P5K Deluxe 0403 / 0404 bios released

07:11 PM

I just flashed to 0403 bios via in bios Ez flash2 bios update. Now testing away..

new item in 0403 bios:

Added i see is FSB strap to North Bridge which basically lets you set the Strap used between AUTO/200/266/333. Note, what dividers you have available depends on the strap you select if you choose a setting other than AUTO. Basically the same as older bioses just they did the divider choices for you behind the scenes depending on your FSB selected. i.e. set 266FSB with 266 strap and you won't get 1:1 divider which is same as before. I just leave it at AUTO for it to function like past bios for now.

Okay seems 0403 bios has been removed from their server leaving the 0404 bios there.

22-06-2007, 05:15 AM #2 (**permalink**)

Note, there's also a 0404 and 0501 bios out there, the 0501 is actually for P5K non-deluxe so don't try that one!

Have yet to try 0404 bios yet.

22-06-2007, 05:16 AM #3 (**permalink**)

Flashing bios on Asus P5K Deluxe:

Asus P5K Deluxe uses 2MB sized bios flash ROMs. So best way to flash or update your bios on Asus P5K Deluxe is to use a USB flash drive and the motherboard's own inbuilt EZ Flash 2 function:

Even at stock cpu/mem speeds, you need to test for stability in memtest86+ v1.70 and windows before attempting to flash your bios. Don't assume stock cpu/mem speeds means stable as AUTO sub timings or some voltages might not be the right stable combination for your component configuration.
Put bios on USB drive
Ensure USB legacy is enabled and boot into bios
Use EZ Flash 2 in bios to select the bios on your usb drive.
Follow prompts to flash and wait until the auto reboot happens.
Sometimes it may not boot up straight away, so turn off system, clear CMOS and you should be up and running again.

09:09 PM

Okay did quick super pi 32M and everest run with 0403 and then flashed to 0404 bios.

But, maybe 0404 bios tightened something as with 0311 and 0403 bios i could run 9x400fsb 2:3 600mhz 5-4-4-9 3-25-3-3-8 fine but can't even boot into bios properly.

With 0404 bios - sometimes it hangs in bios with 0404. Supershanks showed 0404 increased bandwidth over 0311 and 0403 bios http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...&postcount=768.

Maybe my sub timings 3-25-3-3-8 too tight for 0404 bios ?

Difference in 32m pi and Everest at those clocks:

0311 = 13m 13.094s
0403 = 13m 14.094s

0311

0403

Results agree with Supershanks tests http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...&postcount=768, that 0311 is still slightly faster than 0403 bios. I'll work on 0404 tomorrow and loosen sub timings and see.

0403 bios settings used: (same as 0311 tests except FSB Strap to NB new setting set to AUTO in 0403).

JumperFree Configuration Settings
AI Overclocking: Manual
CPU Ratio Control: Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting: 9
FSB Strap to Northbridge: AUTO
FSB Frequency: 400
PCI-E Frequency: 100
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-1200
DRAM Command Rate: 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency: 4
RAS# to CAS# Delay: 4
RAS# Precharge: 4
RAS# Activate to Precharge: 9
TWR: 3
TRFC: 25
TWTR: 3
TRRD: 3
TRTP: 8
DRAM Static Read Control: AUTO

Transaction Booster: AUTO
Boost Level: (only displays when Transaction Booster is set to Disable or Enabled)
Clock Over-Charging Mode: AUTO

CPU Spread Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled

CPU Voltage: 1.5375
CPU Voltage Reference: AUTO
CPU Voltage Damper: Enabled
CPU PLL Voltage: 1.5
DRAM Voltage: 2.45
FSB Termination Voltage: 1.40
North Bridge Voltage: 1.55
North Bridge Voltage Reference: x0.61
South Bridge Voltage: 1.2

Advance CPU Settings
CPU Ratio Control: Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting: 9
C1E Suppport: Disabaled
Max CPUID Value Limit: Disabaled
Vanderpool Technology: Disabaled
CPU TM Function: Disabaled
Execute Disable Bit: Disabaled
PECI: Enabled

USB Configuration
USB Functions: Enabled
Legacy USB Support: Disabled (need to enable it to detect USB flash drives)

09:28 PM

Okay can confirm 0404 bios has been tweaked with tighter latencies and more bandwidth that 0311/0403 bios.

With the below settings memtest86+ v1.70 reported bandwidth for the bioses are as follows:

0311 bios = 6015 MB/s
0403 bios = 6012 MB/s
0404 bios = 6250 MB/s <-- unstable for me at below settings errors in memtest which I assume is why bios hangs with the below settings. Tried disabling DDRAM Static read or setting sub timings at AUTO and made no difference. Raising NB volts from 1.55v to 1.70 helped lessent memtest86+ v1.70 test #5 errors but still they existed.

I flashed back to 0311 bios and same settings below are again stable for me. So I guess i'd need to loose subtimings more on 0404 bios to get things stable - I wonder if it will effect max memory clocking frequency though with 0404 bios versus previous bioses ?

Update: with 0311 bios and below settings i changed TRTP: from 8 to 3 and memtest86+ v1.70 reports 6249 MB/s bandwidth now close to that of 0404 bios but it's stable in memtest86+ v1.70 so far. I'd probably stick with 0311 bios for this reason

JumperFree Configuration Settings
AI Overclocking: Manual
CPU Ratio Control: Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting: 9
FSB Strap to Northbridge: AUTO
FSB Frequency: 400
PCI-E Frequency: 100
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-1200
DRAM Command Rate: 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency: 4
RAS# to CAS# Delay: 4
RAS# Precharge: 4
RAS# Activate to Precharge: 9
TWR: 3
TRFC: 25
TWTR: 3
TRRD: 3
TRTP: 8
DRAM Static Read Control: AUTO

Transaction Booster: AUTO
Boost Level: (only displays when Transaction Booster is set to Disable or Enabled)
Clock Over-Charging Mode: AUTO

CPU Spread Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled

CPU Voltage: 1.5375
CPU Voltage Reference: AUTO
CPU Voltage Damper: Enabled
CPU PLL Voltage: 1.5
DRAM Voltage: 2.45
FSB Termination Voltage: 1.40
North Bridge Voltage: 1.55
North Bridge Voltage Reference: x0.61
South Bridge Voltage: 1.2

Advance CPU Settings
CPU Ratio Control: Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting: 9
C1E Suppport: Disabaled
Max CPUID Value Limit: Disabaled
Vanderpool Technology: Disabaled
CPU TM Function: Disabaled
Execute Disable Bit: Disabaled
PECI: Enabled

USB Configuration
USB Functions: Enabled
Legacy USB Support: Disabled (need to enable it to detect USB flash drives)

22-06-2007, 11:01 PM #6 (**permalink**)

so 0403 the best right now ??

22-06-2007, 11:09 PM #7 (**permalink**)

I like 0311.. 0403 NB strap doesn't do much besides manually set what 0311 does automatically.

I tried manually set 266FSB Strap @500FSB and no boot in 0403 just like 0311 bios.. so right now I don't think it does much at all.

For folks not into tuning there sub timings extensively, 0403 or even 0404 bios is fine to use but if you tune your sub timings in 0311 you get the same.

Flashed back to 0311 and dropped sub timings to 3-30-3-3-6 for 6249MB/s memtest bandwidth and this result

0311 bios = 13m 12.469s

It's all very close once you're manually tweaking subtimings just a matter of getting the best stable oc's and for me that is on 0311 or 0403 bios.

29-06-2007, 04:36 PM #8 (**permalink**)

My question:
Is 0404 the best bios ever released for these sweet mobo