The Unofficial ASUS P5N-E SLI 650i Board Thread

[Tyrantt00]

After dumping my AMD setup due to a fried DFI motherboard and volt dropping PSU for this Intel rig, I spent the last week or two toying around with settings and despite recommendations stating otherwise, it would seem as though I hit higher FSBs when I don't strictly use the black RAM slots.

When I first starting testing things out, I had my RAM seated in the slots closest to the CPU and after a few days of playing around with lower speeds, I was able to hit 3.1ghz(7x444mhz) with the stock cooler 1.325V Vcore(without that 100mV boost), and 1.5V NorthBridge. The RAM stayed at 800mhz and 2V. It ran Orthos stable for over 4 hours, although I did notice instability in the form of IE and Firefox crashing. I should note that everything seemed to run fine at 3ghz though. Then I came across the posts in this thread recommending that only the black slots should be used and thus I switched RAM slots.

Unfortunately, I couldn't go beyond 333-ish mhz without the system freezing up when Windows is loading. I tried increasing the CPU voltage and RAM voltage but to no avail. I also ran Memtest overnight and it found no issues. This time around, I decided to seat my RAM in the slots farthest from the CPU and am currently running my system with the details listed in my signature. It has run Orthos for over 4 and half hours now and I haven't noticed any odd issues while using the computer. While I don't get the benefit of Dual Channel support, I seem to get more significant frame rate gains in game benchmarks, not to mention smoother overall system performance with the higher clock.

Also, I does anyone else experience "freezing" when running the HL2 Lost Coast timedemo whenever there's any monitor software running in the background like SpeedFan, Asus Probe II(the aacenter.exe process in particular), ATI Tool, etc? The game always stops at the same spots and I generally have to press escape to bring up the main menu(which doesn't actually show on the screen) and then alt-tab to get to the desktop.

 

[Core2]

Originally posted by: Genuine Imitation
I would just like to say that resetting the bios via jumper on the board absolutely blows. Could they have put anything else closer to it so I can't get my fingers on that dumb jumper? First I take out video card #2, then I have to remove the SATA cables cause they're in 3&4 to fit the second video card. Then I remove the fan plug and the q connector so I have some room. Flip jumper, reset, reinstall everything. 15 mins later, I reboot and I can run 1T at 2.078 vdimm. <3 crucial. Overclocking starting all over again.

The SATA port positioning sucks too, if asus had used the entire board width instead of cutting 1/2" off, they'd have had plenty of room to put them somewhere where they don't get in the way of a dual slot video card in the 2nd slot. I would have gladly paid an extra 5 bucks or so to get a standard board with better SATA positioning.

I don't think it would be to hard to hook up a couple of two way switches to the back of the case. See if you have any extra reset wire switches just replace the switch with a two way switch . Your going to need two

Edit: Actually you can do it with one. You'll have to add a third leg on the wire that jumps the number two pin on the header so it always on.

 

[Core2]

Originally posted by: Genuine Imitation
Is there a newb's guide to speedfan somewhere? I'd really like it to remember settings and not have to autodetect all the sensors everytime I reboot.

I posted it twice in this thread look back through pages 10 - 20

Geeeesss I have to do all the work for you guys

install Speefan v4.31 and upgrade it to Speedfan v4.32 beta 8 by swapping out the original speedfan.exe with the Beta speedfan.exe
It is a great program to monitor temps ,voltages, and fan control

To Configure the Program
Just compare temps to ASUS Probe
Click on configure and select the temperature tab if you click on a temp selection and press F2 you can rename it to anything you want CPU, MB core 1 core 2 HD 1
next go to the fan tab and do the same thing fan1 click press f2 and rename it front fan and so on.
go to the speed tab and check the fans you want to control and set the min and max value and check the Auto variated
Select the Advance Tab click the drop down arrow and select the lT8712F at $290 on ISA
This is a little tricky and may vary with different fans and cases. Most import is if you make changes here that work, make sure you check, remember this check box on the bottom for each selection
OK these are my settings

Temperture sensor diode 1 Themister
Temperture sensor diode 2 Themister
Temperture sensor diode 3 Themister
FAN1 divisor 8
FAN2 divisor 2
FAN3 divisor 2
PWM 1- 5 Software controlled
PWMOUT 3M
Temperture offset 1 -3 0
Fan1 mult 1
Fan1 div 1
Fan2 mult 1
Fan2 div 2
Fan3 mult 1
Fan4 div 2
Revere PWM 01 - 05 all off
click ok
check automatic fan speed on the main page
and your pretty much done
You have to disable Q fan and Q chassis fan for this to work properly in the bios under hardware monitor

 

[Genuine Imitation]

Originally posted by: Core2

Originally posted by: Genuine Imitation
Is there a newb's guide to speedfan somewhere? I'd really like it to remember settings and not have to autodetect all the sensors everytime I reboot.

I posted it twice in this thread look back through pages 10 - 20

Geeeesss I have to do all the work for you guys

install Speefan v4.31 and upgrade it to Speedfan v4.32 beta 8 by swapping out the original speedfan.exe with the Beta speedfan.exe
It is a great program to monitor temps ,voltages, and fan control

To Configure the Program
Just compare temps to ASUS Probe
Click on configure and select the temperature tab if you click on a temp selection and press F2 you can rename it to anything you want CPU, MB core 1 core 2 HD 1
next go to the fan tab and do the same thing fan1 click press f2 and rename it front fan and so on.
go to the speed tab and check the fans you want to control and set the min and max value and check the Auto variated
Select the Advance Tab click the drop down arrow and select the lT8712F at $290 on ISA
This is a little tricky and may vary with different fans and cases. Most import is if you make changes here that work, make sure you check, remember this check box on the bottom for each selection
OK these are my settings

Temperture sensor diode 1 Themister
Temperture sensor diode 2 Themister
Temperture sensor diode 3 Themister
FAN1 divisor 8
FAN2 divisor 2
FAN3 divisor 2
PWM 1- 5 Software controlled
PWMOUT 3M
Temperture offset 1 -3 0
Fan1 mult 1
Fan1 div 1
Fan2 mult 1
Fan2 div 2
Fan3 mult 1
Fan4 div 2
Revere PWM 01 - 05 all off
click ok
check automatic fan speed on the main page
and your pretty much done
You have to disable Q fan and Q chassis fan for this to work properly in the bios under hardware monitor

Yeah I did all that stuff but whenever I restart speedfan has to detect everything again and all my fan speeds are back to 100%. I don't really care about the initialize time as much as getting the fans to drop back to 65% like i have them in the speed tab in the config.

 

[Core2]

Originally posted by: Tuvoc

Originally posted by: idiotekniQues
the temperature monitors like asus probe are inferior to core temp - usually the difference is 5-9 degrees C which is quite a bit.

but check out intels thermal analysis tool. it gives you the proper reading and it is the most likely to be compatible with vista already.

Yes, the difference can be up to 10C. I did briefly have XP installed (for a day or two) and two cores were 5C different and the other two 9C different.

Intel's thermal analysis tool ( TAT ) doesn't work on this chipset ( wish it did ) only works on Intel chipset's

 

[Tuvoc]

Intel Thermal Analysis Tool does not seem to work under Vista x64. It installs, but doesn't run. Something briefly flashes on the screen but disappears so fast I can't see it.

 

[Srfrbum]

Im not sure I understand you guys, when you are saying there is a max FSB. I'm at 429 FSB x 7 with no problem. Did I do something wrong ?

 

[Core2]

Originally posted by: Genuine Imitation
[

Yeah I did all that stuff but whenever I restart speedfan has to detect everything again and all my fan speeds are back to 100%. I don't really care about the initialize time as much as getting the fans to drop back to 65% like i have them in the speed tab in the config.[/quote]

You have a couple of options You can un-check the Set fans to 100% on exit in the options tab or you can enable QFan with optimal settings in the bios and your fans will run at lower Rpms until speedfan takes over in windows. ( I don't recommend this to much conflict between Qfan and Speedfan. Try and see what happens)

 

[Tuvoc]

Interestingly, on Arctic Cooling's web site, they state the maximum rpm for the Freezer 7 Pro as 2,500 rpm. With my quad core at 2.9 fully loaded for extended periods running a 64-bit chess engine, ASUS Probe shows it nudging 2,900 rpm !! Of course the CPU is generating a lot of heat, ASUS Probe shows 64C, so QFan is giving it the maximum - but above rated speed ?? I'm going to reduce this back to stock speed, overclocking a quad requires water cooling in my view.

 

[Genuine Imitation]

Originally posted by: Tuvoc
Interestingly, on Arctic Cooling's web site, they state the maximum rpm for the Freezer 7 Pro as 2,500 rpm. With my quad core at 2.9 fully loaded for extended periods running a 64-bit chess engine, ASUS Probe shows it nudging 2,900 rpm !! Of course the CPU is generating a lot of heat, ASUS Probe shows 64C, so QFan is giving it the maximum - but above rated speed ?? I'm going to reduce this back to stock speed, overclocking a quad requires water cooling in my view.

I'll trade you, straight up

And I wouldn't worry about your fan spinning a little too fast.

 

[idiotekniQues]

Originally posted by: Core2

Originally posted by: Tuvoc

Originally posted by: idiotekniQues
the temperature monitors like asus probe are inferior to core temp - usually the difference is 5-9 degrees C which is quite a bit.

but check out intels thermal analysis tool. it gives you the proper reading and it is the most likely to be compatible with vista already.

Yes, the difference can be up to 10C. I did briefly have XP installed (for a day or two) and two cores were 5C different and the other two 9C different.

Intel's thermal analysis tool ( TAT ) doesn't work on this chipset ( wish it did ) only works on Intel chipset's

that is silly, the sensor is in the cpu, not in the chipset.

oh well.

it is all i use now.

 

[Tuvoc]

Originally posted by: Genuine Imitation

I'll trade you, straight up

And I wouldn't worry about your fan spinning a little too fast.

lol... no trade...
Yeah I guess the faster fan speed doesn't matter. The CPU is still comfortable, it is probably still running cooler at 2.9 with the Arctic than it would be at 2.67 with the Intel cooler, and clearly isn't throttling. It's probably still a long way off that.

 

[Core2]

Originally posted by: Tuvoc
Interestingly, on Arctic Cooling's web site, they state the maximum rpm for the Freezer 7 Pro as 2,500 rpm. With my quad core at 2.9 fully loaded for extended periods running a 64-bit chess engine, ASUS Probe shows it nudging 2,900 rpm !! Of course the CPU is generating a lot of heat, ASUS Probe shows 64C, so QFan is giving it the maximum - but above rated speed ?? I'm going to reduce this back to stock speed, overclocking a quad requires water cooling in my view.

Play checkers instead it will run cooler.

 

[Srfrbum]

In Speedfan, how do I know which temps are CPU ? Temp1 is 51C, 2 is 54C, 3 is 25C, HD0 is 33C, And then theres another temp1 which is 40C. I have some thermaltake Liquid Cooling if that helps any. Thanks for the help.

 

[Core2]

Here's the best so far with my Memory

1066

Edit: The memory is

Core2's Memory

 

[dlxmax]

Can't fault any newcomers for not reading the entire thread. At 80+ pages it'd take hours!

Some people are complaining about the CMOS reset. I haven't reset the CMOS since I learned two better techniques.

1) Hit the reset button a couple times in quick sucession. Often than will cause it to boot up.

2) Keep the battery out. If you want to save your bios settings, use "ASUS O.C. Profile" tool to write it directly to the NVRAM of the bios. Then start to tweak. If you can't post, just hit the power switch on the power supply. Keep it off for 5-10 seconds and the CMOS will corrupt, causing you to post with default settings when you power up. Then you can reload your basic bios settings profile from the NVRAM.

...I'd also like to thank Core2 about enlightening us about the actual NB core clock issue. NBCC = (cpu mult default) / (cpu mult actual) x FSB. So with my x9 CPU running at x8, I need to take my FSB speed of 400 and multiply it by 1.125 to get the actual. So a 400 FSB is a 450mhz northbridge core clock (NBCC). That's why a x9 rated cpu is tough to run at a x7 multiplier. Let's make a chart:

X9 DEFAULT MULTIPLER (E6600, E4300)
at x8 multiply FSB by 1.125. Probable max FSB is 422-444 (3552mhz max cpu)
at x7 multiply FSB by 1.286. Probable max FSB is 369-389 (2723mhz max cpu)
at x6 multiply FSB by 1.500. Probable max FSB is 317-333 (1998mhz max cpu)

X8 DEFAULT MULTIPLER (E6400)
At x7 multiply FSB by 1.143. Plausible max FSB is 416-437 (3059mhz max cpu)
At x6 multiply FSB by 1.333. Plausible max FSB is 356-375 (2250mhz max cpu)

X7 DEFAULT MULTIPLER (E6300)
At x6 multiply FSB by 1.167. Plausible max FSB is 407-428 (2568mhz max cpu)

Plausible max FSB's were based on 475/500 fsb speeds. Most everyone should be able to post using the lower fsb number, very few will be able to post using the larger. "Max cpu" was calculated with the larger FSB number and therefore represents the theorhetical maximum attainable cpu speed.

But what does this all mean for max cpu speed?
If you've got an E6600 or E4300, you should stick with the x8 and x9 multipliers.
If you've got an E6400, you should stick with the x8 multiplier.
If you've got an E6300, you should stick with the x7 multipler.

This is a good guideline for overclocking your cpu. Anybody wanna make a P5N-E SLI faq?

 

[Core2]

Originally posted by: Srfrbum
In Speedfan, how do I know which temps are CPU ? Temp1 is 51C, 2 is 54C, 3 is 25C, HD0 is 33C, And then theres another temp1 which is 40C. I have some thermaltake Liquid Cooling if that helps any. Thanks for the help.

Compare them to Probe II

 

[idiotekniQues]

generally speaking your actual cpu temps are 5-8c higher than speedfan or asus probe reports.

i compared my p5b temps and my dq6 temps with speedfan, the mobo provided utility vs core-temp and intels thermal analysis tool.

core-temp and intel thermal analysis are known to be the more precise numbers since they utilize a new and improved digital sensor in the chip.

 

[dlxmax]

Originally posted by: idiotekniQues
generally speaking your actual cpu temps are 5-8c higher than speedfan or asus probe reports.

i compared my p5b temps and my dq6 temps with speedfan, the mobo provided utility vs core-temp and intels thermal analysis tool.

core-temp and intel thermal analysis are known to be the more precise numbers since they utilize a new and improved digital sensor in the chip.

SpeedFan 4.32 beta 8 reports the same numbers as CoreTemp.

 

[idiotekniQues]

Originally posted by: dlxmax

Originally posted by: idiotekniQues
generally speaking your actual cpu temps are 5-8c higher than speedfan or asus probe reports.

i compared my p5b temps and my dq6 temps with speedfan, the mobo provided utility vs core-temp and intels thermal analysis tool.

core-temp and intel thermal analysis are known to be the more precise numbers since they utilize a new and improved digital sensor in the chip.

SpeedFan 4.32 beta 8 reports the same numbers as CoreTemp.

most people are probably getting the non-beta speedfanas it is what is prominently offered on the main page of their site. for most people my point stands besides the few that know about the beta.

 

[JustaGeek]

Hi All,
This is my first post, so... please be gentle LOL.
First of all - it is a great thread, I have been following it since the end of December, and you guys allowed me to learn a lot. Thank you.
I am not OC'ing my processor right now, and will probably enjoy a moderate overclock in the future, hopefully to allow my E6600 to reach about 3GHz. My memory should let me to go up to about 800MHz, so I have a little room here (it is presently at 667, a "leftover" from 775Dual-VSTA MB).
I would like to share one of my experiences with you, hopefully allowing you to properly test the overclock with ORTHOS or Dual Prime.
Apparently, the Windows XP has not been designed to work with dual core processors, or even the HT technology, and the performance, especially in gaming, can be severly affected! Browsing thru the OCZ memory forums, I have come across the XP update to address the issue: MS Article ID: 896256, http://support.microsoft.com/?id=896256
It helped me smooth-out the jittery performance of my games, and I hope it helps you with testing your overclock.
Please let me know how (if) it works for you.
Thanks again, you guys are great.

 

[hankbaskett]

Helpful thread!

Here is what I've settled on for now with this board.

Hank's Overclock

Does running my ram at 500Mhz with an 11:12 divider make sense, or should I be keeping it in sync with the CPU (468)?

I can't imagine it makes a huge difference, but I'd be curious.


E6300
2GB of Team Xtreem DDR2-800 CL4 Ram
0407 Bios
1.32 Vcore
2.256 vram
1.39 NB

 

[uly166]

What do you think about my temps?
Are wrong?

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3325/nombre21pl3.jpg

 

[hankbaskett]

double post.

 

[hankbaskett]

Well, what's your ambient temperature uly166? Unless you're running it in a meat locker or something, that seems too low!