Chaintech VNF4/Ultra Bios 2.0 Released!

[MajorPayne]

I just found out this morning that Chaintech posted the 2.0 BIOS (no longer beta) for the Chaintech VNF4/Ultra. It does not really list fixes, so it may be just a stable release of the betas that came before it. Has anyone tried it yet, and if so, what are the noticable differences (if any) between it and the last beta BIOS?

The new BIOS (and the beta's) can be downloaded here:http://www.chaintech.com.tw/tw/eng/Download/dl_desc.asp?DCSNo=4&PISNo=318

 

[akassasin]

I'm waiting to get my VNF4 in the mail. When I get it would it be worthwhile to upgrade to this BIOS right off the bat?

 

[bbtaco]

Let us know the color of the board and the type of heatsink it has on the North bridge chip. I have read the new boards coming out are blue with a North brige cooling fan. I am thinking about getting the Chaintech VNF4/Ultra with an AMD64 3200+.

 

[MajorPayne]

Originally posted by: akassasin
I'm waiting to get my VNF4 in the mail. When I get it would it be worthwhile to upgrade to this BIOS right off the bat?

I am not sure yet... I will apply it when I get home (I still have the latest beta BIOS), but because I get home late tonight, it will probably be Saturday before I can post the results. I will let you know then.

 

[Silversierra]

Cool, a new bios. Has anyone got a board with fan cooled chipset yet?

 

[MajorPayne]

Originally posted by: Silversierra
Cool, a new bios. Has anyone got a board with fan cooled chipset yet?

Not that I have heard. To my knowledge, everyone right now is getting the blue PCB with the Zenith logo on the chipset cooler. The original board (which I, and I think you, have) has the black PCB and no logo on the cooler.

 

[Ackbar]

I've tried it, exactly the same as the previous version. Although, I haven't noticed much improvement in any of the bioses past the first one. I'm rather frustrated with their updates, none of them have fixed the voltage problem! I think it's a physical limitation of the board (ie. defective).

 

[jose]

Ackbar, what voltage problem are you talking about ? I'll be getting one Tuesday from newegg, I'll check that to see if it's the new rev.

Regards,
Jose

 

[Ackbar]

Originally posted by: jose
Ackbar, what voltage problem are you talking about ? I'll be getting one Tuesday from newegg, I'll check that to see if it's the new rev.

Regards,
Jose

Check out my post on this thread... http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...adid=1507988&STARTPAGE=4&enterthread=y

I've outlined the problem in other threads as well, do a search on my name and vnf4 and voltage. I hope you don't have the same problem! But to be honest, I don't think I've spoken with anyone who has outright stated that they didn't.

 

[jose]

Anyone have a 3500+ .90nm cpu on the VNF4 mobo ?? The cpu default voltage is 1.5volts.

Ackbar, I read your link, and you & others say that you can't set any cpu voltage between 1.45 & 1.6 ..

Then how does a 3500+ winchester work in this mobo ??

Regards,
Jose

 

[Ackbar]

Originally posted by: jose
Anyone have a 3500+ .90nm cpu on the VNF4 mobo ?? The cpu default voltage is 1.5volts.

Ackbar, I read your link, and you & others say that you can't set any cpu voltage between 1.45 & 1.6 ..

Then how does a 3500+ winchester work in this mobo ??

Regards,
Jose

Sucks to be you... it'll try to set at 1.5 V, but since it actually can never get that it undervolts to 1.4V or 1.45V I can't remember which. Go into your bios under the PC Health stuff and check it out for yourself.

 

[TekXoID]

Chaintech is making a new BIOS for the VNF4 with some features like .5x multipliers that actually maintain syncronized memory speed. More info to come, it should be out pretty soon.

 

[clarkkent333]

I just got mine in from the egg. It was black colored with an active cooler on the NB. Unfortunately it was DOA. On the fence about getting another one.

 

[Ackbar]

Originally posted by: clarkkent333
I just got mine in from the egg. It was black colored with an active cooler on the NB. Unfortunately it was DOA. On the fence about getting another one.

If you got it from Newegg, you can only exchange it for the same one... so unless you plan to just keep it broken, I don't see why you wouldn't get another one.

 

Originally posted by: TekXoID
Chaintech is making a new BIOS for the VNF4 with some features like .5x multipliers that actually maintain syncronized memory speed. More info to come, it should be out pretty soon.

:thumbsup:

 

[Concillian]

Originally posted by: TekXoID
Chaintech is making a new BIOS for the VNF4 with some features like .5x multipliers that actually maintain syncronized memory speed. More info to come, it should be out pretty soon.

I don't think you can do that with the A64 design. Best you can do is optimize the integer you divide CPU speed by.

There is a reason that A64 memory speeds are 'tiered', if you remove the integer division, you create speeds that introduce latencies due to the non-synchronization of the memory controller (CPU) and memory speeds.

I'm still waiting for an A64 board that will let you set the integer divisor. It makes sense, it will come out eventually, it's just a matter of time.

 

[Go Go Gadget]

Originally posted by: Ackbar

Originally posted by: jose
Anyone have a 3500+ .90nm cpu on the VNF4 mobo ?? The cpu default voltage is 1.5volts.

Ackbar, I read your link, and you & others say that you can't set any cpu voltage between 1.45 & 1.6 ..

Then how does a 3500+ winchester work in this mobo ??

Regards,
Jose

Sucks to be you... it'll try to set at 1.5 V, but since it actually can never get that it undervolts to 1.4V or 1.45V I can't remember which. Go into your bios under the PC Health stuff and check it out for yourself.

I have one. Undervolts it to 1.4

 

[ChineseDemocracyGNR]

Originally posted by: Concillian
I'm still waiting for an A64 board that will let you set the integer divisor. It makes sense, it will come out eventually, it's just a matter of time.

What divisor? Do you mean for memory?

The MSI K8N Neo4 has this, you can use all integers dividers and not just "100", "133", "166" and "200".

 

[thunderroller]

is it worth taking risk

 

[dfedders]

Originally posted by: TekXoID
Chaintech is making a new BIOS for the VNF4 with some features like .5x multipliers that actually maintain syncronized memory speed. More info to come, it should be out pretty soon.

Link?!?