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A8N-SLI Deluxe - Opteron BIOS?

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pc

unread,
Dec 22, 2007, 4:12:03 PM12/22/07
to
ASUS referrs users to

http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx

for information on supported processors for my board. It would seem
that Opteron isn't supported if you only look here. This page is a
bit dumbfounding ~ however, I don't doubt that whoever wrote it knew
precisely what he meant.

I've currently got an Athlon 64 3200+. I didn't realize what a pig it
is until I bought an iTurd and started ripping audio tracks.

I've found some good deals on the following processors:

OSA180CDBOX Opteron 180 Denmark 2.4 GHz

OSA185CDBOX Opteron 185 Denmark 2.6 GHz

ADA3600DAA4BV Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Manchester 2.0GHz

ADA4000DKA5CF Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 2.4GHz Socket 939 89W Single-
Core

I wouldn't mind spring for the Opteron. But first:

Do they support Cool and Quiet?

Are they problematic with this board (I don't generally overclock my
main box, but am not averse to modest tricks?)

What the what BIOS to use? For both Opterons?

What about chipset drivers? Again, the ASUS site falls on it's ass.
It notes that chipset drivers V6.65 or greater are required for 1016,
1015, 1014 & 1013 but not the newer ones. Is this an oversite on
their site, or are these required?

If the Opteron is going to be a PITA, I'd probably just grab the
Manchester (and, of course, what BIOS is required for that????)

tanks

pc

Paul

unread,
Dec 22, 2007, 5:26:36 PM12/22/07
to
pc wrote:
> ASUS referrs users to
>
> http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx
>
> for information on supported processors for my board. It would seem
> that Opteron isn't supported if you only look here. This page is a
> bit dumbfounding ~ however, I don't doubt that whoever wrote it knew
> precisely what he meant.
>
> I've currently got an Athlon 64 3200+. I didn't realize what a pig it
> is until I bought an iTurd and started ripping audio tracks.
>
> I've found some good deals on the following processors:
>
> OSA180CDBOX Opteron 180 Denmark 2.4 GHz
> OSA185CDBOX Opteron 185 Denmark 2.6 GHz
> ADA3600DAA4BV Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Manchester 2.0GHz
> ADA4000DKA5CF Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 2.4GHz S939 89W Single-Core

>
> I wouldn't mind spring for the Opteron. But first:
>
> Do they support Cool and Quiet?
>
> Are they problematic with this board (I don't generally overclock my
> main box, but am not averse to modest tricks?)
>
> What the what BIOS to use? For both Opterons?
>
> What about chipset drivers? Again, the ASUS site falls on it's ass.
> It notes that chipset drivers V6.65 or greater are required for 1016,
> 1015, 1014 & 1013 but not the newer ones. Is this an oversite on
> their site, or are these required?
>
> If the Opteron is going to be a PITA, I'd probably just grab the
> Manchester (and, of course, what BIOS is required for that????)
>
> tanks
>
> pc
>

The CPU support list includes the Opteron 185.

A8N-SLI Deluxe

CPU Since PCB Since BIOS Note

AMD Opteron Dualcore 165 (revE6) (Socket939) ALL 1017.002
AMD Opteron Dualcore 170 (revE6) (Socket939) ALL 1016
AMD Opteron Dualcore 175 (revE6) (Socket939) ALL 1017.002
AMD Opteron Dualcore 180 (revE6) (Socket939) ALL 1016
AMD Opteron Dualcore 185 (revE6) (Socket939) ALL 1016

AMD document 30417 shows the processors have multiple P-states,
so I'd have to conclude from that, that Cool N' Quiet is supported.
The highest processor listed is the 180 here, and AMD was too lazy to
update the doc when 185 was created.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/30417.pdf

On the driver page, under one of the driver updates, it says:

"To avoid crashing file system, please do update the chipset driver before
updating Bios version 1012 or later."

The "or later" means even the latest BIOS needs chipset drivers updated
first. That was printed underneath the V6.66 chipset driver entry.

Also, as part of "safety first", clone your boot drive, before the
"transplant". Only have the boot drive present, just after your
Opteron 185 is added. You can always back out, and put the old processor
back, if there is trouble.

In terms of user experiences, there are 4000 threads here on
A8N-SLI Deluxe. Perhaps someone has tried an Opteron in this
list. (At least one guy in the forum has an A8N-SLI Deluxe
and an Opteron in his signature. I used another search engine
to search the contents of vip.asus.com. I not sure there is a
posting with that exact config. I did find some Premium users
who have Opteron 1xx series installed.)

http://vip.asus.com/forum/topic.aspx?board_id=1&model=A8N-SLI+Deluxe&SLanguage=en-us

Paul

pc

unread,
Dec 22, 2007, 8:52:06 PM12/22/07
to

Thanks. That's really helpful.

Can you give me a clue where to find 1017.002 , as it seems ASUS has
blasted it from the server. Even the FTP server.

tx

pc

Len Mattix

unread,
Dec 22, 2007, 10:05:01 PM12/22/07
to
I have an Opteron on my A8N-SLI Deluxe and have no problems with using it.
My Opteron is a 185 mildly OC'd (5%) and am using the 1805 BIOS revision. I
never heard of a bios revision for this board iwth a number like 1017.002!
The previous version was 1600 with an 1805 Beta in between.

Good Luck,

Len
"pc" <pc_wh...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9673e624-22f6-472a...@l6g2000prm.googlegroups.com...

pc

unread,
Dec 24, 2007, 11:41:35 AM12/24/07
to
On Dec 22, 7:05 pm, "Len Mattix" <len...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I have anOpteronon my A8N-SLI  Deluxe and have no problems with using it.
> MyOpteronis a 185 mildly OC'd (5%) and am using the 1805 BIOS revision.  I

> never heard of a bios revision for this board iwth a number like1017.002!
> The previous version was 1600 with an 1805 Beta in between.
>
> Good Luck,
>
> Len"pc" <pc_whoca...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>
> news:9673e624-22f6-472a...@l6g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > On Dec 22, 1:12 pm, pc <pc_whoca...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> ASUS referrs users to
>
> >>    http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx
>
> >> for information on supported processors for my board.  It would seem
> >> thatOpteronisn't supported if you only look here.  This page is a

> >> bit dumbfounding ~ however, I don't doubt that whoever wrote it knew
> >> precisely what he meant.
>
> >> I've currently got an Athlon 64 3200+.  I didn't realize what a pig it
> >> is until I bought an iTurd and started ripping audio tracks.
>
> >> I've found some good deals on the following processors:
>
> >> OSA180CDBOXOpteron180 Denmark 2.4 GHz
>
> >> OSA185CDBOXOpteron185 Denmark 2.6 GHz

>
> >> ADA3600DAA4BV Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Manchester 2.0GHz
>
> >> ADA4000DKA5CF Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 2.4GHz Socket 939 89W Single-
> >> Core
>
> >> I wouldn't mind spring for theOpteron.  But first:

>
> >> Do they support Cool and Quiet?
>
> >> Are they problematic with this board (I don't generally overclock my
> >> main box, but am not averse to modest tricks?)
>
> >> What the what BIOS to use?  For both Opterons?
>
> >> What about chipset drivers?  Again, the ASUS site falls on it's ass.
> >> It notes that chipset drivers V6.65 or greater are required for 1016,
> >> 1015, 1014 & 1013 but not the newer ones.  Is this an oversite on
> >> their site, or are these required?
>
> >> If theOpteronis going to be a PITA, I'd probably just grab the

> >> Manchester (and, of course, what BIOS is required for that????)
>
> >> tanks
>
> >> pc
>
> > Thanks.  That's really helpful.
>
> > Can you give me a clue where to find1017.002, as it seems ASUS has

> > blasted it from the server.  Even the FTP server.
>
> > tx
>
> > pc- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks.

Is cool and quiet working ok?

####################################

Can any of 'yall tell me where to find 1017.002? A previous poster
said that after ASUS took it off their driver page, they found it on
some foreign site.

pc

Sarah E. Bailey

unread,
Dec 24, 2007, 1:11:02 PM12/24/07
to
In article
<277f2a2c-49c1-404b...@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
pc_wh...@yahoo.com says...
>
>snipped

>
>Can any of 'yall tell me where to find 1017.002? A previous poster
>said that after ASUS took it off their driver page, they found it on
>some foreign site.
>
>pc
>

Whilst I can't remember where i got it from, I do have a version 1017.004. I
could email it to you, if necessary.

Merry Xmas,

Sarah.

pcm...@gmail.com

unread,
Dec 25, 2007, 12:55:00 PM12/25/07
to
On Dec 24, 10:11 am, "Sarah E. Bailey"
<sarah_bethbai...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
> In article
> <277f2a2c-49c1-404b-82d6-7607a8480...@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
> pc_whoca...@yahoo.com says...

>
>
>
> >snipped
>
> >Can any of 'yall tell me where to find 1017.002? A previous poster
> >said that after ASUS took it off their driver page, they found it on
> >some foreign site.
>
> >pc
>
> Whilst I can't remember where i got it from, I do have a version 1017.004. I
> could email it to you, if necessary.
>
> Merry Xmas,
>
> Sarah.

Thanks. If it's big, you could put it at a place like MediaFire
(free) and post the link. That might be helpful for more than just
me.

I appreciate it.

Ho Ho Ho

pc

pc

unread,
Jan 3, 2008, 11:17:12 PM1/3/08
to
On Dec 22 2007, 7:05 pm, "Len Mattix" <len...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I have anOpteronon my A8N-SLI Deluxe and have no problems with using it.
> MyOpteronis a 185 mildly OC'd (5%) and am using the1805BIOS revision. I

> never heard of a bios revision for this board iwth a number like 1017.002!
> The previous version was 1600 with an1805Beta in between.
>
> Good Luck,
>
> Len"pc" <pc_whoca...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

>
> news:9673e624-22f6-472a...@l6g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
>
> > On Dec 22, 1:12 pm, pc <pc_whoca...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>ASUSreferrs users to

>
> >> http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx
>
> >> for information on supported processors for my board. It would seem
> >> thatOpteronisn't supported if you only look here. This page is a

> >> bit dumbfounding ~ however, I don't doubt that whoever wrote it knew
> >> precisely what he meant.
>
> >> I've currently got an Athlon 64 3200+. I didn't realize what a pig it
> >> is until I bought an iTurd and started ripping audio tracks.
>
> >> I've found some good deals on the following processors:
>
> >> OSA180CDBOXOpteron180 Denmark 2.4 GHz
>
> >> OSA185CDBOXOpteron185 Denmark 2.6 GHz

>
> >> ADA3600DAA4BV Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Manchester 2.0GHz
>
> >> ADA4000DKA5CF Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 2.4GHz Socket 939 89W Single-
> >> Core
>
> >> I wouldn't mind spring for theOpteron. But first:

>
> >> Do they support Cool and Quiet?
>
> >> Are they problematic with this board (I don't generally overclock my
> >> main box, but am not averse to modest tricks?)
>
> >> What the what BIOS to use? For both Opterons?
>
> >> What about chipset drivers? Again, theASUSsite falls on it's ass.

> >> It notes that chipset drivers V6.65 or greater are required for 1016,
> >> 1015, 1014 & 1013 but not the newer ones. Is this an oversite on
> >> their site, or are these required?
>
> >> If theOpteronis going to be a PITA, I'd probably just grab the

> >> Manchester (and, of course, what BIOS is required for that????)
>
> >> tanks
>
> >> pc
>
> > Thanks. That's really helpful.
>
> > Can you give me a clue where to find 1017.002 , as it seemsASUShas
> > blasted it from the server. Even the FTP server.
>
> > tx
>
> > pc

Thanks for you reply.

Last week with an Athlon 3200+, I installed the latest nVidia drivers
(nForce4 6.86) and installed 1805. No burps or farts. With
significant demands on the system.

To-day I got the Opteron 185. Initially I was in 7th heaven. It
didn't break a sweat doing all kinds of stuff. Then, while doing some
moderate multitasking (ripping, surfing, etc. ==> not extreme) I got
an unexpected reboot, and then later, a blue screen with "0xC000007F"
as the primary error indicator.

I'm wondering if I should drop down to 1017.004, which I got from
Sarah Bailey in the outskirts of London Town .

(anybody needs it, post here {I don't czech this email address very
often} , I'll put it up on Media Fire.)

What say 'yall???

tx

pc

pc

unread,
Jan 9, 2008, 10:22:14 AM1/9/08
to

Thanks to all, and especially Sarah Bailey for her help on the driver/
BIOS question. She has given me the 1007-004 BIOS, I've put it up on
MEDIAFIRE at this location: http://www.mediafire.com/?2zmyywrzr2n
=> I'll leave it there for a while. Stock up while you can!

I discovered the Microsoft DUMPPO.EXE program and found my MINSLEEP
parameter was set to S1, so I fixed that (set it to S3.)

Then I upgraded to the NVIDIA nForce4 6.86 drivers from their site,
and then the BIOS to 1805. First time my computer ever reliably did
multiple back-to-back STAND BYs. The system has even stopped giving
me the "SYSTEM FAILED VGA TEST" audio message I've gotten
intermittently since I first built this system.

Gollllly! This worked great for several days until....

I installed an Opteron 185 Denmark 2.6 GHz (not overclocked) and get a
blue screen very quickly with 0x0000007F (0x0000000D, 0x00000000 for
remaining parameters.) Pshaw.

I've installed the Windoze debugging tools and moved my virtual memory
to the SATA boot drive from a separate RAID. Waiting for a core dump
to analyze it (and now it won't die... go figure.) The BSOD occurred
most often on return from sleep, once on return from hibernation, and
once at random.

This particular 7F stop message is apparently caused by a couple of
unhandled exceptions in a row, so it isn't very illuminating. Event
viewer doesn't log the event!

The Device Manager is showing everybody is happy, dual 185 Opterons,
ACPI Multiprocessor PC, etc.

===> Was there a processor driver I am supposed to load?

Aside from my Abit RX300 video board (an Abit implementation of the
Radeon X300), the only other IO I have are an external ZOOM modem on
serial, and an Adaptec AUA-3020 USB2 1394 card.

===> Any other thoughts?

tanks.

pc

pc

unread,
Jan 12, 2008, 11:54:32 AM1/12/08
to


I found a broken SATA socket on my RocketHead 100 ATA/SATA adapter on
one of my auxillary RAID discs. That apparently could caused the same
error message. Out goes the RAID. I had already moved my page files
back to the slower boot drive, but I still got the same crash after a
short time.

I loaded Windows debugging tools, and Voila! From both a complete
core dump and a minidump it pointed to a driver file for my Video card
==> "Probably caused by : ati2mtag.sys ( ati2mtag+102550 )"

If I had known using the debugger was that easy, I'd have started
using it long ago. (Or, perhaps I just got lucky.)

I had regularly been getting an error message in the system log
relating to the video setup from atim2tag: "CRT invalid display
type." Their web site says it's harmless, and if you don't like the
message, roll back to version 7.6 of the driver for the X300 chip. I
was at 7.7.

And, !_Duh.me_! I neglected to load the latest Opteron driver from
AMD (I haven't built a system or upgraded a processor in a couple of
years.) Mea culpa. Not Cool and Quiet is working ok.

I haven't had time to test the stability yet, but time will tell.

What a science project, but hey, I guess that's why we do it, _nicht
wahr?_

pc

pc

unread,
Jan 12, 2008, 11:57:11 AM1/12/08
to

Ahem. I rolled back the video driver, and the "CRT invalid display
type" error was from ati2mtag. And, let's fix a typo, "NOW Cool and
Quiet is working ok."

Outback Jon

unread,
Jan 12, 2008, 8:56:49 PM1/12/08
to
pc wrote:
> Ahem. I rolled back the video driver, and the "CRT invalid display
> type" error was from ati2mtag. And, let's fix a typo, "NOW Cool and
> Quiet is working ok."

Only a 5% overclock. Man, that Opteron isn't even breathing hard, much
less sweating. I've got my Opty 165 @ 2.528 GHz (oops, time to update
my .sig file) for a 40% overclock.

Glad you solved your problem.

--
"Outback" Jon - KC2BNE
outba...@ver.no.sp.am.izon.net
AMD Opteron 146 (@2.8) and 6.1 GHz of other AMD power...
http://folding.stanford.edu - got folding? Team 53560

2006 ZG1000A Concours "Blueline" COG# 7385 CDA# 0157

pc

unread,
Jan 13, 2008, 4:54:30 PM1/13/08
to
On Jan 12, 5:56 pm, Outback Jon <team...@ver.no.sp.am.izon.net> wrote:
> pc wrote:
> > Ahem. I rolled back the video driver, and the "CRT invalid display
> > type" error was from ati2mtag. And, let's fix a typo, "NOW Cool and
> > Quiet is working ok."
>
> Only a 5% overclock. Man, that Opteron isn't even breathing hard, much
> less sweating. I've got my Opty 165 @ 2.528 GHz (oops, time to update
> my .sig file) for a 40% overclock.
>
> Glad you solved your problem.
>
> --
> "Outback" Jon - KC2BNE
> outback_...@ver.no.sp.am.izon.net
> AMD Opteron 146 (@2.8) and 6.1 GHz of other AMD power...http://folding.stanford.edu- got folding? Team 53560

>
> 2006 ZG1000A Concours "Blueline" COG# 7385 CDA# 0157

Yeah, well, when I get it settled down I'll start pumping iron. I had
another crash yesterday using EAC -- it was the USB driver. I've
moved my Plextor DVD burner to Firewire. It still isn't sleeping
reliably.

pc

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