*** Official ASUS A7N8X/Deluxe (nForce2) Thread ***

[Tetsuo316]

I was finally able to update my BIOS. I did two things differently: 1) I loaded the setup defaults before I loaded awdflash, and 2) I chose not to save the previous BIOS. My guess is I was being stupid for not loading the default settings previously, but on my old A7V I was not required to do that. I didn't have to do that to update my BIOS on the ABIT KR7A-RAID either. If it was because I didn't save the old BIOS, then that's a serious error in programming. In any case, I'm cruising along with the 1004 BIOS now.

 

[Lightingguy]

Great thread!

About to get this M/B and a Barton 2500+. Any suggestions for install would be appreciated. Also will use a new SATA 80 GB HD and 512 MB 3200 ram, good air cooling (have it already), XP Pro.

Thanks,
LGuy

 

[Psychosylph]

Originally posted by: Tetsuo316
I was finally able to update my BIOS. I did two things differently: 1) I loaded the setup defaults before I loaded awdflash, and 2) I chose not to save the previous BIOS. My guess is I was being stupid for not loading the default settings previously, but on my old A7V I was not required to do that. I didn't have to do that to update my BIOS on the ABIT KR7A-RAID either. If it was because I didn't save the old BIOS, then that's a serious error in programming. In any case, I'm cruising along with the 1004 BIOS now.

Lucky bastard!!

Anyway, here is a better Link for recovering from a bad BIOS flash on this board. Will be trying a couple of them this evening... (grumble, grumble, bitch, whine, moan...)

 

[farmercal]

amcdonald I heard that people were getting the revision 2.0 on the deluxe from NewEgg also but that is incorrect. I just received my motherboard from NewEgg and it is the older version 1.06. I am not happy about this situation and emailed NewEgg concerning my displeasure - we will see what happens. I can't see how they can be shipping the version 2.0 and then get a shipment from Asus of the older version 1.06 motherboard.

 

[amcdonald]

Thats the post I was looking for farmercal, Thanks.
I'll call them and see if hey can specify the revision on the board they send me.
One quick question, I see by the thermalright guides & the a7n8x layout that my slk900u isn't going to easily fit on this board. I would get a different board but the positioning of the socketA works best for a cpu duct in my system.

Has anyone installed a slk900 on a deluxe? What steps are necessary to get it to work?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: amcdonald
Thats the post I was looking for farmercal, Thanks.
I'll call them and see if hey can specify the revision on the board they send me.
One quick question, I see by the thermalright guides & the a7n8x layout that my slk900u isn't going to easily fit on this board. I would get a different board but the positioning of the socketA works best for a cpu duct in my system.

Has anyone installed a slk900 on a deluxe? What steps are necessary to get it to work?

A user reported that he had to notch the fins a bit, but it did work after that. A Dremel with a sanding drum would probably be a good tool to use (safety glasses!!), or a hand file.

 

[pelikan]

Originally posted by: farmercal
amcdonald I heard that people were getting the revision 2.0 on the deluxe from NewEgg also but that is incorrect. I just received my motherboard from NewEgg and it is the older version 1.06. I am not happy about this situation and emailed NewEgg concerning my displeasure - we will see what happens. I can't see how they can be shipping the version 2.0 and then get a shipment from Asus of the older version 1.06 motherboard.

I've noticed that NewEgg will ship new stock and old stock at the same time. They get new stock before the old stuff runs out and which one you get is the luck of the draw. I think it is true that most people are getting rev. 2 boards right now.

 

[amcdonald]

I'm pretty sure thats why the a7n8x deluxe isn't listed as nforce ultra yet, whereas the non-deluxe is. They are probably waiting to sell off all the <1.06 revisions before they change the listing and price.

 

[farmercal]

Chiz - I know you have used the Rev 1.XX and the Rev 2.0 of this board. I just purchased this board from NewEgg retail and they shipped me the Ver 1.06. What are my chances of reaching good overclocking speeds with the Ver 1.06 if I choose to install it? I also purchased a Gig of Corsair XMS 3500 C2 RAM and a 2400+ CPU. Will this version PCB hold me back? You seem to well informed and your input would be welcome. Thanks.

Cal

 

[gordy33]

I just picked up this motherboard v2.0 to go with my 1800+ Palomino CPU. In the bios it lets me adjust the mulitplier, which suprised me because its not a T-bred. I'm afraid to save it on a lower multiplier. Anyone done this or know anything about it?
Thanks!

 

[amcdonald]

When a cpu is locked, you may still be able to change its setting in the bios, but after saving and rebooting the change won't take effect.

 

[squidman]

Originally posted by: farmercal
Chiz - I know you have used the Rev 1.XX and the Rev 2.0 of this board. I just purchased this board from NewEgg retail and they shipped me the Ver 1.06. What are my chances of reaching good overclocking speeds with the Ver 1.06 if I choose to install it? I also purchased a Gig of Corsair XMS 3500 C2 RAM and a 2400+ CPU. Will this version PCB hold me back? You seem to well informed and your input would be welcome. Thanks.

Cal

Not really. Its the same everything as the 2.0, except it doesnt have the native support of 400fsb (for future CPUs, Barton 3200+ and above), but its still easily reachable. About the memory: you got the 3500 which is equal to 433. Thats a lot. I overclocked my Samsung (known for good overclocking) to 200 (its pc2700 modules) without any problems. Though i wen back to 175mhz FSB - i dont need THAT much performance
Cheers!

 

[pelikan]

The thing about the Rev. 2 board is you do get higher FSB but it comes at the cost of some memory bandwidth. The user benchmarks I've seen so far from people who have had both boards show about 6% slower with Rev. 2. But I think the gains in FSB more than make up for that.

 

[Pilsnerpete]

For those of you with the deluxe board, WATCH OUT!! There's a bad download link on the Asus website. It takes you to the a7n8x-x driver page. It has a different size BIOS chip, so it might not work in the deluxe boards. Anyone wanna try it out?

 

[farmercal]

pelikan are you saying that the Ver 1.06 I currently have will utilize the PC3500 memory I bought better than the Ver 2.0 would have? I also understand from some posts that the Ver 2.0 northbridge and southbridge run cooler than previous PCBs, isn't this a fact?

 

[edmundoab]

its definately cooler for sure,
and the bios 1004 seem pretty good,

happy at this point,
but we all know they can continue to mature

 

[pelikan]

Originally posted by: farmercal
pelikan are you saying that the Ver 1.06 I currently have will utilize the PC3500 memory I bought better than the Ver 2.0 would have? I also understand from some posts that the Ver 2.0 northbridge and southbridge run cooler than previous PCBs, isn't this a fact?

I'm saying that at the same FSB, the older revisions are a little faster in memory benchmarks. But rev. 2 boards will run at sufficiently higher FSB to show more memory bandwidth.
I don't know about which chipset runs cooler.

 

[Sideswipe001]

Bios Update - 1005 is now out for the Revision 2.0 motherboard.

Only fix listed is on SATA RAID drives. Not sure what the bug was, but I've heard of it before, so maybe this cures it.

And I'm not sure about the bandwith being less on the 2.0 revision. The only direct comparison I saw was comparing the 1.4 to the 2.0 both running a 3200+; the 2.0 ended up much quicker overall, by a considerable margin in some cases.

 

[Huntress]

I had been under the impression that the version 2.0 board was the only revision that supports 400fsb, but according to this FAQ from ASUS's site, they all support it with certain BIOS updates: http://www.asus.com/support/faq/qanda.aspx?KB_ID=84470

I added this post because I had read in numerous posts in different places that 2.0 was the only one.

 

[pelikan]

Originally posted by: Huntress
I had been under the impression that the version 2.0 board was the only revision that supports 400fsb, but according to this FAQ from ASUS's site, they all support it with certain BIOS updates: http://www.asus.com/support/faq/qanda.aspx?KB_ID=84470

I added this post because I had read in numerous posts in different places that 2.0 was the only one.

I've been running my rev. 1.04 at 200 FSB since December (no mods other than AS3 under stock nb heatsink). The deal is that I got lucky and most older revisions have not been able to run at 200+ FSB.

 

[Huntress]

I wasn't questioning that... I was speaking only of cpu support. You could say I was changing topic.

NOTE: I really hate these all questions in one topic threads, while they serve a purpose, at some point they become impossible since searches only bring you to a 400+ post thread that no one is going to read from beginning to end

 

[Sideswipe001]

The older A7N8Xs don't "Offically" support 200 FSB. You can try it, it might work, might not.

Mine didn't, even with the newest BIOS. Got all kinds of weird errors.

Yes, support for them is enabled...but Asus won't go RMAing your board if you try to run an older one at 200 and it doesn't work.

 

[gael]

Hey all,
Just got my A7N8X a couple days ago. Very stable, and very easy to oc. Nice product.

2100+
A7N8X rev 2.0
Corsair XMS Platinum LL PC 3200

200/200
11 X 200 = 2198 Mhz
Vcore = 1.87
CPU temp = 41 C
Mobo temp = 19 C

Stable as can be at those specs with only air cooling ( Coolmaster X-Dream CPU fan, 4 case fans). Posts as a 2800+ but clock speed is actually equal to that of the barton 3200+ and with the same FSB!!!!

 

[pelikan]

Originally posted by: gael
Hey all,
Just got my A7N8X a couple days ago. Very stable, and very easy to oc. Nice product.

2100+
A7N8X rev 2.0
Corsair XMS Platinum LL PC 3200

200/200
11 X 200 = 2198 Mhz
Vcore = 1.87
CPU temp = 41 C
Mobo temp = 19 C

Stable as can be at those specs with only air cooling ( Coolmaster X-Dream CPU fan, 4 case fans). Posts as a 2800+ but clock speed is actually equal to that of the barton 3200+ and with the same FSB!!!!

Good job.

 

[tc17]

Originally posted by: PuterDoctor
I got mine about 6 days ago.
I turned on the power after getting everything just right and it died before post.
I checked all my cables and tried again,same thing happened.
I then took out all cards except video disconnected all drives ,checked all my cables and tried again.This time it wouldn't even try to turn on.
I then took out the memory and video card and tried.It wouldn't turn on.
I have the revision 2 board.I am getting a replacement sent.I really am wondering if I get one that does work is it going to go out on me when I really need it(the time most stuff fails).
The green LED is the only thing that works.

I've been very tempted to get this motherboard, but have read so many posts similar to this one that I don't know that I want to risk it.