The Unofficial Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R P35 Board Thread

[cleverest]

Hey guys nice to meet you all! many of you (sorry no names, lol) seem rather brilliant so I would appreciate anyone's opinions or advice. Tomorrow or FRI, I will be receiving $750 to build the most ultimate computer I can. LOL... I already have a PSU (530watt), floppy drive, 3 hard drives (x2 IDE, 1 SATA), and 3 IDE optical drives (2 dvd readers, 1 dvdr+DL writer), 1 firewire drive (I have a firewire PCI card already!)...

BTW: I do have a specific reason to have 3 optical (dvd) drives....each of the two read drive's reads a specific type of media the other does not read...we'll just leave it at that for now

So anyways, This is what I've put together as a list of components and I know I want this Gigabyte board....check out my list, it has a PCI IDE controller card of course as well....

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wishlist/PublicWishDetail.asp?WishListNumber=4906774&WishListTitle=P35+Core+Duo+System+Core+Purchase">https://secure.newegg.com/N......stem+Core+Purchase</a>

After purchasing the cart above I get $50 in rebates...$40 for memory and $10 for video card (which will be replaced later with a kick butt gaming card, but for now I'm going uber cheap....as I have no PCI-E card to use otherwise, lol)

I DO NOT plan on over-clocking my system beyond it's regular specs right away, I may update the cooling LATER on and try this out, but for now I just want memory that will run stable at it's designed speed (1:1 would be lovely)....BUT the ability to overclock to some basic level LATER would be nice, FSB 400 for EXAMPLE...so the memory cannot be cheapo junk I suppose and I will need a better CPU cooler later I know....

In the list above I have CORSAIR XMS2 memory that has a $40 rebate, but I've found some cheaper options that will allow me to squeeze some extra cooling hardware into my budget instead if I choose them....I need help picking memory between the option above and these:

http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16820144062
$30 rebate! This Geil Ends up $10 cheaper then Corsair.....But initial price is cheaper by $20 which helps me buy better initial cooling options with my funds.... (extra case fans, better cpu fan, etc..etc...)

OR

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231087
$79... This G.Skill is cheaper then Corsair to start with, but no rebate at all....

What is my best choice for 1. stability and 2. mild TO moderate overclockability??

---

One more question if you would indulge me...the case...I had my heart set on the full tower in my first link above, but now it's sold out until the 24th...I can't wait, so I need something...given all my internal components (and enjoying more space to work) I would like a full tower at the same price (or cheaper of course)....

ANY tips for the case change as well? I want something that supports my floppy, (4) internal Hd's, at least (3) 5-1/4 external drives... and has nice cooling....window/etc is not important to me....

thanks so much for reading all this, I hope someone answers soon! :-D


- Brett

 

[cleverest]

Quick question....does anyone know if this case works with the GA-P35C-DSR3r Gigabyte board? I'm mad curious about this case...the wind tunnel design may be GREAT for cooling the NB/CPU/MEMORY, but looks like I'd have to sacrifice a gigantic CPU cooler possibly to use it.....a bit of a learning curve too...

http://www.newegg.com/product/...p?item=N82E16811163039


- Brett

 

[jimmandyuk]

Good evening, I joined the forum last week asking for help and advice on a rig I had purchased from e buyer, it has duly arrived and I have assembled the components without any problems. I ran the set up at default settings for a day to settle it down and tonight I have overclocked it to 3.2 following the settings off the forum, but I was unable to complete two items and I am in need of a little further help and guidance please -
1. Robust graphic booster, set Auto I want to change to Disabled but I appear to have just three options, Auto, Fast and finally Turbo.
2. I just cant seem to find were in MB intelligent tweaker even after pressing CTRL + F1 where to tighten my memory timings up, they are at default and I want to tighten to 4-4-4-12. Thank you...........Jim

 

[5t3v0]

Originally posted by: jimmandyuk
1. Robust graphic booster, set Auto I want to change to Disabled but I appear to have just three options, Auto, Fast and finally Turbo.
2. I just cant seem to find were in MB intelligent tweaker even after pressing CTRL + F1 where to tighten my memory timings up, they are at default and I want to tighten to 4-4-4-12. Thank you...........Jim

1. Auto is disabled apparently. I have it set at auto & haven't seen any changes to my gfx card clocks. Some reckon it only works with Gigabyte cards anyway.

2. Press CTRL-F1 when at the BIOS start menu. Then go into MB Intelligent Tweaker & press down arrow to bottom of page

 

[cleverest]

I'm sorry if I'm interrupting a discussion that is in place with my questions above and that my post is soooo long, but if there is a better place for me to post my inquiries then a specific thread dedicated to the motherboard I'm buying, please let me know, and I can take it elsewhere. Sorry to bother anyone!

- Brett

 

[jimmandyuk]

Further to last post, got my head in gear
1. Worked out how to tighten memory timings
2. Read back through forum and some people are saying Robust graphic booster will only have the three options I have discovered maybe someone would like to clarify one way or the other.
3. I noticed whilst in Mb intelligent tweakers System Voltage Optimized item blinking in red and advising to change System voltage Control back to Auto, I had changed it to manual iaw forum member settings. I wasnt sure what to do but went for safety first and changed back to Auto and warning disappeared, any ideas on that please...........Jim

 

[5t3v0]

Originally posted by: cleverest
What is my best choice for 1. stability and 2. mild TO moderate overclockability??

Those are good brands although I can only comment on the XMS2. As you'll see from my sig, I'm running at the tighter 44412 timings at 450MHz without going over spec volts. Cant fault them.

 

[5t3v0]

Originally posted by: jimmandyuk
2. Read back through forum and some people are saying Robust graphic booster will only have the three options I have discovered maybe someone would like to clarify one way or the other.

See last post.

3. I noticed whilst in Mb intelligent tweakers System Voltage Optimized item blinking in red and advising to change System voltage Control back to Auto, I had changed it to manual iaw forum member settings. I wasnt sure what to do but went for safety first and changed back to Auto and warning disappeared, any ideas on that please...........Jim

Ignore it. It's there to scare the timid.

 

[cleverest]

Nice 5t3v0, I'll probably stick with the Corsair then, unless someone can equally/highly recommend the Geil or G.skill alternatives I linked to...

- Brett

 

[jimmandyuk]

5t3v0
Thanks for help tonight and last week, I have gone back into bios and altered system voltage to manual, I must admit when I saw flashing warning I would certainly been classed as scared and timid. Rig running well on your forum settings. Good night....Jim

 

[5t3v0]

You're welcome guys. I'm heading off too. Enjoy.

 

[shimurlz]

I know this is offtopic but i saw a post earlier telling that intel cpu e6750 was stepping G0. That raised some doubt to me. For me, all intel cpus on the E6x50 series are G0 stepping.

So what i ask to you is: Can you tell me if all intel cpu's on the E6x50 are G0 stepping or there are other stepping revisions for this family of cpu's ?

Thanks

PS. Sorry for any english errors on my posts

 

[cleverest]

Well guys I went with the following system components...it's ordered and I'll probably have it all by tomorrow or SAT (I'm 30 miles from Newegg) and even paying taxes they were cheaper then everyone out of state overall....crazy...but true! I'll be getting $50 back in rebates (hopefully!) too!

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://secure.newegg.com/N......stem+Core+Purchase"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://secure.newegg.com/NewV...o+System+Core+Purchase"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wishlist/PublicWishDetail.asp?WishListNumber=4906774&WishListTitle=P35+Core+Duo+System+Core+Purchase">https://secure.newegg............e+Purchase</a></a></a>

I hope I made the right choices and I hope the Board doesn't have a problem with PCI IDE controllers....I chose the best (non-raid) one for the price I could find...

 

[mrfatboy]

Originally posted by: shimurlz
I know this is offtopic but i saw a post earlier telling that intel cpu e6750 was stepping G0. That raised some doubt to me. For me, all intel cpus on the E6x50 series are G0 stepping.

So what i ask to you is: Can you tell me if all intel cpu's on the E6x50 are G0 stepping or there are other stepping revisions for this family of cpu's ?

Thanks

PS. Sorry for any english errors on my posts

I believe all E6X50's are G0 stepping.

intel info

 

[Mwing]

Originally posted by: shimurlz
Thanks for reply 5t3v0.

Others users ?

I have been using this with E6750 since Aug 21, rock stable, and on board sound is good, a lot better than my old A7N8X deluxe including microphone (according to my frds on ventrilo).

Currently at 400x8 will try higher later.

 

[cleverest]

Will I be disappointed with the onboard audio if I'm used to a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS? I have the Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers, for music and games mostly....I know I lose the latest EAX, but I mean otherwise how does the quality compare?

 

[mrfatboy]

Originally posted by: cleverest
Will I be disappointed with the onboard audio if I'm used to a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS? I have the Logitech Z-5500 5.1 speakers, for music and games mostly....I know I lose the latest EAX, but I mean otherwise how does the quality compare?

YES!

 

[cleverest]

mrfatboy,

in that case, maybe you can help me figure something out with the PCI slots configuration...keeping in mind I have 3....

PCI SLOT ONE
my IDE controller card (can't do anything about that, even if I had all sata Hd's, I need to have my 3 Optical dvd drives installed....

PCI SLOT TWO
Firewire 2-port card (I currently have 1 firewire external drive and I'd like to have FW ports avail on the system)

PCI SLOT THREE
Tv Tuner Card (I will be installing MCE 2005 and I have an xbox 360 so I need to be able to add a tuner card later on.....)

Sound card... ???

That's my dileema....


- Brett

 

[mrfatboy]

Originally posted by: cleverest
mrfatboy,

in that case, maybe you can help me figure something out with the PCI slots configuration...keeping in mind I have 3....

PCI SLOT ONE
my IDE controller card (can't do anything about that, even if I had all sata Hd's, I need to have my 3 Optical dvd drives installed....



- Brett

How many HD's to you have? Are they SATA or IDE? I assume all your Opticals drivers are IDE, correct?

You need to get rid of this card and put your sound card in. You can have up to 2 IDE devices on this board. The rest must be SATA. SATA opticals are cheap

 

[Serj]

Hi guys, i just put together my 1st PC with this mobo. looking forward to discuss and find out new things about it. Read all the posts which helped me alot since im a newbie to this.

 

[5t3v0]

On paper the spec of the ALC889A is reasonably good & for the brief period that I used mine, it was fine for my 2.1/headphone setup. Some people have issues & some don't. You'll just have to try it & see how you get on.

 

[5t3v0]

Originally posted by: Serj
Hi guys, i just put together my 1st PC with this mobo. looking forward to discuss and find out new things about it. Read all the posts which helped me alot since im a newbie to this.

serj, that 6850 rocks. 3.6 on stock volts is a great result. Ballistix on 1.8v is also excellent work. Is it all stable with 12+ hours of Orthos?

Still that cpu is £50 ($100) more than the 6750 here in the UK so I'm not that jealous given my bang for buck is better

 

[mrfatboy]

Originally posted by: 5t3v0


Still that cpu is £50 ($100) more than the 6750 here in the UK so I'm not that jealous given my bang for buck is better

Now you can buy that tuniq lol

 

[Serj]

i wish it was stable on orthos, i just got it all together 2 days ago and i havent been home much. Orthos errors at 3 secs on the cpu+memory test and the memory test, and reboots at the CPU stress test, im guessing i need to bump the voltage or mybe lower the FSB a bit. Memtest on the other hand ran flawlessly for 3hrs or so. (already posting in the OC thread as well xD)

and i just cant make the floppy RAID drivers to work either my FDD is DOA or i dont know what im doing, in win xp if i put the floppy in it always asks to format but doesnt do it and errors. is there any other way to install the RAID drivers? im using my HDD as IDE at the moment

 

[5t3v0]

Vista you can use memory stick, floppy, cdrom, another hard drive to load raid drivers from. Cant remember with XP its been so long. Sounds like the floppy is goosed. Download drivers onto another floppy & try again.

Edit. BTW, you can't go claiming 3.6 on stock volts in your sig if it aint stable