A7N8X Hidden BIOS option

[Sniper]

Hi all, first post
My board is still avaiting vmods, but did som tests tonight.
Stock, no ekstra kooling and org tim on NB I can run 3DMark at 202 fsb.
Applied AS2 on NB, still no ekstra kooling, 204.
Dont know if they are submittable though.

Have Ruby caps and system spec as follows:
TSP 520 psu
A7N8X Deluxe
AXP 2400+ AIUGB 0244
Sapphire 9500->9700
2x256 Twinmos w/Winbond bh-5

This will eventually go into my Vapo when vmods are done.

[Mikee]

I have checked it with a voltmeter, the UBER bios does not change the VDD voltage... set it to 1.8V and measured, got 1.58V, same as with the stock bois'...

Thanks Nik...that answers a big question many have had.

Sniper, Welcome and thanks for your post all the way from beautiful Norway!!! Without your result being published, there is no way to verify your claims. What version of BIOS & other settings are you using? Also what RAM?

To get it published all you have to do is click on the "Go Onlline" button, and if there is a "Publish" box under your submission, put a checkmark there and click "Update."

[linkponder]

bummer, with that said, has Dem checked the 1001c bios tweak
to see if it just happens to be omitted code in the new betas?

[linkponder]

well, must be a liar. i had tried the other ubers and cant remember which i had. i think 001 so i flashed it. i cant get 12 multi to run pcmark and have not gotten 3dmark to not blue screen.

so far, 211x11.5 is only pcmark i can get and still tweaking to get 3dmark to complete. i get blank screens that seem to be looong pauses.

so, since i cannot prove it at this time, i eat my words.

so, here is pcmark:

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?pcm=1029322

so, :smileysex me

[linkponder]

well, here is a sandra i had done for mem

[linkponder]

and a cpu

[Another User]

Don't believe this, what a freekin nightmare


I was runnin 1002.001, rubycons, vcore 1.8V @ 200X11.5 - 6,3,3,2T with GF4 overclocked since release of beta a week ago or so. MUST have restarted the comp a thousand times and no problems..........not one!. Ran loads n loads of benchmarks, such as 3d, pcbench, all sisoft and it crunched through em all spittin out results higher than I had ever anticipated. Rock solid stable it was, and consistant. Could leave on 24/7 and it crunched seti workunits etc like they weren't there.

I thought everythin was good.......................but

For no reason (and I mean no reason, I altered no settings once I had the setup described above - I PROMISE!), my system has started to fail left right and centre

To start with, every time I boot, the post lady tells me I have failed the memory test. The pc continues to boot but she bugs like mad. With FSB set to 200, most of my benchmark progs and the loading dos screen when booting tells me I'm runnin at 199 - this also bugs me.

I get crashed out of windows every time I use. 3D bench and UT2K3 don't stand a chance. I've downspecced back to 190FSB and set GF4 to standard clockings. The performance at these settings is now much less than it was when I had 190FSB before increasing to 200 (if you know what I mean).

I'm gettin a bit hacked off.

I've done no volt mods by the way.

I flashed bios again last night to same as before (1002.001), just incase there was something corrupted within the version I had installed. Nope, same problems - DOH

Gettin a bit miffed at this board now! Wish I'd never got one at the moment. Why oh why is it trying to kill me?

Anyone else experienced similar scenarios?



:EDIT: - PC is supercooled. Got a Vapochill Pe, crystal orb on Northbridge and GF4. Active memory coolin kit in 2 x 512mb XMS pc3200. A couple of 120mm inlet outlet case fans. Things are cold in there so I would be really surprised if overheatin was the problem - so I don't think it is.

[Sniper]

I'll try to copy the 3DMark result file to my main comp and submit it tonight. The ram is as stated Twinmos PC3200 with Winbond BH-5 chips, running 4-2-2-2T @204, 2.8v. Bios 1002.001. Sandra scores are like 3100/2980 I think.
As for you believing my claims, I don’t see what a submitted 3DMark score can do. I could be running with vmods and watercooled NB ++
I bought 2 A7N8X, the other one was only capable of 180-185 so I sold it. Asus (or NVidia) must be having some issues with quality control as I don’t remember any other mobo with such big differences in performance. Seeing as the Epox 8RDA users also complain about problems reaching 200+ I think maybe NVidia has some trouble with yields.

[Mikee]

Sniper, don't get all honked off...there has just been a lot of inflated claims with no backing thrown around and leading to a lot of confusion and misinformation. Yeah you could do a volt mod and we wouldn't know...that would be pretty silly given that we are all trying to figure this out together.

Hey Another, you probably already did this, and I hope it is not a major problem, but also make sure you cleared the CMOS with the battery removal, move jumper over and back before replacing battery just to be sure. I don't like the sound of that situation though.

[Another User]

Originally posted by Mikee
Sniper, don't get all honked off...there has just been a lot of inflated claims with no backing thrown around and leading to a lot of confusion and misinformation. Yeah you could do a volt mod and we wouldn't know...that would be pretty silly given that we are all trying to figure this out together.

Hey Another, you probably already did this, and I hope it is not a major problem, but also make sure you cleared the CMOS with the battery removal, move jumper over and back before replacing battery just to be sure. I don't like the sound of that situation though.

Cheers for the advise Mikee but already tried that one, forgot to mention it in my post. I'm gutted at the moment. I'm hoping everthin will be ok in the end, cos I've got no money left. Before buildin my spec PC, I read reviews and forum threads for info on all products I got. I heard nothing but rave reviews about this board and thus far it's giving me nothing but bother. First I find out I've got the rubycons and then all this. I hate it when these kinda problems emerge after you have bought somethin. It's always the way

Hay ho

[Mikee]

It's not much consolation, but I personally don't think the rubycons make a lot of difference in practical use. look at my test scores.

If you back down to 190 and standard Video settings, and it is running without the errors, then I would start leaning towards a cooling problem with conductive paste not applied well. Can you use that new MBM to see what your cpu die temps are to know?

I can't think of anything else that would allow you to run ok at 190, but not at 200. I'm keeping mine at about 197x11.5 or 11.0 even with water cooling applied AS-3 to all contact surfaces.

Do you have good power supply and running it out of a good battery UPS to condition the current and prevent spikes?

[Sniper]

Sniper, don't get all honked off...

I'm not, there was a smily at the end
And yes, i appreciate theese efforts, thats why I contributed with my own experiences.

[shortcircuit]

I get zero overlock improvement by increasing VDD in the bios... I'm going to rig something up to measure the VDD voltage to see if it even works.

I noticed that nobody mentioned one other cool hidden bios option... you can change the MAC address on your onboard NIC. I used modbin6 to edit my bios (since I could find an "Uber" version for the non-deluxe a7n8x). I enabled the options for changing the MAC address and it worked fine... now, if I only had a reason to want to change my MAC address.....

If anybody wants my modded bios let me know, I've modded the 1002 Beta 004 bios to include the VDD option and the MAC Address option...

And regarding high fsb and 3dmark, here's a 12K run using a GF3 Ti500 at 214FSB... on my old A7N8X which almost started on fire after using it for less than a week. New board won't go much past 181FSB...
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=5601030

[Mikee]

...on my old A7N8X which almost started on fire after using it for less than a week

LOL...that's a great visual. You had to RMA that old one? Nice OC! What volt mods did you have set up for that? I still can't imagine trying to solder onto such tiny wires and pins to do a volt mod.

One other thing I have been reading is the 1002.004 BIOS has not been well regarded in terms of bugs and problems. I'm still using the .001 which is great by me.

Where is everyone getting their A7N8X's that are so easy to RMA? I would think they would make it hard to RMA. I noticed a long list of exclusionary rules at NewEgg where I got mine...but so far, so good.

[linkponder]

lol, now that is funny! ok, my update after dinking last night is that 211x11 and up is giving me nv*.sys BSODs. I was kooking pretty good after tweaking last week. When Mikee put me on the spot , I tried getting the orbs online. Well, now I am getting harsh screen flickers in winblows (seems like minute pauses) and random BSOD when running 3dmark. Is this a vid issue? I think I set my noose when going from uber001 to uber003/004. Since those, I have had all types of hell. I can still run stable at 200x12, but as that doesn't impress me (anymore).

[Mikee]

Link, welcome to the club. I think it is a chipset limitation, because I don't think even the other boards that OC better like the Epox have had high FSB on a completed 3dMark2001 test. In fact, shortcircuit's might be the highest FSB I have seen so far that is published.

I think you should be VERY happy with running 200x12 stable. There is really no program that is gonna come close to using that much power right now. And 2400 MHz is a far cry above the default that my 2700 comes with (13x166=2158)

I personally do better in demanding games like BF1942 with 198x11.5 which I also have to use for a better 3dMark score since I OC the Radeon. If I go up to 200FSB and OC the Radeon much, there is too much artifact defects, and the score plummets.

Hey also, I have read problems with the .004 version in several threads here and in other forums. If you need the 1002.001 deluxe, I'll be glad to send it to you (or anyone).

[shortcircuit]

My last board had the 1002.001 bios on it, by the time I got the new board they had removed it from their site and replaced it with the 1002.004 bios.

If anybody(Mikee) has a copy of the 1002.001 bios for non-deluxe boards, please post it or PM me!! Maybe that is why I am having so many problems with this board.

Mikee, I returned the board to the shop where I bought it, ASUS probably wouldn't have replaced it. I had only done the vcore mod and lapped the NB...

[Pjotr]

Originally posted by Another User
Don't believe this, what a freekin nightmare

(yada yada yada...)

Anyone else experienced similar scenarios?

Yes, my first board was stable 12 hours then died. DIED. RMAd it.

My second board has always had the problem you describe, but worse. I seldom boot anything but 100 MHz FSB etc etc. It seems you have also been struck by the problems a lot of A7N8X users have, often causing RMA. Tonight I hope to have a replacement BIOS chip, if it helps I will post here, if not I've got the RMA approved already.

[Another User]

please don't flame me. I'm knew to this business. What does RMA mean? I hear it all over the place.

Hope you get success from tryin a new bios chip pjotr. Please post back with your results - thanx

[BrainStorm]

RMA = return material authorization. What you have to get from a vendor before you return something that you have toasted

[Mikee]

Mikee, I returned the board to the shop where I bought it, ASUS probably wouldn't have replaced it. I had only done the vcore mod and lapped the NB...

LMAO....I loved the part where you said so innocently: "I had only done the vcore mod and lapped the NB"

It's a good thing the girl at the store probably didn't know the difference between the silicone on the mobo and the silicone in her bra. LMAO :smileysex

I wonder what happens when retail stores try to retun mobo's that have evidence of OC'ing to whoever they return them to, that actually have people who know what to look for.

Bolstered by the RMA question (which at one time I didn't know what that meant either)....what does "lapped the Northbridge" mean? I'm guessing putting on a new cooling fan/HS or maybe you mean you volt modded it. But don't you volt mod the CPU or RAM as a first step?

[terramir]

Guys I don't know about you
but I'm having some problems myself
I can get the following working
xp2400 10.0x @200
but I can't get the memory past 150 grrrrrrrrrr
ergo 75 %
in sync I can get it to 166x12 but I wanted 200x 10.0 grr
two corsair xms 3500 modules c2 grrr and not working grrrrr
help
terramir
I'm running the beta bios myself
the 1002.001 and I'm not having a chance to get more grrrr

[sysfailur]

Mikee, it's easy as pie to RMA things to newegg. I've RMA'ed the same gf4 4600 like 5 times :P

Btw, I'm having lots of probs on my A7N8X (although I did get it up to 240mhz in post... W/O the chipset vmod)... ?!

[sysfailur]

Another User,

I am having that problem as we speak w/ the post lady telling me that my system memory fails. The only way I'm getting back into my bios is if I do some crazy power and and off and bios erasing. I'm gonna try putting a bios back into it that might work better, the beta 001. Since that's what everyone seems to be having luck with.

I'm sure if I fiddle with it enough I'll get it to work.

[linkponder]

from what i have read, and don't quote me on this, is that the error has existed all along, but only now, with the 1002.xxx bioses, is it that the voice output has been activated. again, not sure, just what i read. either way, i ignore the message because i know me mem is fine.