Asus P5E - Vdroop - Pencil Mod / Rampage Bios?

VTR

VTR

VTR

Soldato
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Still messing around with my new system trying to find the fastest 24/7 overclock that I can use safely...

Reading around and everywhere seems to have conflicting opinions. I've got the P5E board flashed to the 903 bios. Problem is I'm getting quite bad vdrop and vdroop. Vdrop's not too much of a concern as obviously I can just set a slightly higher value in the bios. However, the vdroop is quite a lot on this board. To get, for example, 1.44v under load, the idle vcore is 1.48 (bios setting 1.5v) (just an example, not going to be running this high a vcore 24/7)

Now some people say to do the pencil mod as this will eliminate vdroop altogether. How safe is this? The other option is flashing to the Rampage bios and enabling Load Line Calibration - getting conflicting opinions on whether or not this is safe though? If I done the pencil mod, would I still need LLC enabled or would the mod eliminate the need for it. Currently enabling it has no effect on vdroop.

Thanks in advance for any help/opinions!


(posted in the overclocking section but on 2nd thoughts may be more appropriate here)
 
You can use whatever P5E bios you like and it will not fix the vdroop even with loadline calibration enabled. Never did for me anyway. I did the pencil mod not long after i got the board (couple of weeks after launch) and it has sorted it out for me and nothings gone wrong. About the only benefit from the Rampage bios is a few extra memory timing options which is why i have stuck with the P5E bios's. I have used all of them and 903 has been the best for me. Then again i am not a normal user as i have the dreaded 8500 Ballistix which have always worked for me along with all of the memory dividers unlike a lot of users.
 
Thanks for the reply. Think I will defently stick with the P5e bios then and look into doing the pencil mod.

I've only had a quick look at it at the moment - from what I can gather you need to draw 2-3 lines with a HB Pencil? By that does it mean go over it 2-3 times, or do 2-3 seperate lines?
 
VTR said:
Thanks for the reply. Think I will defently stick with the P5e bios then and look into doing the pencil mod.

I've only had a quick look at it at the moment - from what I can gather you need to draw 2-3 lines with a HB Pencil? By that does it mean go over it 2-3 times, or do 2-3 seperate lines?
Click to expand...

You go over it several times.
 
p5evdroophs4.jpg


Is that where i need to draw the line? if so how exactly do i do it?

draw verticaly? horizontally?
 
I would recommend the flash to the Rampage BIOS as it completely eliminates the vDroop. I tried the pencil mod first... It works but I didn't feel it was stable. I now have 1.47V set in the BIOS and at load CPUZ reads 1.45V 100% stable. Give it go. Its fully reversible so its worth a go.
 
gunner said:
I would recommend the flash to the Rampage BIOS as it completely eliminates the vDroop. I tried the pencil mod first... It works but I didn't feel it was stable. I now have 1.47V set in the BIOS and at load CPUZ reads 1.45V 100% stable. Give it go. Its fully reversible so its worth a go.
Click to expand...

Can anyone else confirm this? Getting conflicting opinions whether or not vdroop issue is resolved by flashing to the Rampage bios?
 
I still dont quite understand how doing the pencil mod actually benefits anything.

I used to have an Asus P5B, and now have a P5E, and both suffer from both vdrop & vdroop. On the P5B, in did do a pencil mod, but from that experience, I just havent bothered with the P5E. Whats wrong with just raising the voltage in the bios? Yes, idle voltage is a little high - Ive set about 1.38v in BIOS, get 1.34v idle, and 1.31v load - but I get low idle temps between 38-42degs, 100% stability under load.

One other thing to bear in mind - I sold my P5B to a good friend, and it started to get unstable. Turned out that the cpu voltage started to drop - the pencil mod actually starts to wear away!

Personally, just set it high enough for 100% stability and be done with it. Yes, idle volts are inevitably high, but it really doesnt make that much difference to the temps.
 
TheRedZealot said:
p5evdroophs4.jpg


Is that where i need to draw the line? if so how exactly do i do it?

draw verticaly? horizontally?
Click to expand...

Caution!

vModding a motherboard is not without it's dangers, remember to get consent from your parents :p and it's also good practice to test your vModds with a multimeter before going live! :eek:

digitalmultimeter06ya0.jpg
 
VTR said:
Can anyone else confirm this? Getting conflicting opinions whether or not vdroop issue is resolved by flashing to the Rampage bios?
Click to expand...

There is a huge thread on this over at XS. The consensus is that the vDroop is eliminated by flashing to the Rampage or P5E Deluxe BIOS. I just followed the steps closely and 5mins later. I have the Rampage BIOS. You do have to turn off a couple of sensors in the Rampage BIOS as the PCB of the P5E doesn't include them. If you don't switch them off you will get error messages. Its all clearly described in the XS thread.

I feel this is the best most reliable method of dealing with the vDroop.
 
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