I've had about enough of this.

[wtf8269]

This is the buggiest, most difficult board to work with I've ever had in my life. I know DFI's are picky, but this is just crazy. New BIOSs are coming but I don't really see a big fix to solve all my problems (especially software related ones) anytime soon. It locks up during booting quite often (even at stock speeds), I can't get my sound working, random restarts (even at stock speeds), and many of my programs get random errors just to name a few. So I need a second opinion. Should I keep this board, and just tough it out and wait for a decent BIOS, RMA the board for another RDX200 in hopes that maybe I'll get a non-buggy one (if there is such a thing?), RMA the board for a DFI LP NF4 board, or RMA the board for some other brand of a board. (MSI, Abit, etc).

 

[Thermopylae_480]

Tough call. I personally like my Abit AA8, I have never had a problem with it and it overclocks really well. The μGuru utility is really handy. I imagine the boards for AMD processors are really similiar. You may have just gotten a bad board though, and I hear DFI boards are pretty decent.

 

[djbbenn]

Well hmm, the NF4 are a very good overclocking board and I can't say I have heard anything bad about them. The RDX200, well... I don't know, maybe they are just having a hell of time with bioses.

I would say give your board a little more time if you can, and then decide. Whether or not to get a different board well... I don't know. Do you plan on Crossfire? If not, maybe a NF4 will be a better choice.

-Dan

 

[wtf8269]

Yeah I forgot to mention that I have no plans for crossfire. I can't see myself spending another $xxx for an X1800XT master card. Which I don't think I have seen one yet anyway?

I would just like something that I can boot up, install Windows, install all my drivers, and everything will be hunky-dory. I don't think that's too much to ask. I'm okay with having a hard time OCing, that's the way these boards are with how many options they have. (I think.) But for everything else I'd like it to be nice and simple.

 

[Urlyin]

Yeah I forgot to mention that I have no plans for crossfire. I can't see myself spending another $xxx for an X1800XT master card. Which I don't think I have seen one yet anyway?

I would just like something that I can boot up, install Windows, install all my drivers, and everything will be hunky-dory. I don't think that's too much to ask. I'm okay with having a hard time OCing, that's the way these boards are with how many options they have. (I think.) But for everything else I'd like it to be nice and simple.

WTF8269 ... it can be a hassle and pain to RMA but if you are having this many issues I would RMA the board while it is still under warranty from the place you purchased it as opposed to sending it to DFI ... if that is still the case, another board would surely tell you if it's the BIOS or board. Hope you get it ironed out

 

[john57]

Sorry that you had many problems with your motherboard. I remember many Bios issues that I had with the Gigabyte board at one time. I just upgraded to a AND 64+ 2x processor from a Intel platform. I did had a problems with the power supplies and it took me three different power supplies to find on that even booted my Abit boards. I have many high end applications like Video Vegas and Gigastudio which works just peachy. While your hardware list looks fine I would check what voltages you are having on the 5v 3.3v and the 12v lines are reading. When you do a clean install without installing any applications are you still have crashes or lockups and that is not good. If I think that DFI had many BIOS issues I would get another board and not put up waiting for BIOS updates like I did with the Gigabyte board or RAM the board if I think that the board is bad. Let me know what voltages you are reading on the board.

 

[Aevum]

RMA for a ULI 1695 board

 

[wtf8269]

Alright, I've had it. I'm returning the board. I haven't been able to get it to boot for a week. I've tried all the little boot tricks on DFI and nothing works. I just want to play a mother f$#@ing video game!! I'm willing to try another DFI NF4 kind of, but I know other DFIs are picky as well, they just don't have all the BIOS issues and whatnot. I really want something I can just throw in there, boot up, load Windows, and start playing games in the same day. Overclockability is another thing I want, but I don't need something as detailed as this board, this is way over my head. MSI and ABIT are the two main companies I'm looking at, some ASUS boards are looking okay too. Any suggestions?

 

[Solaris17]

id go with an ASUS....Abit would be nice too. sorry to here that dude.

 

[spectre440]

personally, i'm very happy with my epox board.
has all the features and overclocking options i need (nothing extreme, but enough to tweak the system a bit), and so far i havent had any problems at all with it.

 

[wtf8269]

Alright I'm deffenitely returning this motherboard, and not for another RDX200. There is a chance that I could get a well-working one back, but it isn't very likely. So I've narrowed it down to a few different NF4 boards: This ASUS, this DFI, this ABIT, or a MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum SLI. But I can't find anybody that I trust that carries the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum SLI right now.

The ABIT or the MSI are the two that I really would like. Obviously the problem is the ABIT puts me another $20+ in the hole and the MSI isn't in stock at the moment.

 

[crankydan]

WTF,

Quick question, why go with a SLI board when you have the ATI Video card? The DFI Ultra-D is a great board and to my knowledge you can still mod it for SLI if later you want to. In addition it would be cheaper than any of the others you are looking at. As far as that goes, if you are not planning to overclock, then the Gigabyte K8N SLI Pro is going for 99 buck on the Egg this weekend. I know the Gigabyte board dont have all the bells and whistles, but if your not into taking it to the edge then its a great board for the price.

 

[wtf8269]

I'm going with an NF4 chipset because they're less buggy than the ATI chipsets since the NF4s have been out for longer. As far as overclocking, yes that's the biggest thing I want. The biggest reason I got the DFI board was for it's overclocking features. The only reason I bought this Opteron 146 was to overclock to 3ghz+.

 

[crankydan]

I understand, DFI-Street has some very good threads on the Opty and the Ultra-D. Good luck with your E-4 hope it is one of the good steping clockers.

 

[wtf8269]

Oh yeah, it's a CABYE, I had it booting at 3.2ghz. So you think I should go with a DFI Ultra-D? I want a board that will boot up and work the first time. Not something that's super picky and that I have to find out what to dial in to get it to boot.

Edit: I don't think I'm going to go with DFI. I love their overclocking features and all, but they're just too picky.

 

[crankydan]

I would, you may have to update the BIOS(but then again maybe not). I dont think there is another board with as many settings as the DFI.

Just looked at your system specs, very nice. I dont know much about the xms LL(is that the ch5 or infineon b5). I am a xl samsung TCCD guy, and dont really believe in the crazy voltage you have to give the BH5 varient. It is a crying shame your not fragging some serious FEAR, Quake 4 or smoking some cops on NFSMW.

 

[wtf8269]

Yeah I think I've pretty much narrowed it down. I either want the Abit Fatal1ty AN8 SLI or the MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum SLI. I've read reviews on both and I'd be equally happy with either one I believe. The problem is the Abit is about $210-$230 depending on the site, and I can't find a site I trust that carries the MSI at the moment. So it's either spend a lot of money and get a motherboard now, or wait even longer but in turn spend less money.

 

[Polaris573]

I may be wrong but what is so special about the fatal1ty line of boards? Isn't this exactly the same as the fatal1ty AN8 only significantly cheaper? I guess it's missing the fans, but are the fans and the fatal1ty name really worth $100?

 

[wtf8269]

I don't believe they have the same BIOS features. However, if you're right I think I found myself a new motherboard. I would just get the regular Fatal1ty version, but the SLI version has a max VDIMM of 3.55v, whereas the regular Fatal1ty only goes up to 2.8v.

Edit: Just read a reivew on the non-Fatal1ty, and it does have the voltage settings that I like, but they weren't able to push the HTT much passed 245mhz, whereas in a review of the Fatal1ty version I read they were pushing 331mhz. I need to be able to do atleast 300mhz HTT because of my Opteron. If it weren't for this I would probably go ahead and get the non-Fatal1ty.

 

[wtf8269]

Okay talked to a friend (Psychomage343) about DFI boards and he recomended the SLI-DR. Which is all fine and dandy, but there is a Lanparty SLI-DR and then there's a Lanparty UT SLI-DR. I'm also interested in the Lanparty UT Ultra-D. Next to having SLI or not, are there any huge differences between these?

 

[djbbenn]

It's the same board.. it's full name is DFI LanParty UT NF4 SLI-DR, but there is another version, DFI LanParty UT NF4 SLI-DR Expert (W1zz reviewed both). That's just an improved version with a few more features, tweaks and slightly different layout. I think W1zz's review said that the improvements were quite good. The Ultra-D is just a non-SLI version, but can acctually be modded to SLI.

-Dan

 

[wtf8269]

I'm still terrified about it being super picky like my RDX200 was. As I've said before, I really just want to be able to boot and load Windows without issues. How did everything go with your mobo, Dan?

 

[djbbenn]

I haven't got much overclocking done yet, haven't had the time to really sit down and have some fun and figure it out, but so fair the board has performed flawlessly at stock settings. I just don't have the time to sit there and overclock it, then run 4 hours of prime95 and find out it's not stable.

With your current DFI, it's just sounds like you got a bad board. I have heard lots of good things on the NF4's, but also some bad. But then again, my board was suppose to be a real pain in the ass for some. Also don't forget, thats one of the first Crossfire boards.

DFI is a great make, and their boards are not really picky, but you just have to very serious about overclocking, to use them to their full potential. If you want a rock stable board that is still a great overclocker, get a Asus board. But if you want every last aspect and angle of oveclocking, only DFI will give you that IMO.

-Dan

 

[wtf8269]

Well, maybe I'll just give the SLI-DR a shot. I just really don't want to have to go through another RMA. It's either the SLI-DR, the Fatal1ty, or an ASUS SlI board. Most of the timings and whatnot in the DFI bios was way over my head. I had to call Psychomage343 to ask what to put in.

Edit: Alright, well I'ved talked to Ken (Psychomage343) again and he said the only advantage of the SLI-DR besides SLI is that it has sata2. I don't need sata2 so I've narrowed it down to just the Ultra-D. Ken also has the ASUS board I was looking at and he said it won't do a 300mhz fsb which I need for my Opteron; so that rules out the ASUS. That leaves the Fatal1ty and the LP Ultra-D. I think I'm going to go with the Ultra-D because eventhough it will probably be harder to master, there's a lot more support for it. Also it's only $135 and with the $170 that I'm getting back from my RDX200 (after $30 restocking fee) I'll have enough money to get second day shipping and have it for the weekend. There doesn't seem to be any major problems with the Ultra-D on DFI-Street either. So I guess tomarrow I'll order the Ultra-D.

PS: I also get my drivers liscense tomarrow.

 

[bobyjo]

Well, maybe I'll just give the SLI-DR a shot. I just really don't want to have to go through another RMA. It's either the SLI-DR, the Fatal1ty, or an ASUS SlI board. Most of the timings and whatnot in the DFI bios was way over my head. I had to call Psychomage343 to ask what to put in.

Edit: Alright, well I'ved talked to Ken (Psychomage343) again and he said the only advantage of the SLI-DR besides SLI is that it has sata2. I don't need sata2 so I've narrowed it down to just the Ultra-D. Ken also has the ASUS board I was looking at and he said it won't do a 300mhz fsb which I need for my Opteron; so that rules out the ASUS. That leaves the Fatal1ty and the LP Ultra-D. I think I'm going to go with the Ultra-D because eventhough it will probably be harder to master, there's a lot more support for it. Also it's only $135 and with the $170 that I'm getting back from my RDX200 (after $30 restocking fee) I'll have enough money to get second day shipping and have it for the weekend. There doesn't seem to be any major problems with the Ultra-D on DFI-Street either. So I guess tomarrow I'll order the Ultra-D.

PS: I also get my drivers liscense tomarrow.

Rule of thumb is select optomized settings in bios and save, exit.
Go back into bios and change the settings of appliances that you are not using.
Serial, Parallel, etc, hard drives listed as blank in bios and not planning on using those slots.
Keep everything lean, clean and simple. Explanif on "SIMPLE".