8RDA6+ Pro Romsip Mod

[by -=Merlin=-]

Originally Posted by MietmaN

Some benchmarks and tests, using Merlin's bios with CPC On :

11x200, FSB200 ROMSIP table
V-core 1.50v, 2x512MB dual 2-3-3-11, Win2k SP4, nVidia unified drivers 4.27, Catalyst 4.12 (balanced settings), DirectX 9.0c

* Sandra 2004 SP1
Int : 3062 MB/s, (96% efficiency)
Float : 2886 MB/s (90% efficiency)

* Everest Home
read - 2983 MB/s
write - 1218 MB/s

* 3DMark 2001SE
18750, 18738!

* SuperPI
2M - 01m 43s
16M - 19m 20s

and now compare them to the default Epox bios at 11x200, FSB200 ROMSIP table :

http://www.aoaforums.com/forum/showt...151#post290151

who's the winner?

@MietmaN *gg*

[Wolf2000me]

Nicely done

This is the first thing I'm going to do when i finish my exams this saturday. I never thought anyone would build a custum bios like that but it seems all you have to do is ask

[Barix]

Great work Merlin!!

I will try your bios next days!

[MietmaN]

I've just updated the tests (2nd run of almost all of them) :

http://www.aoaforums.com/forum/showt...743#post290743

OT: If I get enough cash, I'll buy 2x512MB of A-DATA Vitesta DDR600 memory sticks (Samsung TCCD chips) - should do 2-2-2-X at FSB220 or even higher

[Barix]

I've tried right now the cpc off version, but I've a problem on boot: after the first reboot (after flashing) the pc no longer boot up.

I need to clear the cmos to have the computer booting.

(and as a perfect dumb I haven't seen remember the P80 error code where boot blocks .. I'll report later)

[elzhi]

I have the same problem but i tried the cpc on bios ,
another strange thing is i cant flash back to my old bios

[Barix]

So I wasn't able to reflash the old bios ..

But I've found that the problem is in the bios found on the www.epox.org website.

I wasn't able in any way to flash this bios.

After that I tried downloading the bios from www.epox.nl .

It seems to be identically to the one on the .org page (same name and same version) but comparing the file it's different.

So I tried flashing it using the ALT-F2 method and it worked greatly.

Now I'm back with the originale bios .. all working OK

[by -=Merlin=-]

Originally Posted by Barix

So I wasn't able to reflash the old bios ..

But I've found that the problem is in the bios found on the www.epox.org website.

I wasn't able in any way to flash this bios.

After that I tried downloading the bios from www.epox.nl .

It seems to be identically to the one on the .org page (same name and same version) but comparing the file it's different.

So I tried flashing it using the ALT-F2 method and it worked greatly.

Now I'm back with the originale bios .. all working OK

which problemm has bios ????

by -=Merlin=-

[Barix]

with your modded bios at every boot I must clear the CMOS e and re-enter every setting in the bios (I tried only the CPC-OFF version)

If I don't clear the cmos the system can't boot (black screen)

Instead the original bios from www.epox.org can't be flashed.
I tried at least 10 times using ALT-F2 and a boot floppy (trying forcing the flash from command line parameter) and I always got a "wrong bios" or "this bios is not for your mainboard" or similar errors.

With the one from epox.nl no problems (flashed at the first try using ALT-F2)

Try comparing the 2 bioses and you'll see that they are not identical

[by -=Merlin=-]

@Barix
ALT+F2 not good
attempt with this method awdflash.exe N24LDB24.Bin /cc /cd /cp /sn /py /f /r

by -=Merlin=-

[Barix]

when I flashed using your bios I used ALT-F2 , and the error on boot can be caused by this.

This evening I try re-flashing using your bios modded from a boot using that command line and I check if I continue getting problems on boot

[elzhi]

the bios from epox.nl worked ,thanks alot

no more beta bios for me

[Wolf2000me]

Why not Elzhi. You probably tried the alt-F2 method or just regular awdflash on a bootdisk. MietmaN was able to do it. And he too used the switches that Merlin suggests. It worked for his board and he has the 8RDA3+ Pro. So with those command switches you should be good to go.

[Daniel ~]

We've all had our scary moments! LOL

[Barix]

the bios from epox.org is different from the one from epox.nl and can't be flashed IN NO WAY. I tried ALT-F2 and awdflash with LOTS of combination of switches and can't be flashed in any way.

The one from epox.nl can be flashed without problems

Try comparing the two files ...

I also written to ET to explain this problem.

[bionic]

I tried the cpc on bios and i too experienced boot problems, only i didnt have to clear cmos i only had to turn the power off and on on my psu.
I did flash with the awdflash and the recommended switches.

[MietmaN]

Originally Posted by Wolf2000me

Why not Elzhi. You probably tried the alt-F2 method or just regular awdflash on a bootdisk. MietmaN was able to do it. And he too used the switches that Merlin suggests. It worked for his board and he has the 8RDA3+ Pro. So with those command switches you should be good to go.

Yeah, I suppose so - I used /py/sn/cc/cd/cp/IQ/F/R (so everything Merlin recommends plus "IQ" parameter") - the way you flash your bios does have a certain influence (don't ask me why, kind of magic? but it is so).

One more thing - mark I've tested only the CPC On (1T) bios so far, not the CPC Off (2T). Had been working fine for 3 days before I went to Germany.

@bionic - strange ....
Have you got 6+ PRO or 3+ PRO motherboard? Should make no difference, but ....

@Barix : In my case I always have to force flash, no matter from what page I download the binary (UK, NL or USA).

[Barix]

I re-tried flashing using awdflash with the (long) line of parameters but I continue getting the pc unable to boot until power off from PSU

@ MietmaN: I was totally unable to flash the bios form the .org using EXACTLY the command line you reported.

And I want to know WHY 2 identical bioses taken from different website are BINARY DIFFERENT

[MietmaN]

Originally Posted by Barix

I re-tried flashing using awdflash with the (long) line of parameters but I continue getting the pc unable to boot until power off from PSU

Do you mean the CPC On or CPC Off version or both of them actually?

@ MietmaN: I was totally unable to flash the bios form the .org using EXACTLY the command line you reported.

Real strange - in my case, to clear my findings, I found some time ago the bios for 3+ PRO and 6+ PRO is the same, since they only differ in having/ not-having the additional SATA controller from Silicon Image. The latest one - da6p4a05 - I couldn't flash with Alt+F2 and with some classic parameters until I added the "IQ" parameter to the already long command line. As I wrote - no matter what bios and from what site I used (always got the warning that the bios was not for my mobo).
Did you clear CMOS after flashing?

And I want to know WHY 2 identical bioses taken from different website are BINARY DIFFERENT

I think only ET is responsible to answer your question, since I haven't got the faintest idea, why it is so ....

[Wolf2000me]

Hey

I also flashed to the CPC1 bios. So far it works as stable as it used to be at the same speeds. 12x213 (which is 12x112.5).
I seem to be as fast as MietmaNs benchie on 200x11.5. Though if i check the motherboard information in sisoft sandra 2005 it reports the cmdrate as 2T. Could anyone check on that?

oh and btw, the commandline described by MietmaN has a typo. It wouldn't work with the parameter /IQ, instead do /QI