ASUS Maximus II Formula - new P45 king?

[lowdog]

Correct except for your conversion from volts to millivolts. It's not -12.5mv, it's -125mv

There's 1000 mv in 1 volt

0.001v = 1 mv
0.010v = 10 mv
0.100v = 100 mv



**There's something I want to add concerning this, I'm relatively sure the Reference voltage should scale up with increasing vdimm, however I'm not sure what the 'safe max' is, so that's why I dropped it back a little, but I'd like some input from anyone who knows something about it. Where's freecableguy when you need him - I may ask about it on the tech repository.

Can you please let us know if and when you find out what and how to set these GTL's - NB GTL, DDR2 chA and DDR2 chB, NB DDR Ref.

At present with this board I have my Q9650 running at 3.6GHz, 9x400fsb with:

Cpu v - 1.2v with LL disabled = 1.16v idle and 1.12v load (Linpack and Prime95 stable)
CPU PLL - 1.51v
FSB Term V - 1.118v
Dram V - 1.82v (8gb of Corsair Dominator 8500C5DF)
NB V - 1.118v
SB 1.5 - 1.51v
SB 1.1 - 1.10v

CPU GTL (0) auto
CPU GTL (1) -40
CPU GTL (2) auto
CPU GTL (3) -40

All other GTL's auto

LL - disabled.

Going to push for 4GHz but I want to know what all the other GTL's do and how to set them first before I push up volts etc..

On stock speed of 333fsb all voltage setting when set to auto seem to give minimum volts across the board, when the fsb is bumped to 400 all auto volts SKYROCKET to dangerous levels, so people had better be carefull when running 45nm to make sure they are manually setting ALL volts when they start overclocking and trying to keep whatever and if not all volts as minimal/low as possible if they can keep stability like that.

[CryptiK]

Can you please let us know if and when you find out what and how to set these GTL's - NB GTL, DDR2 chA and DDR2 chB, NB DDR Ref.

At present with this board I have my Q9650 running at 3.6GHz, 9x400fsb with:

Cpu v - 1.2v with LL disabled = 1.16v idle and 1.12v load (Linpack and Prime95 stable)
CPU PLL - 1.51v
FSB Term V - 1.118v
Dram V - 1.82v (8gb of Corsair Dominator 8500C5DF)
NB V - 1.118v
SB 1.5 - 1.51v
SB 1.1 - 1.10v

CPU GTL (0) auto
CPU GTL (1) -40
CPU GTL (2) auto
CPU GTL (3) -40

All other GTL's auto

LL - disabled.

Going to push for 4GHz but I want to know what all the other GTL's do and how to set them first before I push up volts etc..

On stock speed of 333fsb all voltage setting when set to auto seem to give minimum volts across the board, when the fsb is bumped to 400 all auto volts SKYROCKET to dangerous levels, so people had better be carefull when running 45nm to make sure they are manually setting ALL volts when they start overclocking and trying to keep whatever and if not all volts as minimal/low as possible if they can keep stability like that.

I know, and have briefly explained how, to set the GTL Ref's on this board. Depending on how each core of your CPU behaves, you need to tweak them yourself accordingly, after setting the standard values, which as I said earlier, are 0.635x Vtt for 45nm CPU's.

This means you need to adjust GTL Ref 1 & 3 (0.667x) to a negative mv value (which you work out by using the equation or second, easier method I gave based on your Vtt) as you have done, and leave the GTL Ref 0 & 2 (0.635x) alone so all the GTL Ref values are as close to the same as you can get them.

From that point you need to tweak for your individual CPU, GTL's are a not a 'set this number and you're done' setting. For example your core 0 may be weak, so it may need more voltage than the others etc.

For the NB GTL Ref, I have had no reason to change it from stock yet, it may help get the FSB to 600+ levels but I haven't had time to play with it yet.

The max FSB on my board I can get into windows with is 550 (1.30v vNB) so something isn't right there, as my CPU will do 600FSB on 1.344v, I could do 600FSB at 1.26v vNB on my P5Q-Deluxe easily.

I think the M2F bios needs to be much better optimized for high FSB and also high ram speeds, I could do much better on my P5Q-Deluxe in both respects. Disappointing considering the price of the P5Q-Deluxe compared to the M2F. Also, the M2F is way too sensitive to the vFSB:vNB voltage ratio, requiring vNB to be no more than 0.113v higher than vFSB or the board will not POST on reboot - again the P5Q-Deluxe was better and allowed you to run ~1.34v vNB and 1.11v vFSB without issues. I'm sincerely hoping the next M2F BIOS revision will address these issues.

[lowdog]

I know, and have briefly explained how, to set the GTL Ref's on this board. Depending on how each core of your CPU behaves, you need to tweak them yourself accordingly, after setting the standard values, which as I said earlier, are 0.635x Vtt for 45nm CPU's.

This means you need to adjust GTL Ref 1 & 3 (0.667x) to a negative mv value (which you work out by using the equation or second, easier method I gave based on your Vtt) and leave the GTL Ref 0 & 2 (0.635x) alone so all the GTL Ref values are as close to the same as you can get them.

From that point you need to tweak for your individual CPU, GTL's are a not a 'set this number and you're done' setting.

Yeah I understand that in regard to the individual CPU GTL's and have set them accordingly (spelling ) and can comprehend the formular for working out the correct setting.

My question was in reference to the NB GTL , NB DDR Reference V and DDR2 ChA/B Reference V. What they do? how important/crucial are they? are there any adverse affects leaving them on auto? etc. Would be nice to get some difinitive answer regarding formular on setting these correctly and their function in so called "laymens terms"

[Grnfinger]

I think the M2F bios needs to be much better optimized for high FSB and also high ram speeds, I could do much better on my P5Q-Deluxe in both respects. Disappointing considering the price of the P5Q-Deluxe compared to the M2F. Also, the M2F is way too sensitive to the vFSB:vNB voltage ratio, requiring vNB to be no more than 0.113v higher than vFSB or the board will not POST on reboot - again the P5Q-Deluxe was better and allowed you to run ~1.34v vNB and 1.11v vFSB without issues. I'm sincerely hoping the next M2F BIOS revision will address these issues.

I have never experienced this issue
I run NB volts at 1.39 and VTT at 1.33 and have had the NB volts highe than that all the way to 1.42 and it would still post and reboot.

[lowdog]

I only have to have NB V - 1.16 and VTT V - 1.16 with vcore of 1.28 LLC enabled for 4GHz - 9 X 450fsb mem 1:1. All other volts at one notch above there lowest value.

Q9650 FPO/Batch # L825B323 vid 1.2250

[CryptiK]

I have never experienced this issue
I run NB volts at 1.39 and VTT at 1.33 and have had the NB volts highe than that all the way to 1.42 and it would still post and reboot.

1.33 Vtt & 1.42 vNB = 0.09 vDiff. That's within the max of 0.113v difference I stated, so i would completely expect it to be fine at that setting. Boards may differ, but in my case, the 0.113v max vDiff between Vtt & vNB is a completely reproduceable phenomenon.

[KRich]

1.33 Vtt & 1.42 vNB = 0.09 vDiff. That's within the max of 0.113v difference I stated, so i would completely expect it to be fine at that setting. Boards may differ, but in my case, the 0.113v max vDiff between Vtt & vNB is a completely reproduceable phenomenon.

I get the same issue with my MIIF, but in my case, the maximum difference I appear to be able to set between VTT and VNB, is roughly 0.15v in the higher ranges.

Any more than that, and when I try to restart the system from Windows, the CMOS is cleared and reset and the same occurs from a cold/warm start.

As soon as I bring the difference between the VTT and VNB selection back within the permissable range, no problems at all.

[Grnfinger]

1.33 Vtt & 1.42 vNB = 0.09 vDiff. That's within the max of 0.113v difference I stated, so i would completely expect it to be fine at that setting. Boards may differ, but in my case, the 0.113v max vDiff between Vtt & vNB is a completely reproduceable phenomenon.

You are correct, I just tested your theory and I also get the reboot issue.
My Maximus X38 just arrived today back from RMA, it will be interesting to run some comparisons