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Help me pick a replacement board.


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I bought an Asus Commando, which I absolutely love. However, there are a few annoying bugs starting to pop up, and it's still not been proven to run OSX86 (I haven't had time to try it yet). I'm considering an RMA.

 

I need a great overclocker, that works great with OS X. I've been looking into the other Asus boards (P5W DH DELUXE/WIFI-AP, P5B WIFI/Deluxe). What other motherboards do you guys recommened? Any of the newer boards work yet? (r600, Ds3, etc?). If not, which motherboard is better for OS X AND OC'ing, p5b or p5w.

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I bought an Asus Commando, which I absolutely love. However, there are a few annoying bugs starting to pop up, and it's still not been proven to run OSX86 (I haven't had time to try it yet). I'm considering an RMA.

 

I need a great overclocker, that works great with OS X. I've been looking into the other Asus boards (P5W DH DELUXE/WIFI-AP, P5B WIFI/Deluxe). What other motherboards do you guys recommened? Any of the newer boards work yet? (r600, Ds3, etc?). If not, which motherboard is better for OS X AND OC'ing, p5b or p5w.

 

As you already know it, P5B and P5W are great boards... but don't forget the Intel Bad Axe II.

I own a P5W-DH and I must say that it is rock solid, maybe as much as the Intel Bad Axe II.

Even if a P5W-DH can overclock, it has less potential than a P5B deluxe.

 

Anyway, my E6700 clocks @ 3,6Ghz thanks to my P5W-DH (10*360 FSB) and a noctua NH-U12 (air cooling), which is not bad. I won't go higher without 1,5V (1,4V today) but my case isn't ventilated enough. I'm glad with this mobo even if the FSB CAN HARDLY GO HIGHER THAN 400. Keep that in mind ! But everything installed fine, the only thing you have to do is about sound... and it's really easy. No serious tweaking is necessary, just download an installer that is available on this forum.

 

In conclusion, I'd say that: buy a Intel Bad Axe II or try getting your commando working because it's worth it, incredible mobo.

If you are still hesitating between a P5B and a P5W, here is the situation: take the P5W if you want everything to be smooth, easy install, with a good OC potential, OR take the P5B if you want to OC as hell.

 

 

Here is the package needed for installing osx86 on a P5B dlx:

 

http://61.74.156.133/bbs/zboard.php?id=ritz&no=687

 

Here is a few links about the P5W-DH and osx86:

 

Files needed: http://rakis.net/~justin/blog/

Installing 10.4.8: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=32670

Upgrading to 10.4.9: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?sho...c=45696&hl=

 

and here is another website about osx86:

 

http://x86.wowdns.com/

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Thanks tbdl!

 

The Commando is an incredible mother board. It's goona be hard to part with it. I had an e6600 running at 3.45 ghz using 432fsb. Now, that's not all that impressive, until you check Sandra to see what the FSB is actually running at (straps)... 486fsb on air. This board will go easily over 500fsb, and some have made it to 600fsb with the right cooling. Sniff.. I'm gonna miss it.

 

Questions.. how much voltage will the p5w and p5b allow for CPU, DDRII, etc? I need at least 2.2 DDRII, and 1.5v CPU (although more would be preferred). I've got one of those newer voltage hungry e6600's that will do 3.6ghz no problem, as long as you feed it a little over 1.5v. 3.5ghz at 1.475, and 3.4 at 1.41. What's the highest FSB on a p5b? Does the wifi work out of the box on either board? How does the sound compare to my commando's supreme FX sound card? Thanks!

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WooooW !! FSB 486Mhz !

If you get a P5W-DH, you'll get sad...

I don't know anything about a P5B dlx, I guess it's almost a commando, you'll find every options you need for a crazy OC.

About the P5W-DH, I'm not sure about the Vcore voltage... I've set up 1,425V, not tryed 1,5V yet, but the motherboard reads 1,392V, very close to 1,4V, but not 1,425V as I've set up ! I'll have to test this later...

 

It seems that you can get 1,7V from the P5W-DH, that's what the BIOS indicates me... but I don't believe it.

DDR2 can reach 2,4V

The highest FSB you'll reach for sure is 400-420 FSB but with the help of a large increased chipset voltage that will produce a LOT of heat. Then, you can mod it to go higher....

 

As you can see, you can overclock your C2D with a P5W-DH, but not too much ! The 975 chipset is getting old...

 

We can't compare the quality of the sound of you supreme FX sound card, because it is not compatible with osx86.

Most of the time, patched sound quality isn't so great...

 

Wifi never works out of the box. But the drivers are out there, just have to install them. I'm not sure the wifi is 100% operational, I've heard people having a hard time getting it working correctly, others running it flawlessly...

 

I guess that the P5B dlx will better suit your needs than any other board (never thought of a Bad Axe II ?)

 

I suggest you go with it. About my P5W-DH, I regret the poor max FSB, but it has been totally problem free with osx86 since the first minute I've pluged it (now, I just have to check why vcore won't go higher than 1,392V...)

 

Have a look there, http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=51862, "Asus P5B Deluxe full package 100% work osx, this all-in-one solution is all you need to 100% work P5B DELUXE". I was myself hesitating about changing my P5W DH for a P5B Dlx...

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PS: I should have said than I am an OC n00b, that's the first OC of my life... so I guess I don't know how to use 100% of the potential of the P5W. And I'm too scary to put 1,5V to my E6700 since it is air cooling and my case is {censored} with bad ventilation.

 

I've heard of people getting 3,76Ghz from a E6600 with a P5W-DH. And OC masters getting 4,4Ghz from a E6700 with watercooling (FSB 440), still with a P5W-DH.

 

If you live in France or anywhere in west Europe, I might sell you my P5W-DH if you want... we never know :)

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