Sponge

If only days were 32 hrs long instead of 24, I am good for 22-24 hrs usually have to force my self to go to bed, because after a week or two of 2-3 hrs a night, I start getting fuzzy and crashing. Then I play catch up and might get 8 hrs a night for 4-5 days. I can't get to sleep but I have to force myself to get up. But then off to the races, and try to do 462 things all at once.

I apologize for my lack of recent contribution, but don't write me off just yet. There just isn't enough hours in the day. I went from 7(?) boxes running to nothing... terrible. But not without reasons, stopped running on my work pc, just an old PIII but got a few WU's out. (for ref. less than a year ago I was using an IBM Pentium 200MHZ w/64MB RAM!...painful) The wife panics ever time I go near her Mac and won't let F@H run. G4 cube upgraded from 400MHz to 1.2 GHz 1.5 GB Ram, The first computer I tore apart...without the wifes knowledge or permission....maybe that is why she panics! My Mac, (yeah I swing both ways) G4 MDD 2x1.25GHz, 1.25GB Ram, 4600ti, 2x160GB Raid 0 via PCI card. I have some HD corruption, it's been at least three years since I have formatted the drives. And I mainly use it for Movies, Music and Peer to Peer (I won't P2P on a PC, all the "bad stuff" is harmless on a Mac) Without exagerrating, 8400GB of video data alone minimum has been processed, so I guess I can justify a format and install. But I want to add at least 1 more drive and need some pieces of the puzzle to fall into place. And finally a questionable decision on my part, you decide for your self. I arranged a multiple party parts swap where I gave up: amd 64 3400+ mobile DFI NF3 250 GB SLK948U Ahnix Midtower Case and recieved: 15" NEC LCD monitor 5700LE 128MB Socket A 2400+ Sempron Generic midtower case 23" Apple Widescreen Cinema Display So I have gone back to my LPB and have been tweeking this thing for over 3 weeks and still haven't found the "optimum config", To give you an idea of the extent of my OCD I have had F.E.A.R. for 2 weeks I might have gotten in an hour or so of gaming. I still don't even have the front panel hooked up the board. I also have enough hardware to setup a "gameable" HTPC and a lowgrade "server" mainly for data storage and network acess that I need to get up and running. And in the meantime take a look at my Moms HP and do a full install and setup. So add all this up, add a house that needs more work than I have money, and my "new" 8mo old baby boy. OK I am done whining, now I need to apologize for being longwinded. There just ain't enough hour in a day... Oh yeah...as I get all these machines up and running, they will be folding.

I apologize for my lack of recent contribution, but don't write me off just yet. There just isn't enough hours in the day. I went from 7(?) boxes running to nothing... terrible. But not without reasons, stopped running on my work pc, just an old PIII but got a few WU's out. (for ref. less than a year ago I was using an IBM Pentium 200MHZ w/64MB RAM!...painful)

I have to ask, the "Black Chrome", what is it?, where did you get it? From the pics all I can think of is aquarium backing? Don't really want to steal your look, but I might have to, it looks that good.

My understanding is that because of the onboard memory controler the cache size is almost rendered irrelavent due to the fact that there is no bottleneck between the CPU and the RAM, no Northbridge required. Although the cache might become more usefull when used with a 64-bit OS AND 64- Apps, time will tell. Also the Paris is a newer core and clocks better than the Clawhammers... to generalize Their are times I have had buyers remorse, kind of a bummer to that AMD has made it clear that Mobile and DTR CPU's WILL NOT BE OFFICIALLY SUPPORTED IN DESKTOP SYSTEMS

I got one these matched up with a P4 2.4c pulled from a HP (swapped with 2.8C that didn't clock worth a damn) using 2 x 256 A-Data DDR500 (cheap) Thermalright XP-120 under a 120mm Thunderblade. Stable at 12 x 278=3,336 with 1:1 mem under Softmenu: CPU Operating speed---User Define N/B Strap---PSB800 DRAM Ratio---1:1 for starters AGP Ratio---Fixed I prefer to lockup my voltages rather than leave them on Auto under Power Management set up CPU Thermal Throttling---disable Advanced Chipset features For the last 5 options, for the most part I find them usless, no benefit other than having them set as follows: Refresh cycle time---Auto Read Delay---Auto Read delay Adjust---Disable CPC---disable Performance Mode---Disable Hopefully this will give you a start, I had lot of fun using this "simple" MB (at least compared to DFI boards I have had experiance with) Good Luck

I feel your pain, I have had my own issues with multiple drives. Have you wiped the drive using a utility outside of Windows, Maxblast or Datalifeguard etc. This was used in a Raid volume, was the volume deleted before they were split? Have you tried setting the jumper to Cable Select? Are you overclocked?

Quick update fsb@285 w/9:10 mem div pc04=4581 aquamark=53242 3d01=21965 sandra bw=3891/3896 trying 300fsb w/5:6 mem div not stable @ 1.6vcore, downclocked videocard to 450/380 pc04=4706 aquamark=53242 3d01=CRASHED still haven't seen prime crash, but not stable in 3d01 runs unbelievably cool @idle CPU 28C, PWMIC 25C, System 27C Smart Guardian Prime short term run 39C, 27C, 27C respectivley $67.00 processor, almost 50% overclock, what a country! Past bedtime, can't show up to work with keyboard imprint in my forehead...again have to stall my buddy and play more tomorrow

Got my hands on one of the new S754 2600+ Semprons, and I am having so much fun with it that it is a shame that it is going to end up in a half fried Soltek for my buddies daughter(fried the SATA and the Raid, got the scorch mark on the board to prove it! but otherwise the board seems fine) I just had to put it in my rig to see what a $67.00 processor can do, other than the timings and voltages, everything else is as in my sig. SDA2600AIO2BA CBBID0503CPEW 119415A51330 runs stock @ [email protected] the multiplier is fully locked at 8 ran everything as in my sig to start, video card oc'd to 455x385 and locked up my mem timings couple bench scores @ stock: PC04=3357 AQmark=45681 3D01=17157 EASILY made it to 270 fsb, seems stabil , but since I don't have the time to run prime or mem test for any extended period.... PC04=4418 AQmark=52687 3D01=21598 Sandra mem bw=4177/4155 beyond 270 I started hitting the wall with my mem, relaxed the timing, increase the volts and I think I got 280 pretty stable @1:1 PC04=4541 Sandra bw=4312/4316 285 1:1, sorry not with this ram had to drop to 9/10 AQmark=52904 been running prime Large for about an hour now running 285x8=2.28GHz 1.55vcore >38C while running prime I'm impressed....I really want more time to play with this thing! well prime ran 49 min time to run more benches and see if there is any more left....300fsb? BTW the S754 sempron is the 90nm and I believe has the Winchester core, has 128k L2 cache, but with the built in memory controler they are less reliant on the cache, at least for the 32bit applications, might be different when everything goes 64bit.

To much is never enough.... 3 yrs ago I didn't know how to operate email, never had much intrest in computers, why spend hours instaling a game and making adjustments only to reallize you don't have enough to run it worth a ****, when there a Playstation? Then I started eyeballing my wifes G4 Cube...never had patience for dial up, but wait a minute this broadband thing now we're talkin'! Anything and everything you want to know is out there just waiting to be found. And I'll admit it ... iTunes changed my life, hundreds of CD's no disc swapping no cases scattered everywhere. Sure gaming isn't that great but I had the PS2 for that. Then the Cube wasn't do it for me, oh look they make a processor upgrade. Interesting....after hours of careful research and deliberation, ( if your unfamiliar with the Cube it's 8x8x9 that is...er, was silent..heh heh) I ordered the parts and operating under the theory that it is easier to apologize than it is to beg, I patiently waited for my wife to leave the house. The Cube is put together like a 3D puzzle, for a moment I thought I might be in over my head, but a couple hours later...I held my breath as I turned it on and it worked! from 450MHz to 1.25GHz. But as a gamer it was just a matter of time, I had to have a PC. After hundreds of hours reading reviews, forums, price shopping. I finally decided on an AN78X-Deluxe, XP 2500+, 2x256 Mushkin PC3200 lv 2 Black 2-2-2, eVGA FX5600 Ultra, and 2x36GB Raptors. It was a downward spiral, PS2 has done nothing but collect dust. But I wanted more I started selling and swapping and trading components. Taking and fixing or upgrading computers belonging to friends and family just to get a fix. Now my house is littered with the corpses of old HP, Compaqs, and a few unrecognizable remains left over from miscelaneous modding experiments, now I want to have the whole house networked with music, and movies on command, an in place gaming network. I want fire up my system and have the neighbors lights dim, I want graphics that will burn out my retinas, sound so convincing the SWAT team comes and smokes me out with tear gas. I can't go anywhere without looking for new ideas to increase performance, materials, shapes, ductwork, switches, ....has anyone else wondered if you can overclock a cash register? For some reason my wife doesn't understand why the dining room has turned into a lab with anywhere from 1-6 PCs, in addition to my rig and and 2 Macs (she still has her Cube, and yes one is mine. I swing both ways;) My name is Sponge and I am addicted to Electronic Opium. I have become fluent in a language that sounds alot like gibberish, which has the amazing ability to irritate my wife, confuse others, bore others to death. I have done no more than 6 Hrs of gaming since the beginning of the year, I no longer play with or on the computer, I only want to race and tweak it, make it faster and race it again. (My wife should be thankful I have focused on computers instead of my 69 Chev C10! I won't be happy with that at least until I can do wheelies!) There is no cure, your loved ones must learn to cope and accept. And understand the all nighters spent doing what seems to be the same thing over and over again. A true addict will make someone with OCD throw their hands up in the air and walk away bewildered. Now you must excuse me I feel the need to reseat my heatsink.

If your not going to have it hooked up to the MoBo, it's easy... On the 20 pin ATX connector there should be a green wire... there is also a couple black wires which are ground... now you need to find yourself a couple inches of wire, 14, 16, 18 Gauge whatever you got layin' around or whatever "feels" good ;-) Strip bout' 1/4" off each end and you got yourself a jumper, take said jumper and plug it into the pin that belongs to the green wire. The other end gets plugged into the Ground (black wire) pin of your choice. I would recommend securing the jumper in place, nothin' fancy take the tape of your choice and "cover" the ATX connector. Piece of cake.... ...mmm....cake... Came across these.... http://www.frozencpu.com/cab-21.html http://www.virtual-hideout.net/guides/atx_...ods/index.shtml "link goodness" as they say

Maybe I missed something, but don't you still have to yank the battery?

I am no expert, but it is my understanding that the heat, voltage, and speed are all just factors of the whole. Under the theory that electronic components operate more efficiantly at lower temps at higher temps they operate less efficianlty, the less efficiant a componant is the more heat it will generate. Also consider less efficiancy means higher draw on powersource, and/or delivery system. more volts=more heat=less efficiancy=more draw=higher voltage required when one factor goes above what a component can handle instability can be the warning. That is why more volts isn't always the answer, or the higher the overclock the looser the voltage rails. Your system is only as good as the weakest component. Your temps are really only for referance, unless you are able to place a calibrated sensor at the source of the heat. This board is a good example of that, the bios is in control of those readings. When I push the machine beyond what I have determined to be acceptable I try to be on the safe side of the worst case scenario. I watch the on board sensors, external probes, and I will go in and feel for hot spots, always being careful what I touch of course, especially with my ring. If I touch something and get burned, it may be to hot. I will also partially block off the intake while stress testing to account for dust, animal hair, the wifes purse or any other oversights resricting airflow. And ask yourself how often do I want to clean this thing. If you have high CFM fans=more air=more dust=more heat. I live in Minnesota yes it gets cold but with no A/C it gets hot to. I don't know if there is a point to this... Idon't even know if I made any sense. as I said I am by no means an expert, this is just my interpretation of the truth as I understand it. Take what you like and leave the rest.

I have been fighting the same and/or similar issues for the better part of a month. I have done everything I can think of and I am still open to suggestions, but I had to move on with my life. Have you tried using SATA 1 for your system volume and 2,3,& 4 for your array. You amy also want to make sure to define your system as the first array and your 3 drive stripe as the second and verify your boot order in the bios. I don't know if it will help but it seems to me that the board has some "issues " in the order it looks for and finds the boot devices. THunDa had mentioned Partion Magic 8, I would highly recommend some thing of the kind. In the process of eliminating the chance of existing bad data, I sacrificed approx 180-200 GB in the process of doing a low level format to all three of my drives consecutively, I have it all backed up to discs, but the loading alone takes to long for my taste. Shortly thereafter I came across a PowerQuest Partition Magic 7.0, (Symantec bought out PowerQuest) availible as a download for $20. I am to cheap to pay $XXX for software but I can handle $20! In hindsight I would pay 2-3X that amount, it included Partition Magic 7.0, DataKeeper 5.0, and Boot Magic. I'll see if I can find the link again, but I found linked to Softpedia , the company I got the download from was "Softronix". I will place another post later detailing my trials & tribulations, ( I am serious when I say I've tried everything, and welcome anyone who can prove me wrong... hey RGone I'm callin you out! ) Since I am at work I better get something done. to be continued..... P.S. my sig is close but needs to be updated, running 11 x 240 inorder to use Sata 1 or to

Thanks ExRoadie, although I have this nagging feeling that I am missing something I agree about the accuracy of uncalibrated sensors, but the same holds true for the onboard ones as well, right? Generally I try to stay on the safe side of the worst case scenario, especially with the questionalble accuracy of the onboard (Smart Guardian) temps which are aparently controled by the bios. Since they seem much more inline since flashing to 1/28. Love the Stacker, was using an Ahanix "Nobliss?" like a HTPC tower, nice case for what it was intended but inadaquite airflow for serious overclocking. I just got the NF3 250GB, I also have a LP NF2 Ultra B, that I killed the bios in while the Stacker and other parts were in transit , so I can't give a very good performance comparision. (and I haven't had the nerve to hotflash the chip on someone elses equiptment, I need to see if AG can help me out as I understand he can get tham reflashed) Been wanting to go 64 for a while, was trying to wait... but, I am only human and an "Electronic Opium Junkie" besides. The Stacker is every bit as big as you would expect if not bigger, Lots of room for air flow and very well ventilated, but with all of that ventilation it doesn't do much for the noise, not to mention I have found aluminum tends to amplify noise much more than steel. Right now the loudest thing in my case is the "generic" power supply, the Crossflow fan can only be considered "loud" on the highest of the three settings. And its a different noise than a high speed fan, a lower pitched "buzz?" rather than a high piched "scream" Plus I like the idea of air getting under the motherboard, never quite understood why generally case don't design for at least some air flow. Minimal effect I am sure but, we live in a world of every little bit counts, Right? Any suggestions for adhering the probes I don't like anything permanent, but that tape does work very well, and I don't want use anything that will leave a bunch of adhesive behind either, i.e. electrical tape, almost consdered AS ceramique, even a 1:1 mixture of that and AS 5? Again, I belive that all of the temp sensors are for reference unless calibrated, and maintained for that matter. ....unless I could get ahold laser/IR suface temp guns (used them at an old job to measure the temps of the ceramic plates in in the ovens } point n shoot... $$$$$ Well and seeing as my 9800 doesn't have any sensors at all, whats the best place to read from? back of the card behind the GPU?