Hardware Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS4

[Tim S]

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200..._ga-ep35-ds4/1

Energy Efficiency seems to be the industry buzzword for 2008 and Gigabyte has completely relaunched its P35 motherboard range with that in mind. We look at its mainstream GA-EP35-DS4 model to see if it's a fuss worth making.

[IanW]

Since I have no eSATA external drive, now any need to buy one soon, I actually prefer the eSATA bracket solution Gigabyte offer. Besides, for connecting an external drive, I find FRONT panel ports a much easier proposition.

As an Nvida gfx owner I've been looking at the DS3R variant to replace my current Asrock DDR1/DDR2 AGP/PCIe4 board.

However, since the power saving features are controlled by (Windows) software, the EP boards are of little benefit to us Linux users.
So it'll be a GA-P35-DS3R for me (maybe even the P35C, for DDR2/DDR3 options).

[cpemma]

The rear I/O design is sheer brilliance – it's packed with USB ports

Though they've dropped the serial and parallel connectors found on the P35-DS3x I/O (though headers are available for a backplate solution if needed).

And maybe it's my big hands, but I bet getting to that ATX12V connector (8 on the photo) is even more difficult than on my DS3L if you have a big tower sink fitted.

ignore the BIOS warning about system stability and change the "System Performance" option to "Extreme" – you will get a better performance increase, likely more so than that extra overclock, by reducing the tRD and other chipset timings.

Interesting. I've wondered just what the various BIOS "performance" settings actually change. Things like leaving "Auto" on when overclocking seem fine for modest overclocks but when you're able to add over 50% with ease "Auto" seems to raise voltages far more than is necessary for stability.

[Bindibadgi]

Originally Posted by cpemma

Interesting. I've wondered just what the various BIOS "performance" settings actually change. Things like leaving "Auto" on when overclocking seem fine for modest overclocks but when you're able to add over 50% with ease "Auto" seems to raise voltages far more than is necessary for stability.

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=3208&p=5 This is worth a read and better explaining it than I ever could. I've been told about it before by Asus engineers but between the Chinese-English translation it's difficult to understand suck technical depth.

[robaal]

In addition there is the very helpful Q-BIOS, which offers BIOS updating from the POST screen but unfortunately you still have to fish out a floppy disk and drive because it won't let you load a BIOS ROM from a USB key like Asus will with its EZFlash 2.

It might have changed since then, but on the P965-DS3P, the built-in Q-Flash could also read the BIOS image from a FAT32 partition on the hard drive.

[Woodstock]

Originally Posted by robaal

It might have changed since then, but on the P965-DS3P, the built-in Q-Flash could also read the BIOS image from a FAT32 partition on the hard drive.

but who still has a fat32 partition

[cpemma]

Originally Posted by robaal

It might have changed since then, but on the P965-DS3P, the built-in Q-Flash could also read the BIOS image from a FAT32 partition on the hard drive.

There's nothing I've seen on the Gigabyte BIOS update pages on pendrives but my DS3L manual says, "save the new BIOS file to a floppy disk, USB flash drive, or hard drive. Note: The USB flash drive or hard drive must use FAT32/16/12 file system." And it probably helps to use root.

Using a boot "rescue" floppy produced by Win is quite messy for the n00b, as to get the BIOS files onto a 1.44M floppy you need to delete a load of other files first. With Q-Flash the floppy doesn't need to be bootable, which make things easier, but pendrive cheesecake.

Originally Posted by Bindibadgi

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=3208&p=5 This is worth a read

I tried switching to 'Extreme' without touching anything else and the system crashed half-way through a superpi run so I'd better read the article.

"nvlddmkm.sys error" though so I can blame nVidia.

[Bindibadgi]

Hrm. Not what my manual says! I read it straight out to write it.

I'll check again tomorrow!

Yea the Q-flash means a floppy doesnt need to be bootable but you still need a floppy. In contrast - everyone has a pendrive these days so it makes it far far far far easier.

[Bindibadgi]

Just to let you all know - I double checked this morning and the manual mentions nothing about a USB stick, only floppy, however I tried it out and it works perfectly from USB!

I've made a slight adjustment to the article on page 3 to reflect this technical change.

Thank you for the confirmation, CP

[cool_dude]

hey guys,

just wanted to ask... with this board you mention the ease of overclocking and if its too high it resets itself, right? Does it reset itself - like a reboot and then its back at completley stock? or does it do a continuous on/off/on/off etc cycle and then get reset? Just asking as I've seen the older 965 chipsets do this and wondering if theres any change.

[Bindibadgi]

Yea the old 965 did the continual reset thing to try to find a memory:fsb timing that worked. This one just reset itself once back to default, but only set the FSB and Memory frequencies back to auto - your settings are still saved so you can quickly flick them back and drop them a few MHz. It's a great system as long as you don't go nuts and prevent it from POSTing at all.

[cpemma]

I assume (if it's anything like my Gigabyte) you can also save & load several sets of settings, so you could have a winter configuration (maximum overclock) and a summer one (a bit easier for higher ambients).

[notatoad]

Originally Posted by Bindibadgi

It's a great system as long as you don't go nuts and prevent it from POSTing at all.

i did this on my p35c-ds3r. if the system can't POST it just shuts off and boots back with the auto settings.

[Bindibadgi]

Originally Posted by supertoad

i did this on my p35c-ds3r. if the system can't POST it just shuts off and boots back with the auto settings.

Hrm! Usually if it would boot and attempt to POST it would recognise something was wrong, but then I tried too much and had to reset it manually. I suppose it's maybe to the degree of over zealousness?