Testing / comparing : Intel D975XBX2 / Asus P5B DX ***56K WARNING***

[theonlybabyface]

right click the installation icon and run it as administrator

C'mon guys...don't you think I've tried that already.

[horatiub]

C'mon guys...don't you think I've tried that already.

sorry, it's funny cause it works in my case

[theonlybabyface]

Alright, I figured it out. I had to uninstall Intel Desktop Utilities, fresh install IDCC and then reinstall IDU and all is well. You have no idea how many times I uninstalled/reinstalled IDCC to no avail and this method worked. Must be something with the smbus driver.

[theonlybabyface]

anyone?

Any chance of it being the psu fan?

[Nightprowler_77]

Just download the 2692 BIOS in the .EB file extension direct from:
http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scri...ndent&lang=eng

Run it right out of Windows, like I did.

Andrew

Thank you. Now I`m at 2692, watchdog disabled.

[horatiub]

Any chance of it being the psu fan?

not sure to be honest. I guess I should open up the case and see. Like I said, it's weird that IE triggers the fan

[L'enFer]

i've 56k modem, so it takes much time to load pages. can you advice me, please, what would be better for E6600? i don't need CrossFire, i want it to work stable and have a good overclocking potential. as i understood, P5B Deluxe is better for overclocking, but D975XBX2 has better perfomance on the same frequencies, doesn't it?
(btw, sorry for much asking in many threads...)

[Kluster]

After going through this thread with blinders on I purchased the 975XBX2 and was happy....for a day. Then I tried pushing my mushkin PC2-8500 1066MHz and got no love. A call to Intel tech support confirmed that the board isn't designed to run memory at that speed. So much for an "extreme" motherboard.

Cut to last night when I finally got around to installing 3DMark and earned a lackluster 10662.

Upon investiagation I find that running an Nvidia 8800 GTS in slot 1 and a 3ware raid card in slot 2 forces the 8800 to run at PCIe x8. Since the raid card is x16 physical 8x electrical, the only way to run it full speed is in slot 2.

So, this POS board is going back and I guess I have to hold the vomit back and get an Asus or put the rose colored glasses on and get an evga 680i and hope the endless problems are being addressed in a timely manner.

[Speederlander]

After going through this thread with blinders on I purchased the 975XBX2 and was happy....for a day. Then I tried pushing my mushkin PC2-8500 1066MHz and got no love. A call to Intel tech support confirmed that the board isn't designed to run memory at that speed. So much for an "extreme" motherboard.

Cut to last night when I finally got around to installing 3DMark and earned a lackluster 10662.

Upon investiagation I find that running an Nvidia 8800 GTS in slot 1 and a 3ware raid card in slot 2 forces the 8800 to run at PCIe x8. Since the raid card is x16 physical 8x electrical, the only way to run it full speed is in slot 2.

So, this POS board is going back and I guess I have to hold the vomit back and get an Asus or put the rose colored glasses on and get an evga 680i and hope the endless problems are being addressed in a timely manner.

1. It's a 975 chipset board. 975 chipset isn't designed for heavy memory overclocking. This is no secret. Pretty much no one pushing memory past DDR2 900 or 1000 or so is using a 975.
2. How is the board a PoS? The PCIe specs are there for anyone to read. It's not like Intel tried to deceive you.

I am able to run my quad at 3.33GHZ and 1333FSB with 1.3625 vcore and lowest possible board settings for FSB and MCH (1.2 and 1.5). Plus my actual results from SPi and other benchmarks are equivalent to much higher OCs on 965 and 680i because of the tight 975 latencies. Plus it's insanely stable. So yeah, I think it deserves its "extreme" label for those reasons.

[Kluster]

1. It's a 975 chipset board. 975 chipset isn't designed for heavy memory overclocking. This is no secret. Pretty much no one pushing memory past DDR2 900 or 1000 or so is using a 975.
2. How is the board a PoS? The PCIe specs are there for anyone to read. It's not like Intel tried to deceive you.

I am able to run my quad at 3.33GHZ and 1333FSB with 1.3625 vcore and lowest possible board settings for FSB and MCH (1.2 and 1.5). Plus my actual results from SPi and other benchmarks are equivalent to much higher OCs on 965 and 680i because of the tight 975 latencies. Plus it's insanely stable. So yeah, I think it deserves its "extreme" label for those reasons.

I agree that the board is insanely stable. I've had absolutely zero problems with the board when used at spec. However, since when does "extreme" refer to stability? I just can't see Intel marketing types printing out a banner "Extreme Stability!" for an enthusiast market to rally around.

Like I said, I read through this impressive thread with blinders on. I didn't zero in on the two issues causing me to return this board (And thanks to Newegg for allowing me to return the board and exchange my QX6700 in the hopes I'll be sent a non f-stepping cpu without a restocking fee.) The board doesn't support DDR2-8500 running at 1066MHz, and the board doesn't support running a PCIe video card at x16 with an x8 raid card installed.

OK, my bad, I didn't read well enough. However, I stand behind my POS statement. For an "Extreme" board, I shouldn't have had the issues I experienced. (Plus, let's not forget the C1E issue Intel refuses to address). I was willing to live with a software fix for the forced C1E 'feature', but now I don't have to.

[L'enFer]

please, answer my question.

[ChaosMinionX]

please, answer my question.

Bad Axe 2 is better for the E6600.... Unless of course you cant get your chip stable with a 9x### multi. Then I would say go with the P5B Dlx


EDIT: P5B Deluxe because it can go alot higher on the FSB and has Multi control that the Bad Axe2 doesnt have.

[ninjaskija]

Hi guys.. i rly appreciate what u are doing here, and i think this thread helped many ppl, and i want to think that i am one of them but this days i am very frustrated because of my results...

I have a E6600 on a XBX2 cupled with a pair of 2x1Gb G.Skill 6400-BHK

I've been running these very stable (16h Orthos - large) :
Vcc=1,525
Enhanced Power Slope=Enable
MCH=1,575
vFSB=1,272
FSB=390

CPU=3.511Hmz

memory:4-4-3-5
vDIMM=2,16
Reference=266
Freq=533 1:1

But after i played a little with memory, trying divisors, etc my system was very unstable(instant resets) on Orthos - large, even with the same settings that i knew for sure they were stable..

I thought it was the memory but i tested every stick individualy and they were ok.. i dont know what to think.. i checked and rechecked temps, they are more than ok.

Pls if someone could help me - gtj?? (sry for my bad english)

Tx in advance..

P.S. : is an open bench and my room temp is around 20-22.

[gtj]

Hi guys.. i rly appreciate what u are doing here, and i think this thread helped many ppl, and i want to think that i am one of them but this days i am very frustrated because of my results...

I have a E6600 on a XBX2 cupled with a pair of 2x1Gb G.Skill 6400-BHK

I've been running these very stable (16h Orthos - large) :
Vcc=1,525
Enhanced Power Slope=Enable
MCH=1,575
vFSB=1,272
FSB=390

CPU=3.511Hmz

memory:4-4-3-5
vDIMM=2,16
Reference=266
Freq=533 1:1

But after i played a little with memory, trying divisors, etc my system was very unstable(instant resets) on Orthos - large, even with the same settings that i knew for sure they were stable..

I thought it was the memory but i tested every stick individualy and they were ok.. i dont know what to think.. i checked and rechecked temps, they are more than ok.

Pls if someone could help me - gtj?? (sry for my bad english)

Tx in advance..

P.S. : is an open bench and my room temp is around 20-22.

Hmmm. I'd try dropping your FSB back down to 340 or so leaving all other settings as above. Then work your way back up again and see where you become unstable. It's possible you were on the edge at 390.

[nealh]

GTJ..is there any keys to using 4 x 1GB of ram on this board?

[L'enFer]

ChaosMinionX, thanx, man. so, i think P5B Dx would be more preferable than XBX2 for Q6600 too?

[gtj]

GTJ..is there any keys to using 4 x 1GB of ram on this board?

The only thing I did different was to increase the Vmch slightly to help it drive 4 sticks. My 4xOCZ have been performing flawlessly.

[nealh]

The only thing I did different was to increase the Vmch slightly to help it drive 4 sticks. My 4xOCZ have been performing flawlessly.

thanks..I need ot see if I can decrease from 1.575 I am and maintain stability ..then see where i have to increase it to with 4 x 1GB....

[ChaosMinionX]

ChaosMinionX, thanx, man. so, i think P5B Dx would be more preferable than XBX2 for Q6600 too?

More than likely because of the High FSB capabilities and the ability to change the multi.

[aicjofs]

Originally Posted by nealh
GTJ..is there any keys to using 4 x 1GB of ram on this board?

The only thing I did different was to increase the Vmch slightly to help it drive 4 sticks. My 4xOCZ have been performing flawlessly.

Both my Ballistix sets were stable by themselves 500Mhz 4-4-4-10 at 2.2V and vMCH of 1.5V in Memtest for ~4 hours testing each set(2x1GB then other 2x1GB). When all 4 were in I tried vMCH all the way up to 1.7V and couldn't get them to pass(specifically good old test 5). I tried 4-4-4-12, 4-4-4-15, 4-4-4-18, and got improvements but still not stable. Then I thoguht perhaps memory voltage was drooping. Moved up from 2.2V in increments in BIOS, and at 2.32V I had all stable for 20hour memtest at 4-4-4-12 with vMCH at 1.6V

[Chas_The_Man]

2.32V :-) Yipes.. with Ram prices dropping, I will have to try that. Pzzzzzzzt...

Would you run 24x7 like that?

[BAR*B*Q]

did anybody make a small vdimm measuring table (set/idle/load) with this board ?

[ChaosMinionX]

2.32V :-) Yipes.. with Ram prices dropping, I will have to try that. Pzzzzzzzt...

Would you run 24x7 like that?

Most companies flagship models run 2.3-2.4V on air/water cooling. 2.32v isnt that bad with proper cooling.

[ninjaskija]

Hmmm. I'd try dropping your FSB back down to 340 or so leaving all other settings as above. Then work your way back up again and see where you become unstable. It's possible you were on the edge at 390.

tx.. i am already doing that but straight to 350 at stock volts except vcore witch is 1,4 in bios (still running orthos large for 11 h)..

P.S.: SB is very hot even at stock.. is that normal??

[aicjofs]

2.32V :-) Yipes.. with Ram prices dropping, I will have to try that. Pzzzzzzzt...

Would you run 24x7 like that?

Yes with current prices I feel much more comfortable running 24/7. Back when these 4 sticks would have cost $700 might have been a different story.

and as chaos said I have an 80mm right over top of them.