Intel DP45SG (Skyburg)

[Drools]

I have been building/fixing computers for quite a long time. All the way back to 386/486 class, I really slowed down in the past few years I'm now a DBA/Systems Admin and really no time to tinker but I still talk to my shop buddies. Once thing I can say for certain is “a poor quality power supply will have you pulling your hair out very quickly". I switched my order to a "PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610W EPS12V ATX V2.2 24PIN SLI Ready Active PFC 80MM Fan Power Supply" Like I mentioned the last computers I have built from scratch were 4 years ago when I built my sons original computers and they are still going strong. I have used many different motherboard makes and I probably still put Asus at the top of the list but rarely has the cause of new systems instability been solely attributed to the motherboard. In my experiences the motherboard either posts or it does not and one time even went up in smoke but you knew it was the motherboard. Another major cause of instability is RAM; I would swap out the DDR3 memory before going for an RMA on the MB.
I would like to see how the MB in question reacts with only KBD, Mouse, Known good video (not the one currently being used). You should be able to get the system to post and see the “NONSYSTEM DISK OR DISK ERROR” you should be able to do this repeatedly and get to the same screen. I used to Test memory by having the previous configuration and adding a CD/DVD ROM to boot from and running goldmemory check off the CD. I don’t think this thread should be your deciding factor on the purchase of the motherboard. I have been following this thread and still purchased 2 of them.

[Drools]

A quick question, back in the old days I would update the bios by booting from a dos boot disk with the flash exe and a binary file. I'm guessing it is not that simple anymore, at least not with this board. What will I need to accomplish a bios update besides a 12MB 0083 bios file! When I was doing BIOS updates the files were 256k, 512k what is with the 12MB file?

[Cat Toaster]

@Drools
It´s just more simple today.

As long as there´s Windows installed just use the "most common" method Intel suggests. Just doubleclick an *.exe and the systems restarts, flashes, restarts again and boots Windows and in a perfect world the tool says "all done".

Other methods are using an ISO-Image (burn it to a CD) and just boot it on the target system. USB-Stick ist also possible.


Hi over there!

According to Google this seems to be the only Thread in the world discussing the DP45SG with more than three posts.

After weeks of waiting i finally got my DP45SG (three weeks ago) here in Germany (and as it seems the "old A2" Revision, which seems good enough for Europeans) and also experienced the "LAN-Issue" as mentioned before (Workaround: Stopped Using it, deactivated it, used other NIC, seven ours later just put back the cable and activated the Intel-NIC and it works back again). I don´t no how it started and it has not happened again....

I looked for the promised IDCC-Tools, contacted Intel-Support, got the same answer that Sandog already posted....

Flashing via Windows to 0083 was no Problem at all with the Windows Tool. Besides the LAN Problem all works great and fine running XP SP3 (while Vista x64 is the exact opposite atm, far from stable).

I´m using this Mem-Kit from Kingston -> (I´m not allowed to post links, sorry) which is NOT recommended by Intel while Kingston does not recommend these for the DP45SG (but for the Intel X48) and the modules work fine with 1.5V even i push them from 666 to 760MHz.

Another strange issue i recognize with the DP45SG is the following: I´m using a PDU with a Switch to turn off/on my PC, Display, Speakers stuff. If I now set my FSB for example to 380MHz which works fine and stable and shut down everything in the evening and start everything up on the next morning the system starts with "normal" FSB-Settings but the OC-Settings in the BIOS are still present. If just go to the BIOS and "Save & Quit" the OC-Settings are being used again. This never occurs with normal shutdown/start procedures as long as the PSU gets no total disconnect.

I guess this is some kind of security mechanism if you OC so high that the system wouldn´t POST anymore you just pull out the plug, wait a few seconds and you can start over again. Perhaps those IDCC-Tools would help this out by putting the OC-Settings in use with OS-Start which is soon enough.

Another thing to mention is that all those great OC-Function in the BIOS are not really documented. There is nothing to find the boards manual. Does someone know more about the OC-Setting?

For now only time will tell. So thank you all for sharing your experiences with this motherboard!

[Drools]

I have not received my boards yet and I have not been able to find what comes in the box besides the motherboard, like cables etc, would one of you mind posting what is included in the box, Please and Thank you.

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by Drools

I have not received my boards yet and I have not been able to find what comes in the box besides the motherboard, like cables etc, would one of you mind posting what is included in the box, Please and Thank you.

Intel® Desktop Board DP45SG - What's in the box

Thats all the hardware, you also get the Intel driver CD and the Ghost Recon game DVD.

[Sandog]

Welcome Cat Toaster,

Intel does not give any advice on OCing. As far as I know the BIOS settings documents do not cover the extra memory settings either.

I discussed my restart issue with Intel tech. support today and I was told to reset CMOS and do an F9 in BIOS. If this does not fix the problem then Intel wants me to RMA my board.

[Waterp7]

Originally Posted by Sandog

Welcome Cat Toaster,

Intel does not give any advice on OCing. As far as I know the BIOS settings documents do not cover the extra memory settings either.

I discussed my restart issue with Intel tech. support today and I was told to reset CMOS and do an F9 in BIOS. If this does not fix the problem then Intel wants me to RMA my board.

Sandog,

Sorry I'm not as savvy as some you as I am new to the thread. What would the F9 CMOS reset do?


I purchased the DP45SG board along with:

E8500
4GB (2 x 2GB) Corsair TW3X4G1600C9DHX DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

I am getting random BSODs and hangups while running Vista Ultimate x64. I'm updated with BIOS Rev 0083 currently.


Here are the configurations I have tried:

If bios is left in (AUTO)...it down clocks to 7-7-7-20 at 1066 1.55V

Normal speed for this ram is 9-9-9-24 at 1600 1.8V (can't work cuz no support yet)

Right now I manually set it at 9-9-9-24 at 1333 1.8V


Do you have any recommendations as to what I should do or has anyone had any success? Is it the motherboard, BIOS, or the RAM or something?

If this is going to be a problem I want to return my board to Fry's by this week so I can get a different motherboard. Other than this hangup and BSOD issue everything has been working great.

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by Waterp7

Sandog,

Sorry I'm not as savvy as some you as I am new to the thread. What would the F9 CMOS reset do?


I purchased the DP45SG board along with:

E8500
4GB (2 x 2GB) Corsair TW3X4G1600C9DHX DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

I am getting random BSODs and hangups while running Vista Ultimate x64. I'm updated with BIOS Rev 0083 currently.


Here are the configurations I have tried:

If bios is left in (AUTO)...it down clocks to 7-7-7-20 at 1066 1.55V

Normal speed for this ram is 9-9-9-24 at 1600 1.8V (can't work cuz no support yet)

Right now I manually set it at 9-9-9-24 at 1333 1.8V


Do you have any recommendations as to what I should do or has anyone had any success? Is it the motherboard, BIOS, or the RAM or something?

If this is going to be a problem I want to return my board to Fry's by this week so I can get a different motherboard. Other than this hangup and BSOD issue everything has been working great.

Welcome to the thread.

Removing AC from the computer and then removing the CMOS battery(CR2032 coin size battery) for at least 30min will reset the CMOS memory with your system settings. Afterward you install the battery and boot up you go into the BIOS (F2 key) and inside BIOS you hit the F9 key which loads the default (optimum) BIOS settings. Then you can make custom setting changes and go from there. Hopefully this clears any errors in the system. You can wait to change the date and time in Windows.


Yes, run your memory at 1.9V. I've had crashes in Vista at 1.8V. At 1.9V I have had no problems at all. I have 2x2GB 1600 DDR3 like you.

[cactus]

Originally Posted by Cat Toaster

and also experienced the "LAN-Issue" as mentioned before (Workaround: Stopped Using it, deactivated it, used other NIC, seven ours later just put back the cable and activated the Intel-NIC and it works back again).

Im still having the same issue and have requested an RMA. I pretty much tried everything possible with a NIC (used 5+ different OSes, tried every driver possible, plugged directly to gigabit routers, switches, older network equipment, changed cables. Still only connects at 10mpbs. My other PC will connect at 100 mbps fine using the same cable. I'll disable my NIC all night just for fun...

I also noticed lots of bugs in the bios, like playing around with OC settings, and getting wrong CPU speeds (very funny actually)

Ex. My FSB was at 8 x 333 (2.6 ghz) but BIOS was showing 7.xx ghz!!

Also I noticed that when you had a failed OC sometimes it would not properly reboot after the automatic "fail OC" protection. You need to hold the power button to shut it down properly.

[Waterp7]

Originally Posted by Sandog

Welcome to the thread.

Removing AC from the computer and then removing the CMOS battery(CR2032 coin size battery) for at least 30min will reset the CMOS memory with your system settings. Afterward you install the battery and boot up you go into the BIOS (F2 key) and inside BIOS you hit the F9 key which loads the default (optimum) BIOS settings. Then you can make custom setting changes and go from there. Hopefully this clears any errors in the system. You can wait to change the date and time in Windows.


Yes, run your memory at 1.9V. I've had crashes in Vista at 1.8V. At 1.9V I have had no problems at all. I have 2x2GB 1600 DDR3 like you.

Thanks for the reply.

do you run it at 1333 9-9-9-24 1.9V?

And it's stable now?

[panzerino]

Originally Posted by Drools

A quick question, back in the old days I would update the bios by booting from a dos boot disk with the flash exe and a binary file. I'm guessing it is not that simple anymore, at least not with this board. What will I need to accomplish a bios update besides a 12MB 0083 bios file! When I was doing BIOS updates the files were 256k, 512k what is with the 12MB file?

Use the "CD method", or make bootable flash.

[Sandog]

I haven't had luck yet building a bootable thumbdrive but there are plenty of tips on how to do it on the web. For now I just pull the BIOS jumper off and put the 0083.bio file on the thumbdrive and it works. My prefered method would be Express BIOS in Windows then iFlash on a bootable drive, then Recovery method.

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by Waterp7

Thanks for the reply.

do you run it at 1333 9-9-9-24 1.9V?

And it's stable now?

Yes, a couple of time I ran at 1.8V and had crashes but never at 1.9V.

The strange thing is I looked in CPU-Z last night and JEDEC#4 was showing 9-10-10-25 1.55V. I gave this a go and it seems to be holding nicely even through some rough gaming so I am keeping it for now. I will be getting ahold of Intel tech. support today to try and resolve the restart problem. Looks like my board will get RMA'd.

[Waterp7]

When I cold start it now, it turns itself off after the power on...then then restarts and boots up fine. Are you having the same problem?

Are you RMA'ing it for a new DP45SG motherboard or you going with a different board?

[Sandog]

Yes that is what my board does Waterp7. I don't mind this. It also restarts itself after saving BIOS changes.

The problem I have is restarting from inside Windows such as after loading new software or drivers. It will not restart. Also I can not use the standby feature (S3.) It won't come back to Windows.

Now that I am not the only one with this problem I feel better (sorry). I don't want to rip out my board and RMA it. Not only will I miss this beauty but I do not think I will get a new one that works any better. It has double started since the very beginning before I even loaded Vista 64bit or used the ATI card/HDMI cable. I have tried the DVI cable and double checked my power button and reset button connections plus power supply connections.

When I think about it it acts like it gets a reset command when you tell it to start (completely off and hit power button.) If it is already on and you tell it to restart, it doesn't do it. Acts like something is backwards or flipped. I think it is a BIOS issue (hoping).

I think I will wait for BIOS 0088 and see what happens. I don't think Intel sending me another board will matter. I intend on getting this board working properly and will not go to another board. This board has everything I want and nothing I don't want as far as features and power goes.