[Emericana]

right now i have all of the parts for a new system i am building except for the mobo. Here are the basic specs:
UNLOCKED 1900+ w/ thermaltake sk6 w/ delta 50cfm fan
Lianli PC68 (comes w/ 3 80mm panaflow fans)
Gainward GF3Ti500
2 Sticks of 256mb Corsair 2400
400wat antec psu
cdrw/dvdrom/floppy/zipdrive
sbaudigy
Western Digital 100gig drive w/ 8mb cache

now, this is my first time ever overclockin the cpu so i made sure that i picked out optimal parts and such so i can have success. I can not decide between either mobo. I have heard that the 8kha has instability problems when overclocked and the shuttle has a ****ty northbridge fan (is there anyway to fix that btw?).

I was going to get the shuttle till i read that post about the northbridge fans breaking and i do NOT wanna haveto send back my mobo to newegg(where i am getting all my parts). However, i do like how everything is jumperless in the shuttle.

can somebody pls help me decide between these two boards? thanks!

[Arkaine23]

Very happy with my AK31 r3.1

Northbridge fan has given me no problems, but if it did cut out, it would probably be very simple to replace with say a GPU HSF.

Southbridge has given me problems... no USB! But that is a flaw in the VIA KT266 and KT266a chipsets. Most ppl have no such problem. I just got a cheap USB PCI card and now all is well.

Some other things about the Shuttle board...
can only use 3 of the 4 DIMMS unless you use registered DDR memory,

max FSB setting in Bios is 166 (but you could go higher with progs like CPUcool),

max vcore without voltage mod is 1.85v.

Still this board has been very stable for me at FSB around 150-152

[Emericana]

what do you mean there are no usb on it? it says http://www.socketa.com/reviews/shuttle/ak31rev3/ that there are two usb ports built in (that will be good for my keyboard and mouse) and there are 6 optional (i have a lianli pc68 so there are 4 front usbports so i can use those there.) who would need over eight usb ports? i cant think of anyone who would need over 5 (keyboard,mouse, gamepad, digital camera, mp3player)

[DaveB]

The USB ports are there. What Arkaime23 is telling you is that he can't get them to work. The KT266 has a flaw which causes USB failure at over 138 MHz FSB. All KT266 mobo have this problem. This was corrected by the KT266A chipset, but Arkaime23 still has a problem.

I've been running an AK31 Rev 2 at 150 MHz to 154 MHz since July with no problems at all. But all my USB stuff is still connected to my other rig, a Soyo BX/PIII system.

[Emericana]

ok thanks for the input. i will get the shuttle ak3.1 and hopefully i can get a pretty decent overclock! i am tryin for 200mhz plus. Hopefully i can reach it. I will get a gpu fan if anything ever happens to northbridge.

[nikhsub1]

Get the 8kha+, way better than the shuttle. 200fsb and people are getting it with the new bios' with the pci/agp divisors. I can run 180 FSB!

[Emericana]

what is so much better about the 8kha+? It has a dipswitch to reset cmos while shuttle is completly switchless(so i heard). Since i am not going to use a voltage mod, i highly doubt i will get 180mhz FSB... unless you dont use a volt mod and have it hehe. there is no way i am going to soder my mobo.

[Arkaine23]

I have the r3.1, but for some reason the usb root controller would not install no matter what I did. Drivers, format/reinstall OS, Via USB patches, Windows updates/service packs, etc... finally gave in to what most ppl in the via forums suggested as the only fix- PCI USB controller card.

While not overly common or particularly debilitating, this chipset problem has been around awhile... and Via has nothing to say on the matter.. not even any tech support!

Just to be clear on the matter, I love my AK31!!! It rocks. This is the 1st computer I built myself, and the first one I ever overclocked. All my friends and roommates are turning green with envy.

[nikhsub1]

Originally posted by Emericana
what is so much better about the 8kha+? It has a dipswitch to reset cmos while shuttle is completly switchless(so i heard). Since i am not going to use a voltage mod, i highly doubt i will get 180mhz FSB... unless you dont use a volt mod and have it hehe. there is no way i am going to soder my mobo.

I have had both boards, I think the epox is better, faster and OC's better. The Shuttle is not completely jumperless, there is a jumper to clear cmos on almost every board. I think the epox has 2 jumpers including the cmos, just like the shuttle. The epox also has a troubleshooting readout on the board which is very nice when you run into problems. And I have not done a voltage mod.

[Emericana]

wow, that is a pretty good oc then. I have one question. if i get the 8kha+, will it come with the bios that is good for overclocking or will i have to download it from somewhere. if i need to download it, where do i get it. Also, how do i install it? i have flashed a bios on a asus board but am not sure how to do it on a epox (i got windows 2000 sp2)

[nikhsub1]

You will have to download it from somewhere. I don't think it will come with the newest bios. I got it from the Japanese Epox site, it is not hard to find. Flashing this board is very simple, boot up from the floppy and type "update", that's it. Keep in mind that I am running an unlocked 1900 and the 180 FSB was at a 10x multi.

[Emericana]

I actually ordered the 8kha+ cause i didnt wanna risk the northbridge fan getting broken off. Is the file for the new bios on aoafiles.com? there is a beta epox bios on that site. is that it? what is the url for the jap epox site?
I am also gonna be running a unlocked 1900+

[Maximus Nickus]

YOU won't be dissapointed, LOOK at the scores you will get its amazing.

Plus the LED troubleshooter is great, it also overclocks like crazy and is sooooooooooooo stable.

Download the BETA bios that gives you an optional 3/4Ram divider great for overclocking if your memory is holding you back.