Chaintech VNF3 mobo 5/7/04 beta bios : UPDATE: I got it now!, LMK if you want it.

[formulav8]

The reviewer on the main anandtech page did a review of the OCZ PC3700EB memory and used the Chaintech VNF3-250 motherboard. He was using a beta bios dated 5/7/04. It game him MULTIPLYER SUPPORT. I would really like to get that bios. Anyone know anyway I could get it? Is it available for download anywhere? Thanks for any help.

EDIT: Wesley sent it to me. I will upload it to my webserver shortly and provide a link to be downloaded from. Please LMK if anyone is interested and wants it. Thanks.

It is now uploaded. Click the link below to download.

Click here to download



Jason

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

Follow the thread about 3/4 of the way down...thank Schnieds

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=29&threadid=1311380&enterthread=y

 

[formulav8]

I have it uploaded. Click the link below to download it.

Click here to download


Jason

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

I can't seem to find the instructions on how to conduct the bios flash. I don't want to just wing it since I absolutely love it and don't won't to be down by screwin it up...can anyone help?

Thanks

 

[Quino]

It workes great. My memory can now run DDR435 I am running 255*9 completely stable

Thanks

 

[FunkierThanU]

Sweet!
Thanks for posting this.

 

[Aikouka]

BlindBartimaeus, it's only a guess, but when the system boots, I saw a thing for AWD Flash at the bottom. I'm guessing if you have the BIOS on a floppy and you hit that key command, it will launch the flasher.

 

[formulav8]

Really the only problem I have with the new bios is, when I have support for UBS mouse enabled it will stop booting any further when it is checking the memory when it boots. I have a usb mouse too and this effects me. I have to have usb mouse support disabled so it won't freeeze when it boots at checking the memory. I have to put a usb to PS2 adapter on my mouse so it will work. I hope they do something to fix that. Thats about the only thing I can find that is wrong so far.


Jason

 

[Schnieds]

Originally posted by: formulav8
Really the only problem I have with the new bios is, when I have support for UBS mouse enabled it will stop booting any further when it is checking the memory when it boots. I have a usb mouse too and this effects me. I have to have usb mouse support disabled so it won't freeeze when it boots at checking the memory. I have to put a usb to PS2 adapter on my mouse so it will work. I hope they do something to fix that. Thats about the only thing I can find that is wrong so far.


Jason

Hmmm thanks for the info. I have the USB mouse setting disabled in the original BIOS and I can still use my USB mouse in WinXP. If I enable USB mouse in the BIOS I get errors in the BIOS and can't boot.... hmmm, I may wait to upgrade, although the unlocked mulit's would be really nice with my PC4000....

 

[formulav8]

Yeps, That is the only reason I am tolerating the usb mouse bug. So I can have the ability to change the multiplyers. Hopefully they will fix the usb mouse bug before they officially release the bios. The 4/29 bios usb mouse worked perfectly. I am not sure why this 5/7 bios created a usb mouse bug in it. Will see what they do I guess.


Jason

 

[formulav8]

I just noticed this a few days ago, and even with the 4/30 bios, my Kingston PC4000 only shows up as 256MB. I have 2 - 512MB sticks and it is only posting as 256MB total. I put in Corsair Value Select, and it shows the proper amount of 1GB. What in the world could be the problem? I am thinking about flashing the bios to the one it came from the factory with and see what it does then. Unless it is the memory controller on the cpu itself. I did flatten a pin pretty bad and had to straighten it. I do not know if I messed something up or not. I am thinking the memory posted fine when I installed everything brand new. I do not remember anymore. I flattened the pin in the first install so, it wasn't something I did later down the road. I am not sure what to do. I have a MSI board coming tomorrow that I will know for sure if it is just a mobo problem or the cpu doesn't like the Kingston.


Jason

 

[FunkierThanU]

Originally posted by: Schnieds

Originally posted by: formulav8
Really the only problem I have with the new bios is, when I have support for UBS mouse enabled it will stop booting any further when it is checking the memory when it boots. I have a usb mouse too and this effects me. I have to have usb mouse support disabled so it won't freeeze when it boots at checking the memory. I have to put a usb to PS2 adapter on my mouse so it will work. I hope they do something to fix that. Thats about the only thing I can find that is wrong so far.


Jason

Hmmm thanks for the info. I have the USB mouse setting disabled in the original BIOS and I can still use my USB mouse in WinXP. If I enable USB mouse in the BIOS I get errors in the BIOS and can't boot.... hmmm, I may wait to upgrade, although the unlocked mulit's would be really nice with my PC4000....

I didn 't realize it, but I've got 'USB Mouse' disable too. Amuses me 'cause my Boomslang has been working fine. Are you sure that setting isn't one of the 'Wake on...' features that will wake the machine if you move the mouse?

 

[dimasukr]

I tried this 05/07 BIOS and now I cannot get 2 512Mb sticks of OCZ PC4400 to work at 1:1 fsb (200MHz) - only at 166MHz
I don't see 200MHz in memory menu at all - only auto-166-133-100.
With 1 stick only if set to auto it will work at 1:1 (200MHz) and I was able to push it to 275MHz 2.5-4-4-10
With 04/30 BIOS - I could see 200MHz in memory menu and it works with 1 or 2 sticks with no problems.

 

[djm68]

dimasukr,

After flashing the bios, enter bios setup, load fail safe defaults. Now, set your DRAM freq to AUTO -- than will enable 200mhz operation. I had the same problem after I flashed too and this worked for me. Now running at 250x9 totally stable!

DJM

 

[Gortok]

I tried this...it's a no-go on my board. RAM shows maxmemclk at 166.
Clicking HammerFID control shows no options (for multi?) and it locks up.
Only CRL-ALT-DEL will release it.... Any ideas?

Oooops, yep, you're right...you HAVE to load fail-safe defaults and reboot...silly me...

Thanks!:beer:

Now the fun begins...heeheeee

 

[Bar81]

Originally posted by: djm68
dimasukr,

After flashing the bios, enter bios setup, load fail safe defaults. Now, set your DRAM freq to AUTO -- than will enable 200mhz operation. I had the same problem after I flashed too and this worked for me. Now running at 250x9 totally stable!

DJM

Thanks for that. Now I can finally go above 230 FSB. Too bad the memory bug still exists. While I can run at DDR400 all day at stock, anything over that and it freaks out under any settings. I just don't get it.

 

[djm68]

Hey Bar,

What "memory bug" are you referring to? Several of us run well above ddr400 with zero problems -- I am running 250x9 with totally stability. Tell us a little more about your problem...perhaps we can help out.

Also, those of you who have had problems with your USB mouse after updating to the 5/7 beta bios: I have my USB mousing running just fine now. Here is the tricK: install winXP with a ps/2 mouse, install all the windows XP updates -- you will see one update that deals with USB problems. Once this update is installed, your usb mouse will work with the beta bios. After you run the XP updates, flash to the new bios, reboot, enter bios setup, load "fail safe defaults", adjust bios settings to your desire. Save and exit bios, power down, change to USB mouse, start XP, be patient -- when I started XP, it took about 15-20 seconds for XP to find and configure my logitec USB mouse.

Cheers!
DJM

 

[Bar81]

Well I'm using Mushkin Level II PC3500 2x512MB. CPU is a 3200+ CG revision. I don't know if the older C0 cores have this option but I have to set the command rate to 1T to get it to do 1:1, otherwise it goes to 166 under the auto setting.

It turns out it's the 1T command setting. Apparently it's too aggressive for the current BIOS to handle. I backed it off to 2T, jacked mem to 2.9v, mutli to 9, and FSB to 270 with a 166 mem setting (DDR500) and it loaded up perfectly. Go figure.

The real problem that seems to still linger is the fact that I can't use either of the USB headers. The system just will not boot but after all the reports of USB problems I'm not surprised.

Overall, I'm less critical of this board than I was previously - it's definitely a board you need to have patience with. Almost as good as the ASRock K8S8X but the BIOS still needs some work.

 

[sonoma1993]

i have the chaintech nfv3-250 with athlon 64 3200+ but i cant find the multiplyer adjustment in the bios. I installed the beta but no clue were the multi adjustment is at? any clues, i looked all over the bios menus for it and didnt see it.

 

[Bar81]

It's in the Frequency/Voltage adjumstment menu under FID control or something.

I have some VERY good news re DTR support. I'll update as I know more.

 

[dimasukr]

Bar81,
I can't wait for DTR news - I have no CPU (friend gave me one for the weekends) and deciding what to buy mobile A64 or regular?
So I need to know asap

 

[Bar81]

Okay, I'm back and I'll be posting about the DTRs BUT

can anyone explain to me why I can't go 1:1 with my RAM which does 250FSB just fine if I go 166??? All help greatly appreciated.

 

[dimasukr]

I still cannot get 2 DIMMS of 512MB OCZ PC4400 to work at 1:1 (i.e. 200Mhz).
I tries loading safe settings, etc - nothing - on boot motherboard sets it to 166Mhz and that's it.
With 1 stick auto settings results in 200MHz (1:1) and I can get it to work at 275 fsb (memory 1:1) stable.
Note that with previous version of BIOS 2 sticks worked just fine and I could o/c it to 242 fsb - more I could not get because of lack of multiplier adj.
So this BIOS has an issue with 2 DIMMs.

 

[Bar81]

Well, that's at least good news in that they at least hopefully know how to fix the problem. Thanks for the update, I wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy. It's just bizarre that if I set it to 5:4 it'll go crazy but not at 1:1. Part of a beta BIOS hazards I guess. Unfortunately You will need the beta BIOS for DTRs (I'm working on a new post as we speak).

 

[FunkierThanU]

Originally posted by: djm68
dimasukr,

After flashing the bios, enter bios setup, load fail safe defaults. Now, set your DRAM freq to AUTO -- than will enable 200mhz operation. I had the same problem after I flashed too and this worked for me. Now running at 250x9 totally stable!

DJM

When I flashed mine, I had to actually go in and use the jumper on the board to reset to default BIOS settings. Came up like a charm after that. It had been just coming up to a black screen w/ the harddrive light on and 'stalling'.

I'm sure someone else has posted this by now, but this is how I got around it.