VNFS-250 board - looking for some details please

[Tillo]

Greetings everyone

After a week or so of web-hunting, this board looks like it could be the one for me. As such, I was hoping that some VNFS-250 users here may be able to provide the answers to my remaining questions - they are

- does this VNFS-250 Chaintech board come with some sort of auto-BIOS recovery after a failed overclock - like the Asus boards ?

- if not, what happens when you are trying to find the boards maximum sweet-spot and you go too far and it wont boot - is it a case of re-setting the CMOS jumper or something like that ?

- in terms of memory dividers, does it have a 6:5 or does it only have the usual 1:1, 3:2 and 5:4 ?

- will one of those big-round copper zalman heatsink / fans fit on this board [ sorry I cant remeber the name of it but it is the big round copper one that everyone is using these days ] ?

- as I have no need for firewire or raid or Gbit lan, is there any *other* reason for me to get a nForce 3 250 *GB* chipset board instead ?

- laslty, I have 2 x 512 of the trusty old Hynix HY5DU56822BT-D43 PC 3200 DDR sticks - any reason why these would *not* work on this board ?

Tillo

 

[SeaFoam]

Don't bother with that board - go with the MSI if you want the nf3 chipset. Just look around on here or planetamd64.com and you will see the horror stories.

 

[Tillo]

Hello SeaFoam

See here:- http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.html?i=2063&p=4

The reviewer on Anand's site that did this review is a *very* reputable reviewer - as is the site itself - I gather though you have had problems with a VNFS-250 board you had ?

Tillo

 

[SeaFoam]

I've read the reviews. Yes i've had problems with the board- that's why I got rid of it. I'm not the only one that's had problems with the board though. http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=29&threadid=1315593&enterthread=y There's an example of at least 3 people (myself and two others) I am not going to try to convince you though. Not my choice, nor is it my desire. What I do know is that I have had a K8T Neo and a K8N Neo Platinum and I have had *no* problems with either one of them.
Here's 2 other threads on the chaintechs.
http://www.planetamd64.com/viewtopic.php?t=894http://www.planetamd64.com/viewtopic.php?t=1046

 

[djm68]

Hey Tilllo,

I have the vnf3-250 and I really like the board. Many people have had problems, but in my estimation, many of these problems can be traced to not folllowing bios flash direction and/or using crappy RAM. As you have pointed out, Anandtech reviewed this board with rather glowing results.

One problem I have seen is the people failed to "load setup defaults" after flashing the bios. I also had problems with until I *read* the directions in the readme which clearly states: "Load default setting in bios after flashing". After performing this I have had no problems at all.

I am running: a64 3200+, 2x512 ocz 3700EB ram, 9800 pro, enermax 475 PS. I am running the beta bios dated 5/7, using my USB port just fine, including my USB mouse, running 9x250, DDR500 1:1, with no problems at ALL.

If you want a fast board, but do not need firewire, RAID, and GB enthenet, then I would suggest you take a look at this board.

Cheers,
DJM

 

[djm68]

Hey SeaFoam,

Those threads you linked on planetamd64 are for the ZNF3-250, not the VNF3-250...

Cheers,
DJM

 

[spork27]

I really like my VNF3-250 too. I can understand where SeaFoam is coming from though. I went through a couple of weeks of denouncing what most people think is a good company and good motherboard. I don't feel like mentioning the exact company anymore.

 

[SeaFoam]

I know 2 of those were from the other chaintech board, point is - they seem to have a problem.
I loaded the bios defaults after I flashed also - with corsair ram.

 

[Agamar]

I have 2 systems (nearly identical) now running with the VNF3-250. So far so good. Had a litte trouble setting up mirroring with Win2k Server, but once I realized that I had to break the mirror, install, then add the drive back, all was well. It has been a really stable board for me. I have had it installed nearly a month and have put it through all the normal stress (Windows XP load, Far Cry, Rune...)

 

[Lionel]

I have the VNF3-250 as well, with Mushkin 222, no problems, nice board.

 

[FunkierThanU]

I'm loving my VNF3-250. Still waiting of a better non-Beta BIOS that will clear up the squirrely SATA RAID issues. I'm still tinkering with that.

3200+ @ 2.34GHz, and loving it!

 

[djm68]

Hey All,

Seriously enjoying this board -- running very fast and stable. I am able to hit 240x10 or 250x9, 1:1 mem.

 

[djm68]

Oops...forgot

Checkout the screen shots

VNF3-250 beta bios 5/7
AMD64 3200+ week 14 2004 "C0"
Swiftech MCX6400V + 2700rom 80mm fan
2 x 512Mb OCZ 3700EB vdimm 2.9, mem clock 240
Sapphire Radeon 9800 Pro Ultimate 128 Zalman cooled
Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS
Enermax 470W EG475AX