*** Official ASUS P4C800/Deluxe (875P) Thread ***

[thai]

hey guys. man i'm glad that i've found this thread, though very late. i have been pulling my head off, and the people at my local computer store starting to hates me because i have been buying and returning so many memories from them.


the problem seem to be when the performance mode is set to "standard" or "turbo," the system would crash. when set to auto, the system runs fine, however, benchmark show that it run extremely slow.

ok it seems like there isnt a solution to these memory issues. what replacement board do you guys recommend? i would like via as the alternative, but of course i'm open to all options.

thanks guys

thai

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: mastertech01

Originally posted by: computer
Well I guess this thread is dead because they removed it from the "Motherboards" forum! :Q

Has anyone tried BIOS 18 on this mobo?

Installed 18 this morning... so far no problems.
No real changes to note running a Northwood. If you are running a Prescott you would have unlocked clock Im presuming (backwards unlock)

Notes on update....

1. I was unable to flash using afudos of any version...kept getting "unable to open rom file"
2. Installed using Asus update. Asus Update did not find it listed as an update and only offered version 16 via internet update.
3. Was able to flash from file downloaded to my computer.

I've had that happen to me before. I learned you have to rename the ROM file to a specific name in order for it work.

 

[FINGERS20]

I NEVER use all that automatic mullarkey for updating Bios files........Suggest doing it the old fashioned way by making a bootable floppy, copying over the new bios, renaming file and following procedures in the manual or here at http://www.asus.com.tw/support...echref/bios/intro.aspx

 

[mastertech01]

Originally posted by: computer

Originally posted by: mastertech01

Originally posted by: computer
Well I guess this thread is dead because they removed it from the "Motherboards" forum! :Q

Has anyone tried BIOS 18 on this mobo?

Installed 18 this morning... so far no problems.
No real changes to note running a Northwood. If you are running a Prescott you would have unlocked clock Im presuming (backwards unlock)

Notes on update....

1. I was unable to flash using afudos of any version...kept getting "unable to open rom file"
2. Installed using Asus update. Asus Update did not find it listed as an update and only offered version 16 via internet update.
3. Was able to flash from file downloaded to my computer.

I've had that happen to me before. I learned you have to rename the ROM file to a specific name in order for it work.

What did you rename it to? Its named P4CED18.ROM

Asus Update utility has always worked for me though, fortunately.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: mastertech01

Originally posted by: computer

Originally posted by: mastertech01

Originally posted by: computer
Well I guess this thread is dead because they removed it from the "Motherboards" forum! :Q

Has anyone tried BIOS 18 on this mobo?

Installed 18 this morning... so far no problems.
No real changes to note running a Northwood. If you are running a Prescott you would have unlocked clock Im presuming (backwards unlock)

Notes on update....

1. I was unable to flash using afudos of any version...kept getting "unable to open rom file"
2. Installed using Asus update. Asus Update did not find it listed as an update and only offered version 16 via internet update.
3. Was able to flash from file downloaded to my computer.

I've had that happen to me before. I learned you have to rename the ROM file to a specific name in order for it work.

What did you rename it to? Its named P4CED18.ROM

Asus Update utility has always worked for me though, fortunately.

I have to type at the command prompt afudos /ip4c800b.rom. Since that has always worked for me, I stuck with it. I of course rename the nfew ROM BIOS file name to that. I would NEVER trust flashing any BIOS in Windows. The old floppy way is the most reliable.

Anyone notice that BIOS 19 is now out?? I'll NEVER comprehend how these idiots and M$ for example keep releasing crap that has no business ever being released. You'd think someone, SOMEONE, would have the COMMON sense to say... "You think we better check out this version before releasing it??" So any of you that tried 18 may want to check out 19 since it fixes what 18 screwed up:
BIOS 19
Fixed boot order error when clear cmos and adjust sequence.
Add Item to control SATA delay time.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: thai
hey guys. man i'm glad that i've found this thread, though very late. i have been pulling my head off, and the people at my local computer store starting to hates me because i have been buying and returning so many memories from them.


the problem seem to be when the performance mode is set to "standard" or "turbo," the system would crash. when set to auto, the system runs fine, however, benchmark show that it run extremely slow.

ok it seems like there isnt a solution to these memory issues. what replacement board do you guys recommend? i would like via as the alternative, but of course i'm open to all options.

thanks guys

thai

You're not giving enough info and are leaving a lot out. What all have you tried? This could simply be bad memory or incorrect settings.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: Dr Hoek
I hope this thread doesn't die completely. With your help (I've read almost every post), early this year, I built the rig in my sig. It's a rock. Fairly OC'able AND whisper quiet. The Arctic Cooler was the final piece to attain "quiet".

Now I've created an annoying POST problem I hope one of you can help me solve. I had a 74G Raptor on SATA 0 (Intel non-RAID) as the boot drive and a 180G Deskstar on Primary-Master IDE along with 2 Opticals and a ZIP drive using the other 3 IDE "spots". I'm now on BIOS 1014. This was always rock solid. Then I removed the Deskstar and upgraded to the new Maxtor Diamond 10 300G SATA drive and put it on SATA 1. My son does a lot of video creation and I needed the room. Now when I boot cold, the POST initially fails to detect either HD, gives an error message stating as much then gives the insert system disk message. If I reboot, all goes as it should. If I enter BIOS on that cold boot, it takes a while to detect the HD's. The other dives detect normally. If I disconnect the Maxtor, all okay. I've reset all the settings for the non HD's from auto to the appropriate fixed settings where possible. I can now shut down for up to about an hour and boot normally. Any longer and the HD's fail to be detected on initial boot.

Any ideas on solving this annoying problem? There does not seem to be any way to set user defined settings for HD's on this board. The Promise controller and Legecy USB are disabled. Any chance a newer bios would help?

Thanks for all your help.

You may have a flaky battery or flaky BIOS that may need re-flashing. It obviously isn't any setting since it will boot OK sometimes. There's also the chance you have a flaky HD....it may be "marginal". Especially if you got it online and not in a store. We all know how UPS and FedEx likes to "drop kick" packages. The last time FedEx was here, I watched the guy perform OVERHEAD throws with the packages from the rear of the truck to the front, with the packages bouncing off the back of the driver compartment. :disgust: :frown: :shocked:

 

[mastertech01]

That bios problem didnt occur for me with 18, but I do run SCSI stuff

Flashed to 19 this morning to be safe.

 

[computer]

You know what really gets me, is they "in their infinite wisdom" removed UDMA 6 support on BIOS 14 on up and never put it back. So, our SATA and ATA133 HD's are running at UDMA 5 on the Native controllers. Mine is on the Promise anyway.

 

[Dr Hoek]

Thanks Computer,
I had already replaced the battery and tried a number of other things I had not mentioned. I have not yet tried simply switching the SATA ports yet. Also have not done any BIOS flashing. Drive itself seems great. Although you've reminded me I should do more extensive testing on it. Got it from Newegg (as ALWAYS) and package was perfect. If I change BIOS would you flash all the way to 19? You noted that 19 added a setting for SATA timing. Would this apply to bootup (and maybe help with my problem) or something else?

Thanks again. You, Xeon, Jhites and others really advanced my knowledge and helped me build this great computer. I'm getting ready to build another machine next year, maybe with a new BTX board.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: Dr Hoek
Thanks Computer,
I had already replaced the battery and tried a number of other things I had not mentioned. I have not yet tried simply switching the SATA ports yet. Also have not done any BIOS flashing. Drive itself seems great. Although you've reminded me I should do more extensive testing on it. Got it from Newegg (as ALWAYS) and package was perfect. If I change BIOS would you flash all the way to 19? You noted that 19 added a setting for SATA timing. Would this apply to bootup (and maybe help with my problem) or something else?

Thanks again. You, Xeon, Jhites and others really advanced my knowledge and helped me build this great computer. I'm getting ready to build another machine next year, maybe with a new BTX board.

First I'd try re-flashing it to the same BIOS you're using now since BIOS 20 will probably be out soon "fixing what 19 screwed up". :roll: 19 mentions it fixes "Boot order error" and "SATA delay time" so it may turn out that's what you need.

I haven't seen John and Michael around in quite a while.....no one for that matter on this thread. I guess many may be moving to the 975 chipsets but I haven't seen anything on them to warrant another upgrade.

 

[mastertech01]

This has probably been discussed in this thread, but I honestly couldnt read back through all of it..

I added two more sticks of ram to this board, and it seems I cant run the tight timings I was able to with just two. I guess if I had it all to do again I would buy 2 sticks of top performance ram of at least 512MB. As it is I can only run at SPD 2.5/4/4/8 and 217MHZ performance mode automatically disabled, rather than the 220 at 2/2/2/6 performance mode on and Turbo. Benchmarks really dont depreciate much however so I guess its no real big deal.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: mastertech01
This has probably been discussed in this thread, but I honestly couldnt read back through all of it..

I added two more sticks of ram to this board, and it seems I cant run the tight timings I was able to with just two. I guess if I had it all to do again I would buy 2 sticks of top performance ram of at least 512MB. As it is I can only run at SPD 2.5/4/4/8 and 217MHZ performance mode automatically disabled, rather than the 220 at 2/2/2/6 performance mode on and Turbo. Benchmarks really dont depreciate much however so I guess its no real big deal.

Welcome to the crowd. Also when you run 4 Double-Sided sticks on this mobo, the "Asus geniuses" DISABLE PAT. Now, you get more "bandwidth" and higher benches (according to Anandtech tests) with 4 total DS sticks, but I have not seen any tests that compare 4 DS sticks and no PAT, with 2 sticks having PAT enabled. In my tests, having 2 sticks DS and 2 sticks SS sticks (4 total) also disabled PAT, however these were two different brands. I don't know if 4 SS sticks would disable PAT.

You're always going to "complicate things" with 4 sticks since all 4 instead of 2, have to be perfectly matched, and the 4 are going to be the total cumulative lowest sum of the "weakest slowest stick" of memory.

I want a total of 1gb now, and I'm running 512mb. So, I'm going to have to go and shell out big bucks for 2 x 512mb instead of another 2 x 256mb if I want to keep my great timings and high O'clock. I have a hand-picked PC4000/DDR500 Ultra Platinum 512mb DC kit from Geil that's running @281mhz/DDR562 @2.5-4-4-7, and I'm not going to be able to find that again. My first pair only did 255mhz, then I RMA'd it for this I have now. If I want to keep this performance I'm going to have to do this all over again with the 1gb DC kit, since Geil is not going to be able to (or willing) to match an additional two sticks to these I'm using now, plus I'd even have to send them my current sticks.

The bottom line is, if you want the best timings and highest O'clock; the overwhelming majority of the time you're going to have to stick with two sticks. There of course can be the case when one just really lucks out ends up with 4 really fast, low timing, perfectly matched sticks.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: computer
The bottom line is, if you want the best timings and highest O'clock; the overwhelming majority of the time you're going to have to stick with two sticks. There of course can be the case when one just really lucks out ends up with 4 really fast, low timing, perfectly matched sticks.

.....unless, I forgot to add, if your PC is so memory-starved or bogged-down from apps that suck massive amounts of memory that an additional 2 sticks will speed things up just from the added memory alone, even considering the potential resultant lower O'clock and slower timings caused by the 2 new sticks.

 

[Dr Hoek]

I solved my annoying problem of my two SATA HD's not being recognized in time on a cold boot and it's almost too embarrising to post but maybe someone else will benefit someday. When I replaced the PATA storage HD with the larger SATA Maxtor, to keep the wiring nice, I used another plug on the same lead as the Raptor HD. Apparently, the otherwise nice PS in my Sonata case couldn't power up two hungry HD's on the same lead quite fast enough for the BIOS. When I plugged one of the HD's into a different lead, the problem disappeared totally.

BTW, my system below will run at 3.1 w/ 2,2,3,6,8 at 1:1 and >3.4 at 5:4 and remain cool and QUIET. And my family really loves the 21" Sony I got for this system.

Thanks again and God Bless.

 

[computer]

Are speaking of the POWER connector when you say "plug"?

 

[Dr Hoek]

Computer,
Sorry took so long to reply. Yes I meant power connector. When I plugged both drives into connestors on the the same lead out of the PS, I had the trouble. As long as i use connectors from different leads I'm okay. Seems strange.

I have not tried any BIOS after 14 yet. Have not seen any reason to do so. Will probably do so, though, soon because I need to do a clean install to properly update my catalyst drivers and some other software. My son downloaded HL2 and did an online update of the drivers in the process. Obviously not a safe idea. I'm stable after some fiddling around, but there are some quircks I need to get rid of. BTW, for ATI users, the latest drivers require the .NET download. The graphics in HL2 are amazing.

Thanks

 

[computer]

I thought I was using the latest software and drivers for my ATI AIW Radeon 7500 and they didn't require that .NET bull$h!t. They can take that and shove it. That .NET crap has nothing but problems every time I've tried to use it. So now, when I see something requires it, I do without the 'ware or drivers.

Yes that does seem very strange about the power connector. They all come from the exact same place, they are just paralleled off the same area on the PS so I can't comprehend how that would make a difference by using different connectors.....unless, there is something wrong with the connectors like a tiny intermittent short, or a bad intermittent connection.

 

[ntrights]

New beta BIOS (1020 beta 3) First impression: Perhaps slightly faster boot time then 1019..

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: ntrights
New beta BIOS (1020 beta 3) First impression: Perhaps slightly faster boot time then 1019..

They also have it on the USA site, which is a good sign since the last two times there was a beta BIOS on one of their foreign sites it was pulled due to problems and never made it to the USA site. How does one know what it is supposed to fix or address? Neither site says a word about why it was released. Maybe the jerks will finally put back UDMA6 support on the Native ICH5 controller.

 

[ScottFern]

What bios would you guys recommend for stability and performance? I am running Rev 1006. I believe its one of the first. I know I shouldnt fix it if it ain't broken, but I just really wanted to know if I could get anything else out of this mobo performance wise.

Also, what are your experiences with AsusProbe and the bios temperature readout. They are completely different. Which is the one to trust?

 

[mastertech01]

Originally posted by: ScottFern
What bios would you guys recommend for stability and performance? I am running Rev 1006. I believe its one of the first. I know I shouldnt fix it if it ain't broken, but I just really wanted to know if I could get anything else out of this mobo performance wise.

Also, what are your experiences with AsusProbe and the bios temperature readout. They are completely different. Which is the one to trust?

I guess it depends on the processor you run. I sold my P4C to a user on these forums, Big Lar, and he is running Bios 19 with a 3.2 Prescott with water cooling. He is running at 4100..

I have a question... does it matter what size your memory modules are as long as the ones in dual channel match and run the same latency? I have a pair of 512 PQI Im running in the black slots, and was wondering if I ran my Kingston 256 in a pair in the blue slots with all running 2,2,2,6 would that be a performance problem or conflict? I would think it would be the same as running multiple sticks of various size in single channel, without performance degredation as long as the dual channels have matching sticks.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: mastertech01

Originally posted by: ScottFern
What bios would you guys recommend for stability and performance? I am running Rev 1006. I believe its one of the first. I know I shouldnt fix it if it ain't broken, but I just really wanted to know if I could get anything else out of this mobo performance wise.

Also, what are your experiences with AsusProbe and the bios temperature readout. They are completely different. Which is the one to trust?

I guess it depends on the processor you run. I sold my P4C to a user on these forums, Big Lar, and he is running Bios 19 with a 3.2 Prescott with water cooling. He is running at 4100..

I have a question... does it matter what size your memory modules are as long as the ones in dual channel match and run the same latency? I have a pair of 512 PQI Im running in the black slots, and was wondering if I ran my Kingston 256 in a pair in the blue slots with all running 2,2,2,6 would that be a performance problem or conflict? I would think it would be the same as running multiple sticks of various size in single channel, without performance degredation as long as the dual channels have matching sticks.

All sticks should be the same size. Your memory timings in the BIOS all will have to be that of the slowest stick, and PAT will be also be disabled when running 4 sticks. So, it may hurt performance unless you desperately need the added memory due to system problems from running out of RAM.

DC mode memory is not the same as multiple sticks in a non-DC mobo. In DC operation, it's sort of like "paralleling" the memory, so they have to match or performance will suffer as can stability. That's why there are "Dual Channel kits" since even if you get two modules that are exactly the same, they are not going to be perfectly matched and will only run as good as, as fast as, and as stable as the weaker of the two modules. With DC kits, the two modules are perfectly matched and spec'd/tested together as one.

If I remember correctly, I think you can run 4 sticks in non DC mode on this mobo, I can't recall really. That may be an option for you, but again, it's going to hurt your memory bandwidth performance.

 

[mastertech01]

Thats Ok, a gig will do me fine for now, at least I can run the PQI at 2,2,2,5. Thanks

I am running an ASUS NCCH-DL dual Xeon EMT64 rig right now. With a utility called Tw865 you can enable performance mode on all 4 sticks BTW.

 

[computer]

Originally posted by: mastertech01
Thats Ok, a gig will do me fine for now, at least I can run the PQI at 2,2,2,5. Thanks

I am running an ASUS NCCH-DL dual Xeon EMT64 rig right now. With a utility called Tw865 you can enable performance mode on all 4 sticks BTW.

Oh. This is the P4C800 thread. Do you know if that utility will work with this mobo? Are you SURE it's enabled, did you check it with CPUz? On this mobo, it still shows enabled in the BIOS, but it shows disabled in CPUz, and it's known that using 4 sticks disables it, so CPUz is not incorrect.