DFI NFII Ultra Infinity (arrgggh) (long read)

Sniper_Merc

Sniper_Merc

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
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Well, after having built a box for a friend with one I decided to break down and replace my Shuttle AN35 N 400 board with a DFI NFII Ultra Infinity. I really liked the CMOS reloaded function and I also intend to add in a pair of 36.7 gig raptors some time later this year so the onboard SATA will come in handy.

After initial startup with the board I wound up with one BSOD saying something along the lines of ***Hardware Failure ** ***Contact your hardware vendor for support**. I personally had never seen windows give a message like that so it made me wonder if it was the board actually producing the message. At any rate it wound up being the only BSOD I had experienced during the day so I ignored it.

Later on that night just as I was about to head for bed it happend again, and again, and again, and again. This was after managing to OC my Mobile 2600+ up to 2600 MHz on air at 200 FSB Synced with my ram which was also overclocked to 200 MHz (crucial pc 2700) Dropping the speed down to even bios defaults which picks up the CPU at 800 MHz failed to solve the problem, after two hours i got frustrated and went to bed. :mad:

Next morning (afternoon i guess) come out, turn it on set to 2600 MHz and run all damn day with it like that (go figure) no BSOD, not even an indication that there was a problem, after benching and playing Mech 4 Mercs all day I figured maybe it was just a fluke. Well right up untill I tried to go to bed (yes the fuckin gremlins were waiting for that point :rolleyes: ). Same damn shit started happening, could barely get into wiindows, and when I did it was only for a few seconds. After 4 or 5 more hours of dicking with it, pullin cards, swapin ram ETC ETC, I was at the fuck it stage it's goin back tomorrow :mad: . That was yesterday morning about 5 AM.

Get up at around 1 PM flip the puter on, runs perfectly for another 2 hours decided fuck it didnt want to dick with it again, took it back and got another one.

After some Initial problems with the latest Nforce IDE driver causing winders not to boot I finally get it running good at about 3 AM this morning, and getting all my stuff reinstalled. Fixed the lock on boot by just uninstalling only the Nforce IDE driver (4.24) and going back to the 3.13 driver.

So far im back up to 2500 MHz 166/166 @1.75 Vcore x15 multi 2.7 V on the ram and all is smooth.

Considering this is the first motherboard in 5 years of building my own computers that I had go bad right off the bat, I guess I should count myself lucky, but it certainly is a frustrating thing to have happen.

Going to cross post this on my site Snipershide And eventually I'll post up a review on the board. Pics some hardware info and other things on the site for your enjoyment as well ;)
 
good luck with that board... your gonna need it.... and then some...
 
That really sucks man. I have this same board, and I absolutely love it. I've been running my 2500+ at 2.2 Ghz for 3 months with no problems. Since you've been building for five years, I'm sure you've done all the obvious stuff, like installing Windows on a clean drive to see if the same thing happens.

But about the IDE driver, I wouldn't install it. I've worked with a few nforce 2 motherboards with various drives hooked up to them, and there are usually lots of problems with optical drives. My main problem is that I can't use any program that requires an aspi layer (And I do have one installed) after installing the Nvidia IDE driver. I just use the default Windows XP driver. It's annoying, but it works just fine. I don't understand how all the other mobo manufacturers write optimized IDE drivers that work well, but Nvidia can't. Oh well, good luck man.
 
I(illa Bee said:
good luck with that board... your gonna need it.... and then some...
Click to expand...

What's the problem with the Infinity? All I've heard about it is it OC's well with a stable high FSB. :confused:

Good luck with the next board.
 
I(illa Bee said:
good luck with that board... your gonna need it.... and then some...
Click to expand...
For that matter, good luck with any VIA or Nvidia chipset-based board...

For some reason, I cannot use any PCI slot other than the second and/or third PCI slots on my current system. I have problems with BSODing in the midst of surfing the Web, especially when I was trying to post a message in any forums, when I have any soundcard or networking card placed in either of the two bottommost PCI slots. Specifically, my soundcard doesn't like sharing the same IRQ as my graphics card (which the fourth PCI slot apparently does), while neither my soundcard nor my modem card doesn't like sharing the same IRQ as the built-in SATA controller on my Abit NF7-S V2 motherboard (which both the first and the fifth PCI slots do) with the onboard SATA controller enabled. (And all this is with APIC enabled in the BIOS.)

Also, the nForce IDE driver has serious issues with much CD/DVD burner software that requires an ASPI layer. If you have a CD or DVD burner, do not install the Nvidia SW driver; use the default Microsoft Windows IDE driver instead.

Arrgggh... All those problems with the two most popular brands of chipsets for AMD-based systems want to make me rip my computer apart and switch to the dark side (Intel, here I come)... :mad:
 
When getting those kind of IRQ conflicts head to the windows device manager and turn off ApCI and APIC then disable in the BIOS on the DFI's. Forces XP to reallocate the IRQ"S and drops the number from 24 to 16, but pretty much solves the IRQ sharing problems. You can also vist the OFFICIAL DFI forum @ www.dfi-street.com/forum (my home base) where it is run by actual DFI employees.
 
elts_drac said:
When getting those kind of IRQ conflicts head to the windows device manager and turn off ApCI and APIC then disable in the BIOS on the DFI's. Forces XP to reallocate the IRQ"S and drops the number from 24 to 16, but pretty much solves the IRQ sharing problems. You can also vist the OFFICIAL DFI forum @ www.dfi-street.com/forum (my home base) where it is run by actual DFI employees.
Click to expand...
On my board, there is no way of bypassing that. The IRQ sharing on my board is still there even in "legacy" PIC mode. It's a hardware (or more specifically, BIOS) issue.
 
E4g1e said:
On my board, there is no way of bypassing that. The IRQ sharing on my board is still there even in "legacy" PIC mode. It's a hardware (or more specifically, BIOS) issue.
Click to expand...

You can probalby bypass it manually and set it to a standard computer if you hit F2 i think it is during windows setup. Might be dif F key but there is a way to do it.
 
elts_drac said:
When getting those kind of IRQ conflicts head to the windows device manager and turn off ApCI and APIC then disable in the BIOS on the DFI's. Forces XP to reallocate the IRQ"S and drops the number from 24 to 16, but pretty much solves the IRQ sharing problems. You can also vist the OFFICIAL DFI forum @ www.dfi-street.com/forum (my home base) where it is run by actual DFI employees.
Click to expand...


Ahh thks for that linkage, been lookin for a good DFI forum ;)

At any rate, other than the one driver problem the board has stabilized very nicely over the last day of running, which I am quite happy with.

I may at some point reinstall XP just to see if I can get that one IDE driver to work properly.
 
The DFI's offer APIC & APCI in the bios as well as in windows. You can try disabling it in windows device manager because that isn't bios dependent. You can do a search @ dfi-street's forum and find more detailed instructions on how to do it. Ya might as well not waste your time on the Nvidia SW-IDE driver. It's a total POS and there is no fix other than to bypass the install and let XP use the std MS driver for it.

Drop by my home base @ dfi-street and say hi. It's a real friendly place with 3 DFI Factory Support Reps, including the original engineer who designed the mother board, and ATI R&D rep, a Buffalo Tech Memory rep and 3 OCZ reps. I have the same handle (elts_drac) but am also known as the Bios Savior because I imported a bunch of the DFI/NF7-S bios chips into the country to help my fellow OC'ers out.
 
RickyJ said:
What's the problem with the Infinity? All I've heard about it is it OC's well with a stable high FSB. :confused:

Good luck with the next board.
Click to expand...

yea there great for the advid overclcoker or person seeking high FSB... they do well with high fsb, but you have the keep the multiplyer low, and the CPU voltage low (sub 1.825) or all hell breack loose with voltage fulcation and stability will be damm near impossibel. I can run 245x9 100% stabel, (memory holds that back) but, what shoudl i do when my chip can do 2.7Ghz, It did on my NF7. you can mix high FSB and high Mutiplyer on that board... and the voltage problem sucks balls...just read over in the DFI section at AMDMB.com.... youll see...


elts_drac said:
When getting those kind of IRQ conflicts head to the windows device manager and turn off ApCI and APIC then disable in the BIOS on the DFI's. Forces XP to reallocate the IRQ"S and drops the number from 24 to 16, but pretty much solves the IRQ sharing problems. You can also vist the OFFICIAL DFI forum @ www.dfi-street.com/forum (my home base) where it is run by actual DFI employees.
Click to expand...

I found this problem with my RAID card...i just manuelly assinged it IRQ 9 in bios and everything was fine.
 
I wouldn't say that you can't run high multi's AND fsb on the dfi's. My partner ViperJohn is running @ 11 X 257 fsb 24/7 with no problems with adequate cooling and I know that at least several people are running close to 2v VCore. The thing is you can't take the health monitor data on voltages or temps as the gospel. When you put a DMM on the board, as long as you have an adequate PSU, the voltages are pretty much rock solid. And take what you hear @ AMDMB (www.pcper.com) with a grain of salt as there is a lot of hurt feelings and politicing going on after the DFI reps left to start their own forum. I am a proud member of both...Can't we all just get along? :D
 
elts_drac said:
I wouldn't say that you can't run high multi's AND fsb on the dfi's. My partner ViperJohn is running @ 11 X 257 fsb 24/7 with no problems with adequate cooling and I know that at least several people are running close to 2v VCore. The thing is you can't take the health monitor data on voltages or temps as the gospel. When you put a DMM on the board, as long as you have an adequate PSU, the voltages are pretty much rock solid. And take what you hear @ AMDMB (www.pcper.com) with a grain of salt as there is a lot of hurt feelings and politicing going on after the DFI reps left to start their own forum. I am a proud member of both...Can't we all just get along? :D
Click to expand...

i think the first infintyultraII baords were better than the laster ones...
 
There was a batch of boards produced in China that had some quality control issues, but DFI-USA has been very cool about fixing them free. I had a badly soldered socket and the entire RMA process was completed in a day and I got my board back the same week at no charge.
 
Just a minor update.

Had the Infinity board in for a few days now, back to running 2500 MHz and was even able to install the Nvidia IDE driver included in the 4.24 driver set.

All is good :)

shit, I shouldn't a said that.......... gremlins will start crawling outta the woodwork now :eek:
 
What bios are you using sniper_merc? Winflash 1.0 is great isnt it? (just be sure to use stock setting when you flash)

I wonder why so many people have "problems" with the DFI's.

I haven't had a single problem with my LP B. Never any problems flashing the bios, never any cold boot issues. I guess it comes down to the hardware combinations, luck and user error. :p

Reseting the cmos when it tells you the settings can't work shouldnt be that hard... It is the only jumper setting on the board.


I previously knocked on the sil3114 sata controller the DFI's use, but I now think the 3114 was a good choice.

Slightly less raid performance, 2 extra sata ports with raid... you can have all sata storage. Leaving ide open for one optical drive on each channel.

I recently got a raptor... 8.4ms access time really boosts performance in windows. Not quite scsi performance.... but close, for relatively cheap.

Post some mem and cpu bench scores from sandra and the like.

These boards really scream with bh5 at cas 2 2-2-2 11 at anything from 166-250fsb

I upgraded to a 1gb kit of ch5 from a 512mb kit of bh5. Even though the spd on the ch5 is 2 3 3 8 for pc3200 and 2.5 4 4 9 for pc3500, it runs well at 166x14 cas 2 2-3-2 6
 
I was using the only offical bios during initial setup and such, now using the beta 12-31-2003 with not noticeable differance.

I'm planning on a pair of Raptors in RAID 0 on main sys drive, that should make things smoke right along ;). It's what I put in the system that I built for a guy and XP installed in about 10 minutes.

I had heard about the BH5 chips working well with this board, not sure whats on my current PC 2700 other than its Micron/Samsung chips direct from Crucial.

Memory bandwidth is right where it should be running at stock pc 2700 speeds, this Crucial doesn't like clocking up much, even going to 3.0 on the ram failed to get me stable at anything above 172 FSB so I just leave it in sync at 166/166 x15 1.75 Vcore for now, 7,3,3, cas 2.5 which gets me 2469 Int Buffered and 2356 Float Buffered, bout 100 MB/s lower than CAS 2 ram.

Sandra Arithmetic is showing Dhrystone ALU 9434 Mips, Whetstone FPU 3921.
Multi-Media is showing Integer aEMMX/zSSE 23517 it/s, Floating-Point aSSE 24970

Nothing fantastic there but then again im not done tweakin either ;)
 
CSx-2011 said:
What bios are you using sniper_merc? Winflash 1.0 is great isnt it? (just be sure to use stock setting when you flash)

I wonder why so many people have "problems" with the DFI's.
Click to expand...


up your core to 1.9v and try to run prime, you will find the bigest problem.......im not sure about the LPb thought... jsut infinty..
 
I(illa Bee said:
up your core to 1.9v and try to run prime, you will find the bigest problem.......im not sure about the LPb thought... jsut infinty..
Click to expand...

check sig, Infinity with 1.9v...prime stable 24hours

Best AMD board i've ever owned or used...oc's awesomly, now i'm just waiting for DFI's 939 board so i can dump this A8V via POS :D
 
PureBooYah said:
check sig, Infinity with 1.9v...prime stable 24hours

Best AMD board i've ever owned or used...oc's awesomly, now i'm just waiting for DFI's 939 board so i can dump this A8V via POS :D
Click to expand...

lucky you.... seems to be a good one... mine is a peice of shit. I miss my Nf-7....
 
The Second Infinity board just died on me.............

It's going back for a refund, im putting my Shuttle AN35/N 400 back in, I've had enough with DFI.
 
It may not be dead...

Sometimes if the settings don't agree with the hardware, it will shut off with no beeping...

Try turning the power off at the PSU switch, wait until the caps run out of juice...

Use the cmos reset jumper. Leave it on the other set of pins for at least ten seconds...

Put the jumper back.

Try booting.

These boards are very stable... IF you learn the settings they like. Having one or two settings wrong will hose all the good settings...

If you consider keeping the DFI and have any bios questions, pm me.
 
My DFI infinty dose not have BIOS problems....its CPU votlage...

Its a fact that the IC that supplys votlage to the CPU is only desinged for 1.825v. DFI has applyed there own builting voltmod to allow the use of up to 2.0v. But anything past the rated 1.825 is unstabel. I belive that the mobels may be more affected by this, as my 2100+ seems to run pretty good at 1.95v but my 2400+M freacks out as soon at the votlage starts to jump. at 2.0v, my votlage in BIOS reads from 1.92v ~ 2.05v, avrages out at 1.95v.

Next weeekedn on my vaction i will be trying the voltmods Vald did over at Xtreme. hopefull this will stablize my votlages...

BIOS isnt bad at all i think, (expect for the coldboot thing, but the beta romstrip bios fixed it for me) just a poor power circut...
 
CSx-2011 said:
It may not be dead...

Sometimes if the settings don't agree with the hardware, it will shut off with no beeping...

Try turning the power off at the PSU switch, wait until the caps run out of juice...

Use the cmos reset jumper. Leave it on the other set of pins for at least ten seconds...

Put the jumper back.

Try booting.

These boards are very stable... IF you learn the settings they like. Having one or two settings wrong will hose all the good settings...

If you consider keeping the DFI and have any bios questions, pm me.
Click to expand...

The board is a gonner, no cmos reset, key combo, or magic would likely bring it back, I spent two hours trying to reset the cmos again and again, ensured the caps were discharged, trying cmos reloaded, etc etc etc. It's fucked.

The board is out and im back to using my Shuttle board now, booted right up at 2500 MHz, heck didnt even have to reinstall windows, tried letting it pick up on the old board and it installed everything on first boot, reboot and all is good now.

Guess I should not have bothered with DFI, I was just hoping for a board that would run at least as well as this shuttle has for the last 6 months. Oh well, se'la'vie'
 
The shuttles are nice... simple, stable and fast.

No soundstorm though.. If I didn't have a Sony DTS system, I probably would have gotten one of those.
 
CSx-2011 said:
The shuttles are nice... simple, stable and fast.

No soundstorm though.. If I didn't have a Sony DTS system, I probably would have gotten one of those.
Click to expand...

No soundstorm but with latest Nvidia Forcware drivers you do get the NV Mixer which was previously relugated to soundstorm only.

And im back up and running perfectly with the shuttle board now. I'm through with DFI untill they figure out how to make a motherboard that doesn't die so easily.
 
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