*** Official EPoX 8RDA/+ (nForce2) Thread ***

[MARMADUKE]

Ok, I hooked up the CPU, RAM, Vid Card, fired it up, and it POST'ed fine. Only thing is the CPU was reading 1100mHz and the RAM was 100mHz.

That is because when you build a PC @ first boot you need to load optimal defaults save & exit
You should have seen a WARNING msg saying F1 or DEL..you would select DEL to load optimal defaults save & exit

load optimal defaults save & exit and tell me if this works now?

 

[Phierce]

Ok, I start it up. CPU: Athlon 2500+ running at 1.83gHz. RAM at 166 (DDR333)

All looks good, right?

Still only sees one IDE device, and that's the hard drive.

 

[MARMADUKE]

OK..turn off pc pull off power cord, there is a plastic jumper on the back of the HDD pins, remove the jumper from the pins.

That CDROM has known problems working on the nforce2 mobos, on the back of it set the jumper to slave and move it to slave of the HDD..LMK if this works?

 

[HoMeZ]

hey marmaduke Is there anything else that I need to disable that my santa cruz has that i don't need to use from the integrated stuff on the mobo?

 

[MARMADUKE]

HoMeZ
You should be fine, how is the sound working? I have SB audigy PLAT but like the soundstorm better!

 

[Phierce]

Ok, well I found another IDE cable, and tried that. Seems to be working now. Bad cable? hmmm

Whatever. I'm installing Windows XP right now. I'll probably have some more issues, so stand by. Thanks for the help.

 

[MARMADUKE]

OK!
Looking good!

 

[HoMeZ]

My ear can't really tell the difference but I spent money on this sound card so might as well use it

 

[ozias]

Marmaduke

I see you've been helpful to everyone with the 8rda+ so I've go a couple of questions for you.

How high should I let my temps get for the CPU? I'm at 42c idle, and it will goto 48c under full load with Prime95.

I am at the default 1.5 for my DULTC 1700, and am running 180@11 for 1990mhz.

I can get up to 200@11 for 2204mhz but I need to up my vcore to 1.6, but then I start to run around 46c idle and it pushes 54c under load.

The room temp is around 76f or 24c. I do have an SLK900 with a Vantec Thermaflow 80mm X 25mm, and when running at stock speeds I won't get near 40c under load.

I was thinking of upping my vcore towards 1.7 and seeing how far up I can go with my FSB, but I would guess my temps would get around 48-50c at idle and 55-60c under load, but thats just a guess.

These settings are stable under PCMark, 3DMark2003, 3DMark2001SE, Super PI, Sandra (Mem test, CPU Arithmatic, and CPU MM), Prime 95.

 

[pspada]

I like the Soundstorm, but am finding it impossible to keep running properly. Probably a heat issue with my northbridge.

 

[MARMADUKE]

I never go over 37C but thats me?

8RDA+ @ 220 FSB
AMD AXDA 2600 BOX 333FSB @ 2.5 28C-37C@1.85V
SLK-800A 80MM
MaX ata 133/72 40G
TwinMOS CH-5 2X256MB PC3200
MSI-8870 GF4 TI4200
52X liteon burner
16X48X liteon DVDROM
Verizon dsl 1500/128
Westell dual dsl modem
Linksys wireless 4 port switching dsl router
Addtronics modded godzilla server case with Toppower 520W & appache 2X120MM & 2X90MM 1X80 fans

 

[ozias]

Marmaduke

Do you think I should go with a different fan? The Vantec Thermaflow is designed to increase the rpm's automatically with a built in tempsensor, but with the SLK 900 i wonder if the fan is to far away from the main source of heat, ie. the CPU. Or maybe just hardwire the fan to my fan speed controller and disable the tempsensor altogether.

What 80mm fan are you using?

My system...

8RDA+
AMD XP1700 DLT3C jiuhb 0310 upmw 180 FSB @ 1.5
SLK-900 80mm
TwinMos/Winbond PC3200 BH-5
2 80gig Maxtor HD's
ATI Radeon 9700Pro
Cendyne 48X16X48 CDRW
Creative 52X CDR

 

[MARMADUKE]

The cpu 80MM fans I used make no differance in temps because my very expensive 2X120MM & 2X90MM fans create a windstorm in my case and help keep things very cool!
These fans have like 8 ball bearings each!

 

[ozias]

ok, well I have 5 80mm fans, not including the 2 on the PSU. 2 on the front, 1 on the side and 2 in the back. My HD temp is only 28, most it has ever been is 32, and my case temp is 30, most it's been is 36. The HD I have a thermal sensor on, and the same way with my case, the probe sits on the very top of the case, and my CPU probe I have attached to the bottom of the SLK-900, since I couldn't get it any closer to the CPU, and I am using AS3.

Even now at idle my CPU is 40, HD is 28, and Case is 30.

I am thinking I definitely need a different CPU fan.

 

[MARMADUKE]

Just throw a 90MM on the CPU

 

[HoMeZ]

What's the button I press to reset bios after I umm o/ced it to a point where it doesn't even past bios? It just beeps funny not like normal bios beeps it sounds like an police car or something. I thought it was hold insert and tap delete but if i press caps lock the light doesn't go on so i don't think it detects my keyboard.

 

[gallij]

throw the cmos jumper, boot, then throw it back to normal, boot.

BTW, I love my Epox 8RDA

Great board, GO AMD, GO EPOX.

Check sig for systems.

 

[HoMeZ]

WHat do I have to do after I do that? Does it affect windows in any way? Do I have to reinstall windows or format? OR just change bios back to b4 my comp went nuts?

 

[d33pblue]

About that link to the MS hotfix regarding slow WD hard drive performance. Is this a known issue with ALL WD drives or just some of the older ones? I have a newer WD 80GB, 8mb cache drive. I'm thinking about going ahead and downloading the file so its ready when my mobo gets here, but I didnt see a download on that page. Could someone here point me in the direction of the file, or do I even need to worry about this?

Thanks!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Question: I am getting temps in the low 50C range with this board running an Athlon 2800XP+ Barton. My settings are correct in the bios (no O/C) 12.5x166. The system is stable and very speedy but I'm concerned about these temps. I am cooling with a Zalman CNPS6000-Cu cooler. The giant fan only turns around 2800rpm so maybe I'm not getting enough airflow?

The room is fairly warm (mid 70F).

 

[Killrose]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Question: I am getting temps in the low 50C range with this board running an Athlon 2800XP+ Barton. My settings are correct in the bios (no O/C) 12.5x166. The system is stable and very speedy but I'm concerned about these temps. I am cooling with a Zalman CNPS6000-Cu cooler. The giant fan only turns around 2800rpm so maybe I'm not getting enough airflow?

The room is fairly warm (mid 70F).

What is your case temp? You might need to better your case cooling to bring your CPU temps down.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Case temps are around 30C. It's a Lian-Li PC60 case, clean inside (not dusty), with decent ventilation, all fans working, rounded cables etc. The only problem I have is with the location of the power connector on the motherboard. I have to run the cable around the top of the cpu heatsink to get it plugged in to the motherboard so airflow between the cpu and the powersupply is not optimal but I don't think this is going to greatly affect cooling performance either.

I am using a thin layer of ASIII thermal paste on the die (there was no thermal pad on the cooler when I bought it).

I'll open it up tonight and feel the heatsink to see if it feels overly hot to the touch.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[d33pblue]

Jules, I got that same fan you have. I'm putting mine on a thermalright slk900u. I plan on overclocking my 2500+ with it. I hope it does ok. =\

 

[Killrose]

Your case temps are certainly low enough. Does your PSU have an intake and exauhst fan? PSU's with an intake above the CPU socket help draw the heat of the CPU area. Though I would agree 50C seems hot, it really is not that bad actually for a peak temp.

 

[MARMADUKE]

throw the cmos jumper, boot, then throw it back to normal, boot.

I hope HoMez did not listen to this guy becuse this will KILL your mobo!