Unofficial Soltek SL-K8AN2E-GR thread

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: krose
Anyone try the power BIOS? With original BIOS I was running at 240x10. When I set FSB to 240 in power BIOS it showed 242 in CPU-Z. I couldn't get any FSB above 250 to work. At POST it would default back to 200. Flashed back to original BIOS.

I have a question for you, I tried CPU-Z and it wont show the core type or anything of my CPU. did you have this problem?
not really a big deal, just kinda weird. It worked fine with my Barton. I downloaded the latest version, 1.23 IIRC.

I have not tried overclocking yet with my board, and still have the factory BIOS installed.
if I switch I will post up! that's nice man.. 240.. not too shabby!!!

 

[krose]

CPU-Z works fine for me. I am also using v.1.23. Very strange.

CPU-Z

 

[ISS]

The performance doesn't work for me too. 250MHz is OK. 251MHz no go.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: krose
CPU-Z works fine for me. I am also using v.1.23. Very strange.

CPU-Z

strange, I'll take a screenshot when I get home later.

 

[ISS]

Btw, the overclocking issue has to do with BIOS. Clockgen works fine at even 300MHz.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: CraigRT

Originally posted by: krose
CPU-Z works fine for me. I am also using v.1.23. Very strange.

CPU-Z

strange, I'll take a screenshot when I get home later.

Download and install the latest A64 driver Craig
link

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: ISS
Btw, the overclocking issue has to do with BIOS. Clockgen works fine at even 300MHz.

Does the bios have LDT multiplier and voltage control? If so, did you tweak those or just up the LDT speed?

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: CraigRT

Originally posted by: krose
CPU-Z works fine for me. I am also using v.1.23. Very strange.

CPU-Z

strange, I'll take a screenshot when I get home later.

Download and install the latest A64 driver Craig
link

I'll have to try that when I get home
the processor driver at the bottom of the page?
did not know there was such a thing.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Yep, you want the CPU driver. IIRC someone posted that you need the newer driver for C&Q to work right?

 

[orangat]

Its sold out at newegg, no ETA on new stock as well.
Hopefully we'll see a full review soon on some websites soon..

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: orangat
Its sold out at newegg, no ETA on new stock as well.
Hopefully we'll see a full review soon on some websites soon..

Personally I would hesitate to buy Soltek from newegg until I hear precisely what will happen after their 30 day warranty expires. If they force me to deal with Soltek directly after that then forget about it. For Soltek the best place to buy IMHO is
http://www.misrcorps.com/ They have it in stock for $97 and even though you will pay a bit more than the egg after shipping, he personally backs them for the full year. That's worth $5 or so more any day.

As to reviews, I am ambivalent about mainboard reviews@hardware sites. I usually get more useful overclocking info from user feedback, such as provided in this thread than I do from reviews.

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Personally I would hesitate to buy Soltek from newegg until I hear precisely what will happen after their 30 day warranty expires. If they force me to deal with Soltek directly after that then forget about it. For Soltek the best place to buy IMHO is
http://www.misrcorps.com/ They have it in stock for $97 and even though you will pay a bit more than the egg after shipping, he personally backs them for the full year. That's worth $5 or so more any day.

As to reviews, I am ambivalent about mainboard reviews@hardware sites. I usually get more useful overclocking info from user feedback, such as provided in this thread than I do from reviews.

Ok Thanks. Wasn't aware of the 30day warranty.

Yes sites are biased but user feedback frequently isn't very comprehensive. I don't normally hear much in the way of benchmarks especially I/O cpu utilisation, USB speed, Network CPU util, stability testing.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: orangat
Its sold out at newegg, no ETA on new stock as well.
Hopefully we'll see a full review soon on some websites soon..

As to reviews, I am ambivalent about mainboard reviews@hardware sites. I usually get more useful overclocking info from user feedback, such as provided in this thread than I do from reviews.

I whole heartedly agree.
I didn't read any reviews before I bought the Soltek, but I simply based it on the fact all of the mainboards I have bought from them have been kickass. and so far the K8AN2E-GR is no exception

but yeah simply reading what users have to say is the best thing for sure!

 

[Ertaz]

Originally posted by: CraigRT
I whole heartedly agree.
I didn't read any reviews before I bought the Soltek, but I simply based it on the fact all of the mainboards I have bought from them have been kickass. and so far the K8AN2E-GR is no exception

but yeah simply reading what users have to say is the best thing for sure!

I think this board turned out to be a sound investment. I'll be honest though I kind of "Jumped in" after reading the two user reviews that Newegg had at the time. I've had bad luck with MSI in the past and wasn't going to take a chance on their NF3 250 board. When you look at the cost+performace+features this board is awfully hard to beat if your going s754 and are happy with a mild OC.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: Ertaz

Originally posted by: CraigRT
I whole heartedly agree.
I didn't read any reviews before I bought the Soltek, but I simply based it on the fact all of the mainboards I have bought from them have been kickass. and so far the K8AN2E-GR is no exception

but yeah simply reading what users have to say is the best thing for sure!

I think this board turned out to be a sound investment. I'll be honest though I kind of "Jumped in" after reading the two user reviews that Newegg had at the time. I've had bad luck with MSI in the past and wasn't going to take a chance on their NF3 250 board. When you look at the cost+performace+features this board is awfully hard to beat if your going s754 and are happy with a mild OC.

I completely agree.. I just jumped in on it too. but as I was saying, with Soltek, its always safe. so far so good yet again ! fantastic price on this baby, it can't be beat!

 

[LocutusX]

Americans might want to try the Canadian e-store which sells Soltek for us: www.ncix.com

They appear to service yanks as well as canucks... didn't check what their warranty on Soltek stuff is. maybe 1 year at least?

and sending stuff back to canada is a million times easier and safer than sending stuff across the Pacific to Taiwan

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: CraigRT

Originally posted by: krose
CPU-Z works fine for me. I am also using v.1.23. Very strange.

CPU-Z

strange, I'll take a screenshot when I get home later.

Download and install the latest A64 driver Craig
link

I was reading another thread in the distributed computing forum, and apparently version 1.22 works, but 1.23 does not display correctly.
1.22 works for me too. now shows NewCastle. crazy!

 

[Fuzn]

Well, thanks for the info. I ended up ordering this with my new computer today on newegg. If you didn't notice, newegg got them back in stock today here:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-180-061&depa=0

 

[imported_Bucko]

I mainly got this board for the Raid IDE but I?m having problems.
It seems the third IDE channel is only for the PDC20579 controller?
I don't have Sata's and have four drives that I Raided before and would like to do the same again.
I can set up channel 1 and 2 with the VIDIA RAID but have to have my Cd as a slave on one of the channels. Nothing is recognized using the third channel? So far when installing XP it will only see one of the drives that where stripped but I had this problem before and had to fool it.
How can I get the pdc20579 to see my CD Drives?

 

[CraigRT]

Hey Bucko, I have a question for you unrelated to what you asked.. sorry, I don't know the answer.

How does your PC2700 RAM run with the A64? I am surprised it even works at all... did you have to increase the VDIMM or anything like that? or is it just quality PC2700 RAM that can be OC'd?

more of a curiousity thing than anything

 

[imported_Bucko]

When I was ordering I was looking at some 3200/400 but one of the guys that gave feed back was using the 2700. So we'll see. Actually that?s another reason I went with this board over asus being picky about the ram.
I haven?t done much with it yet because of my raid problems. But so far no problems.(only xp loaded on one drive) Says 333 on every boot. I really need to be able to run my cd/dvds on the other controller. Not sure if we are going to get much help on this Soltek. Guess I could research the pdc20579 and see if it has more help there?
I like the raid for rendering video. Looking forward to softmode my 9800 too (waiting for cooler), then I?ll benchmark and give you more info.

Oh ... I did nothing special for ram so far..

 

[imported_Bucko]

So far haven?t found another system that uses the parallel ata and serial ata with the same controller. But thought I'd share the MSI link for the neo manual. Looks like it could help with clocking this puppy.
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/manual/mnu/spt_mnu_detail.php?UID=572&kind=1

 

[krose]

Originally posted by: CraigRT
Hey Bucko, I have a question for you unrelated to what you asked.. sorry, I don't know the answer.

How does your PC2700 RAM run with the A64? I am surprised it even works at all... did you have to increase the VDIMM or anything like that? or is it just quality PC2700 RAM that can be OC'd?

more of a curiousity thing than anything

You can use PC2700 because of the mem dividers. The mobo detects it as 166 and sets the divider. At 200 FSB the memory is at 166. Using clockgen I am able to run at 267x9 with a 166 divider which puts my PC3500 RAM at 218 which is at spec. Athlon 64 does not seem to take a hit running asynchronous RAM like the Athlon XP does.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Mods, can we get a sticky here? It's evident enough poeple are interested in, or using this board to warrant one. OP should change title to unofficial Soltek SL-K8AN2E-GR thread so mods can evaluate it for stickiness

 

[imported_Bucko]

Removed by author......
Irrelevant to the cause