X48 Rampage Formula Preview.

[Timo92]

Who used sata hotswap on this board? Its really works?

[chris8325]

@mikeyakame - thanks for the explaination
but i´m still wondering how you test skew settings -

my system is stable so far on 500Mhz fsb and ram 5:6 @1200MHz
but i would like to optimize my skew settings to get tighter timings

so what am i supposed to do - lower the voltage for ram and northbridge
set tighter timings and wait for errors in prime (large fft´s) or memtest -
to see how they develop with different skew settings ?

[Zucker2k]

Let me help; the DRAM Skews help optimize latency between individual dimms (since they're positioned at different distances from the NB) and the NB. The following screenshots show:

Q9550 @ 8.5x475
G.Skills PC2-8500 @ 1140, 2.128v
VNB @ 1.550v
DRAM Static Read Control = Enabled
AiClock Twister = Stronger
DRAM Skews A = 250
B = 350

[chris8325]

thanks a lot for your help Zucker2k
but still not sure if i got it -
all i have to do is tweak my skew settings
to get the lowest values for "clock fine delay" in everest ?
that´s it ?
always thought i have to push the chipset and ram to its
limits (of course without changing fsb) and than test with
different skew settings ...

[Zucker2k]

thanks a lot for your help Zucker2k
but still not sure if i got it -
all i have to do is tweak my skew settings
to get the lowest values for "clock fine delay" in everest ?
that´s it ?
always thought i have to push the chipset and ram to its
limits (of course without changing fsb) and than test with
different skew settings ...

The skews are not about getting the lowest latency, they're about dictating length of signals. When I'm running 500FSB 1:1, for example, my channel A latency is usually around 12t. If I had all four ram slots populated for this particular overclock, the latencies would have shown different because the NB would be working harder.

You can further adjust skews to lengthen signal even further by delaying skews; keep in mind that for this shot, I advanced channel B to the maximum possible, usually, that dictates or sets the lowest margin for operation. This is all aimed at playing nice with your overclock. Generally, this is not necessary, but if you want to wring everything out of your ram (in my case, my ram 2x2Gb G.Skill is holding me back) then these fine-tuning or adjustments are handy in accomplishing that.

[ElAguila]

Who used sata hotswap on this board? Its really works?

I was having problems hotswapping on the ich9r controller and was told that inorder for it to work, you have to have achi enabled on that controller.

[mikeyakame]

Let me help; the DRAM Skews help optimize latency between individual dimms (since they're positioned at different distances from the NB) and the NB. The following screenshots show:

Q9550 @ 8.5x475
G.Skills PC2-8500 @ 1140, 2.128v
VNB @ 1.550v
DRAM Static Read Control = Enabled
AiClock Twister = Stronger
DRAM Skews A = 250
B = 350

argh you got yourself confused!

dimm1 - 4 clock fine delay are mch internal timings, associated with the clock strobe for the handshake between mch and dram for read delay (tRD). if you pull in any phase but the last one under AI transaction booster or similar, those values change..and if u pull in the last phase the read delay phase adjust value changes.

[Zucker2k]

argh you got yourself confused!

dimm1 - 4 clock fine delay are mch internal timings, associated with the clock strobe for the handshake between mch and dram for read delay (tRD). if you pull in any phase but the last one under AI transaction booster or similar, those values change..and if u pull in the last phase the read delay phase adjust value changes.

Mikeyakame, I know what I'm talking about; what you term as handshake, is what I've explained as "latency" denoted by the "t" appendage in everest. DRAM clock skews do impact the read delay phase adjust, and I've experimented with it enough to know this. Below is an example:

I switched to Advance 300 on both A/B channels and now see how both diims on have the same latency? Now go back to my previous and check the 300/350 advance setting and you'll realise dimm A1 is slower than A2 by 1t. So where exactly am I confused?

[dansus]

I set advance 150-350, but it was not help me

Try -50 on CHB.

[mikeyakame]

Mikeyakame, I know what I'm talking about; what you term as handshake, is what I've explained as "latency" denoted by the "t" appendage in everest. DRAM clock skews do impact the read delay phase adjust, and I've experimented with it enough to know this. Below is an example:

I switched to Advance 300 on both A/B channels and now see how both diims on have the same latency? Now go back to my previous and check the 300/350 advance setting and you'll realise dimm A1 is slower than A2 by 1t. So where exactly am I confused?

What I meant was confused in explanation not understanding. I realised you know what you are talking about so I don't question your knowledge, rather just the outline topic of what you summarized. I'd be curious to see if the CMD skews have any effect on those values, I can't run 1N command rate to see what effect they have if any on those particular handshake timings. I do know that by changing the skew of the clock strobe on any slot does change the value of DIMMx Fine Clock Delay on the DRAM controller side, but also when you pull in certain tRD clock strobe phases on the MCH side it has a counterproductive effect on those handshake / latency timings.

[romfi]

I was having problems hotswapping on the ich9r controller and was told that inorder for it to work, you have to have achi enabled on that controller.

I can confirm that with ACHI enabled you can hot swap the SATA disks.
I'd also recommend installing the latest version of Intel Matrix Manager (it solves a couple of annoying issues).

[romfi]

Hi guys,

I'd appreciate if somebody can share experience building a rig with Antec P182 and Rampage. I am struggling to create a decent air flow to cool down NB and SB. I've already brought down temps to ~42C SB and ~44C NB idle and ~45C SB ~50C NB when priming (ambient is ~24C). Still a little bit on the high side to my liking.

I've replaced the thermal paste with MX-2. I also tried to remove the stock cooling and put Thermalright HR-05 SLI/IFX on the NB and Zalman ZM-NB47J‎ on the SB.

The stock fans of the case were replaced with Scythe slipstreams 800 (rear and top exhaust) and Scythe slipstream 1200 for middle intake. I also added Scuthe Kama Bay as top intake fan.

CPU temps are fine: TRUE + Noctua P12@1100 RPM gives me almost ambient temps when idle and ~50C when priming.

All temps above are at stock settings without any overclocking.

Specs:

Case: Antel P182 + Scythe slipstreams 800 x2 (exhaust) + Scythe slipstreams 1200 (middle intake) + Scythe Kama Bay (top intake)
CPU: QX9770 + TRUE + Noctua P12@1100
GPU: Bfg 8800 GT 512
RAM: Corsair 8500C5DF 2x2G @ 1066/2.1V, performance level: 06
HD: 500GB Seagate and 500GB WD in the lower chamber
PSU: Enermax Modu 82+ 625W
All other voltages on auto

P182 does not have a side fan, and I suspect that heat builds up around the graphics card, especially when gaming, keeping NB and SB hot. When I remove the side door and force some air from the side the temps go down ~5-10C easily.

Any advice?

[dansus]

I recently struggled to get above 3.66ghz stable, after biting the bullit and lapping the cpu, cooler and NB, temps seemed about the same but OC went to 3.80 without even trying.

Lesson here maybe is that whatever readings your getting, there are hotspots that cant be seen and causes instability. Did more for me than spending hours twiddling or buying more stuff ever did, from now on its my starting point, you may want to do the same.

[kup]

How were the voltages for 3.8GHz compared to 3.66GHz? When I lapped my Q6600 (1.2375v VID, 3.825GHz @ 1.5v, crap CPU got worse and worse over time) it made no difference at all.

[mikeyakame]

speaking of my particular Q6600 g0 it tops out in efficiency around 3.48-3.5ghz. Frequencies above 3.5ghz require greater amounts of additional vCC for even 10mhz more, 3.51ghz will need around 1.4675v in bios, while 3.48ghz runs happily on 1.445v or so. Another Q6600 a friend has is efficient at least to 3.6ghz which we have it running at now on air cooling, and the rate of vCC increase at this point is still sensible, but most importantly adding more vCC only adds very minimal amounts of additional heat to the chips which is a clear indicator that you are within the efficiency curve still.

the problem with going outside the efficiency of the chip is that it displays inconsistent performance from one task to the next, even more so when the chip is air cooled and there is quite a large variation between idle and load temperature. It brings out the worst in a chip thats clocked beyond its sweets spot.

[systemviper]

I see a lot of Everest Ultimate, is that a good program and should i get it, i am finally getting to my rampage formula and want to take my time and really learn what all the settings do and how to tweek the S*&^ out of the system for best performance.

thanks in advance/

[bigslappy]

ahh.... what i did for a starting point is going in BIOS & set all the voltages @ the highest green value ( the Voltage #'s turn green for ok , yellow for not so good & red for yer an idiot ) then set the CPU ratio & DDR setting inline with the FSB & worked back from there . left the voltage setting as high green. get the MoBo to boot into O/S then tested the stabitly in Prime, after getting the FSB & clock stable I moved down on the voltages & checked stable or not & the temps
.. got both boards stable @ 4ghz with my QX9770(8 gb ddr2-1066) & my Q9650(8 gb ddr2-1000) both G.Skill
still fine tuning the O/C's but this give me a starting point from which to work with ... but still working it up

gonna try some of that G.Skill ddr2-1100 super PI & G.Skill ddr2-1300 super PI as soon as it show up on my doorstep & install my single rail 1200w PC PWR & Cooling PSU

[003]

I see a lot of Everest Ultimate, is that a good program and should i get it, i am finally getting to my rampage formula and want to take my time and really learn what all the settings do and how to tweek the S*&^ out of the system for best performance.

thanks in advance/

Yes it is great and is constantly updated.

[GAR]

Hey fellas, i loved this board, but i just couldnt get anything above 425fsb stable, no matter the setting, recently switched to the maximums formula II 3.8ghz stable on first try, 475 fsb is easy with q9450.

[003]

Huh... I can do 491MHz with my Q9450, and i hope for a max FSB increase with the 0501 bios, as reported by Brama. Guess it's luck of the draw.

[mikeyakame]

either you have really bad luck with x48 boards or well you and x48 dont mix!

i think the fsb limitations are due to design, no amount of bios work could make that much of a difference. I can post with 499mhz fsb, but 500 and above fail miserably. weird aye

[GAR]

Yeah bro im sure its a great board, it's very stable and all, but i ran into a bad one i guess, as far as overclocking goes that is. is 491fsb stable for your q9450???

[mikeyakame]

I battled with stability above 485 fsb with my q6600, i ended up giving up since my current 4 x 1gb setup wont go beyond 1165-1170mhz no matter how finely i adjust the sec/ter timings and fine tune the dram controller / channel voltages. I believe if i could run 1200mhz on these sticks there would be a fighting chance to get close to 500 fsb stable on my board.

[bigslappy]

anyone check out what they are getting on this board ??

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=203272

Fugger posted this ....

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=204277
got from NewEgg today on sale 116$ out the door with rebate & free shipping


damn they are burnin up with this bad boy !!

[003]

Yeah bro im sure its a great board, it's very stable and all, but i ran into a bad one i guess, as far as overclocking goes that is. is 491fsb stable for your q9450???

Linpack stable, yes. But not without 1.55V to the CPU with LLC and 1.67v to the NB. And both the CPU and NB are on water. For regular use I keep it at 459Mhz and 1.425v with LLC, and 1.35v on the NB.