***Asus Rampage III Extreme Owners Thread***

[tistou77]

Hi

With i7 970 a 4.25GHz (21x202), you leave C1E Support and Intel (R) SpeedStep (TM) Tech enabled?

thanks

[Xel_NaGa]

Don what bios you running on yours?

[Xel_NaGa]

Check this out, and this.
Key is high PCI-E freq and high IOH Core V.


You could say CPU PLL needs to be on sweet spot and I would agree. I use 1.35V for 980X, but for 970 I was using 1.2V. No way of finding it, but trial and error.
BTW, don't drop everything to lowest possible, just use known stable settings, and try to avoid lowest UnCore multi, very unstable for me.

took your advice on not the lowest uncore and using 1.35 CPU PLL
big help



Although the temps seem a bit high to me considering the vcore... would you agree? or is this just normal 980x 6core heat?

[CryptiK]

BIOS 0404 released March 14, 2011
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/...-ASUS-0404.zip
Found on asus r3be vip forum.

It has updated firmware for intel/marvell controllers!
No idea if it works for r3e tho.

Can't flash it using EZ flash, says 'bios boot block is not valid'

You'd have to try force flashing and hope it didn't brick the board.

It would be interesting to get someone who can mod bioses to take a look and try and make a new bios for the R3E with the new firmware and hopefully better ram compatibility.

Asus is lazy and aren't looking like supporting the R3E anymore

[Shiranui Gen-An]

I have a W3570 same batch as you Cryptix as well as Dominator GT 2000 C8 (Elpida Hyper), I may have to excavate the 980x and slap the Xeon into my R3E. What issues were you having?

[CryptiK]

Hey mate, page 173 on is basically all me bashing my head against a wall. Have a read, too much to explain in one post. To sum it up the mobo wont cold boot (ie after PSU or wall socket switched off) with my CPU/Ram or a combo of the two. Once into BIOS I can reload my saved profile, load windows and its stable (mind you the first R3E I had would not do this). Does it with my i7 920, W3570, Corsair 2000C8 kit, and GSKill Trident 2000C9 kit.

My CPU's are fine, the rams are fine, 2 different mobos both do the cold boot thing. Tried all BIOS available. Tried multiple VGA cards, PSU's, HDD's and 2 diff CPU's and 2 diff ram kits. All my gear works great on the UD7 and UD5 and R2E. Just not on the R3E.

[CryptiK]

John - I was thinking about why you had cool chokes and mine were hot. Since I had to pull apart my system to RMA the mobo I had a good look at my block. EK recommend using the 0.5mm thermal pad on the mosfets, and also provide those acetal standoffs we all love to hate to prevent over-tightening. Now in my opinion, EK's machining isn't good enough to use a 0.5mm pad, and after feeling my chokes and seeing my NB/SB temps, I was convinced that the standoffs were too thick and they were preventing good contact, which was supported by the contact mark in the past on the NB after block removal. When I put the block on the new mobo, I used the stock thermal pad (this one was much better than the last one) and its ~1mm thick. I also used a coarse emery board and filed at least 1mm off all 9 standoffs then attached the block as per usual being very careful not to over-torque the screws.

Surprise, now my chokes are cool under load too, and my NB/SB temps have come down ~15*C under load!

Anyone with an EK-FC R3E and bad temps I recommend you do this 'mod'.

Screen cap of temps 5 mins after startup in 20*C ambient temps:






I also picked up a GTX580 as an upgrade from my ageing GTX295. At 950c1900s2025m, it only scores ~500 points more in 3DM06 than my highly over-volted and overclocked GTX295! However it does do that effortlessly, and feels awesome to game with, plus DX11 support, and it's so much cooler running. I'm using the Koolance VID-NX580 block with it and its great, and matches the EK-FC R3E perfectly IMO.

3DM06 - GTX295 @ max stable OC




3DM06 - GTX580 @ 950c1900s2025m

[Xel_NaGa]

how are you checking choke temps?

[CryptiK]

John used an IR temp gun, I just touched them with my fingers. They burned me in <5 seconds before I modded my block and used thicker thermal pad on the CPU mosfets. Now they are totally cool to the touch, feels like skin temp which supports John's measurements of ~38*C.

[Fire4Wire]

bios 1207


ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/asus/mb/LG...-ASUS-1207.zip

[CryptiK]

Thanks, a slight improvement for me, it will now post after full PSU power off but still cannot load windows, just starts to and crashes to black screen and keeps trying then crashing again (will remain stuck in that loop indefinitely). If I then switch it off, then back on again it won't say 'overclocking failed' like BIOS 0402 does forcing me to enter BIOS and reload saved settings, but boots at the OC settings again and this time makes it into windows fine. Just stability testing now but usually if it actually makes it into windows its fine.

This proves to me my issue is BIOS related.

[spoolindsm127]

bios 1207


ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/asus/mb/LG...-ASUS-1207.zip

Changelog??

.."Improve system stability"

[JoeBar]

Asus in well known for the thorough bios chanchelogs...

[zoson]

Yeah, I'm def wondering if I should even bother. Every BIOS I've tried so far has not been better than 1005 for daily use...

[andressergio]

John - I was thinking about why you had cool chokes and mine were hot. Since I had to pull apart my system to RMA the mobo I had a good look at my block. EK recommend using the 0.5mm thermal pad on the mosfets, and also provide those acetal standoffs we all love to hate to prevent over-tightening. Now in my opinion, EK's machining isn't good enough to use a 0.5mm pad, and after feeling my chokes and seeing my NB/SB temps, I was convinced that the standoffs were too thick and they were preventing good contact, which was supported by the contact mark in the past on the NB after block removal. When I put the block on the new mobo, I used the stock thermal pad (this one was much better than the last one) and its ~1mm thick. I also used a coarse emery board and filed at least 1mm off all 9 standoffs then attached the block as per usual being very careful not to over-torque the screws.

Surprise, now my chokes are cool under load too, and my NB/SB temps have come down ~15*C under load!

Anyone with an EK-FC R3E and bad temps I recommend you do this 'mod'.

Screen cap of temps 5 mins after startup in 20*C ambient temps:






I also picked up a GTX580 as an upgrade from my ageing GTX295. At 950c1900s2025m, it only scores ~500 points more in 3DM06 than my highly over-volted and overclocked GTX295! However it does do that effortlessly, and feels awesome to game with, plus DX11 support, and it's so much cooler running. I'm using the Koolance VID-NX580 block with it and its great, and matches the EK-FC R3E perfectly IMO.

3DM06 - GTX295 @ max stable OC




3DM06 - GTX580 @ 950c1900s2025m

enjoyyy da beast my friend

[Sylver123]

bios 1207


ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/asus/mb/LG...-ASUS-1207.zip

Sadly, they still haven't updated the firmware for the Marvell controller in this new bios 1207

Not sure about the Intel controller though very unlikely this controller will be updated ether.

[Fire4Wire]

[ 1207 ]
----------------------
1. Improved DRAM compatibility
2. Fixed S3 resume fail when USB 3.0 controller was disabled
3. Fix incorrect CPU temperature may display in BIOS setup menu when the temperature is under 0 degree
4. Support GPU tweakit function

[Xel_NaGa]

[ 1207 ]
----------------------
1. Improved DRAM compatibility
2. Fixed S3 resume fail when USB 3.0 controller was disabled
3. Fix incorrect CPU temperature may display in BIOS setup menu when the temperature is under 0 degree
4. Support GPU tweakit function

maybe they added better timings for higher SPD. I know on my modules I have to manually enter just about every timing in order to get all 6 sticks detected at 1950+

[terranaut]

i thought id wait for the 1207 bios to see if my issue worked out, but it hasn't so i wonder if someone knew this-

using the blue usb 3.0 connectors in back, and updating the nec chipset to the latest firmware 3027 and driver 2.0.34, i am plugging a few various usb 3.0 devices and cables into them, and yet they are showing up under another usb port and not using 3.0 but 2.0, and i cant figure it out.

notice in my screenshot the nec/renesas controller has nothing showing as attached to it, and yet another intel 2.0 port (the intel ich10 3a3 controller) is showing the usb 3.0 item connected to it.

this is in xp32sp3, and all else works perfectly on the system since the week this board came out. usb 3.0 devices always show under another controller altogether, and i cant get any device to show up uinder the 3.0 controller.

thanks for any advice

[Johnmark]

John - I was thinking about why you had cool chokes and mine were hot. Since I had to pull apart my system to RMA the mobo I had a good look at my block. EK recommend using the 0.5mm thermal pad on the mosfets, and also provide those acetal standoffs we all love to hate to prevent over-tightening. Now in my opinion, EK's machining isn't good enough to use a 0.5mm pad, and after feeling my chokes and seeing my NB/SB temps, I was convinced that the standoffs were too thick and they were preventing good contact, which was supported by the contact mark in the past on the NB after block removal. When I put the block on the new mobo, I used the stock thermal pad (this one was much better than the last one) and its ~1mm thick. I also used a coarse emery board and filed at least 1mm off all 9 standoffs then attached the block as per usual being very careful not to over-torque the screws.

Surprise, now my chokes are cool under load too, and my NB/SB temps have come down ~15*C under load!

Awesome improvement!
I must of got lucky on my first install as I was struggling to get everything aligned just right
Other than the large restriction this block has (I expected it) performed very well. NB and SB 38C with water loop temp at 31c at 100% load 24/7.

[donmarkoni]

With i7 970 a 4.25GHz (21x202), you leave C1E Support and Intel (R) SpeedStep (TM) Tech enabled?

Why not? Drops multi and lowers temps when idle.

Don what bios you running on yours?

I was using 0095 with Elpida BDBG, but after having issues with Elpida Hyper with it, I switched back to 0096 which plays much better with Hypers.

took your advice on not the lowest uncore and using 1.35 CPU PLL
big help
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...5/progress.jpg

Although the temps seem a bit high to me considering the vcore... would you agree? or is this just normal 980x 6core heat?

Glad i could help.
Yeah, maybe a slightly higher temps, but depends on cooling and ambient temps...

[tistou77]

Why not? Drops multi and lowers temps when idle.

and you, you have them enabled or not?

me, I just enabled C1E

thanks

[donmarkoni]

and you, you have them enabled or not?

me, I just enabled C1E

thanks

All enabled. Why would I use and call stable CPU with disabled functions I paid for.

[tistou77]

ok I leave enabled

thanks

[LardArse]

here is latest test bios with TRL timing for each chanel in dram timings, you can try +1, +2, -1, etc to curb dram disappearing when oc'ed
http://www.freefilehosting.net/rampa...reme-asus-0003