Info: DFI nF4 DR Motherboard – An Introduction: - Overclock.net

*ncsa* · 08-07-05

DFI nF4 DR Motherboard – An Introduction:

(NOTE: A long read and a living work in progress… :D)

This is to help you with the initial build and setup of a DFI nF4 DR-SLi motherboard and how to take control of the BIOS to ensure that you can OC, even a little bit. While the screen shots are from a DR-SLi model they are applicable for the range, it can even be applied to some of the other nF4 as the BIOS options are very similar as is the DFI way of taking manual control of the BIOS.

It is hoped that though this guide you will be able to more quickly get up to speed and to a point where you have control and can OC & tweak more, further squeezing extra performance from the components within your system.

BIOS: 623-3 is used throughout these examples and for the latest BIOS check the DFI site via this thread here
(623-2 is also avilable for those with UTT/BH modules)

Note: For DAGF MB's the BIOS version is different here is a current version : DAGF BIOS 08/11

(Need to clear your CMOS go to the bottom of this FAQ for a sure-way procedure.)

CPU: This example shows an AMD A64 3000+ Venice CPU which runs stock @ 1.8 Ghz and has a multi of x9 and we will show how to provide a good OC to 2.7 Ghz – a 50% increase extra speed all for free ;)

Memory: The memory used in these examples are GeIL ONE Series TCCD PC4800 2.5-4-4-7. It is important to clearly know what memory you have or are considering for use in this MB. You doe get a wider choice as the MB can provide >3.2v DRAM (Vdimm) which means powering the high voltage low latency UTT/BH type modules is possible.

GeIL ONE S TCCD Memory Review

Tasks:

-Know the details of your CPU make/model and the its max multi.
-Find out what chips your memory modules are using and what Vdimm are required to keep good timings.
-Work out what is the highest FSB the MB can support
-Run Memtest and Prime at Stock settings this way you know that you have a stable system from which to start with – you cannot OC a system that is not already stable.

Memorise all these, as together they will allow you the options to find the sweet spot of your system.

Tools:

You will need or at least be able to access the following utilities to make life easier. (Will update these links and add more once the FAQ is approved.)

Memtest+ 1.65 .iso here to test your memory and timing changes before running the OS.
ImageShack Imageshack to host your images and screenshots for pics of your success.
CPUz latest version for checking CPU / Memory Speeds
A64 Tweaker v0.60 beta
ClockGen nF4
Prime95 or Similar prettier Prime tool
Super PI mod 1.4 (Thanks to Transonic)
OCCT
CPUz

FAQs:
Find the Limits of your CPU, Mem, MB
HDD Database for comparing drives and configurations
CPC 1T vs 2T Timing – Any difference?

PSU & Power Connections:

The DFI nF4 MBs have a very specific PSU requirement and it is important that you adhere to this or it is likely that you will experience issues or an unstable OC.

The minimum recommendation is for a PSU with 480W and 26A on the +12V rail for a single card and 36A if running dual GPUs. The PSU should have a native 24-pin Main Power connector – this does not mean a 20-pin with an adaptor but one that complies with the ATX12V v2.0 spec. (Yes there are people who run 20-pin but we are not here to debate this just follow the DFI specifications).

The PSU is often overlooked and will strike just when you want to push that OC harder, better to get the right one up front and one that will last a few upgrades because you WILL add something extra to drive off it – a few more fans, cold cathode lights, an H2O system, an extra GPU or more Hard Drives.

The MB has four (4) power connections – 24-pin Main, 4-pin ATX12V, a Molex and a FDD. All FOUR MUST be installed not doing so will mean your MB will be unstable … after all, the designers place these four for a reason ;) (See end of this FAQ for recommend PSU’s)

DFI nF4 DR-SLi MB (with XP-120 installed)

Hard Drives and SATA Ports:

The nVidia controller is recommended for all SATA hard drive connections, be this a single drive or a RAID array configuration as it sits on the PCIe bus and supports SATA II drives plus outperforms the Sillicon SATA I controller which is PCI bound. The trend towards using SATA drives is more prevalent and there are performance gains to be had over using PATA or IDE/EIDE drives and they are also more flexible and easier to connect due to the use a narrow bus cable.

Now, there is general concern that SATA drives will drop off or stop working if you OC to high FSB (> 300Mhz or DDR600) but thankfully this is not valid as the nVidia controller is locked and unaffected by such high FSB, it will come down to other components which may require stabilising by voltage and/or timings.

At one point I was also one who thought that this was an issue and went through a whole set of testing of PATA vs SATA drive configurations running at high FSB’s (305-330). Initially, it did fail with frequent BSOD’s but this happened not only for the SATA drives but also the PATA drives. The fix was CPU and Memory timings and voltage changes and now they work at any FSB the system is able to deliver. So it will be best to look at your BIOS configuration before changing out any hard drives.

RAID and Loading the OS:

RAID arrays are common practice now and even easier to setup and use with the onboard controllers of current motherboards. There are many descriptions of RAID available and is worthy of its own thread, so we won’t get into the details here.

For this example there are four hard drives placed in a RAID-0 array, which is actually not really a RAID as there is no redundancy but rather a set of striped disks. It is by far the fastest configuration for any set of drives and with this brings with it the added performance in reads and writes of files. (See the HDD Database for comparisons). For those who fear that a failure of such an array will lose your data, you are right but just the same loss as if your single drive failed – When did you last back-up your valuable data?

These briefly show what is required to enable the nVidia controller to run a RAID array, enabling the separate controller BIOS. In here you assign the Drives to be used, array type and stripe size. For optimum performance try to keep the array Stripe to OS Cluster size at a ratio of 4:1.

Get the nVidia and Sillicon XP OS RAID drivers here - note that there are two(2) nVidia drivers and BOTH must be loaded.

[BIOS RAID Screens]

BIOS Settings:

As with any MB the BIOS is the key to taking control and ensuring that the MB does what you require.

Below are some example screen shots which outline some of the devices or settings that help keep the MB running without unnecessary CPU interrupts or the OS loading drivers which will not be used. Of course you will need to apply those which are applicable to your system.

[BIOS Misc. Device Screens]

A great feature is the CMOS Reload where you can save up to 4 different BIOS profiles allowing you quick and easy restoration of good working configurations when some testing happens to not go so well.

NOTE: Do not reload a configuration that was saved under a different BIOS version, this will likely cause the system a problem. After an upgrade of a BIOS it is best to establish the BIOS settings and then resave them to in the appropriate reload profile.

[BIOS CMOS Reload]

GENIE Settings:

Now that you have finally made it to this point you should be ready to start and OC your system. It is important that you become familiar with these GENIE screens and how they interact, they are all together under one heading with 2 sections – Main Genie and DRAM Configuration. There are a lot of settings and it will take time to work through them which is why we are only dealing with the key ones and enough to get you on your way.

[BIOS GENIE Setting Screens]

The following is an example for the 3000+ Venice & GeIL ONE Series TCCD memory so you will need to apply the changes for your particular Memory and CPU

Now the key settings which will allow you to OC are as follows:

DRAM Configuration:

These are written out from top to bottom and are a quick way to read and share when posting.

Genie: 200-E-2.5-4-6-3-a-a-a-a-a-a-3120-a-e-a-0-a-a-a-fast-a-16-d-16x-7x-d

CPU and DRAM Voltages:

There are special controls in the BIOS to set the CPU Vcore and allow for two key items:
- Fine tune control of the Vcore
- Enable the DRAM volts to be set > 3.2v when the JP17 is enabled (see Below for more details)

Use the table below to help calculate the Vcore.

[CPU Special VID]

FSB Bus : 300
LDT/FSB Ratio : X3

CPU/FSB Ratio : x9
PCIe Freq : 100Mhz
Cool'n'Quiet : Disabled

CPU Startup : 1.400v
CPU Vid Control : 1.350 [CAUTION: This = 1.66v use what is required for your CPU and OC]
CPU Special VID Control : 123%
LDT Voltage Control : 1.4v
Chipset : 1.6v
DRAM Control : 2.6V
DRAM .03 : Disable

JP17 (+4v) jumper on MB Disabled (Default) Pins 1-2

+4V Jumper - JP17:

If you look at the MB layout you will see that there is a Jumper JP17. This is to enable the ability to supply memory with a Vdimm >3.2v which, as standard, is more than most memory can handle. So why use this jumper? Because some memory modules respond well to high voltages as it allows these to retain their low latencies, these are the UTT and BH type chips. Now you best read the DFI warning note that comes with your MB as it may cause damage to your CPU and DIMMs. To enable this feature you must set the following off AUTO:

- CPU VID Control
- CPU VID Special Control
- JP17 Enabled (Move jumper to Pins 2-3)

CAUTION: Whenever moving the jumper please ensure that the system is turned off and the power cord removed.

When you reboot and return to the BIOS GENIE, you will see that you can now change the DRAM Voltage Control to 3.9v :eek:

DIMM Slots: It has been found that when using high Vdimm to use the Yellow slots as these appear to respond better electrically at these voltages. Plus to use a BIOS with the -2 extension such as 623-2 : These are Beta but they have customised memory tables for these types of modules… Try both and see what works of your system.

Memtest:

For any change it is recommended that you use Memtest to check if this configuration is stable.

Some quick checks using this tool are:

Get your Memtest CD - make sure CD boot is prior to HDD in BIOS.

Boot system with CD in drive - Memtest should auto run and for 10-20 loops make sure that these key tests are OK – 5, 6, 8

Once running, to select Test #5
Type C 1 3 5 <enter> <enter>

Now Memtest will loop in Test #6

And for Test #6
Type C 1 3 6 <enter> <enter>

Now Memtest will loop in Test #8 (20 loops best)

And for Test #8
Type C 1 3 6 <enter> <enter>

If you get errors in any of these tests you will need to recheck you BIOS settings, timings and / or voltages. There is no silver bullet here as each system is different and will react & perform differently – time and patience is required :D

Memory Dividers:

As you will now know the use of memory dividers becomes important when getting the maximum out of your system. This maybe because the CPU can go higher in Mhz and you need to keep the memory from going over its max limit.

You can find these dividers in the GENIE – DRAM Configuration section.

[Mem Divider Screen]

Learn more about the nF4 memory from the DFI Street

GOOD LUCK :cheers:

PSU Recommendations:

Here are some good PSUs to consider for the DFI nF4 Motherboards and there are others of course – search the Forum to find them.

OCZ 520 Modstream +3.3V(28A), +5V(52A), +12V(28A)
OCZ 520 PowerStream 3.3V@28A, +5V@40A, +12V@33A
Antec SP 500 +3.3V@32A, +5V@35A, +12V1@17A, +12V2@19A, -12V@0.3A, +5VSB@2A
Fortron Blue +3.3V@30A, +5V@28A, +12V1@15A, +12V2@15A, -12V@0.5A, +5Vsb@2.0A
Topower 550 (an OCZ)
Enermax 535
Antec 550
Seasonic 500 +12V1@17A, +12V2@16A
Seasonic 600 +12V1@18A, +12V2@18A : SLi Certified
Enermax 600
OCZ 600 +3.3V@28A, +5V@46A, +12V1@20A, +12V2@20A, -5V@0.5A, -12V@0.5A, +5VSB@2A : ### NOTE SLi Performance Issue see comments below for link ###
PC Power 510 +12V @ 34A, 38A pk : SLi Certified

Vcore Measurement:

While on the subject of Power, it is important to know that the CPUz being reported is likely to be somewhere between 0.05-0.11v lower than true.

To measure your Vcore test here, under Idle and Load.

See this thread for more discussion about this factor.

CMOS Clear Procedure:

If you get stuck with the CMOS and unable to boot properly, then use the DFI-Street method, it works every time....

Quote:

Try this exactly.

Remove power from the system. Pull cord from wall if you must. Or from rear of power supply.

Remove the battery.

Move the CMOS jumper to clear.

Move the speaker jumper to on position. Page 7 quick start manual.

Make sure you have a wired keyboard plugged into the PS2 port. Not USB in other words. USB to PS2 OK.

Leave the CMOS jumper at clear for at least 30 minutes.

Put ONLY one ( 1 ) stick of memory in ORANGE slot closest the top edge of motherboard.

Set the CMOS jumper back to normal.

Replace the battery.

Press and hold down the "Insert" Key on the keyboard.

Apply power to power supply again WITH "Insert" key still pressed down.

Press the start/power on button on the rig. WITH the "Insert" key still pressed down.

When you hear the beep from the speaker. Release the "Insert" Key and quickly press the "Delete" key
and enter the bios and load optimized defaults. Save and Exit bios and reboot to enter bios to make necessary adjustments.

RGone...

MBM5 Monitoring Tool:

This will work for both DFi nF3 and nF4 MBs and a lot of development work has been made by the DFI Street team.

Here is my MBM5 Data file here which you can copy and then adjust the meters for your own taste.

To see the full instructions follow this post & thread at DFI Street here

Next Project : Building a model boat 1:1 scale.

You will need:
A wheel barrow, big ball of string, a hammer .....

*ncsa* · 08-11-05

Added CMOS Clear Procedure.

claymanhb · 08-11-05

the most beautiful FAQ ever written.

*ncsa* · 08-14-05

Thanks :D - added pics of XP-120 installed - yes it blocks the top PCIe slot but does not stop the GPUs being installed, memory is also easily installed after the HSF is on place.

PROBN4LYFE · 08-14-05

You're the man...it just doesn't get any better than that

*ncsa* · 08-14-05

Added MBM5 Data file for monitoring of DFI nF3 & nF4 MBs

Mr. Mumbles · 08-16-05

Nice FAQ rep+

*ncsa* · 09-02-05

Thanks.

Updated - added RAID drivers ofr nVidia and Sillicon controllers - XP OS

*ncsa* · 09-18-05

Pics seem to have dropped off due to the hosting site ... will have to move them to RigShowcase and provide links only until thumbnails are available.