"ASUS P5Q Deluxe discussion".

[rusty]

is it better to use AHCI or IDE mode when overclocking ?

[intarweb]

No ideas on my board, guys?

[Big.Wayne]

intarweb what are you asking?

[intarweb]

intarweb what are you asking?

I had a post some pages back about it, but got no replies. It can be found here:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...postcount=1711

Since then, I haven't been getting the crackling, but I don't know why that is and I haven't yet figured out what changed. I'm also worried if I have to reformat that it'll just come back.

I also noticed a problem that has happened a few times where, if I get hit with a concussion grenade (I think? I'm not sure what caused it, really), my screen gets very white, and it doesn't die back down. Never had this problem on the P5Q-E, but it could just be coincidence.

Mostly, I'm trying to figure out if I have a bad board, so I can return it within the return period. I haven't had any crashes...yet, though, which was a problem I did face with the E.

[LUCI5R]

is it better to use AHCI or IDE mode when overclocking ?

As far as I know, AHCI/IDE has nothing to do with Overclocking, and will not interfere with it. However, if you have SATA hard drives, definately use AHCI. There is no point using IDE with SATA. Just remember to enable the AHCI registry key in Windows before turning on AHCI otherwise your PC won't boot properly. If you don't know how to, let me know and I'll give you the steps.

You shouldn't install it if you intend to OC your system.
The EPU engine will only work at stock/default configurations.
I think we can call it a kind of SpeedStep technology but for several components inside your PC, not only the CPU.
It's goal is to save energy, and obviously that's incompatible with OC'ing.

You know, I've been asking this around myself but I didn't get a straight answer. And now that I think of it - I've had EPU Engine 6 installed & enabled all this time & i've been having OC'ing issues. Thanks for this info. I'll uninstall the EPU Engine software as soon as I get home today. Do I need to turn it off anywhere else as well? Or just that software/driver thing that comes in ASUS CD?

Thanks!

[LUCI5R]

@ rusty:

How to enable AHCI Drivers in Windows Vista before changing the SATA mode of the boot drive from IDE to AHCI

1. Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Msahci
5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

Reboot, go into BIOS and switch to AHCI for your SATA. Thereafter you should be good to go.

More info: Microsoft KB922976

[JHS]

@ rusty:

How to enable AHCI Drivers in Windows Vista before changing the SATA mode of the boot drive from IDE to AHCI

1. Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Msahci
5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

Reboot, go into BIOS and switch to AHCI for your SATA. Thereafter you should be good to go.

More info: Microsoft KB922976

I wish I had knewn this reg key few weeks back.




I did it the hard way. Switched my OS-HDD to another sata controller and removed other HDDs -> booted -> booted and turned BIOS to ahci-> installed ahci drivers -> booted -> PC off-> HDDs back to ahci controller -> boot and let windows find HDDs -> boot

I think I forgot few boots/bios tweaking points but I think you can see the picture. Still it's possible without regedit too hehe.


And there definetely is nice speed improvement with SATA HDDs with ahci compared to IDE

EDIT: Speed improvement in HDD performance. Obviously it wont make your superPi any faster or anything. But might help with gaming. And file copying etc became a lot faster on my vista64

[PortCitySlim]

I just got a new set of G-Skill F2-8800CL5D (2x2gb) and I think I am in love with them, I finally got my system to pass an OCCT ram test(2hrs) at 1.325 vcore(3.2ghz). At 400mhz the closest to 1100 on my memory I can get is 1066ghz which is fine by me cuz it runs very cool at 1.8v 5-5-5-15 trfc 55. I just lapped my CPU and heatsink too, right off the bat it knocked 2-5C off my
temps and the AS5 is not even set in yet. I think I am ready to push for 9x400 soon but not 100% sure on some of my settings. One new setting in the 1102 bios is at the bottom, not sure what it is called but options are something like "optimized/performance and something else but default is optimized I think, what should I use? Here are the settings I have manually set....

FSB- 400mhz
DRAM frequency- 1066mhz
PCI-E- 100mhz
FSB Strap to NB- Auto
DRAM Static Read Control- Disabled
DRAM Read Training- Auto
Mem OC Charger- Auto
CPU Ref- Auto
CPU PLL- Auto, have used 1.56 and 1.6 before
NB- 1.26
FSB Termination- 1.30
DRAM voltage- 1.8
SB- Auto
Loadline- Enabled
CPU Spread- Disabled
PCI Spread- Disabled
C1E- Disabled
Max CPU ID- Disabled
Virtualization- Disabled
CPU TM function- Enabled
Execute Disable Bit- Enabled

I am gonna try for 9x400 is the above settings good to try with 1.45vcore starting off. IS there anything I should change? thanks

[miguelca]

PortCitySlim,

The setting you're talking about is: CPU Margin Enhancement=Optimized.
Other members please correct me if I'm mistaken but this setting probably won't affect 65nm processors.
Please change the setting I've written in bold.
CPU Ref. Voltage and PLL's may need some tweaking but it's trial and error I think.

I just got a new set of G-Skill F2-8800CL5D (2x2gb) and I think I am in love with them, I finally got my system to pass an OCCT ram test(2hrs) at 1.325 vcore(3.2ghz). At 400mhz the closest to 1100 on my memory I can get is 1066ghz which is fine by me cuz it runs very cool at 1.8v 5-5-5-15 trfc 55. I just lapped my CPU and heatsink too, right off the bat it knocked 2-5C off my
temps and the AS5 is not even set in yet. I think I am ready to push for 9x400 soon but not 100% sure on some of my settings. One new setting in the 1102 bios is at the bottom, not sure what it is called but options are something like "optimized/performance and something else but default is optimized I think, what should I use? Here are the settings I have manually set....

FSB- 400mhz
DRAM frequency- 1066mhz
PCI-E- 100mhz
FSB Strap to NB- Auto
DRAM Static Read Control- Disabled
DRAM Read Training- Auto
Mem OC Charger- Auto
CPU Ref- Auto
CPU PLL- Auto, have used 1.56 and 1.6 before
NB- 1.26
FSB Termination- 1.30
DRAM voltage- 1.8
SB- Auto
Loadline- Enabled
CPU Spread- Disabled
PCI Spread- Disabled
C1E- Disabled
Max CPU ID- Disabled
Virtualization- Disabled
CPU TM function- Disabled
Execute Disable Bit- Enabled

I am gonna try for 9x400 is the above settings good to try with 1.45vcore starting off. IS there anything I should change? thanks

[PortCitySlim]

PortCitySlim,

The setting you're talking about is: CPU Margin Enhancement=Optimized.
Other members please correct me if I'm mistaken but this setting probably won't affect 65nm processors.
Please change the setting I've written in bold.
CPU Ref. Voltage and PLL's may need some tweaking but it's trial and error I think.

Doesn't CPU TM function protect my CPU if the temps get to hot? I've seen others turn this off too, why does it help? Thanks!

[gandalfone]

@ rusty:

How to enable AHCI Drivers in Windows Vista before changing the SATA mode of the boot drive from IDE to AHCI

1. Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Msahci
5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

Reboot, go into BIOS and switch to AHCI for your SATA. Thereafter you should be good to go.

More info: Microsoft KB922976

Good news...but in winXP?? is it even for raid mode?
If i set raid in O.S. HD bsod...I can't install intel matrix storage because it cause error...any idea?

Thx

[JHS]

Good news...but in winXP?? is it even for raid mode?
If i set raid in O.S. HD bsod...I can't install intel matrix storage because it cause error...any idea?

Thx

If that reg key wont work I think my method by swapping OS hdd to 2nd sata controller -> turning AHCI on with all drives disconnected from red sata ports -> booting to windows -> installing AHCI -> boot again -> switch hdds back to red ports -> boot to windows and let it find drives -> boot should work I think...


I did it with vista but cant see any reason why it wouldn't work on xp too. I was getting BSOD too if I turned AHCI on with drives on sata ports



I have a feeling XP doesnt have native ahci support like vista does so thats why that regedit doesn't work on XP because there is no drivers it could load.



EDIT: you cant install matrix storage if your bios setting is IDE. You cant boot without drivers for your hdd. So you have to remove drives from your red sata ports to be able to boot windows with ahci on (it wont need drivers if there aren't any HDDs connected). When BIOS setting is set to RAID/AHCI you can install matrix storage drivers. Then boot once to check everything still works. Then turn PC off and switch your hdds back to your red sata ports running with AHCI. With drivers installed you shouldn't be getting BSOD on boot anymore


EDIT2: there is also regedit method like this:
http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=444831

But notice its made for different chipset so you would need to modify the regedit. Less hassle to unplug/plug your hdds and boot couple times imo

[gandalfone]

JHS Thx for reply...Ill try

[miguelca]

You're pretty welcome, LUCI5R!

From what I've learned, the EPU engine is only enabled via driver and software in your O.S.
AFAIK there is no EPU option in the BIOS.
In order to turn it off I suppose uninstalling the software should be enough.
I've downloaded the latest version from the Asus support website, but it didn't last more than 2 days on my PC.
Now I don't have any kind of problem that I can relate to it.

Best regards,
Miguel

You know, I've been asking this around myself but I didn't get a straight answer. And now that I think of it - I've had EPU Engine 6 installed & enabled all this time & i've been having OC'ing issues. Thanks for this info. I'll uninstall the EPU Engine software as soon as I get home today. Do I need to turn it off anywhere else as well? Or just that software/driver thing that comes in ASUS CD?
Thanks!

[LUCI5R]

You're pretty welcome, LUCI5R!

Miguel, thanks again!! I uninstalled my EPU6 Software/Driver and already my current OC setup is going flawless (470 X 8, 3.78Ghz) running for the past 14 hours with CPU exhaustive operations.

The CPU Margin Enhancement in BIOS should be left at Optimized, correct?

I wish I had knewn this reg key few weeks back.

Wow, you really took the long road home :P

Anyhow, after switching to AHCI I immediately notices better HDD performance. This is specifically crucial to video encoding/authoring and such similar tasks as read/write speeds are better with AHCI, which helps in encoding time.

[miguelca]

If my memory serves me well (and yes I'm too lazy to check ) I think I've read some posts ago that Optimized is for higher FSB and Compatible for lower FSB.

You're still welcome!

Miguel, thanks again!! I uninstalled my EPU6 Software/Driver and already my current OC setup is going flawless (470 X 8, 3.78Ghz) running for the past 14 hours with CPU exhaustive operations.

The CPU Margin Enhancement in BIOS should be left at Optimized, correct?


Wow, you really took the long road home :P

Anyhow, after switching to AHCI I immediately notices better HDD performance. This is specifically crucial to video encoding/authoring and such similar tasks as read/write speeds are better with AHCI, which helps in encoding time.

[Big.Wayne]

I would have said before if asked that the TRUE easily fits the P5Q-Deluxe based on my trouble free installation. I had only been worried that the splayed fins on the TRUE wouldn't be high enough to clear the boards radiators, after a test fit I was pleased to see there was acres of space and thought no more of it.

Anyway today I had the machine apart to reverse the case header cables (I always seem to get them the wrong way round lol?) and while it was apart I had a closer look, it seems luck was on my side because although the TRUE's main fins clear the boards radiators with ease the same cannot be said about some of the heatpipes . . .



The heatpipes near the top of the board clear the radiators with mm's to spare but the heatpipes lower down near the chipset are virtually touching the boards radiators!





Phew close call but not a problem . . . I would imagine there is enough play in the heatsink to shift the TRUE a fraction towards the top of the board so the heatpipes were 100% clear, hopefully I didn't bend any fins of my lovely new board!

just thought I'd share!

[Mumid]

I would have said before if asked that the TRUE easily fits the P5Q-Deluxe based on my trouble free installation. I had only been worried that the splayed fins on the TRUE wouldn't be high enough to clear the boards radiators, after a test fit I was pleased to see there was acres of space and thought no more of it.

Does your TRUE rotate at all after it has been screwed down?

[intarweb]

So, does anyone think my board is defective or is it something else?