Skt 754 Mother Board

[estew33]

Hi All,
I need a skt 754 MB and have no idea which are good, better and best. I would appreciate any and all help from the pros on which MB I should buy and most imporant stay away from.
Also which are the best bang for the buck
Thanks
Ed

 

[deadken]

What are you going to use the PC for? I'd suggest a NF3 or NF4. Either one can be had with AGP or PCI-e. I have (3) NF3's right now, and one KT800. I am here searching out the best NF4 board because it's time for me (a gamer) to move to PCI-e.

I should mention that Outpost.com and even Newegg recently had deals for a S754 and a NF3 board for about $100. I have seen NF3 boards on the forums for less then $50.

Edit: I should add (since you asked which to stay away from) that (2) of my boards are ECS NF3-A boards and that one has died (I haven't RMA'd it yet, and the KT800 is back in service for the meanwhile). I like the ECS NForce3-A and it is virtually identical to one of the BIOSTAR boards (you can swap to the BIOSTAR BIOS to allow for higher Overclocking), but I am not so happy that one of mine has quit working in less then 3 months of use (please realize that my machines stay on 24/7/365).

 

[saabman]

(2) of my boards are ECS NF3-A boards and that one has died . . . (you can swap to the BIOSTAR BIOS to allow for higher Overclocking)

So the question I want to ask is,
what was the dead ECS board doing when it died?

1) What died on the ECS MB?
2) What processor and speed, OC, overvolt?
3) What RAM, how many MB, how many DIMMs, what voltage?
4) Did it get the Biostar BIOS treatment?

 

[deadken]

Originally posted by: saabmanSo the question I want to ask is,
what was the dead ECS board doing when it died?

1) What died on the ECS MB?
2) What processor and speed, OC, overvolt?
3) What RAM, how many MB, how many DIMMs, what voltage?
4) Did it get the Biostar BIOS treatment?

It was running F@H as do all my PC's 24/7/365.

1) Don't know, don't care... It still sits in the Antec case. I simply swapped off to another MB that was already in a case (yeah... I was kinda waiting for that day). I will say that it won't so much as POST. I have been meaning to take the BIOS chip out of the other ECS board I have and try it in this one. Since time got scarce, I just swapped out to the ready-and-waiting Asus K8V SE Deluxe motherboard. I used all the components except case and Motherboard.
2) 64-Bit Sempron 3100+, Originally 9x200 (1800mhz) running @ 9x250 (2250mhz) +%3.4 Vcore.
3) Patriot PC3200 (2,2,2,5), 2x512, 2.6 VDimm.
4) Nahh, I hadn't flashed the BIOS on that board. I was planning to do it on the 'other' ECS board that I have first, not that one.

 

[saabman]

dKen,

Thanks for the answers!!

I have 2 of these boards, one with a Sempy 3100+ like you, and another with a A64 3000+.

Running dual boot XP/Linux and no problems so far (no overclock on either, yet). Interesting to note that CnQ works great on both, even the Sempy 3100+ (Zalman 7000 completely stops during idle)

I'm using Everest for temp/fan monitoring and notice my NB temps at 78C on both. Did you notice same?

Think I'm going to try some AS5 and remount NB heatsinks, and/or use a larger NB heatsink.

 

[FreedomGUNDAM]

If u want a socket 754 mobo with PCIe, I would recommend the ECS Nforce4-A754 or DFI NF4X Infinity. Have also hear good things about the Biostar Tforce 6100

 

[deadken]

Originally posted by: saabman......I'm using Everest for temp/fan monitoring and notice my NB temps at 78C on both. Did you notice same?

Think I'm going to try some AS5 and remount NB heatsinks, and/or use a larger NB heatsink.

All of the monitoring programs show the NB as being about 80C. IIRC, even if you point a 120mm fan onto it directly, the temperature won't change. The temperature that shows as a NB temperature just isn't correct.

Honestly, if you put your hand onto the NB, you will certainly tell that 80C is not accurate. After removing, cleaning off the pad, lapping to 1500 grit and installing with AS, I can honestly say that I think that it conducts temperature a little bit better (remember, the better it conducts, the more heat you should feel on the HS). Of course, I don't see any difference with any monitoring programs, but I didn't expect too since as I have said, the NB sensor isn't detecting the actual temperature.

 

[deadken]

I just posted THIS in the Hot Deals section.... For less then $27 (after M.I.R.) shipped and no tax (I live in NY), you just can't beat it. It'll be my first ALBATRON mobo, but for that price and since it fits my needs perfectly (NF4 Chipset, PCI-e (I didn't need SLI, but I will take it anyway!)) I jumped on it. I even thought about buying two of them and getting rid of those ECS NF3-A motherboards. If I only had access to two PCI-e cards that were better then the AGP ones I am running now....