Intel D975XBX (Bad Axe)

[pointreyes]

Yeah, I'm kinda of stuck. If my dual Xeon sells then I'm in need of another system and realized that if I could get the 975 chipset with the 940 then my 830 would become the file server. In preparation of pending hardware changes, I have this coming today for the 830 system. Should help with running the system even cooler as well. I have room for three of those!

[Sandog]

I will be getting the D975XBXLKR very soon. I received this short message from Intel this morning. Hopefully I will reveive a notice of shipment today.

"I received my samples, so a board is on its way to you…"

[Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by pointreyes

Yeah, I'm kinda of stuck. If my dual Xeon sells then I'm in need of another system and realized that if I could get the 975 chipset with the 940 then my 830 would become the file server. In preparation of pending hardware changes, I have this coming today for the 830 system. Should help with running the system even cooler as well. I have room for three of those!

It's still for sale?

[pointreyes]

Originally Posted by Zeppelin

It's still for sale?

Yes, it's still for sale. Sold the dual-core Opty and the P4 2.8e systems. If I could sell the dual Xeon, then I would get a more logical file server setup. Even though I do have a corporate IT job, I have no need for a RAID5 server-class system at home anymore. Virtualization on a high-end desktop/workstation is more than sufficient for me now. I mean the only thing the dual-Xeon is really good for is being able to show the type of task manager as Sandog's EE proc has.

Main Internet computer is the Mac mini. I really like that little gem for family use and Internet. Does Apple spread invisible fumes that affects you mentality? Those dang dashboard widgets are addictive as well. Had to call Wal-Mart, pull up a widget. And it's fun to just switch users.

Whoops. Er. I have the laptop for mainly business functions. The Intel system should be able to handle most of the tasks I want. However, where I am limited is the number of slots needed. Only one slot left free on it and that's a PCIe slot. So I either have to get another computer just for the additional devices or switch to USB/firewire for them as well.

I might have another way to sell the dual Xeon. Convince a person to purchase me the 940EE and swap that for the Xeon. Then for the RAIDCore storage system if sold use the money for some additional drives.

[pointreyes]

http://www.guru3d.com/newsitem.php?id=3005

[Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by pointreyes

<snip>Main Internet computer is the Mac mini. I really like that little gem for family use and Internet. Does Apple spread invisible fumes that affects you mentality? Those dang dashboard widgets are addictive as well. Had to call Wal-Mart, pull up a widget. And it's fun to just switch users.<snip>

{Rant}Apple has come a very long way in just a few years. They were pretty stagnent for quite a while and SLOW. With the advent of the G3 processor and iMac, the ball started to roll again, but olde Stevie was still plagued with software developers dropping Mac software left and right. It was so bad that it looked like only Apple was going to provide software. Part of the problem was that Jobs kept up-dating the OS every six months or so and the re-writes killed many of the third party apps. The cost of fixes was constantly so high that many developers dropped Apple. Little Stevie was at a crisis. He came up with a brilliant strategy.

Stevie went to all of the SW companies and convinced most of them to get back on board. It was really quite simple. By coming out with OSX, most of the current applications for Mac would not run or if they do run, not very well. Since there are so many Mac fanatics (which I understand and will explain later) Jobs was able to assure all these companies that if they did just a little coding to support OS X, they could market it as entire new versions and charge everyone full price. And the poor suckers who constatly struggled through the varios OS7s, OS8s and OS9s would leap on the chance of a new system with better stability and gladly pay oodles of dollars to purchase brand new versions of their favorite software.

Well, it worked. This was the real beginning of the change from a computer company to a marketing company for Apple. And here is the killer funny thing. Only a few years have gone by and they are doing it again! The new IntelyMacs will require new software. The software developers have to be giddy with anticpated sales! I am willing to bet that there will be a large acceptance for this hardware, especially if they are able to get XP running flawlessly. Hey, don't get me wrong, I like recent Apple hardware. I'm using my Powerbook to write this now. Would I like to get a new PowerIntelAppleBook, you bet. Will I, not right away. I have a small fortune in software that would have to be upgrade for no reason. the only down side to MAC is still the lack of a decent relational database. If they really wanted to expand their sales, IMHO that is what is needed.{end rant}

I can understand why you are enjoying your mini. Just the OS is awsome. It is one hell of a package.

{more rant}Have you ever wondered why Mac people are such fanatics? I don't because I have been dealing with them for years. It's quite simple, really. Historically, doing things within applications on a PC makes sense and the learning curve to use many applications isn't very steep. A little practice and away you go. On the hand, doing what are simple tasks that make sense on a PC, make no sense on a Mac and take unbelievable efforts and steps to accomplish. It is because it was so difficult to learn all of these steps that make no sense that the Apple user is a fanatic. To do mundane things takes a lot of effort, at least in the older OS, and it was a struggle. Onec you figured out how to do simple things, you were proud. For the Mac user, the thought of having to relearn all these steps, is frightening. This is why they are(or were) so closed minded. One of my former co-workers resigned and got a job that required utilizing a PC. It took a year, but she finally came around and admitted that the PC was much easier to use and operate and the learning curve was shallow and made sense. She even bought a PC for home. After years of her smug attitude and her trying to convert me, it was really satisfying to have this happen. I have had a lot of other converts too, at least for their personal machines, so it has been fun.{end rant}

Try out the iMove. Final Cut and Final Cut Pro are pretty nice too. Very easy to use and the ability to add sound tracks is amazing. Good stuff.

Remember to repair permissions on a regular basis.

Darn, I just might have to get one of those minis. Does it get warm, or seem to draw much power? I was really thinking about going this route http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-VT310DP
for one heck of a nice and compact firewall that could be folding while it is sitting there and that uses no juice. But this mini could be put together for less and all I would have to do is add a usb enet for a second LAN, if it will take a Linux distro...I wonder....

[bingo13]

Originally Posted by Sandog

The 840EE will run just fine in the D975XBX.

That's an understatement.

[wicked_abx]

Well I can no longer wait for the 975x. They are saying 1/30, but who knows if that will be pushed as well. I have left my pre-order in for the Intel 975x, but I just ordered the Intel 955X. I will have it tomorrow, so I can finally use the D 950 that is sitting here in it's box.

I will move the 955X over to the wife's machine once the 975x arrives.

Sandog - Can you give me your thoughts on the 955 ? Any issues to expect?

Thanks!

[bingo13]

Originally Posted by pointreyes

http://www.guru3d.com/newsitem.php?id=3005

I am sorry, but the product manager should have stated - "We will have to buy a company with the technical expertise to do what we cannot or sue them until they give us the patents." They said the same thing about PCI and bought Ensoniq after months of trashing their PCI capability for audio. They were two years away from a PCI solution at the time and had to do something to catch up with ESS/Crystal/Aureal/Cirrus Logic/etc.

[drayon]

Originally Posted by Sandog

That is not a sound generation card, that is a 32 channel digital input/output card which can be used to route digital signals. It does have a x1 PCIe mother board connector though.

Audio cards are not designed to Generate sound. Maybe you are confusing the PC generic term 'Sound Card' usually meaning onboard sound with a synthesizer chip usually by Creative aka Soundblaster!!!. An Audio Card is a Pro card with pro level AD/DA's , multi-channel Digital I/O, word clock Mic Pre's with no bottom of the bag 2 dollar synthesize chip for GM sounds :-) Mind you PC guys tend to call anything that does anything with 'Sound' a 'Sound Card'.

[Sandog]

I have to agree, SB is slow as molasses. Seems like almost all the audio would be digital anyway traveling through the mobo. I think the PCIe bus runs at something like 100MHz so I see it could be a problem for audio.

[drayon]

Originally Posted by bingo13

I am sorry, but the product manager should have stated - "We will have to buy a company with the technical expertise to do what we cannot or sue them until they give us the patents." They said the same thing about PCI and bought Ensoniq after months of trashing their PCI capability for audio. They were two years away from a PCI solution at the time and had to do something to catch up with ESS/Crystal/Aureal/Cirrus Logic/etc.

Yeah well Digidesign and Apogee Digital have PCIe cards so this proves your point to perfection!!!

[drayon]

Originally Posted by Sandog

Seems like almost all the audio would be digital anyway traveling through the mobo. I think the PCIe bus runs at something like 100MHz so I see it could be a problem for audio.

HEY??? Well obviously!!!!!!! How can an Analog signal pass thru a motherboard??? What other signals were you thinking about?

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by wicked

Well I can no longer wait for the 975x. They are saying 1/30, but who knows if that will be pushed as well. I have left my pre-order in for the Intel 975x, but I just ordered the Intel 955X. I will have it tomorrow, so I can finally use the D 950 that is sitting here in it's box.

I will move the 955X over to the wife's machine once the 975x arrives.

Sandog - Can you give me your thoughts on the 955 ? Any issues to expect?

Thanks!

I find it to be a good board, no headaches really but I never mastered using the Silicon Image SATA RAID controller and I don't really have to. The other little gripe is the last two BIOS's (2015, 2022) have removed the control for the auxillary power connector so it is useless and also the OC capability was reduced but I forget what was missing. You can compare to the 2010 BIOS to see what I am talking about. Other than those two issues the board works fine. There is really no chipset change I believe between the 955 and 975. Just the ability to run Crossfire and also a capable power delivery system for the 955EE. There may be slightly better OC options on the 975 mobo but I am not sure. From pics of the BIOS that I have witnessed they are identical. Same +30 FSB ability but DDR2 went up to 2.2V instead of 2.08 on the 955. Both boards will run regular Preslers.

[drayon]

Sandog- do you think Intel will ship EFI based boards soon? I read than XP does not support nor can it load on an EFI board. I did read Longhorn does support EFI so perhaps the EFI board will ship at that time??

thanks