Asrock 939NF4G-SATA2: mini-review
Since I've had this motherboard (mobo) for awhile, I thought I'd post a mini-review for it.
This mobo is made by Asrock, which is owned by Asus.
Motherboard features
Nvidia 6100 integrated graphics (up to 256MB RAM)
10/100 Ethernet
Realtek 7.1 channel audio
Nvidia NForce 410 chipset
Support for SATA2 hard drives
RAID support
Overview
I realize the Nvidia 6100 may not be hottest thing in onboard mobo graphics (compared to the 6150). But it's still worth considering. The newer 6150 only runs 50Mhz faster, so performance is pretty similar.
However, after major headaches with another mobo (a 6150-based MSI K8NGM2-FID), I decided on this one. After reading about other people having problems with their 6150-based boards, I thought I'd try a 6100-based board. My theory was that the lastest 6100-based boards would be later hardware revisions, and so would be more reliable. In other words, I didn't want any board that was at hardware revision 1.0. After reviewing the available choices, I noticed that this board was available locally (St. Louis) for slightly more than NewEgg.
My Hardware Configuration
Asrock 939NF4G-SATA2 mobo (my hardware revision: 1.05)
AMD 3800+ Dual Core
SuperTalent PC3200 2GB RAM
Enermax 400W ATX12V Power Supply (also has 120mm exhaust fan)
LG Dual Layer DVD writer
Seagate 250GB SATA2
Two Antec 120mm TriColor fans
Custom-built aluminum cube
My Experience
The components are layed out in a pretty standard manner. About the only comment I have regarding the component layout is that the CPU cooler is a tight fit. Component layout wasn't a major concern for me, since I was building my own custom case.
FYI: I had two sticks of GSKill RAM (2GB). This RAM did not work in the original MSI mobo I tested with. Even after one RMA, and testing with this mobo it did not work properly. One stick would always work, but the second stick would always have problems. Eventually, I gave up and had to RMA the RAM a second time.
Anyway, due to the delays of dealing with a faulty MSI mobo and GSkill RAM, I decided to buy the RAM locally. So I bought two sticks of RAM from the same place I bought the Asrock mobo. Two 1GB sticks of SuperTalent RAM. I had never heard of this brand before, but thought I'd try it. Since I know the people at this store, they let me memtest86 the RAM while we waited. (One of the nice things about dealing with local stores.)
I've been very pleased with this Asrock board. This mobo gets through POST very quickly. It is also very stable. During my initial memtest86 testing, I noticed that the mobo had the RAM speed at 133Mhz. I knew that wasn't right, so I manually set it to 200Mhz. The remaining memory settings I left on auto. Testing with memtest86 went great, so I went ahead and upgraded the BIOS, installed Windows, etc.
At this point, I didn't have the manufacturer recommended memory settings. Neither did anyone at the store where I purchased the RAM, and I don't believe it was documented on the SuperTalent website either. However, I knew that CPUZ displays most of this information. So I installed that on the box and found the correct settings, then entered them manually in the BIOS and retested with memtest86. This test showed a dramatic performance increase, so I knew that the mobo wasn't setting the RAM timing correctly
when set to auto. The only setting I couldn't determine using CPUZ was the command rate (1T vs 2T). But further memtest86 testing proved that 1T worked fine. This was also faster than using auto, so I knew the mobo was not setting 1T automatically either.
After that, I started overclock tests. The BIOS does not allow overclocking via the CPU multiplier, but options exist to overclock the CPU bus. I tested at various speeds (220, 230, and 240 Mhz), and started getting memtest errors at 240 Mhz. So I decided to stay with 230Mhz. This increases the CPU clock from 2.0Ghz to 2.3Ghz, which results in a nice 15% overclock. The BIOS also has an option to overvolt the CPU by .05 volts, so I configured that as well.
One nice feature on this mobo is that overclocking does not effect the PCI bus. It will stay at the same speed, while the CPU is being overclocked.
Older BIOS issue: One issue with this motherboard is that it may fail to boot a hard drive properly. When it happens, you'll notice the POST stop at a certain point, and the number "0075" in the lower right corner. If this happens, don't worry. Just use a warm reset (cntl-alt-delete, reset button, etc). This problem occurs in early BIOSes. The mobo boots so fast that hard drives may not have a chance to communicate with the mobo before the POST finishes. Based on an Asrock email reply, this POST code of 0075 apparently means that the mobo couldn't get configuration data from a device as fast as they wanted. Upgrading the BIOS to version 1.5 or later fixes this problem (more info below). However, for best results, be sure memtest86 succeeds prior to upgrading your BIOS.
Here are some performance numbers I remember. Using my hardware configuration, SuperPi calculates 1 million digits of pi in just over 30 seconds. And 3dMark 2001 was over 6000.
Real world usage is very impressive. I can run VMWare with a Linux guest, and allocate 768MB RAM and a single processor to it (remember this is dual core). Even when one CPU is at 100%, I can still use my Windows desktop as though VMWare was never running. Having 2GB RAM makes a major performance difference on Windows XP, and I highly recommend it.
This motherboard uses passive chipset cooling. There is no fan on the chipset. This helps the machine run quieter. The CPU and other fans do not make much noise. The Seagate hard drive and the DVD tend to create more noise than anything else.
Custom built case
Since I have a new milling machine and a dremel, I decided to build my own case. The case uses the base and back plate from an old HP box. The rest is made of aluminum, making it very light. Total size of the case is about one cubic foot (less than 1 foot on each side). The case has enough room to hold all the components, with the Enermax power supply attached to the top of the cube. And the two Antec fans located on the sides. This makes for one great little box that is very portable and extremely durable.
Useful Info
If you wish to install Windows 2000, you must use a CD with service pack 4 or higher integrated into the CD. For Windows XP, you must use a CD with service pack 2 or higher.
This mobo may not use the recommended settings supplied in your RAM's SPD. Enter the correct settings manually for best results. If you don't know the correct settings, set the BIOS memory settings to AUTO. Then once you have Windows running, install CPUZ. This will tell you what the SPD recommends (it might not tell you if the memory is 1T or 2T - but at least you'll get the other four basic settings). Be sure to memtest86 your machine anytime you manually alter memory settings.
The BIOS wouldn't allow me to alter the CPU multiplier for overclocking. But I could alter the CPU bus speed.
Most 6100 mobos allow up to 128MB RAM to be allocated for graphics. However, if you have at least 1GB RAM, you can allocate 256MB. To do this, set the amount of allocated graphics to AUTO. The 256MB option is not listed in the BIOS, so you must set to AUTO in order to take advantage of it.
The latest BIOS version (1.5) has a new option for fast hard drive detection. Setting this option to "disabled" fixes the 0075 post code issue. If your hard drive needs a little extra time to powerup, then you should disable this feature. If your hard drive powers up super fast (this mobo get thru post REAL fast!), then you can enable this feature. When enabled, you're machine will boot somewhat faster. In other words, if you get a post code of 0075 - just disable this feature and things will work better.
Since I've had this motherboard (mobo) for awhile, I thought I'd post a mini-review for it.
This mobo is made by Asrock, which is owned by Asus.
Motherboard features
Nvidia 6100 integrated graphics (up to 256MB RAM)
10/100 Ethernet
Realtek 7.1 channel audio
Nvidia NForce 410 chipset
Support for SATA2 hard drives
RAID support
Overview
I realize the Nvidia 6100 may not be hottest thing in onboard mobo graphics (compared to the 6150). But it's still worth considering. The newer 6150 only runs 50Mhz faster, so performance is pretty similar.
However, after major headaches with another mobo (a 6150-based MSI K8NGM2-FID), I decided on this one. After reading about other people having problems with their 6150-based boards, I thought I'd try a 6100-based board. My theory was that the lastest 6100-based boards would be later hardware revisions, and so would be more reliable. In other words, I didn't want any board that was at hardware revision 1.0. After reviewing the available choices, I noticed that this board was available locally (St. Louis) for slightly more than NewEgg.
My Hardware Configuration
Asrock 939NF4G-SATA2 mobo (my hardware revision: 1.05)
AMD 3800+ Dual Core
SuperTalent PC3200 2GB RAM
Enermax 400W ATX12V Power Supply (also has 120mm exhaust fan)
LG Dual Layer DVD writer
Seagate 250GB SATA2
Two Antec 120mm TriColor fans
Custom-built aluminum cube
My Experience
The components are layed out in a pretty standard manner. About the only comment I have regarding the component layout is that the CPU cooler is a tight fit. Component layout wasn't a major concern for me, since I was building my own custom case.
FYI: I had two sticks of GSKill RAM (2GB). This RAM did not work in the original MSI mobo I tested with. Even after one RMA, and testing with this mobo it did not work properly. One stick would always work, but the second stick would always have problems. Eventually, I gave up and had to RMA the RAM a second time.
Anyway, due to the delays of dealing with a faulty MSI mobo and GSkill RAM, I decided to buy the RAM locally. So I bought two sticks of RAM from the same place I bought the Asrock mobo. Two 1GB sticks of SuperTalent RAM. I had never heard of this brand before, but thought I'd try it. Since I know the people at this store, they let me memtest86 the RAM while we waited. (One of the nice things about dealing with local stores.)
I've been very pleased with this Asrock board. This mobo gets through POST very quickly. It is also very stable. During my initial memtest86 testing, I noticed that the mobo had the RAM speed at 133Mhz. I knew that wasn't right, so I manually set it to 200Mhz. The remaining memory settings I left on auto. Testing with memtest86 went great, so I went ahead and upgraded the BIOS, installed Windows, etc.
At this point, I didn't have the manufacturer recommended memory settings. Neither did anyone at the store where I purchased the RAM, and I don't believe it was documented on the SuperTalent website either. However, I knew that CPUZ displays most of this information. So I installed that on the box and found the correct settings, then entered them manually in the BIOS and retested with memtest86. This test showed a dramatic performance increase, so I knew that the mobo wasn't setting the RAM timing correctly
when set to auto. The only setting I couldn't determine using CPUZ was the command rate (1T vs 2T). But further memtest86 testing proved that 1T worked fine. This was also faster than using auto, so I knew the mobo was not setting 1T automatically either.
After that, I started overclock tests. The BIOS does not allow overclocking via the CPU multiplier, but options exist to overclock the CPU bus. I tested at various speeds (220, 230, and 240 Mhz), and started getting memtest errors at 240 Mhz. So I decided to stay with 230Mhz. This increases the CPU clock from 2.0Ghz to 2.3Ghz, which results in a nice 15% overclock. The BIOS also has an option to overvolt the CPU by .05 volts, so I configured that as well.
One nice feature on this mobo is that overclocking does not effect the PCI bus. It will stay at the same speed, while the CPU is being overclocked.
Older BIOS issue: One issue with this motherboard is that it may fail to boot a hard drive properly. When it happens, you'll notice the POST stop at a certain point, and the number "0075" in the lower right corner. If this happens, don't worry. Just use a warm reset (cntl-alt-delete, reset button, etc). This problem occurs in early BIOSes. The mobo boots so fast that hard drives may not have a chance to communicate with the mobo before the POST finishes. Based on an Asrock email reply, this POST code of 0075 apparently means that the mobo couldn't get configuration data from a device as fast as they wanted. Upgrading the BIOS to version 1.5 or later fixes this problem (more info below). However, for best results, be sure memtest86 succeeds prior to upgrading your BIOS.
Here are some performance numbers I remember. Using my hardware configuration, SuperPi calculates 1 million digits of pi in just over 30 seconds. And 3dMark 2001 was over 6000.
Real world usage is very impressive. I can run VMWare with a Linux guest, and allocate 768MB RAM and a single processor to it (remember this is dual core). Even when one CPU is at 100%, I can still use my Windows desktop as though VMWare was never running. Having 2GB RAM makes a major performance difference on Windows XP, and I highly recommend it.
This motherboard uses passive chipset cooling. There is no fan on the chipset. This helps the machine run quieter. The CPU and other fans do not make much noise. The Seagate hard drive and the DVD tend to create more noise than anything else.
Custom built case
Since I have a new milling machine and a dremel, I decided to build my own case. The case uses the base and back plate from an old HP box. The rest is made of aluminum, making it very light. Total size of the case is about one cubic foot (less than 1 foot on each side). The case has enough room to hold all the components, with the Enermax power supply attached to the top of the cube. And the two Antec fans located on the sides. This makes for one great little box that is very portable and extremely durable.
Useful Info
If you wish to install Windows 2000, you must use a CD with service pack 4 or higher integrated into the CD. For Windows XP, you must use a CD with service pack 2 or higher.
This mobo may not use the recommended settings supplied in your RAM's SPD. Enter the correct settings manually for best results. If you don't know the correct settings, set the BIOS memory settings to AUTO. Then once you have Windows running, install CPUZ. This will tell you what the SPD recommends (it might not tell you if the memory is 1T or 2T - but at least you'll get the other four basic settings). Be sure to memtest86 your machine anytime you manually alter memory settings.
The BIOS wouldn't allow me to alter the CPU multiplier for overclocking. But I could alter the CPU bus speed.
Most 6100 mobos allow up to 128MB RAM to be allocated for graphics. However, if you have at least 1GB RAM, you can allocate 256MB. To do this, set the amount of allocated graphics to AUTO. The 256MB option is not listed in the BIOS, so you must set to AUTO in order to take advantage of it.
The latest BIOS version (1.5) has a new option for fast hard drive detection. Setting this option to "disabled" fixes the 0075 post code issue. If your hard drive needs a little extra time to powerup, then you should disable this feature. If your hard drive powers up super fast (this mobo get thru post REAL fast!), then you can enable this feature. When enabled, you're machine will boot somewhat faster. In other words, if you get a post code of 0075 - just disable this feature and things will work better.
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