"out of the box" support for Wolfdale?

[zeroneleven]

I'm still considering between Gigabyte EP35-DS3P (rev 2.1) and Abit IP35 Pro for a new build. I already ordered an E8400 cpu. Does anyone know if either of these boards support the new 45nm Wolfdale procs without having to update the BIOS.

What concerns me is the IP35 Pro site doesn't even mention supporting the 45nm cpu's with the latest BIOS (14). To me, it seems Gigabyte has a better and more up-to-date BIOS history.

I know the E8400 was just released, but I'm hoping someone knows whether or not these boards will work with the original BIOS.

Also if anyone has any experience with the IP35 Pro vs. the DS3P or DS4 boards, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[covert24]

Both are able to support them without a bios update according to both manufacturers websites.

Straight from the abit website on the ip35 pro

Intel's best processor for multimedia applications with up to 80 percent faster performance for highly-threaded applications and four processing cores to handle the most massive throughput, the Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor provides exceptional performance. With the IP35 Pro you are prepared for the latest 65nm and next generation 45 nm multi-core CPUs. With processors supporting Intel?s SpeedStep Technology (EIST) the IP35 Pro offers even more advanced energy efficiency.

i am also getting the ip35 pro paired with the E8400 chip. should perform awesome from what i have researched on both the board and the chip!

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: zeroneleven
What concerns me is the IP35 Pro site doesn't even mention supporting the 45nm cpu's with the latest BIOS (14). To me, it seems Gigabyte has a better and more up-to-date BIOS history.

That's because Abit added Wolfdale & Yolkfield with BIOS version 12 back in August.

http://www.uabit.com/index.php...id=48&page=3&model=381

 

[zeroneleven]

Also from the Abit website:

Core 2 Duo support list * Notice for IP35 Pro "N/A" under E8400 *

IP35 Pro CPU support list * E8400 NOT listed *

Just because Abit says these boards are "prepared" for the 45nm processors doesn't mean that you don't have to update the BIOS to support it. I want to know if it'll work with the E8400 right out of the box.

I don't see how a BIOS from August could possibly support a processor just now being released. And if it does, why isn't the E8400 on the support list?

I'm not trying to argue, I just wanna save myself a headache with my new build.

 

[SniperWulf]

Originally posted by: zeroneleven
Also from the Abit website:

Core 2 Duo support list * Notice for IP35 Pro "N/A" under E8400 *

IP35 Pro CPU support list * E8400 NOT listed *

Just because Abit says these boards are "prepared" for the 45nm processors doesn't mean that you don't have to update the BIOS to support it. I want to know if it'll work with the E8400 right out of the box.

I don't see how a BIOS from August could possibly support a processor just now being released. And if it does, why isn't the E8400 on the support list?

I'm not trying to argue, I just wanna save myself a headache with my new build.

its because they (MB manufacturers) hardly update their website with the latest info for each board.

Just because a CPU is just now being released into the retail channel doesn't mean that the MB manufacturers haven't done testing in advance with Engineering Samples, etc. Who knows, Intel could have been stock piling these CPUs for months now

 

[vailr]

The Abit IP35-Pro will certainly boot and run Windows, although you'll want to update the bios to the "final" version 16, whenever it's released. There's a version 16 beta 04, that's been out for several weeks now.
The only worry might be: if the particular board was produced before the bios version 12 was being installed at the factory, and has sat on a shelf at a retailer somewhere.

 

[Puffnstuff]

If you're contemplating buying one I'd ask the vendor if they can tell you what bios version the mb is shipping with just to alleviate any problems once you get it. Too many people have received mb's that shipped with bios versions that weren't compatible with the cpu's they bought to go with them.

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: zeroneleven
Also from the Abit website:

Core 2 Duo support list * Notice for IP35 Pro "N/A" under E8400 *

IP35 Pro CPU support list * E8400 NOT listed *

abit usually update the CPU support list once a month & they don't include CPUs that are not yet released at that time.
abit stick to NDAs.

 

[FormulaRedline]

I, and it seems many people, are having trouble getting the abit IP35 Pro to read the processor correctly. The computer will boot and run no problem, but the temperature, voltage, and fan speed readings will all either be out of whack or completely out to lunch depending on your bios.

 

[v8envy]

$10 insurance: buy the board and cpu at mwave, pay them to assemble and test it.

 

[Doclife]

You can buy the GA-EP35-DS3R (same as GA-P35-DS3R rev 2.1, just different nomenclature), which supposed to support 45nm CPU right off the box, here

http://www.ncixus.com/products...GA-EP35-DS3R/Gigabyte/

 

[covert24]

the ip35 pro has support for the wolfdales out of box. just got mine today and it all works awesome. 14s in Super PI stock settings

 

[GabeTheBabe]

I will speak from my experience from a few days ago. I bought the Gigabyte EP35-DS3P revision 2.1 from Newegg. I got my E8400 also over the weekend. When i had everything installed and powered up. I saw my BIOS is revision F1, and that is the first release for this model. The BIOS read my processor as E8400. I installed Vista without any problems. My system has been running stable for 2 days now. I can confirm that the Gigabyte EP35-DS3P revision 2.1 has Wolfdale support out the box with their first release F1 BIOS. Yesterday I just flashed to the F2 BIOS and smooth sailing so far with that also.

 

[toadeater]

Originally posted by: GabeTheBabe
I will speak from my experience from a few days ago. I bought the Gigabyte EP35-DS3P revision 2.1 from Newegg.

We knew the EP boards support it. We were wondering about the older revisions. There are still 2.0's on sale, and they cost ~$30 less than the EP versions.

 

[Timecop1967]

I've also got the 8400 installed and running bios 14 but temps are way off--reporting 127c and had to shut down the alarms. Otherwise boots fine and windows XP installed okay. Will try the beta bios 16 next. How long before 16 final...anyone know? Can't seem to locate the beta bios 16 at the FTP site can someone provide a link?

 

[vailr]

Originally posted by: Timecop1967
Can't seem to locate the beta bios 16 at the FTP site can someone provide a link?

http://forum.abit-usa.com/showthread.php?t=122393

 

[Timecop1967]

Are you currently using the 16 beta bios? Will it correct any of the temp issues? If not I may just lower my full running loud fans to 70-80% because I know the chip can't be that hot. After running the current core temp program it is stuck on 42C even after running prime 95.

 

[KenAF]

I don't think any of the current beta releases fix the temperature issues. Abit has told people it is working on the problem, but does not have a timetable on when the fix will be available.

 

[Timecop1967]

I don't see how covert24 has his running without any problems. I don't think Intel?s SpeedStep Technology (EIST) is enabled on my Abit Pro IP35 either possibly due to the bios error. Can someone else confirm this? I run CPUZ and can't get the multiplier to move with differing loads.

 

[Conroy9]

Originally posted by: toadeater

Originally posted by: GabeTheBabe
I will speak from my experience from a few days ago. I bought the Gigabyte EP35-DS3P revision 2.1 from Newegg.

We knew the EP boards support it. We were wondering about the older revisions. There are still 2.0's on sale, and they cost ~$30 less than the EP versions.

I bought my GA-p35-ds3p 2.0 december 30, and it came with the F6 bios. I can't say whether it would have worked flawlessly that way though, because I just immediately flashed to F9 after putting everything together with my e8400. I didn't see any good reason to install windows first since the website said that F9 fully supported the penryns.

The only issue I had was that it would not read the new bios from one of my flash drives.

 

[emenk]

I just ran the Ultimate Boot Disk for Windows (it's based on Win XP and Bart PE) on a GA-P35-DS3L Rev 2.0 board using a E8400 without updating the BIOS from F7. Officially F8a Beta is required. Some people have been told this won't work. Obviously it does. The other GA P35 boards are being shipped with BIOSs that officially support the Wolfdale processors, so I should be facing the worst case.

This is from CPU-Z:

-------------------------
CPU-Z version 1.41
-------------------------

Processors Map
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of processors 1
Number of threads 1

Processor 0
-- Core 0
-- Thread 0


Processors Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1 (ID = 0)
Number of cores 2 (1 core(s) disabled)
Number of threads 1 (max 2)
Name Intel Core 2 Duo
Codename Wolfdale
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
Package Socket 775 LGA (platform ID = 0h)
CPUID 6.7.6
Extended CPUID 6.17
Core Stepping
Technology 45 nm
Core Speed 2000.1 MHz (6.0 x 333.3 MHz)
Rated Bus speed 1333.4 MHz
Stock frequency 3000 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, EM64T
L1 Data cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 6144 KBytes, 24-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
FID range 6.0x - 9.0x
max VID 1.113 V
Features XD, VT

[snip]

DMI
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DMI BIOS
--------
vendor Award Software International, Inc.
version F7
date 11/29/2007


DMI System Information
----------------------
manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
product P35-DS3L
version unknown
serial unknown
UUID [Deleted by emenk]

DMI Baseboard
-------------
vendor Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
model P35-DS3L
revision x.x
serial unknown


DMI System Enclosure
--------------------
manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
chassis type Desktop
chassis serial unknown


DMI Processor
-------------
manufacturer Intel
model Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU
clock speed 3000.0MHz
FSB speed 333.0MHz
multiplier 9.0x

[snip]

Edit: I just noticed the 2000 MHz! The BIOS is set for a multiplier of 9 and 3000 MHz. Flashing the BIOS to F8a didn't seem to change anything. I am guessing the UBCD4Win is what is keeping me from using more than one processor.

 

[Binky]

Abit IP35 Pro & E8400

Bios 16 b04 gives me core temps locked at 29C

Bios 14 locks core temps at 49C

Both also show large vdroop. At 3.6ghz (9x400), I've got 1.28v for the CPU in bios, but I'm showing 1.20v in windows. Using RMclock to drop the multi to 6.0x (~2.4ghz I think) results in about 1.27v to the cpu (1.28v in BIOS).

This board was rock solid and worked great with muy 6420, so it's just a matter of time before they sort out the E8400 support issues.

I'm pretty happy that my chip seems stable at 3.6ghz with only 1.2v. All other voltages are stock (ram@2v).