Official DO's and DON'T for ASUS A8N-SLI (PREMIUM)

[simonk83]

Originally posted by: lopri
Well let me tell you about the whole thing about this board. OK, may not be the whole thing but what I can remember from various forums so far.

1. This board is rock solid at stock.
2. Probably the best board if you *actually* use SLI.
3. Need a good PSU - But this seems to apply to any A64 system in general.
4. Need to be careful with the picky NForce drivers - Again, a general consensus.
5. Pay attention to RAM choice.
6. Pay extra care with regard to SATA.
7. I woudn't recommend a BTX-style case wiht this board
- Some people argue that the higher chipset temp is still within its limit,
but from what I've seen the temp was ridiculous. The cooler the better, isn't it?
8. If you want higher/stable overclock(specifically with X2), go with DFI.

I'd like to point out that a first-time builder should NOT be hesitant to pick this board because of this thread. This thread is a sort of "trouble-shooting" thread for people who already own this board, not a "what's the best for...?" type of thread. However, in the same sense, I don't think it's a good idea pretending the problems do not exist, either. A problem like X2 and VCore fluctuation is very real. But I guess we should admit that not everything is perfect.

Again, I'd like to encourage people who want to experience a solid A64/SLI experience to try out this board. Just make sure you pick a decent PSU and quality RAM. Overclockers, however, look elsewhere. There are better choices.

lop

2. I don't plan on using SLI, but you never know in the future I basically like the heatpipe cooling on this board which is the main reason I chose it. That and I'm running a P4P800 Dlx at the mo and have been happy with it.

3. Should be ok. Getting a 600W Silverstone ST60F, which has some good review (and quad 12v rails)

6. What do you mean here?

8. Well, I'm starting off with stock for a while, but will end up overclocking as I always do eventually That said, I won't be going for anything crazy. I'm getting a 4400+, which is 2.2Ghz, so I might just try getting it to 2.6 at some point, just for fun Never OC'd an AMD before so no doubt I'll be back here asking for help with that as well

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: simonk83
2. I don't plan on using SLI, but you never know in the future I basically like the heatpipe cooling on this board which is the main reason I chose it. That and I'm running a P4P800 Dlx at the mo and have been happy with it.

3. Should be ok. Getting a 600W Silverstone ST60F, which has some good review (and quad 12v rails)

6. What do you mean here?

8. Well, I'm starting off with stock for a while, but will end up overclocking as I always do eventually That said, I won't be going for anything crazy. I'm getting a 4400+, which is 2.2Ghz, so I might just try getting it to 2.6 at some point, just for fun Never OC'd an AMD before so no doubt I'll be back here asking for help with that as well

2. Yeah I forgot to mention on that. If you have a regular case, the fan-less design might be an attraction.

3. Did you already get it or are you planning to get it?
6. Some people have had mysterious problem with disappearing SATA hard disks. For me, I use the newer SATA cables (that locks) so cables don't get loose, and once I finished Windows installation I moved my Disk0/Disk1 to SATA3, SATA4 and disabled SATA1/2. This is also recommended in Wesley Fink's latest guide here @AT.

7. This is totaly subjective, but let me tell you since I myself was a P4 user before this system. Why am I saying that? A64 OC is SOOOOOOOOOOO fun! Before I started building, I thought I'd be happy with 2.6GHz since that's 2 x FX55 in a machine. (which is indeed true) When I found out I could easily reach 2.64GHz (12x220) with no sweat (stock voltage) and couldn't be happier.

Then... you know, we're all greedy, no? I also found out other people also having good results, and my chip was hardly at its limit. So I started pushing it, thinking 'Hey, 2 x FX57s shouldn't be too bad'....

Well that's the story of how I ended up as an A64 OC junkie now. And I became much more knowledgeable when it comes to hardware/overclocking, etc.

Oh well, I digress. Hope you have a lot more fun than I had!

lop

Edit: Spelling

 

[simonk83]

Originally posted by: lopri


2. Yeah I forgot to mention on that. If you have a regular case, the fan-less design might be an attraction.

3. Did you already get it or are you planning to get it?
6. Some people have had mysterious problem with disappearing SATA hard disks. For me, I use the newer SATA cables (that locks) so cables don't get loose, and once I finished Windows installation I moved my Disk0/Disk1 to SATA3, SATA4 and disabled SATA1/2. This is also recommended in Wesley Fink's latest guide here @AT.

7. This is totaly subjective, but let me tell you since I myself was a P4 user before this system. Why am I saying that? A64 OC is SOOOOOOOOOOO fun! Before I started building, I thought I'd be happy with 2.6GHz since that's 2 x FX55 in a machine. (which is indeed true) When I found out I could easily reach 2.64GHz (12x220) with no sweat (stock voltage) and couldn't be happier.

Then... you know, we're all greedy, no? I also found out other people also having good results, and my chip was hardly at its limit. So I started pushing it, thinking 'Hey, 2 x FX57s shouldn't be too bad'....

Well that's the story of how I ended up as an A64 OC junkie now. And I became much more knowledgeable when it comes to hardware/overclocking, etc.

Oh well, I digress. Hope you have a lot more fun than I had!

lop

Edit: Spelling

Hehe, well I know who to come to for advice then

With the PSU, yes, I ordered it yesterday. Basically every review I've read has said it kicks ass, so I'm quite looking forward to getting it I was really after a modular design to try and clear up some clutter so I'm glad I came across this one.

Simon

 

[lopri]

I believe your PSU has a cross-loading requirment. (I'm sure you're aware of it) Let me know how it goes. Good luck!

 

[simonk83]

Originally posted by: lopri
I believe your PSU has a cross-loading requirment. (I'm sure you're aware of it) Let me know how it goes. Good luck!

Hmm. What exactly does that mean

 

[lopri]

You should do the research. I don't have it so I can't speak from experience. But basically it's something like this:

"If 12V load is 200W~300W, the 5V should be over 100W."
"If 12V load is over 300W, the 3V should be within 100W~150W."

The numbers are completely random, I just wanted to show you how it works. You're gonna have to checke the tech specs. If you have lots of components (or, ironically, if you have too few components), it could be a bit tricky.

lop

 

[simonk83]

Originally posted by: lopri
You should do the research. I don't have it so I can't speak from experience. But basically it's something like this:

"If 12V load is 200W~300W, the 5V should be over 100W."
"If 12V load is over 300W, the 3V should be within 100W~150W."

The numbers are completely random, I just wanted to show you how it works. You're gonna have to checke the tech specs. If you have lots of components (or, ironically, if you have too few components), it could be a bit tricky.

lop

Well, I haven't it mentioned that this PSU has any problems like that. I know one of the other Silverstone PSU models does (an earlier version), but I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere for this model.

 

[lopri]

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-60f.htm

Click on the link to "Detailed Specification," third page top...



Edit: simon, if you want to talk more about PSU, let's take it to the PM. I'd like to keep this thread to the topic.

lop

 

[simonk83]

Yes, it's me again, sorry

I've decided to get a Raptor to replace my boot disk. Does the SLI Premium come with a floppy with the SATA drivers on it for Windows installation, or will i need to get them from the website?

Ta

 

[Regulator07]

the sli premium should recognize it without needing any sata disks

 

[wanderer27]

Originally posted by: simonk83
Yes, it's me again, sorry

I've decided to get a Raptor to replace my boot disk. Does the SLI Premium come with a floppy with the SATA drivers on it for Windows installation, or will i need to get them from the website?

Ta

No, it doesn't come with a Floppy.

Why would you need the Floppy ? XP should Boot and install just fine from the CD.

 

[simonk83]

Originally posted by: wanderer27

Originally posted by: simonk83
Yes, it's me again, sorry

I've decided to get a Raptor to replace my boot disk. Does the SLI Premium come with a floppy with the SATA drivers on it for Windows installation, or will i need to get them from the website?

Ta

No, it doesn't come with a Floppy.

Why would you need the Floppy ? XP should Boot and install just fine from the CD.

Dunno I was under the impression that most people, when installing XP on a SATA, had to press F6 at an appropriate time and install the SATA drivers from a floppy

Thanks Regulator07, that's good to know

 

[simonk83]

Originally posted by: wanderer27
Your call, but I'd install the OS on the SATA - it's faster. This will not only affect your Boot time, but your Pagefile and alot of other programs are going to be referencing your OS Drive unless you do some fancy Partitioning or something similar.

Decided to splash out and get a 74g Raptor for my boot drive, so I guess I'll be going with SATA afterall

So you reckon I should unplug my IDE and other SATA drive when installing windows on the Raptor, then reconnect them when its all done?

I notice that new nForce chipset drivers have just been released (6.70), I suppose we'll have to wait and see how they are, but I'm assuming I still don't want to be installing any of the IDE stuff? ( * IDE PATARAID driver version 5.52, * IDE SATARAID driver version 5.52 (WHQL) and * IDE SATA_IDE driver version 5.52 (WHQL) ) I should ignore all that stuff?

(for your reference, the new chipset drivers:

Installation Notes

* Windows XP users must install Service Pack 1, at a minimum, prior to attempting to install this package. Failure to do so will result in the inability to support USB 2.0.
* Installation of DirectX 9.0 or higher is required in order to use NVMixer.


Release Notes

* General compatibility fixes for nForce4 AMD Edition motherboards.


Windows XP/2000 Driver Versions

* Audio driver version 4.62 (WHQL)
* Audio utility version 4.51
* Ethernet NRM driver version 4.82 (WHQL)
* Network management tools version 4.88
* SMBus driver version 4.50 (WHQL)
* Installer version 4.93
* IDE PATARAID driver version 5.52
* IDE SATARAID driver version 5.52 (WHQL)
* IDE SATA_IDE driver version 5.52 (WHQL)
* RAIDTOOL application version 5.52

Download

 

[welfarebum]

For anyone who cares... PROBLEM SOLVED.

I've been posting here with my nightmarish instability problems that I've encountered since building my new system in early September. Every day or so, I'd get a spontaneous reboot, blue-screen, or application error. Sometimes it would happen when I was stressing the system while, at other times, it would occur when the system was idle.

I've tried EVERYTHING to fix this problem over the last 2 months. I've upgraded BIOS, drivers, and applications. I've modified ever setting known to man. I've read every forum on the Internet relating to similar symptoms. I've got 30 pages of documentation that outline all of the attempted solutions I've tried - without success. I've taken my PC back to the store 3 times. Each time they'd test it and say, "It looks okay to us." What the halibut??!! I'd take it home and, after a day, it would crash.

I finally blamed hardware - and specifically the ASUS A8N-SLI Premium. Not only did the motherboard appear to be unstable, but it "black screened" during some BIOS upgrades causing me to swap the ASUS motherboard twice at the store because it was dead!

Finally, I had enough of the ASUS A8N Premium and bought a DFI LanPArty NF4 SLI-DR. When I put it all together I GOT THE SAME INSTABILITY! I RMAed my OCZ memory and still got the same problem. I took back the power supply to the store, and still had the instability.

FINALLY, today I returned the AMD Athlon X2 3800+. When I put in the new CPU... ROCK SOLID. I also noticed that the new CPU runs 5 degrees C cooler than the original CPU under the same load.

So there you have it... ASUS wasn't to blame after all. I'm sorry I bad mouthed this motherboard. I was wrong. Now I'm ready to badmouth AMD for selling me a flawed CPU.

This kind of hardware problem (weird symptoms that only show up once in a blue moon) is probably the most difficult instability problem to solve. I hope I never have to go through that again. Maybe I should bill AMD for my 4,000,000,000 hours spent solving this nightmare.

Robert.

-------------------------
----------------------------
Originally ASUS A8N-SLI Premium (now DFI LanPArty NF4 SLI-DR)
WinXP Pro
6600 GT
2 x 1G OCZ Platinum PC4000 3-3-2-8
Samsung Spinpoint 160 GB SATA2 8 MB - System Drive
WD 250 GB SATA2 16 MB - Data Drive
AMD X2 3800+ with Zalman CNPS7700 heat sink
OCZ Powerstream 520 W supply
Antec P180 Case
Benq DW1640 DVD
Mitsumi FA404A Floppy with card reader
Hauppauge PVR500 2-tuner TV card

 

[ManOnFire]

Do you know if this ram works well with my A8N-SLI deluxe

Corsair 1GB DDR Value Select PC3200 CAS2.5 Kit (2x512MB) (VS1GBKIT400)

Thanks

 

[openwheelformula1]

Yes the Corsair Value Select 512mbx2 kit works well with A8N SLI Premium. So I think it must work well with the Deluxe also.

welfarebum: Good to hear that you found the culprit of the problems. That certainly was a very rare situation. The cpu would usually be my last guess because they are fully tested before shipment. I wonder if a cpu could be damaged through shipping and handling. Anyway, well at least you know you got the most overclocking friendly motherboard around.

 

[doc2345]

Originally posted by: welfarebum

For anyone who cares... PROBLEM SOLVED........

I told ya you should have hired someone to build for ya, the cpu should have been rma'd with the first board.

With that said, good luck billing AMD!

 

[Linearsoup]

heres a strange one,when i plug the ez plug in it makes my fan on my psu run at full speed which is very loud,anyone know anything about this as im going sli in a cuople of weeks,cheers

 

[wanderer27]

Originally posted by: simonk83

Originally posted by: wanderer27
Your call, but I'd install the OS on the SATA - it's faster. This will not only affect your Boot time, but your Pagefile and alot of other programs are going to be referencing your OS Drive unless you do some fancy Partitioning or something similar.

Decided to splash out and get a 74g Raptor for my boot drive, so I guess I'll be going with SATA afterall

So you reckon I should unplug my IDE and other SATA drive when installing windows on the Raptor, then reconnect them when its all done?

I notice that new nForce chipset drivers have just been released (6.70), I suppose we'll have to wait and see how they are, but I'm assuming I still don't want to be installing any of the IDE stuff? ( * IDE PATARAID driver version 5.52, * IDE SATARAID driver version 5.52 (WHQL) and * IDE SATA_IDE driver version 5.52 (WHQL) ) I should ignore all that stuff?

(for your reference, the new chipset drivers:

Installation Notes

* Windows XP users must install Service Pack 1, at a minimum, prior to attempting to install this package. Failure to do so will result in the inability to support USB 2.0.
* Installation of DirectX 9.0 or higher is required in order to use NVMixer.


Release Notes

* General compatibility fixes for nForce4 AMD Edition motherboards.


Windows XP/2000 Driver Versions

* Audio driver version 4.62 (WHQL)
* Audio utility version 4.51
* Ethernet NRM driver version 4.82 (WHQL)
* Network management tools version 4.88
* SMBus driver version 4.50 (WHQL)
* Installer version 4.93
* IDE PATARAID driver version 5.52
* IDE SATARAID driver version 5.52 (WHQL)
* IDE SATA_IDE driver version 5.52 (WHQL)
* RAIDTOOL application version 5.52

Download

Yes, just have the SATA hooked up, otherwise I think Windows will try to install on your IDE :disgust: - at least it used to.

I generally wait on new Drivers unless I'm having issues they're supposed to fix. Let someone else be the Guinea Pig

 

[wanderer27]

Originally posted by: welfarebum

For anyone who cares... PROBLEM SOLVED.

Well I'm glad you finally got things running right. I'm kind of sorry it ended up the way it did, but you're right - it's pretty unusual to see a CPU problem like that.

 

[wanderer27]

Originally posted by: Linearsoup
heres a strange one,when i plug the ez plug in it makes my fan on my psu run at full speed which is very loud,anyone know anything about this as im going sli in a cuople of weeks,cheers

Do you have the CPU Fan connector plugged into the correct jumper on the MB ?

Also, check your BIOS settings. I recall seeing some CPU Fan options in there.

 

[yomafire]

test

 

[yomafire]

Need advice from pro Overclockers.

Im learning new things everyday....Just bought OCZ El 2 x 512 PC3200 DDR 400. What cpu will do better with this setup ? The 144 Opteron or the 3800 Newcastle.. I would like to save and get the 144 Opteron. Keeping in mind that I will use pc mostly for gaming.

PS. WOuld it be smarter to get the Corsair Ballistix PC4000 DDR500? Cause i got one of those (512mb) so i might sell that or maybe i should get another to match it...


Need advice

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: Linearsoup
heres a strange one,when i plug the ez plug in it makes my fan on my psu run at full speed which is very loud,anyone know anything about this as im going sli in a cuople of weeks,cheers

This is something new to me but I have an idea.
How did you measure your PSU fan speed? If it's from ASUS Probe, or any other software reading which might be using the board's reading, then it's not the PSU fan. What other fans are you connecting on the board's 3-pin headers?

lop

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: yomafire
Need advice from pro Overclockers.

Im learning new things everyday....Just bought OCZ El 2 x 512 PC3200 DDR 400. What cpu will do better with this setup ? The 144 Opteron or the 3800 Newcastle.. I would like to save and get the 144 Opteron. Keeping in mind that I will use pc mostly for gaming.

PS. WOuld it be smarter to get the Corsair Ballistix PC4000 DDR500? Cause i got one of those (512mb) so i might sell that or maybe i should get another to match it...


Need advice

You might get better replies at XtremeSystems for this kind of question. Said that, where are you going to buy Opteron144? I haven't seen *any* place that carries Opteron144 for past few days. I believe the CABNEs are gone, with some CABYE left. And the rest are CABGE. Basically it's a draw of luck.