** OFFICIAL ** Intel DX38BT & DX48BT2 BoneTrail Thread

[Manel]

Wow, Intel lost it completelly. 1902 BIOS out, maybe it's the final version of the 1900RC.

[GumaLive]

Hey guys,
it's long when I post here last time. I was waiting for the hardware RMAs.

As you can read previously I had random reboots on 1600 FSB and I coudn't solve it. After consultation with OCZ guy I decided to RMA memory modules. As my opinion I also decided to buy new PSU, because I just had feeling that previous Enermax Modu82+ 625W is not enough.

I must say RMA on OCZ was very fast, sending modules to Netherlands from Czech republic, exchange and returning to CZ did not took even 2 weeks! Modules were then back to CZ delivered by UPS next day, which is quite expensive service. I'm wery satisfied with OCZ guys.

Then I wait about 3 or 4 months for new PSU, because Enermax Revolution85+ 1250W was at is quite only anounced. Nobody know when it will be available. While this time I not started PC to not again "undervolt" memories.

I switched memories, put new PSU, fired PC. And finaly I'm now on fire :-)

Default settings:
-----------------
! Definitevely new PSU helped a lot ! Previously I needed to increase vMEM even to stabilize the system on default. Othervise reboot. New PSU -> Solved! Default settings OK.

FSB 400, CPU not overclocked:
-----------------------------

CPU settins:                      |MEM settings:
vCPU 1,3250V   C1E disabled       |7-7-6-20
vFSB 1,250V    EISST disabled     |72-5-10-6-6 1T
vMCH 1,350V                       |vMEM 1,82V (on memory is label 1,8V)
                                  |1333/333 MEM/REF (1600/400 gave me errors in Memtest as previous modules)
FSB 400 x 6 resulting 2,4GHz (Underclocked from 2,66GHz original)

This settings was stable. Prime95 Torture test 4 cores run for 30 hours 30 minutes. No errors, then I stoped it.

FSB 400, CPU 3,2 GHz:
---------------------
Finaly when I got stale on 400FSB I started tuning CPU. It was quite easy. Core CPUs are very overclocable :-)

When I put CPU to 3,2GHz I got rounding errors. I increased vFSB, vMCH, vCPU nothing helped. So I decreased memory timings and I got stable. Final settings:

CPU settins:                      |MEM settings:
vCPU 1,3250V   C1E disabled       |7-7-7-21
vFSB 1,250V    EISST disabled     |80-5-10-6-6 1T
vMCH 1,350V                       |vMEM 1,82V
                                  |1333/333 MEM/REF
FSB 400 x 8 resulting 3,2GHz

Prime95 Torture test 4 cores run for 26 hours 11 minutes. No errors, then I stoped it.

Conclusion:
I think it was PSU issue, because according to PSU fan speed it seems that PSU is going on 50-60% of power(in maximum CPU load). Simply mathematics gives 1250*0.5=625W which was total power of Modu85+. And peak power spikes could very easily cause reboots.
Memory modules were possibly OK, because of same configuration behavior as now.

I'm also attaching screenshot. You may notice there is only 3,2GB RAM, it's because of WinXP 32bit. It will be reinstalled with Vista 64bit ;-) I needed to cut images to more parts because of forum file size limitation.

Also there is new BIOS from Intel 1902. I'm a little afraid to update.

[Manel]

Hey Guma, welcome back. Glad your system is up and running. You probably won't need the full 1,82V on your mem, I could lower 1 notch on mine, but I'm running 1333.
Guys, check out the "known errata" on the 1902 release notes: BIOS Auto-Tuning not implemented in this BIOS. Comments anyone?!

[Manel]

Looks strange this new BIOS release, seems so rushed out. Even the release notes file, doc instead of pdf and the other file BIOS update readme missing... something fishy here.

[HighTest]

The 1900 BIOS is working very well on my system. No complaints so far. I'm going to watch what happens with the 1902 until it's clear what is happening on the Intel BIOS development front.

However, I'm encouraged that BIOS development still is undergoing for our boards. Although, we are still awaiting the additional memory adjustment settings that had been rumored to be promissed several versions back. Hope this does happen and helps with even further pushing the OC boundaries.

[HighTest]

Posting the message above was the prod to my system to exhibit the bad behavior they likely released the new patch for. My SATA drives went into a strange and very loud spasm for lack of a better term. Yikes!

Never heard this before. I'm going to the 1902 and will do extensive testing to ensure my drives are good. Others that have the 1900 may want to roll-back to the prior BIOS or look at the 1902?

[HighTest]

Someone else may have already noticed this, but Intel released a new BIOS Glossary by menu for our boards in January:

http://download.intel.com/support/mo...bymenu_v10.pdf

[Sean-E-Boy]

Here is my guess RE 1902 and "auto tuning..." A while back word was that in March IDCC and BIOS would be updated so that we could use IDCC again. see here: email with intel support Also, for sure in the x58 board, and rumored for the x38/48, IDCC was to have an "Auto Tuning" mode for OCing, I am guessing that this is comment in the release notes is simply preparing for new IDCC.

GumaLive, if you are not too afraid of juicing your processor a little (not sure what cooling youre on), you should be able to get FSB up to around 485 or 3.880 Ghz (the highest stable FSB for the 94/9550s that I have ever found from other sites is 520, but the vast majority are in the 480-495 region). You will need to, however, work with the GTL REF settings (dont worry, far less scary than it sounds). I posted some info a while back regarding the use of GTL REFs to bump up your stable OC. Take a look here: understanding what GTL REFs do and here: Guide to overclocking with GTL REFs.

[Manel]

Hi again HT, still here too?! Yeah, guess 1900 is a fiasco. It was dated January already, but released recently, even the (eventually) extensive testing didn't help. 1902 was a record for Intel, released right after ready I guess, usually they only release after about 2 weeks or so, according to the dates. I guess they had to rush out this one to solve problems brought by 1900?
Sean, those were my thoughts exactly, AT is being developed for the SmackOver, still beta I believe. They have both versions for that board v4.3 and v4.4 beta with AT if I'm not mistaken. Guess AT will be coming to us as well, I hope. At least the guy from Intel promised me as well that development would be resumed in March the latest, as soon as they get it right with the DX58SO.

[Avantlord]

hi guys, i have a lite question, I bought a Q9550 an when i go to My PC --> right click --> Properties it says that i have a Xeon 2.0Ghz runing @ 2.6Ghz, but when i run everest it shows the correct info about the Q.... does any one have a clue?

[GumaLive]

I also updated BIOS. I noticed weired behavior.
Update was OK, system rebooted, then I entered BIOS to check version. Well when I was in BIOS after long time I changed settings "Primary Video Adaptor" from "Auto" to "Ext. PCIE Graphics (PEG)" and also to clean event log.
Save, shutdown (like you change memory timings), turn on, boot and error that there was unsucessful POST atempt. I say "N", because I know that settings work. On next boot everything was OK.

Do you guys know what are these settings for?
"Primary Video Adaptor" (I gues forces to use PCI-E or PCI graphic card)
"Compiliance test patern" (Don't know enabled/disabled no change)

[GumaLive]

hi guys, i have a lite question, I bought a Q9550 an when i go to My PC --> right click --> Properties it says that i have a Xeon 2.0Ghz runing @ 2.6Ghz, but when i run everest it shows the correct info about the Q.... does any one have a clue?

I would say it's Windows issue, probably wrongly detects this CPU. Here I would trust more Everest or CPUID. Whats your Windows version?

[Sean-E-Boy]

hi guys, i have a lite question, I bought a Q9550 an when i go to My PC --> right click --> Properties it says that i have a Xeon 2.0Ghz runing @ 2.6Ghz, but when i run everest it shows the correct info about the Q.... does any one have a clue?

I am going to say that you should try updating your x38's bios...still running 1804?

[Manel]

Hi Avantlord
Maybe the BIOS is not reporting correctly, you should maybe try updating the BIOS to a newer version. Still on 1804 like mentioned in your sig? Maybe Q9550 was released after BIOS 1804, can't be sure. Everest must read proc info in a different way than Windows.

[Manel]

Sean, sorry, you beat me to it. I had the reply but forgot to post... just realised.

Guma, Primary Video Adapter should be just that as you said I guess, if you have more than one vid card maybe you can select which one is the primary, to drive your primary display. Maybe this is a sign that SLI is coming to all Intel boards. Not sure though with all the war with nVidia regarding the QPI license and all. I guess Intel was waiting for SLI to be licensed for DX58SO to start legal procedures. Smart guys!!
Regarding Compliance Test Pattern, your guess is as good as mine. I believe it's got to do with video compliance testing before boot, again maybe SLI? This would be too good to be true!!!!
Funny how they don't mention any of this in the BIOS readme.

[Sean-E-Boy]

Manel, those video options have been in the BIOS for as long as I can remember...sorry to break your hope.

[Manel]

Sean
Primary Video Adapter should be there already, never really messed with it, no need to. I thought there were new options reading Guma's post. Guess I misunderstood.
Ragarding the Compliance Test Pattern, that one I don't remember for sure.
Anyway, nobody cares for older hardware so SLI for us should be out of the question anyway.

[Manel]

Hope was back up after reading Theo Valich's opinion on this, if that counts for anything. He believes very shortly SLI will open up for any capable platform.
He expects a driver out to enable SLI for all shortly.
Maybe...

[BlackKnight00]

I have been reading through all these threads and I am trying to get my Corsair TWN3X4G-1600C9DHX G memory to run at 1600.

If somebody has been successfull could you please post screen shots, timings etc...

Thanks and also has anybody noticed any improvements with the newest 1902 bios?

[Sean-E-Boy]

BlackKnight00, we are going to need a bit more information about your systemt in order to help you.

1. dx38 or dx48?
2. What processor?
3. Are you running the processor at stock settings or overclocked?
4. In BIOS, what are your processor settings? Multiplier and Core Clock Freq
5. By 1600Mhz memory, are you meaning the resulting memory frequency as seen in CPU-Z or Everest, or are you meaning the memory setting in BIOS where you can choose 1600?

[Sean-E-Boy]

Well, we have officially been relegated to a "legacy board" on intel's site

[BlackKnight00]

System specs added to sig + see screen shots

[Sean-E-Boy]

BK, 1600Mhz resulting memory speed should be no problem for you, but there are a few things you may need to do to get there.

the most important is to make sure that your memory DIMMs are in the BLACK slots on your motherboard NOT the blue ones. I know that the instructions tell us that they must be in the blue, but trust me here and move them to the black slots if you dont have them there already.

Once you have moved them, go ahead and turn on and let windows load with your current settings. Restart, enter BIOS, make sure that Watchdog is DISABLED, then go to memory settings and change mem freq and mem ref freq to 1333 and 333, save and exit. your board should do the powerup/powerdown/powerup thing. If you fail to POST, turn off/unplug power supply and let sit for 15-20 secs, turn PSU back on, and power up (if it continues to freeze without POSTing, try holding downt the power button after it freezes to shut down, then push again to turn back on...since Intel cant seem to get their together with how this board responds to changing settings and/or cutting the power, you may have to do this a few times to see if it will POST with these memory settings).

If simply changing the mem settings and trying the restart and power drain methods do not boot, dont worry there are other things to try that will get you there.

let us know what happens.

Sean

PS - what kind of cooling are you using?

[Manel]

So, we are now officially legacy, hem? Hope this doesn't mean no more BIOS updates and IDCC final version as promised.
I also find it odd that Intel can't fix the issue with the power disconnection. This is an old issue and after so many BIOS updates still it persists. At least once they have officially fixed it in the readme, though. Are these guys for real?

[petr0id]

Well, we have officially been relegated to a "legacy board" on intel's site

YOU WILL BE PWNED!

what a words...

So, Intel. We are?