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I am at work, so nothing has happened to the HS on the card.Quote:
Originally Posted by Virtualbody1234
I'd be happy to share my BIOS rev.# with you....assuming I knew what it was.
Which I don't.
I had planned on flashing it anyway...I understand there are few upgrades from the shipping BIOS, but I'm waiting to use the Windows based flash utility.
Tomorrow morning I hope to try.
I thought win-flash and the like=very, very bad?
Very nice setup btw.
We are most impressed.
I've never had a problem using it and it saves having to temporarily install a floppy drive.Quote:
Originally Posted by SnnY
Boy, I hope it's a nice machine.
I'm actually kinda excited to see how she works.
Cool, I'd try it if I dared, think I'll stick to using a bootdisc tho', seems the most secure way.
For what it's worth, I'm jealous already.
There are only 2 BIOS revisions for that board: Click -->K8N Ultra 9 BIOS revisons
First release and 1 update.
The BIOS revison should show at bootup.
post more pictures, it's just addicting to look at :p. definatly want to see the finished product *drools*
Quote:
Originally Posted by ApacNTS
Ya I'm getting antsy to upgrade now too . I better get to mowing those neibours lawns ! :P
Lawns?Quote:
Originally Posted by peat moss
Plural?
Think big...ONE lawn for $1500.
Try to do a nice job.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../captured2.jpg
YeHA!
Comcast seems to have um, upgraded my connection a wee bit.
Me likey.
I finally got the proper version of 64bit XP installed this morning.
And it comes right back off tomorrow.
Turns out the new nVidia 64 bit driver pack does not support the 6800 series cards.
I have no idea why, but that is just absurd.
So, in order to see what the card is really like I have to drop back into 32-bit world.
*sigh*
I did remove the Zalman sink before firing her up and the contact patch looked fine.
Heat doesn't seem excessive either, but I can't monitor it yet (no real driver pack/utility installed yet) so I'm using the "finger test".
Crude, but reassuring.
The Windows based BIOS flash utility won't install on XP64 either, so that must also wait.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../captured3.jpg
So far, so good.
I'll install regular XP Pro tomorrow and then we can see what some of the benchmarks have to say.
Anything in particular you want to see?
can't you do a dual boot?
One 64 bit OS, and one 32 bit?
Yes, I could.Quote:
Originally Posted by SnnY
At one point I was triple booting- XP Pro (both 32 and 64bit versions) and Mandrake Linux.
I'm too lazy to fully exploit the option though, and frankly, the extended startup time while the bootloader ran through the options ticked me off.
I am hardly a "power user"...this machine far surpasses my needs/abilities.
Recently my colleagues at work convinced me that I need to start gaming ( the theory being that if I was going to waste my time at least I should waste it looking at something pretty), and think that Civilization would be well suited to my temprament.
We shall see about that.
Anyway, a single OS is all I really need.
I'm quadruplebooting :01:
I just thought it might let you play around with Windows 64, while being able to use the 6800 like god intended.
But since you've already been there and done that I'll stfu now.
There really isn't a lot to play around with in the 64bit version.
It's visually and functionally identical to the 32bit flavor.
That similarity, coupled with the driver issue and the fact that I'm software restricted (options for firewalls/AV apps/defrag programs are very limited) is quickly souring me on this adventure.
How about a 64-bit version of linux :naughty:
Lots of stuff to play around with on there.
You should be able to find 64-bit live-cds, no bootlist to annoy you then.
Why don't I just shove an icepick in my eye? :pinch:Quote:
Originally Posted by SnnY
My Mandrake was sixty four bit.
Even that version, designed for Windows-centric gorms such as I, was too much effort for me to bother.
Anyways, this machine has more than enough ooomph to handle the dreaded "bloat" of Windows (in fact, bring on Longhorn!), and I've never fallen victim to any of the security holes we hear so much about, so Linux is sort of a non-starter.
I've also come to the conclusion that 64bit XP just isn't quite ready, so many bits of software with a 32bit driver, you just don't realise how many there are until you start to try to use them.
I'll probably be switching back to 32bit this weekend too, but I'm going to run some benchies on 64bit then compare the results with the 32bit version.
Only got Everest loaded atm, here's the memory benchies:
Mobo Abit AV8, CPU XP3000+(Winchester), Memory 2x256MB Nanya 3-3-3-8
System OCed to 9x235MHz, Full load temp 42C, Idle temp 28C, stock cooling.
Memory read: 6228MB/s :w00t:
Memory write: 1901MB/s
Memory latency: 50ns :w00t:
I'm really impressed with this setup, one of the best purchases I ever made.
Let's have some memory benchmarks please clocker.
Sure...have to wait till I get home tonight though.
Right.Quote:
Originally Posted by lynx
I am running bone stock @2.2GHz AND I cannot figure out how to get to my memory settings in BIOS. Hitting ctrl+F1 only brings up the help screen.
I'm pretty sure that BIOS default is 2T timing and I need to force 1T.
Everest is showing my RAM as "PC2500" (WTF!!??)*.
Anyways...
Memory read: 4560 MB/s
Memory write: 1417 MB/s
Latency: 59.8
*I am more than a little leery about Everest and 64bit XP....the sensor tab shows my CPU as 159C and +12v as 7.5v
My Gigabyte "EZTune" won't install at all, nor will Aquamark.
3D Mark05 score was 4373, but my card is not covered by the only driver pack available, so I'm running generic MS versions for now.
Tomorrow I'll do the whole install thing with 32bit XP and see if I can't get this beast whipped into shape.
hmmmm, Clocker do you have any more hawt pics?
Sounds like your memory is underclocked. Everest shown mine as PC3800, which is about right for the clock speed I'm using. It get's all my sensor readings correct though.Quote:
Originally Posted by clocker
Similar problem with Abit's uGuru not installing properly though, it installs but the driver is blocked from running because it is not a 64-bit version. I think there should be a mass complaint about these people selling 64-bit boards with no 64-bit drivers. I've already complained to Abit about this.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...r/blizzard.jpg
Welcome to my world.
Bloody f00kin' blizzard hit Denver yesterday.
One of those spring storms that we seem to get every few years.
Nice, heavy wet snow.
The building that houses my shop was built in 1906 and is in less than tip-top condition.
A snowfall like this could easily collapse the structure, so I struggled down there yesterday and spent the better part of the day shoveling the damn roof.
By the time I finished, I had to start all over...the snow was coming down relentlessly.
I hope it survived the night.
This pic is from my front door at home.
The couryard is a natural snow trap and the drifts are almost chin high.
I'm just gonna let the crap melt...I've done my fair share of shoveling, and this will all be gone by Wednesday anyway.
Denver's high altitude means lots of UV radiation and that, coupled with the dry climate, will evaporate this nightmare away.
That's my theory anyway, and I'm stickin to it.
What does this have to do with Sprocket?
Well, yesterday was supposed to be my day off.
I had big plans, but they fell by the wayside unfortunately.
I managed to reinstall 32-bit XP, but haven't had the chance to do much else.
I finally discovered the secret entrance into the Advanced Settings in BIOS- what a stupid crock that is. Why the hocus-pocus to access basic RAM settings, etc.?
Ooooh, I feel so special cause I can ctrl+F1 and enter the secret overclocker's world....bollocks.
Anyway, things should be looking up soon.
I did run Aquamark 03 and scored just under 60K.
3D Mark 05 was 4926.
The card is running bone stock timing-wise, so I assume there is room for improvement with different drivers and maybe a wee OC.
I am amazed by the temps that both Gigabyte EZTune and Speedfan are reporting.
Running Prime95 I am maxxing out at 33C which seems absurdly low.
I don't see how my CPU could possibly be cooler than my HDDs (they are at 34C right now), but there you have it.
It's concievable that a BIOS flash might correct this (if in fact the temps are wrong) and I keep reading about Beta BIOS's all the way up to F10 (I'm running the latest BIOS from Gigabyte...F2, I believe), but I can't seem to find them anywhere.
Anyway, if the temps are even close to correct ( and I'm really hoping they are...) that would make a passively cooled H2O setup like the Reserator or the Innovatec a very doable project.
So here is what she looks like right now...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v78/clocker/TJ06.jpg
Even with a half-assed wiring job Sprocket still looks almost empty...not having any IDE or floppy cables really makes things easy.
Obviously, I have plenty of room should I decide to install an internal waterloop...an attractive idea just for the simplicity, but we'll see how it goes.
That's all for now, more to come as I find the time and energy.....
maybe its the weather, mine seems to fluctuate about 10C between cold and warm days.
i wonder if humidity can play a part in heat dissipation too :unsure:
Wow! That's quite the snow dump. All the snow has melted here. I know what you mean about your "fair share of shoveling". I too did my share this winter.
---
There you go, clocker. Now you see what I mean about the 90nm being very cool running. Those temps look about right to me (with that cooler).
I setup another 90nm machine this weekend (with a friend). The quiet&cool, that controls the CPU fan speed, actually stops the fan when below 34°C on his board. It is quite the strange feeling when you see the fan stopped. We turned off the power, as a reaction, the first time we heard the silence of no fan.
Yup, that C&Q is very weird.Quote:
Originally Posted by Virtualbody1234
We actually thought the HS fan was dead on our first build, but were pleased to see that it worked fine plugged into a different header.
Then I broke down and read the manual ( a first!) and saw what was going on.
I have disabled that feature and run my fan from a Sunbeam rheobus.
The idea of the HS not running at all was just too strange.
It helps that this AC fan is extremely quiet even at full blast.
Right this minute my room ambient is 21C and the CPU temp is reported to be 23C ( minimal CPU usage).
The case is all buttoned up.
This seems too good to be true, but I'm not complaining. :P
My vid card is running at 56C...gotta work on that, I think....
Yes, that C&Q is impressive, except when you are running at full load all the time. :rolleyes:
If I turn the "Folding" service off, my CPU temp drops by about 10C within 20 seconds, then by another 4C over the next few minutes (with reduced fan speed). But when I turn the service back on the temp goes back up about 12C within seconds.
SS-no? Its almost 70 here!
Well, well, well.
Slow but sure does win the race sometimes.
I am beginning to get a grip on the BIOS setup for this beast.
Bumbling around (albeit in a fairly organized manner...) has lead me to discover several settings that will cause Sprocket NOT to boot and some that make her better.
A bit (well, a lot, actually) of tweaking RAM settings has gotten me here...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...r/memwrite.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...er/memread.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...r/latentcy.jpg
Much better.
Although I knew the RAM was not right (Everest was calling it "PC1600"), Lynx showed me what I should be able to achieve. Thanks for the bump, buddy. :P
I wonder if the nForce4 boards respond to the loose tRAS(?) setting (typically in the range of 10) that the 3's and 2's liked?
So, far, my RAM timings have been set to auto ( and, to their credit, the Patriot sticks are running just as advertised- 2,3,2,5), but I suspect that some further gains are hidden in that thicket of jargonese.
I'm willing to spend a bit of time finding out, but sheesh!, how much better do I need?
Next is the CPU speed.
Time to see what sort of (easy) overclock is available.
I knew your 3500 and 2-3-2-5 memory should easily outperform my 3000/3-3-3-8 setup, it's about time you got your finger out. :P
Right.
Finger removed.
New finger smudges all over the BIOS.
Not a lot of progress.
Stock settings on this chip are 11x200 (2.2GHz).
Anything over 11x210 and she won't boot.
Even combos using a lower multiplier (like 10x230) are a no-go.
I have toyed (briefly) with the HT setting, but lowering from 5 to 4 and even 3 doesn't seem to help.
I upped the RAM voltage by .1v and relaxed the timings (tried Lynx's 3,3,3,8) to no avail.
I need to find a better tutorial about this...actually, a "Dummy's Guide" would be ideal.
Oh well.
This was more of an intellectual exercise than a necessity anyway.
At 2.3 GHz I am Prime stable (at least for the six hours I ran overnight) and the system feels fluid and fast.
About the cooling....
The 939 socket is solid (unlike the socketA which had the open center) so there is no place for the dreaded "thermistor" temp sensor.
I am assuming then that the temps are being derived from some sort of on-die diode.
In the past this was the preferred sensor, but my temps are ridiculously low and I just cannot believe them.
The high temp in my log from last night was 28C...this is with the sidepanels in place and a room ambient of 20C.
I'd like to think that this is all due to my cooling expertise and cleverness, but even my ego baulks at the results.
At any rate, even adding in a correction factor of 20% means that I'm running cooler than ever before, so now I can concentrate on the video card and HDDs.
My 6800 runs at a pretty constant 53C...this seems high to me, but I have no prior experience with a card like this so I don't know.
My hard drives are averaging in the mid-thirties...I'm rethinking my mounting approach.
Apparently the drives are designed to dissipate heat through the sides of the casting ( this being the only real path for heat to travel when mounted in the standard fashion) and my suspension system, while effective for noise isolation, eliminates the heat path.
Not sure how to combine the two requirements as yet.
Silence, as opposed to max cooling, has become my new quest and thus watercooling is back on the table.
I'd like to use these components...
http://www.frozencpu.com/images/prod...ex-blc-123.jpg
http://www.frozencpu.com/images/prod.../ex-blc-98.jpg
http://www.frozencpu.com/images/prod.../ex-pmp-25.jpg
All three would be set with 3/8" fittings.
Notice that there is no radiator listed...that's cause I'm torn about what direction to take.
Obviously, an internal rad would be the simplest solution ( and I have lots of room to mount one), but that would entail fans to cool it.
I have a forum buddy from Finland who has done extensive work with the Zalman Reserator and his progress intrigues me no end.
His current setup uses the Reserator* without the internal pump...essentially just a big, passive reservoir and an internal system comparable to the one I've shown.
The Reserator has been enclosed in a Plexi tube with a 120mm fan on the top, so it's basically a chimney drawing air from the base up over the fins and then out the top.
A one fan system that performs very well.
The downside to this goodness is the external reservoir...moving the PC would be quite an effort.
Oh, decisions, decisions.`
* We are both fatally attracted to this monster...
http://www.frozencpu.com/images/prod.../ex-rad-33.jpg
It has no internal pump so it's just a passive radiator, but reputed to be much more effective than the Zalman design.
I'm hoping he'll take the plunge ( it's very expensive!) and let me know how it compares.
@ Lynx (or anyone else with an nForce4 board...)
Help!
I can easily run 11x210 ( actually I'm currently at 11x 212), but no combination of settings gets me any higher.
So many folks talk of hitting the wall at 240FSB (10x240 seems to be a common setup), but I can't seem to struggle past 212FSB no matter what.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
i think mine is nforce4 but it's still at factory settings, sorry.
didn't i read something about RAM and synchronising speeds but upping voltages or something...
sorry i don't have a clue
Gepper,
You might want to check your "factory settings"...mine were not at all correct.
For instance, my default setting for the RAM bus was "auto", but this gave me 166MHz instead of the 200MHz it should be.
Turns out you are correct about the voltage.
Upping my vCore from a stock 1.4v to 1.5v and adding .2v to the RAM solved my issue.
Sorta.
I also had to drop my HT from 5x to 3x and my RAM to 166MHz.
I was able to boot at 10x245.
Unfortunately my memory benches went all to hell, dropping 10 to15% from my old setup.
I gained sheer speed, but with an absurd tradeoff.
I also picked up a degree or three on the CPU as a result of the higher voltages.
Hardly seems worth it to me.
Back at the old, stable settings...212x10, 5xHT, 200MHZ RAM, 1.4 vcore.
I did leave the RAM overvolted by .1v and picked up over 100 points on the memory read score (2160 now) and dropped the latency to 46.1.
I think I might be facing two intertwined problems now.
Having all four DIMM slots occupied may be stressing out the board and as yet I have been unable to POST when the 1T command is enabled.
Tonight I think I'll pull two of the memory sticks and see if that helps.
My RAM is rated at 1T and that might make all the difference.
If so, I guess I can replace my four 512's with two 1GB sticks and have my cake and eat it too.
I like cake.
thanks for that. i just switched it to 200 now.
i checked the box and it turns out mine is an nforce3.
is the "ddr 400" i see on my mobo box and RAM packaging a double positive (yeah i made that up, so what :snooty: ) meaning it should be set to 200 in my bios then?
and i don't know if it's possible (because i didn't want to stick around in the "secret" bios settings...) but would putting your RAM at 212 also make it a lot more efficiant or doesn't it work like that?
Yes, it should be set to 200.Quote:
Originally Posted by GepperRankins
If you can speed up the RAM (say, to 212) AND keep all your timings tight, then yes, it is a good thing.
Unfortunately, increasing the speed usually requires relaxing the timings ( or dividers, even) at the same time.
For me, the additional speed did not overcome the decline in RAM productivity so I've temporarily called a halt to that avenue of tweaking.
righto. so what do i change to push mine(processor) up a few hertz? just clockspeed?
Yup.
Try 210 to start.
w00t! thanks for not getting frustrated and swearing at me. :ermm:
so speedfan says it's up 2 degrees but only 20 mhz :blink:
Even pushing it up a few hertz can cause massive ammounts of extra heat, thats how people fry parts, they go up from say 200 to 210 then 220 then 230 and everything is fine so they wack it up to 270 and parts get fried, be carfull, push them up at no more 10 on your clockspeed and use your BIOS to check temps, if they look good turn on Windows and fire up a graphically intense game (HL2 will do) if the game starts to look fucked with wierd shit happening then you have gone to far.
i'll keep it as it is until i need to change it. my ram and graphics are my bottle neck i reckon.
i just wanted to fit in :unsure:
OK.Quote:
Originally Posted by GepperRankins
Now you need to load Everest Home Edition and run the memory benchmarks.
If you're really into it, you would return to your original settings, bench it, then clock back up and retest.
Then you'd see what, if any, gains that you got.