Gigabyte mobo question

[sektor]

Looks like im getting a E6600 CPU combined with some Corsair DDR2 800 (2x1gb), 5-5-5-12 timing...

Never owned a gigabyte board before, so this would be a first.

The gigabyte board im looking at is the:

965P-DS3 or the 965P-S3 (unless these are not good)

Definitely planning on Overclocking.

Two questions:

1.) Can I flash the BIOS on these things through DOS, using a floppy? Didn't see it on their web site.

2.) What is the main difference between the GA and PA I believe it is? P965 and G965, or something like that?

Thanks in advance.

 

[sillywabbit]

965G has onboard video. 965P does not. Also, get the DS3 for OC'ing.

Bios: can't help ya there

 

[Redtiger66]

dont reccomend gigabyte... I heard from some people that its like PC Chips mobos only thing more crapper and worthless... i heard they blow up and dont work properlyy

 

[sektor]

dont reccomend gigabyte... I heard from some people that its like PC Chips mobos only thing more crapper and worthless... i heard they blow up and dont work properlyy

Funny, they get glowing reviews:

Review 1

Review 2

I'm sold.

 

[maats]

People who know nothing of computer hardware, shouldn't post crap on the forum.

Redtiger66 wrote:
dont reccomend gigabyte... I heard from some people that its like PC Chips mobos only thing more crapper and worthless... i heard they blow up and dont work properlyy

I wonder how many people he actually knows that own Gigabyte motherboards, maybe one, probably none.

Gigabyte motherboards are solid in performance. I am sure there will be a few bad apples but it is like any other motherboard manufacturer. I have owned primarily Asus and Gigabyte motherboards. I currently have two GI965 S3 motherboards with an E6600@3.5Ghz@390FSB and E6400@3.2Ghz@400FSB. They both have an excellent overclock with this motherboard. The only difference between this and the DS3 is solid capactors. Save yourself some money and buy the S3. I am using Muskin DDR 667 memory modules as well.

 

[fpdoc]

What he said.
I got the board for my AM2 CPU and am quiet pleased with it. Like the cooling options, board setup and overclocking potential. Was between this, the Foxconn, DFI lanparty and maybe the ASUS. This seemed most user friendly for me at least. It would be a good choice of many.

 

[sillywabbit]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but those capacitors on the DS3 provide longer life and will also be more stable on an overclocked board, no? OP mentioned he'd like to OC so I figured the extra $30 might provide a little more insurance. Hell, if not, like you said, go for the S3 then.

 

[maats]

Gigabyte DS3 or S3 motherboards are excellent midrange motherboards. Its a personal choice of which one to get. Both motherboards have the same warranty. If you believe the solid capacitors will sustain a better overclock, then by all means buy the DS3. I bought 2 GA-9I965 S3 motherboards and overclocked them as I had mentioned earlier. Both systems run 100% stable.

To answer the poster original question; Gigabyte bios updates are performed with a floppy disk. You can use the onboard bios upgrade feature in the the bios itself. I would recommend this. I have done multiple bios upgrades using the procedure when in the bios. I havent experienced any problems. I read here in the forums someone using a bootable floppy and trying a bios upgrade and it had failed. This person's motherboard would no longer post.

 

[sruane]

...

1.) Can I flash the BIOS on these things through DOS, using a floppy? Didn't see it on their web site.

2...

There is a menu option from the BIOS setup screen to load a new BIOS from a floppy. You don't have to boot DOS, just press DEL to get into the BIOS.

 

[HYST3R]

im not sure about the S3 but the DS3 you can flash using a floppy, or do it through windows. there is a windows utility that you can get from the same page as the flash file from gigabyte. i cant remember the name of the utility tho. cureently i have used it 2 times with satisfaction. from F4-F5, and F5-F6. no problems. just make sure you disable HT or any seetings that will hinder the CPU.

 

[sektor]

Thanks for the input guys.

Just ordered my stuff yesterday:

E6600
DS3
2gib Corsair DDR 800, 4-4-4-12

For HYST3R, you mean to disable hyper threading in the BIOS when updating the bios? Wasn't sure what you meant by that.

Thanks.

 

[bliq]

dont reccomend gigabyte... I heard from some people that its like PC Chips mobos only thing more crapper and worthless... i heard they blow up and dont work properlyy

huh??? Gigabyte has been one of the top tier manufacturers for a long time. Can definitely be mentioned in the same breath as Asus, ABit, etc...

 

[Blown_65]

Good luck on your build! I'm currently running my E6300 @ 2.8Ghz not even breaking a sweat! I bought the S3 (damn budget!), but nice choice with the DS3! This was my first Gigabyte board and let me tell you, I'm impressed! ...I flashed my bios through windows, no sense in going through bios/floppy anymore, unless you have to. (don't remember having to disable anything at all)

 

[NaDa]

I would buy ASUS P5B DELUXE.

It's a sure bet and probably the best mobo around to oc a conroe.
I would rather buy the E6400 and save some money and invest in a better mobo.
The E6400 has a good multiplier and the cache has not proven that much important.

Personaly I dont really like gigabyte. I have two 939 gigabyte boards and I can tell you they are cheap and good for the price buy not really impresive in quality.
But you are buying new gigabyte mobos for intel and I cant really say. I would really go with asus. Read the wusy conroe ocing guide.

And yes the difference with S3 and DS3 is in the capacitors (caps), DS3 has got the solid (quality) ones. I had trouble with low quality boards and I would definatly go with a board that has solid capacitors but in the end it doesnt have to mean anything.

Just one more thing. The better the mobo is, the better the components, capacitors, vrm the more your cpu can oc regardless of the fsb wall.
I have an Athlon64 that oces to 2.5 on a gigabyte (cheap) mobo and to 2.7 on an asus mobo (with same voltages). The gigabyte can go up to 300FSB and more but the cpu wall hits sooner on it.

 

[sektor]

I would buy ASUS P5B DELUXE.

It's a sure bet and probably the best mobo around to oc a conroe.
I would rather buy the E6400 and save some money and invest in a better mobo.
The E6400 has a good multiplier and the cache has not proven that much important.

Personaly I dont really like gigabyte. I have two 939 gigabyte boards and I can tell you they are cheap and good for the price buy not really impresive in quality.
But you are buying new gigabyte mobos for intel and I cant really say. I would really go with asus. Read the wusy conroe ocing guide.

And yes the difference with S3 and DS3 is in the capacitors (caps), DS3 has got the solid (quality) ones. I had trouble with low quality boards and I would definatly go with a board that has solid capacitors but in the end it doesnt have to mean anything.

Just one more thing. The better the mobo is, the better the components, capacitors, vrm the more your cpu can oc regardless of the fsb wall.
I have an Athlon64 that oces to 2.5 on a gigabyte (cheap) mobo and to 2.7 on an asus mobo (with same voltages). The gigabyte can go up to 300FSB and more but the cpu wall hits sooner on it.

I've read a lot about the DS3 board and talked with a few people. Being as that I bought good ram, I should be able to get this OC'd into the mid 3ghz range with 3.6ghz being my goal.

Either way, it was between the gigabyte board and another board running the 975x chipset.

I chose this CPU because if I ever needed to go stock, it still has a nice stock speed and the 4mb cache will pay off eventually.

 

[sprint_9]

Anyone got any reviews for the S3 I cant find crap on it and its the one I want.

 

[sillywabbit]

S3 review:

http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?cid=6&id=2025

 

[rabidbunny]

I just recently put my rig together with a gigabyte ds3 motherboard. It's awsome. I haven't tried overclocking it yet.

I have flashed the bios on this board. I tried the floppy version, but the f4 bios that comes with it didn't recognize the new bios on the floppy. There is at least one way you can flash the bios through windows. It's called @BIOS utility from gigabyte's site. It works fine. Give it a shot.

 

[NaDa]

Please look at this for DS3

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2854