ET posted new BETA BIOS for 8k3a+!

[nfrenay]

Here it is:
http://www.amdforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=191003

I don't know how good it is, but I might test it later. I'm happy @ 171mhz with 2815 modded .

[Genius]

!

NOW THEY LEAK IT!

Might have saved me from buying an 8RDA... Ah well... I'll get out of this hell eventually.

[Groltz]

Flashed it in. Didn't notice any new bios options. No problems to note.

Thoroughbred-B temperature calibration has NOT been fixed.

[nfrenay]

Hey Groltz, if you can make me this little favour, just take a screenshot of WPCREDIT screen so that I can compare with some other BIOS?

Thanks!

(If you can't, no problem )

[K6-III]

I'll watch for a few days, and then probably flash...

[nfrenay]

Okay, based on a screenshot Groltz sent me (thanks a lot!), I can see there are quite a bit of registers changes and FCD is still disabled (as expected). I'll try to do an animated gif with 2B01 and this BIOS and post back.

[nfrenay]

Okay, done the GIF thing! Quite a lot of changes if you ask me. But some of them are probably because 2B01 was taken in my computer and 3117 was taken at Groltz computer.

Both screenshots were taken at a 175MHz FSB so that the "auto-settings" changes made at 181MHz by the BIOS are not the problem here.

I'm tired right now but later I'll check what those changes are all about.

Groltz: can you post your computer specs?

http://www.pcsite.hpg.ig.com.br/testes/2B01-3117.gif

[Groltz]

Originally posted by nfrenay
Groltz: can you post your computer specs?

Check your PM's.

[Reejoc]

Is it any more aggressive than the 2815? Has the 2815 actually ever been surpassed?
I've been trying to get some more aggressive settings for the 2815 using wpcredit at 189Mhz by comparing it to 179Mhz. I can't go above 189 because my radeon won't take the agp clock so i have to stress my corsair in other ways.
Haven't had any luck with wpcredit though. It all seems like guesswork.

[nfrenay]

Reejoc, it can be done! But it will require very good memory!

I once tried it (comparing) but the settings were unstable for me @ those speeds . Epox should stop trying to cheat settings like this!

Compare WPCREDIT screenshot between 179 and 180mhz and you'll probably find what you want.

[Reejoc]

I'll give it a go. My Corsair PC3200 can handle over 200Mhz at max timings so at only 189 it should have some performance left to give!
Do I attempt change all the register entries that differ?

[nfrenay]

If I were you, I'll do 1 by 1, or at least just a few per time... It'll be easier to diagnose crashes like this. Also, it'll help a lot if you have the KT333 chipset .PCR file so that you can see what the change is...

Good luck!

Tell me how did it go later . I'll be buying new RAM so I'm interested...

Oh, by the way keep notes on changes!

[mirus]

This BIOS is very good but I have a strange problem... my PC won't reboot If I chose the reboot option under Win2K or I save the BIOS option, my PC shootdown and I was obliged to power-on it again. I've tried to reset the CMOS via jumper but nothing

[Mr T]

Reejoc,

Is this why with 2815, When I go to 180 FSB my performance drops a ton? I thought I was overheating something. My cpu performance scales up, but my 3dmark scores drop by 800 points going from 177-180fsb

[nfrenay]

Okay, I didn't resist and I've just flashed it...

First of all: man, this time I got scared! Flashed the BIOS, rebooted and the PC started to boot (didn't get to "graphic" POST but the numbers went by C1 C0 26 (probably I've missed a few, too fast for my eyes LOL), and SHUTDOWN... Hmm... Hit the power switch, spin, shutdown... Oh boy!
Pulled the power plug, reset CMOS, ..., power on and the relief: POSTed .
Went into BIOS, set my old settings (from 2815M) and same thing... Shutdown... I suspected about the CPU Temperature shutdown and I was right! That is the problem... Apparently there is a bug with the "SHUTDOWN IN POST" option for Thermal protection.
Okay let's cut to the tests: I haven't done all the tests yet, but this BIOS looks like it's performing very well! Sanda memory bench is up to 2815 BIOS level (as 2b01 I think) but this time the benchmarks a little better.
2815M:
SuperPi 1M: 0m54s (but almost all the times it gave me 0m55s)
PiFast: 33.20s
3DMark2001se: 12404 marks

3117 BETA:
SuperPi: 0m55s
PiFast: 33.78s
3DMark2001se: 12276 marks

EDIT: So 3DMark is a little lower then 2815. I expected this as FCD is disabled, but I'll have to test how far can my FSB go now.

By the way, I haven't benchmarked HD performance, but this BIOS apparently improved RAID controller performance (I use it in "normal" mode, not RAID).

So, my advice is: if you flash it and your computer doesn't go on in the first time, don't be so worried. Just reset CMOS and DISABLE "Shutdown in POST" option in BIOS. (Hope it's fixed soon)

Anyone here has this problem?

Thanks!

EDIT: Added 3DMark benches...

[nfrenay]

Tests update:

I'm testing FSB settings as BIOSes withou FCD should be able to clock higher FSBs (but you already know that right? )

Before: BIOS 2815
11.5 x 171.8 = 1975.80 MHz
Memory settings like shown on my signature.
SuperPi = 0m54s
PiFast = 33.20s
3DMark2001SE = 12404 marks

After: BIOS 3117 BETA
11.0 x 179.49 MHz = 1974.37 MHz
SuperPi = 0m54s
PiFast = 33.46s
3DMark2001SE = 12472 marks

Now this is getting better !

I will try higher FSBs now, but I have to take some screenshots from WPCREDIT as Epox probably still lowers "secret" settings after 180MHz...

[mirus]

I've fixed my shotdown/reboot problem thanks to nfrenay I've just disabled "Shutdown in POST" and my system reboot normaly

[nfrenay]

Ouch, running over 180MHz is useless without tweaks!
Look at my tests, both with 3117 BIOS:

11.0 x 179.30 = 1974MHz
- PiFast = 33.46s
- SuperPi = 0m54s
- 3DMark2001SE = 12472 marks

10.5 x 188.18 = 1975MHz
- PiFast = 34.27s
- SuperPi = 0m56s
- 3DMark2001SE = 12116 marks

Simply ridiculous... I've tried to tweak it, but my memory can't handle it...

Mirus: I'm glad I could help you!

So... Am I the only beta-tester?

By the way, what do you people think about Vcore on T-Breds B? How much is safe for it to last at least some years? I'm watercooled, and in worst case scenarios my temperatures never get past 45C load (in-die with -10C correction for 8k3a+).

Thanks!

[BigDov]

nfrenay-

A couple things....... first, where did you get the 2815M bios and second, thanks for the beta-testing. Looks like I'll just stick with what I've got right now. Until you supply the origins of the 2815M that is

[nfrenay]

If I can remember well, Genius (from this forum) has made it. It's just the 2815 BIOS with 2.34 Highpoint firmware .

Oh and by the way, apparently I'm not stable at 179MHz. I'm doing some more testing but if this is true then I'll go back to 2815M...

When will Epox learn how to add and option for FCD in BIOS?? This is so ridiculous!