DFI nF4 builder's guide

[Grinch]

in short new Bios of me appears "DFI NF4"

Merlin

Can not wait.....WOOT!

[pershoot]

bill please add the below, right after the ISO Bios pack download:

For users recieving 'Disk Not Ready' when trying to flash with the above ISO:
310+510-1/-2/-3:
http://indabasement.com/DFINF4/bios/310_510-mini.rar

310+618-1/-2/-3:
http://indabasement.com/DFINF4/bios/310_618-mini.rar

[Electric Bill]

Done pershoot.

I flashed the 618-3 and set things at:

Genie BIOS Setting
_______________________
>DRAM Configuration Press Enter
FSB Bus Frequency 275
LDT/FSB Frequency Ratio x4.0
LDT Bus Transfer Width d16u16
CPU/FSB Frequency Ratio x10.0
PCI eXpress Frequency 100MHz
K8 Cool'n'Quiet Support Disable
xCool'n'Quiet MAX FID Auto
CPU VID StartUp Value 1.500V
CPU Core Voltage 1.67V
LDT Bus Voltage 1.32V
Chip Set Voltage 1.70V
DRAM 2.5 Voltage 2.95V
CPU VID Control 1.350V
CPU VID Special Control Above VID * 126%
LDT Voltage Control 1.30V
Chip Set Voltage Control 1.70V
DRAM Voltage Control 2.90V
Run MemTest Disabled
PCI eXpress Configurator X2 X1 X16 X1
MAC Lan Auto
MAC Media Interface Pin Strap
Machine MAC (NV) Address Disabled
xMAC (NV) Address Input Press Enter
Internal Phy SATA 1/2 Disabled
Internal Phy SATA 3/4 Disabled
VIA 1394 Control Disabled
MARVELL GigaLAN Control Disabled

DRAM Configuration
_______________________
DRAM Frequency Set (MHz) 200 (DRAM/FSB:1/01)
Command Per Clock (CPC) Enabled
CAS Latency Control (Tcl) 2.5
RAS# to CAS# delay (Trcd) 04 Bus Clocks
Min RAS# active time (Tras) 07 Bus Clocks
Row precharge time (Trp) 03 Bus Clocks
Row cycle time (Trc) 08 Bus Clocks
Row refresh cyc time (Trfc) 16 Bus Clocks
Row to Row delay (Trrd) 02 Bus Clocks
Write recovery time (Twr) 02 Bus Clocks
Write to Read delay (Twtr) 02 Bus Clocks
Read to Write delay (Trwt) 02 Bus Clocks
Refresh period (Tref) 4708 Cycles
Write CAS Latency (Twcl) 01 Bus Clock
DRAM Bank Interleave Enabled
DQS Skew Control Auto
DQS Skew Value 255
DRAM Drive Strength Level 7
DRAM Data Drive Strength Auto
Max Async Latency 08.0 Nano Seconds
DRAM Response Time Fast
Read Preamble Time 05.0 Nano Seconds
Idle Cycle Limit 256 Cycles
Dynamic Counter Disable
R/W Queue Bypass 16x
Bypass Max 07x
32 Byte Granularity Disable (4 Bursts)

I played Far Cry for a couple of hours this afternoon. I tried 10x280 and it still crashed and to run 10x278 I had to run the Vcore at 1.71 so I dropped to 10x175 and set the VCcore at 1.67 which is where I'll leave it unless Merlin's new BIOS performs a miracle.

This is what Riva Tuner shows for my 6600GT while gaming:
Core Clock 501.4MHz
Mem Clock 1002.4MHz
Core Temp 53°C (same as my temp gun was showing)
Ambient Temp 40°C

Going the extra 5MHz is not worth it to me considering the voltage and temps you have to run. Maybe if I was using water or freon but not on air.

Bill

[Sparx]

I read a post over at DFI Street today that DFI took the 618 BIOS off the DFI (not street) website due to problems with it.

Sorry, don't know what the isssues are though.
sparx

[pershoot]

I read a post over at DFI Street today that DFI took the 618 BIOS off the DFI (not street) website due to problems with it.

Sorry, don't know what the isssues are though.
sparx

thats was 615 not 618. 615 had a usb kb bug. 618 includes the fix.

[Deus Falsus]

615 lived less than 3 days my friend. In fact only very few ever flashed to it. I can't report any problems with 618-3. I really like this DFI, almost as much as I liked my NF7-S in its glorious age, when it ruled supreme.

[Sparx]

Deus Falsus
Thanks, I stand corrected.
sparx

[Sparx]

Side question.
With the popularity of Bootable CD Bios flashing apparent, has flashing from the floppy or in Windows been a problem for people?
sparx

[Deus Falsus]

I think Merlin is working up some magic for this one. He eventually found my earlier post.

[Electric Bill]

Side question.
With the popularity of Bootable CD Bios flashing apparent, has flashing from the floppy or in Windows been a problem for people?
sparx

Yeah - when you don't have a floppy drive or aren't familiar with DOS command lines.
Bill

[Deus Falsus]

I always found floppy disks to be too easily corruptible.

[StanRoman]

615 lived less than 3 days my friend. In fact only very few ever flashed to it. I can't report any problems with 618-3. I really like this DFI, almost as much as I liked my NF7-S in its glorious age, when it ruled supreme.

Is 618-3 the best choice for TCCD? I might try the 618s even though I'm good now.

[Deus Falsus]

They're the reason I got memtest error free at DDR630 1t. Your mileage may vary though, but in the very least I doubt they'll do you any harm.

[StanRoman]

Right on, I'll check them out. Can I keep the same ram settings as now (the ones from the link you provided)? I was reading over there at DFI Street (btw, that place sucks) that the timings for 510s will not work with the new 618s and that you'll have to experiment. Any truth to this?

[Deus Falsus]

Not in my case bro, I just "cmos reloaded" the old settings after flashing and as you can see in my screenshots I even tightened things up a bit in a few areas, so far I'm chilling error free.

EDIT: Oh BTW, I think pershoot updated his BIOS CD with the 618s.