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

[MadScientist]

Just got an answer from Epox, only took a couple of hours. The +Ultra with the 05.07.28 version bios or later supports the dual core Opteron 100s. My board is stable up to 320 FSB. Undecided whether to go with an Opty 165 (1.8 ghz) or an Opty 170 (2.0 ghz). Current 165s being shipped from Newegg, $156., have a CCBBE 0616XPWM stepping, which most people are having no problem OCing to 2.7 ghz (300 x 9) on air. I may go with an Opty 170, $186., to give myself a little more OC headroom.

 

[Mucker]

Originally posted by: MadScientist
Thanks for the quick reply Mucker. I submitted the question to Epox. I'll post their answer. I'm almost certain, but just want to be sure, it supports the dual core Opteron 100 series, because their 8-01-05, version 05.07.28 bios revision added support for Dual core CPU(E6). The Opteron 100s have E6 steppings.

My issue was that when using the newer CF E6 version of the 3700 SD, the command rate 1T/2T option disappeared completely. It would default to 2T with no option to change it in the bios. The option was there with both the X2 and Opty.

Like I said, Epox sent me a bios that corrected the issue. Darn good support :thumbsup:

 

[Danaite]

Hi, my 9npa ultra have an issue, my ethernet card doesnt exist anymore, i try to install once again the Nvidia Nforce drivers but the problem is still the same.

please help me i really need this ethernet port....

THX

 

[techfuzz]

I lost a hard drive last week and strangely also lost the second IDE channel it was connected to. Anyone else seen a hard drive take out just 1 IDE channel and not both either on this board or another motherboard?

techfuzz

 

[Pingjockey]

My 9NPA+Ultra did not come with a jumper on the CMOS. Should there be one there? If so, where?

Thanks in advance

 

[techfuzz]

Originally posted by: Pingjockey
My 9NPA+Ultra did not come with a jumper on the CMOS. Should there be one there? If so, where?

Thanks in advance

You will only need the jumper on the CMOS pins if you need to reset it. If you do need to reset the CMOS, just short the two pins (read the manual) with a piece of metal like a paper clip or tip of a screwdriver.

techfuzz

 

[ingeborgdot]

I haven't had time to read the entire thread again but has anyone overclocked with this board using a x2 4400+? and patriot pc3200 memory? If so, I would be forever in your debt if you would post some numbers for the overclocking you did. I just need a general guide as I am having some troubles right now. Thanks bunches.

 

[MadScientist]

Originally posted by: ingeborgdot
I haven't had time to read the entire thread again but has anyone overclocked with this board using a x2 4400+? and patriot pc3200 memory? If so, I would be forever in your debt if you would post some numbers for the overclocking you did. I just need a general guide as I am having some troubles right now. Thanks bunches.

You may not find someone here with your exact setup. As a general OC guide try Zebo's Quick and Dirty A64 OC Guide. On this board I'm running an Opty 170 at 2.75Ghz at 1.46V with an Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro HS and Crucial Ballistic PC3200 ram with a 1:1 mem divider (200Mhz) at 2.5-3-3-6 1T, 2.9V, at 275MHz, and an HT Frequency of 3X (275 x 3X = 825). Use Orthos to test your CPU OC, Memtest86 for your ram, and Coretemp to monitor your CPUs core temps. My core temps are 25, 25C at idle, and 42, 47C at full load (blend). The one core always runs about 5C hotter at full load.
Try also searching the CPU/Processor forum for 4400. X2 4400+ OC

 

[dahuang1]

I was going to order some more ram for my computer. I have 2x512meg corsair value ddr400 ram. I wanted to add 2x256m corsair - will I still have the dual channel working properly if the ram in the first and second banks don't match? ie - 512m in the 1&2 slot and 256m in the 3&4 slot?

 

[ingeborgdot]

When I had all four slots full it did not let it run at the ddr400? It defaulted to 333.

 

[dahuang1]

I wonder if the beta bios might fix that - or if it's a SOL issue. I seem to remember something about the default back to 333 in the manual somwhere... is it that big of a performance hit?

 

[MadScientist]

Originally posted by: dahuang1
I was going to order some more ram for my computer. I have 2x512meg corsair value ddr400 ram. I wanted to add 2x256m corsair - will I still have the dual channel working properly if the ram in the first and second banks don't match? ie - 512m in the 1&2 slot and 256m in the 3&4 slot?

It should run in dual channel with that config. Place your 2-512MB chips in slots 1 and 2 and the 2-256MB chips in slots 3 and 4. I don't see why if you have all 4 slots occupied with DDR400 that they should default to DDR333, unless one of the chips is DDR333 (PC2700).

From the manual: For dual channel to operate, both channel must be populated with same
amount of memory, preferably of the same type.

 

[dahuang1]

I'll e-mail and report back - if both channels need the same amount of memory, then it sounds like all 4 banks need the same amount.

 

[dahuang1]

Well, we're getting nowhere quickly. I have two responses that said you need to use the same amount and another that said they need to be the same speed. I think I'll just try the 2x256 in dimm's 3 & 4 and see what happens. It will at least save $50 and allow me to play bf2142 better since in multiplayer it must be using a pagefile since the ram page is about 980m or so. Funny that singleplayer only used around 3-400meg.

 

[imported_AndyT]

I have run odd sized modules in pairs like you are trying on NF4 boards, but they had the same or similar chips on them. You might have a compatabilty issue as mixing memory types can be a problem, but that should stop you from booting so you would know right away.

 

[MadScientist]

Originally posted by: AndyT
I have run odd sized modules in pairs like you are trying on NF4 boards, but they had the same or similar chips on them. You might have a compatabilty issue as mixing memory types can be a problem, but that should stop you from booting so you would know right away.

I agree. I would try and stick with the same brand, type, and the same SPD settings.

 

[dahuang1]

I did finally get another e-mail from epox and I was specific about using the same cas and pc3200 - and they did say it should work fine (nothing about defaulting down to 333). I will try the 512 since it's only about $49 on newegg vs. $90 for the 1g. On the odd chance - anyone running bf2142 on multiplayer with over 1gb ram know what size the pagefile is?

 

[leftygof]

Hey guys have a chance to pickup an EP-9NPA+SLI board/with an FX-60

I have dual bfg 8800 GTS pci-e cards

Will they fit with that chipset fan?

I know they will crowd the dimm slots, but that's OK

I haven't got a response from epox yet

Any help or thoughts on the board would be apreciated

I have never built anything but Asus...so I am green when it comes to Epox

 

[imported_iNGEN]

I have a EPoX 9NPA+ ULTRA and my only complaint is the onboard NIC makes the system unstable. Took me forever to figure out. Soon as I disabled it and installed a PCI NIC it became a dream board. I can get 340 FSB out of it Prime95 stable. It does overvolt just about everything about .11 volts, but since it has great voltage control you can fix that in about 30 seconds in the BIOS. I can even run my RAM 20MHz higher than on my last board.

 

[pieman7]

Been using an EP-9NPA+Ultra for about a year now with 1 SATA drive plugged into SATA1 (the first port). I'm leaving the existing drive as the boot drive. I just recently got a 2nd SATA drive, and wondering if it matters which SATA port to plug this into. Not using RAID. Is the performance the same no matter what port is used for the 2nd drive? I noticed in the BIOS under "IDE Funtion" the options to enable/disable SATA 3/4 and SATA 1/2.

1) Does this imply that 1/2 is driven by one controller, and 3/4 are on a separate controller? Thus there is better performance using SATA 1 & 3?
2) Or, am I better off using SATA ports 1 & 2 and disabling SATA 3/4?

Thanks.

 

[liqnit]

HI
I have the board for the last year and upto now i was using 2*80GB IDE drives.
I have just connected 2 250GB SATA 2 drives and wanted to work in RAID.

The problems:
1) The RAID BIOS (F10) is not showing unless i enable RAID on the IDE drives. (i have enabled IDE RAID ROM in the BIOS).
2) When i managed to config the RAID (STRIPING) i installed windows on the RAID and after installation finished the system start booting nonstop.
3) I cannot boot into the Current (IDE) windows when raid on SATA is enabled.

In Short my setup:

IDE 1 : MASTER 80GB HD
SLAVE 80GB HD
IDE 2 : MASTER DVD-RW
SLAVE NONE

SATA 1 - NONE
SATA 2 - NONE
SATA 3 - SATA 250GB
SATA 4 - SATA 250GB

RAID BIOS ENABLED

RAID enabled on SATA 3&4

Please advise.

 

[liqnit]

It looks like Epox is dead as company

 

[WhipperSnapper]

<Sigh>. I can run 4 x 512 Corsair Value RAM and it's stable in Prime95 for at least two-and-a-half hours. I stopped the test and it ran UT 2004 fine for about 10 minutes before I closed it. Later I tried loading UT 2004 twice and my computer crashed immediately--same <bleep> it was doing before. Runs fine with 2 x 512.

How could it be good for 2.5 hours on Prime95 (I stopped the test) but then the computer crashes immediately with UT 2004?

I wonder if there's something else going on here.

 

[dahuang1]

So - as a parting shot - to stretch the life out a bit - what's a good processor for this now? I'm still running my 3000+ @ 2.4 - anything going to smack that down hard I should look at?

 

[MadScientist]

Opteron 170. $114. shipped at Zipzoomfly Currently running my Opty 170 at 2.75Ghz at 1.46V with an Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro HS and Crucial Ballistic PC3200 ram with a 1:1 mem divider (200Mhz) at 2.5-3-3-6 1T, 2.9V, at 275MHz, and an HT Frequency of 3X (275 x 3X = 825).