AMD Sempron Processor 3100+ & ECS NFORCE3-A Motherboard for $80 at Outpost.com

[CuriousMike]

Today, Frys lists the combo for $79 with an ECS nForce4-A mobo.

 

[furballi]

Could be a good buy. May pickup a unit just for fun. The big downside is the actively-cooled chipset fan.

 

[Zap]

Chicago Fry's ad today lists $79 for 3100+ with NFORCE3-A. Ah well.

NFORCE4-A754 looks similar to NFORCE4-A939 board that I have. Not only is the chipset fan a bummer, but it is really close to the video card slot AND the big issue is how it is attached to the motherboard. Almost all other Nvidia chipset boards use push pins. This one uses loops, so may not be as easy getting a replacement heatsink. Reviews of this board on Newegg puts the BIOS similar to the socket 939 version with shipping BIOS allowing up to 250MHz HTT but a BIOS update allowing more. That may make this board worthwhile, higher BIOS overclocking and having PCI-E, since now in many cases you can pay less for a better performing PCI-E video card than AGP (assuming you're buying new). The four SATA ports are also in a better spot and the USB headers and ATX +12v are on the edge of the PCB as well, always a nice touch. Not so nice is the FDD header low on the board, for those who use them. Still, not as bad as some boards putting them underneath the PCI slots, and the IDE ports are still in a good location.

I wonder if this board will have the USB problem that the socket 939 version has, where Windows will BSOD or lock while you are using certain high speed USB 2.0 devices such as network or HDD (a known problem with the NFORCE4-A939).

If the Chicago Fry's had it, and especially with retail box 3100+ (potentially Palermo) then I'd be over there tomorrow morning. Alas...

 

[XNice]

seems the website isn't carrrying any of the combos anymore.

 

[Zap]

Outpost.com actually does have a combo, a 3000+ with NFORCE3-A for $130. Not the best deal but not terrible. If they changed it to an NFORCE4-A754 board and guaranteed it to be a retail box Venice, then it would be pretty nice, especially if they toss in free shipping.

While I'm fantasizing... a supermodel and a full tube of KY... nevermind this is a family forum...

 

[furballi]

Just purchased this combo. Same 3100 Sempron Paris. BIOS update allows up to 400MHz FSB. Many adjustable RAM settings, including HT, RAM speed (200/166/133/100), Tras, Trcd, Trp, 1T/2T, and more. There's a setting called CPU THERMAL-THROTTLING but it is not shown in BIOS. CPU voltage goes in +25mV increment up to +375mV. Dimm is 2.5 to 3.1 in .1 step.

Perhaps Zap will pick up this combo so we can compare notes.

The main PSU caps are Matsushita with three OST caps. No firewire, dual channel RAM, and dual-core CPU support. I don't have high-speed USB device to check for the BSOD.

 

[0roo0roo]

http://www.netaffilia.com/ad/electronics/frys/i/2006/04/19/16446.html

 

[chhenry]

I have this combo (NForce3) and am running it at 250fsb, HTT=3, memory at 200(2 GB PC4000 OCZ). I am using a coolermaster HSF and an Antec Sonota II case. I got no errors in Prime95 running it over night but it hits 48C-49C (according to speedfan). Does anyone know if is this a little high? Is there anything i can do? Thanks in advance

 

[Dragon Specialist]

OK. Here's my message to ECS (below). I actually took the original drive purchased back to Fry's. Turns out the drive was probably not the problem at all. I had the Fry's guy partition and format a 500MB portion of the drive there with no problem. When I got home, I was able to hook the hard drive up, while the machine was on, partition a 200gb of the drive, format it, and then reboot. As soon as I reboot, the machine REALLLLYYYY LAGGGS, like its got a port or irq conflict. I have not been able to find one. As soon as Windows comes back up, After about 10 MINUTES, the drive SOMETIMES is seen and SOMETIMES not. Either way, after the reboot, I can't write to the drive or see how big it is. Before the reboot, I could write to it, read from it, load from it....etc......

Any ideas on this would be sincerely appreciated. I could just take the damn thing back and get a regular old EIDE drive, but thought the speed on the SATA would be significantly better. NOT IF ITS GOIN TO CAUSE ME A MONTH OF HEADACHE THOUGH!.

Unable to get SATA Drive to work correctly. Hard drive is DiamonMax 10 Maxtor Model:6V300F0 - 300GB SATA. Please Reference Case# ECE06041210016. I have installed the drive in another system with no problem. When installed to this motherboard with same cables used on other machine, the motherboard will see the hard drive, but is unable to format the drive. It can Partition the Drive, but fails on format. After Partitioned, I can take to other machine and it will format the partition with no problem. The error in the log states there was an error with the controller. I have downloaded the latest drivers and attempted to both turn on and off the RAID in the Bios. The RAID, when on, will see the hard drive, although it is the only drive so will not do anything with it. I need to know where the drivers are for the SATA Controlers within Windows. This is the only thing I can determine may be the problem. If the SATA Controller Drivers are the 2.6 Version, these do not appear to work correctly.

Need help!!

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: furballi
Perhaps Zap will pick up this combo so we can compare notes.

Ad for closest Fry's (Chicago, quite a drive) has the CPU with the NFORCE3-A board still. No dice!

 

[mawg]

I can't get my RAID to work right either. have 2 100GB SATA striped, it boots from RAID OK, but many nvraid errors in event log. I'm coming up on the end of return period, thinking hard about dumping it

 

[OhioState]

ps the deal is back for 99$ again

 

[furballi]

Quick update on the NF4 754 and Sempron 3100 Combo for $80. Super Pi time is virtually identical with the NF4 and NF3 board. I need to bump Vcore up to 1.52V to run at 270MHz FSB. The same speed only requires 1.49V with the NF4.

Maximum overclock in Windows is around 2.51GHz with NF3 and 2.48GHz with NF4. However, I was able to run the Sempron 2800 with Winchester core at 289MHz. The NF3 board would max out 262MHz. The NF3 will often allow me to return to the BIOS if the overclock is too much for the system to boot. I have to reset the CMOS with the NF4 board after lockup. The NF4.

The most annoying thing about the NF4 is the chipset fan! I need to build a new Al passive CPU cooler this weekend to replace this noisy fan.

I think you can adjust the multiplier on this board and the amount of CPU throttle in CNQ. Still experimenting with various parameters.

There's a built-in speaker on the board but it doesn't emit the BEEP at boot. Guess it only works when there's a problem with the board (lockup). The manual also talks about 1394 but I see none on this board.

BTW, there are three fan plugs. None are temperature controlled. The NF3 board has SMART fan for the CPU cooler.

More to come.

 

[BUBKA]

Originally posted by: furballi
Just purchased this combo. Same 3100 Sempron Paris. BIOS update allows up to 400MHz FSB. Many adjustable RAM settings, including HT, RAM speed (200/166/133/100), Tras, Trcd, Trp, 1T/2T, and more. There's a setting called CPU THERMAL-THROTTLING but it is not shown in BIOS. CPU voltage goes in +25mV increment up to +375mV. Dimm is 2.5 to 3.1 in .1 step.

Perhaps Zap will pick up this combo so we can compare notes.

The main PSU caps are Matsushita with three OST caps. No firewire, dual channel RAM, and dual-core CPU support. I don't have high-speed USB device to check for the BSOD.

What BIOS update is this? I want to have a 400MHz FSB. I run 29C idle with my AMD heatpipe copper heatsink

YEs, the Cool N Quiet is neat, I freaked out when I had my case open and saw that sometimes the CPU fan does not even spin

 

[homestarmy]

Originally posted by: saabman
homestarmy,

Actually you would probably be OK using the stock CPU speed for an MCE based HTPC (CPU =2800 and up), especially if you're using a hardware encoder for the TiVO like recording (like hauppauge 150, 250,500) and an Nvidia display card with TV out .

Well I am using an ATI HDTV Wonder which only picks up OTA HDTV, it is already encoded in MPEG-2, so there is no hardware/software encoding for HD, tuning and writing to the HDD.

Not using Nvidia or TV Out. Using ATI 9600XT and DVI to HDMI @ 1152x648.

It is noticably faster at this point.

 

[fitzov]

I just thought I'd post my overclocking results with this combo--default voltage.

CPU: HT-4, 230MHz, temps go to 40C under Prime95 (ran for 8hrs, no errors).
MEM: 1T, 230MHz, 2.5-3-3-11.

 

[homestarmy]

Also, I've been having some problems on my end with a couple of things. I finally finished installing and tweaking and whatever for now, put it back out in the living room, but found with MCE, I can use the power button on the remote and it will go to sleep. The annoying part is that the power light blinks, but that is no big deal.

The real problem is that when I press power on again, it will not wake up. I set it to wake on USB in the BIOS. I also ran an s3 standby reg hack to try and help, but now when I put it on standby, it reboots and my keyboard/remote are non-functional. I did back up my registry beforehand, but I cannot import the backup also, it says some keys are in use. Can someone help me with that? Any ideas on getting it to turn back on also? I am thinking I was better off with my last setup at this point .

I have another person that wants a PC built, and I might just give them this board and get another for my HTPC. Any recommendations? I am thinking lanparty or tforce. Hmm, I need DVI out and don't own a PCI-E card yet.

Thanks guys!

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: furballi
The most annoying thing about the NF4 is the chipset fan! I need to build a new Al passive CPU cooler this weekend to replace this noisy fan.

BTW, there are three fan plugs. None are temperature controlled. The NF3 board has SMART fan for the CPU cooler.

Sounds just like the socket 939 version. If you have an external USB 2.0 HDD, try using it extensively. If your computer BSOD or locks, then that board is a chip off the ol' block.

Originally posted by: homestarmy
I have another person that wants a PC built, and I might just give them this board and get another for my HTPC. Any recommendations? I am thinking lanparty or tforce. Hmm, I need DVI out and don't own a PCI-E card yet.

If you shop carefully, there are some Geforce6100/6150 based boards that have DVI onboard. IIRC they aren't very overclockable but they'll give you the DVI port.

 

[ereet1]

i get occasional locks on the NFORCE3 board using my external storage 250GB. Are you saying if i bring the drive indoors (pata) i'll get more reliability? if so i'm there.

I have my NAS server lock up about once every 2 weeks. It has a brand new APC-500 on it so its not the weather

 

[furballi]

More about NF4 754 and Sempron 3100 Paris.

Running the BIOS dated 9/2005. Could boot and run Super Pi at DDR400 overclocked to 246MHz/HT 3x/2.5-3-3-8-1T/+100mV. At DDR333, I can run up to about 275MHz FSB.

I'm not sure if USB 2.0 lock-up is a generic issue with NF3/NF4 chipsets.

 

[homestarmy]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: homestarmy
I have another person that wants a PC built, and I might just give them this board and get another for my HTPC. Any recommendations? I am thinking lanparty or tforce. Hmm, I need DVI out and don't own a PCI-E card yet.

If you shop carefully, there are some Geforce6100/6150 based boards that have DVI onboard. IIRC they aren't very overclockable but they'll give you the DVI port.

I think I am going for the Tforce 6100 biostar board because I have heard nothing but good things, and going to buy a PCI-E card. That way I will have a very OC'able motherboard and a real vid card for about $80-$90.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: homestarmy
I think I am going for the Tforce 6100 biostar

Zap's mini review of Biostar Tforce6100

That's for the socket 754 version. I actually have the socket 939 version as well as the socket 754 Geforce6100-M7 version. The Tforce is a reasonable choice.

Originally posted by: furballi
I'm not sure if USB 2.0 lock-up is a generic issue with NF3/NF4 chipsets.

It is, but seems as if some manufacturers deal with it better than others.

 

[homestarmy]

I have read your review, one reason why I am getting it. I should have thanked you btw. So thank you .

Also, I am getting pretty sick of the ethernet on these boards. I had an issue with my friends system (though ethernet worked fine). Reformatted it, now ethernet looked ok, but would not connect, and repair didn't fix, but when I disabled or tried to reinstall drivers, the system would reboot. The same thing happened on my Asus Nforce3 board. In both I just put in cheap NICs and disabled onboard in BIOS, but I should NOT have to do that... Is there any kind of fix?

 

[IamDavid]

AMD Sempron Processor 3100+
& ECS NFORCE3-A Motherboard

87.58 shipped

I hope it arrives quickly!!

 

[Zap]

Indeed it is back at $79.99 plus shipping as of right now. C'mon Outpost, get with the program and offer the deal with the NFORCE4-A754. While at it, offer the deal with a Palermo.