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numb7rs · (This post was last modified: 2011-01-16, 01:53 by numb7rs.)

Hello all.

After spending a few weeks having various hardware issues with this motherboard, I have made a map of the various interfaces and busses. Hopefully there will be enough keywords in the thread for anybody having hardware problems with this motherboard to find it, and that they find the map useful. I know I have had issues with booting from USB 3.0 devices, and my pci-e SIL3132 sata card is not recognised at all. Thankfully they've fixed the memory issues with a BIOS update.

I hope someone finds this useful.

NOTE: This is for Rev 1.03 Boards. On Rev 1.01, the PEX8608 is replaced with a PI7C9X20404SL from Pericom Semiconductor Corporation. There may be other differences. I do not own a Rev 1.01 board, so cannot check.

poofyhairguy · 2010-12-03, 21:22

Crazy your 3132 card didn't work. Wonder if other PCIe 1x cards do...

darkscout · 2010-12-03, 22:06

What does the SIL show up as? I've run a card with it in OpenSolaris, Linux, FreeBSD, and SolarisExpress 11 with no issues.

ion_man · (This post was last modified: 2010-12-03, 23:39 by ion_man.)

Actually the NM10 has 4 PCIe 1.0a lanes, not 2.0, so they are 250MB/s, not 500MB/s.
See (page 31): http://www.intel.com/Assets/PDF/datasheet/322896.pdf
That's one of the reasons I chose the AT3IONT-I over the AT5IONT-I, I really wasn't happy with the limited bandwidth provided by the NM10 chipset (only 4 lanes at 250MB/s, and the ION2 chip is attached to one of these at such a narrow bandwidth).

Other than that great map, it sure can be useful to understand this mobo better.

gregorburger · 2010-12-04, 02:14

numb7rs Wrote:Hello all.

After spending a few weeks having various hardware issues with this motherboard, I have made a map of the various interfaces and busses. Hopefully there will be enough keywords in the thread for anybody having hardware problems with this motherboard to find it, and that they find the map useful. I know I have had issues with booting from USB 3.0 devices, and my pci-e SIL3132 sata card is not recognised at all. Thankfully they've fixed the memory issues with a BIOS update.

I hope someone finds this useful.

I have the same problem here! what revision is your board? I have a theory that all/some board with revision 1.03G don't have a working PCIe port. I had two at home none worked. Not even at the bios level. A buddy has a 1.01G version and there alle cards i tried worked.

numb7rs · 2010-12-04, 03:50

Hi all, thanks for the feedback.

darkscout Wrote:What does the SIL show up as?

It doesn't. It doesn't appear in the list of devices, and it doesn't do it's own little "Press F10 to configure" thing after the post.

gregorburger Wrote:I have a theory that all/some board with revision 1.03G don't have a working PCIe port.

My board is Rev 1.03G. I bought and tried a cheapo Wi-Fi card in there, to see if it was the port, and that worked no problem. Have you tried other sorts of cards? I have another dirt cheap SATA card on the way, so I'm not too fussed about it.

ion_man Wrote:Actually the NM10 has 4 PCIe 1.0a lanes, not 2.0, so they are 250MB/s, not 500MB/s.

You are correct. I went by this image, which quotes a 500MB/s transfer speed. I then looked up the spec and saw 500MB/s = PCI-E 2.0. I didn't pay attention to whether that was single or bi-directional transfer speed. My bad. I have edited the map to fix.

durando · 2010-12-04, 18:21

not trying to get off topic of hijack but do you know if this board would allow booting off a PCIe 4x card OCZ Revodrive OCZSSDPX-1RVD0050

numb7rs · 2010-12-04, 19:05

durando Wrote:not trying to get off topic of hijack but do you know if this board would allow booting off a PCIe 4x card OCZ Revodrive OCZSSDPX-1RVD0050

Hi durando. I would say it was unlikely, given this motherboard's reputation for PCI-E devices. Even if it did work, you would have severly reduced speeds compared to other options, as the PCI-E port, while being the size of a x4, electrically it is only a x1. Add to that it is only at PCI-E 1.0a speeds, and there's a switching chip to go through, I would not recommend this combination. A SATA SSD would work much better, and be a helluva lot cheaper.

**thethirdnut** · 2010-12-06, 20:45

Hi.

So I have been leaning towards this board. Mainly to stick into a small case; Antec ISK-300 65 me thinks.

This would be an install and forget type of stand-alone XBMC box meaning not planning on anything besides needed to get it running...RAM, SSD, MOBO, CASE.

Besides quirks listed here is there any other reasons you guys would recommend NOT getting this mobo?

Thanks

durando · 2010-12-07, 03:00

the biggest reason i am looking for booting alternatives is to save both sata ports for 3tb drives and to get fast boot times.

would this system be able to boot a lacie fastkey (http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=11589)

at usb 3.0 speeds?

numb7rs · 2010-12-07, 03:51

durando Wrote:Would this system be able to boot a lacie fastkey at usb 3.0 speeds?

Hardware wise this shouldn't be a problem. I have done the same thing to free up both SATA ports. However I'm having trouble getting Ubuntu to boot from a USB 3.0 stick. It works when plugged into a USB 2 port, but I'm blaming either Ubuntu or my dirt cheap USB 3.0 Stick. I think you'd be fine with the Lacie stick. If you do go for this option, please could you let me know if it works, and what OS you are using? I would be interested in shelling out for a better USB 3 stick if you can get it to work. Thanks.

thethirdnut Wrote:Besides quirks listed here is there any other reasons you guys would recommend NOT getting this mobo?

Short answer, no.

Despite the limitations given in this thread, I am very happy with this board, and have no problem watching full 1080p video. I am also using it a media server, and it can happily stream HD video to multiple sources over gigabit lan.

One thing to bear in mind, despite being described as a passivly cooled board, there MUST be at least a small amount of airflow in the case to prevent overheating. You cannot put this powerful board in a tiny little box with no fans. The PSU that came with my case has an 80mm fan that draws air out of the case, straight past the heatsink. It looks like your case comes with a fan, so you should be ok.

**Beer40oz** · 2010-12-07, 06:04

Thank you for that map......... maybe I will just get a ASUS AT3IONT-I

**thethirdnut** · 2010-12-07, 06:08

Thanks for the info and the reply.

durando · 2010-12-08, 03:06

numb7rs,

your answers have really helped me to make the decision to get this board and a lacie stick, gonna be a little while for me to get the rest of the pieces needed but I really do appreciate your help and i'll let you know if I get this thing to boot at 3.0 speeds but that may take awhile because i need to get a custom case built for this board.

numb7rs · 2010-12-08, 12:41

durando & thethirdnut - No problem. I know how frustrating it can be when there's nobody to answer your questions. Anything else you need to know, just ask.

Beer40oz - It seems to be a matter of preference and situation. The AT3IONT-I has more features (Esp. the deluxe version), but the AT5IONT-I has more raw power and USB 3.0. I also had 3GB of spare DDR3 SO-DIMM laying around Wink