*** rampage ii extreme ***

[Sir Skully]

Read em and weep.....

[Dan-Baer]

Got my Dominator GT Ram in today, it is installed and the UPS tracking says my 920 will be in tomorow. I should be ready to do initial POST by this time tomorrow.
SS, any advice for the initial power up?

[Sir Skully]

Originally Posted by Dan-Baer

Got my Dominator GT Ram in today, it is installed and the UPS tracking says my 920 will be in tomorow. I should be ready to do initial POST by this time tomorrow.
SS, any advice for the initial power up?

Just make sure your memory is in the blue slots, if 3 sticks. 1 don't now your memory voltage. but check the bios first thing and set manually if needed.
Also I clear the bios before I fire up the first time. Run default speeds awhile, untill your mobo and memory settle in. That's about it, later if ya need some settings, Just ask. Remember more pic's after all is installed.

[Dan-Baer]

Thanks, yup, already installed in the blue slots. Once I get the CPU and cooler installed tomorrow I will send pics.
If this memory works as well as it looks it is worth putting an led on it
I have no plans for this rig except to play with it for a while so I will be taking my time.

[Dan-Baer]

Sir Skully, my 920 came in. All is installed (pictures posted soon). It booted into the BIOS on the first power up. I have configured my RAID as a 64K stripe. My initial CPU temp is 43 degrees C (109F). DOes that seem a little high for stock speed?
This BIOS is crazy lots to learn about it.
The BIOS is 0805 so I am off to get the latest.

[Sir Skully]

Bios 1201 or 1204, I'm running 1201 with no prolems. All these 920's are different, but 43c seems a wee bit high. I run the middle 30's. Congrats on a new rig..... The bios can seem overwhelming. I just dug in, read and oc'ed right off the bat.Temps at load are the ones that really count. I have a cold, and my eyes are watering. Hard to see to type. Here's a good thread to read through, it will give ya an idea of what to expect from the 920 and R2E.
UnOfficial Asus Rampage II Extreme Thread - XtremeSystems Forums

12O1 and 1204 are beta's, 1104 is a mature bios and a good one.... I have 6+ hrs full 100% strees on the CPU @ 4200MHZ.

[Dan-Baer]

All running OK. I flashed BIOS 1104 before I found the newer beta BIOS. I have now installed Windows 7, it loaded in under 15 minutes and runs well. I am now installing and setting up my other drives Etc.
(Here is a Pic of the rig just after installing the memory and the CPU, during the very first boot)

[Sir Skully]

One sweet rig buddy......
Clean looking wiring.....

I finished over 9+ hrs of 100% stress cpu, i7 920 oc'ed @ 4200mhz.

[Dan-Baer]

Thanks SS, wow 4.2. I do not think my cooling would handle that. The wiring is not done yet but now that I know everything works ( I have installed and tested my optical drives, USB ports, 1393 and my card reader, all is OK so far) I will add the temp probes and drill a few holes and hide and clean up most of what you still see. I will do that in the next few days.
I really like this motherboard. So far it has not even hickuped.
I flashed the BIOS to 1104. I tried using the easy CPU level up to 2.9 Ghz initially but it did not take. I then disabled C1E and Speed Step and then the simple OC worked. I then used the CPU level up to go to 3.2 Ghz, no other changes and all was well at the higher speed. I have been running for 24 hours now but not under stress as yet.
My temps have me a little concerned, at stock 2.66 the reading with no load in the BIOS is 41 C, at 2.93 the CPU temp goes to 47 C and at 3.20 the CPU temp is 55 C. I have not loaded CPU Z Etc and I plan on doing that tonight.
What do y'all think of these Temps? I am using a Zalman 9900. I may remove it and redo the Artic Silver but I am sure I did a decent job of it.
This thing is right fast, it loads into Windows 7 Beta in about 25 seconds.
Any suggestions or comments on the Temps?
I want to OC it a little more, using air I hope to get to a good stable 3.52 or so for 24 7 use. Suggestions on initial settings?
I plan on leaving Turbo on and keeping C1E and Speed Step off. I still have much to learn about this BIOS. I am also going to install all the ASUS utilities and play with them. WHich ones do you find most useful and which are basically worthless?
Thanks again.

[Dan-Baer]

OK, at 3.2 Ghz The BIOS shows 55 C, Core Temp shows 57 to 61 C (depending on which core) and the ASUS PC probe utility shows 45 C, which is more like it.

BTW, the ASUS utilities do not all like WIn 7 but compatability mode seems to be getting it done.

[Sir Skully]

I think your temp problem is do to uneven mating of cpu/heatspreader, and heatsink. All Intel cpu/heatspreaders are uneven. Take a razor blade hold cpu up to the light/flashlight. With the razor blade across the top of heatspreader. If you see light from under razor blade, ya got and uneven heatspreader. Sorry I can't see to post much, watery eyes and nose. I have a pretty bad cold.
Talk at ya later.

[Sir Skully]

New 1204 bios gives the 21 multiplyer without Turbo on, nice! Here's a link to new bios. I'm coming out the other side of this cold, but still feel bad/weak.
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/LG...treme-1204.zip

[Dan-Baer]

Thanks SS, I hope you feel better soon.

The Chip looked flat to me but I did not try a level surface test, I will do what you recommend. I did make sure that I have a thin, even coat of AS on the chip. This cooler is so big that I may not be dead center on the chip, I will remove it and check the surface, clean and purify and remount.
I have been able to get to 3.6 Ghz with no effort at all and no voltage boost but I have not optimized anything or taken it to BSOD yet.
Thanks for the BIOS link, I was just about to take a work break and go look for it.

[Sir Skully]

Your welcome, The Asus Utilities I'm also still learning their different functions. This cold set me back on my rigs play time.
I've used the multimeter slots. Just need to learn the software/utility that goes with it. Our rigs are very powerful/fast. I'm off to do some more oc'ing and stress testing. Had some lunch along with cold meds. I'm feeling better.....

[Sir Skully]

Oop's sorry double post.....