I posted on this a couple of weeks ago and thought I had the configuration sorted out. However I overlooked one thing on the motherboard. The motherboard I wanted to use is DDR3 only. I am having a hard time finding a board that will fit my system. I have everything but a motherboard and dont really know what I want.
I want to be able to use 2 video cards if I want to and still have a slot for my SAS RAID controller.
Seagate 300gb 15K RPM SAS drive for boot
3 Seagate - 750gb SATA drives for data in RAID 5
This is the must list: The board needs to do either SLI or Crossfire
The board needs to use DDR2
The board must also have an additional PCIe (at least) x8 slot for my RAID card The board must be a decent overclocker
Does anyone know of a board that will fit or should I switch to DDR3 memory? Almost all board that I have seen with more than 2 - x16 PCIe slots are DDR3.
Message edited by rozar on 04-28-2008 at 07:26:09 PM
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Intel S3210SHLC temp use while waiting for new board || Xeon X3350 with Xigmatek S1283 || 4GB Crucial Ballistix || 1 - 300GB 15k SAS boot , 3 - 750GB SATA Raid 5 || Adaptec 5805 SAS RAID controller || ATI 3870 || Antec 300 Chassis with Nspire 600 watt PS
You're right...OP wants to use Xfire or SLi. That EVGA board looks nice but I wish nVidia would start using solid capacitors on their boards like most of the other top makers.
Message edited by halcyon on 04-28-2008 at 07:19:53 PM
Yeah... Even the 780i might not be the answer, in fact, because dual-slot video cards tend to block the PCI slots....
@rozar: you know, WD has announced a new V-Raptor (to be available retail in May) which will be very close to that SAS drive. Maybe you could use one of those instead, and then you can go with X38 or X48.
Yeah... Even the 780i might not be the answer, in fact, because dual-slot video cards tend to block the PCI slots....
@rozar: you know, WD has announced a new V-Raptor (to be available retail in May) which will be very close to that SAS drive. Maybe you could use one of those instead, and then you can go with X38 or X48.
I already have the SAS drive and at 5.2 ms access time and 115 mb a sec sustained data transfer (my tested times) its not bad, plus its on a rocket ship of a controller.
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Intel S3210SHLC temp use while waiting for new board || Xeon X3350 with Xigmatek S1283 || 4GB Crucial Ballistix || 1 - 300GB 15k SAS boot , 3 - 750GB SATA Raid 5 || Adaptec 5805 SAS RAID controller || ATI 3870 || Antec 300 Chassis with Nspire 600 watt PS
Asus make 2 boards that may "sort of" suit you... although both use DDR3
Based on the x38 and x48 chipsets they have a workstation mobo that had 4x 16xPCI-e slots, although they all dont work at full 16x they should work fast enough for you not to work.
P5K64 WS
P5E64 WS Evolution
Other than that you pretty much have to goto a 7xx series NVIDIA
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"The MB is 31 C and the CPU is 109 C. I think it's the CPU overheating." - Faromic THF's
I even have contact with Asus on when it will be released. I think if it were out right now I might be tempted to sell my DDR2 and get DDR3. (I might only get 2gb for now though) DDR3 will come down in price, but until then its very expensive right now.
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Intel S3210SHLC temp use while waiting for new board || Xeon X3350 with Xigmatek S1283 || 4GB Crucial Ballistix || 1 - 300GB 15k SAS boot , 3 - 750GB SATA Raid 5 || Adaptec 5805 SAS RAID controller || ATI 3870 || Antec 300 Chassis with Nspire 600 watt PS
