NF3 Ultra-D 939/AGP

[OldGuy]

I have been running my pc in single channel mode since I foolishly believed the information in the manual. I put both sticks in the yellow slots so now the memory is in dual channel mode. But, now Counter Strike Source locks up. Should I reload optimised defaults when going from single channel memory to dual channel? Also, I have the HTT multiplier set at 5X (I'm not overclocking, just using the optimised defaults), could that cause a problem? I tried raising the memory voltage from 2.6 to 2.7, it did not help the lock-up problem. Thanks.

 

705 was released with a note stating they had changed the default LDT to X4. I really don't think this board likes running near the 2k limit. I always set mine to X3 to avoid problems...(both NF3 250gb and this board)

[rodan]

I think my boards voltage regulator is/has been since purchaced, jacked.

Even though the board is running, the board shows wild rail voltage variations

between bios', after using 2 different psu's its the same. I'm sure my oc problems

are not the psu/ram/cpu, all brand new.

 

Its running fine but at lower than expected settings but I think it because of

new components not board. I have one of the first boards out and think maybe

the voltage regulator is/was rotten.

 

I want to try to salvage the nf3/agp concept to save @ $600. loss/upgrade to

nf4 board/pcie system if I can. Since I have the 939 SD I don't have alot of

choice.

 

I have clipped off the agp retention plastic and replaced the chipset (or ldt) fan

with a Vantec. Do you think DFI would rma for repair/examine it now and if so

can some tech guy AG or RG pm me the phone number for dfi rma? ... Thanks

[JasonX]

QUOTE=JasonX]Thx man i am ocing the gpu so is 1.8volts safe?

 

I would leave overclocking the gfx card out of the equation until you are happy with the cpu/memory being stable so you aren't getting 3D benchy crashes and wondering if it's the memory or the cpu or the gfx card causing the problems...

 

Voltage is a personal choice IMO...If something is working good with x amount of voltage and the temps are good then let her rip...If it takes a lot of voltage to try and achieve something and the results aren't that great then it's not worth risking for a few extra mhz's...

 

So what is "safe" is really up to you...

 

 

 

Thx old guy I tried what you said and i was able to oce to 211 then i would get a blue screen with wrighting on it memory something i think instead of getting to desktop should i try putting the ram into the orange slots since there bh-5? I tried 0.4 cpu vid no help.

[rodan]

JasonX - sounds like a ram problem and maybe not agp. Is it a ram problem

have you tested ram at defaults using memtest boot cd?

[Samoa]

I talked with tech support at DFI, California. the tech Frank told told me I could send the board to him and they would replace the bios chip and upgrade the memory controller in addition to configuring the mobo on similiar harware that I use to test it out for me. Now that's service.

 

I'm gonna rma back to mwave though, might look in to the DFI offer there if i have future problems. Considering a Nnforce4 alternative atm. I really don't want to spend more money on pcie just yet. I found the Nforce3 Ultra D to be very sensitive when compared to the 250gb version. I mean I hooked back up the 250gb, and it's rocking like it was.

[JasonX]

JasonX - sounds like a ram problem and maybe not agp. Is it a ram problem

have you tested ram at defaults using memtest boot cd?

 

 

Yes I have with floppy there fine at stock i know they need alot of volts.And what is ltd used for? ive tried 4 and 3 how about putting them in the orange slots?I have not changed anything in dram section should I ?Heres a pic of a64tweaker maybe I should change something http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/152/default1rk.jpg

[Nubius]

And considering the AGP undervolts by .5 volts, going up to 1.6 would probably be pretty safe.

The AGP undervolts by .5!? Wouldn't that make most cards highly unstable being that Vid cards especially can be anal about the voltages. My 6800GT doesn't want to clock as high on this nf3 but I was told that was purely an Nf3 problem....it maxes out at 430/1185 in my XP-M system, but here it maxes at like 415/1120, but still that's a decent overclock which I'd think wouldn't be possible with such an undervolt.....makes me wonder if bumping it up to 1.6 might get a few more Mhz

[desire]

The AGP undervolts by .5!? Wouldn't that make most cards highly unstable being that Vid cards especially can be anal about the voltages. My 6800GT doesn't want to clock as high on this nf3 but I was told that was purely an Nf3 problem....it maxes out at 430/1185 in my XP-M system, but here it maxes at like 415/1120, but still that's a decent overclock which I'd think wouldn't be possible with such an undervolt.....makes me wonder if bumping it up to 1.6 might get a few more Mhz

 

I'm assuming he meant it undervolts by 0.05v. So at 1.5v its really closer to 1.45v

[Guest Tim]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...okay. I'll remember that the next time I'm able to achieve a higher OC from my gfx card after increasing the AGP voltage.

 

so many people misunderstand this, so I'll try to do my best explaining it.

 

AGP voltage

 

AGP voltage is controlled by your motherboard.

With AGP 1x and 2x the default is 3.3v, although some "newer" versions where 1.5v.

AGP 4x and 8x has 1.5v as default.

What AGP voltage does, is give your videocard the juice it needs to power it's components(and ALL of it's components: gpu, ram, caps).

This voltage can be adjusted in most mobo BIOSes.

 

 

GPU voltage

 

 

GPU voltage is controlled by you graphics card.

It gives you GPU the juice it needs to operate at the speed it's at.

This voltage can't be adjusted without physical adjustments (soldering iron, ...)(Although some Nvidia cards can have it adjusted with a modded bios).

 

What does it do for overclocking?

 

A lot of people think that upping the agp voltage gives your vidoecard more headroom to overclock.

In some cases this can be true, like when you overclocked it that high, that the GPU/ram is demanding most of the voltage that the vidoecard has.

Giving your videocard more juice to play with (so it can power the caps and stuff normally again) CAN stabilize your overclock. Giving too much agp voltage WILL dammage your videocard.

The chances you overclock your card this far, however, is very small. Most videocards are made that way, that 1.5v is more than enough to power it at any speed it's stable at(When at stock gpu voltage that is, but more on that later).

 

Now for GPU voltage, things are different.

When you overclock your CPU, when achieving those high overclocks, you wan't to give it as many volts as it can handle (with the cooling you have), so it can overclock as high as possible.

The same goes for the GPU. Giving the GPU more voltage will increase your overclock. It will stabilize your GPU at former non-stable speeds, but will also make your GPU a lot hotter.

Again, giving too much voltage to your GPU WILL dammage it

 

 

The AGP voltage - GPU voltage relationship

 

When upping your GPU voltage, your videocard is using more voltage than it is supposed to be.

In a lot of cases, too much. Remember all of those 6800GT's dieing at 1.4v(Gpu voltage that is)?

IMO these could all have been saved.

The explanation for these deaths where that the caps of the 6800GT couldnt handle the voltage and that the power circuit of the 6800GT wasn't strong enough to handle it.

In other words: the card diden't have enough juice to power all of its components, while the 6800U did, as it had 2 molex connectors.

It has been proven that cards, when unstable after voltmodding, can be stabilized by upping the AGP-voltage(quite logical, card hasn't got enough juice, just give it more using AGP-voltage).

I'm suprised noone(or noon I know of in this forum) has tried if they still die when upping the AGP-voltage.

 

Conclusion well, sort of

When upping the GPU-voltage from cards been know to die from it, try upping the AGP-voltage. It might just help.

I always see it like this: the AGP voltage is like the 12v rail on a PSU and the GPU-voltage is like the CPU-voltage

Upping the 12v rail can stabilize your cpu-voltage, but don't get it too high, or the other components of the motherboard(or in this case, the vidoecard) get too much volt trough em.

 

I hope this helped a couple of people that diden't understand the diffence between the two, and may help some of those scared 6800GT users, to give that 1.4v another try.

 

JochenP

 

This is what I was trying to say.... Not saying that it doesn't help the overclock at all...but it's slim at best.

 

I couldn't overclock my 6800GT more from it.... aw well....didn't mean to sound harsh... sorry :cat:

[SmackDizzle]

After reading here for months.. I decided to give it a try. Got it all together last night and So far so good! @ 2420mhz 11x220... I will keep working at it.. Stock bios (0602)has been perfect so far other than the 2t ram issue, but I'm not gonna get worked up about that just yet. DFI still ROX in my book! Peace!

[JasonX]

Still having probs to get to 2.4ghz I put a 80mm fan right in front of the ram so I could put more votlage.Here are my settings hammer fid 11,agp overclock 67 cpu vid +0.4 ram settings are default except for 2225 and 1t I even put 3.2volts to the ram but it locks up at 213 i get to desktop i can move the mouse for 10 seconds then it locks up.I pass memtest no prob at default settings how about putting ram in the ornage slots would that help bh-5 ram or maybe get a newer bios any suggestion are appreciated.

[Guest Tim]

My fan died yesterday, so I took it off....and it didn't spin at all anymore when I pushed it with my finger...

 

It's very easy to fix this guys... (if you don't want to buy another one)

 

What you need:

 

Screwdriver,

Teflon or WD40

 

(Turn off the PC ofcourse)

 

Take the fan off the HS, peel the sticker off the back, and put a drop of Teflon (or WD40, I prefer Teflon) straight into the little hole, spin the fan around by blowing it, and repeat it once more... see if you can also drop alittle between the spacing between the fan and motor (didn't harm mine, I thought why not.)

 

Look carefully that you didn't spill anything over the fan blades, hook it back up and turn the PC back on.

 

Voila...6000rpm again, purring like a happy kitten :cat: