P5N-E SLI with Q9550

[pk415]

I have an Asus p5n-e sli motherboard with an intel q9550 chip (2.83 Ghz) But when I enter the BIOS setup it says processor speed 2.0 Ghz. I am not interested in overclocking it (yet) but I just wanted to know why it said 2.0 Ghz instead of 2.83 Ghz. I haven't changed any settings in the BIOS yet, only flashed the newest BIOS.

Thanks

 

[MMclachlan]

Check out:
http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx?SLanguage=en-us
That CPU is a 45nm quad, not supported by your 650i motherboard - I'm surprised it works at all!! Your mobo only officially supports 65nm quads (Q6600 etc). 650i boards will take a 45nm dual core (E8x00), but not the Q9x50s - I think it is to do with the addressing of the larger 12Mb cache, 650i's can't do it. Your speed issue might be to do the motherboard setting a default 1066 QFSB as it thinks its a 65nm quad? You may get the correct speed buy upping it to 1333 QFSB however you will never get the full potential of the chip on that board as it won't be able to address the full amount of cache and you might have other issues.

 

[pk415]

Thanks MMclachlan,

I bought this computer off e-bay and I assumed the company would not have sold me an incompatible chip/motherboard. What motherboard do you recommend for this chip?

 

[MMclachlan]

Never by brand new combos off Ebay. The prices are never that competitive if you shop around and you are much better getting from a non-ebay company as the support is likely to be much better in the event you have a problem. First off contact the Ebayer and tell them your problem and ask them to pick the board or board and chip up and refund you for it.
For a Q9x50, you need a board based upon an nvidia 7x0i chipset or intel P35 (I think only the newer P35s support 45nm Qs so check) or P43/P45/X38/X48. Whether you go Intel or Nvidia depends on whether you need SLI. If you don't need Nvidia SLI or plan to run a single graphics card I would get an Intel chipset board as they are better this generation.

 

[RazzoCotto]

I have installed Q9550 on P5N-E SLI after bios update to version 1301 and everything works fine (also processor speed at 2.83 GHz).
I didn't try to overclock cpu.

 

[videtto]

I just put a Q955O ON MY P5N-e SLI with the 1403 Bios. It works fine but the core voltage is at 1.403 and I can't overclock anything, including ram. The CPU seems to run a little hot. Don't know if I need new motherboard.

 

[oton_jr]

Check out:
http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx?SLanguage=en-us
That CPU is a 45nm quad, not supported by your 650i motherboard - I'm surprised it works at all!! Your mobo only officially supports 65nm quads (Q6600 etc). 650i boards will take a 45nm dual core (E8x00), but not the Q9x50s - I think it is to do with the addressing of the larger 12Mb cache, 650i's can't do it. Your speed issue might be to do the motherboard setting a default 1066 QFSB as it thinks its a 65nm quad? You may get the correct speed buy upping it to 1333 QFSB however you will never get the full potential of the chip on that board as it won't be able to address the full amount of cache and you might have other issues.

See, the problem with P5N-e and 45nm quad cpus is not on the chipset itself but in the project of P5N-e, in the phases of the power design.. in fact 3 phases are insuficien even fo 65nm quad procs and this is the reason is dificult to do OC on quads using this board.

 

[oton_jr]

I have an Asus p5n-e sli motherboard with an intel q9550 chip (2.83 Ghz) But when I enter the BIOS setup it says processor speed 2.0 Ghz. I am not interested in overclocking it (yet) but I just wanted to know why it said 2.0 Ghz instead of 2.83 Ghz. I haven't changed any settings in the BIOS yet, only flashed the newest BIOS.

Thanks

the reason for that is not incompatibility. You just flashed a new BIOS so it means the setup was reseted. Just go to BIOS setup and change the multiplicator from 6 to 8.5.

1333MHz / 4 = 333,25

333,25 * 6 = 1999.5 MHz (2GHz)

333,25 * 8.5 = 2832,625 MHz (2.83GHz)

PS: Sorry, I know this thread is old but I could't let it without a answer

 

[jacobdrj]

the reason for that is not incompatibility. You just flashed a new BIOS so it means the setup was reseted. Just go to BIOS setup and change the multiplicator from 6 to 8.5.

1333MHz / 4 = 333,25

333,25 * 6 = 1999.5 MHz (2GHz)

333,25 * 8.5 = 2832,625 MHz (2.83GHz)

PS: Sorry, I know this thread is old but I could't let it without a answer

Thanks for the reply. I have to get a board with an nvidia chipset for a client with special requirements. I have a choice of this one or the ASUS P5N-D.

I am using a q9550s and the only difference I can see is the 1 extra sata port on the p5n-e, but no official support of the q9550s.

Any suggestions?

 

[oton_jr]

Thanks for the reply. I have to get a board with an nvidia chipset for a client with special requirements. I have a choice of this one or the ASUS P5N-D.

I am using a q9550s and the only difference I can see is the 1 extra sata port on the p5n-e, but no official support of the q9550s.

Any suggestions?

If you do not need de extra sata you mentioned go with P5N-D, is more recent and will give better support to 45nm and quads.

nForce Boards are fast desappearing from the market...

 

[starams5]

Thanks for the reply. I have to get a board with an nvidia chipset for a client with special requirements. I have a choice of this one or the ASUS P5N-D.

I am using a q9550s and the only difference I can see is the 1 extra sata port on the p5n-e, but no official support of the q9550s.

Any suggestions?

+1 for the P5N-D, my P5N-D has been rock solid since 08. If you're running SLI be aware of the top sata ports. My P5N-D is on liquid so its not an issue, but the 2nd SLI slot has issues with some double slotted video card fan housing's and don't fit so well over these sata ports. If you have the rounded fan housing and the card isn't that big, like an 8800GT or 9800GT you should be okay. But you might have some issues with a square fan housing and larger video cards in the 2nd slot. You shouldn't have any problems with single slotted video cards.

 

[jacobdrj]

Thanks guys. You have all been most helpful. In the en I got the P5N-D. In fact, because these boards seem to be such a dying breed, and because my client's requirements were so mission critical, in the end, he got 2.

It seems to be rock solid. Only issue was that without the included northbridge fan, the heatsink got VERY hot. There was a warning on the fan that it shouldn't be put in unless there was passive cooling or liquid cooling, but that seems like total BS. It needs the fan. The CPU will be just fine with the Arctic Freezer 7, thank you...

I am actually not using this for SLI. In fact, couldn't care less about 3D. I just needed nVidia, as Intel, AMD and ATI motherboards and video cards were incompatible with his software (written around 1990). Go figure.

Also, I added a SATA 6G card from ASUS. It only worked in the top (upper) x16 PCIe slot. The video card, luckily, wasn't picky.

I wish this board had more on-board SATA, USB, and variable 4-pin fan headers, but it does the job, and the client is satisfied. I get paid. All is well in the world.