ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 - Socket 939 with PCI-E and real AGP and Socket AM2 upgrade path

[Germonicus]

Thanks for the very prompt reply,and thanks for the welcome

It's gonna be an OEM CPU,saving myself £45 over the retail price.
As always I'm cutting as many corners as I can in order to afford my eqpt. and staying a few steps behind the cutting edge gear.

This board seemed a godsend to me,keep my old GFX card and the MB looks kinda future proof.

 

[imported_Imp]

Hey,

Have had this mobo for a week now with no issues at all, but I just added an extra stick of memory in, and the RAM is now running at DDR266 in dual channel; with single sticks it runs at DDR333.

If I remember right, it use to run at DDR400 with only the original 512MB stick in it. Using Corsair Value Select VS512MB400C3 and a VS512MB400 <---ya...its kinda mixing, but the C3 runs at CAS 2.5 according to CPU-Z. Its actually really stable at DDR266 right now, but I'd like to get the performance back to something more reasonable in terms of potential, anyone got any ideas?

BTW, the C3 runs at 2.5-3-3-6, forgot to check non-C3 , in dual, its 2.5-2-2-5 which seems wierd since they should be underclocking... All BIOS settings for RAM are at auto.

Thanks a lot!

 

[professor1942]

The board doesn't know much about different DIMMs so it will default to low speeds. Play around with the memory settings in your BIOS - I'd first try 3-4-4-8 and DDR 400, then tighten the timings if that works OK (probably 3-3-3-8 will be the best you can get).

If you are overclocking the cpu, DDR333 is the mem. speed to use.

 

[imported_Imp]

Thanks for the quick response.

I'll probably try that later, but I hope that messing with the timings won't break anything/void warranty. Corsair says the sticks should run at 2.5-3-3-8 I think, and I'm not doing any overclocking btw.

Thanks again.

 

[professor1942]

It may 'break' things, but not permanently... When I was playing around I had to clear CMOS a couple times, and remove some DIMMs to get the board posting again, so be prepared for some of that. If your RAM is rated DDR400, then it should work fine at that speed (I'd still start at CAS Latency 3 to be on the safe side).

 

[WT]

Wow .... just got daring (n00b overclocker here) and set my HTT to 274 (1.20 BIOS) and the Opty 144 is just battah smooth. I first started OC'ing back in the 300A days and this board makes it as easy as can be. Even my Celeron needed tape over pin B21 to work right !! I still don't fully understand the Asrock methodology to the BIOS, but read enough posts to make a safe foray into the manual CPU settings. Temps are fine, and I am short a front case fan even (woulda paid $10 more for an extra fan header and 1gb LAN, Asrock!!) and running at 2.4 for a $160 cpu.

 

[imported_Imp]

Just a follow-up,

Switched settings for Ram in dual-channel from DDR200!!! according to CPU-Z, not 266, and 2.5-2-2-5 to:

DDR333 / 3-4-4-8 <-stable
DDR400 / 3-4-4-8 <-didn't even crash, wouldn't boot
DDR333 / 3-3-3-8 <-stable, ran memtest86+ twice, no errors

Can't run at 1:1 so that kinda sucks:brokenheart:, can probably bring CAS down to 2.5 and tweak timings a bit, but too lazy and just tired of messing with it (never was much a tweaker). Probably due to memory mixingm oh well, but thanks a lot for the help in getting it to a more reasonable setting!:thumbsup:

Imp

 

[Blastman]

I was thinking of an ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 board as an upgrade.

I was reading the Newegg reviews and noticed a couple of complaints about the sound quality. While I don?t expect the onboard sound to be stellar -- does anyone have any impressions of the sound quality? Is it OK ? at least...?

 

[nealh]

I am going to remove the cpu retention bracket to place a metal backplate for my XP90..do I just squeeze the small black thins under the mobo???

 

[pctwo]

is anyone using a scythe ninka or si-120 heatsink with this mobo? any problems?

also, anyone using an antec p150 with it? i know the antec p150's psi has problems w/ certain asus boards. thanks

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: Blastman
I was thinking of an ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 board as an upgrade.

I was reading the Newegg reviews and noticed a couple of complaints about the sound quality. While I don?t expect the onboard sound to be stellar -- does anyone have any impressions of the sound quality? Is it OK ? at least...?

I used it for a few days (actually it might have been only one day, I forget) before I got my sound card. It sounded fine to me, you're not going to have the best SNR or 3D sound or anything, but the quality for simple music listening sounded fine, I didn't hear any distortion or popping/clicking or anything.

Originally posted by: nealh
I am going to remove the cpu retention bracket to place a metal backplate for my XP90..do I just squeeze the small black thins under the mobo???

Actually I think it's easier to remove it by first lifting up the white pins on the top of the retention bracket first (to loosen it IIRC) - then you can squeeze the black plastic pins on the bottom to remove the bracket.

Originally posted by: pctwo
is anyone using a scythe ninka or si-120 heatsink with this mobo? any problems?

also, anyone using an antec p150 with it? i know the antec p150's psi has problems w/ certain asus boards. thanks

Those are the two heatsinks I considered before buying this board; I went with the SI-120. No problems at all, there's plenty of clearance for RAM and it's not really difficult to mount and remove.

 

[qsrk]

An update on Windows XP Pro SP2 seeing only 2.00GB out of 4.00GB installed:

I was quiet for a few days while I made sure that I had good RAM. I replaced all 4 sticks with new ones, and had the same problem. I tried a mix of old & new RAM (all identical brand etc.), and still the same problem.

I tried a suggestion from another forum of reducing Virtual Memory, and set a static size of 200MB, since Windows wanted that as a minimum for debugging purposes. Still the same problem.

Everest Home Edition 2.20 can see all 4 sticks at 1024MB each. The RAM is rated at 2-3-2-5-2T, and I have the motherboard set similarly, with Everest confirming the settings.

SpeedFan 4.27 sees all 4 sticks at 1024MB each.

CPU-Z 1.31 reports 1024MB in each of the 4 slots, and NOTHING ELSE on the rest of the tab. The memory tab reports 2048MB (not 4096MB !!!), Dual Channel, the correct timings, plus TRC at 11, and the DRAM idle timer at 16. It has no entry for Bank Interleave, although I have selected Auto in the BIOS (the only other option is "Disabled"). It isn't reported anywhere, but the BIOS also has a memory setting for 4 Beats.

Any new insights?

 

[nealh]

SynthDude2001
thanks that info is very helpful:thumbsup:

 

[Blastman]

Originally posted by: nealh
SynthDude2001
thanks that info is very helpful:thumbsup:

Ditto.

 

[Killrose]

I've been really tempted to get this and an Opteon 144 to go with it. I found my old invoice from Mwave for my Epox 8RDA nForce2 board and it was dated 01/02/03, almost 3yrs is pretty good but I think I will at least hold out till "next year" to make it official

 

[funguy34]

i use the board since some weeks and i`m very comfortable with it. on a german site i`ll found some interesting things.
A bios test: http://www.pc-treiber.net/artikel/artikel.php?id=55&page=136 and a "1.50C" bios with cool and quite @ 1,1V:
http://www.pc-treiber.net/download-file-639.html. and a lot of more information here: http://www.pc-treiber.net/forum64.html
Then i found a great mod faq:http://www.forum-3dcenter.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=268701
sadly its all on german, but i hope i could help some of u guys.

 

[nealh]

Hmm..I am having some issues with I think ULi AGP driver and my 9700pro...

I get winxp loaded...then I install intergrated 2.13 drivers...ie LAN and AGP drivers...no problem reboot

I then tried to install Cat 5.13 and reboot ..seems ok, install 5.11 CP..no CCC

then rebooted..seems ok

I then went to get winxp updates and system reboots...and winxp wont load not even from safe mode, cant restore to any configuration...something is completely trashing the install

any thoughts

I am running the default bios on the mobo..1.4....at default cpu setting,ram 200mhz, 3-3-3-8-1t

RAM is in dimm 1&2..correctly seem by bios as dual channel ddr400
I do need to turn off speed spectrum, flexibilty option disabled

 

[professor1942]

My guess is a RAM issue... if it didn't like the speed, timings, etc. it may have screwed up the XP install.

 

[nealh]

yea..I realized dram voltage was auto..missed this..so I need to go back and set to high to get 2.7v....

I will reinstall for a third time tomorrow and see what happens...also I disabled speed spectrum that was on too...

thanks

 

[nealh]

Ugh...this mobo and these agp drivers..I installed the intergrated drivers 2.13...agp and lan
I checked bios cpu, ram are default setting..A64 3200, ram at 333...3-3-3-8-1t, high voltage, flex. option disabled, speed spectrum, cnq disabled

rebooted fine..figured it would be a good idea to use the 2.3 agp on website, again..om god...what a disaster..it totally borked everything...I could not even do a restore to my partition with Acronis TrueImage 8 in "dos" setting

I have built like 5 computers and used Acronis without a failed..my verified image would not work ...

Now I have to reformat and reinstall again..number 4...now

I am so sorry I did not buy another mobo...this is ridiculous

Also damn placement of the cpu places the XP90 in position I had to remove my mobo to place the my HDD in my Antec SX830 case..so I have to remove the mobo if I ever want to upgrade or install a HDD in HDD cage....

I can only hope once this is up and running it is stable or this was a worthless experience

I never had issues like this

 

[professor1942]

Yeah, I had similar issues at first, but it may encourage you to hear that the board is 100% stable for me since I found the perfect configuration. I'm running my cheapo RAM (4 DIMMs) dual channel at about 187 Mhz and 2.5-3-3-7.

Instead of reinstalling every time, did you try 'fixboot' from the recovery console?

 

[threedd97]

Originally posted by: RIGorous1
does anyone else who has this board and the xp-90 know if we really need the back plate from thermalright? Can we use the unthreaded center screw hole?

Thanks,

Rig

You're supposed to use those two holes anyways, but I just found a pair of nuts to tighten down over the screws. Worked just fine.

 

[nealh]

Originally posted by: professor1942
Yeah, I had similar issues at first, but it may encourage you to hear that the board is 100% stable for me since I found the perfect configuration. I'm running my cheapo RAM (4 DIMMs) dual channel at about 187 Mhz and 2.5-3-3-7.

Instead of reinstalling every time, did you try 'fixboot' from the recovery console?

Can not get to recovery console....

this last ime it screwed everything...It would do nothing off the initial F8 screen..safe mode..nothing....

my partition is os screwed I can not even reinstall winxp....not sure where to go from here

I may have to remove the mobo and put a new HDD in the damn computer..I have to have this stupid running for my wife tomorrow...ugh

 

[Ike0069]

I was planning to get this board and put my AGP 6800GT in it, but I've read of several people having serious problems with the AGP drivers. So now I'm having second thoughts.

It this really a common problem, or maybe more problematic with ATI vice nVidia cards? It does seem that the problems I've read have mainly been with people using 8700/9800 ATI cards, but that could easily just be a coincidence.

Neal's problems make me very nervous about geeting this board.

 

[Bad Dude]

Originally posted by: Ike0069
I was planning to get this board and put my AGP 6800GT in it, but I've read of several people having serious problems with the AGP drivers. So now I'm having second thoughts.

It this really a common problem, or maybe more problematic with ATI vice nVidia cards? It does seem that the problems I've read have mainly been with people using 8700/9800 ATI cards, but that could easily just be a coincidence.

Neal's problems make me very nervous about geeting this board.

You don't need to worry, the AGP works fine for me.