GA-EP45-UD3R, and other questions...

Kutark

Junior Member
Dec 16, 2008
19
0
0
Hey all, my current motherboard has been acting skittish and i'm fairly certain its responsible for some of my system instability. I've noticed at idle that the northbridge has crept up from being around mid to high 30's to now approaching high 40's degrees centigrade. Sadly the CPU is actually cooler at idle than the mobo.

I've checked all the fans, made sure to blow them out of dust, etc, and it hasn't helped. I'm not currently OC'd or anything like that, this is at 2.4ghz with mem at 800mhz.

So, i'm thinking about picking up a new motherboard, specifically the GA-EP45-UD3R based on reccomendations from this site.

My current components are 4xGB Supertalent DDR2-800, which i believe is 5-5-5-12 or -15, in 4x 1gb modules.

CPU is C2D E6600.

The system is assembled in a Coolermaster Praetorian 730.

My goal is 1st and foremost system stability. Secondarily i would like to be able to overclock the processor. When i originally put the system together, i had purchased a Tuniq 120 for the CPU, but found out it was about an inch too tall for the case, due to the removable motherboard tray, which i forgot to account for when i was researching interior dimensions.

Either way, i was hoping for opinions on this motherboard, as i hear its a paragon of stability when overclocking, i also was hoping someone could give reccomendations as to a decent air based CPU cooler that is not very tall that will still produce decent results, and not impede ram installation, etc, on this board. If i could get ~3.2 Ghz stable off the CPU i would be very pleased.

I appreciate your guys knowledge and willingness to help out ;-). Thanks again.
 

Kutark

Junior Member
Dec 16, 2008
19
0
0
Asus has a tool that monitors the CPU and MB temps for you. I mean i guess i don't know 100% that its the NB, but that what i've always understood the MB temp that lists in the BIOS and in the ASUS tool to be.

The other issue is my room mate has the same mobo, same proc, same vid card, same case and cooling etc, and his reports 10-15 degrees C lower than mine. He also has absolutely no system stability issues. Which is why i think i may have just gotten a faulty mobo. I've eleminated the video card as the problem as i tested mine in his system with no issues. I guess it could be the proc or the PSU, but given that our systems are literally identical, same os same everything, but mine reports 10-15 degrees higher on the mobo temp, i'm assuming thats the likely candidate.
 
Jun 30, 2008
143
0
0
I highly recommend the UD3R. I just replaced my dead DS3 about a week ago with a UD3R and it's been great so far. Amazing passive cooling. It took my E6300 (1.86Ghz) to 3.00Ghz on stock voltage (1.325). I'm sure it could go farther, but I'm not going to bother. It should take your E6600 to 3.2Ghz with no problems at all. :)