Asrock 4CoreDual-SATA2

[jimmor]

Originally posted by: Alex0915
Thanks! Are people having any issues flashing this BIOS on the sata2 mobo? I think I read of some on here. Would feel better if I knew there were alot more good flashes! Also, would the new vapor cooled sapphire 3870 work well in this system? I need a single slot 3870 so I can keep my powerful pci slot fan (60cfm) under the card. Another issue: I remember reading that either/both the 8800gts (which im also getting) and the 3870 need to have pcie bidirectional bus shut off in the bios or else there is alot of artifacting in games. Is this true and if so where I can I find it in bios-- havent located it yet.

Thanks!

Flashed my 4coredual-sata2 dozens of times, including to both lower and higher version bioses, with no problems ---> but you MUST remember to Clear the CMOS after flashing a new bios !

From what I have read, a 38xxx series card should work ok after mobo flashed with latest available bios.

On the other hand, a 88xxx card may not work untill you have flashed the 88xxx with a "Gen1" bios --> as well documented in many forums.

And the pcie bios option that can affect artifacting and thus should be Disabled is "PCI-E Downstream Pipeline".

 

[Steffche]

Originally posted by: jimmor

Originally posted by: Steffche
I have got flexibility disabled. But when I look into BIOS at RAM settings the only option I have is DDR400, DDR330 and DDR133 I think from memory...there's no 266 option.

To overclock your DDR550 at 1:1, Flexibility should be at "disabled" and Memory Speed at highest available setting of "400" !

Appears to me that you may not be setting bios latencies high enough for your 280-290 overclock ---> try 3-4-4-9 ?

My Geil ultra ddr1 memory will only run 1:1 when latencies are set at their ddr550 2.5-4-4-7 default rating; or higher. And depending on which lower settings I preset in bios (2-2-2-5 or 2.5-3-3-6), the mobo chipset would force a lower that 1:1 ratio. Since, at the time, I was more interested in running at 300 plus overclock levels, I was generally also more interested in finding "timings and fsb:mem ratio" that gave best performance, rather than just trying to run the memory at 1:1.

COol..thanx for the info..i'll try playing with Memory timings...

 

[dmarook]

Flashed my 4coredual-sata2 dozens of times, including to both lower and higher version bioses, with no problems ---> but you MUST remember to Clear the CMOS after flashing a new bios !

From what I have read, a 38xxx series card should work ok after mobo flashed with latest available bios.

On the other hand, a 88xxx card may not work untill you have flashed the 88xxx with a "Gen1" bios --> as well documented in many forums.

And the pcie bios option that can affect artifacting and thus should be Disabled is "PCI-E Downstream Pipeline".

Would I be able to flash a 88xxx with a "Gen1" bios by putting it in the PCI-E slot while I am using a AGP card to look at the monitor? Has anyone tried that at all?

 

[jimmor]

Originally posted by: dmarook

Flashed my 4coredual-sata2 dozens of times, including to both lower and higher version bioses, with no problems ---> but you MUST remember to Clear the CMOS after flashing a new bios !

From what I have read, a 38xxx series card should work ok after mobo flashed with latest available bios.

On the other hand, a 88xxx card may not work untill you have flashed the 88xxx with a "Gen1" bios --> as well documented in many forums.

And the pcie bios option that can affect artifacting and thus should be Disabled is "PCI-E Downstream Pipeline".

Would I be able to flash a 88xxx with a "Gen1" bios by putting it in the PCI-E slot while I am using a AGP card to look at the monitor? Has anyone tried that at all?

88xxx's that need to be flashed with "Gen1" bioses cant be flashed in a 4coredual mobo. With such a "incompatible" pcie card fitted, a 4coredual mobo just wont boot ---> and which is how people usually first find out they have a "problematic pci-e 2 " 88xxx card !

Of course you could be lucky enough to get yourself a 88xxx that doesn't need to be flashed with a Gen1 bios ---> so probably a good idea to give it a try before considering any "gen1" flashing ?

 

[lowrider69]

Originally posted by: Alex0915
by "this" I mean the 1.80 BIOS

My board came BIOS 1.60 and I flashed it to 1.80 without issue. I do it the old fashioned way ...from a floppy, I run the asrflash.exe from the floppy but the BIOS file is on my hard drive on a FAT partition. I just point it to it. I'm not found of flashing the BIOS while in Windows.

 

[cpmee]

Originally posted by: Alex0915
Thanks! Are people having any issues flashing this BIOS on the sata2 mobo? I think I read of some on here. Would feel better if I knew there were alot more good flashes! Also, would the new vapor cooled sapphire 3870 work well in this system? I need a single slot 3870 so I can keep my powerful pci slot fan (60cfm) under the card. Another issue: I remember reading that either/both the 8800gts (which im also getting) and the 3870 need to have pcie bidirectional bus shut off in the bios or else there is alot of artifacting in games. Is this true and if so where I can I find it in bios-- havent located it yet.

Thanks!

Yep, flashed from 1.50 > 1.60 > 1.70 > 1.80 no problem. I flash from DOS..


Be careful of the fan rotation on those pci slot fans. Many times they rotate in a direction that will actually work against the vga fan and slow it down.

 

[KDK Warhead]

I just built my 4CoreDual-SATA2 computer.
Original Bios 1.50: OK
Flashed to 1.80A (dos): Posted but XP hang during boot
Flashed to 1.80 (dos); OK
1.80A is a hacked version with speedsteep support (http://www.pc-treiber.net/download_kategorie_143.html).

Do 1.80A work for anyone?
(I used default settings before and after flashing)

 

[KDK Warhead]

A strange thing:
Bios reports:
CPU type: Q6600 @ 2.4GHz
CPU speed: 2400MHz
DDRII1 1024MB/333MHz (DDRII667)
DDRII2 1024MB/333MHz (DDRII667)

XP, RightMark CPU Clock Utility, 3DMarks 2006 and others reports:
2.3GHz

Bios 1.80 defalut setting then:
Changed DRAM Freq from 266MHZ to 333MHz
Flexibility Option Enabled (XP hang during boot when disabled)

I'm missing 100MHz CPU speed?

 

[hrbngr]

Have a ASRock mobo flashed to 1.80 via windows flash, running a E2140 w/a BSEL mod.

Currently I have 2x 1GB Kingston Value RAM sticks that will pass Memtest on 20 passes each of test #5. However, when both sticks are installed, I start getting errors when running test #5.

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[cpmee]

Originally posted by: KDK Warhead
A strange thing:
Bios reports:
CPU type: Q6600 @ 2.4GHz
CPU speed: 2400MHz
DDRII1 1024MB/333MHz (DDRII667)
DDRII2 1024MB/333MHz (DDRII667)

XP, RightMark CPU Clock Utility, 3DMarks 2006 and others reports:
2.3GHz

Bios 1.80 defalut setting then:
Changed DRAM Freq from 266MHZ to 333MHz
Flexibility Option Enabled (XP hang during boot when disabled)

I'm missing 100MHz CPU speed?

Yes, which is normal for the quads. Just up your fsb to compensate.


As far as bios 1.80a, you just may have had a corrupted download or the file on the site is corrupted. Others have reported it as working fine, but I dont know if they had quad core.

 

[KDK Warhead]

31 minutes from question to a good answer... thats FAST!
Thanks Cpmee!

(I think I read that about Quads before, I just didn't remember it).

 

[cpmee]

Originally posted by: hrbngr
Have a ASRock mobo flashed to 1.80 via windows flash, running a E2140 w/a BSEL mod.

Currently I have 2x 1GB Kingston Value RAM sticks that will pass Memtest on 20 passes each of test #5. However, when both sticks are installed, I start getting errors when running test #5.

Has anyone else had this problem?

A failure on test #5 can also mean a weak psu, especially either the 12volt or 3.3volt rail.

Try swapping the position of the sticks, that sometimes works.

 

[Alex0915]

Thanks! Is it recommended to flash incrementally or can I just flash directly from 1.50 to 1.80? Also, is it better to flash from Windows or from DOS?

BTW I have a Q6600 and got the cpu to reach stock speeds just by switching the speed in bios from default to manual... no need for changing the 266mhz bus speed! Gained me another 200pts in 3dmark06 with my x1950pro...now up to 5500!

If you have the 3870 or 8800GTS, is there some setting in bios for the pcie slot you need to set to keep it from artifacting or does it work fine as is? Thanks!

 

[cpmee]

Originally posted by: Alex0915
Thanks! Is it recommended to flash incrementally or can I just flash directly from 1.50 to 1.80? Also, is it better to flash from Windows or from DOS?

BTW I have a Q6600 and got the cpu to reach stock speeds just by switching the speed in bios from default to manual... no need for changing the 266mhz bus speed! Gained me another 200pts in 3dmark06 with my x1950pro...now up to 5500!

If you have the 3870 or 8800GTS, is there some setting in bios for the pcie slot you need to set to keep it from artifacting or does it work fine as is? Thanks!

You can flash directly to 1.80.

I like to flash from DOS, always have.

 

[Steffche]

No matter what I do I cant get the RAM to run at 1:1 ratio....

E2160 with BSEL mod and two 512 sticks of DDR550 G.skill RAM and I cant get more than an hour of Orthos to run without failing...FSB set to 290Mhz...

Is that about right....I thought I'd be able to get 300Mhz....and its not my ram coz Memtest passes 10 times without errors...

 

[jimmor]

Originally posted by: Steffche

E2160 with BSEL mod and two 512 sticks of DDR550 G.skill RAM and I cant get more than an hour of Orthos to run without failing...FSB set to 290Mhz...

Is that about right....I thought I'd be able to get 300Mhz....and its not my ram coz Memtest passes 10 times without errors...

A fsb of 290MHz is quite good for a 4coredual mobo ---> means your 1.8GHz E2160 is now running 2.61GHz.

To achieve more will unfortunately require an increase in Vagp (northbridge volts), and also very likely more Vcore ---> both of which, are hard mods to your mobo !

And your Orthos failure probably points to either, there is not enough Vcore to sustain a constant high loading at 2.61Ghz, or, you need better case cooling and/or cpu heatsinking ?

 

[jimmor]

Originally posted by: Alex0915

If you have the 3870 or 8800GTS, is there some setting in bios for the pcie slot you need to set to keep it from artifacting or does it work fine as is? Thanks!

Already answered, read the posts !!!

Select Bios's "PCI-E Downstream Pipeline" setting to DISABLED.

 

[Alex0915]

I cant find this setting in bios Where is it? Maybe its not in the sata2 bios? (Just the vsta one.) Is this setting really necessary?

 

[cpmee]

Originally posted by: Alex0915
I cant find this setting in bios Where is it? Maybe its not in the sata2 bios? (Just the vsta one.) Is this setting really necessary?

Its there in the SATA2 bios, at the same place where you set your ram timings. Just scroll down.

 

[brokencase]

Originally posted by: Alex0915
Thanks! Is it recommended to flash incrementally or can I just flash directly from 1.50 to 1.80? Also, is it better to flash from Windows or from DOS?

BTW I have a Q6600 and got the cpu to reach stock speeds just by switching the speed in bios from default to manual... no need for changing the 266mhz bus speed! Gained me another 200pts in 3dmark06 with my x1950pro...now up to 5500!

If you have the 3870 or 8800GTS, is there some setting in bios for the pcie slot you need to set to keep it from artifacting or does it work fine as is? Thanks!

OK, someone else with a Q6600 and can run a higher than default fsb.

Now the big question Alex0915, how high can you go on the fsb and still boot the system successfully?

The highest I can get on mine is 277fsb...

Also, what kind of memory do you have?

 

[KDK Warhead]

Here are my current results "brokencase"

Mem Buss Multi Teo Real CPU Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Room Fan Bios XP
333 266 A 9 2394 2304 46 55 51 49 49 22 Low OK OK Flexibility option Disabled
333 266 M 9 2394 2400 47 56 52 50 50 22 Low OK OK Flexibility option Enabled
333 277 M 9 2493 2496 47 56 52 50 50 22 Low OK OK Flexibility option Enabled
333 289 M 9 2601 OK NO "_" Only get a "_" @ boot

Highload prg Prime 95 (Quad version)
Temp prg RMClock & SpeedFan
Q1=Core 1 and so on

Is there a easy way cut & past a Excel documnet to this forum?

 

[Alex0915]

Ah, maybe I need to update my bios to 1.80 first to see it? Is it under advanced/ chipset configuration submenu?

 

[Alex0915]

Im going to try it... havent oc'ed yet... just got the Q6600 up to spec lol. I have samsung DDR667 2 Gig of memory in dual channel mode, so I havent (yet) gotten DDR800 and changed the timings to make it work with tighter timings. Im using a windowed raidmax 868 gaming case with 4 vantec tornado fans plus a dual slot pci fan... so hopefully I can keep everything cool as I oc. I hope to at least get to 277... we'll see!

So far, I havent had any problems except sometimes my dual dvi lcds blank out just as xp is loading, but I think thats more an effect of the catalyst 7.12 drivers (8.1 completely locked my system up at boot up so a blank screen 1/10 boot ups with 7.12 is much more tolerable.) I just press the power button and system loads normally following the failed boot.

 

[Alex0915]

Is clearing the cmos a requirement if its the first time I flash the bios? I remember flashing my old intel mobo without ever needing to clear the cmos... maybe its a requirement with the asrock mobos?

 

[cpmee]

Originally posted by: Alex0915
Is clearing the cmos a requirement if its the first time I flash the bios? I remember flashing my old intel mobo without ever needing to clear the cmos... maybe its a requirement with the asrock mobos?

Yes, you should clear the cmos after flashing on all mobos. Then load the optimized defaults, then make your customized settings.



Is it under advanced/ chipset configuration submenu?

Yep. IIRC, it was there under all bioses.