ASUS P5N-E SLI 650i Thread

ASUS P5N-E SLI w/ NVIDIA 650i Chipset
POST # 1: (This post) - Basic Overview
POST # 2: Qualified Vendor List + User-Proven Compatible Components
POST # 3: Zippit's Pencil Mod Guide + Tips and Hints + OCN Member P5N-E Overclocks
POST # 4 and on: Hundreds of pages of P5N-E owners, sharing all they know!

This thread is a constant work in progress of people who own and love their P5N-E's.
I started this thread in January of 2007 and it has, uh, grown
When I bought the board, nobody knew of it, or it's chipset.
Through the 'years' we have really pushed it to it's limits, which are great for the cost of the board.
It is no longer sold, since much better boards have come to be with new chipset and manuf. technologies.
But for all you folks out there still running the P5N-E, this is the thread for you!
I wouldn't doubt it if hundreds of people have received the help they needed in this thread alone.
Anyway, welcome. Enjoy reading for days, because it's going to take that long
Remember to REP+ anyone that helps you with your board problems/questions!(Within TOS guidelines!)

MANUF. WEBSITE SPECS. (Also see below)
TECHAge Review <--- Explains memory issues, which were fixed in 2nd BIOS update. (New boards come with even NEWER BIOS versions.)
AnandTech Review
H Enthusiast Review <--- Proves Dual 8800GTX is not a problem for SLI on this board. (Also see TechSpot Review Below, Page 4)
AnandTech 650i vs 680i <--- Points out the minor differences. Minor for most, extreme hardcore users maybe not so minor.
TECHSPOT.Com <--- Reviews against DS3/P5N32-E/680i.
ASUS P5N-E SLI 650i First release at roughly ~$150
(Was $127 + S&H @ The Egg, 3.22.07)
Hard to find being sold now.

Key Things to Note

• FSB/Memory can be change manually, unlinked and completely independant.
• Full range of Memory timing controls.
• 500+ FSB proven; generally hits over 450FSB without issue.
• Quads usually max out ~350FSB on this board.
• The board is finicky about RAM. (Mostly older BIOS versions.)Please ask here before you buy, or use from Manuf. Recc. list.
• Northbridge runs pretty hot. If overclocking at all, at least reseat NB heatsink with AS5 or better. Moderate overclocking (FSB 400+) will need aftermarket cooling, even if only a better passive sink. Heavy overclocking will need active cooling on the NB.
• Some of the boards came without a SB heatsink. A basic passive cooler will work fine here. Newer boards came with a SB sink, but reseating with AS5 is a good idea. Careful with large GPU's about which SB heatsink you use! Check what other users have used here and compare.

Board Specifications

Quote:

CPU LGA775 Socket Intel® Quad-Core/CoreTM Extreme/Pentium D /Pentium 4/Celeron CPU processors Compatible with Intel® 06/05A/05B processors Intel® EIST/EM64T/Hyper-Threading Technology/C1E/ TM1/TM2 Chipset NVIDIA nForce® 650i SLI TM Front Side Bus **1333/1066/800/533MHz (** available when CPUs are ready for 1333MHz FSB) Memory Dual channel memory architecture 4 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support up to 8GB DDR2 800/667/533 non-ECC/ Unbuffered memory Expansion Slots 2 x PCI Express x16 - Single VGA mode: x16 (Default) - SLI mode: x8, x8 1 x PCI Express x1 2 x PCI (PCI 2.2) Storage - 2 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66/33 - 4 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s - Support RAID0, 1, 0+1, 5, and JBOD - 1 x External Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s (SATA On-the-Go) LAN Gigabit LAN featuring AI Net2 Marvell 88E1116 PHY Audio Realtek ALC883 6-channel CODEC Audio Sensing and Enumeration Technology Multi-Streaming 1 X Coaxial S/PDIF out ports on back I/O IEEE 1394 Supports 2 IEEE 1394a connector onboard (1 in back + 1 on board) USB Supports up 8 USB2.0 ports Overclocking Features - AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) - ASUS CPU Lock Free - Precision Tweaker: - vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 6.25mv increment max. 1.6V - vChip: 4-step Chip voltage control adjust Chip voltage max. 0.55V - vDIMM: 8-step DRAM voltage control adjust DRAM voltage max. 0.6V - SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) - FSB tuning from 200MHz up to 750MHz at 1MHz increment - PCI Express frequency tuning from 100MHz up to 131MHz at 1MHz increment - CPU Multiplier - ASUS C.P.R.(CPU Parameter Recall) Special Features ASUS Q-Connector ASUS O.C. Profile ASUS Fanless Design ASUS PC Probe2 ASUS Q-Fan2 ASUS MyLogo2 ASUS Update BIOS 4 Mb Flash ROM, AWARD BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3 ASUS EZ Flash 2,ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2 Manageability WfM 2.0, DMI 2.0 , WOR by Ring , WOL/WOR by PME, WO USB/KB/MS, PXE, RPL & AI Net2 Internal I/O Connectors 1 x 24-pin ATX Power connector 1 x 4-pin ATX 12V Power connector 1 x Chassis Intrusion 1 x CPU + 2 Chassis FAN connectors 1 x Floppy disk drive connector 1 x CD audio in connector 1 x 1394a connector 2 x USB connector supports additional 4 USB ports 1 x Front panel connector (AAFP) System panel connector 1 x COM Port connector 1 x S/PDIF out connector Back Panel I/O Ports 1 x Parallel port 1 x 1394a connector 1 x S/PDIF Out port (Coaxial) 1 x PS/2 Keyboard port (purple) 1 x PS/2 Mouse port (green) 1 x LAN(RJ-45) port 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 port 1 x External SATA 6-Channel Audio I/O port Accessories 1 x SLI bridge 1 x 2-in-1 ASUS Q-Connector Kit (Retail version only) 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable 1 x FDDe cable 2 x SATA cables 2 x SATA power cable 1 x 2-port USB2.0 module 1 x I/O Shield User's manual Support CD Drivers ASUS Update Anti-virus software (OEM version) ASUS PC Probe II NVIDIA RIS (Remote Installation Service) application Form Factor ATX Form Factor, 12â€x 9â€(30.5cm x 22.9cm)

Above SPECS from ASUS.COM on 3/23/07
Edited by dpawl31 - 3/22/09 at 9:38pm

WORK IN PROGRESS -
Compiling list of compatible: CPU, NB and SB heatsinks, RAM that is not on QVL, and mods required to use certain heatsinks.
Asus Tek Qualified Vendor List - RAM from DDR2-533 ~ DDR2-800

NON COMPATIBLE COMPONENTS:
OCZ Platinum Revision 1 RAM
XP-90 CPU Cooler (Even with LGA 775 Kit)
Sycthe Infinity

Compatible RAM (Not on QVL above- User Tested)
DDR2-800
OCZ Gold 2x512MB Kit (OCZ2G8001GK)
OCZ Gold 2x1GB Kit
OCZ Platinum REVISION 2 2x1GB Kit
G.Skill 2x1GB Kit (F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ)
G.Skill 2x1GB Kit (F2-6400PHU2-2GBNR) G.Skill 2x1GB Kit (F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ)
Geil Ultra Series 2x1GB Kit
Crucial Ballistix 2x1GB Kit
Crucial Ballistix Tracers 2x1GB Kit
Corsair XMS2 Twin2X 2x1GB Kit
Patriot Extreme Performance 2X1GB Kit (PDC22G6400LLK)
DDR2-667
Geil Value 2x1024MB
DDR2-665
Corsair XMS2 Twin2X 2x512MB Kit

Compatible CPU Heatsinks (Guranteed fitment with stock NB heatsink, not with aftermarket NB HS!)
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro (Requires slight trimming of plastic on NB side of fan, w/ stock P5N-E NB heatsink)
Zalman 9500
Zalman 9700
Tuniq Tower 120 (Tight fit, be careful of bending/breaking capacitors)
Ultra-90
Ultra-120
Noctua NH-U12
ThermalTake Silent Tower (Fan must be directed away from exp. slots)
Thermalright SI-128
OCZ Vendetta 2
Scythe Ninja Plus (must lift fan edge a bit to clear yellow dimm)
Thermalright Ultima 90
Thermaltake Big Typhoon
Zerotherm FZ-120

Compatible Northbridge Heatsinks
Thermalright HR-05-SLI
Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II (CL-C0034)
Xigmatek S1283
Cooler Master Blue Ice Pro

Compatible Southbridge Heatsinks (Non-SLI; does not work with SLI!)
Thermalright HR-05-SLI
Zalman ZM-NB47J
Thermaltake Extreme Spirit II (CL-C0034)
Cooler Master Blue Ice

Compatible Southbridge Heatsinks (SLI capable)
Thermalright HR-05-SLI w/o FAN
Coolermaster Blue Ice (without fan)

Edited by dpawl31 - 3/14/09 at 1:09pm

ZIPPIT's PENCIL MOD GUIDE!
Things needed:
1 pencil
1 P5N-e SLI
1 common sence

FAQ:
What is vDroop? vDroop is the drop in vCore voltage when the CPU is under load.
Why do I need a pencil mod? You will need a pencil mod when your vDroop is to much and causes a unstable overclock.
How can I check my vDroop? Get a program like CPU-z, SpeedFan or ASUS probe II and check your idle vCore. Then put your CPU under load with a program like Prime95, ORTHOS or InterBurnTest. The difference between the two voltages is your vDroop.
I applied the pencil mod but I still have a 0.01v~0.03v vDroop, how come its not helping? Settle with that, most people don't eliminate it completely.
Does the pencil mod void my warranty? It does. But if your need to RMA your board you can rub off the pencil residue with your finger and they wont notice it.
Does the pencil mod degrade my board over time? No. I have it for over 2 years and its still alive and kicking since I bought it.

How to do it:

1. Turn your PC off.
2. Find this transistor to the left to your RAM slots.
3. Take your pencil and rub it over the transistor a few times.
4. Boot into windows and check your vDroop.

Not happy? Go back to step one.
Happy? well... thats it you are done!


TIPS AND HINTS
Any help would be appreciated: Please PM dpawl31 (me!) with any suggestions!
(Overclocking options can be found under JUMPERFREE Configuration-->MANUAL)
Overclocking the P5N-E Guide by TriBeCa

• Firstly - Talk to people here! Go to the last page, introduce yourself, and we'll get you started.
• If you haven't already, check your BIOS and make sure you are running 03** series bios or higher. 0202 was first release and VERY flaky.
• Enter RAM timings and voltage manually. Helps stability.
• Disable all features not neccessary, ie firewire, if you run all SATA drives, disable IDE channels... etc.
• Run Orthos or OCCT for 6+ hours at all stock settings to test for stabilty at stock, to make sure everything is OK at the norm. This will help you to not blame your OC for stability problems, such as forgetting to set your RAM timings and having the auto timings cause a failed OC.
• FSB and RAM are already finalized values. Intel chips are QUAD pumped (QDR) and RAM is DDR. For example, if you have an 800FSB rated chip, your REAL FSB is 200Mhz (What CPUZ will display) but will display as 800FSB in BIOS. Same with RAM, but it is DUAL, so DDR2-800 RAM will display as 800 in BIOS, but 400Mhz in CPUZ.
• When overclocking, run a 1:1 divider for stability. This can be achieved by using UNLINKED mode and MANUALLY entering 1:1 values, ie 1000FSB and 500DDR, or you can choose LINKED-->SYNC Mode to run a 1:1 divider.
• AUTO will keep your FSB/RAM linked, which is bad because it will constantly run a 1:2 divider due to the BIOS displaying QDR and DDR values.
• To find your MAX CPU overclock without overclocking RAM, to eliminate it as the cause of a failed overclock, use full UNLINKED mode, to allow you to manually set your RAM to its full speed without overclocking it. This will allow you to UP the FSB as much as you need.

OCN MEMBER P5N-E Overclocks
Click Speed for CPUZ Verification

#1
Zippit
E8400 (C0) @ 3996.24Mhz (444.03*9)

#2
dpawl31
Pentium D 820 (B0) @ 3710.04Ghz (265*14)

Edited by dpawl31 - 3/22/09 at 9:40pm

I guess I assumed it did since it takes dual core Pentium D and Quad Core, and you are right it doesn't say it on the site. But it does say "Quad Core/CoreTM" which I would assume means Core 2 Duo.

Where I bought it, ZipZoomFly, it says C2D.

Wink, in regards to the FSB and mem dividers(Keep in mind this is the 650i not the 680i)
(all below from techage review listed above)
SPECS:
FSB Overclock Ability: Techage review quote: "Ram rant aside, this is a superb overclocking board otherwise. 86% overclock anyone? Yes, that's a 3.46GHz speed on a 1.86GHz chip. This speed was benchmark stable, but not Prime95 stable. My absolute 100% stable overclock proved to be 3.33GHz, or a 79% overclock.

The point is not of a huge E6300 overclock though, but the fact that the board handled 495FSB without issue. There are reports around the web from other enthusiasts with this board, who have hit 500 - 515FSB no problem. I believe that would be the max of the board, but that is a huge max! With this type of potential, it means you could "technically" get 4.5GHz out of your E6600, which most likely wouldn't happen anyway. I think the thing to make clear though, is that it will be the CPU holding back an overclock, not the motherboard.
"

Vcore Adjust from 0.83125v all the way up to 1.6v in increments of 0.00625v

Vdimm 1.920v, 2.013v, 2.085v, 2.178v, 2.259v, 2.353v, 2.424v and 2.517v

Northbridge 1.208v, 1.393v, 1.563v and 1.748v.

Dividers 1:1, 5:4 or 3:2 (Quote from Techage, "As an example, at one time I chose to use a 375FSB (1500MHz) and then 800MHz for the ram, or DDR2-800. This gave me a divider of 15:16. As odd as it is, it works and works well. This essentially means that your ram should not be the factor for your CPU overclock not being able to reach new heights. ")

Memory: "Like the P5N-Es bigger brother, the P5N32-E SLI, there are many memory tweaking options available. In addition to the standard CAS-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-CPC, you can also tweak the secondary timings, such as tRC, tRRD and others including the Async Latency." "The problem is, this board doesn't seem to want to clock -any- ram beyond DDR2-1000 speeds, regardless of what timings you are running. " <-- the memory issue I spoke of to be fixed in bios update

FROM TECHAGE REVIEW:


Pros
Superb CPU overclocker
Pricetag ($140)
Ability to back up your BIOS to thumb drive
SLI-Capable
Vista ready

Cons
No SB heatsink???
Memory overclocking limit
Failed overclocks may result in the need to manually reset BIOS

I want to get more cooling on the NB/SB. There is a heatsink on the NB, I have an old 486 (oh god I said it) CPU fan than I was thinking of trying to screw in place on that heatsink. I was going to get that Zalman cooler the wide angled one for the SB.

Any other recommendations? Can I do that fan mod?