Chaintech zenith 150 nforce 3 board

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I just ordered it and wondering if anyone else has any experience with this board.

 

[McArra]

I've also ordered it. I can't wait more to have it in my hands!!!

 

[charloscarlies]

oops.....

 

[McArra]

I have it. It is a really good board that I'm going to start overclocking this weekend. It has all the features you'd want to have and it's pretty. Don't buy twinmos memory with it (PC3200 CL2.5) as it has some compatibility problems.

 

[Vette73]

^

What memory problems are/were you having? Was it with 2 slabs or just 1 slab of Ram?

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
^

What memory problems are/were you having? Was it with 2 slabs or just 1 slab of Ram?

Both. It would only run stable in 3d@DDR333. It was really frustrating and performance was worse than it should. Then I changed it for Kingston and it works fast as hell . Chaintech support told me they knew there was a problem. Also A64 don't care if you use CL3 or CL2.5, performance is identical.

 

[kreeper]

I have one. First one I got was dead. Doh. Second one is working mostly ok.. except it doesn't like running at 2-2-2-6, and the bios won't stick with the slower timings that I set it for. I can use the nVidia system utility once into windows to slow the timings down so it runs stable. It's a smidge annoying.. but a good excuse to get another, slower stick of ram (currently using one Mushkin Level 2 512MB PC-3500)

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: kreeper
I have one. First one I got was dead. Doh. Second one is working mostly ok.. except it doesn't like running at 2-2-2-6, and the bios won't stick with the slower timings that I set it for. I can use the nVidia system utility once into windows to slow the timings down so it runs stable. It's a smidge annoying.. but a good excuse to get another, slower stick of ram (currently using one Mushkin Level 2 512MB PC-3500)

Nvidia system utility works on chaintech???

 

[charloscarlies]

Nvidia system utility works on chaintech???

I don't see why it wouldn't.

 

[loafbred]

I just got mine set up last night, with A64 3200+. I have the same problem as the other guy with my Mushkin PC3500 Lvl 2... it runs fine at 2-2-2-6 at 200 bus (with 2.75v or more), but it won't save latency changes. I'v read about a couple of people running Corsair at 230+ bus on it without this problem, but not sure if theirs was the "LL" versions. To be safe, raise the dimm voltage, then go back and increase the bus speed, just in case it doesn't save lowered latency settings. If it raises bus speed without lowering latencies, as it does on mine, it might cause BIOS corruption. I think that could be what caused the rampant BIOS corruption on Asus A7N8X's. I've had it up to 220 bus with default cpu voltage, but it needed a little more dimm voltage (set to the max of 2.9, which is undervolted to about 2.85) to run 2-2-2-6 timings. It's fast at 200 bus.

I haven't bothered with the C-box yet, but I'm using the built in sound, and it's pretty good. I think I gave away my installation CD for my Audigy2 ZS when I gave away my Live 5.1, so I can't install anything but basic functionality for it. I read somewhere that Creative robs you of $15 for a replacement CD, while they have only "updates" on their site.

 

[loafbred]

Originally posted by: kreeper
I have one. First one I got was dead. Doh. Second one is working mostly ok.. except it doesn't like running at 2-2-2-6, and the bios won't stick with the slower timings that I set it for. I can use the nVidia system utility once into windows to slow the timings down so it runs stable. It's a smidge annoying.. but a good excuse to get another, slower stick of ram (currently using one Mushkin Level 2 512MB PC-3500)

I got a different BIOS, and it fixed the problem. It's the version 2 from this thread:

ZNF3-150 bioses

Before you flash it, consider using a different dimm with higher latencies to do the flash, or, at least, use only one dimm of the Level 2. I feel lucky that mine flashed okay using two dimms of 512MB Level 2.

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: loafbred

Originally posted by: kreeper
I have one. First one I got was dead. Doh. Second one is working mostly ok.. except it doesn't like running at 2-2-2-6, and the bios won't stick with the slower timings that I set it for. I can use the nVidia system utility once into windows to slow the timings down so it runs stable. It's a smidge annoying.. but a good excuse to get another, slower stick of ram (currently using one Mushkin Level 2 512MB PC-3500)

I got a different BIOS, and it fixed the problem. It's the version 2 from this thread:

ZNF3-150 bioses

Before you flash it, consider using a different dimm with higher latencies to do the flash, or, at least, use only one dimm of the Level 2. I feel lucky that mine flashed okay using two dimms of 512MB Level 2.

Cool thanks!!

 

[kreeper]

sweet! just raising the voltage to 2.9 worked wonders for my Level2. No bois flash needed, for me anyway. Very stable, even overclocked.. 21k on 3DMark01, and I don't have to lower my mem. timings everytime I start.

 

[Nightwings]

I bought this motherboard along with

Athlon64 - 3200+
1024 Megs of Corsair TwinX XMS pro - 2 sticks of 512 3200LLpro
XaserV Damier V6000A case with a 480W PurePower Butterfly PS
Asus NVidia GeForceFX 5700 - 256MB
Seagate Barracuda 160GB SATA Hard Drive


When I turn it on it boots through the POST screen, the RAID screen. Then on the third screen which has the table type listing of devices, at the bottom after the last table it says;

Verifying DMI Pool Data.................

it seems to get stuck there

sometimes it manages to go further

Verifying DMI Pool Data.................Success

At which point it boots up the windows cd in the drive and prepares to install. At this point though it gets to a screen where it is checking for hard drives and it doesn't see any on the four SATA channels. As soon as I push a key it flips to a blue screen of death.

Anyone know what the problem is? I've tried moving parts around and changing the settings in the BIOS but nothing seems to work.

One thing I have noticed though is if I unplug the hard drive from the motherboard the problem with DMI Pool Data crashing goes away. Could it be the hard drive is no good?

 

[sticky52]

Anyone run the CBOX and get goofy processor usage out of the Digidoc program? I figured it'd be handy to be able to see temps while running 3DMark, but you have to be running Digidoc and that program seems to spike the CPU to 100% every time it queries for temps. At least it does on XP SP1.

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: sticky52
Anyone run the CBOX and get goofy processor usage out of the Digidoc program? I figured it'd be handy to be able to see temps while running 3DMark, but you have to be running Digidoc and that program seems to spike the CPU to 100% every time it queries for temps. At least it does on XP SP1.

Yes it does. I uninstalled it as soon as I realized that. I'm using the temp sensors my case has and I'm happy now, and performance has really increased in critical situation such as heavy gaming, now there are no little stops and I can see the temps .