Introduction

“Everything makes new may”, it is so nice and also at the base of the computer a lot has been done on the motherboard reviews – however slightly time-shifted. The entire test course has been redesigned, new benchmarks purchased and renovated the test systems from the ground up.

Also about more than just a few months across the same test basis to work with, unifies the hardware requirements for mainboards for AMD and Intel processors and newly purchased for the most part. These include same computer cases and same hard drive (of equal four pieces to test also the increasingly gotten RAID 5 mode). It was bought in addition to the traditional boxed versions of still other CPU cooler for both systems to test compatibility. The power supply was regulated future-proof in the form of new power supplies. Also on the cards, it was thought so also tests SLI motherboards are possible with two graphics cards. Details of the new hardware found in the section test system.

On the software side, we have deleted parts of the previously used benchmarks from the test procedure, for others included, which are better suited to compare the performance of the mainboards. A new benchmark suite was bought and updated the game benchmarks. If you would like to have more detailed information, which looks into the section benchmarks.

On the one hand, we want to facilitate us in the test lab work, on the other hand the test subjects more precisely and differently on the tooth feel than ever before, to better show all possible strengths and weaknesses of the mainboards. The emphasis on deliverables, i.e. hardware and software.

But enough of the speech, we come to the actual content of this review. Three socket of 939 boards met to the test, all three there is SLI chipset such with nVidia nForce 4. The gigabyte model was shortly mentioned in the review of the gigabyte GV 1.

Bookmark

The comparison of the various chipsets for Socket 939 is certainly an article that gives an overview of the facilities and performance. Also the basics of the used processor from AMD Cool’n’ quiet feature of Athlon 64 processors are worth reading, as well as the Guide for the very interesting cool. Matching of the energy consumption of processors and the basics of PCI Express are worth a look.

• Socket 939: ATi vs. nVidia vs. VIA
• EPoX EP-8KDA3 + (Socket 754)
• MSI K8T neo-FIS2R vs. shuttle AN50R (Socket 754)
• SK8N Asus vs. MSI K8T Master1-FAR (socket 940)
• Athlon 64 FX-55 and 4000 +
• AMD Athlon 64 3500 + and 3800 +
• Athlon 64 FX-51 and Athlon 64 3200 + (basics, AMD Athlon 64)
• Athlon 64 with cool Cool’n’ quiet (Guide)
• Energy consumption of current processors
• PCI express – the basics

The subjects

Usually motherboards are the top models for Socket 939 of the respective manufacturers 4 SLI chipset with the nVidia nForce. This category includes our three subjects, with basic data that are listed in the following table.

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Common software

Before we deal more with the motherboards in detail, we take another look at the common software objects of the hardware manufacturer. The nVidia-specific software and also the RAID tool from the home include in our testing field Silicon Image.

nVraid

nVidia 4 chipset has called for its nForce “nVraid” the RAID software. With just a few clicks you can set up the RAID array, change, and delete. The appropriate number of hard drives assuming can RAID levels 0, 1 and also 0 + 1 are elected to four drives. The cluster size can be in all modes between 4 and choose 128 KB. In addition to the above RAID levels you can address the plates as a merger (JBOD), where multiple physical disks to a logical disk are added together. Unfortunately there is no direct help system to the nVraid tool, the user should therefore have English skills and know what he does when he created RAID associations, modifies, or deletes. Only ASUS offers a short, English-language help PDF on his CD.

SATARAID5 (Array Manager)

Silicon Image (SiI) also brought a RAID tool to manage. Even if the name points to the RAID 5 mode, this is more marketing than reality, you need but A minimum of three hard drives for such an array, which is not possible for the MSI-mainboard on the basis of the only two ports. On the other hand is a software RAID. This means that the driver with the help of the CPU handles the complex calculation and checking the parity control data.

When the derivative of nVidia can you also use the tool of SiI click arrays create, modify or delete. There the same RAID modes available, but can set the size of the array when the array on the disks. Thus you can be by Intel under the name “Matrix RAID” here too apply similarly to two HDDs known mixed modes. The selectable cluster size can be selected at the SiI software between 8 and 128 KB.

nTune
The next tool is again from nVidia and is called nTune. With nTune you can increase easily the performance of the system with a single click, without having to have your own idea of overclocking. The tool supports officially the MSI K8N diamond and the ASUS A8N-SLI Premium, the third subject from our testing field is performed by nVidia not in the table of supported motherboards and so we invited version 2.05.09.08 from the Internet. In addition to the ability to view extensive system information and to monitor CPU and GPU temperature, you can make extensive overclocking settings. The system performance can be raised by “Auto Tuning”, setting the settings through the tool can however take up to one hour according to help text. Now, stiffened nVidia not only on the overclocking, but also Underclocking offers to reduce the system volume – among other things by the men under overclocking of processor. Any settings that you made, you can in the form of profiles store and so quickly recall and implement. Tedious work on the BIOS is thus unnecessary.

Network Access Manager
The SLI version of nVidia nForce 4 chipset has known a hardware-based firewall solution for nVidia’s own GigaBit LAN connection. To control a software is necessary course, which is controlled via Web interface or via command line. In addition to the precise setting of the firewall, the Web interface provides detailed information about the LAN interface. Made settings can be saved in profiles. This is interesting, if you need different settings for a LAN party as a home for the home network.

ASUS A8N-SLI Premium

The scope of supply of ASUS motherboards can be described as complete. The SATA slot, which allows the use of up to two external SATA drives is very interesting. So can quickly on external disks stored or data back loaded.

The game port on the musicians because of the included MIDI interface but perhaps attach importance has a somewhat nostalgic. The high number of brackets offers advantages and disadvantages. So, you can use to only the Blende(n), you actually need. But if you need the serial port, FireWire, and USB ports, which has in consequence of whose three apertures in use.

• Scope of delivery
  • Driver and software CD for motherboard
  • InterVideo WinDVD suite
  • User’s Guide, also known as manual, approx. 145 pages
  • 1 x SLI bridge
  • 1 x brackets Mount for SLI bridge
  • 1 x FireWire slot, a port
  • 1 x USB slot, two USB 2.0 ports
  • 1 x combo slot, two USB 2.0 ports and a game port
  • 1 x serial slot, a port
  • 1 x SATA slot, two SATA ports, a 4-pin power connector
  • 8 x SATA data cable
  • 3 x 4-pin Molex to 2 x SATA power adapter
  • 2 x IDE cable, 1 x 40-pin, 1 x 80-pin
  • 1 x floppy cable
  • 1 x keyboard stencil and sticker for ASUS instant music
  • 3 x jumper caps
  • 1 x ATX I/O-bracket

Layout

Well thought out, the engineers have the layout of the A8N-SLI Premium. Between the two slots of the PEG are the two PCIe-can be placed x 1 slots, which used two graphics cards with dual-slot cooling solution. All interfaces and connectors are color coded – this facilitates the orientation and the light of the cable. The green power LED has slipped unfortunately after at the bottom and at the sunshine it needs to look twice, whether or not the system is under current.

One of the special features is the “EZ Plug-in” power connector next to the primary PEG slot. In the operation of two graphics cards, ASUS stability reasons recommends connecting a power supply via this connector. In addition, a red LED in SLI mode warning if there is no power supply to the “EZ-Plug”.

The SATA ports are located at height of the first PCI slot, so graphics cards can be used also a long time. Only with the RAM slots, it is somewhat strange, because a long video card can block the lower locks. For a CMOS clear of the BIOS’ a jumper in addition to the battery must be moved for a short time.

Finally the passive cooling of chipset and voltage of the processor is an eye-catcher. The heatpipe leads on the mainboard, without being at any point in the way. Passive cooling is available for free all Fan connectors of the mainboard and produces no noise during operation.

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Interrupt table
According to the manual, only four interrupt lines are used. Especially the line A is used by many components. An interrupt line alone have only the third PCI slot and the Silicon Image RAID controller. ASUS does not have further details.

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BIOS

Despite the consistently high efficiency of AMD Athlon 64 processors overclocking (OC) is very popular. More and more manufacturers offer the system in different steps to overclock in BIOS or software on Windows the option. The next table shows the possibilities for the user, make such OC settings in the BIOS of ASUS mainboards.

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All these values are directly taken from the BIOS, which is used in the version 1.5. The possible values according to the Guide differ in part. There some of these possible settings can be different depending on the used CPU. So ranges “CPU multiplier” according to guide to x 20, when the CPU we use the maximum multiplier is of course only x 12.

The BIOS of the Silicon Image controller carries the number 5.1.39, the nVidia RAID BIOS version number 4.81.

Very interesting the possibility for the RAM is easy to set a higher bar (for example, DDR466) recently to overclock without the rest of the system. This option works only with processors from the revision E, who thus have the revised memory controller. Although an other pulsing for the RAM can be set in the BIOS of the A8N-SLI Premium also for other processors, however, automatically also the CPU clock is incremented. So just 216 MHz as clock rate also available at DDR433.

Asus Multilanguage BIOS
The BIOS is trilingual. It can be chosen between English, French and German. However, at least the German translation has failed in some places. If the first and fourth SATA drive as “first SATA master drive” and “quarter SATA master drive” are, is that at first glance certainly amusing, however confused it beginners and the final check here completely failed. If a company like Asus has the claim to be the market leader in motherboards such error should not happen.

ASUS POST reporter
Thanks to two chips from Winbond is the ASUS motherboard, able to give information about the status during the POST (power on self-test) per speech. Errors, these are named, otherwise, reported the execution of the POST and the operating system start.

Asus Q-Fan
The ASUS A8N-SLI Premium the fan control is called “Q Fan”, and can regulate the speed of fans on two Mainboardanschlüssen – of course the CPU temperature. A connection is of course the CPU fan, the other the CHA1 fan. The latter is however far bottom right on the Board and is thus rather poor to control fan on the back of the case.

The fan controller in the BIOS is enabled, a temperature can be selected. It is located between 51 ° and 81 ° C and can be changed in three degrees increments. This means that at a temperature of 51 ° C of the CPU fan from this value with full speed is operated. Already at 37 ° C CPU temperature a fan speed is achieved with the Zalman cooler of around 1,600 rpm. The fan control works even at such low temperatures. Increases the CPU temperature, so also the speed of the CPU fan is slightly increased.

51 ° C then reaches the speed of the approximately 2,650 rpm at the Zalman fan. And just as fast and smoothly, such as at the increase in the temperature, the speed of the CPU cooling is regulated down.

With the boxed cooler not much changes. The fan turns off the fan control, with approximately 3,200 rpm at processor temperature 38 ° C. It turns on “Q Fan”, the same processor temperature to about 1,200 rpm speed is reduced and is virtually inaudible to quiet. He is unmistakably loud however, if the rear case fan are disabled. Up to approximately 6,250 rpm, then rotate the fan and is consequently really as loud. This speed is achieved only at about 50 ° C CPU temperature and approximately 40 ° C motherboard temperature.

N.O.S.
N.O.S.-function (non-delay overclocking system, without delay overclocking system) measures the system load and overclocks the system to a predetermined percentage. On our test system, which was stable only up to 105%. This is mainly to the fact that this function will immediately intervene after the POST. So the machine is overclocked, already when you start Windows what met us at the 108 and 110% values crashing of the system. 105 Percent is increased in the last of the HTT to 210 MHz, the CPU has a clock of series 2,520 MHz. then the processor comes to rest, the overclocking is taken immediately back.

Thus actually only under load, the processor is Overclocked and not constantly, as is the case with conventional overclocking. Even cool Cool’n’ quiet and N.O.S. at the same time to run, it is possible. So, the CPU only with 1 GHz overclocking is clocked, under load, but with 5% in idle mode. Without cool Cool’n’ quiet has N.O.S. However one disadvantage, because even the CPU voltage is increased, which is not necessarily postiv to the temperature record and impact the life of the processor.

AI overclock
In contrast to N.O.S., the elevated values apply when the AI constantly overclock. Cool even when enabled Cool’n’ quiet is while the multiplier on x 5 provided the HTT remains but 210 MHz (5% overclocking). Again, the CPU voltage to the specified percentage is increased. Just like in the N.O.S. failed us, to operate the system with more than 5% of overclocking.

Crashfree BIOS
Should this overclocking attempts fail, the great strength of the ASUS boards comes to light. Should the computer is not properly boot, just turn off the power switch on the power supply or to pull the plug. At the next startup defaults are automatically loaded, allowing access to the BIOS. ASUS calls this feature “Crashfree BIOS”.

Also failed the BIOS flashing ‘ can be repaired again, by at boot time either the motherboard CD or one fitting reasoned disc be inserted with a BIOS. The BIOS automatically accesses them and then Flash the BIOS stored there.

If you would like to Flash his BIOS regularly not available under Windows can do this by “ALT-F2″ shortcut at boot time. It is necessary to even a floppy disk with the updated version of BIOS, which is to be flashed. A boot disk or DOS tools are no longer necessary.

ACPI Suspend
Like all current motherboards, the ASUS A8N-SLI Premium supports several ways to save energy. While it supports the ACPI S1 and S3 modes by BIOS. You can select them individually or also S1 & S3 at the same time. In our tests, the ASUS chose always the S1 mode, the power supply and fans remain active when the latter combination. Only if the S3 is individually selected, all fans and the PSU will be sent also sleep.

ASUS instant music
The system power is connected and turned on the power supply, then you can with the ASUS hear his favorite music without having to boot the computer. Using the enclosed keyboard template or labels, you can control the optical drive in the BIOS using F-keys. In addition to the standard features can regulate the volume and the disc ejected. Important for the proper function of “instant music” but is an audio cable from the CD drive and OnBoard sound. However, this cable is virtually obsolete since Windows 2000, the audio data, but via the IDE bus to the sound card will be sent.

AI NET 2
AI NET 2 is actually not an invention by nVidia (but of Marvell, whose Networking-ICs on the A8N-SLI Premium are used). Activates the feature in the BIOS, the two Marvell chips check, if they are enabled, if a cable is connected, and whether it is OK. Thus, even the distance to the failure to up to 100 metres in length on one metre is issued exactly. For home use usually not so important for administrators is a real assistance.

PEG Link Mode
PEG stands for “PCI Express Graphics” and ASUS has built-in overclocking another way here in the BIOS. The BIOS provides five setting options. Based on the used 6800 GT, we show the frequencies measured with RivaTuner:

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Software

The ASUS application after the auto-start of the CD offers the following content:

• Driver
  • nVidia nForce 4 6.53
  • create nVidia RAID driver disk
  • Marvell Yukon LAN 7.21.1.3
  • Realtek ALC850 3.66
  • Silicon Image 1.1.0.0
  • Create Silicon Image SATA/RAID driver diskette
  • Cool AMD Cool’n’ quiet 1.2.2.2
  • USB 2.0
• Utilities
  • NVIDIA nTune 2.00.21
  • ASUS PC probe 2.24.02
  • ASUS Update 6.02.01
  • ASUS AI booster 2.00.51
  • AI selector 1.00.07
  • DirectX 9.0 c
  • Norton Internet Security 2005
  • Acrobat Reader 5
  • Winbond Voice Editor 2.0
  • ASUS screen saver
  • ASUS cool AMD Cool’n’ quiet software 1.019
• Manuals
  • nVidia firewall administrator’s Guide
  • nVidia RAID user’s Guide
  • SiI 3114 user’s manual
  • nVidia nTune manual
  • nVraid disk alert user’s Guide
• Contact
  • Collection all support addresses from ASUS

By pressing a button on one of four icons, you can print a short Info for motherboard, BIOS and CPU. Another Gets the file manager to browse the CD, the third a “support request form” on and finally the fourth icon lists the files on the CD and their versions as a text file.

Equal first problems encountered during the installation of Windows, because the driver disk created by “MakeDisk” for the nV controller failed. First, copying by hand of “Disk1″ directory of the CD to diskette brought the desired results.

Asus has already set to the 64-bit future and packed for all motherboard components both 32-bit and 64-bit drivers on the CD. Also the hotel’s own tools are available in two versions. We consider only the 32-bit versions of the software and drivers.

Asus Update
“Asus Update”, which currently 6.07.01 carries the version number, can you provide via the Internet with a BIOS update for the motherboard, and this same Windows during operation Flash. ASUS update is still “MyLogo” (version 6.01.01), with which you can share the full logo, which usually is shown while the POST at power-on, with an own logo. The own logo to the BIOS file is included and then by “Asus Update” flashed only.

AI booster
The AI some ASUS tools actually comes from the term “Artificial intelligence” (AI), but renamed to “Asus Intelligence” of the advertising strategists. In this case it is the control and Übertaktungstool of ASUS. Many BIOS settings can be directly implemented on Windows and the system by pressing a button be overclocked. The program automatically starts each time Windows starts. Cool’n’ quiet is enabled, cool the program refuses to start with a note – and the spar function must then be switched off in the BIOS. However, possible OC settings run anyway. Here, care should be taken so that even if the overclocking has been turned off in the BIOS, it is again activated in the background.

AI select
Since the A8N-SLI Premium not more by routing Board between SLI mode (2 x PCIe x and single-mode (1 x PCIe x 16, 1 x PCIe x 1) by hand be set must, there is also a small tool with which you can switch by pressing a button. However, there is also the setting “Auto”, which automatically changes to the installation of a second graphics card to SLI mode in the BIOS.

Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI

In addition to the W-LAN card reveals the DPS Board which that makes one of the three-phase voltage supply with six stages. Should fail the technique for power supply of the processor on the mainboard, the DPS Board can take over this task. During normal operation, it shall by the distribution of the burdens for lower temperatures and a longer service life of components; The DPS Board with blue bright fan, which is not very quietly carries out his work is provided.

The W-LAN card is very flat and has a foldable and rotatable stub antenna. The supplement of eight SATA and power adapter cables is exemplary. So, you can fully exploit the features of gigabyte of motherboards.

• Scope of delivery
  • Driver and software CD for motherboard
  • Hardware installation Guidebook, double-sided A1 glossy description to the hardware, installation 12-languages
  • User’s manual, also known as manual for SiI controller, approx. 56 pages
  • User’s manual, also known as manual, approx. 88 pages
  • 1 x accessory-3 phases power supply with Intersil ISL6559 datasheet (English PDF)
  • 1 x W-LAN PCI card, 802.11 b / g with RALink RT2560F informations, engl.
  • 1 x SLI bridge
  • 1 x slot FireWire and USB 2.0, each 2 ports
  • 2 x USB slot bracket with two USB 2.0 ports
  • 8 x SATA data cable, the orange 4 x, 4 x Red
  • 4 x 4-pin Molex to 2 x SATA power adapter
  • 1 x IDE cable
  • 1 x floppy cable
  • 1 x ATX I/O-bracket

Layout

The seated rather far down CPU socket falls at the GA-K8NXP-SLI. Thus, also extensive CPU cooler can be fitted without up to the power supply. There is the blue slot for the DPS card above of the CPU socket. In contrast to most other manufacturers, gigabyte does not cool the power of the processor on the mainboard.

The position of the DPS Board on the motherboard is not entirely unproblematic however. If you use a power supply that has a fan on the bottom, will limit the performance of this fan through the use of the DPS Board. In the tagan power supply that we use about a quarter of the base is covered.

The PEG-slots are slipped into the bottom third of the mainboard. The routing Board for SLI operation has been quite small, the changing not easily. The SATA ports are located exactly at the height of the first PEG slot and already with our nVidia 6800 GT there will be very tight between the card and the SATA cables.

All ports are color coded and make it easy to find and connect. As one of the first manufacturers gigabyte FireWire 800 offers “onBoard”. For a CMOS clear we must strengthen the battery for about 30 seconds. Three of the four fan connectors on the mainboard are freely available. However access right next to the IDE connector, and the main power supply is located, making more difficult the development or the set-out.

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Interrupt table
Unfortunately, gigabyte makes any information on the distribution of the interrupt lines on the individual components. So if you get problems with the operation of slot, is dependent on rote tasting.

BIOS

Despite the consistently high efficiency of AMD Athlon 64 processors overclocking (OC) is very popular. More and more manufacturers offer the system in different versions in the BIOS or software under Windows the ability to overclock. The next table shows the options for the user in the BIOS to make such OC settings.

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Who is now disappointed if the small number of setting possibilities, should be “CTRL” + press “F1″, because thus the expert settings be activated – among other things, the menu item “Advanced chipset features”

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All these values are directly taken from the BIOS, which is used in the version of F8. The possible values according to the Guide differ in part. Also, some of these possible settings can be different depending on the used CPU.

The BIOS of the Silicon Image controller carries the number 5.1.39, the nVidia RAID BIOS version number 4.81.

ACPI Suspend
The gigabyte supports the two most important modes with S1 and S3. Both can be individually selected in the BIOS. From S1 mode, the computer per keystroke, mouse click, or press the/button can be awakened again. To move the computer from the S3 state back to work, you will need the on/off switch or a PS/2 keyboard despite the BIOS setting to “USB Resume from Suspend”. With a USB mouse or keyboard was not possible a waking them up.

Robust graphics booster r.g.b.
In the position of “Auto”, the function is not active. Similarly, the graphics card is Overclocked the “PEG link mode” to ASUS also at the r.g.b…

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These are at least ten percent overclocking in the graphics core and five percent in the store. But these values can also manually with the option “linear r.g.b.. clock %” be adapted. So who don’t like the default values of r.g.b.., which can the video card so their own demands to overclock. By the way, this overclocking accesses both the 2D and 3D of graphics card.

M.I.B. 2 (intelligent memory booster)
This BIOS feature can be found under the settings for the “m.i.t..” (MB Intelligent Tweaker). Gigabyte promises owners of certain RAM bar to a performance advantage of up to ten percent. However, the selection of the bolt is very small:

• Kingston / Winbond
• A-data / Hynix
• Samsung / Samsung
• Twinmos / Twinmos
• Infineon / Infineon

Fan control
Gigabyte offers almost two controllers to the owner of the GA-K8NXP-SLI. The first is called “CPU smart fan control” and can only on or off. This control regulates the speed of the fan according to the manual for fixed temperature values. The fan remains out to processor temperature 50 ° C, between 50 and 59 ° C, the speed of the fan is raised linearly, from 60 ° C, the highest speed is set.

However processor temperature showed up in the test despite friendly 26 ° C, the boxed CPU fan moved with about 3,200 rpm. To CPU temperature 38 ° C, highest temperature under load with enabled housing fans, the speed of the boxed CPU fan continued not to. With disabled case fans, the CPU temperature rose to 32 ° C, the speed of the temperature-controlled boxed CPU fan but still grew to well 4,800 RPM.

With the Zalman CNPS7000B was operated then despite enabled fan control and display CPU temperatures of 30 ° C of the fan with full 2,600 rpm. Apparently, this BIOS feature is present, affects but probably not the speed of the CPU fan.

The second control is called “CPU fan speed control” and the free option lets the user off the CPU fan with what speed is supposed to work the processor temperature. The control used by gigabyte works on the principle of pulse width modulation (PWM) and allows values from 0 to 128. Thus the speed of the temperature can be adjusted between stalled and full speed almost continuously.

With the temperature-controlled boxed fan worked perfectly. A value of “8″ and a temperature limit of 35 ° C, the boxed CPU fan turned with about 3,000 rpm. The value of “12″ he filmed with approximately 3,800 RPM – here you need to find the appropriate value between speed, performance and volume out through trial and error.

With the Zalman fan the value “8″ about 1,800 RPM ceased, approximately 2,100 rpm were at the value of “12″. The fan controller does exactly what it should. Applies the said already in the boxed cooler for the setting to the individual wishes. During boot the CPU cooler for about 2 seconds is operated by the way with full power.

Q-Flash
With Q-Flash, it is possible a new BIOS to Flash without creating a startup disk. It is sufficient to copy only the new BIOS to a floppy, “Q Flash” will do the rest. With this function, you can save even the current BIOS on floppy disk. You have to call “Q Flash”, to press “F8″ key in the BIOS. It is possible to also copy into or out of the second BIOS module.

Software

The gigabyte application after the auto-start of the CD offers the following content:

• Driver
  • nVidia nForce 4
  • Marvell Yukon LAN 7.24.1.3
  • Realtek ALC850 3.66
  • Silicon Image 1.1.0.0
  • USB 2.0
  • nVidia IDE/RAID driver 464
• Software applications
  • Gigabyte C.O.M. (corporate online Manager) B4. 1001. 2
  • Gigabyte management tool (GMT) 2.02 B04. 093002
  • Easytune5 B04. 112601
  • DMI Viewer B04. 102101
  • Face-Wizard B03. 100801
  • @ BIOS B04. 102101
  • Acrobat Reader 5.05
  • Norton Internet Security 2005
  • DirectX 9.0 c
  • Marvell network tools 2.1.3.3
  • nVidia Network Access Manager 4.62
  • nVidia network Guide, also known as PDF
  • Cool Cool’n’ quiet 1.1.0.0
  • Silicon Image SATA RAID5 utility 1.0.0.0
• Software information
  • Table of contents of the CD
• Hardware information
  • DMI details of the hardware
• Contact US
  • Worldwide support addresses

To facilitate the driver installation, gigabyte has put a tool called “Xpress install” in the auto-start of the CD. This checks the existing hardware and then offers the option to install the appropriate drivers. About the versions of the drivers, the program remains silent out, so 2.0 drivers is proposed to install under Windows XP a USB. The installation of the driver itself is done in the silent mode, automatic restart of the system, the “Xpress install” is only a small message-software.

The product division “Wireless” seems to play no major role in gigabytes. The motherboard CD not on the Internet at gigabyte a driver is provided for the GA-K8NXP-SLI. Only after a long search for the General LAN drivers you will find them under a cryptic file name. Is a pity that the user is so alone left by gigabyte.

Gigabyte C.O.M.
When you install the program requires first after installing the SNMP (simple network management protocol) from the Windows Setup with the “management and monitoring programmes”. Then, Setup can be run again and offers the possibility as server or client to be installed. After installation, the computer must be restarted.

What makes C.O.M. now? It is a system monitoring tool as an active Web page is opened and uses including JavaScript in the browser. It shows all the important data of the hardware and Windows, also the sensors can be displayed. The tool works also over the network. View the sensors work on our test system, not, an update was not to be found for gigabyte.

Easytune5
Current is the version b05. 020401. Easytune serves the Overclocken and the setting of the fan control under Windows. In “Easy Mode” is set simply by pusher to percentage, the system is to be overclocked. Advanced, the Advanced mode offers itself, the access to the single clock speeds and voltages. Also included is an alarm function for fan monitoring, optical and audible can report.

With easy mode, that lifts only the HT pace, it was possible to overclock up to six percent, with higher values errors occurred when prime95 or crash. You can not save the settings of easy mode, but in advanced mode, you can create profiles.

Face-Wizard
This tool can be integrated BIOS your own image in that instead of the standard gigabyte image during boot of the computer. Possible, the format are “BMP” and “PCX” with a size of up to 640 x 480 points.

@ BIOS
Hereby, you can Flash the BIOS of the mainboard in Windows on the fly. Also saving the old BIOS’ is possible. An update can be performed from a local source, as well as over the Internet. During our test, but only the old BIOS version “F7″ was displayed even though the “F8″ version was already found by manual search.

Marvell Network Tools
A Windows tool, to test failure in the cable connected to the Marvell LAN port for errors or damages. Of interest to administrators in network environments. However, the tool on the client must be started. According to Marvell, the precision is failure in the cable at one meter on a cable length of 100 metres.

MSI K8N diamond

First the enclosed disk with drivers for the SATA/RAID controller fall on the MSI positively. So, even without a second PC, you can begin directly with the installation of Windows. Also interesting is “D bracket 2″, which displays the status of the PC via the LEDs at boot time.

• Scope of delivery
  • Driver disk for nVidia RAID and SATA controller
  • Driver disk for SiI RAID and SATA controller
  • Driver and software CD for motherboard
  • Driver and software CD for SB Live! 24-bit
  • Hardware test report (compatibility list) also known as 20 pages
  • Quick Guide, double-sided A3 glossy description of mainboards
  • Quick users guide, also known as manual, approx. 100 pages
  • 1 x SLI bridge
  • 1 x FireWire slot, 2 ports
  • 1 x USB slot “D bracket 2″ with four status LEDs, two USB 2.0 ports
  • 4 x SATA data cable
  • 2 x 4-pin Molex to 2 x SATA power adapter
  • 2 x IDE round cable
  • 1 x ATX I/O-bracket

Layout

The active coolers on the chipset is indeed nice to view, but relatively loud and made some significant ripple noise on our test motherboard slightly older. MSI has marked colored all slots and ports, making it easier to connect. The colour coding of the RAM slots no longer true, because with the BIOS of 1.04, the order of the slots was changed so that now the first two RAM slots are used for the dual-channel operation.

For very long graphics cards in the second PEG slot, it can be somewhat closely to the SATA ports. The routing Board between the two PEG slots is pretty officious to switch because of the cramped space. To obtain a CMOS clear in the BIOS of the motherboard, is a pressure on the mini button next to the battery.

MSI is in cooling the power supply of the processor on a heat-pipe, which is actively cooled. Much like the chipset cooling, the small fan is not grade quiet. Two of the four fan connectors of the mainboard are thus already occupied.

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Interrupt table
Unfortunately, MSI makes no useful information about the distribution of the interrupt lines on the individual components. So if you get problems with the operation of slot, is dependent on rote tasting.

BIOS

Despite the consistently high efficiency of AMD Athlon 64 processors overclocking (OC) is very popular. More and more manufacturers offer the system in different versions in the BIOS or software under Windows the ability to overclock. The next table shows the options for the user, to make such OC settings in the BIOS.

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All these values are directly taken from the BIOS, which is used in the version 1.04. The possible values according to the Guide differ in part. Also, some of these possible settings can be different depending on the used CPU. So multiplier is the CPU manual according to up to x 25, for the CPU, we use the maximum multiplier is of course only x 12.

The BIOS of the Silicon Image controller carries the number 7.2.18, the nVidia RAID BIOS version number 4.84.

Dynamic overclocking technology D.O.T.
In addition to the overclocking by hand, you can also the K8N automatically overclock. It simply provides a certain percentage, the overclocked to be. Will it then be charged, the HT-stroke to the desired value D.O.T. automatically switches to the top. MSI with military ranks has described the percentages:

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Really dynamic that is not full load of the CPU however, because only after approximately 60 seconds the bar has been raised by prime95. The increased stroke remains of prime95 still around 120 seconds after the, until then the default clock set again. During our tests were we up to five percent stable overclock, from seven percent, there have been problems with prime95.

The cooperation with cool Cool’n’ quiet work more poorly than right. So although as usual raised the HTT to five percent. The load is then dropped and switches the multiplier on x cool Cool’n’ quiet immediately rules in accordance with 5, the increased HT clock will however continue to exist.

High Performance Mode
This mode enables the setting of “Sergeant” on the one hand at the D.O.T.. In addition, on our test system, the CPU voltage raised from “StartUp” fixed 1,450 volts and “Aggressive Timing” turned on.

Fan control
The fan control of MSI regulates both the speed of the CPU fan and the fan on the voltage stabilization. The latter has displayed 27 ° c system temperature approx. 4,800 rpm, of about 33 ° C above the maximum approximately 5,800 RPM set. The fan of the chipset cooler remains unfortunately unregulated, it rotates with audible around 6,800 RPM. In the BIOS a temperature can be set for the CPU of 40 ° C, 50 ° C or 60 ° C

At relatively fast and strong has it is possible that exceeds the target temperature 5 ° c or below until the control system intervenes. The test with prime95 without case fan made the Zalman only from 45 ° C to a higher speed. In cooling after prime95, now with enabled case fans, CPU temperature of 35 ° C achieved in turn, before the speed of the fan was reduced.

The revolutions of the fan of Zalman CNPS7000B is cold enabled fan control of MSI K8N diamond at around 1,350 RPM. If the fan control on highest levels of service, be reached around 2,600 rpm.

The temperature-controlled boxed cooler comes as the lowest engine speed at about 850 rpm, maximum loud 6,250 RPM be measured. However, these speeds are reached only under certain circumstances. The low 850 RPM can be achieved only when enabled the mainboard fan controller. The maximum speed of the boxed CPU fan is then about 3,500 rpm, in this configuration, also our volume and temperature measurements have been carried out.

The boxed CPU fan only achieved the mentioned 6,250 RPM when the rear case fan are turned off. Even if these were controlled down they produced a sufficient air flow, which reaches the temperature sensor of the CPU cooler and so mentioned above about 3500 rpm the speed to the limits.

ACPI Suspend
The MSI K8N diamond dominates the two modes S1 and S3, which can be individually selected in the BIOS. The waking of the computer using the PS/2 keyboard worked flawlessly, with a USB keyboard, this is not possible. However, it is annoying that you can wake the computer by one/off button does not return from S3 mode. Except a turning generators with possible data loss off and the power supply has no way to resuscitate the system.

From S1 mode, you can wake up the system also touch a USB keyboard or mouse. You can select the setting “Auto”. In our test system, the S3 mode was then used.

BIOS Flash
MSI offers two ways for a BIOS-update: on the one you can boot the system via the boot floppy and with a DOS program, the BIOS Flash by hand. The second way is under Windows with the “live update” program with a single click. Flashing should be failed, it does not get around to a floppy disk. MSI provides no safety function in the BIOS such as ASUS (BIOS Crashfree) or gigabyte (dual BIOS).

Software

The MSI application after the auto-start of the CD offers the following content:

• nForce 4 driver
• Silicon Image RAID and SATA drivers 1.1.0.1
• Marvell LAN Driver 7.14.1.3
• Creative SoundBlaster drivers 5.12.1.353
• MSI utilities
  • Live Update 3, version 3.67.000
  • DigiCell, version 1.08.00.00
  • Core Center, version 1.7.3.0
  • Security Center
    • PasswordKeeper, version 1.0
    • SecureDoc, version 1.13E1
    • Lockbox, version 1.63B0
• Utilities
  • Microsoft DirectX 9.0 c
  • nVidia nTune, version 2.00.21
  • Norton Internet Security 2005
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0
• Collection of links on Web pages with drivers, shareware, etc.
• Manual, overview of the drivers on the CD as an HTML page

For us completely incomprehensible lack is Cool’n’ quiet software on the MSI CD the CPU driver and one cool. So, you can use one of the probably most interesting features of the Athlon 64 processors only after establishing contact with the Internet. While running the search on the MSI website also in vain, because on the product page of MSI-7100 (K8N diamond) a corresponding download found neither the drivers nor the software.

Live Update 3
Required after installing “live update” first a restart of the computer, only in this way the necessary for the function parts of the program can be integrated into Windows. “Live update” his information represents as a local website that receives access to the machine, inter alia by the ActiveX plug-in. This can verify the versions of the driver installed, the BIOS ‘, the VGA BIOS’ and of course its own version and, where appropriate, by Internet connection to download a more recent version and install the software. The updating of the VGA BIOS’ of the graphics card only works with MSI graphics cards.

During the update of the “live update” software is displayed next to the current version on the Internet even the size of the download and the ChangeLog. In addition to the “live update” software is the “live monitor” can be installed, which regularly automatically looks for updates. The user is through the “live update” definitely facilitates the sometimes tedious search for updates of drivers and tools.

DigiCell
By “live update” this version of “DigiCell” has been updated to version 1.10.00.00. With “DigiCell” of the user portion of the installed MSI software can call, such as the “core Center” or the “live update”-tool.

Core Center

The “core Center” is the hardware monitoring and the MSI software overclocking tool. The version 2.0.0.4 is current at the time of the test, again a reboot is necessary after installation. “Core Cell” can overclock the FSB as the PCIe bus twos to eleven percent. The CPU voltage (VCore) can be increased by 3.3%, 5.3% and 8.3% and lastly can set the RAM voltage between 2.5 and 2.85 V in 5 steps. The latter also via slider can be adjusted in addition to the alarm functions with regard to the monitoring of the temperature of the CPU and mainboard and the fan speeds of chipset and processor.

Security Center
In the Security Center, three individual applications are to find