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ASRock 939Dual-SATA2
- Thread starter wee96
- Start date
Something I hate about this board is the layout. I can't have a two-slot AGP card (fan takes up a slot) and sound card and still be able to use the Floppy without cramming the vid and sound right next to each other. The sound card, when on the bottom PCI slot, blocks the Floppy connector partially.
And the IDE connectors are too far down for an 18" cable to be able to have optical drives on the very top of a mid-tower.
It would also be great if ASRock supported flashing via Windows like Abit and others do. Hence my floppy drive dillema.
And the IDE connectors are too far down for an 18" cable to be able to have optical drives on the very top of a mid-tower.
It would also be great if ASRock supported flashing via Windows like Abit and others do. Hence my floppy drive dillema.
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- Jun 6, 2000
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Volume said:
It is kind of a weird layout ... but it's workable. Since flashing is done pretty infrequently.. I just go through the pain of plugging one in when I need it. As far as the ide cable (and floppy for that matter), You can get a super thin sleeved rounded cables at Frys that work great. It's not for HD use (since it doesn't have the extra conductor wires) but works for cdroms, etc. (I do wish they made 6" "L" shaped sata cables though)
Oh definitely. I really don't mind a little workaround here and there. I guess every motherboard has its quirks. I'll probably get a 24" Round IDE for my DVD-ROMS and just do the workaround whenever I need the Floppy. Now... to actually find a flopppy disk to use... I don't think I've seen those in quite a while.magnetik said:
I dont have my floppy drive hooked up ATM either. If 1.40 only adds Opty support, I think I will stick with 1.30 until they update again.
I have my optical drive in the 2nd bay (from top) of my Mid-tower and a standard IDE seems to fit. Maybe some Mid-towers are a bit taller than others.
I still love this board!!!
-=R=-
I have my optical drive in the 2nd bay (from top) of my Mid-tower and a standard IDE seems to fit. Maybe some Mid-towers are a bit taller than others.
I still love this board!!!
-=R=-
bigbadgreen
Gawd
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- Oct 2, 2003
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- 680
to revisit an issue I had with alcohol %120 not working right. I was installing a saved version I had v1.4... with a download of the newest version 1.9... I have had no issues. It was the old version (pre online activiation version) that was causing issues. I have replicated the problem. I guess it does pay to update.
I now have another issue however. I already had 2x512 pc4000 hyper x and wanted to up my ram to 2GB for BF2. So I went to Fry's and bought 2x512 pc3200 hyper x. I know that on the older cores, winchester etc... that if you fill all 4 slots with dual sides ram you can only run at 333mhz. My cpu is a 3500+ venice and I thought that had resolved that and you were able to run at 400 with all 8 banks filled. I'm not sure if this is a mobo issue. I've tried to manually adjust the timings and can only get it to boot at 333. Anything else I should try. not that the bandwidth from 333 to 400 is that great, but it is a loss of bandwidth that I thought I shouldn't have. I'm running bios 1.2 as the newer versions haven't indicated any changes other than cpu support.
I now have another issue however. I already had 2x512 pc4000 hyper x and wanted to up my ram to 2GB for BF2. So I went to Fry's and bought 2x512 pc3200 hyper x. I know that on the older cores, winchester etc... that if you fill all 4 slots with dual sides ram you can only run at 333mhz. My cpu is a 3500+ venice and I thought that had resolved that and you were able to run at 400 with all 8 banks filled. I'm not sure if this is a mobo issue. I've tried to manually adjust the timings and can only get it to boot at 333. Anything else I should try. not that the bandwidth from 333 to 400 is that great, but it is a loss of bandwidth that I thought I shouldn't have. I'm running bios 1.2 as the newer versions haven't indicated any changes other than cpu support.
Is it possible to run any of these ram configs on the Asrock 939dual sata2:
Dual channel 400 mhz:
config 1:
Channel A: 1 x 512 mb PC3200
Channel B: 2 x 256 mb PC3200
or
config 2:
Channel A: 1 x 512 mb PC3200 + 1 x 256 mb PC3200
Channel B: 1 x 512 mb PC3200 + 1 x 256 mb PC3200
All ram modules are the same brand.
I'm currently running a dual channel config: 1 x 512 in channel A and 2 x 256 mb in channel B (Nforce 2 ultra 400 chipset).
I have just ordered the asrock motherboard, and have a problem sorting out what I'm gonna do with my ram modules.
Dual channel 400 mhz:
config 1:
Channel A: 1 x 512 mb PC3200
Channel B: 2 x 256 mb PC3200
or
config 2:
Channel A: 1 x 512 mb PC3200 + 1 x 256 mb PC3200
Channel B: 1 x 512 mb PC3200 + 1 x 256 mb PC3200
All ram modules are the same brand.
I'm currently running a dual channel config: 1 x 512 in channel A and 2 x 256 mb in channel B (Nforce 2 ultra 400 chipset).
I have just ordered the asrock motherboard, and have a problem sorting out what I'm gonna do with my ram modules.
torkelom said:
You cannot use an odd number of modules in dual channel mode. You either use 2 or 4 ram sticks. one or three ram sticks results in single channel mode. And as the manual says for dual channel you have to put the two ram sticks in either slots 1&2 or 3&4
Seems that the DC Opterons are more suitable for this board as I can definitely OC higher with the 170 than I could with my X2. Must be due to the lower operating voltage and the fact that the board gives both CPUs the same 1.40v max.
It's also a shame that under load the CPU volts can drop all the way to 1.3v. It's bad enough we only get 1.4v max but the fact that the board can't even keep that going under load is a shame.
Still, a nice board. I may end up keeping it. My goal with this 170 was 2.4Ghz like my old 3700+ so I may keep it. Then again if that Sapphire PURE mobo finally hits I may have to go for that and squeeze 2.6Ghz out of it. I'll have to try pushing this chip further in the ASRock and see what happens.
It's also a shame that under load the CPU volts can drop all the way to 1.3v. It's bad enough we only get 1.4v max but the fact that the board can't even keep that going under load is a shame.
Still, a nice board. I may end up keeping it. My goal with this 170 was 2.4Ghz like my old 3700+ so I may keep it. Then again if that Sapphire PURE mobo finally hits I may have to go for that and squeeze 2.6Ghz out of it. I'll have to try pushing this chip further in the ASRock and see what happens.
So is it advisable to use the 1.3 bios on this board then? I just ordered an Opt 146 and I think I will do a happy dance until it comes. 
However, until it DOES come, I want to learn some more about what bios to use. I will OC, I dont want to mess with voltages... I have an EXTREMELY bad experience with volt mods lol. But I look forward to waht I can push out of it.
However, until it DOES come, I want to learn some more about what bios to use. I will OC, I dont want to mess with voltages... I have an EXTREMELY bad experience with volt mods lol. But I look forward to waht I can push out of it.
awdark said:So is it advisable to use the 1.3 bios on this board then? I just ordered an Opt 146 and I think I will do a happy dance until it comes.
However, until it DOES come, I want to learn some more about what bios to use. I will OC, I dont want to mess with voltages... I have an EXTREMELY bad experience with volt mods lol. But I look forward to waht I can push out of it.
Opteron=1.4 BIOS
awdark said:BleH I meant that one
So does the 1.4 fare okay in OC? Im really hoping for some Opteron goodness that I have been reading so much about.
All I know is that with my X2 4400+ (1.3 BIOS) at the measly 1.4 vcore setting couldn't even do 2.4Ghz. The Opteron does 2.5Ghz (10x250) without breaking a sweat (gonna see if it will go higher) with the 1.4 BIOS. So the 1.4v overclocks nicely and the opterons with their lower operating voltage and higher tolerances seem tailor made for this board considering the miserly vcore settings. Also, the Opteron handles 80C+ temps just fine. Very impressed with these chips, seems AMD isn't kidding when it says these chips go through a more rigorous testing process then the desktop chips.
So the 1.4 Bios is the only one that will work with the Opterons?
If I order a 146 and this board, will I be able to use the board with the bios that is included?
I sure dont want to buy a different cpu just to have the board be able to POST properly to flash the 1.4 Bios.
If I order a 146 and this board, will I be able to use the board with the bios that is included?
I sure dont want to buy a different cpu just to have the board be able to POST properly to flash the 1.4 Bios.
My Opteron 146 works with BIOS versions 1.20 and OCWB1. CPU-Z 1.29 identifies the cpu in either BIOS. I don't know what the support added by the newer revisions is, as i've had no problems whatsoever using either BIOS. Maybe it's for the 165 or something. So anybody who gets this board and a 14x opteron should have no issues related to CPU support out of the box.
Basically the only good oc'ing bios for this board is the OCWB1 bios. OCWB2 was unstable for me, and 1.20 has a HTT limit of 274. The newer BIOS revisions are apparently much, much worse. For the OCWB1 BIOS you have to do some crazy voodoo to get much higher than 270 HTT (i'm at 271 now) so keep that in mind if you intend to overclock with a low multiplier.
Basically the only good oc'ing bios for this board is the OCWB1 bios. OCWB2 was unstable for me, and 1.20 has a HTT limit of 274. The newer BIOS revisions are apparently much, much worse. For the OCWB1 BIOS you have to do some crazy voodoo to get much higher than 270 HTT (i'm at 271 now) so keep that in mind if you intend to overclock with a low multiplier.
gigaxtreme1
2[H]4U
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gigaxtreme1
2[H]4U
- Joined
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Updating the bios is ominous to me
Has a clockgen type app been found for this board yet?
Edit:
For the board voltmod, does shortng those pins increase voltage by that much or do you set and lock it? Say 1.4v you short the .1v pin will become 1.5vcore?
Second edit
If they can make their own mod bioses, why cant they make a bios with power modification options? I mean the bioses below 1.3 had voltage options cant they figure out how to add more voltage like that? "Voltage limitations by bios" -_- if they can modify the bios they should modify the voltage too.
lastly im curious about zalmans.
Has a clockgen type app been found for this board yet?
Edit:
For the board voltmod, does shortng those pins increase voltage by that much or do you set and lock it? Say 1.4v you short the .1v pin will become 1.5vcore?
Second edit
If they can make their own mod bioses, why cant they make a bios with power modification options? I mean the bioses below 1.3 had voltage options cant they figure out how to add more voltage like that? "Voltage limitations by bios" -_- if they can modify the bios they should modify the voltage too.
lastly im curious about zalmans.
Satyrist
Gawd
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- Mar 12, 2001
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Anyone tried installing a Linux distro of any sort on this board?
I had heard that the ULI drivers might not be up to snuff for Linux yet (likely have to wait for a kernel update/manual recompile)
Might be interesting for a lowcost gameserver...Would be more than a touch overkill for a fileserver though.
I had heard that the ULI drivers might not be up to snuff for Linux yet (likely have to wait for a kernel update/manual recompile)
Might be interesting for a lowcost gameserver...Would be more than a touch overkill for a fileserver though.
Um so has anyone mounted a zalman on this board? haha I just ordered one but the zalman site doesnt state support for it.
Whoops searched thread and I see that the Zalman 7000 does fit. Im not sure about that backplate thing Im reading about though.
^(I still have questions above pertaining to voltmods bios and lots of fun stuff haha)
http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=106 A64tweaker does that work for overclockign via windows? Looks quite extensive and maybe we can use it?
(I WOULD test if I had my A64 okay?)
Whoops searched thread and I see that the Zalman 7000 does fit. Im not sure about that backplate thing Im reading about though.
^(I still have questions above pertaining to voltmods bios and lots of fun stuff haha)
http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=106 A64tweaker does that work for overclockign via windows? Looks quite extensive and maybe we can use it?
(I WOULD test if I had my A64 okay?)
threeclaws
Gawd
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2002
- Messages
- 608
The Zalman 7000 works just fine, just remove the stock heatsink thing (black plastic piece where a retail AMD HSF would go) and replace it with the backplate that comes with the Zalman
I doubt it. I recall reading they took out the voltage support on bios 1.3+
Has anyone here done the volt mods though?
I have seen 2 for the CPU and I think 2 variations for the RAM.
The one for the CPU with the bridging of the two pads look easy, but theres another one that places a resistor to do some pullup or something and I wonder which is more reliable.
Has anyone here done the volt mods though?
I have seen 2 for the CPU and I think 2 variations for the RAM.
The one for the CPU with the bridging of the two pads look easy, but theres another one that places a resistor to do some pullup or something and I wonder which is more reliable.
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just a reminder for everyone NOT to install the agp drivers off Asrocks site. I had trouble uninstalling the drivers to replace them with the ones of Uli's site. I was stuck at agp 0x and it would never take the setting to Agp 8x or 4x. I was wondering wth happened to my framerates... I reinstalled windows and now it works fine with the updated drivers. Just FYI for anyone that has the same issue.