me my next sound card.

[kup]

I know it's a little OT, but can anyone suggest a sound card to use with my MF board? I've been using a Soundblaster Audigy ZS, but every now and then it just flakes out and makes nasty buzzing noises, plus it makes pops here and there.
Only requirement: Not more than about $150 and NO CREATIVE LABS!
Any suggestions appreciated!

I get this same thing will my X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatalit1y.

[eSp!s0]

Are you trying to OC w/ 4 sticks or 4 GHz 92x 2gb)? This is simply the old back. Take two out and see what happens.

My E6750 runs @ 3,6Ghz with 450x8 or 515x7(don`t get it above) and I only have one kit, 2x2GB but it`s not that easy to get them above ~1100Mhz, I can`t.
Perhaps I will try out rampage bios sometime/anytime and test ram again.

[Grnfinger]

I get this same thing will my X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Fatalit1y.

What version of drivers?
I run a Extreme Gamer with no sound issues at all

[ZenEffect]

What version of drivers?
I run a Extreme Gamer with no sound issues at all

same thing here. using an elite pro w/ no issues using latest creative drivers.

[kup]

Using the latest drivers, early this month, or last month, I forget. lol They're the latest non Beta ones from within the last month.

[Eastcoasthandle]

I just can't imagine people getting 1200 with this kit with any kind of decent timings. I've got 8 GB of this G. Skill 8500 memory. It's great at 1066 5-5-5-15. No errors, after days of memtesting, etc.

But I can't get it rock solid stable at anything over 1066. Would be very interested in seeing some detailed timings from those 1200 folks.

I've also wondered the same thing.

[ZenEffect]

Using the latest drivers, early this month, or last month, I forget. lol They're the latest non Beta ones from within the last month.

March 14 2008 drivers here. which pci slot are you using? i had to use the top one as the waterblock on the lower video card gets in the way.

[kup]

That's the one. And the top PCI slot too. I've only noticed the issues since the Cat 8.4 Drivers, BUT the problem is audio related, like sound suddenly crashes or starts buzzing but PC is still fine, even games. A reboot fixes it and I might not get it again for a few days but it does come back.

[ZenEffect]

That's the one. And the top PCI slot too. I've only noticed the issues since the Cat 8.4 Drivers, BUT the problem is audio related, like sound suddenly crashes or starts buzzing but PC is still fine, even games. A reboot fixes it and I might not get it again for a few days but it does come back.

interesting... a friend of mine in the uk experiences the very same thing... i think it might be a combo of vista and creative crap drivers. did daniel_k do any drivers for the x-fi that resolved this issue?