Interesting Nforce2 Nvidia article

[HammerD]

I found the following article very relevent to the type of questions I have with my Epox 8RDA+ motherboard. Here is the link:

http://www.nforcershq.com/modules.ph...showpage&pid=2

A quick summary, directly quoted:

"All NVIDIA SPP chips are capable of supporting a 400MHz FSB. That doesn't mean the motherboard can support it. "

"NVIDIA has a BIOS that cleans up a lot of the "noise" and would allow some older boards to hit 400FSB. However, it is still up to the board maker if they are going to use that BIOS and validate their board for official 400FSB support."

"NVIDIA wants to accelerate their driver releases for the system. They definitely want to have WHQL at least once a quarter, and will most likely try to have other releases once a month."

"NVIDIA is working on a new tool that would wind up listing the drivers installed. It would also list memory timings, frequencies, FSB, WCPUID info, and give you some tweaks. You can use the tweaking portion if the BIOS supports those options and the motherboard hardware supports those options - voltage, multiplier, etc"

"Power consumption has been reduced from 4.2 watts to about 3 watts in the latest stepping of the chipset. The little silver circle (heat slug) in the middle has gone, so the chip is now totally flat.
"

Some interesting stuff revealed there !

PS - I can't find nforce 2.03 drivers on nvidia's website anymore??

[Mr T]

Rumor has it that new Nforce drivers will be out today or tomorrow. Maybe we will be able to see what these boards can really do for ide performance now, and still be able to use our cd burners.

This may be the reason that you don't see 2.03 anymore. First person to spot them please post, so I will get a friendly notice in my email

Edit: You can still get to the 2.03 drivers by going through support and drivers. Looks like the only thing you can get from the main page is Video drivers.

[badDiVeRSioN]

I think i can remember somthing about the nforce2 boards ment to run 400MHz from the beginning, but something came up(time pressure or sumthin). So it's not surprising that they all are capable of it. But it still has some importance to it what chip revision you have, cus your board will be newer...

[dan2097]

*NOTE*
Post Edit:

Please read our announcement at the start of our EPoX Topic as they include restrictions which do not apply to other AOA topics.
************************************************** **************************


Seeming as the **** just got a new bios which for most people allows stable 400mhz fsb operation im hoping for a "miracle" bios from epox as im sure the 8rda+ is just as good as the*****

[HauZDauG]

isnt gonna happen.. they already have there 8RDA3+ out and they are going to make you buy it for Official support for 400 FSB...

The latest BIOS for the 8RDA+ does say support for 400 Ultra if you have the latest NB stepping...

But if you ask EPoX if the 8RDA+ will support 400 FSB they will tell you to buy the 8RDA3+ for 400 FSB official support...

Id be surprised if they made the 8RDA+ official 400

[dan2097]

/me looks above

Ive really got to stop mentioning other companys in my posts

Anyway if they dont eventually give the 8rda+ rev1.x unofficial 400mhz fsb support then Im definitly not buying epox again. I could of got the <cough> for a couple of quid cheaper.


EDIT: by unofficial 400mhz fsb support I mean 400mhz fsb which works on 95-99% of boards.

[lothodon]

the 2.03 are still there, just moved the link to the page.

hit support and select drivers to get to the old familiar selection page...which still links to 2.03....

soon, i hope......

[dan2097]

The people at nforcershq seem to think the new drivers will be released tommorow

[Pita^Norf]

dan2079,

Just curios, what's the max FSB you can run your 8RDA+ at atm ?

[Elisha]

hopefully the new Nvidia drivers offer better solutions.
i can run 233 FSB solid right now after my VDD-mod but i think i can push it further if i have better ram.
only have 1x512 PC2700 SAmsung.

[jimbobaggies]

Post Edit:
Post again in this manner and your gone.

[dan2097]

Just curios, what's the max FSB you can run your 8RDA+ at atm ?

Id questimate from 188fsb =unstable after ~30mins of prime 95 and 180fsb =stable that the max for my motherboard is probably abotu 185mhz.

Admitedly im using the 31/12/02 bios but jason from madonion says that later bioses dont help overclocking anyway, only provide more bug fixes and new on post features

[Lazgoat]

Elisha, I'm just curious what speed your PC2700 RAM is running at with your FSB at 233Mhz. If possible could you list your BIOS settings? My Sammy RAM wont go past 183FSB with the 6/6 divider (by SPD).

Laz.

[Elisha]

i can run my ram at 230 sync with fsb.
put pretty ****ty timing tho.
10-5-5-3@2.77v

[Photon]

Originally posted by jimbobaggies
All I know is, for them to allow some boards to be of better quality and allow you to run 200fsb is underhand. Basically they're selling two different boards for the same price, ...

Jimbo,

Look at it this way, * ALL * of the 8rda+ mobos are guaranteed to meet their RATED SPECS. The 8RDA+ was never rated for 400 FSB, look at the specs. If Epox continues to improve their product (as I would hope all companies do) that's a good thing.

Now that may mean that somebody who just bought their board MAY get a board that actually is able to run better than the rated specs. That does NOT mean that anybody else was "ripped off".
Your board may be "better" than somebody else's who bought their board last month.

If your board does not meet rated specs, get an RMA replacement. If it does meet rated specs, but you are unhappy with the performance, buy a board with higher specs.

There is no reason to bash a company for improving their products right?

[dan2097]

Damn you Epox, selling 400mhz fsb motherboards as 333mhz fsb motherboards, what a scam

[Daniel ~]

jimbobaggies, I've edited your post. Be it known I warn only once.

[dan2097]

jimbobaggies, I've edited your post. Be it known I warn only once

I got two of my posts edited

[Pita^Norf]

Originally posted by dan2097


Id questimate from 188fsb =unstable after ~30mins of prime 95 and 180fsb =stable that the max for my motherboard is probably abotu 185mhz.

Admitedly im using the 31/12/02 bios but jason from madonion says that later bioses dont help overclocking anyway, only provide more bug fixes and new on post features

I heartedly recommend the 3129 BIOS as I've found that to be the best. Also are you using memory that is rated for 200 Mhz DDR (PC3200) ?

[dan2097]

Im using 2x 256mb twinmos pc3200 running at 7/2/2/2 dc. (thats at 180mhz fsb)

Is it any less safe to flash from safe command prompt (im still on 98se) rather than a floppy disk, my floppy disk drive dont work

The 3129 seems to be quite well recommended. Do you recommend it as its faster clock for clock i.e. more efficient?