ASRock 939Dual-SATA2

Well I'm in the same boat as an earlier poster having the new 3200+ E4 Stepping and the 1.20 bios. It seems I'll have to wait until ASRock opens on January 3rd before I can get a bios chip from them. Anyone know someone else that sells bios recovery. I did install things correctly and the memory was seen in dual channel,

Krankknot
 
Finally flashed my BIOS to 1.50 on the 24th, and it's running fine with my 3200+ now. Woo. :D
 
So now you just take out the bios while your pc is running, Place it in the mail, then I can flash mine. Actually I ordered a bios from Biosman.com, so I'll see how that goes.

KrankKnot, still 32-bit
 
wee96 said:
Anyone have it? How do you like it? I currently have the Abit UL8 but am dissapointed at its lack of overclockability and having an AGP card at the moment, I would need the AGP slot. I like being able to upgrade to PCIe later as well, so it seems to be the best thing I could get and its cheap. Ive read a bit about it and just wondered everyones opinions (especially those who HAVE it :) ).
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Best board under $70. I like it. AGP, PCI-E, AM2, unbelievable. 3200+ DH-E3 at 2.68ghz with no mods but hacked BIOS

Sound is bad, RAID is bad, IRQs are a nighmare. I love it.
 
Does anyone know of a shop that is shipping these boards with 1.3 Bios or higher?

I want to order an x2 or Opteron with 2mb cache today but don't want to have to order a bios chip since I don't have any old 939 chips to flash with. I'm still using an AGP x800xl so I can't afford a better/newer motherboard that supports these cpus out of the box.

Thanks
 
Well, I got my board up the other day without too much trouble. Only problems I had were related to the fact that I was replacing a dead board on an existing install of win xp. Computer got up to the login screen and seemed to lock up. Took me a while to realize that my install probably didn't have the new USB controller installed to be able to recognize my keyboard and mouse, which I find amusing because the bios has no trouble with it. After I connected the ps/2 adapter it was no worries.

And a Windows based flash utility? Can I finally pitch my floppy drive?!?

Seems faster than the same system on my MSI (only thing I changed was the mobo)....I think I'm in love... :D
 
I just downloaded SysTool.. It can OC in Windows. Set to ICS952505 and it is working!

Memory timings, CPU clocks, GPU clock, voltage and temps, I like this.

It's real easy to crash with. You still need to know the limits. May be able to get a little better max OC after loading Windows.

AsRock has Windows based BIOS flashing downlaods on the site. Use OCWbeta for HTT over 270 or so.
 
Ok, I just got this board and now I need help. My 2 biggest questions are this:

1. What chip is being used for ethernet? Does the ULI Integrated 2.13 driver set have the ethernet driver in it, or must I get the newest version from some other vendor like Realtek?

2. I came from an nvidia chipset, where their IDE driver would install and tell me my SATA drives were running in SATA 150 mode. Well when I formatted this board and installed the ULI 2.13 drivers, it didn't install any special IDE driver that verifies it is running my SATA drive in SATA 150 mode. Must I used some other special driver to get this?? I am not running RAID, just SATA harddrives.


I also am suffering from BSOD related to the NV4display and Win32k.sys. Is RAM the probable cause? I have 2 GEIL 512mb sticks with Hynix chips running at 400mhz 2-3-3-6. Any suggestions?
 
Gabe323 said:
Does anyone know of a shop that is shipping these boards with 1.3 Bios or higher?

I want to order an x2 or Opteron with 2mb cache today but don't want to have to order a bios chip since I don't have any old 939 chips to flash with. I'm still using an AGP x800xl so I can't afford a better/newer motherboard that supports these cpus out of the box.

Thanks
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Mine came with 1.20 and is running a 175 just fine!
 
mICKEL said:
I just downloaded SysTool.. It can OC in Windows. Set to ICS952505 and it is working!

Memory timings, CPU clocks, GPU clock, voltage and temps, I like this.

It's real easy to crash with. You still need to know the limits. May be able to get a little better max OC after loading Windows.

AsRock has Windows based BIOS flashing downlaods on the site. Use OCWbeta for HTT over 270 or so.
Click to expand...


Hey thanks for sharing that ^_^ a64 tool didnt provide htt access. Least I dont think it did.
 
The BIOS version on my 939Dual-Sata is at 1.20 right now. If I choose to update it, should I go one update at a time, or go straight from 1.20 to 1.50?

The only reason I'd like to go straight to 1.50 is that 1.30 and so on aren't Windows based updates, so I'll have to remove my sound card to access the floppy drive connector on the mobo (a real crappy design choice/limitation on this board).
 
Volume said:
The BIOS version on my 939Dual-Sata is at 1.20 right now. If I choose to update it, should I go one update at a time, or go straight from 1.20 to 1.50?

The only reason I'd like to go straight to 1.50 is that 1.30 and so on aren't Windows based updates, so I'll have to remove my sound card to access the floppy drive connector on the mobo (a real crappy design choice/limitation on this board).
Click to expand...
Winflash 1.5 if you need it.
 
Volume said:
:confused:
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By winflash, i mean use the windows flasher utility, i thought it was called winflash, but i haven't used it. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Niloc said:
By winflash, i mean use the windows flasher utility, i thought it was called winflash, but i haven't used it. Sorry for the confusion.
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But you're saying I can go straight from 1.2 to 1.5 without a problem?
 
Volume said:
But you're saying I can go straight from 1.2 to 1.5 without a problem?
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Exactly. It's just going to program a binary file on the BIOS chip, the version on the chip is irrelevant. Why do you want to update your BIOS?
 
Niloc said:
Exactly. It's just going to program a binary file on the BIOS chip, the version on the chip is irrelevant. Why do you want to update your BIOS?
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I'm aware that BIOS updates aren't recommended if there's no good reason, but I want to make sure I'm getting the latest improvements to my motherboard. In addition, I've been having occasional stability problems in games. I already tested my memory, graphics, and cpu.

I'll go ahead and flash to 1.5 right now.

Cool, so the update worked flawlessly. Now, I'm just having trouble with one thing... I have only one hard drive in my system. That is a SATA drive (Raptor 74gb). I'm not running any RAID, but in the SATA bios options I have to specify my setup as RAID. Picking non-RAID makes the startup hang after detecting IDE devices (trying to detect SATA).
 
Anyone else having slight stutter problems in Quake 4 with this board? I just re-installed windows so I could install the ULi AGP reference driver and that fixed up 99% of issues. When I play Quake 4 the framerate is fantastic, but there is a slight intermittant pausing (approx every .25 secs) I didnt notice the same effect in Black and White 2 so it could possibly be an OpenGL thing. The pausing is very noticable in the intro sequence of Quake 4 where all the debris is floating through space etc. I have tried changing the AGP speed to 4x, changing the aperture size, switching fast-write on/off, changing memory timings. Anyone got an idea of what could be causing it? My specs are as follows:

AMD 4800 x2 @ 2.4ghz
2gb OCZ EL Gold Edition 3200 2-2-2-5
Asrock 939Dual-Sata2 rev 1.04 BIOS 1.50
Pixelview 6800GT 256mb AGP (81.98)
2x80gb Seagate SATA
SoundBlaster X-Fi XtremeMusic
Windows XP Pro SP2
 
Volume said:
I'm aware that BIOS updates aren't recommended if there's no good reason, but I want to make sure I'm getting the latest improvements to my motherboard. In addition, I've been having occasional stability problems in games. I already tested my memory, graphics, and cpu.

I'll go ahead and flash to 1.5 right now.

Cool, so the update worked flawlessly. Now, I'm just having trouble with one thing... I have only one hard drive in my system. That is a SATA drive (Raptor 74gb). I'm not running any RAID, but in the SATA bios options I have to specify my setup as RAID. Picking non-RAID makes the startup hang after detecting IDE devices (trying to detect SATA).
Click to expand...

One thing I've noticed with that on my system is that it seems to be picky about boot order and boot devices. If you don't have it in exactly the right order (and in non-raid mode I believe that device is listed as "3M DRIVE NAME" in the boot order list. I had to select it both in the boot order list and in the HDD order list for it to boot properly. On my system anyways.
 
Got my asrock today, installed my new opteron 144, my x800xtpe agp and a gig of ram. Powered on the system and watched as a diode beside the ram slots started to glow white hot then belch out smoke.

:mad:

Have to get in touch with the company i got it from tomorrow, last i checked they take 21 days for rma turnaround. :rolleyes:

Assuming i get this replaced, seeing as i have an opteron what exactly happens if the bios is an older version and doesn't support the opterons, will it still boot but detect it as a slower cpu or refuse to boot at all? Ive no other amd cpu's i could use if it refuses to boot with the opteron either. :(
 
Just a follow up on the on-board sound issues people have been experiencing. I didn't have any issues.... that is until I installed quicktime. I've had this board going for around 3 months now and the sound was flawless. Once I installed QT though there was all kinds of interference, Especially when the HDD's were being accessed. I then uninstalled QT and the problem is gone. I am back to having flawless sound. I'm not sure how having QT can influence a hardware flaw, but it is the problem. I've replicated it twice now. I'm looking into a QT alternative player now to see if it is only QT or something to do with the apple file formats??? I'll post if I figure anything out.
 
Chris_B said:
Got my asrock today, installed my new opteron 144, my x800xtpe agp and a gig of ram. Powered on the system and watched as a diode beside the ram slots started to glow white hot then belch out smoke.

:mad:

Have to get in touch with the company i got it from tomorrow, last i checked they take 21 days for rma turnaround. :rolleyes:

Assuming i get this replaced, seeing as i have an opteron what exactly happens if the bios is an older version and doesn't support the opterons, will it still boot but detect it as a slower cpu or refuse to boot at all? Ive no other amd cpu's i could use if it refuses to boot with the opteron either. :(
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that sucks. my buddy just got his 3500+ and when it booted up.. it just gave him a message that it was an "unknown revision" and needed to be updated. I took his bios chip (was easier than taking out my cpu fan) and flashed it for him.

I don't think it would burn anything up though if it didn't support the chip. hmm
 
Im having warm boot issues, board will freeze up if I do an OS restart, or button reset, I have to cold boot to get it going.
 
Chris_B said:
Got my asrock today, installed my new opteron 144, my x800xtpe agp and a gig of ram. Powered on the system and watched as a diode beside the ram slots started to glow white hot then belch out smoke.

:mad:

Have to get in touch with the company i got it from tomorrow, last i checked they take 21 days for rma turnaround. :rolleyes:

Assuming i get this replaced, seeing as i have an opteron what exactly happens if the bios is an older version and doesn't support the opterons, will it still boot but detect it as a slower cpu or refuse to boot at all? Ive no other amd cpu's i could use if it refuses to boot with the opteron either. :(
Click to expand...

The stock bios (1.20) recognized my 144 as an opteron right away. I still flashed to the 1.50 though, just because I like to run the most current versions of everything.
 
HELLO, I've had this motherboard since it came out, I bought 1gig of patriot memory PEP1G3200LL, Now i just bought another stick to make dual channel. It boots to 2-3-2-5 and shows dual channel, but now my games randomly crash, and weird things make me crash, like as soon as i hit the print button, and sometimes as soon as i start a game. Ive tried switching the Sticks to the other slots, and that didnt work. So i took the new stick OUT, and now it runs fine and back to normal..... but when it does work in dual channel mode, its very fast and i can notice a difference.... Can someome please tell me what i should test next?
Thanks.
 
i havent read all the way thru yet but is it true that you can use the AGP but you cannot use any of the PCI slots for say a sound card?
ive heard this and it makes no sense.
Ive got a MSI K8N NEO2 Platinum that will be in my next build..and well this board is looking good as well now :) should I dump the MSI?
I dont have a CPU yet..not till next week (payday)
 
i havent read all the way thru yet but is it true that you can use the AGP but you cannot use any of the PCI slots for say a sound card?
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You can use the PCI slots when an AGP card is installed with no major problems. The main gripe is that there isnt a lot of space between the AGP and PCI slots. I have my soundcard installed in the last PCI slot and havent had any temp problems. The floppy connecter is right next to the PCI slot and makes for a tight fit too. There is no real reason you cant use the PCI slots with AGP card installed.
 
codymac said:
HELLO, I've had this motherboard since it came out, I bought 1gig of patriot memory PEP1G3200LL, Now i just bought another stick to make dual channel. It boots to 2-3-2-5 and shows dual channel, but now my games randomly crash, and weird things make me crash, like as soon as i hit the print button, and sometimes as soon as i start a game. Ive tried switching the Sticks to the other slots, and that didnt work. So i took the new stick OUT, and now it runs fine and back to normal..... but when it does work in dual channel mode, its very fast and i can notice a difference.... Can someome please tell me what i should test next?
Thanks.
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Well, i figured my problem out. When i set my command rate to 2t, all is good and stable. That is strange, on 1t it is not stable at all. Oh well
 
I just got my bios chip and thus my 939Dual is together finally. I have most settings at default for now. I did set the memory to 1T and I crashed while indexing pictures with picassa. Just Corsair ValueSelect memory, so I was not shocked. My next battle is with my Audigy1 card. Does not seem to like any drivers. I can get the drivers from the Install Disc working (with no rears), but no updates will take. Going to try the Kx drivers next.

codymac said:
Well, i figured my problem out. When i set my command rate to 2t, all is good and stable. That is strange, on 1t it is not stable at all. Oh well
Click to expand...
 
Running an opteron 146 at stock speed settings ( 10 x 200 ) using mushkin level 1 ddr3200 ram. For one reason, the board had defaulted to the ddr133 speed setting instead of ddr200. I noticed that in CPU-Z, under the memory tab, it was listening my frequency as 100.0mhz( and FSB:DRAM as CPU/20 ) . I changed the ram setting in the bios to ddr200 but CPU-Z still reports the same value.

Getting terrible results in the SiSoft Sandra memory benchmarking tests.

Is there some sort of odd divider set? Memory is running in single channel mode (2x256 and 1x512 sticks) but I dont think that affects this?
 
turn off the flexible setting. setting it at ddr200 will make it 1:1 divider. so it should read 200mhz in cpu-z once u disable the flexible setting.
 
Aaah, the flexible setting. I tried disabling that but the pc wouldn't boot (well, I had no monitor output)

Does this mean my memory can't run at 1:1, or is it something else?

Cheers for the help :)
 
I'm having some weird problems. From what I've read, it may be due to the SATAII. Anyway, here goes.

Once I get into Windows, It's pretty stable. The problem is getting there. I usually have to hit the reset button several times to get in. I will get all kinds of weird stuff, here are a few examples:

1. It will get to the Windows loading screen, then go to a black screen and just stay there forever
2. Same as above but it will reboot itself
3. Go to a blue screen after the loading screen, with different codes.
4. Get to the Windows login screen, but give me errors when I try to log in, i.e. "such and such isn't a registered component" or "the domain valhalla [my computer's name] could not be found"

My Opteron is at 2.6 right now, 237x11 with 1:1 ram. This ram is DDR500 so it's actually underclocked. I've stress tested the CPU and ran memtest for around 2 hours with no errors. My hard drive is on the SATAII channel and I've read there may be some problems about that.

I assumed it was just the SATAII causing weird boot problems, but now I went to play CS and it said I didn't have it installed and it needs to install. I was playing the game an hour ago, it was definitely installed. Also I'll get programs randomly crashing occasionally, mostly Firefox. It's not often enough to suspect it's more than just Microsoft's awesome OS.

Any ideas?

Edit: FYI, I'm using bios 1.4 that the board came with.
 
I'm running my board at 300HTT right now (memory set at 133 to equal 200MHz) and I don't have any stability issues with my WD 250GB drive on the SATA2 channel.

So you have your memory set to 1T? I had to set it to 2T to have it NOT reboot instantly whenever there was a large memory address happening. I lost about 1000MB/s on Sandra, but nothing else seems affected.

Also consider setting your CPU-NB Link Speed to 800MHz in the BIOS. That may be part of the problem.

Tim
 
MasterOfNone said:
So you have your memory set to 1T? I had to set it to 2T to have it NOT reboot instantly whenever there was a large memory address happening. I lost about 1000MB/s on Sandra, but nothing else seems affected.
Tim
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Im the same here, i my board crashes with 1t enabled with 2gb. It works with 1gb though.

Anybody using 2gb 1t on this board?
 
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