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

[ZenEffect]

so hasn't the rampage extreme just come out?? if so wouldnt a maximus extreme to rampage extreme conversion work?? I'll be the gunea pig if someone will get me a file with everything needed on it so I can just extract it to a usb drive and go to town, hook me up guys, these maximus extreme bios really suck and are seriously limiting my overclocks I know my E8500 has way more in it!

honestly... no. the difference in pwm will not allow you to cross flash. asus figured out what we were doing and put a stop to it.

how much are you being limited?

my maximus i can bench @ 5ghz w/ my e8500



last night's run... zero tweaks. (ram @ auto)

[Grnfinger]

Hi,

I just saw that you have a raid0 and I can tell you that the Intel Matrix Storage Manager increased my performance of my raid hdds greatly.
You can find the latest drivers here http://www.station-drivers.com/page/intel%20raid.htm
bye

Yes thank you for that handy tip, if you would care to read the whole post next time that would be great

[shimmishim]

Does anyone know the voltage measuring points, vdimm vcore etc...?

i'd like to measure the voltages rather than use the bios or hw monitor.

[Zucker2k]

honestly... no. the difference in pwm will not allow you to cross flash. asus figured out what we were doing and put a stop to it.

how much are you being limited?

my maximus i can bench @ 5ghz w/ my e8500



last night's run... zero tweaks. (ram @ auto)

That's a nice chip you got there Zen. Is that on water? I got 2xHD 4850s in crossfire, doing 22K in '06 with a Q9450 @ 3.8.

[iTravis]

Hey guys I just got the E8400 and I just wanna know what the max or stable clock you guys can get the E8400 on this board with air cooling? Just wondering since I don't know it's worth the hassle of swapping the CPU. Do you think I'll get better benching and gaming performance going from Q6600 to E8400?

[ZenEffect]

That's a nice chip you got there Zen. Is that on water? I got 2xHD 4850s in crossfire, doing 22K in '06 with a Q9450 @ 3.8.

phase change

i can get 22k in 06 w/ 2900pros and e8500 @ 5ghz

[MonsterDK]

I was wondering who here has a Asus Maximus Formula and has managed to find their lowest Q6600 Vcore and PLL?

On a 3.6 OC

Water cooled. (including north)
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 PC2-8500C5 1066MHz (air cooled)
Q6600

Can anyone advise me on anything better for settings?
I'm aiming for lower Voltages (where possible) and where also possible better performance without raising CPU FSB.

Extreme Tweaker
Ai Overclock Tuner : Manual
OC From CPU Level Up : AUTO
CPU Ratio Control : Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting : 9
FSB Frequency : 400
FSB Strap to North Bridge : 400
PCI-E Frequency: 110
DRAM Frequency: DDR2- 1066
DRAM Command Rate : 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency : 5
RAS# to CAS# Delay : 5
RAS# Precharge : 5
RAS# ActivateTime : 15
RAS# to RAS# Delay : Auto
Row Refresh Cycle Time : Auto
Write Recovery Time : Auto
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
DRAM Static Read Control: Auto
Ai Clock Twister : Auto
Transaction Booster : Auto

CPU Voltage : 1.3875
CPU PLL Voltage : 1.50
North Bridge Voltage : 1.41
DRAM Voltage : 2.10
FSB Termination Voltage : 1.26
South Bridge Voltage : 1.050
Loadline Calibration : Enabled
CPU GTL Reference : 63x
North Bridge GTL Reference : 67x
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : Auto
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : Auto
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage : Auto
SB 1.5V Voltage : 1.50

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

Advanced CPU Configuration
CPU Ratio Control : Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting : 9
C1E Suppport : Disabled
CPU TM Function : Disabled
Vanderpool Technology : Disabled
Execute Disable Bit : Disabled
Max CPUID Value Limit : Disabled


USB Configuration
USB Functions: Enabled
Legacy USB Support : Disabled

[Bhairava]

Hello to all, I mounted today maximus formula and I have big problems in oc.
The cpu is e7200 already tested on p5bdeluxe to 400x9.5 = 3800mhz. The rams are 2x1gb G.skill cas4, tested well up to 1020 mhz on p5bdeluxe. The bios of maximus formula is 1201.

Well, with the divisor set to 1:1 the system easily climb up to FSB = 397 (x9.5). More than that, the mobo does not boot. The only way to make it boot is to set the 3:4 divider, then FSB = 400, Ram = 1066. I have not tried yet stability in oc, but only the operation of mobo to boot. With the 4:3 divider mobo boots with no problems to 450, then ram in 1133. Clearly not even load the OS and gives me a nice Bsod, since the Rams can go so high, but at least boots! I want to understand why the motherboard does not boot with the 1:1 divider, beyond FSB=397.
Could it be a 1201 bios problem?

One more problem is that in the bios the "OC From CPU Level Up" is missing.
Thx in advance for your help.

[Talbo]

RF0403 Rocks

[dasc]

I tried removing the NB/SB heat sink by putting the mobo in the refrigerator freezer. It stayed there for about 2 hours and 45 minutes and I after that I could not remove the HS with "any real force".

What would you suggest - placing the mobo for another freeze session, buy the circuitcity freeze spray or try the hair dryer?

[zlojack]

I tried removing the NB/SB heat sink by putting the mobo in the refrigerator freezer. It stayed there for about 2 hours and 45 minutes and I after that I could not remove the HS with "any real force".

What would you suggest - placing the mobo for another freeze session, buy the circuitcity freeze spray or try the hair dryer?

Make sure all the pins are removed

I left mine in the freezer overnight. In the morning it popped off no problem.

[dasc]

Make sure all the pins are removed

I left mine in the freezer overnight. In the morning it popped off no problem.

I removed 4 pins from the NB and 2 from the SB. Are there any other?

My main cencern is that the low temperature decreases the life span of the mobo.

[zlojack]

I removed 4 pins from the NB and 2 from the SB. Are there any other?

My main cencern is that the low temperature decreases the life span of the mobo.

I can't remember if there are more. Look on the backside of the motherboard for any pins coming through.

Also, low temps decreasing the lifespan? I hadn't heard about that. It might do so, but mine is working just fine several months later.

[chawks2]

I left mine in the freezer overnight. In the morning it popped off no problem.

You have mighty big minerals to throw the board in the freezer for a long period of time. Arbitrarily decided on 80m in the fridge and using the blue ram slot as a fulcrum, popped off with no issue. My first fridge was a disaster, resulting in the death of 1 x PCIe slot and an eventual RMA. Glad to hear of your success tho.

[zlojack]

You have mighty big minerals to throw the board in the freezer for a long period of time. Arbitrarily decided on 80m in the fridge and using the blue ram slot as a fulcrum, popped off with no issue. My first fridge was a disaster, resulting in the death of 1 x PCIe slot and an eventual RMA. Glad to hear of your success tho.

Probably my n00bness in effect then.

I mean, a freezer isn't THAT cold. I wouldn't think it would adversely affect the board that much, but I've been known to be VERY wrong in the past.

[dasc]

I asked my gf to put the mobo in the freezer at 14:15 and when I got home around 18:00 I will give it another try.

Can someone define "real force"? There is not much space left around the SB as there are two compacitors on the opposite sides of heat sink? How am I supposed to move it?

[dasc]

You have mighty big minerals to throw the board in the freezer for a long period of time. Arbitrarily decided on 80m in the fridge and using the blue ram slot as a fulcrum, popped off with no issue. My first fridge was a disaster, resulting in the death of 1 x PCIe slot and an eventual RMA. Glad to hear of your success tho.

According to C'DaleRider:
There are even companies that'll cryogenically freeze your electronics....supposed to align the molecular structure in all the metal to give better performance. Heard they do a lot of car parts for racing, too. (Pistons, rings, valves, metal brake rotors, etc. All for enhanced performance.)

[chawks2]

According to C'DaleRider:
There are even companies that'll cryogenically freeze your electronics....Heard they do a lot of car parts for racing, too. (Pistons, rings, valves, metal brake rotors, etc. All for enhanced performance.)

I dont believe comparing a motherboard to solid parts in a car is an effective analogy, JMO.

@ zlo, nothing wrong with what you did, just commenting on the length of time. Bottomline it worked for you and you can shed the shroud of n00bness.

[Grnfinger]

I dont believe comparing a motherboard to solid parts in a car is an effective analogy, JMO.

@ zlo, nothing wrong with what you did, just commenting on the length of time. Bottomline it worked for you and you can shed the shroud of n00bness.

I would have to agree with you on that one. I really cant see how comparing a motherboard to a rotor, and exactly how would freezing a rotor improve performance?

Zoljack, what version of Corsair ram do you have?
PM me if you want to part out with the other 4GBs, this GSkill kit sucks ass cant get them over 1081 and that took ALOT of work, this has to be the tiest kit of ram I ever had

[zlojack]

Ok.. I'm getting stable with the E8400 at 4.2GHz (9 hours Small FFTs)

I flashed back to 0308 and there is definitely a bandwidth improvement.

Both with 5-5-5-15-tRFC 60 - tRD 7 (Twister Moderate)

Here's where I was with 0403:


And now with 0308:


Now here's the same settings with Twister Stronger (gains in read and copy)

Zoljack, what version of Corsair ram do you have?
PM me if you want to part out with the other 4GBs, this GSkill kit sucks ass cant get them over 1081 and that took ALOT of work, this has to be the tiest kit of ram I ever had

The Dominators TWIN2X4096-8500C5DF 4GB PC2-8500. I've had the Mushkin Redlines, the G.Skills PC2-8000, the ReaperX PC2-8000 and these ones have been the best of the lot. 8GB stable at 1133MHz at the settings listed above (now at 1122MHz and passed Memtest86+).

I'll PM you.

[dasc]

I am officially a n00b.

Do you think the mobo will work?

[Flasker]

Is that a piece of the die missing or some leftover TIM? It's not really clear in the pic. If you pulled out a piece of the die then the mobo is cooked. If there's no damage to the NB you should be able to put it back together.

[Lestat]

I am officially a n00b.

Do you think the mobo will work?

wth are you talking about.
would be helpfull if you explained what you did.. cuz those pictures dont show anything..

[Lestat]

Anyone using 2x1 crucial tracers either the 8000 or 8500 variant?

I have the older single sided D9's but I can't get them to boot.

If you do, what bios are you using? I'm on the 1201. Thanks!

shim - i have ran the 8000 and 8500 single sided sets in my mobo and both booted fine without any issues.

but,, i didnt reset my settings, i think i was still on 2.0v or maybe 2.1,, but it definately was not 2.2v

USE THE WHITE RAM SLOTS

reset the bios totally, just wipe it clean,, then try and run them see what happens.


also in regards to your voltage measure points.

i have not seen anyone post much about this although this board has been out for a while so there is probably a post somewhere.

[dasc]

wth are you talking about.
would be helpfull if you explained what you did.. cuz those pictures dont show anything..

I put too much force and I opened the NB. The pictures show the upper piece of the die attached to the heat sink. It is weird that TIM used between the chip and die was dry and fragile. It was not making good contact with the NB chip. I applied some Artic Silver and put back the heat sink.

I just finished putting everything back in the case and the mobo can not post - I am getting a "CPU init" message on the LCD monitor.