Abit customer service

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:16 am

Has anyone had experience with ABIT's customer service? I have e-mailed them at least three times and they will not respond at all. Capper mentioned to me that the AN7 reports false temps due to BIOS problems and I can't get ABIT to respond at all to my inquiries about it. I bought my ABIT from Fry's Electronics in Texas and I spent the extra money to get the performance guarantee so I can return it at any time and I think I can get a different MOBO. If I can't get ABIT to respond to this issue I almost feel like I should return it for an ASUS or something just on principal. What do you guys think?

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:35 am

A couple of things.
1. I have had horrible luck with ABIT's customer service and boards in general. Same deal, numerous unanswered emails.
2. Although they over clock well, ABIT boards in my opinioon are not stable at all. Granted, boards are only guaranteed to work at stock specified speeds, but seriously, what is every board makers marketing gimmick....it is all geared toward the Gamer and O/Cing! If they are going to market their products as extreme O/Cers etc, then they need to address the voltage issues. they know what the problems are, yet they do nothing to fix them.
3. that being said, ASUS boards may not O/C as well as ABIT, but i have never really had a problem with an ASUS board or their tech support. My A8V is the best board i have ever had, with the exception of the problems with Probe, but then again, Socket 939 is brand new and they need time to work out bugs.
I would also recommend DFI, having never really used one myself, i see lots of great things written about them, especially the DFI Lan Party 875B.

A10Pilot3 · Post by **A10Pilot3** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 10:14 am

I'm having issues with my Abit motherboard that capper recommended

I say get an Asus. I'm on my dad's computer right now, although I've overclocked my new 3GHz Prescott to 3.6GHz, it's not stable at those speeds, so I'm trying to find out what the problem is. I have been raising the voltage and that seems to be helping, but I looked at NewEgg and it says

2.8 Northwood (old cpu) = 1.525V
3.0 Prescott = 1.25 - 1.525V

My motherboard (Abit IC7) defualts at 1.3 something with the Prescott, so I raised it a step at a time up to 1.4 something (has weird numbers, 3's and 4's etc.) I would like to know how high I can safely raise the voltage. I know with my 2.8 I didn't know anything about o/c and raised the voltage to 1.725, and I believe it might've damaged it a little.

Anyway besides the voltage question, about 1 in 3 times I turn on the computer, it wont detect the hard drive and it wont boot up. I installed some RAID SATA drivers (1 120Gb SATA Seagate) during the windows installation, but it doesn't work.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 10:49 am

I am running a locked Barton 2500 so I can't mess with the multi and I can't see being able to buy a new Athelon mobile CPU for awhile so the overclocking is not that big a deal to me right now I am maxed out ( by choice) at 11x200 I haven't tried to go over 200 on the FSB yet mostly because I feel sure I would not see much real world difference in performance until I get the HDD system worked out and get a new Vid card. The main thing I would like in a MOBO is stability and accurate info from the MOBO monitor. I know the best way to monitor temps is to use a fan controller with temp sensors but it seems like such a waste if I can get that info from the MOBO. I would rather spend the 20 to 45 bucks on something else.

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:49 pm

For overclocking i do recommend the ABIT Max-3, I just had problems with its stability and with their customer service.
As to the voltages, it depends upon your cooling. With water I have taken my Pressie up to 1.6V, which is the most I'd recommend. On air I can hit 3.75 at 1.425 v-core, but every chip is different.At 1.55 I could hit 4GHz, but it wasn't entirely stablle.
I have a 200+ mobile in an ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe board. I run it at 12X200 just fine, very good little backup/family system. Very stable and no hiccups.
If you need help or have questions about O/Cing, ask us, everyone here is always willing to help. I suggest looking around and doing some research first though, Google hasd a wealth of information for overclocking just about every board out there.

A10Pilot3 · Post by **A10Pilot3** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:52 pm

Well capper you told me to get the Abit IC7 and I did so here we go...

My 3GHz Prescott is stable at 3.6GHz (240FSB) at (1.5175?) but raising it up to 250FSB isn't stable, and I raised the voltage up another notch to like 1.5325 and it still froze, I didn't want to overvoltage it. I'm trying to get the highest possible stable overclock, as I have some mosfet coolers from MicroCool that I need to review, so I want to be able to tell if they made a difference. The mosfets are burning hot to the touch... I don't have my watercooling block on the northbridge yet, just the stock heatsink/fan. Will water-cooling the northbridge make much difference at this point?

My idle temps at 3.6 is around 90F (32C) and under a load it gets to 105-110 (lower 40'sC).

Another question, when I moved to my new motherboard, my memory scores in PCMark02 went up nearly 4000 points (8000-12000), I have the same memory as before, does it count video memory because I moved up to a 9800pro? It is supposedly in dual channel and it said dual channel before also, could my old board just be messed up?

Also can you send me a link to that guy in Greece with the 409FSB overclock? I might just have to send him my board... :D Just wondering, If my processor was running at 5-6GHz, how long would the lifespan be? a few weeks?

A10Pilot3 · Post by **A10Pilot3** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 7:01 pm

oh and info on my processor from cpu-z to make sure I don't have the same problem as my northwood (wrong family or whatever)

Family: F
Model: 3
Stepping: 3
Ext. Family: 0
Ext. Model: 0
Revision: C0

Hopefully that's one that overclocks like a champ

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 7:07 pm

I finally got a response from ABIT and they say that the temps reported by their MOBO monitor should be accurate. Capper, can you tell me where you got your info. so I can duke it out with ABIT. I would also like to know about the MOBO monitors that you all know to be good and accurate. I assume that not all of you have fan controllers with temp sensors so at least some MOBOs must have accurate monitors.

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 7:31 pm

if you want to get realy accurate readings you could get a laser temp probe and pull your mobo out and set it on a desk or something and try to aim the laser inbetween the heatsink and cpu.

Post by **Illuminati** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 7:32 pm

I feel the urge to remind everyone of the article that Nate wrote explaining how Core Temperatures are found...

Core temps are just a calculation... the diff between degrees are acurate, but different companies use a slightly different calculation which causes different mobo brands to have a wide variety of mobo temps.

Take another look at the article for more details... we got a pretty detailed reply from Intel on this issue.

Bio-Hazard · Post by **Bio-Hazard** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 8:23 pm

I agree with the article.............I read it before and I just read it again. ............

I've told countless people countless times that the temp is just s refferance point for any one board and that you can't use it to compair to makes or even to different modles from the same company. They will always be a little different. Just like infinitevalence and I use the same board, but if he is using a different bios than myself the temps will not read the same even if the same exact parts are used. There is a tolerance in all the parts used in a computer, to include the temp diodes, that brings more chance for error in the system, maybe not a lot, but error none the less.
So when you compare temps, remember, they are just a bunch of crap and just a refferance for your one system so that you can tell if something might be going wrong............. :twisted:

A10Pilot3 · Post by **A10Pilot3** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 8:25 pm

A10Pilot3 wrote:Well capper you told me to get the Abit IC7 and I did so here we go...

My 3GHz Prescott is stable at 3.6GHz (240FSB) at (1.5175?) but raising it up to 250FSB isn't stable, and I raised the voltage up another notch to like 1.5325 and it still froze, I didn't want to overvoltage it. I'm trying to get the highest possible stable overclock, as I have some mosfet coolers from MicroCool that I need to review, so I want to be able to tell if they made a difference. The mosfets are burning hot to the touch... I don't have my watercooling block on the northbridge yet, just the stock heatsink/fan. Will water-cooling the northbridge make much difference at this point?

My idle temps at 3.6 is around 90F (32C) and under a load it gets to 105-110 (lower 40'sC).

Another question, when I moved to my new motherboard, my memory scores in PCMark02 went up nearly 4000 points (8000-12000), I have the same memory as before, does it count video memory because I moved up to a 9800pro? It is supposedly in dual channel and it said dual channel before also, could my old board just be messed up?

Also can you send me a link to that guy in Greece with the 409FSB overclock? I might just have to send him my board... :D Just wondering, If my processor was running at 5-6GHz, how long would the lifespan be? a few weeks?

Bump for me :D

Bio-Hazard · Post by **Bio-Hazard** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 8:26 pm

Oh, I forgot to answer your question. No, I have never had to deal with Abit customer service. I've had 3 boards from them and never had a problem with any of them that I couldn't figure out on my own............

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:30 pm

That's funny Valence. What I mean is that I figured some of you may have installed a core temp probe and also had the MOBO monitor thus giving you two numbers one calculated and one read off a probe thus giving you an idea of how accurate the temps reported by the monitor were. I don't review anything or test anything and some of you guys do. I realize that there are some differences in temps reported by the same model but different board using the same equipment. What I am asking is does one manufactorer have a higher reputation for accuracy than the others. I don't remember the exact numbers but Capper told me at one time that the AN7 had a glitch in BIOS that threw the temps off by as much as 8'C. If we/ I spend countless hours and hundreds(if you count cases, fans, HSF,...) of dollars on cooling I thought for sure there would be more talk about whose monitor is accurate and whos is not. I just want to know within two or three degrees what my accual temps are and if I can do that by buying a different board rather than Valences laser methode I would.

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:33 pm

and i thought my method was simple, not very elegant but simple.

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:48 pm

Just wondering, If my processor was running at 5-6GHz, how long would the lifespan be? a few weeks?

I really hope you are just kidding, because some things you say really worry me if you are building systems for people.
As i told you when you first came here for help. the ABIT boards O/C very well, but there are violtage issues that come up toward the higher end of the operating spectrum. with the IC-7 series, this mostly is the memory voltage not being stable over 2.85 or so. go back over the message boards and you will find the lin k to the guy i recommended. You can also use Google and find people here in the states who will do the mod for you, as well as guides to do it yourself.
As to temps and temp programs and sensors. I personally like MBM5 or Speedfan, but something you have to realize is that alll those programs get their information from the same place as your monitor included with your system. A very good poiint is to either use a thermal probe or a sensor to get real temps. Nate wrote a great article about temperatures and sensor programs that has already been linked in this thread. I have yet to see an ABIT program that was even relatively close to the actual temps, most of what i have seen and read is an 8-10C discrepancy in temps. ASUS is usually pretty accurate and sometimes a few dgress C low.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:56 pm

..LOL I should have read the article before my last post. I have read it now and I understand why no one said " ASUS has accurate temps". We all have to start the temp game all over again every time we get a new board/CPU or both. Its really rather discouraging.

Bio-Hazard · Post by **Bio-Hazard** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 10:44 pm

It's all part of the computing world..........

And a bigger part of the OCing world..............

I've learned to deal with it. If you ever go over to Pro Cooling forms, most over there that have been around a while, will not even ask what temps you're getting. If the system is stable and you've got good air flow, you're good to go....... :twisted:

A10Pilot3 · Post by **A10Pilot3** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:37 pm

capper5016 wrote:
Just wondering, If my processor was running at 5-6GHz, how long would the lifespan be? a few weeks?
I really hope you are just kidding, because some things you say really worry me if you are building systems for people.
As i told you when you first came here for help. the ABIT boards O/C very well, but there are violtage issues that come up toward the higher end of the operating spectrum. with the IC-7 series, this mostly is the memory voltage not being stable over 2.85 or so. go back over the message boards and you will find the lin k to the guy i recommended. You can also use Google and find people here in the states who will do the mod for you, as well as guides to do it yourself.

1. Why do I worry you because I build computers for others? I'm not overclocking them....

2. I'm not overclocking my memory, so I'm not worried about voltage issues on memory....

3. How would I know who to trust off a Google search?

4. I'm not doing it myself...

LVCapo · Post by **LVCapo** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:08 am

http://www.legitreviews.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=529

A-10. Here is the link to the guys mod page.
I did recommend the ABIT IC7 to you, but with stipulations. i told you about the voltage issues and everything else. i also mentioned the temperature stuff that was written about by Nate.
Every system is different, because one system ight do a 300FSB does not mean every other like system will as well. there are alot of other things that contribute to what you get out of your computer...the board, processor, RAM, PSU, etc are all very important, then you have the cooling. Hell, i have had one ASUS board that would budge past 232, then got another that hit 260 without any problems.
I specifically remember telling you about the voltage issues with the ABIT boards past 2,85 on the V-Dimm.................