# ASUS Rampage Formula & Q9xxxx - install, config, oc journey



## edro (Mar 30, 2008)

*Poll: What processor do you have on your Rampage Formula mobo?  (vote above)*

I had a choice: purchase open box maximus formula and flash bios to rampage formula or just shell out the $$ for a rampage formula. As I hope this will last me 2+ years  (even more mbe as I can't afford to upgrade too often) I sprung for the rampage formula.  Under $300 at clubit and you can get a free t-shirt or hat.  

My processor won't be shipped until 3/31 so I won't have that last piece of my new build until 1st week of april.

case: cooler master cm-690 
(lots of fans, plan to run 'em all slow via Sunbeam Rheobus fan controller
psu: seasonic s12
cooling: tuniq tower 120
cpu: q9450
memory: g.skill ddr2-1000 (5-5-5-15)  2x2gb 
video: EVGA GeForce 8600
mobo: rampage formula

I plan for modest OC, not really sure what yet. Will post results as I'm able to do so. I do mostly video editing so I wanted the sse4.1 instructions (even though my software doesn't use them yet) and the quad will really help me to keep working while rendering/encoding a project. I hope that when my software does use multiple cores that I can specify how many to allow it to use. 

Anyone else have this combo? rampage formula and 9xxx cpu? I'm curious how the 9300, 9550, qx9650 are doing with this mobo.  (Did I miss any current 9xxx cpus?)

edro


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## mandelore (Mar 30, 2008)

I got a QX9650 with the rampage modded maximus. no issues at all, tho still got to bleedin figure out the memory options!


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## slugzkea (Apr 13, 2008)

I have the e8400 on my rampage


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## HTC (Apr 14, 2008)

mandelore said:


> I got a QX9650 with the rampage modded maximus. no issues at all, tho still got to bleedin figure out the memory options!



Try here:

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3208&p=1


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## Fitseries3 (Apr 14, 2008)

QX9775 wont work on 775 boards. it's a 771 for dual socked server boards. you meant to say QX9770. 

i wouldnt get either though. the QX9650 is the way to go. i'd get some real good cooling setup though.


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## edro (Apr 14, 2008)

fitseries3 said:


> QX9775 wont work on 775 boards. it's a 771 for dual socked server boards. you meant to say QX9770.
> 
> i wouldnt get either though. the QX9650 is the way to go. i'd get some real good cooling setup though.



I'm confuzed. . . 

mandelore said he has a qx9650 (the one u recommended). Check his specs, got water cooling, too. 



mandelore said:


> I got a QX9650 with the rampage modded maximus...



And wow!    The prices of those qx9770 and qx9775!! Around $1,500USD each! And the board for the qx9775 holds 2 of 'em! That's outrageous!


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## Fitseries3 (Apr 14, 2008)

QX9775 = socket 771 (servers/skulltrail)

QX9770 = socket 775 (desktop)

QX9650 = almost perfect... get one(i thought you had one?)


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## edro (Apr 14, 2008)

fitseries3 said:


> QX9650 = almost perfect... get one(i thought you had one?)



I wish. No, I have a q9450. Just got it installed last week. The Tuniq Tower gave me a little trouble. (I'm a little slow to get things done here 'cause of fumbly hands.) 

I'm almost done with this build so I might have something to report hopefully b4 Friday. (Friday I have some personal medical stuff that I have to deal so I will be out of commission for a while after that.)

After planning this build out for a long time and then expecting a January release of the q9450 I'm way long overdue for some quad processor joy. 

I have 4 things that have me excited about this: The Q9450 (my first quad core), the Rampage Formula (my first ROG board), the Areca ARC-1220 (my first hardware RAID), and a very cool looking Cooler Master CM-690 case. 

Maybe I should include the four 750gb hard drives as exciting to me. That's over 2 terabytes of data in a RAID 5 config. It will replace 2T data that has no backup currently. I'll use the old 2T, 2 NAS drives and a couple of internal HDs, elsewhere on my network. AND I can expand the RAID array up to 3.7T by adding 2 more drives. (The case holds 10 drives total, but 1 slot for fan controller, 2 for DVD burners, and 1 for my OS HD leaves 6 for my RAID array.)

Well, enough bragging. Sorry about that..  

Edro


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## Fitseries3 (Apr 14, 2008)

hahha... you're not bragging... i have FAR more stuff to play with than most people on here. 

the only reason i dont like the q9450 is the fact that they have a low multi and cost $100 more than a Q6600 that can clock the same if not higher. most people wont use the SSE4.1 yet and it's not even in use by any software that i'm aware of yet. (i may be wrong though)

the ONLY 45nm quad i would get would be either the QX9650 or the standard Q9650 that will be out in a few months. neither of them will e cheap enough to justify the cost though.


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## edro (Apr 14, 2008)

fitseries3 said:


> the only reason i dont like the q9450 is the fact that they have a low multi and cost $100 more than a Q6600 that can clock the same if not higher. most people wont use the SSE4.1 yet and it's not even in use by any software that i'm aware of yet. (i may be wrong though)



None of the video editing software that I have uses SSE4.1 and I doubt that they will for a while yet. But I'm patient.

I took a chance, of sorts, on the q9450 (in spite of low multi) for a few reasons. I also took a chance with the Rampage Formula for as much as I paid for the q9450. (About $300 each.) 

I was hoping that the X48 would prove to handle a much higher FSB than the x38 but so far that doesn't appear to be working out as I'd hoped. Oh well.

I also really, really wanted a stable, quiet, cool, low power, but fast machine and so I'm hoping the q9450 will help give me all that. I'm using lots of 120mm fans that I'll run slowly (only sorry I didn't go with 140mm), a quiet SeaSonic S12 PSU, quiet HDs (relatively speaking). Even if I'm totally wrong I'll still have a nice machine. 

But granted the q6600 is probably the best quad/$ value and a no slouch overclocker out there. I could have saved at least $200 going with it and an x38 or P35 board and be just as happy, maybe. But for the $200+, well, I'm still happy. 

Yes, I know you have a lot of "toys". Isn't it great to earn money doing something that you love to do! I once had a job sort of like that. I thought it was cool that someone was actually paying me a pretty good salary to have so much fun! 

Also I'm glad to see your for sale board back up. You have some really good deals on it right now, better, I think, than the one I saw you put on ebay the other day..

Edro


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