EPoX "EP-9NPA+Ultra" NVIDIA nForce4 ULTRA Chipset Motherboard

[Azkarr]

All right, I had to remove my PCI NIC card's bracket to get it to fit my crappy case, but now the stuttering is gone. I even seem to have gotten an increase in speed; my ping in CS:S just got lowered by about 10. Anyway, is there a way I could fix the onboard NIC? I know there are some settings I could tweak in device manager, but I don't know what to do. I don't really want to use a PCI card, especially one without a bracket. I paid for the onboard lan, and I want to be able to use it. Thanks to everyone who helped!

 

[techfuzz]

Originally posted by: Azkarr
All right, I had to remove my PCI NIC card's bracket to get it to fit my crappy case, but now the stuttering is gone. I even seem to have gotten an increase in speed; my ping in CS:S just got lowered by about 10. Anyway, is there a way I could fix the onboard NIC? I know there are some settings I could tweak in device manager, but I don't know what to do. I don't really want to use a PCI card, especially one without a bracket. I paid for the onboard lan, and I want to be able to use it. Thanks to everyone who helped!

Actually it sounds like your motherboard is grounding out when its in the case. If you remove the motherboard from the case and hookup everything outside the case and the problem isn't there any more you have a problem with grounding.

techfuzz

 

[Azkarr]

Originally posted by: techfuzz

Actually it sounds like your motherboard is grounding out when its in the case. If you remove the motherboard from the case and hookup everything outside the case and the problem isn't there any more you have a problem with grounding.

techfuzz

I don't want to remove the motherboard now, but could a grounding problem actually affect the NIC and the audio? If it could, then why is the PCI card working just fine? Sorry, but I don't know much when it comes to these things.

 

[SPQQKY]

I wouldn't think a grounding problem would effect that either. I know when the board shorts to the case, it won't post, but I never heard of it causing NIC to stutter audio. Just sounds like the onboard LAN is going bad. Wouldn't be the first time I have encountered bogus onboard LAN. Seems to be one of the most common problems on a mobo.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

I'm building a gaming machine for my son using this board. Wondering which bios, and chipset drivers I should use? Any tricks I should know?

Here's the components I have

New parts
EP-9NPA+Ultra
Theralright XP-90 w/Panaflo 92mm M1A
Sapphire X800GTO2
WD 160gb SATAII 7200rpm
Enermax 460w whisperII ATX12v
Raidmax Samuri case w/2x120mm
XP Home OEM

Recycled parts
3200+ winchester (ran 2.6ghz 1.55v in my Asus)
2 x 512 OCZ Platinum rev2 (the good old TCCD stuff)
SB 5.1 live platinum
Dlink DWL-G520 wireless turboG PCI card
old pioneer DVD rom
old lite-on 24x CDRW
floppy


Thanks

 

[SPQQKY]

Latest BIOS are good. Also, I would just stay away from the 6.6x nForce drivers, the 6.53s work best for me. If your system won't boot with the RAM in slots 1&2, just try 3&4. Basically, your components look good and you should have an easy build.

 

[Davegod]

Do i read rightly that the 1.5v my board is setting vcore at is wrong for my 3700+ San Diego?

fwiw right now I'm more concerned about lower temps for cool & quiet, not overclocking. Everything is stable right now, but i'm getting ~42c with stock cooler, while speedfan seems to report Fan2's (cpu fan?) rpm around 1045rpm, pretty much all the time.


while im here, my Ballistix (2x512mb PC3200) is running at DDR200 2-2-2-8, 2T. If i set it to 1T timing, it either goes to DDR166 or i start getting errors when running games or 3dmark. is it even worth trying to fiddle with vdimm to get it going at 1T? Hmm, maybe i should just leave vcore and 2t and try to up the fsb slightly to compensate.

 

[SPQQKY]

You'll probably have to raise the vdimm. I have heard the same issue with Ballistix and several other boards. Try at least 2.7 and up to 2.9 and it should help, if not, could just be the memory controller on your cpu not liking it or possibly compatibility with the motherboard.

 

[Richdog]

What HTT are these boards hitting max?

I'm interested in one for an Opteron 144 and i'm looking for 310HTT+ using dividers. Will I have a good chance of getting some joy in that department?

 

[Su1c1da1]

Hi, has anybody used a 24pin adapter on a 20pin psu on this motherboard? did it ran good? I got my old trusty enermax and would hate to get a new psu just for newer mobos.. I know the DFI is a nogo.. just wondering on this 1..

 

[Azkarr]

Originally posted by: Su1c1da1
Hi, has anybody used a 24pin adapter on a 20pin psu on this motherboard? did it ran good? I got my old trusty enermax and would hate to get a new psu just for newer mobos.. I know the DFI is a nogo.. just wondering on this 1..

I don't think an adapter is even necessary; it booted and ran for me without one. I am using one now though, with a Thermaltake Silent Purepower 480W, and it's very stable. Try not using one first, and if it doesn't work, get an adapter. However, your PSU needs decent wattage and amps to be able to handle an adapter.

 

[bwanaaa]

Has anyone gotten this board to wake from S3 state with usb keyboard or mouse? I set the jumper properly, enabled s3 in the bios as well as the setting specifically stating 'allow usb to wake from s3'. I know the hardware is set up properly because the razer mouse glows blue when the system is in standby. the usb is getting power. However only a ps2 keyboard will wake it from its slumber. What next?

 

[SPQQKY]

Originally posted by: Richdog
What HTT are these boards hitting max?

I'm interested in one for an Opteron 144 and i'm looking for 310HTT+ using dividers. Will I have a good chance of getting some joy in that department?

I have had it totally stable at 340 HTT. It's a good board for 300+ if that is what you're aiming for.

 

[karelia138]

Originally posted by: bwanaaa
Has anyone gotten this board to wake from S3 state with usb keyboard or mouse? I set the jumper properly, enabled s3 in the bios as well as the setting specifically stating 'allow usb to wake from s3'. I know the hardware is set up properly because the razer mouse glows blue when the system is in standby. the usb is getting power. However only a ps2 keyboard will wake it from its slumber. What next?

Copy this to notepad and save it as USB.reg. Close notepad, double-click the reg file and reboot. You may need to go into the device manager and enable "wake from standby" in the power management tab of the mouse/keyboard.


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\usb]
"USBBIOSHACKS"=dword:00000000
"USBBIOSx"=dword:00000000

 

[Dagon]

I got my new PSU the other day and I just installed it. Still no video, I guess I will send in my motherboard soon as a DOA.

 

[jotosuds]

hey anyone using the new bioses? i'm using the 8/04/05 date bios, but i saw updates with this:

** Add CPU overclock up to 450Mhz.

what does that mean? are they talking about HTT or what?

 

[SPQQKY]

Dagon, sorry to hear about that, it does happen. I hope it doesn't turn you away from trying again, it truly is a good board.

jotosuds, it adds extra headroom for HTT and ups the vdimm to 3.2v. Good BIOS for me so far.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

I just completed building and setting up a system based on this board and I must say I'm impressed. The build and setup where a snap, absolutely flawless from start to finish. Big thumbs up to ePox Very nice board, can't wait to OC it.

 

[SPQQKY]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
I just completed building and setting up a system based on this board and I must say I'm impressed. The build and setup where a snap, absolutely flawless from start to finish. Big thumbs up to ePox Very nice board, can't wait to OC it.

:beer:

 

[sixth]

i agree...my system has been running for two weeks now, overclocked my X2 3800 to 2300mhz on the stock HSF, just ordered a new heatsink, wanna bump her to 2400, thing runs perfect, no issues, although my FILE SYSTEM benchmark on sisandra is only 75mb/s with two raid 0 raptors....dunno wtf that is about, thats the only thing that is concerning me...

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Sandra always gives me different scores anywhere from 45mb to 105mb on my raid0 raptors. Use "Roadkills" disk speed checker much more acurate.

 

[RocketsFan]

Has anybody used the EP-9NPA+ with a Seasonic S12 500w PS in an Antec P180 case? I'm trying to see if the cables from the PS are long enough to reach the power connector on the mobo. I've been hearing that it may be a stretch.

 

[gfngfgf]

Add one more 9npa+ fan to the mix. My build has been up for almost a month now. I love the board and all the extras. My only issue is that I get consistent crashes if USB2.0 is enabled in my BIOS, which is significant for me, but I have no reason as of yet to doubt Epox support (they've been helpful so far), and everything else about the board is good.

 

[shrimpsiumai]

What ram do you guys prefer around the $110 price range? I plan on using it for gaming (BF2 , fear, etc...)

 

[bwanaaa]

Karelia138,

Beautiful! it works. TNX! It is particularly elegant that your reply came the same day as the one fronm EPOX who suggested THE SAME THING.