Got 8800 GTX

[rainwood]

Anyways you still benching??? Come on man it's been almost 4 days, and no benches from you yet on your SLI, lol.

...I'm still got stuck setting up... Hpoefully I am able to post the bench tonight (if not, tomorrow night).

[rainwood]

A quick & brief post…

Got x6800 & EVGA 680i board (122-CK-NF68-AR), did a quick set up and ran 3DMark06 with the 8800 GTX SLI…

...more report will be posted only if this is welcomed…

[elessar777]

A quick & brief post…

Got x6800 & EVGA 680i board (122-CK-NF68-AR), did a quick set up and ran 3DMark06 with the 8800 GTX SLI…

...more report will be posted only if this is welcomed…

 

Definately welcomed :-)

 

That's some '06 score dude!! :eek:

[HITandRUN]

Yeah! Good score! I'll be benching my 8800GTS and will let you know what I got!

[elessar777]

Yeah! Good score! I'll be benching my 8800GTS and will let you know what I got!

 

I won't ridicule myself posting benchies until I get my Opty 165 and 2GB UCCC Ram Not that they're bad for a venice 3800 but not quite in the same league as you guys

[rainwood]

…at last rebuilding my system with the new CPU & mainboard was completed. It took longer than I thought.

 

Ran the 3DMark06 (Build 1.1.0)*.

 

Default settings @ resolution: 1280x1024

 

Modified settings @ resolution: 1280x1024

 

Default settings @ resolution: 1920x1200

 

Modified settings @ resolution: 1920x1200

 

*Though you guys already knew this,

“Futuremark Releases Free 3DMark and PCMark Updates

 

…

 

Selected update details are listed below; a full list of fixes and technical data can be found on the Futuremark website. 3DMark05 1.3.0 is not Windows Vista enabled and should only be used on 32 bit Windows XP systems with the latest updates.

 

3DMark06 Build 1.1.0:

 

* Windows Vista enabled; (*

* Fixed splash screen on Windows Vista;

* Fixed some Excel issues;

* Improved startup speed by optimizing the SystemInfo component;

* Updated SystemInfo component with support for the latest CPU and graphics hardware;

* Fixed all reported & reproduced issues.

 

PCMark05 Build 1.2.0:

 

* Windows Vista enabled; (*

* Fixed splash screen on Windows Vista;

* Fixed WMP detection;

* Fixed transparent windows issues;

* Fixed looping issues with HDD tests;

* Improved startup speed by optimizing the SystemInfo component;

* Updated SystemInfo component with support for the latest CPU and graphics hardware;

* Fixed all reported & reproduced issues.

 

3DMark05 Build 1.3.0:

 

* Fixed looping issues;

* Improved startup speed by optimizing the SystemInfo component;

* Updated SystemInfo component with support for the latest CPU and graphics hardware;

* Fixed all reported & reproduced issues.

 

…

 

["Futuremark Releases Free 3DMark and PCMark Updates" [ONLINE on 11/29/2006]"

 

I know that this is the DFI help/support forum. The rest of this post is for those who are interested in EVGA 122-CK-NF68-AR mainboard…

Installation note - the EVGA 680i mainboard:

1. Installing the heatsink:

First I tried the stock heatsink (Intel Stock Pentium D Radial Curved non-Bifurcated Fin Heatsink). The heatsink did a pretty good job; the CPU temperature at idle 48 – 52.

Then, uninstalled the stock heatsink, I installed the Zalman CNPS9700 LED. I noticed that the cooler projected outside the mainboard edge by about 7 – 10mm. When I tried to install the mainboard in the case, the mainboard with the cooler did not fit in my case; there is less than 5mm gap between the edge of the mainboard and the PSU divider. I tried the Zalman CNPS 9500 LED next. Yeah, the mainboard with the 9500 cooler did fit the case; the edge of the cooler touches the PSU divider so tightly that it would bend the cooler. Gave up using the 9500. O.K., I still got the heatsink, Noctua NH-12UF, which I was planning to sell…

The heatsink cannot be installed in the 90 degree orientation (the wider side of the heat sink is faced with the rear case fan) because…

Reason One: the LG775 socket is located too close to the mainboard boundary. Is this common design of the LGA 775 mainboard?

Reason Two: the (joke) passive heatsink on the mainboard blocks.

The fan is installed in the orientation to push the air toward the heatsink. However, there is not enough room to install the exhaust fan on the heatsink. So the hot air is pushed toward the PSU divider, and, I think, that makes it hard for the rear case exhaust fan to move the hot air from the heatsink… Now the CPU temperature at idle is 43 – 45 °C… I am planning to get another CPU cooler that can fit the case and do better job.

 

[uPDATE] …actually, the CPU temperature has dropped down. Now it is stable around 36 -37 °C at idle and 42 – 44 °C at load. It is too short that the Arctic Silver 5’s break-in period ends because I installed the heatsink just a week ago. The CPU temperature drop down could be just because of the winter…

[uPDATE] I was wrong.

• The CPU temperature with the CPU multiplier: “11” & vCore: 1.29V: 40 – 42 °C
  
• The CPU temperature with the CPU multiplier: “6” & vCore: 1.13 – 1.14V: 35 – 36 °C
  

The Intel Enhanced Halt State is enabled in the BIOS. So the CPU temperature at “idle with the “6” CPU multiplier” is 35 – 36 °C…

 

 

2. Installing the 8800 GTX for the SLI setup:

The second 8800 GTX card is installed (for the two-card SLI setup) in the last PCI slot on the mainboard, and the case does not have the ventilation window on the top panel. So, the side panel fan does not seem to be able to move the hot air from the second card very well; the GPU temperature of the second card at idle is 67 – 66 °C, while that of the first card at idle is 57 – 58 °C… In addition, I used the PCI slot next to the last PCI-E slot for the sound card. There is only 10 – 15mm gap between the sound card and the second graphic card… I wonder how hot the sound card would be…

 

3. System instability:

Since I re-built my system with the new CPU and the mainbaord, I’ve experienced the system instability; the blue screen of death and the frequent IE7 crash. Regarding the frequent IE7 crash, I think that I got a clue. Every time the IE7 crashes, the almost same error is logged in the Windows Event Viewer; “Faulting application iexplore.exe, version 7.0.5730.11, faulting module unknown, version 0.0.0.0, fault address ….“ After I did a google search, I found the thread in the MSDN page; “IE7 Crashes for Unknown Reasons”. Before upgrading the IE7, I got some add-ons in the IE6, but these add-ons are no longer available in the IE7. Since the IE7 does not show these add-ons in the list of the add-ons not compatible in the IE7, I was wondering why… I got rid of all add-ons that I installed in the IE6 and uninstalled the IE7. I am now cleaning up the mess left by the un-installation and search for the upgrade of the add-ons for the IE7 now. See if the upgrade to the IE7 without the add-ons that are not supported in the IE7 will solve the IE7 crash…

Regarding the blue screen of death, my guess is that this could be caused by the incorrect memory settings and/or NVIDIA 680i issue… The BIOS sets the memory timings and voltage to 5-5-518-2T and 1.9V, though the memory manufacture’s recommended settings are 5-5-5-15- 2T and 2.1 / 2.0 V… I am testing the memory timings, but I also think if I better sell this memory module (CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-6400PRO) and get the ones that are tested compatible for the EVGA NF680i mainboard…

[uPDATE] I upgraded the memory to Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5D, and mamaged to get them worked;

The settings in the BIOS:

- SLI-Ready Memory: [Expert]

- FSB – Memory Clock Mode: [Linked]

- FSB – MEM MHz Ratio: [1:1]

- FSB – MEM MHz: [1067]

- Memory Timings: [AUTO]: 5-5-5-15-2T

- Memory Voltage: [AUTO]: 2.2000V

However, I still have the BSODs and OS frozen-up problems. According to the EVGA messageboard (and [H]Enthusiast even put the article about this problem: “NVIDIA nForce 680i Chipset Problems”), the mainboard has the serious SATA problem. The BIOS update to address this problem will come in the week after the Christmas, though no one knows if the BIOS updates will clean the SATAT problems…

I read the news that DFI will sell the 680i mainboard in the next year. I hope that the DFI mainboard will not have any of the problems that the current NVIDIA reference 680i boards have.

[uPDATE] I summed up my experience in setting up my system with EVGA 680i mainboard in my message posted at 01-27-2007, 01:11 AM

 

P.S. The forum rules say, “Stay on the topic”. However, I’d like to ask you guys a question; is the “DFI – General Discussion – For Sale or Trade” a good place to sell the used computer components? I am planning to sell the FX-62, DFI NF590, XFX 7900 GTX XXX edition cards and the CPU coolers (Zalman CNPS 9700 LED & 9500 LED)…

[uPDATE] I will start the thread to sell the following components in the DFI forum soon; FX-62, NF590 mainboard, XFX 7900 GTX XXX edition cards (2) (, and probably CORSAIR TWIN2X2048-6400PRO, too). Watch for the “DFI – General Discussion – For Sale or Trade”…

[uPDATE] I am planning to update my sale in this month.

[elessar777]

Wow that case looks cramped

[rainwood]

VR-ZONE'S First Look at DFI RD600 & 680i SLI …can I come back with that 680i baord in the next January? (I will do my system upgrade because of the WinVista, anyway. This might be a good opportunity for me to switch back to the DFI board again).

 

BTW, depending on the case, someone will have trouble installing the CPU cooler due to the socket location on the 680iboard (like me)...

[elessar777]

Yeah! Good score! I'll be benching my 8800GTS and will let you know what I got!

 

Hmmmmmmmm..... now I am catching up :-)

http://myfoto.westnet.com.au/Photo/elessar...102653d2006.jpg

 

Not bad for a single card eh :-)

[ViperJohn]

That is an awsome rig. 1 question though. Why does it use 2 sli bridges?

 

 

It doesn't. You only need one SLI bridge for an SLI pair. The second bridge comes into play when you use a 3rd NV card for physics processing.

 

Viper

[rainwood]

Almost three months have passed since I switched to the EVGA 680i mainboard.

I did that just because I wanted to take full advantage of the 8800 GTX cards.

Did I get what I wanted? Nope, so far.

 

Inspired by Raphie’s threads, “DIY-Street Forums > Hardware Avenue > Video Cards > NVIDIA - XFX 8800 Factory overclocked" & “”DIY-Street Forums > Hardware Avenue > Video Cards > Nvidia > So i flashed my XFX 8800GTX to a 8800GTX XXX" , I performed the BIOS update to the XFX 8800 GTX XXX BIOS (version: 60.80.08.00.40).

The update was successful, according to the message displayed in the console window. I am in the middle of the stability tests. I hope that I could repot some positive results (I will upload the results on, probably, this Sunday night).

 

Just a follow-up:

Please allow me to sum my undergoing the 680i mainboard up.

• The memory: I ended up in getting new memory modules.
  
• The heatsinks: none of my heatsinks was not installed in the way that they could do their job better and/or some of them could not be installed because of my case (and the LGA775 socket is located too close to the mainboard boundary).
  
• The mainboard was/is just a piece of j***: I had to replace the mainboard. After the replacement, OS/chipset drivers re-installs (5 times total; yes, I called Microsoft to beg for the OS activation) & BIOS update (four times total), my system seems to be stable for about “three weeks” (I got this mainboard in the last November).
  

 

First, I thank all of you who started and contributed to the thread: “DIY-Street Forums > Cases, Cooling, & Modifications Industrial Parkway > Cooling TEC Cooling - Vigor Gaming Monsoon II (754, 939, AM2, LGA775) TEC cooling! ". I got the TEC cooler; I have just ended my quest for better CPU coolers: this is the best CPU cooler that I have ever used.

 

The temperature* at idle:

24 – 26 °C with the 6 CPU multiplier & 1.13 – 1.14 vCore.

29 – 31 °C with the 11 CPU multiplier & 1.28 – 1.29 vCore.

The temperature* reading just after the 8-hours Prime95 blend test using Orthos: 27 °C

The temperature* just after relatively continuous 10 hours of the game play (F.E.A.R. – Extraction Point): 31 °C (“relatively continuous“: I took 10 – 15 minutes break every 2 hours, pausing the game).

 

 

 

Installation note:

As the second picture shows, I had to trim the bottom of the fan to install the memory in the slot#0; this is because installing the memory modules in the slot#2 & 3 never works in the two memory-sticks case & the memory modules have the weird heat spreader.

I’ve seen some people in other users’ forums reporting the trouble of the backplate, but I did not have it...

 

*The temperature readings are the ones from the heat spreader provided by Everest Ultimate Edition 2006 (version: 3.50.816 Beta).

[rainwood]

Let me start with how I performed the BISO update. I think that most of you guys know how to, so this is just I like to have you input to see if I did something wrong in the procedure for the BIOS update.

 

Update the XFX 8800 GTX BIOS to XXX edition BIOS

 

1. Uninstalled all graphic card tuning/tweaking apps && the graphic card driver before the BIOS flash:

The quote from “NVIDIA GeForce BIOS Flash Guide”:

“*Important* If you are using softmods and other tweaking applications, uninstall them prior to flashing. This goes for Riva Tuner and others. Why? Because most people flash, leaving those programs resident, so those utilities, try to force the video card to those saved settings in software and that causes problems for a card with a fresh flash or a new device ID.

*Remember* To always change out the drivers after a flash, most people forget this and then wonder why the drivers are giving them problems or why they get strange effects in there games. Always re-install the drivers and turn off any anti-virus before doing so. Rename the file to something thats easy to remember and point the string path too.[“GeForce BIOS Flash Guide”, URL: http://www.mvktech.net/content/view/15/37/, on-line: 01/24/2007]”

 

I just followed the procedure. nTune is the only app. that I installed and used for tweaking, so I just un-installed the nTune.

 

2. Got the XFX 8800 GTX XXX edition BIOS and latest nvFlash:

Downloaded the XXX BIOS file from here.

Downloaded the latest nvFlash file from here.

The latest version of the nvFlash is version: 5.40 (Submitted on: 01/27/2007).

 

3. Prepared the bootable disk.

3-1. Created the bootable floppy disk using the Windows’ “Format” --> “Create an MS-DOS startup disk”.

3-2. Copied the “nvflash.exe” and “cwsdpmi.exe” files to the floppy disk:

Does someone know what the “cwsdpmi.exe” is? The “nvFlash.info.txt” does not mention what the executable does… I copied the .exe file to the floppy disk, anyway.

3–3. Copied the XXX BIOS file to the floppy disk:

The original file name was long (“XFX.8800GTX.XXX.PCIe.768MB.Rev.01.rom”). So I renamed to “xxx.rom”.

 

4. Remove one of the 8800 GTX cards and use one card in the first PCI-E slot (the slot close to the NVIDA SPP):

I performed the BIOS update one card at one time.

 

[uPDATE]

Actually, I did not have to remove one card and do the BISO flash one card at one time…

Qutoe from: “Can you flash two GeForce 8800 GTX's at the same time?” thread @ MVTech.net:

“nvFlash v5.xx Commands...

"nvflash -b -i0 backup1.rom" (Backup BIOS of First Card)

"nvflash -b -i1 backup2.rom" (Backup BIOS of Second Card)

"nvflash -5 -6 -i0 newbios.rom" (Normal Flash of First Card)

"nvflash -5 -6 -i1 newbios.rom" (Normal Flash of Second Card)

"nvflash -4 -5 -6 -i0 newbios.rom" (Forced Flash of First Card)

"nvflash -4 -5 -6 -i1 newbios.rom" (Forced Flash of Second Card)”

 

5. Restart the system with the bootable disk.

 

6. Had a backup of the original BIOS:

A:> nvflas – b filename.rom

 

It went smoothly without getting the blank screen.

 

Note: when I was going to back up the BIOS from the second card (after the fist card’s BIOS flash was done), I noticed that the floppy disk did not have enough room for that (the BIOS file size is about 55k and the remaining space was 52 – 3k). So I moved the first BIOS backup file (from the first card) from the floppy disk to make room to save the BIOS file from the second card.

 

7. Flashed the original BIOS to the XXX one:

A:>nvflash -5 -6 xxx.rom

After hit the Enter key, the message will appear: “Press ‘y’ to confirm (any other key to abort)”. So hit the ‘y’ key to continue.

 

…according to the message displayed at the end of the flash operation, the operation seemed to be successful.

But I feel uneasy about the message; “WARNING: New image has more preservation slots that adapter image, defaults from new image used.” What does this message mean?

[uPDATE]

According to the MVKTech, the BIOS flash went O.K. – do not need to be bothered by the message… However, does someone know what the message mean?

 

[i]Note: the MVKTech’s NVIDIA GeForce BIOS Flash Guide needs to be updated. The option (4) for the BIOS flash (for instance A:>nvflash -4 -5 -6 file.rom) is not available in the nvFlash version 5.40.[/i]

[uPDATE]:

I was wrong. The instructions in the the MVKTech’s NVIDIA GeForce BIOS Flash Guide are valid.

I made a contact with the MVKTeck and got clarification on the command (“4”) of the nvFlash v5.xx:

A:>nvflash -4 -5 -6 xxx.rom

This is the forced BIOS flash method: this method is required when the ID is different, although the cards are the same.

So, in my case, the IDs of the BIOS files were same, it was O.K. to perform the BIOS flash without the command (“4”) :

• XFX 8800 GTX BIOS: Version: 60.80.06.00.12 ID: 10DE:0191:1682:2250
  
• XFX 8800 GTX XXX BIOS: Version: 60.80.08.00.40 ID: 10DE:0191:1682:2250
  

 

8. Reboot the system

Type A:>nvflash –y and hit Enter key will reboot the system.

 

After updated the BIOS in the one card, I replaced the card with another one in the first PCI-E slot and repeated the steps from #5 – 8. The BIOS update of the second card was successful, too.

 

9. Installed graphic card driver and nTune.

Graphic card driver installed:

ForceWare Release 95

Version: 97.92

Release Date: January 10, 2007

WHQL Certified

 

nTune installed:

NVIDIA nTune

Version: 5.05.25.00

Release Date: January 25, 2007

 

10. Checked the memory & core clock after the BIOS update:

Here’re the core & memory bus clock rates of the XFX 8800 GTX before the BIOS update:

 

After the update:

 

The core & memory bus clock rates of the XFX 8800 GTX XXX edition are 630MHz & 2GHz. So they look O.K.

 

Now, it’s time to start testing…