*** Official ASUS P5W DH Thread ***

[phile]

Originally posted by: greg20

Right now I'm running the Orthos stress test, 29 minutes into it and everything seems ok. CoreTemp is reporting each core at 79C though (stock cooling, plastic removed, north/south bridge not reseated with AS5 yet (waiting a bit on that to see how the board is on its own)).

I'll probably end up with an aftermarket HSF as well.

Your core temps are very high for stock speeds and voltages. You may want to check your HSF to make sure that it's making good contact with the CPU heatspreader. Many people have needed a few attempts to get the stock cooler properly mounted. An aftermarket cooler is definitely the way to go, since you plan to overclock. With my current setup (see my rig) my load core temps, when running Orthos Small FFTs, never exceed 60C.

-phil

 

[greg20]

Alright, I've only tried seating it once, I'll take another look at that.

As far as the memory goes, I think I've found the culprit. Here are my test results:

Test 1 (both DIMMs): 2.0V, 2 errors at 835.6 MB in Test 6
Test 2 (both DIMMs): 2.1V, 2 errors at 835.6 MB in Test 7
Test 3 (one DIMM): 2.1V, No errors
Test 4 (other DIMM): 2.1V, 1 error at 929.7 MB in Test 5, 1 error at 945.7 MB in Test 5, 2 errors at 929.6 MB in Test 7.

Looks like the one DIMM is causing the trouble. I'm not familiar with how important it is to have an absolutely error-free memtest. I'm guessing I know what the answer is (yes), but is this an appropriate indication to RMA the pair and hope for a better set as a replacement?

Thanks.

 

[phile]

Originally posted by: greg20
Alright, I've only tried seating it once, I'll take another look at that.

As far as the memory goes, I think I've found the culprit. Here are my test results:

Test 1 (both DIMMs): 2.0V, 2 errors at 835.6 MB in Test 6
Test 2 (both DIMMs): 2.1V, 2 errors at 835.6 MB in Test 7
Test 3 (one DIMM): 2.1V, No errors
Test 4 (other DIMM): 2.1V, 1 error at 929.7 MB in Test 5, 1 error at 945.7 MB in Test 5, 2 errors at 929.6 MB in Test 7.

Looks like the one DIMM is causing the trouble. I'm not familiar with how important it is to have an absolutely error-free memtest. I'm guessing I know what the answer is (yes), but is this an appropriate indication to RMA the pair and hope for a better set as a replacement?

Thanks.

The errors are consistent, and reproduceable, suggesting that the failing DIMM is faulty. I would RMA the kit. A note about DDR2 memory: make sure that you power-down the PSU before removing or installing the DIMMS. It's not enough to just shut-down the computer.

-phil

 

[greg20]

Originally posted by: phile
The errors are consistent, and reproduceable, suggesting that the failing DIMM is faulty. I would RMA the kit. A note about DDR2 memory: make sure that you power-down the PSU before removing or installing the DIMMS. It's not enough to just shut-down the computer.

-phil

Thanks for the tip. I always power-down the PSU and unplug it before I get started. Looks like I'll be RMAing the kit.

 

[greg20]

I did a few more tests to rule it out, and it's definitely that DIMM. I tried it in the black slots (was using the orange slots), and also I read something on the Corsair forums about trying it with a 1:1 ratio. So I tried it with FSB 266 / DDR2 533 and that didn't help.

Any opinion on if it's preferable to deal with Newegg RMA or send it back to Corsair (or are they both good)?

Thanks.

 

[phile]

I have no RMA experience with either. I would go with whoever will agree to cross-ship you a new kit.

-phil

 

[pschweig]

I have built a new system with this mobo. I have 4 hdds installed. 3 sata all plugged into the ICH7 on the intel chipset. I have one ide drive which is plugged into the jmicron ide socket (PRI_EIDE in the manual).

The hdd was recognised during startup and all seemed well. However, my new system has suffered from daily crashes from day 1. Symptoms are freezing for 10 seconds and then responsive for 10 seconds and I've heard a noise like a hdd spinning down just before the crash a couple of times.

Sometimes after a crash the ide hdd is not recognised when I reboot. Today I started a download and when I returned to check I saw this error:

quote:
Windows was unable to save all the data for the file E:/$MFT. The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connections. Please try to save this file elsewhere.



Drive E is the IDE hdd. I looked in the event viewer and saw the same 2 messages repeated for several hours

quote:
An error was detected on device \Device\Harddisk3\D during a paging operation.



quote:
The device, \Device\Scsi\JRAID1, did not respond within the timeout period.



and also one of these

quote:
{Delayed Write Failed} Windows was unable to save all the data for the file . The data has been lost. This error may be caused by a failure of your computer hardware or network connection. Please try to save this file elsewhere.




Is this likely to be related to the jmicron controller or a faulty hdd? I used the disk fine for over a year in my previous pc.

I am going to try unplugging the disk to see if stability improves.

If so I might replace the disk with a sata disk. Will I be able to plug the disk into the jmicron or the Asus EZ Backup sata ports? It seems that they are all intended for RAID but I have no interest in RAID.

sorry for the long post and thanks if you made it this far

Hi

A follow up on the above problem. I installed an old 30GB IDE disk on the Jmicron controller instead of the 250GB. The PC seems to run stably with this disk.

I also installed the 250GB back in my old pc. Again the disk seems to be fine and stands up to data transfer that caused it to fall over in my new pc. So it seems to be a combination of the 250GB on the JMicron that causes problems. I have reported this to Asus but not heard back yet. Anyone have similar problems?

Phile - I tried to plug one of my current sata disks into EZ_RAID2 and then EZ_RAID1 sata ports. Both times windows failed to boot. Do I need to have all 3 ICH7 sata ports filled before using the EZ_raid ports?

thanks
paul

 

[greg20]

Originally posted by: phile
I have no RMA experience with either. I would go with whoever will agree to cross-ship you a new kit.

-phil

Yeah, that was my concern. Looks like neither of them will do that. I'm getting pretty far OT on the mobo here, so thanks for the help.

 

[phile]

I tried to plug one of my current sata disks into EZ_RAID2 and then EZ_RAID1 sata ports. Both times windows failed to boot. Do I need to have all 3 ICH7 sata ports filled before using the EZ_raid ports?

This is uncharted waters for me. One thing I'm pretty sure is the case: the boot SATA drive must be connected to SATA1 (the red port). Have you tried booting with one drive on SATA1 and a second drive on the EzRaid port? Also, it might be the case that you need to enable the EzBackup feature in the BIOS, in order to use the EzRaid slots.

-phil

 

[phile]

Originally posted by: greg20

Originally posted by: phile
I have no RMA experience with either. I would go with whoever will agree to cross-ship you a new kit.

-phil

Yeah, that was my concern. Looks like neither of them will do that. I'm getting pretty far OT on the mobo here, so thanks for the help.

Corsair will not cross-ship even if you supply them with a credit card number? OCZ happily did exactly that for me, when I recently had to RMA a kit.

You could also see if Newegg will refund the original RAM if you purchase a new kit.

-phil

 

[greg20]

I contacted Newegg and the live chat rep informed me that they wouldn't cross-ship, but that I could order again and the first pair would be fully refunded (not -15%, I specifically asked) upon its return.

 

[phile]

I'd go with that. Sure, you're getting one for the price of two, for a week or two, but at least you won't be without the system.

-phil

 

[greg20]

Yup, no problems there. Until I asked, I was just going by their stated policies. Conversation with the live rep is saved and will be pasted into my RMA request.

 

[yessir]

Originally posted by: phile

Originally posted by: yessir
Hello again...

My memtest of the module ran for 9 hrs and found 3 errors on pass 11. I will be running removing one module and run with just 1 GB and also switch modules position and re-run. Are there any other things that I can do? Do I have to RMA this with OCZ?

My mem module is OCZ Platinum 2GB.

Thanks

3 errors after 9 hours is quite arguably an acceptable situation, especially if you don't have any problems in normal everyday use.

Can you summarize whatever problems you're having?

-phil

Thanks Phil...I am not having any specific problems. I have just eased into the operation of my build and was doing the memtest and orthos as recommended by you and others in forum(s). But I have consistently got ORTHOS & memtest provide errors when I run 1:1. I am going to do separate DIMM tests and get back.

Thanks

 

[Billyzeke]

Thanks phile, for all your time in this thread. You've certainly helped me. I have a question I havent seen asked yet. Im running crucial ballistix DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 rated at 2.2 volts. Ive set the speed, timings, and voltage to the correct specifications in the bios (1305) and everything seems fine except when I look at "ai nos" the asus overclocking software it shows the memory voltage to be 2.30 . Im not overclocking anything yet, I just put this together this past weekend. My first build by the way. Anyhow should I lower the memory volts or is this ok?

Asus P5WDH Deluxe
E6600
Crucial Ballistix 6400
EVGA 7900 GTO
Audigy 2 Platinum
OCZ 520 Modstream

 

[red1489]

Originally posted by: Billyzeke
Thanks phile, for all your time in this thread. You've certainly helped me. I have a question I havent seen asked yet. Im running crucial ballistix DDR2 800 4-4-4-12 rated at 2.2 volts. Ive set the speed, timings, and voltage to the correct specifications in the bios (1305) and everything seems fine except when I look at "ai nos" the asus overclocking software it shows the memory voltage to be 2.30 . Im not overclocking anything yet, I just put this together this past weekend. My first build by the way. Anyhow should I lower the memory volts or is this ok?

Asus P5WDH Deluxe
E6600
Crucial Ballistix 6400
EVGA 7900 GTO
Audigy 2 Platinum
OCZ 520 Modstream

The problem is that ASUS makes terrible software, especially AI Booster. It doesn't report the FSB or voltages accurately. I would suggest getting rid of it, and managing your overclock via the BIOS, directly. I'll post my E6600 @ 3GHz config, as an example.


Advanced/Jumperfree
------------------------------
AI Overclocking: manual
FSB: 333
DRAM: DDR2-666 (1:1) or DDR2-833 (4:5)
vCORE: 1.35v*
vDIMM: [rated voltage for your kit]

Advanced/CPU Config
------------------------------
C1E: disabled
EIST (speedstep): disabled

Advanced/Chipset
------------------------------
SPD: disabled
Timings: [rated timings for your kit]
Hyperpath 3: disabled

* You may actually be able to leave this on AUTO, as the later E6600 manufacturing weeks seem to have produced chips that aren't as hungry for volts.

Before overclocking, you should establish that your machine is stable at stock. Run a memtest86 on your RAM - at least one full pass off the 10 tests. Then, stress the CPU/MEM with Orthos Stress Prime (blended test) - 1 to 2 hours minimum.

Memtest:
http://www.memtest.org

Orthos:
http://sp2004.fre3.com/beta/beta2.htm

-phil

 

[phile]

WTH? The above post is mine, but I am not red1489.

-phil

 

[Skott]

You been hacked!

AT website has been acting funny today. I was signed on at one point and when i went to reply to one post it quickly logged me off and didnt recognize me. I had to relogin. So, its been acting a lil screwy.

Unless you have an twin personality emerging...? ;-)

 

[raincityboy]

Wow that red1489 guy knows this board pretty good.
Text

 

[phile]

Ah, that certainly explains matters. It never occurred to me to check the Forum Issues topic. Bloody hackers. A pox on all their homes.
-phil

 

[nrs251]

Phil,

On your post

Advanced/Jumperfree
------------------------------
AI Overclocking: manual
FSB: 333
DRAM: DDR2-666 (1:1) or DDR2-833 (4:5)
vCORE: 1.35v*
vDIMM: [rated voltage for your kit]

I tried this config last night and it works really well. I got up to 3.6GHz with a FSB of 450 MHz with WC. I did have to run the memory at DDR2-667 (I have Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400 rated at 4-4-4-12 running at 2.1V). My config was:

Advanced/Jumperfree
------------------------------
AI Overclocking: manual
FSB: 450
DRAM: DDR2-666 (1:1)
vCORE: 1.47v*
vDIMM: 2.1 (thats in the Corsair warranty spec)
vMCH: 1.65V

My question is by running the memory at an effective FSB of 333 (DDR2-666) while the CPU is running at FSB 450 what is the performance hit that you take?
I was thrilled to see the machine stable at 3.6GHz in orthos for a 1/2 hr when all my prior attempts crapped out after <5 minutes at such high bus speeds. I feel that I am cheating myself of the higher memory speed when I do this but I wanted opinions on this board about the gain of higher CPU clock vs. the performance hit you take when you have to underclock the memory. I have found that the memory is the bottleneck, the limiting factor if you will, of achieving higher FSB speeds. Given the limits of the 975x chipset vs. the 965 is this the compromise that is necessary to push for higher bus speeds? On the flip side of this, what is the chance that the Asus people with allow a multiplier adjustment in the BIOS in future revisions for the E6400 on the P5W DH.

 

[Billyzeke]

The problem is that ASUS makes terrible software, especially AI Booster. It doesn't report the FSB or voltages accurately. I would suggest getting rid of it, and managing your overclock via the BIOS, directly. I'll post my E6600 @ 3GHz config, as an example.




Before overclocking, you should establish that your machine is stable at stock. Run a memtest86 on your RAM - at least one full pass off the 10 tests. Then, stress the CPU/MEM with Orthos Stress Prime (blended test) - 1 to 2 hours minimum.

Memtest:
http://www.memtest.org

Orthos:
http://sp2004.fre3.com/beta/beta2.htm

-phil[/quote]



Thanks for the reply. I just finished testing stability. Passed all memtest tests.

temps at idle as read by core temp and speed fan. ambient temp 73F

core temp
core 1 - 44C
core 2 - 41C

speed fan
sys - 41C
cpu - 34C


temps under load using Orthos
core temp
core 1 - 54C
core 2 - 53C

speed fan
sys - 41C
cpu - 43C

This was after lowering the vcore voltage to 1.225 as you suggested to someone else earlier. I ran Orthos yesterday with the vcore set to auto which was at 1.30v and my load core temps were 69C and 68C, also yesterday I had Q fan enabled. Today I disabled
Q fan and used speed fan. Do you think the vcore voltage adjustment accounts for the 15 degree drop or did speed fan play a part? Am I right in assuming it is safe to run at 1.25 vcore?
I have one other issue, and that is a long boot time. I have already disabled Q fan but the boot time remains unchanged. It seems to take awhile after detecting the memory.
Any suggestions?
Thanks again.

 

[luckyinfil]

I've installed 2 sticks of matching ram. One in each colour. When i use cpuz it still says single channel. How do i make it dual channel? also, how do i configure this mobo to have the fastest bootup? right now it seems to be going thru that pictre screen, then it shows the amount of memory, and then says smoehting about sata or somehting like that and detecting drives. How do i get it to boot up to windows faster?

 

[phile]

Originally posted by: nrs251
Phil,

On your post

Advanced/Jumperfree
------------------------------
AI Overclocking: manual
FSB: 333
DRAM: DDR2-666 (1:1) or DDR2-833 (4:5)
vCORE: 1.35v*
vDIMM: [rated voltage for your kit]

I tried this config last night and it works really well. I got up to 3.6GHz with a FSB of 450 MHz with WC. I did have to run the memory at DDR2-667 (I have Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400 rated at 4-4-4-12 running at 2.1V). My config was:

Advanced/Jumperfree
------------------------------
AI Overclocking: manual
FSB: 450
DRAM: DDR2-666 (1:1)
vCORE: 1.47v*
vDIMM: 2.1 (thats in the Corsair warranty spec)
vMCH: 1.65V

My question is by running the memory at an effective FSB of 333 (DDR2-666) while the CPU is running at FSB 450 what is the performance hit that you take?
I was thrilled to see the machine stable at 3.6GHz in orthos for a 1/2 hr when all my prior attempts crapped out after <5 minutes at such high bus speeds. I feel that I am cheating myself of the higher memory speed when I do this but I wanted opinions on this board about the gain of higher CPU clock vs. the performance hit you take when you have to underclock the memory. I have found that the memory is the bottleneck, the limiting factor if you will, of achieving higher FSB speeds. Given the limits of the 975x chipset vs. the 965 is this the compromise that is necessary to push for higher bus speeds? On the flip side of this, what is the chance that the Asus people with allow a multiplier adjustment in the BIOS in future revisions for the E6400 on the P5W DH.

I think you may have gotten a bit mixed-up. The FSB is the real CPU clock, and the effective FSB is the real clock quad-pumped (x4). The real memory clock is half the DDR rating. So, DDR2-800 has a real clock of 400MHz, with an effective clock of 800MHz because it's Dual Data Rate. When calculating the FSB:MEM ratio, you simply compare the real clocks. so, if you want to run the memory without a divider at FSB 450, you have to select DDR2-900. If I recalll correctly, you are using PC2-6400 memory, which is rated for 800MHz effective. Running it at DDR2-900 is a significant enough overclock of the memory that you will likely need to up the voltage, and loosen the timings. In fact, you may want to start by Enabling the SPD timings in the BIOS, until you get everything stable.

-phil

 

[phile]

Originally posted by: Billyzeke

The problem is that ASUS makes terrible software, especially AI Booster. It doesn't report the FSB or voltages accurately. I would suggest getting rid of it, and managing your overclock via the BIOS, directly. I'll post my E6600 @ 3GHz config, as an example.




Before overclocking, you should establish that your machine is stable at stock. Run a memtest86 on your RAM - at least one full pass off the 10 tests. Then, stress the CPU/MEM with Orthos Stress Prime (blended test) - 1 to 2 hours minimum.

Memtest:
http://www.memtest.org

Orthos:
http://sp2004.fre3.com/beta/beta2.htm

-phil

Thanks for the reply. I just finished testing stability. Passed all memtest tests.

temps at idle as read by core temp and speed fan. ambient temp 73F

core temp
core 1 - 44C
core 2 - 41C

speed fan
sys - 41C
cpu - 34C


temps under load using Orthos
core temp
core 1 - 54C
core 2 - 53C

speed fan
sys - 41C
cpu - 43C

This was after lowering the vcore voltage to 1.225 as you suggested to someone else earlier. I ran Orthos yesterday with the vcore set to auto which was at 1.30v and my load core temps were 69C and 68C, also yesterday I had Q fan enabled. Today I disabled
Q fan and used speed fan. Do you think the vcore voltage adjustment accounts for the 15 degree drop or did speed fan play a part? Am I right in assuming it is safe to run at 1.25 vcore?
I have one other issue, and that is a long boot time. I have already disabled Q fan but the boot time remains unchanged. It seems to take awhile after detecting the memory.
Any suggestions?
Thanks again.
[/quote]

Starting with the boot issue: do you have any USB storage devices connected? That's usually the culprit when suffering from long POST times.

re: temp change
The drop in your temps is definitely a result of both the lower vcore and disabling of Qfan. You have less voltage, and better airflow since your CPU fan will now spin at 100% rpm. Your temps are still a bit high. Nothing to worry about, but not as low as they could be. What is your ambient room temp? Do you have at least one intake fan at the front of the case, and one exhaust at the back? Good airflow through the case is key.

re: low vcore
Yes, it's perfectly safe to undervolt, as long as the machine passes stability tests.

-phil