Success w/Chaintech ZNF3-150??

[Yossarian]

I just ordered one last night but cancelled this morning after seeing a lot of problems posted about this board at amdmb.com--memory slots dead, AGP not working, NIC dead, etc. Pls let me know if you have this board, and what if any problems you have experienced. I love all the features but I could do without RMA headaches.

 

[Noubourne]

I just got this board last week. Generally I like it alot, and I have considered a couple times that I might have done better with the K8T800, and the only thing that keeps me from buying VIA is my past experiences with their drivers.

The Nforce 3 is a brand spankin new chipset which definitely bears consideration, but I do not seem to have as many issues as many people on those boards mention (I was checking them out myself today). I have version 2.0 (12/02/03) of the Bios, and may be upgrading soon depending on the resolution of my only issue which is the following:

I ran it for the first week now with 1GB of OCZ PC2100 DDR 266 @ CL 2. It screams. However, it will take DDR400, and I just got my first stick of it last night. It's Corsair XMS PC3200LLPro, the fastest DDR400 I could find that was in stock (shakes fist at mushkin). The system reboots over and over after post, and gives no errors about a bad stick of RAM like it does with a couple bad DDR33 sticks I had laying around. I am hoping when I go home tonight, I can up the RAM voltage bit by bit till I find a voltage this apparently power hungry RAM is happy with. I will try to remember to post back here when I find out. I might also try using the 12/19 bios, and see how that goes.

Apart from that, the Digidoc software crashes on my OS so far, other than that I love everything else this board offers, and besides not being able to OC the RAM and CPU FSB seperately, there is nothing else I could ask of this board. (except cool and quiet support, which as I understand it no one offers yet)

I will try to pop back and let you know, and apart from that I can only hope there's a bios release soon to address some of the issues other people have had with the board recently, and to add Cool and Quiet support, because that would put the icing on the cake for me.

 

[Noubourne]

Oh yeah few specs FYI:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+
Zalman 7000CU HSF
Chaintech ZNF3-150 Bios v2.0 12/02/03
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
512MB DDR333 OCZ @ CL2.0 (works)
2x 512MB DDR266 OCZ @ CL2.0 (works in 1&2 or 1&3)
512MB Corsair XMS PC3200LLPRO DDR400 (posts fine in bios, then reboots, posts ok, reboot etc etc)
WDB10000BB WD 7200RPM 100 gig ATA133 HD
Plextor Plexwriter 12/10/32A
Antec True 420w PSU

 

[Yossarian]

Thanks for the info Noubourne. From what I read the latest BIOS (3.0) is messed up in that it doesn't let you set memory timings, but 2.0 worked ok in that respect. At this point I don't think this board is worth $170, what with all those issues.

 

[Markfw]

Just go for the ASUS K8V, or (just heard) The MSI K8T neo (or something like that) is pretty good. Memory is definitely something you don't want to skimp on with the Athlon64. to quote another member here (or close) "if you want an Athlon64, get good memory with low latency, or don't bother to buy one at all".

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
Just go for the ASUS K8V, or (just heard) The MSI K8T neo (or something like that) is pretty good. Memory is definitely something you don't want to skimp on with the Athlon64. to quote another member here (or close) "if you want an Athlon64, get good memory with low latency, or don't bother to buy one at all".

Just keep repeating that to yourself despite Ace's and Tom's showing otherwise, that way at least you'll believe it

 

[Noubourne]

I was under the impression that memory timings make less than 1% difference now. I only purchase good RAM because I want to be able to overclock a little. I guess I should have gone with some PC3500 or PC4000.

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: Markfw900
Just go for the ASUS K8V, or (just heard) The MSI K8T neo (or something like that) is pretty good. Memory is definitely something you don't want to skimp on with the Athlon64. to quote another member here (or close) "if you want an Athlon64, get good memory with low latency, or don't bother to buy one at all".

Just keep repeating that to yourself despite Ace's and Tom's showing otherwise, that way at least you'll believe it

Do you have a link for the Ace's article? I can't find it.

I'm leaning towards the ABIT KV8 now.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: PipBoy

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: Markfw900
Just go for the ASUS K8V, or (just heard) The MSI K8T neo (or something like that) is pretty good. Memory is definitely something you don't want to skimp on with the Athlon64. to quote another member here (or close) "if you want an Athlon64, get good memory with low latency, or don't bother to buy one at all".

Just keep repeating that to yourself despite Ace's and Tom's showing otherwise, that way at least you'll believe it

Do you have a link for the Ace's article? I can't find it.

I'm leaning towards the ABIT KV8 now.

Courtesy of mechBgon Notice how Halo gives a whopping 4% increase which translates to 2 FPS woohoo!

 

[Yossarian]

ah thanks... I saw that article and must have blown right past that section. after seeing that and Tom's comparison, it really looks like top-quality memory is a waste with the A64 & current mobos because of the poor overclocking. maybe I'll save myself $100 and just get a gig of Crucial CAS3 3200.

 

[chadomaly]

I ordered 2 of these motherboards with 2 3200+ a64's, one with corsair xms3200 and the other with mushkin 3500 level 2, both 1gb. Operationally speaking, no glitches, and memory is adjustable just fine, i have the mushkin box running at 2-2-2-5@2.8v

one of the 2 motherboards' radex 10mm fan is loud, probably dying already, came that way out of the box, the other one runs flawlessly. I wouldnt' necessarily steer anyone away from this board but i'm not going to give a glowing recommendation either. It does what it should so far, except for the near-death 10mm radex fan.