The Unofficial ASUS P5N-E SLI 650i Board Thread

[osme02]

Hey guys, one of my friends gave me his p5n-e for free and i am in the market for a new cpu, ram.

What CPU/RAM works best with this Mobo?

Im looking to spend less than $150 on a cpu to overclock - should i go with a e6300?

And I have no clue what kind/speed DDR2 RAM to get!

Please help, thanks in advance

 

[JustaGeek]

My setup, with BIOS 0401, is (so far) perfectly stable.

E6300 seems like a good choice, but E6400 with the 8 multi would be probably more overclockable.

Remember to set all the values manually in BIOS.

Good luck!

 

[jdogzilla]

Hello all, I recently added a new heatsink to my NB as well as a new cooler to the CPU. When I restarted the computer, it would not post any more. There was a slight burning smell at the beginning. I shut off the computer for a while and restarted, and it does not post anymore. I removed one of the two RAM modules I had just to keep it simple, but that didn't help either. Is my MOBO hosed? Or should I try setting up everything again? What are my options? Any help will be appreciated.

 

[zerrikan]

Hello, I have recently been having some issues with my motherboard and would like to flash it to a new version. Im currently at the original 0202 version. First question I have is what bios version would be best for me? and most importantly how do I go about flashing my bios. (I dont have a floppy drive and dont want to buy one just to do this) So im hoping I can use a cd or flash drive.

Specs:

Asus P5N-E SLI (Bios 0202)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
2gig G.SKILL 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
EVGA GeForce 7600GT
Rosewill RP550V2-S-SL 550W Power Supply

 

[Tuvoc]

You can certainly use a flash drive - very convenient. The manual tells you about it, it's easy but I can't remember right now
Is your CPU overclocked ? If not then all BIOS versions should be fine, except the 0801 beta which I'd avoid as it is still beta

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: zerrikan
Hello, I have recently been having some issues with my motherboard and would like to flash it to a new version. Im currently at the original 0202 version. First question I have is what bios version would be best for me? and most importantly how do I go about flashing my bios. (I dont have a floppy drive and dont want to buy one just to do this) So im hoping I can use a cd or flash drive.

Specs:

Asus P5N-E SLI (Bios 0202)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
2gig G.SKILL 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
EVGA GeForce 7600GT
Rosewill RP550V2-S-SL 550W Power Supply

For E6300 I would recommend the BIOS version no later than 0401.

DO NOT use the Windows ASUS Updater. Some people are successful with EZFlash with a USB Drive directly from BIOS.

I personally recommend the AWARD flash procedure with the floppy drive or a bootable CD, described here.

Good luck!

 

[Tuvoc]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek
Some people are successful with EZFlash with a USB Drive directly from BIOS.

Yes, that's all I've ever done on this board, and it's worked perfectly for me

 

[Tuvoc]

My machine I built with this board is now one year old ! That's one year of totally stable 24/7 operation under full load. Apart from the initial 4 x 1GB issues, it has done all that I could have expected. Apart from the odd overclocking experiment (for example it is also stable at 333 x 9 = 3.0GHz) I've been running at stock.

For year 2 and beyond, I've just ordered a Thermalright 120 Extreme which will drop the temps of that hot running QX6700 and enable me to overclock it without the temps becoming a problem. I may try 291 x 11 = 3.2GHz. Now that will be even more power for the board to supply, let's hope it doesn't self-destruct...

 

[zerrikan]

Ok, Now what things do I have to put on the usb flash drive for this to work? And yes the motherboard is overclocked

Thanks

 

[acatalyst]

Hey im a noob here but i am about to put together my new box here and i was wondering if anyone could let me know if i am going to have any issues with the hardware i plan on putting together. here is what i have. also what BIOS version should i be using?

thanks


MOBO: ASUS P5N-E SLI LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 650i SLI ATX Intel
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600
RAM: mushkin 4GB (4 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)
PSU: 500w
VID: GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 HDCP Ready SLI
HS/FAN: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 7 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler

 

[zerrikan]

ok I just flashed my bios to version 0401. Went smooth and windows loaded up just fine. But now anytime I try to go into bios it just shows up as a black screen. Any ideas?

 

[Tuvoc]

Yes - clear the CMOS. It fixes this problem

 

[acatalyst]

forgot to mention i will be running XP sp2

 

[zerrikan]

Originally posted by: Tuvoc
Yes - clear the CMOS. It fixes this problem

Thanks for the replies. Do I have to take open the case and take the battery out or is there a command I can do?

Thanks

 

[Tuvoc]

You have to open the case, move the CMOS jumpers across for a few seconds - the manual shows you how

 

[Ordskii]

Hi Justageek. Thanks for your earlier help - I completely forgot about two sticks for DDR!

So, I'm trying two 512 sticks along with my two original 1G sticks. One at a time, the 512s will each boot normally at 1.92 or 2.01v and stock timing, but post stops at memory check with all 3gb installed (all four sticks). Each 512 stick runs fine in either slot (in either yellow slot, black filled with 1G sticks). Separately, each did one pass of memtest just fine (2.5G).

It is the cheaper GBNQ G-skill.

You or anybody have thoughts about anything to try?

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: Ordskii
Hi Justageek. Thanks for your earlier help - I completely forgot about two sticks for DDR!

So, I'm trying two 512 sticks along with my two original 1G sticks. One at a time, the 512s will each boot normally at 1.92 or 2.01v and stock timing, but post stops at memory check with all 3gb installed (all four sticks). Each 512 stick runs fine in either slot (in either yellow slot, black filled with 1G sticks). Separately, each did one pass of memtest just fine (2.5G).

It is the cheaper GBNQ G-skill.

You or anybody have thoughts about anything to try?

If you have recently updated the BIOS, clear the CMOS. Wait 10 min before replacing the battery and jumper, pressing the Power button in the meantime.

If this is your memory:

Set the timings manually to 5-5-5-15-2T

Set the frequencies to Unlinked 1066/800.

Set the voltages:
VCore 1.3V
VDimm 2.0V
NB voltage AUTO (raise to 1.35V, then to 1.56V if AUTO doesn't work, but add a fan to NB)
VCore offset None

If the above doesn't work, reduce the RAM frequency to 667MHz, and see if you are stable. On some motherboards there is a memory hole. You have to go either lower than ~711MHz or higher than ~856MHz. BTW, bandwidth is approximately the same @667 with 4-4-4-12 and @800 with 5-5-5-15. 2T command rate is very important, too.

Let me know if this works.

Good luck!


BTW, use this link to properly set your RAM timings and subtimings.

 

[VirtualKnight]

Bios 0803 is out. Anyone has tried it?

 

[digitalether]

Hello everyone. I'm a bit of a noob.

I've searched as thoroughly as I could to see if the HR-05 heatsink will work on the northbridge if I have a Freezer 7 installed as well. I have already had to turn the Freezer 7 to point upwards so it blows out the top fan of my Antec P180B case because the Freezer 7 bumps into the stock heatsink on the Northbridge.

So my questions are:
1) Will the HR-05 fit there?
2) Will this screw up airflow inside the box (I have the 2 stock fans + 1 extra middle front fan in the P180B)...not counting the fan in the lower sector with the PS.

I'm planning on putting the HR-05-SLI on the southbridge (without the fan) so I can install a second GTX 8800 Ultra.

CPU is 46C after gaming a while, Mobo is 52C after gaming a while.
Idle is 42 and 46, respectively.

Any help is appreciated...and if anyone can give me a definitive answer I'd be happy to post before and after pics for future posters.

E6850 w Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro 92mm.
P5N-E SLI
GTX 8800 Ultra (the 612 mhz one - got it free, don't ask....)
4x1024 MB Corsair XMS2 PC2 6400
Antec Perf One P180B with stock fans and an additional 120mm in the middle-front.
WD Raptor 10k 150GB

*not overclocking anything yet*

 

[thorkhas]

Hello,

I recently bought a p5n-e sli motherboard. I decided to upgrade my memory too, so i bought four kingston 800Mhz 1GB memory sticks.

My BIOS is upgraded to the 803 version.

I did not know the motherboard would have issues with that... It wouldn't run with four sticks, i tested all slots with different sticks and they all work, it works too with three sticks (no dual channsl though... obviously) the computer won't just boot (no sound at all, or one long beep indicating there's an issue with memory). I've read this thread a little and saw the board had a lot of problems with having four sticks of ram.

I tried changing the cas settings to 5-5-5-12 '(my kingston is cas5). Apparently it boosted memory perfs a little (i saw that on memtest86) and i think the board detects them as 5-5-5-15. Nevertheless the system is stable. I tried upping the vdimm to 2.086, i didn't try further because i was wary of damaging the sticks. They're spec'd for 1.8V (strange because the P5N-E SLI would allow 1.9V minimum)

I've read there was a "memory hole" that forced us to either downclock the ram or overclock it (something like from 752 to 850). I haven't tried that yet.

I wondered if other people had Kingston ram and the same configuraton, and if they could only resort to downclocing the ram ?

 

[Acharash]

@digitalether

I have an HR-05 sitting happily on my NB, with a scythe ninja blowing sideways though it as well as through my CPU HS - This seems to work well. I don't know how large the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 is, but I don't imagine it being any larger than the scythe. You should be fine.

 

[Tuvoc]

Originally posted by: digitalether
I have already had to turn the Freezer 7 to point upwards so it blows out the top fan of my Antec P180B case because the Freezer 7 bumps into the stock heatsink on the Northbridge.

You don't have to do that, just slightly bend up some fins on the bottom of the Freezer 7 and it then fits perfectly blowing out the back of the case

 

[Ordskii]

Hi All. I am a noob to memory over clocking. Following Justageek's good advice, I am running 3 GB of GSkill 6400 CL5 memory (2 1 GBs in black slots, 2 512s in yellow slots - all are good singly and have passed a run of memtest). But, the four sticks to make 3 GB dual channel won't POST at 800 and GSkill's latencies, but will run at 667 and 693.

The question - given the apparent memory hole, is there any good reason not to run at 850 plus (or at least see if it will go)?

I do understand that my alternative is to try tighten the latencies and see if that works - and it should give about an equal result.

I am open to your wisdom.

 

[Tuvoc]

No reason not to try - about 860 at 5-5-5-15 or 5-5-5-18 is worth a try. You may or may not need a voltage bump on the northridge and/or memory
I have tried that and it works, but I decided to just be happy with 711 @ 4-4-4-12

 

[digitalether]

Thanks! The HR-05 arrives today (along with an HR-05-SLI for the SB)...I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for giving me some hope!