ASUS Maximus II Formula - new P45 king?

[eSp!s0]

If SLI is indeed working in the BIOS E.V.O modded then it would be nice if he SLI patched his version 201 BIOS (he knows which) and also changed the RAID ROM for the latest 8.7.1007 which is now available. If he can't find it online I can email it. I looked into the BIOS myself but as I don't know which is the RAID ROM from all the four PCI code 20 ROM's I can't change it (and haven't gotten round to using a hex editor yet).

Hopefully E.V.O will come back here from Forum Deluxx forums as he seems to be hanging out there most often

I just wrote a private message to him at forumdeluxe.

[orbiter]

Hi guys..

Just a quick question for you guys who know the MFII inside out. I'm getting a Xonar D2X sound card tomorrow for which I need a PCI-E x1 slot free. I've been informed that I can't use the top black slot for this as its not wired up as a proper PCI-E slot. So to free up another PCI-E x1 slot I've had to move my GTX295 down to the lower PCI-E x16 slot, however someone has mentioned that the lower slot on th MFII only operates at x8 speed? now I think this is only true when crossfiring two cards and a single card would run at it's max x16 speed in either slot? Could you please confirm for me guys?

Many Thanks

Orb

[GFORCE100]

Hi guys..

Just a quick question for you guys who know the MFII inside out. I'm getting a Xonar D2X sound card tomorrow for which I need a PCI-E x1 slot free. I've been informed that I can't use the top black slot for this as its not wired up as a proper PCI-E slot. So to free up another PCI-E x1 slot I've had to move my GTX295 down to the lower PCI-E x16 slot, however someone has mentioned that the lower slot on th MFII only operates at x8 speed? now I think this is only true when crossfiring two cards and a single card would run at it's max x16 speed in either slot? Could you please confirm for me guys?

Many Thanks

Orb

Hi there,

I don't have a definite answer for you but here's a thought, have you tried checking what CPU-Z tells you in the mainboard tab for link width? Is it 8x or 16x with your GTX295 in the PCI-E x16 #2 slot?

As far as I know the MIIF only works at 8x when it has two graphics cards inserted, due to the limitation of the P45 chipset rather than the board itself.

[orbiter]

Hi GFORCE,

With the GPU in slot #2, CPUz shows "link width" x16 and "max supported" x16.

Is this a definate indication that i'm fine with the GPU in slot #2 and It won't revert to x8 or have a detrimantel effect on performance? You see I'd rather just send my (not yet arrived) Xonar D2X back and have the gpu back in the top slot if using this bottom slot is going to effect performance in some way.

regards

orb

[Grnfinger]

Hi GFORCE,

With the GPU in slot #2, CPUz shows "link width" x16 and "max supported" x16.

Is this a definate indication that i'm fine with the GPU in slot #2 and It won't revert to x8 or have a detrimantel effect on performance? You see I'd rather just send my (not yet arrived) Xonar D2X back and have the gpu back in the top slot if using this bottom slot is going to effect performance in some way.

regards

orb

performance will not be affected its only when running crossfire that it will dial down to x8....

[WaterFlex]

Who has Swiftech Nbmax? what are your temps, guys?

[GFORCE100]

Hi GFORCE,

With the GPU in slot #2, CPUz shows "link width" x16 and "max supported" x16.

Is this a definate indication that i'm fine with the GPU in slot #2 and It won't revert to x8 or have a detrimantel effect on performance? You see I'd rather just send my (not yet arrived) Xonar D2X back and have the gpu back in the top slot if using this bottom slot is going to effect performance in some way.

regards

orb

Hi concur with what Grnfinger wrote above. Just to be 110% sure you can do a 3DMark benchmark in slots #1 and #2 and compare the results. The chances are that they will be like for like except for the small variation between benchmark runs which is to be expected anyway.

[jspuds]

Hi Guys

I have been lurking in this thread for some time and was hoping you can help me.

I’m looking for a stable 24hr OC of about 4GHz and am looking for suggested settings.

I have read a few different guides and have ended up more confused as everybody seems to have slightly different settings

My Rig:
Maximus II Formula
Intel Q9650
True Ultra
Corsair Dominator 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 XMS2 PC2-8500C5 (5-5-5-15)
2x 80GB VelociRaptor (RAID 0)
2x 750GB Samsung F1 (RAID 1)
EVGA Geforce 260 SSC
Creative X-Fi
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610
Antec Twelve Hundred Case
Dual Boot XP/W7

Thanks in advance

[Khubilai]

Hi Folks,

I must confess it's been a long time I've been reading very carefully all the posts from the beginning but I never had time to post a comment myself...or maybe I was too lazy. I must thank you all for giving life to that forum everyday and it's a pity that I've heard so many people deceived by this board and giving up. I was also feeling the same many times, thinking I should not have paid the price for this board as many lower price boards can do better in matter of performances and it is a shame that Asus is not offering better services to people who has chosen the must of their products. But I'm still hoping that the bios we are all waiting for will come soon and bring all the potential of that board.
I had previously a P5K Premium which could not drive me to such FSBs than the MIIF but was more stable and faster (for example I was 10 MB/s faster on file copy)...it was based on P35 so logically P45 should have been better and it might be the case for some other boards.
According to a lot of posts, some of the bests MIIF have impressive results and what everyone agree is that it can strike violent FSB even with 4 rams. Hope there will still be people trying to reach the maximum of that Maximus...because so many available tweaking could not be just for cosmetic.
I'm happy to share a few results with you, it still can be improved (and we'll work on it), there are not so many posts about E8600 and I would like to add my contribution.
When I first got my MIIF, after long weeks of tweakin I could reach a safe 4.4 GHz at 490 of FSB pushing the RAMs to a nice 1177. I will attach some screenshots but only the Everest Memory Benchmark to save place...

I was aware that it was not enough for such a motherboard though I'm on air.
Thanks to Simps and the documentation he made I could go on again with the overclocking and I was able to reach a benchable 540 FSB but not stable at all.

Anyway it was the best result for me so far with 4 gigs of memory...I remained at 490 and forgot the overclocking for a while. I recently got me a second E8600 which was supposed to need less voltage than mine but I had a lot of instability and could only perfom 4.3 GHz max.
Fortunately I kept a profile with the 540 FSB in my second boot and a few weeks ago I decided to retry a few tweakings. I could hold a stable 520 FSB but with 8 multi which gave me only 4.16 GHz.

I was seriously thinking that my new CPU was a crap and I was getting mad, but I was hoping that my MB has changed after many months of use and needed to modify a few settings. I never thought about changing the PLL voltage because I was scared to destroy my CPU so I was stacking at 1.5 V max...I finally got some courage and tried a little more voltage staying still far from the 1.6 V max safe for that CPU...that did the trick! I could reach a stable 4.37 GHz at 515 FSB with a 8.5 multi.

I used to enter manually the voltage with my first E8600 but as it was more tricky with the new one I set it to Auto to start hostilities...at 4.4 GHz it was needing 1.38 V (in Auto) and I found it more hot than the first one at that voltage due to the small VID (1.1000)...after 2 days of stability I decided to give it less voltage and passed 1H CPUStress at 1.37 V...day after 1.36 V, 1H30 at 1.35 V and so on...my minimum voltage to get stable is 1.30 V (which is not bad after all).

What I can confirm is that adding a very few more volts on PLL helped me to decrease CPU voltage. High FSB has no real benefit for me because over 500 I need to decrease PL which means a lost in the bandwidth...when I was at 490 I was running PL 8 Stronger and now only PL 10 Moderate...a little more bandwith on Write and Copy but less on Read, a little more voltage on VNB and VFSB with a little more heat and I have the feeling that the MB is a little more noisy at high FSB.
So what's coming next? I will go on for a nice 4.5 GHz at 500 FSB with RAM 1200 and PL8/PL9 Stronger...it's a good challenge and I'm crossing fingers...sorry for the length of my post...best overclocking to all!

[orbiter]

performance will not be affected its only when running crossfire that it will dial down to x8....

Thanks very much Grnfinger for the confirmation & to you also Gforce for the help, It's very much appreciated and I'm looking forward to receiving my new D2X sound card again now I did try a 3DMark06 run which showed almost identical scores to the GPU being in the top slot, so like you guys say all will be fine

Thanks again & kind regards

orb

[eSp!s0]

Hi guys..

Just a quick question for you guys who know the MFII inside out. I'm getting a Xonar D2X sound card tomorrow for which I need a PCI-E x1 slot free. I've been informed that I can't use the top black slot for this as its not wired up as a proper PCI-E slot. So to free up another PCI-E x1 slot I've had to move my GTX295 down to the lower PCI-E x16 slot, however someone has mentioned that the lower slot on th MFII only operates at x8 speed? now I think this is only true when crossfiring two cards and a single card would run at it's max x16 speed in either slot? Could you please confirm for me guys?

Many Thanks

Orb

I thought it`s possible to use the black one for other audio cards? Here or at forumdeluxe I read a post from somebody reporting that he is using a X-Fi in the black PCIex1.

Edit: Ok, I found the post at forumdeluxe and the guy says, if you disable the onboardsound in the bios its a normal PCIex1 and his X-Fi Titanium is running without any problems in this slot.

[WaterFlex]

I have just installed my Swiftech NBMAX and was dissapointed: NB temp under Prime or win memtest 3.8 or linpack is max 45. With stock rad it was 53. WTF?

[WhiteFireDragon]

that's because the the swiftech block does not go directly on the NB. it has to travel through the heatsink assembly first before even reaching the block. and to add on to that, the whole stock assembly is mostly aluminum. only the heatpipes and small part of the base is copper. if you want to properly cool the board, you have to make direct contact with the NB. EK has two blocks that will fit it after you take off the heatsink assembly.

[loonym]

According to a lot of posts, some of the bests MIIF have impressive results and what everyone agree is that it can strike violent FSB even with 4 rams. Hope there will still be people trying to reach the maximum of that Maximus...because so many available tweaking could not be just for cosmetic.
I'm happy to share a few results with you, it still can be improved (and we'll work on it), there are not so many posts about E8600 and I would like to add my contribution.

Nice work, thanks for posting. I haven't given up on it completely yet. I've been waiting delivery of a 2 stage to have some more fun with my m2f. In a couple weeks I hope I can show you folks some results.

Either that or a killed board

[WaterFlex]

that's because the the swiftech block does not go directly on the NB. it has to travel through the heatsink assembly first before even reaching the block. and to add on to that, the whole stock assembly is mostly aluminum. only the heatpipes and small part of the base is copper. if you want to properly cool the board, you have to make direct contact with the NB. EK has two blocks that will fit it after you take off the heatsink assembly.

Maybe i need take out m2f heat pipe, delete stock paste and swap it with MX2?

[WaterFlex]

I don`t understand. I just removed stock NB rad and used MX-2 and istalled NBMAX. So, the surface where I put waterblock is not the surface of north bridge chipset?

[WhiteFireDragon]

the best is to put EK's S-MAX or NB/SB5 directly on there without any of the stock heatsinks in the way. but this will require to you cool the other two mosfet areas, the SB, and add enzotech copper PWM heatsinks.

but if you want to leave the heatsink assembly on there and add the swiftech NBMAX right over everythin, then put little washers with the back screw to add a little pressure to the mount. replace the stock TIM with better ones, and make sure every area makes contact with the heatsink.

[orbiter]

I thought it`s possible to use the black one for other audio cards? Here or at forumdeluxe I read a post from somebody reporting that he is using a X-Fi in the black PCIex1.

Edit: Ok, I found the post at forumdeluxe and the guy says, if you disable the onboardsound in the bios its a normal PCIex1 and his X-Fi Titanium is running without any problems in this slot.

Thanks for that eSp!s0 Can anyone else confirm this please as It would mean I could put my GTX295 back in the right place?

[WaterFlex]

WhiteFireDragon
Thank you!

[Grnfinger]

Nice work, thanks for posting. I haven't given up on it completely yet. I've been waiting delivery of a 2 stage to have some more fun with my m2f. In a couple weeks I hope I can show you folks some results.

Either that or a killed board

looking forward to seeing your results

[KURTZ]

Who has Swiftech Nbmax? what are your temps, guys?

max 41° C onto the NB ...

[Eeky NoX]

So checked an E5200 on it and I lost 10 on FSB against the Commando ...so what about voltage -_- that's what's the worth !!
Cain't give any tension to my 45nm's with any bios above the 1307 and even wit it : I'ts bad -_- But a gat a 32M @4 stable with 580 ram.

For the fun I'm testing wit it my new CF these days : 2xHD4770 !! But they'll go on my new UD3's after ...and the MIIF will go in other hands

So I'll realy leave you my friends ^^ (See U on next platforme)

[orbiter]

Hi all,

Just to confirm for anybody who may read this info or have the same MFII black slot query regarding sound and other PCI-E x1 cards. The black slot on the MFII is NOT just for the Asus Supreme FXII card (I was advised otherwise on another forum.) It CAN be used for other cards too Yesterday I ended up moving my GTX295 and Network card in readiness for my new Xonar D2X as I was in need of another x1 slot, (thinking the first black one was of no use.) The sound card arrived today .. So.. I put my GTX295 and the network card back in their original places, and fitted my dual TV tuner card in the top black x1 slot and it works just fine. You just need to disable audio in BIOS.

Thanks again to eSp!s0 for the assistance. Thanks mate

Regards

orb

[eSp!s0]

Great that you can confirm this, too. Now I read posts from 3 different people that it works

[jspuds]

Guys,

Any help would be gratefully received?????

Hi Guys

I have been lurking in this thread for some time and was hoping you can help me.

I’m looking for a stable 24hr OC of about 4GHz and am looking for suggested settings.

I have read a few different guides and have ended up more confused as everybody seems to have slightly different settings

My Rig:
Maximus II Formula
Intel Q9650
True Ultra
Corsair Dominator 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 XMS2 PC2-8500C5 (5-5-5-15)
2x 80GB VelociRaptor (RAID 0)
2x 750GB Samsung F1 (RAID 1)
EVGA Geforce 260 SSC
Creative X-Fi
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610
Antec Twelve Hundred Case
Dual Boot XP/W7

Thanks in advance