Is it time to dump my Max3

[Pntgrd]

I have been trying to achieve the magical 4 ghz with a 3.2 Prescott for some time now, first with an AI7 and then a Max3, which was at the time supposed to be the BEST Precott board. Now I find that it TOO has a vcore droop problem. I saw just how much last night. I set the bios to 1.525 and that allowed Abit EQ to read 1.5 at idle. But when running PCMark2004 the vcore dropped all the way to 1.42. I do not trust my skills to do the Stickied Droopmod and besides with having to buy a digital MM it is probably just as cheap to buy another m/b. I'd probably screw it up and have to anyway. But I am fond of the Max3 and I have grown accustomed to having at least 3 ide ports along with the SATA Raid and another SATA drive. Not to mention having already cut up an Antec P160 to duct intake air to the cpu at the position it is on the Max3. What I really need to do is the mod but I just don't trust myself doing it. So is there another board that would have the same amount of SATA and IDE ports plus the same cpu location BUT NOT HAVE a voltage problem? I even looked at getting a Fatality but not enough IDE's and I am sure it has it's problems, too. Or maybe should I just give up and go A64? Or maybe I should just be satisfied with 3640ghz. I have thought about another cpu besides the 3.2 C0 but I now figure a new one would still have the voltage problem.
And to top it all off, I did not get this typed in time to post in the 10 minute window the local Network Nazi's allow for AM break. It will now have to wait until lunch to punch submit

 

[batboy]

The Prescotts do pull down the vcore on all socket 478 mobos (Asus is worse). I think it's a combination of the fact that socket 478 mobos do not have power circuitry designed for the Prescotts and that the Prescotts are power sucking pigs and that Prescotts have a dynamic VID which automatically adjusts vcore depending on load requirements. If you have a marginal power supply, this voltage flucuation problem will be even worse.

DFI mobo might be another option, but I doubt you'll be any happier. Asus will need mods. Not much to choose from with socket 478 mobos. The Fatal1ty of course is a LGA775 mobo which will not work with your 3.2E CPU. After playing around with 2 socket 478 Prescotts on 3 different mobos, I finally came to the conclusion that Prescotts belong on LGA775 i915/i925 chipset mobos.

 

[deception``]

DFI mobo might be another option, but I doubt you'll be any happier. Asus will need mods. Not much to choose from with socket 478 mobos. The Fatal1ty of course is a LGA775 mobo which will not work with your 3.2E CPU. After playing around with 2 socket 478 Prescotts on 3 different mobos, I finally came to the conclusion that Prescotts belong on LGA775 i915/i925 chipset mobos.

A better way to put this is that Prescotts are best when based on LGA 775/Socket T, as such boards tend to manage their heat and power requirements much better than the older Socket 478. The chipset, however, does not matter as much. For example, a board such as the DFI 875-P T is currently regarded as one of the best (if not THE best) LGA 775 board around, and it is based on the 875 chipset. So you can easily work with a hybrid board such as the DFI or the less-common Asus P5P 800 if you wanted to hold on to your current DDR. However, it is advised that you stick to LGA 775 if you're looking for Prescott goodness.

deception``

 

[larva]

It's pretty obvious to me that the power supply sections of the AI7 and IC7-Max3 are overwhelmed by serious attempts at Prescott overclcocking. When you take the best Northwood boards (the AI7), and it goes to pieces with the Prescott, you know serious changes would be required to adapt it to that use.

It seems the most success on the S478 platform/Prescott comes with the IC7-Max2. These appear to have beefier power supplies than either the AI7 or the Max3, but still breathe hard under prescott duty. I also think the DFI would be worth trying if you in the mood, as its power supply looks beefy. But I would also concur that the 775 boards uniformly exhibit higher sustainable power output and restore a bit of overhead to be used up in the pursuit of a nice OC.

 

[Boomstick]

Or maybe I should just be satisfied with 3640ghz.

I think you should be satisified with well over 3 thousand Ghz.

 

[Skeen]

I think you should be satisified with well over 3 thousand Ghz.

Yeah that sucker's the equivalent of 1000 3.6GHz cpus. Did aliens give you a quantum computer or something?

 

[skou]

I think you should be satisified with well over 3 thousand Ghz.

And, I thought I was doing good with my wimpy 3.0GHz.

Skeen, long time-no see!

steve

 

[Pntgrd]

3640ghz

OOPS, me sorry
You know what I mean. This thing has frustrated me. It runs well but like all, I WANT MORE . Maybe the best thing would be to come up with a Super Northy that is not so power hungry. But I have not sean much about a NW near 4ghz (got it right this time). I had thought about adding a 350w Enermax I have to the Tru-480 Antec, but after watching the vcore droop, I doubt it would help. Maybe the best thing is let it be and plan the next system.

 

[ar7786]

You can get a DMM for five bucks on ebay.

 

[=AG=Racer9]

Just for people reading up on the Maxx3 mb I love mine it does 4.0 gig but I do have the voltage drop and I am like you Pntgrd I would screw my MB up if I tired the Droop Mod

 

[ar7786]

You can use Pomona mini grabbers to avoid soldering on motherboard.

 

[lilneel12]

what is that ar7786, i also want to get my mobo droop modded, but im thinking about not doing it and just going amd64, can't make up my mind though

 

[ar7786]

Pomona grabbers
Micro SMD grabbers for 1.25-0.2mm lead pitch, model 63xx, $76 a pair

 

[Skeen]

Pomona grabbers
Micro SMD grabbers for 1.25-0.2mm lead pitch, model 63xx, $76 a pair

Sonofa*****! I hope you meant $0.76. My NF7-S didn't even cost that much!

 

[Pntgrd]

lilneel12 said

but im thinking about not doing it and just going amd64

That is what I have done. I had said I would never go back to AMD but I guess "never say never". I am not much for modding boards as I go through too many of them. Play with this for a while and then get the new thing and sell the old. It is hard to get much for something that has been modded, at least to someone that has no idea what the mod did and why. The Max3 and the Prescott are already sold and for what I had in them. That wouldn't have happened with it modded. I picked up an MSI Neo2 Platinum and a 3200+ Winchester and since it is a 939 board it should hold me for a good long while. And it has almost as many features as a Max3 which really spoiled me. But I like that I will only have to change m/b and cpu. I can still use my Hyperam in Dual Channel, I can still have 3 optical drives, I can still have 2 Raptors in Raid and another SATA drive. He**, I can even still use my XP120 on it. It will be strange not having an Abit board though, it has been awhile.But I will still keep an eye on you guys here