EPOX 4PEA+ - Anybody familiar with???

[tedward]

I'm about to build a system around a P4 2.4b, after 2 successful AMD builds.

Besides using the P4 2.4b, I have:

Corsair PC2700 cas2, 512b
ATI AIW 8500dv
Antec Tue Power 430

I need the MB to have:

ITE RAID
SATA RAID
1394
LAN
Audio

The only boards I've discoverd so far that have all this are the EPOX 4pea+ & ABIT IT7 Max2. Not sure which way to go???

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[scharles]

Watch Out! The Epox 4PEA+ that Evan did his review on had the SATA working. The retail motherboard that is selling does NOT have the SATA working. The Manual even states that it has it, but there was a warning on their Wesbite that says SATA is NOT Supported. It looks like the ports are there though. Perhaps a future BIOS update will be all it takes to get them working.

Also, there has been some problems with the 4PEA+ and Corsair memory (3200 not 2700 specifically). May want to check out this thread on the ASUSBOARDS forums.

I was all ready to go with the 4PEA+ until I found these things out. I am going with the Abit IT7 Max2 v2. I am a little worried about not having a parallel port, but I found an old Belkin USB to Parallel Cable in the basement that I bought when USB was just emerging. It didn't work then, but under Windows XP, it works as well as my parallel connection with my old HP Laserjet 5L.

Good luck!

Steve Charles

 

[tedward]

Well I see we've both narrowed our search down to the same 2 boards. They seem to be the only 2 845PE boards with the configuration I'm looking for. I built an AMD system, 2 back, on an ABIT. Think it was the KT7??? Great board, great experience. So it looks like I'll go with the ABIT again. Guess I was attracted partially by EPOX's much lower price. MUCH rather have stability & problem free though! Good luck with yours.

Where are you buying yours from?

 

[scharles]

Whole System from Newegg

Check out this thread on Anandtech Forum about my system that I am ordering this week.

I was also tempted to get the ASUS P4PE, but it did not have an easy to deal with IDE RAID setup..you needed to get a SATA to Parallel converter to get a RAID working without any SATA Hard Drives.

Steve

 

[nealh]

The website said serila ATA raid is not supported but does this mean it will not support non raid serial ata...ie just adding a serial ata HDD but without a raid setup????

 

[tedward]

I ordered the P4PE & then dicovered the screwy IDE RAID setup. I'll refuse shipment & get the ABIT.