EPoX "EP-9NPA+Ultra" NVIDIA nForce4 ULTRA Chipset Motherboard

[cheerful]

I RMA'ed one b/c of the fan. The second one is loud, though not as bad as the first one.

Originally posted by: xzi007
Is anybody having issues with the fan on the motherboard, i bought mine on september 05 and now is very loud. Thanks for your time and suggestions. also has anyone used this ram with this board???



OCZ EL Platinum Revision 2 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820146890

 

[reynrv]

Originally posted by: boeki
now that the usb2 issue has been resolved, can we now tackle the severe vdroop and incorrect vcore/temp readings on these 9npa mobos?

The temperature readings are off?

 

[MBrown]

I've been look at this board and it seems good. How easy is overclocking in this?

 

[Libel]

Originally posted by: boeki
now that the usb2 issue has been resolved, can we now tackle the severe vdroop and incorrect vcore/temp readings on these 9npa mobos?

i agree it's time!

 

[MBrown]

I'm really leaning towards the EPoX EP-9NPAJ SLI. Has anybody had any experience with this particular motherboard?

 

[RideFree]

Originally posted by: MBrown
I'm really leaning towards the EPoX EP-9NPAJ SLI. Has anybody had any experience with this particular motherboard?

Not only is the SLI as hot as nearly anything out there (even those costing a hun more), it is the prettiest in a windowed case.
Wait, there are other things too..., however, I can't think of them right now as,
I'm blinded by the light!
Edited: whoops, I missed the "J" instead of the "+".

 

[sgtdic]

yeah, if you're going to get this nf4 board, don't get the J versions. they are just scaled down versions but why do you not want the extra stuff?

 

[RideFree]

Yes! The Sarge and I see eye to eye.

 

[MBrown]

^ I didnt realize that the J signified a lower level. It was the only EPoX on NewEgg that had SLI so I figured it was the latest and greatest.

 

[elonm]

I noticed in the manual that this board support dual-channel memory up to 2X512 DIMM sizes. Can anyone verify that it also supports dual-channel at 2X1024 DIMM sizes?

Thanks,

David

 

[MBrown]

Is anyone currently running linux with this motherboard specifically Ubuntu?

 

[reynrv]

Originally posted by: elonm

I noticed in the manual that this board support dual-channel memory up to 2X512 DIMM sizes. Can anyone verify that it also supports dual-channel at 2X1024 DIMM sizes?

Thanks,

David

it does.

 

[tjpark1111]

Originally posted by: rox1co
hey guys i been deciding on this mobo or asus a8n-e, i been reading reviews and it seems like this mobo is better at OC-ing

i wanted to go with Asus cuz of my past experience but i wanna try OC-ing as a beginner, thanks

(put aside the fact that these 2 boards aren't the best OCers, but the fact that they fit my budget)

anyways, can anyone confirm that this mobo is better at OC-ing than the asus a8n-e

Confirmed. The A8N-E will get to 240fsb if you're really lucky. The EPoX goes 300+, plenty if you have at least a 10x multiplier on the cpu, probably no problems with 9x either unless you're going phase-change on the cpu for mad overclocks.

 

[tjpark1111]

Originally posted by: reynrv

Originally posted by: boeki
now that the usb2 issue has been resolved, can we now tackle the severe vdroop and incorrect vcore/temp readings on these 9npa mobos?

The temperature readings are off?

yeah, can anyone answer this question? the temps are off? I wanna decide if I want to buy a fan controller w/a thermometer and an LCD, or if the temp readings are good, I'll just get a sunbeam rheobus.

 

[sgtdic]

there's nothing wrong with the temps. squashed!!! who said this anyway? your temps might be weird if you messed up your own thermal paste, and that's your fault.

 

[tjpark1111]

I have one more question before I hit the order button. Does the mobo come with a firewire bracket? Because there are no firewire ports in the back it seems. Also, where can you get more USB brackets because it seems to only include one and that's still only 6 USB ports out of the 10 usable(sweet), and you can never have enough of them. It's pretty important because I need firewire for my camcorder. For USB, I think I need more than 6 because I need to use my MX518 mouse, Saitek Eclipse, a Webcam(not for.. uh.. inappropriate reasons), a USB-powered illuminated mouse pad, 2 mp3 players, a printer, a headset that requires power from a USB port, an external hard drive, one of those little case lights that need power from USB, 2 digital cameras(might not need USB if I actually stop being lazy and order a media card reader), and my cell phone. I'll probably add-on a USB hub or two.

 

[sgtdic]

yeah if you order the right board it comes with a 2 port firewire header bracket. you are right about the 6 usb. im sure you have to order the 9npa+ ultra or sli to get firewire though, not J or anything.

 

[boeki]

Originally posted by: sgtdic
there's nothing wrong with the temps. squashed!!! who said this anyway? your temps might be weird if you messed up your own thermal paste, and that's your fault.

have you not seen readings of your vcore from apps like cpu-z, cbid, speedfan, etc., and not see fluctiations during idle?

have you not seen the voltage drops from vcore during load from the same apps?

have you ever seen temp readings for the same proc/hsf on these ep-9npa's and when mounted on another mobo (not 9npa, of course) and noted the _large_ (5c-10c) difference?

if not, then it must be the way i messed up my thermal paste application.

 

[tjpark1111]

well, have you ever considered the possibility of that 'another mobo' having inaccurate temps? It would be confirmed that the EPoX has inaccurate readings if it was compared to at least 3 or 4 other mobos that are known to be good, or easier, just ask someone with a temp reader(usually built into those LCD fan controllers), and compare the mobo-read temp and the thermometer temp(thermometer has to be accurate). Also depends on the mobo because they might put the temp sensor in different places(under the CPU socket, around it, whereever it may be). For the voltage fluctuations, is it Cool n' Quiet? Is it your PSU(state specs)? Why does the fluctuations matter anyway? You're gonna care about some little numbers changing while you're sitting there waiting for it to fluctuate???

BTW, can anyone answer my question? where can you buy additional USB brackets?

 

[Mem]

tjpark1111: Just buy a good external powered 7 port USB hub,that is what I use.

Slightly off topic but some good news for future Epox boards,new feature coming called Ghost BIOS,info below.

Through EPoX?s unique Ghost BIOS utility, users can rescue the BIOS by themselves in an easy way without any cost. Users only need the system driver CD, BIOS update software and an EPoX Ghost BIOS supported mainboard.

.

Link.

 

[boeki]

i made the comparisons on a dfi lp ut borrowed from a friend and also on an asrock 939dual-sata2 mobo that i have. for the same vcore/clock settings, the 9npa+ temp reading was greater by 5c on the asrock (i know, low-end mobo) and almost 10c on the dfi. it has been observed (dfistreets.com), though, that the dfi really shows lower temp readings than what the actual is.

but this temp reading problem is minor (i have a big typhoon with a 120x38 130cfm fan mounted on the proc) compared to the vcore problem and that these two could be related.

on to the vcore problem: is the 9npa+ showing the correct vcore and the mobo is _actually_ overvolting?

or is the 9npa+ giving the correct vcore and the readings are just off by as much as 0.05v?

anyone care to show their startup vcores at stock (off/auto) settings?

mine's showing 1.4v at the "off" vcore setting so is the mobo overvolting my x2-4400 or it's giving the correct vcore of 1.35v and reading is off by 0.05v?

my previous proc (a64-3200) shows 1.5v at the "off" setting where it should be 1.45.

 

[Mem]

mine's showing 1.4v at the "off" vcore setting so is the mobo overvolting my x2-4400 or it's giving the correct vcore of 1.35v and reading is off by 0.05v?

Epox boards tend to give bit more voltage for cpu and ram to improve general stability etc,this has been posted before,you can manually lower CPU and ram voltage rather then leave it on auto ,that is what I did for cpu voltage.

 

[techfuzz]

I have a 3000+ that I want to upgrade to a dual-core chip. Are there any known problems with running a dual-core Opteron (165, 170, 175, or 180) on the 9NPA+Ultra?

techfuzz

 

[tjpark1111]

don't think so. A BIOS update from a long long time ago supported opterons on this board i think.

 

[Fallengod]

Ive run a 165 and x2 3800 with no problems.

Originally posted by: techfuzz
I have a 3000+ that I want to upgrade to a dual-core chip. Are there any known problems with running a dual-core Opteron (165, 170, 175, or 180) on the 9NPA+Ultra?

techfuzz