ASUS P5W DH - Problems + Fixes Thread

[Yolanda]

Read more reviews about Crossfire on ATI 3850-3870 or about ATI 3870X2, perfomance will be the same as you can reach on P5W. 520W is quite normal for the such system. Also you can wait for next generation ATI 4850-4870, which will be released this summer.

[R@ptor =]]]

Yolanda, how much voltage you are using on northbridge to reach this fsb in your signature??
you change fsb termination voltage?
thanks

[Yolanda]

Raptor, 1,75V. Haven't ever change FSB termination, always set it to Auto.

But I have some problems with Prime95, then begin 24hour tests, I notice that after several hours it fails with error, but always on thread 2. So I have to increase CPU Vcore and get strange results, as I post 4209MHz can run without erros in all other programs and tests, running many hours of 3DMark, gaming or in Prime tests for 1-2 hours with only 1.4V, but 24hour test can be done only with 1,5V Vcore. Maybe some problems with second CPU core, as only it fails and it wants more voltage?) I edited my last post on last page, it's now with 100% working parameters.

So I decided that 1,5V Vcore too high for 24/7 (My E8500 nominal is 1,225V, 1.5V it's nominal of my old Athlon64 3400+ builded on very old 130nm process, but 1,75V on MCH also not so nice as many say, however there is no much statictics of mb fails at such voltage) and now use 4037MHz with FSB 425, MCH voltage 1,65V, CPU voltage 1,37V. Yesterday and this night test it and now think this is the end of my investigations on this platform.

I have 40mm 5000rpm fan, after applaying it, MCH hot is lower than on default FSB 333 and voltage set to Auto (1,5 or 1,55V).
After working FSB 442-443: FSB 444 and FSB 445 can't work, CPU starts at unnormal frequirences such as 500-800MHz. Later try FSB 460, it starts only with MCH voltage 1.85V, only run several tests for several minutes, always was OK, but don't want to test Prime 95 for hours on such voltage, and I think it will be unstable. At FSB 463 can only take screenshot But as you ask, I haven't ever change FSB termination voltage, so there is a possibility of getting something higher, however as CPU needs 1.5V at 4200MHz it will want something about 1.6V at higher clock, so it's for benching only.

[R@ptor =]]]

guys, I was trying to improve the overclock in my memories. I was testing some frequencies, voltages. After set a high frequency, 1200mhz, boot the machine has everything normal, but when they would start to load the windows, appeared a black screen, saying that a file of the windows had been broken, and the message asked to insert the disk windows to correct the problem. I restarted the machine, and I returned to the stock settings in bios, and windows loaded everything normal. It may have been some corruption?

[Yolanda]

Don't worry, if everything later is fine, it's only unstable operation under unstable frequncies.

[mikepaul]

Is there a history of SATA ports on a DH Deluxe going bad, or are SATA drives disappearing from Windows a sign the end is near for the disk itself?

I have changed SATA cables, and swapped power leads, but two 500GB SATAdrives continue to appear and disappear whenever they want. The last cable swap kept my M: drive quiet for a few weeks, but now that I haven't gone back in to change something, it reappears when I reboot but I get a delayed write error if I use it then it's gone again.

I'd blame 2704 but I haven't broken down and connected one of the drives to the RAID card I use for swappable HDs just to see if it is my MB going bad. I figure if every connector exhibits the problem then it's really the drive(s), but they aen't that old and I have a 120MM fan in the front of the case blowing over them all the time...

[Yolanda]

I haven't such problems, but didn't ever use RAID on P5W. Have four different SATA HDDs, everything is OK. Maybe try to change SATA mode from IDE to AHCI or back? Or update AHCI/RAID Intel driver? Latest version was released a few days ago.

[mikepaul]

I'm not using the RAID-specific ports, but I would if they can support individual drives. I never noticed a way to tell them they aren't some sort of RAID. The cheap RAID card I got at Best Buy so I could hot-swap drives in one of my SATA trays is happy set to BIG with only one drive attached, but I'm not sure that's completely kosher.

I moved the M: drive from one MB connector to another again last night, so I'll see how long that lets me write to the drive without issues. That SATA Blu-Ray burner that arrives today may not be happy with its new home...

The LG GGW-H20L is OK, although I now need a video card upgrade to play HDDVDs smoothly. Whatever my SATA issue is, it goes away when I move the connectors to new locations then, so far, comes back later as missing drives. All fixed again until next time...

[Pawelek]

Hello everyone !

Recently I've observed some weird issue about my BIOS. After I disconnect my psu from the electrical network (simply by switching the button off) for night time BIOS loses datetime data. I have to press f1 and set new values. After that the computer starts to work properly and everything is fine till I switch it off for next night. Moreover I have to admit that all the rest BIOS datas keep their proper values (timings, DRAM volatges, raid settings and so on). During my investigation I have already exchanged the battery cell without any result. Could you can help me please?

Regards Pawelek

P.S.
I've created the same thread on the official asus forum, but still without any reasonable solution

[vMax1965]

Hi everyone,

Some help required. I have the following setup: Asus P5W DH motherboard bios 2504, Q6600 not G0, OCZ Reaper 4x2 8gb (did I really need that much memory? my excuse is it was cheap) memory running on Vista 64. I have succesfully overclocked to 3GHz but cannot go any further. I would like to get to 3.2 GHz but all my attempts have failed. System becomes unstable at anything over 3GHz, tried increasing voltages but not sure hi high I can go or would want to go. Can someone help me out?

Current Bios info

CPU frequency [333], Dram [DDR2 - 1000MHz], Performance = Auto, PCI Express = Auto, PCI Clock = Auto, Memory Voltage = 2.10V, CPU Core = Auto, FSB Termination = Auto, MCH = Auto, ICH = Auto, Modify ratio = Disabled, Microcode = Enabled, Max CPU Disabled, Enhanced C1 = Disabled, Virtulisation = Disabled, Speedstep = Disabled.

[Lurker246]

Hi everyone,

Some help required. I have the following setup: Asus P5W DH motherboard bios 2504, Q6600 not G0, OCZ Reaper 4x2 8gb (did I really need that much memory? my excuse is it was cheap) memory running on Vista 64. I have succesfully overclocked to 3GHz but cannot go any further. I would like to get to 3.2 GHz but all my attempts have failed. System becomes unstable at anything over 3GHz, tried increasing voltages but not sure hi high I can go or would want to go. Can someone help me out?

Current Bios info

CPU frequency [333], Dram [DDR2 - 1000MHz], Performance = Auto, PCI Express = Auto, PCI Clock = Auto, Memory Voltage = 2.10V, CPU Core = Auto, FSB Termination = Auto, MCH = Auto, ICH = Auto, Modify ratio = Disabled, Microcode = Enabled, Max CPU Disabled, Enhanced C1 = Disabled, Virtulisation = Disabled, Speedstep = Disabled.

I'm sure Vista will make the most of 8GB of memory I turned my pagefile off with 4GB and it started complaining about running low on memory when playing some games....8GB here I come.

Unfortunately 333 X 9 seems to be the limit for most Quads. I've seen a couple of people reach 3.2Ghz on the P5W but there just the lucky ones

I can hit 3.2 Ghz 356 X 9 @ 1.4V but it's nowhere near stable.

[vMax1965]

Thanks Lurker, i'm sure your right, it's been a good stable Mobo, but I think it's time to get a P35 mobo I think.

I'm sure Vista will make the most of 8GB of memory I turned my pagefile off with 4GB and it started complaining about running low on memory when playing some games....8GB here I come.

Unfortunately 333 X 9 seems to be the limit for most Quads. I've seen a couple of people reach 3.2Ghz on the P5W but there just the lucky ones

I can hit 3.2 Ghz 356 X 9 @ 1.4V but it's nowhere near stable.

[DBest1]

is there a good guide that anyone can recomend that will help me with overclocking memory and the Q6600 on this mobo? i have done the Q6600 to 3Ghz so far by setting the FSB and it seems stable,,but im not too sure with the memory and knowing what the best settings are, im not too sure what the memory is, is there any way that i can see what is available for the memory to be overclocked too?

thanks!

[Chocolate Pi]

Hey guys, typically a lurker, popped in to about my latest OC attempts on this board... I mean, they seem terrible.

I currently have a Q9450 @ 375x8 (3.00) with 2 way underclocked GSkill DIMMS. I am currently at 1.5 Vcore, 1.60 MCH... and I'm barely boot stable. Core temp is reporting ~58 C Idle to boot.

Unless I have bizarre expectations, this seems obviously horrible. Any idea? Do I just have the world's lamest Q9450?

UPDATE: So, 3.00 crashed, and I'm back to all stock. My cores are 45-52 C idle, and I am NOT Prime stable... Something is amiss.

[mikepaul]

I'm running my Q9450 at 2.32Ghz (290 FSB) to maintian some sort of stability, and even then it crashed tonight on some Flash website. AUTO settings, but RAM at 4-4-4-12 @ PC-4300.

If a new BIOS comes along, I hope to get more stability, since a new MB is planned only for the next generation of CPU, not this one...

[Leeghoofd]

For all the guys running quads , just buy a different mobo lads if you want to OC, max FSB I got running my Q6600 was 333FSB stable with ram at 800mhz...without pushing chipset votages too much... On a seond note the P5W was at start barely core2 duo ready... seems to me already nice this old mobo runs these new CPU's at stock... for the 9450 users a new bios might be able to run them stock soon...

[radlord]

Oh. Does that only apply to the quads, or the newer Duo's as well?

I currently run an E6600 at 3ghz at stock voltage, but am thinking about getting an E8400. It wouldn't be worth getting it if I can't overclock it as easily. Could I just bump up the FSB a bit like I did with the 6600 or would it be unlikely to work?

[Yolanda]

My E8500 works at 4.04GHz 24/7 CPU 1,37V MCH 1,6V
4,2GHz also possible with higher voltage, 1,5V CPU, MCH 1,7V
I write about it several posts above on this page

[Leeghoofd]

Is that booted from Bios Yolanda or SetFSB ? as 445FSB is pretty rare out of the box with the P5W... most users will top around 400-425 here with ram at tight timings

[Yolanda]

From BIOS, I can't change timings, only by SPD possible with 5-6-6-18 mode. However ~420 was the limit with old 65nm E6750 CPU, but with this new 45nm board can work at higher FSB.

[bugmenot_user]

does i have to worry about the 65 celcius temp on my 6600 clocked @ 3GHZ (9x333)

[lawrywild]

Nope, 65 is fine, as long as you meant under load and not idle.

[bugmenot_user]

yeah, its arround 57-69. But i cant get how some ppl have 30-35c

[SpRoX]

I can't get my P5W DH to boot! There is no postscr or anything. I have had that problem a few times before. But if I clear bios and move the gfx (an old pci card) around a bit, it usually starts again...

Yesterday after I changed cpu, from an E6300 -> Celeron 347, I couldn't get it to boot. So I changed back to the E6300, but still no boot. I tried a couple of times and suddenly I got the "Boot Block Compatible Version Ver.021..." msg. I didn't have a cd og usb stick with the bios on, so I turned off the system and haven't been able to boot since!

Any suggestions, plz?

[Yolanda]

Get board from the case and setup it on the table with minimum peripherals, maybe it helps as you say you have problems with PCI card in slot