Shuttle XPC SZ68R5

VRM area hits 55c after 1/2 hour of Prim 95 at load. Measured with an external temp probe with case off and my little fan disconected. With the fan the temp drops to 40c

Temps are now reported as normal. I was using the CPU intergrated graphics when the values seemed rather low. Now i have put my seperate graphics card back in the temps are where I would expect them. Idle at about 30c 1/2 of Prime at about 75c

Think I will still knock the voltages back and run at 4.8GHz for normal use, i'm not sure its sensible to run at 5GHz and I doubt its as stable as I like to think it is... but its so nice to be able to do these high clocks for fun.
 
Digikid said:
May I ask how you are mounting that 50mm for the VRM area? Sounds interesting.
Click to expand...

Its a fractal 50mm and I just put 2 bolts through the bottom 2 corners and pushed them into the VRM heatsink so they just grip enough. So the fan pulls air from the side over the VRM heatsink. It woks well as its about the height of the case cover holes.
 
Is the heatsink on the PCH deep enough to attach a 40mm or 50mm fan with screws?
 
SX68R5_2600K@5100MHz_SuperPi1M.png

SX68R5_2600K@5200MHz_SuperPi1M.png

SX68R5_2600K@5300MHz_SuperPi1M.png
 
simonmaltby said:
Yes and it works well. SATA 2 speeds only though. I have a 60GB OCK Nocti drive running as a cache for a 1TB mechanical drive using RST and its excellent.
Click to expand...

Off topic but I heard those Noctis run QUITE hot. Something to consider when in a SFF. Simon what is your take on that matter?
 
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Digikid said:
Off topic but I heard those Noctis run QUITE hot. Something to consider when in a SFF. Simon what is your take on that matter?
Click to expand...

Yes I agree its hot to the touch but has not caused any problems. I've not looked at the reported temperature in windows, if indeed there is one, but based on the fact that its been running smoothly for several months I'm not concerned at all.
 
so far, the most frustrating thing about this box is the internal usb 3.0 header cables...i don't have my video card yet but it seems like it's going to be in the way of the pcie slot. i've managed to get the cables bent under the drive cage but this was a really poor design choice by shuttle. it wouldn't be so bad if the cable was just a bit shorter.
 
rorrim180 said:
so far, the most frustrating thing about this box is the internal usb 3.0 header cables...i don't have my video card yet but it seems like it's going to be in the way of the pcie slot. i've managed to get the cables bent under the drive cage but this was a really poor design choice by shuttle. it wouldn't be so bad if the cable was just a bit shorter.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the USB3.0 cable could be just a hair shorter, but honest, it's not all that bad once you get it sort twisted in the right direction. It tucks right out of the way. However, the SATA port right by the PCIe16 slot is awfully close and with the cables I'm using (not the stock ones) they have to be pushed out of the way for the GPU to seat properly. But no biggie. The curse of SFF I guess.
 
In my experince all USB3.0 motherboard cables are QUITE stiff and hard to manage.
 
No luck with my RAM, unfortunately. Even after updating the BIOS.



Stress testing the CPU at the moment, waiting on the last piece of the puzzle that I just ordered today. PNY Geforce 680. :D
Running an i7 2600
16GB (2x 8) RAM Crucial Ballistix Tactical (should be @ 1600 8/8/8/24 but the BIOS isn't quite there yet, I guess).
2x Intel 520 180GB (Cherryville) SSDs in RAID0. TRIM support for RAID0 should be out within the next month or two from Intel (RST 11.5) so I decided to just go with it now.
No optical drive because I'm done with rotating/mechanical media. I keep an external USB drive on the odd occasion I'll need it.
I picked up a wire clip from radio shack to tie off all of the power cables not in use to clean things up a bit. I think it worked out nicely.
Overall, I'm very impressed with this box. Can't wait to get the video card inside of it.

jXMMo.jpg


CgAdV.jpg
 
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Yeah, I remember Shuttle including those clips on their older model barebones boxes and figured it would work out nicely. Just be careful you don't apply it over the three vent slots on the underside of the power supply.

RadioShack Adhesive-Backed Jumbo Wire Clips, 3 Pack
Part 278-1641

Digikid,

I think I remember you, same handle on Sudhian, right?
 
Yup. That would be me.

Yeah I remember how on my old SN45G there was a clear plastic clip on the bottom of the cage that would hold wires .
 
simonmaltby said:
SX68R5_2600K@5100MHz_SuperPi1M.png

SX68R5_2600K@5200MHz_SuperPi1M.png

SX68R5_2600K@5300MHz_SuperPi1M.png
Click to expand...


That is not by any means stable, and you really need to push it more to see temps. Since the cooling on a Shuttle is hardly amazing, that thing will reach the envelope and throttle / shut down, gauranteed, at those volts and with the shuttle cooling.
 
ShuttleLuv said:
That is not by any means stable, and you really need to push it more to see temps. Since the cooling on a Shuttle is hardly amazing, that thing will reach the envelope and throttle / shut down, gauranteed, at those volts and with the shuttle cooling.
Click to expand...

Indeed. 5.3 is far from stable and wat too high on volts.
5.0GHz is ok though using 1.48v under full load. I can run Prime95 ok - tried 1 hour at 5.GHz but i will stick at 4.8GHz for day to day use I think.

rorrim180 said:
No luck with my RAM, unfortunately. Even after updating the BIOS.
Click to expand...

I really cant recall if it was only once I selected XMP profile in the bios that it worked for me - maybe the Auto did not... The selection was only available after I modded the bios.
I think Shuttle are getting closer though... should not be too long before they get it sorted properly - I hope.
 
Yeah, SuperPi doesn't get temps that high. For example, mine (not a shuttle) hits ~50c on SuperPi, but ~60c on Prime95, and even reaches the low 70s with IBT, which I've always found cranks the heat up the most.
 
I fail to see how the shuttle cooling can run a Sandy at 5.0 at 1.48v at anything acceptable under prime, when it doesn't even do that most of the time with a $35 dedicated cooler.
 
simonmaltby said:
I really cant recall if it was only once I selected XMP profile in the bios that it worked for me - maybe the Auto did not... The selection was only available after I modded the bios.
I think Shuttle are getting closer though... should not be too long before they get it sorted properly - I hope.
Click to expand...

Oh, I thought the option for XMP was available with the unmodded 2.01 update. There isn't an option to select XMP profile in the BIOS, unfortunately.
 
simonmaltby said:
Would be happy to share but before I do I want to do a couple of things...
1. Speak to shuttle about a few quirks with the 201 bios (non modded)... i have problems running some DOS applications and get lockups in the bios from time to time. I can't instal windows XP for example and this is a worry because if it locks while flashing then we are in trouble.

2. Let me create a cleaned up version. I have unlocked about 150 extra functions (most will not do anything) but there are actually only a few we need.

With regards temps...
another slight worry is that the reported CPU temps and power use in windows (i use real temp, but the values seem much the same in other applications) seem very low. my idle CPU temps are 16-25c and Prime95 at 5GHz is only just in the 70's with the fans not on full. I would say the CPU feels cool and the air comming out the back does not feel hotter than the temps would suggest, but it is a concern. With regards power, real temp only reports 97-102w running Prime95 at 5GHz and I know i was seeing 110w at 4.8GHz with the previous bios... so again something is odd.

The temp queries are probably a symptom of the IB changes, but again I want to speak to Shuttle.

The VRM area seems fine. I will get a temp probe in there in the next day or two. I currently have a 50mm fan on the VRM heatsink but as I say the area feels no hotter than before.

Finally... did a bit more playing and was able to boot to windows at 5.4GHz with all the voltages (except ram related) to the max, but could not run SuperPi. I can, however run Super-Pi at 5.3GHz - this is comparable to speed I can achieve with the CPU in a desktop P67 board.... so its basically the CPU's limit.
Click to expand...

My experience with modding the 201 bios so far :
The RAM presets work for G.skill Ares 32Gb 1866, all 32G runs 1866 with
stock voltage (1.5) :)

Manually configuring RAM was a near disaster... next click up was 2133 which
I thought I would experiment with, box did not boot, and CMOS clear
(button on chassis rear) did not reset mem timing to BIOS defaults! :( To get it
going I took out all but one stick, luckily it booted and I then cleared out the
RAM myself to defaults. It is a big problem if hardware CMOS clear does
not reset the BIOS to all defaults; one bad config and you could lock out the
box for good and need to send for a new BIOS chip.

I get intermittent freeze-ups while in the BIOS and flaky behavior with DOS,
which I use to flash the bios, my Seagate Seatools DOS disk wouldn't recognize
keyboard with new BIOS.

Linux 3.3 (or 2.8) does not show the correct clock frequency any more, it
pegs at 3.3GHz for the i7 2700k I have, to see the right clock frequency it
is necessary to use "turbostat". This did not happen on previous bios. The
clock frequency is correctly shown in Win7 though.

I can't stop my i7 2700k from clock rate limiting :( ... I tried boosting the current
limit box (in modded bios) but it didn't seem to help and the other two power
limit adjustments (right under the multiplier setting) seem to be hard-limited
so they can't be increased. It runs at 4.6GHz with Prime95 for a short time
then backs down to 4.2 or so (all voltages default). I have the Asetek cooler
and all stock voltages with all temps <70C so I don't think it is hitting a
thermal wall. I didn't see the Thermal adjusts present in the previous bios
using AMIBCP 4.50.0.23, just some current limit adjusts.
 
Just a question but has anyone thought of lapping their coolers? Both Asetek and Shuttle coolers?

Shuttle came today. :D
 
You sure you raised the MAX TDP from 95w to 120+w?
With my modded 104 I run Prime95 with all 4 cores at 4.6ghz for hours on end.

altreality said:
I can't stop my i7 2700k from clock rate limiting :( ... I tried boosting the current
limit box (in modded bios) but it didn't seem to help and the other two power
limit adjustments (right under the multiplier setting) seem to be hard-limited
so they can't be increased. It runs at 4.6GHz with Prime95 for a short time
then backs down to 4.2 or so (all voltages default). I have the Asetek cooler
and all stock voltages with all temps <70C so I don't think it is hitting a
thermal wall. I didn't see the Thermal adjusts present in the previous bios
using AMIBCP 4.50.0.23, just some current limit adjusts.
Click to expand...
 
altreality said:
My experience with modding the 201 bios so far :
The RAM presets work for G.skill Ares 32Gb 1866, all 32G runs 1866 with
stock voltage (1.5) :)

Manually configuring RAM was a near disaster... next click up was 2133 which
I thought I would experiment with, box did not boot, and CMOS clear
(button on chassis rear) did not reset mem timing to BIOS defaults! :( To get it
going I took out all but one stick, luckily it booted and I then cleared out the
RAM myself to defaults. It is a big problem if hardware CMOS clear does
not reset the BIOS to all defaults; one bad config and you could lock out the
box for good and need to send for a new BIOS chip.

I get intermittent freeze-ups while in the BIOS and flaky behavior with DOS,
which I use to flash the bios, my Seagate Seatools DOS disk wouldn't recognize
keyboard with new BIOS.

Linux 3.3 (or 2.8) does not show the correct clock frequency any more, it
pegs at 3.3GHz for the i7 2700k I have, to see the right clock frequency it
is necessary to use "turbostat". This did not happen on previous bios. The
clock frequency is correctly shown in Win7 though.

I can't stop my i7 2700k from clock rate limiting :( ... I tried boosting the current
limit box (in modded bios) but it didn't seem to help and the other two power
limit adjustments (right under the multiplier setting) seem to be hard-limited
so they can't be increased. It runs at 4.6GHz with Prime95 for a short time
then backs down to 4.2 or so (all voltages default). I have the Asetek cooler
and all stock voltages with all temps <70C so I don't think it is hitting a
thermal wall. I didn't see the Thermal adjusts present in the previous bios
using AMIBCP 4.50.0.23, just some current limit adjusts.
Click to expand...

I get the same lockups in bios and some DOS applications dont run - you can't install windows XP for example. I have informed Shuttle of this.

I will check which setting it is you change... the 201 is all different there is no setting for limits.... Here you go... in the CPU Configuration there is a setting called IA Core Current Max(1/8 Amps)... in one of the Bios mod files I renamed and can't remember what to DOH but it starts IA - I have set this to 1250 and that seems to do the trick.

I think the lockups in bios and dos might be USB related, but await Shuttle's response.
Because i'm messing with the bioses all the time I have a spare chip so I can always recover although the 201 is the first file that sucessfully flashes to a spare chip, but at least i'm safe now. Worth getting one, mine was about £8 in the UK

Oh finally, I find that if the Ram gets messed up taking the power out for a minute or two causes a hard reset on next boot and it seems to sort itself out... so I do cmos clear then take the mains lead out for a minute or two before booting back up. I expect removing the cmos battery would do the same.
 
uunut said:
You sure you raised the MAX TDP from 95w to 120+w?
With my modded 104 I run Prime95 with all 4 cores at 4.6ghz for hours on end.
Click to expand...

I couldnt find the short/long term TDP settings in the new bios. But even with the modded 104 bios my 2700k would back off clock under Prime95 when I had bumped to the TDP settings as recommended by Simon. I'm starting to wonder if there was a change made to 2700k vs 2600k as I noticed you also have 2600k.
 
simonmaltby said:
I get the same lockups in bios and some DOS applications dont run - you can't install windows XP for example. I have informed Shuttle of this.

I will check which setting it is you change... the 201 is all different there is no setting for limits.... Here you go... in the CPU Configuration there is a setting called IA Core Current Max(1/8 Amps)... in one of the Bios mod files I renamed and can't remember what to DOH but it starts IA - I have set this to 1250 and that seems to do the trick.

I think the lockups in bios and dos might be USB related, but await Shuttle's response.
Because i'm messing with the bioses all the time I have a spare chip so I can always recover although the 201 is the first file that sucessfully flashes to a spare chip, but at least i'm safe now. Worth getting one, mine was about £8 in the UK

Oh finally, I find that if the Ram gets messed up taking the power out for a minute or two causes a hard reset on next boot and it seems to sort itself out... so I do cmos clear then take the mains lead out for a minute or two before booting back up. I expect removing the cmos battery would do the same.
Click to expand...

I modded the IA current limit but only to 1000.... I will try boosting it to 1250 and see what happens. The numbers don't add up power wise... 1250 would be 156 amps at say 1.35V or 210W TDP. The TDP shouldn't rise that much going from 3.5GHz to to 4.6GHz, direct scale on 95W gives 125W which should easily be covered by 1000/8 = 125 amps.

Thanks for the recovery tips... I did try unplugging the whole thing (unplug, hit CMOS reset, plug back in) but I didn't wait 1 minute ... maybe some cap is keeping a dynamic memory cell alive somewhere which needs to decay. That is very good to know. At least I found out the hard way I can't go to 2133 with my 1866 memory @1.5V. I really like this little rig, thanks for all the tips and reviews you have posted over the last couple months..
 
I have a 2700k also with 16gig of G.SKILL Ripjaws X 1600 memory and asetek cooler. I put the multiplier on 45 and it will start prime at 4.5 but slows to 3.9 then 3.8. Stock bios and memory won't run faster then 1333.
 
5isalive said:
I have a 2700k also with 16gig of G.SKILL Ripjaws X 1600 memory and asetek cooler. I put the multiplier on 45 and it will start prime at 4.5 but slows to 3.9 then 3.8. Stock bios and memory won't run faster then 1333.
Click to expand...

Actually the stock 104 bios ran my current ripjaws at 1600, not the kingston though... Still on the modified 104 right now, running at 4.6g/1600ddr3, but mem clocks at cl11. Waiting to do the modded 201 until stability issues resolved. Would love to hit cl8 on my ripjaws as they should.
 
No dice on upping IA current limit in Bios 201 to 1250 with my 2700k... some governor appears to be kicking in and limiting it to 4.2 to 4.4 on Prime95 and 3.6 to 3.8 on Linpack, power draw is kept somewhere in the regime of 95W by the governor. Not that such a stress load is that important for typical usage, but it makes it impossible to do reliable stability testing at the max overclock multiplier (I'm currently using 46 at stock voltage).
 
altreality said:
No dice on upping IA current limit in Bios 201 to 1250 with my 2700k... some governor appears to be kicking in and limiting it to 4.2 to 4.4 on Prime95 and 3.6 to 3.8 on Linpack, power draw is kept somewhere in the regime of 95W by the governor. Not that such a stress load is that important for typical usage, but it makes it impossible to do reliable stability testing at the max overclock multiplier (I'm currently using 46 at stock voltage).
Click to expand...

I'm really busy for the new couple of days but will try and take another look on Saturday and see if i'm missing passing something on. It is possible that its the 2700K over the 2600K but i'm not convinced.
 
simonmaltby said:
I'm really busy for the new couple of days but will try and take another look on Saturday and see if i'm missing passing something on. It is possible that its the 2700K over the 2600K but i'm not convinced.
Click to expand...

I think the problem is related to the Power 1 and Power 2 limit values, in the new BIOS I believe these are the long term and short term power limits. The new 201 bios limits Power 1 to a range of 380 to 760 (1/8 watt) -> 47.5W to 95W which I theorize is long-term power limit, and Power 2 to a range of 475 to 950 (1/8 watt) -> 60W to 120W which I guess is short-term power limit. I haven't found a way to override the limits above 95W/120W through AMIBCP interface.
 
altreality said:
I think the problem is related to the Power 1 and Power 2 limit values, in the new BIOS I believe these are the long term and short term power limits. The new 201 bios limits Power 1 to a range of 380 to 760 (1/8 watt) -> 47.5W to 95W which I theorize is long-term power limit, and Power 2 to a range of 475 to 950 (1/8 watt) -> 60W to 120W which I guess is short-term power limit. I haven't found a way to override the limits above 95W/120W through AMIBCP interface.
Click to expand...

The only other thing that I changed was the PLL overide to enabled... i'm sure its just the IA and PLL that I changed... as you say nothing else worked. Ah hang on... I did do some other things that were very deep in the bios.... let me think.

Try PLL while i'm checking... will have a look now
 
Right the things I changed deep in the bios have no effect.

then I remembered something else I tried, but had forgotten about.
When I amended the bios i set default valued for power limit 1 an 2 (in the Frequency / voltage) I set them both to 1000 for both failsafe and optimised.

I assumed they had not worked as the bios still shows the 760 and 950 values, but maybe its that which is actually working.

My only other thought is if your 2700K is hotter or your cooling lesser (i'm on water) and you are hitting a temperature throttle.
 
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