[Roadee]

OK......here we go. I need everyone's opinion on what is the BEST socket 754 motherboard for the Athlon 64. And if you would please give as many reason's why as possible. I have done a bunch of research on it myself, but I may have missed something. So I figure with a combined effort of DH I may be able to find a suitable board for my needs.

Make it good guys, I need real honest opinions. I have no favorite when it comes to this CPU socket.

Thanks much!!

[toddsmack2k]

ASUS SK8V, seems to be a really good MB. I dont think the Nforce boards are quite up tp speed yet. As I am running the Gigabyte GA K8NNXP, It is a loaded MB but I think the VIA chipsets are better. SO I say go with ASUS or Gigabyte.

[swimtech]

Yeah,

The VIA chipset boards seem to have the best stability and performance right now and ASUS has some of the best support (hopefully the capacitor problem is worked out - happened sporadically to quite a few throughout the industry too I bet - whether they admit it or not), but honestly...

I'd wait 3 or 4 months. I can appreciate those who've gone the 64 bit road with the most recent boards and they are getting benefits, but price/performance and stability should increase by quite a bit in next several months. The tech is still so new... and the dust is from the introduction is still flying thick.

[kemet64]

I think the K8V Deluxe is a good board by asus. Max memory is a bit less than the SK8V (3G vs 8G) and it doesnt have the WiFi slot, but for what I do, It is fine. Since I dont intend on having more than 3Gigs of memory hehe.

[dipstick]

Another vote for the Asus K8V here. It's been rock solid and a great OC'er.

[Driver 7]

Well I can only speak for mine but it seems to be the right choice. I vave no regrets thats for sure. Except for the O/C factor that is not factored in at all.

I cant get past 2.2 Ghz. Any tips Kakarot? Do you guys enable the ecc settings in the bio's. To many bio's settings I dont understand. I need to find me a demolishis!

Damn if your PC3700 works then my pc4000 should work!

[dipstick]

Originally posted by Driver 7
Well I can only speak for mine but it seems to be the right choice. I vave no regrets thats for sure. Except for the O/C factor that is not factored in at all.

I cant get past 2.2 Ghz. Any tips Kakarot? Do you guys enable the ecc settings in the bio's. To many bio's settings I dont understand. I need to find me a demolishis!

Damn if your PC3700 works then my pc4000 should work!

I'll try to help as much as I can Although 220 is very good, you might be able to squeeze out some more.

1. Do not leave the memory timings on Auto. Specify the timings in the BIOS, especially the 2:1 mode(DDR400)
2. Leave ECC off
3. Use the Promise controller if you are running SATA hard drives.
4. No matter what, leave the tRCD timing on 3(even if your memory can do 2)
5. The A64 will OC much better with more relaxed timings. For example I could only OC to 212 with 6-2-3-2 timings, but I can go all the way to 225 with 6-3-3-3 timings
6. Cooling the southbridge gave me an extra 5MHz of fsb(up from my max 225)
7. Disable anything you are not using like parallel, serial, and firewire ports.
8. Use the newest BIOS you can find. The new beta 1005.006 is very good
9. If this all don't help I can write down and send you all my BIOS settings

Hope this helps

[Roadee]

kakarot

Does this mean that you are going after the DH fastest rig title again??

[Crash Override]

http://www.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard...800%20Pro.htm#

Giga-Byte and Via for the A64

This is a kick ass board

I have the Socket A version of this board.

Other than it being A64 its same layout and all

[dipstick]

Originally posted by Roadee
kakarot

Does this mean that you are going after the DH fastest rig title again??

Nah, I gave up benching. Might have to give it a shot again though

[WildChild]

[Driver 7]

[Driver 7]

1. Do not leave the memory timings on Auto. Specify the timings in the BIOS, especially the 2:1 mode(DDR400)
OK I do already run it at 2:1. As for timings the only ones I set ase the usual. 5/3/2/2.0 The new implemented settings I have been leaving on auto.

2. Leave ECC off
I have had this on the whole time, so I'll try disableing it.

3. Use the Promise controller if you are running SATA hard drives.
I think I would have to argue this. I thought to that the promise would be better also but check this out man.
[/b][/quote]

4. No matter what, leave the tRCD timing on 3(even if your memory can do 2)
Always

5. The A64 will OC much better with more relaxed timings. For example I could only OC to 212 with 6-2-3-2 timings, but I can go all the way to 225 with 6-3-3-3 timings
Thats good to know

6. Cooling the southbridge gave me an extra 5MHz of fsb(up from my max 225)
I will stich a heat sink on it now.

7. Disable anything you are not using like parallel, serial, and firewire ports.
Done that

8. Use the newest BIOS you can find. The new beta 1005.006 is very good
I have been using this for a couple weeks. I did not notice any differences from the Previous one.

9. If this all don't help I can write down and send you all my BIOS settings
I will see how it goes.

Hope this helps
Thanks alot bud. Was very cool of you to post that for me. And the things I allready do are now verrified correct. Thanks again.

Since your running Corsair PC3700 and it seems to be working out for ya I'm gonna try going back to the 4000, As I pray for no corrupted hard drives...

[Roadee]

UM.......just hit the button once bud!!

[Driver 7]

lol. I get a little left click happy sometimes

[Crash Override]

Originally posted by Driver 7
lol. I get a little left click happy sometimes

Unless Im smoking crack or something since the A64 has no true FSB anymore wouldnt you not have to worry about the PCI/AGP issue anymore or is it all still tied in?

[Driver 7]

It's still all tied together.

[dipstick]

Originally posted by Driver 7
3. Use the Promise controller if you are running SATA hard drives.
I think I would have to argue this. I thought to that the promise would be better also but check this out man.

[/b][/quote]


Yeah, it's definitely slower, but the VIA controller is way too sensitive to fsb increases. Switching to the promise controller is a must if you want to get past 220fsb. You have no idea how many times I had to reinstall windows to figure this one out Trust me, change just this and I promise you'll be able to OC more...just by doing this

Edit- Also hard drives don't corrupt on the Promise like they do on VIA, even if you push them too much .

[dipstick]

Originally posted by Crash Override
Unless Im smoking crack or something since the A64 has no true FSB anymore wouldnt you not have to worry about the PCI/AGP issue anymore or is it all still tied in?

Yeah, that's what they say but the problem still exists. When you OC the fsb(or HTT as they call it), everything else does too. This is an issue for both the nVidia and VIA and it suxs.

[Driver 7]

Originally posted by kakarot

Yeah, it's definitely slower, but the VIA controller is way too sensitive to fsb increases. Switching to the promise controller is a must if you want to get past 220fsb. You have no idea how many times I had to reinstall windows to figure this one out Trust me, change just this and I promise you'll be able to OC more...just by doing this

Edit- Also hard drives don't corrupt on the Promise like they do on VIA, even if you push them too much . [/b][/quote]

Your telling me. Between my last post and this one, thats exactally what I did. I am so sick of Installing windows. But I had it happen on the promise raid aswell. not as much though. Never ever ever stick Corsair PC4000 in your ASUS K8V. Spells disaster.

I have WindowsXP 64Bit installed on the Promise controller. If Via ever releases an AGP driver, I'll be all set!

[Vampyromaniac]

Originally posted by kakarot
Yeah, that's what they say but the problem still exists. When you OC the fsb(or HTT as they call it), everything else does too. This is an issue for both the nVidia and VIA and it suxs.

The nForce3 chipset does have a lock for AGP/PCI speeds

Originally posted by Driver 7 Never ever ever stick Corsair PC4000 in your ASUS K8V. Spells disaster. [/b]

What RAM would be good for the K8V?

[WildChild]

Originally posted by Vampyromaniac
The nForce3 chipset does have a lock for AGP/PCI speeds What RAM would be good for the K8V?

Doesnt work though....all that is controlled by the chip now.