The Conroe865PE thread... for AGP users... stock and mod

[cdawall]

It sounds like a glitch and nothing more. Should be easy enough however to write any of these ddr1 dimms to Cas 2.5 I had a couple sets of high end ddr with custom timings I used with my s754 amd stuff.

 

[TRWOV]

@TRWOV
View attachment 70855

this is the first image you can see BANK INTERLEAVE informations (none at 4096MB) on PT880 motherboard provided of 4 ddr400 slots. You can see FAST WRITE enabled in the CCC of 9.10 drivers where GART is implemented from XP. However. Another way to see if the mainboard bios apply bank interleave and fast write evantually hidden features is HWINFO program.

These pics concern with BANK INTERLEAVE and FAST WRITE on my motherboard by HWINFO program.

View attachment 70856 View attachment 70857

Sorry, I can't find Bank Interleave. Managed to find the fast write setting in "Memory Controller HUB". Seems to be ON by default.

The "I/O Memory Interface" doesn't show any useful information:

 

[Azrael5]

@TRWOV select Intel 82865g/p/pe memory controller hub and evantually scroll down the left panel until some useful information appears. thanks.

I don't know if this program works on conroe865pe platform It doesn't work on mine (N/A information on all single data)::

 

[TRWOV]

I couldn't find any useful information under Memory Controller HUB. Here are the screenshots, just in case I missed something.



Rightmark shows everything as N/A on mine. Apparently can't load RTCore64.sys but the file is present in my PC :/

 

[Azrael5]

Thanks very much trwov. Tomorrow I'll make an attempt after building a pc provided of conroe865pe verifying if there are other ways to check bank interleave working when 4dimms are plugged. In the meantime I've written asrock to know the answer by them also if I imagine they will not answer it. In case of this feature is not available I'll renounce to use conroe865pe replacing my currently system.

 

[Uazzamerican]

Thank you for all your replies.
My Conroe865pe just arrived, now I wonder if it makes sense to use an SSD on it. Sure I can't use a RAID set up and I don't want to use a SATA II-PCI card for it, cause I'll install a Xonar and I guess PCI bandwith could be really an issue.
Is there any downside using the onboard SATA ports for SSD?

 

[Azrael5]

if someone use ocz platinum edition to this motherboard 2.5/2/3/5 timings based on 2.5/2.6v (v=voltage) I've SPD firmware useful to reduce cas latency to 2 value.

 

[Uazzamerican]

Now that's unexpected...
I'm trying to install windows7 from USB.
The USB based win7 I prepared works flawlessly on another system, but with the Conroe865PE I have some troubles:

Windows Boot Manager

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the 
cause. To fix the problem:

1. Insert your Windows Installation disc and restart your computer.

2. Choose your language settings and then click "Next"

3. Click "Repair your computer"
If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer 
manufacturer for assistance.

File: \Boot\BCD


Status: 0xc000000e

That's all I get.
I searched the net, it seems to be a common problme with usb installation but I don't see a definite workaround on this...
I don't know what to do since the USB stick works as I said.

BTW I have no DVD rom....

 

[rtwjunkie]

The motherboard BIOS has no options for booting from the USB if I recall correctly, despite one option being close. It's from pre-USB install days.


Just get a DVD drive and install from there, since they are almost as cheap as a haircut.

 

[Uazzamerican]

The board recognizes usb stick and It shows it on boot options.
It clearly supports boot from usb.

 

[rtwjunkie]

The board recognizes usb stick and It shows it on boot options.
It clearly supports boot from usb.

Except you're finding the same thing I did. I said "despite" the BIOS appearing to do so. I think they lied.

 

[Uazzamerican]

I borrowed a dvd reader from another PC just to install Windows 7.
Tomorrow I will test the set Up with the ssd installed (Intel 320 SATAII 160gb).

 

[rtwjunkie]

I borrowed a dvd reader from another PC just to install Windows 7.
Tomorrow I will test the set Up with the ssd installed (Intel 320 SATAII 160gb).

Sounds good! It should definitely give that system a good feeling of speed I didn't have because I was on HDD.

 

[Uazzamerican]

Here I am with some preliminary impressions:

My CPU right now is a E2200 (waiting for the QX6700) and SO is Win7.
2Gb of my damned XP4000 Mushkin RAM, can't use all 4...

If I try to use 4gigs, only 3.33Gb are recognized and if I try to overclock a bit, only 3... This sux.


The SSD does help, but I have the feeling that the SATA I port is really a bootleneck for it.
I am afraid of using a SATA II PCI card, I don't know if the PCI bandwith could be an issue.

I tested two cards so far, a 7800GS (G71) and a HD3650 DDR2.... With Crysis The ATI completely destroys the nVidia... I could never tell.
Next step is to get a SATA II Promise TX card and try it with SSD.

 

[dorsetknob]

My CPU right now is a E2200 (waiting for the QX6700) and SO is Win7.
2Gb of my damned XP4000 Mushkin RAM, can't use all 4...

If I try to use 4gigs, only 3.33Gb are recognized and if I try to overclock a bit, only 3... This sux.

your find both are a problem due to the chipset limatations
your also find that for same reason the chipset also reduces the rated speed of quads

 

[TRWOV]

Here I am with some preliminary impressions:

My CPU right now is a E2200 (waiting for the QX6700) and SO is Win7.
2Gb of my damned XP4000 Mushkin RAM, can't use all 4...

If I try to use 4gigs, only 3.33Gb are recognized and if I try to overclock a bit, only 3... This sux.


The SSD does help, but I have the feeling that the SATA I port is really a bootleneck for it.
I am afraid of using a SATA II PCI card, I don't know if the PCI bandwith could be an issue.

I tested two cards so far, a 7800GS (G71) and a HD3650 DDR2.... With Crysis The ATI completely destroys the nVidia... I could never tell.
Next step is to get a SATA II Promise TX card and try it with SSD.

SATA1 is a bottleneck only for sequential reads. For random reads it doesn't bottleneck at all unless you're using the fastest of SSDs. I think my Corsair Force does 50MB/s 4k random which is well below SATA1 150MB/s bandwidth.

The board's SATA ports only work in IDE mode so there's a little bit of overhead but otherwise there would be not much difference with a SATA2 or 3 port. TRIM works fine though, no problems there.


The 3.3GB RAM limit (even with x64 versions of Windows) is due to the 865 chipset. There's no way around it.

 

[Uazzamerican]

Did you expect the 7800gs+ (G71) to be slower than the humble HD3650?
Or I am using a bad drivers combination?

I find that using a more powerful PSU stabalizes the ram.
I mean now I am using all 4 Mushkin banks with a Seasonic S12 and is always booting correctly even if it recognizes only 3Gigs of RAM (less than the 3.3 of the limitation, I guess one of them is not functional at all...)

Another thing is that I hear a ground noise from speakers when SSD works, it's really annoying.
I installed a Xonar DX card, but It does that same as the ALC850.

 

[Uazzamerican]

Changing the SATA cable did nothing, the crackling sound while HD is working persists.
I think it's because my case is a Fractal design CORE3300 and the SSD is mounted behind the motherboard tray, maybe it's not properly shielded.
The QX6700 has been mounted, now I get this:



It's the best I can do for RAM, right?

 

[VLB]

Did you expect the 7800gs+ (G71) to be slower than the humble HD3650?
Or I am using a bad drivers combination?

I find that using a more powerful PSU stabalizes the ram.
I mean now I am using all 4 Mushkin banks with a Seasonic S12 and is always booting correctly even if it recognizes only 3Gigs of RAM (less than the 3.3 of the limitation, I guess one of them is not functional at all...)

Another thing is that I hear a ground noise from speakers when SSD works, it's really annoying.
I installed a Xonar DX card, but It does that same as the ALC850.

Your memory issue reminds me of the first 865pe I bought from eBay - it only recognized 2GB of my 4Gb of memory. I sent that one back to the seller and fortunately my replacement recognized 3.3+GB.

 

[VLB]

I'm not sure if anyone still visits this forum for this old board, but I wouldn't know where else to ask this so here goes.
I recently bought two CPU's to test on this board as a potential upgrade, a Core2Quad 2.66ghz q6700 (G0) and a Core2Duo 3.06ghz e7600 and can't get either to post. When I power on, sometimes I get a constant beeping, other times no beeps, but never any video.

My current (and no issues for years) setup:
-CPU: e5800 @fsb 800
-I've overclocked the FSB a bit but never tried the "overclocking mode" until these two CPU's.
-BIOS is 1.72
-RAM is GSkill 1gb 2.5 CL x 4
-Video card is Gigabyte HD-4650
-PSU Seasonic S12-II 380W

Steps I've tried in troubleshooting:
-resetting the BIOS to factory defaults (while the e5800 was installed)
-switching the "overclocking mode" jumper from 1-2, 2-3, and off completely
-clearing the CMOS with a jumper
-removing all but one stick of RAM
-removing all PCI cards

I'm stumped. I'm also not sure if these CPU's even work, although I think the chance of getting two bad CPU's from different sources is pretty low. They look fine physically. I've searched around and found only minor references to these CPU's being compatible with the Conroe865pe, so I am not sure if they are compatible or if I have the correct BIOS to support them. Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[qubit]

I've searched around and found only minor references to these CPU's being compatible with the Conroe865pe, so I am not sure if they are compatible or if I have the correct BIOS to support them. Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated!

I think this could be the problem. Google the CPUs and chipset and look at the Intel pages on them, which should list compatibility. It's quite possible that CPUs which fit the same socket won't work with a different chipset.

Also check the mobo maker's website for the latest BIOS and update it, if possible.

And finally, yes, it's quite possible that you've been sold two duff CPUs unfortunately, especially if they're off eBay from a private seller.

 

[eidairaman1]

Reseat that GPU

 

[rtwjunkie]

If I recall correctly, the q6700 should work on that board. Hopefully you've visted the OP where lemonadesoda nicely organized all the BIOS?

 

[TRWOV]

Have you tried with bios 1.70. I found that 1.71 and 1.72 (the unofficial ones) tend to be somewhat finicky, although I never had a problem booting with them.

Mine runs with a QX6800 with bios 1.70. I tried overclocking but couldn't get more than 3.2Ghz somewhat stable so I decided to keept things stock at the end in order to better preserve the board (they are a pain to get a hold of nowadays).

 

[rtwjunkie]

Have you tried with bios 1.70. I found that 1.71 and 1.72 (the unofficial ones) tend to be somewhat finicky, although I never had a problem booting with them.

Mine runs with a QX6800 with bios 1.70. I tried overclocking but couldn't get more than 3.2Ghz somewhat stable so I decided to keept things stock at the end in order to better preserve the board (they are a pain to get a hold of nowadays).

That was what I remember too, that 1.70 was the last totally stable BIOS, and what I had finally settled with.