The ASrock 939dual-SATA2 (ULi M1695) thread

almus! · 27 Sep 2005 at 09:36

i haven't understood yet if i need or not a bloody backplate with the XP120..

here's what ASROCK has to say...

Hi Alessandro,

It is not necessary to get a backplate but if you still want to buy one, please check out the below link in about a week or so:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Thermalright_120.html

Thank you for writing us.
Best regards,
H P
Customer Relations/ Sales Representative

Rudeboy · 27 Sep 2005 at 10:21

Can someone recommend me a cheap and easy cooler to use on a 3200 venice on this board? Looking at the EVO120 info above it all sounds a bit of trial and error and as it's not for me I just want to be able to clip it on and not have to worry about it.

Would a Freezer 64 fit?

Thanks.

*EDIT*

Looks like the Freezers are out of stock. What about an Akasa or Gigabyte?

spell · 27 Sep 2005 at 11:06

Freezer 64 does fit if they come back in stock.

Mister Me · 27 Sep 2005 at 11:12

almus! said:
why r u getting it from the us?

I'm... American. Sorry.

3dfX · 27 Sep 2005 at 13:02

almus! said:
i haven't understood yet if i need or not a bloody backplate with the XP120..

here's what ASROCK has to say...

Hi Alessandro,

It is not necessary to get a backplate but if you still want to buy one, please check out the below link in about a week or so:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Thermalright_120.html

Thank you for writing us.
Best regards,
H P
Customer Relations/ Sales Representative

I would have preferred to use one but didn't. In the end, used the bolts that came with the XP120, but, as the bolt head is close to the size of the mobo hole's, used two none conductive washers followed by a metal one (8-10mm dia). As long as you don't tighten too much, should be ok.

Angilion · 27 Sep 2005 at 14:13

almus! said:
i haven't understood yet if i need or not a bloody backplate with the XP120..

here's what ASROCK has to say...

Hi Alessandro,

It is not necessary to get a backplate but if you still want to buy one, please check out the below link in about a week or so:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Thermalright_120.html

Thank you for writing us.
Best regards,
H P

Customer Relations/ Sales Representative

In my opinion, that's a generic response, not related to a specific cooler.

As I see it:

If the cooler you want to use requires a standard K8 mounting backplate for use with a Socket939 board, you need to get a standard K8 mounting backplate to use that cooler on this board.

Some coolers (the retail cooler, for example), don't need a backplate. I think that's what ASrock are refering to. Either that or they just don't have a clue. Some coolers require a K8 backplate meeting AMD's spec if they are to be used on a S939 or S754 board. This motherboard does not have such a backplate.

Angilion · 27 Sep 2005 at 14:17

3dfX said:
I would have preferred to use one but didn't. In the end, used the bolts that came with the XP120, but, as the bolt head is close to the size of the mobo hole's, used two none conductive washers followed by a metal one (8-10mm dia). As long as you don't tighten too much, should be ok.

Unless the cooler is heavy enough and goes far enough out from the motherboard to put sufficient torque to cause damage if the force is not distributed across the mounting backplate you haven't got. Maybe AMD were just erring on the side of caution when they made the backplate, maybe your CPU socket will be broken over time or if you move your PC.

EDIT: Or your motherboard, around the holes.

3dfX · 27 Sep 2005 at 17:12

Angilion said:
Unless the cooler is heavy enough and goes far enough out from the motherboard to put sufficient torque to cause damage if the force is not distributed across the mounting backplate you haven't got. Maybe AMD were just erring on the side of caution when they made the backplate, maybe your CPU socket will be broken over time or if you move your PC.

EDIT: Or your motherboard, around the holes.

My SP97 came with a back plate, the XP120 didn't, maybe it should have done? As suggested it's probably a good idea to get a backplate, especially if your moving your pc about.

Randell · 27 Sep 2005 at 17:30

So this board will support AMD M2 as it has a future CPU slot? DOes it also support DDR2?

HighlandeR · 27 Sep 2005 at 17:44

It dont support DDR2/In fact I raised this question just 2 nights ago... if Socket M2 cpus come out they support DDR2 so technicaly id say thats gonna make this upgrade future socket dead!

But I got a feeling M2 cpus are backwards compatible with DDR1...

Randell · 27 Sep 2005 at 17:47

HighlandeR said:
But I got a feeling M2 cpus are backwards compatible with DDR1...

that would be the most sensible way forward. Are M2's dual cores?

ps3ud0 · 27 Sep 2005 at 19:15

Both IIRC (FXs only tho) - tho I presume dual-cores will be at the forefront...

AFAIK technically Socket M2 wont support DDR1 as we know it (internal mem controller connected directly to the RAM) but I guess there will be a bus between the M2 expansion board and the DDR1 RAM - I guess thats going to be proprietary (sp?) from ASRock and no doubt significantly slower than AMDs A64 internal mem controller - I cant see how you could just plomp a Socket M2 CPU in and expect it to work @ default with DDR1 without additional circuitry...

I really wouldnt consider this board for M2 since we have little information on M2 itself and that I havent seen an actual mockup/ES of the CPU board ASRock will need to design/manu once Socket M2 is out - could they not have DDR2 slots on that like the CT-479? (ignore the CT-479 reference, was thinking of something else)...

ps3ud0 :cool:

HighlandeR · 27 Sep 2005 at 22:07

Yeap tbh its more of a gimmicky feature for now, I guess when M2 is out a lot of features/performance will be available but only on a new board.

Angilion · 27 Sep 2005 at 23:03

Rudeboy said:
Can someone recommend me a cheap and easy cooler to use on a 3200 venice on this board? Looking at the EVO120 info above it all sounds a bit of trial and error and as it's not for me I just want to be able to clip it on and not have to worry about it.

Would a Freezer 64 fit?

Thanks.

*EDIT*

Looks like the Freezers are out of stock. What about an Akasa or Gigabyte?

You will probably have the same problem with any cooler that requires a mounting backplate, as most do. The problem arises from the fact that K8 motherboards should come with a mounting backplate, so cooler manufacturers don't bother supplying one with their coolers.

You can get coolers that slip into the retention section and don't use a backplate, like the retail cooler. They're generally not amongst the best, though.

Mister Me · 27 Sep 2005 at 23:25

The daughterboard would have DDR2 slots on it.

Angilion · 27 Sep 2005 at 23:26

HighlandeR said:
Yeap tbh its more of a gimmicky feature for now, I guess when M2 is out a lot of features/performance will be available but only on a new board.

My guess is that the "Future CPU" plug-in card will come with an M2 socket and two DDR2 slots, rather than trying to rig up something to make the existing DDR1 on the motherboard seem like DDR2 to the M2 CPU in the plug-in card.

I don't think it will work well for mechanical reasons, anyway. The weight of the cooler on the plug-in card would place a lot of stress on the plug-in card where it enters the motherboard. I doubt if you could put a good cooler on an M2 CPU in the plug-in board.

almus! · 27 Sep 2005 at 23:34

Angilion said:
They should be, as they are the standard holes for a S939 board.

I think the lack of a standard mounting backplate with this board is a issue, though I see why ASrock decided to save a couple of quid on manufacturing costs. After all, this is a budget board and thus people with it will be using the stock cooler or some other cheap cooler that isn't heavy enough to require or use a mounting backplate. Except that it isn't true. This isn't just another budget board, due to the chipset.

If anyone needs a backplate, the ones sold by Thermalright should work. They're intended for mounting Thermalright heatsinks on Gigabyte S939 boards, to replace the non-standard backplate Gigabyte use, but they appear to be a standard K8 mounting backplate from the photos, which would make sense as that is what an XP-90 or XP-120 requires with a S939 board.

do you know where i could get this backplate? going crazy to find one...

ps3ud0 · 27 Sep 2005 at 23:36

I just dont they are available in the UK market - tho I looked back when I mentioned it to Angilion about a month ago - with the influx of the board perhaps they are being stocked now...

Why dont you ask the supplier of your mobo about it - surely a sensible thing for them to supply the backplate aswell...

Point them to this thread if they have no idea what you are talking about or need persuading regards the apparent demand...

ps3ud0 :cool:

dunno · 27 Sep 2005 at 23:47

Angilion said:
Neo backplate?

The EVO 120 screws into a backplate that fits underneath the motherboard. Two threaded pillars fit through holes in the motherboard, allowing the cooler above the motherboard to be screwed into the backplate below it, sandwiching the CPU, CPU socket, motherboard below it and a small part of the motherboard around it between the backplate and the cooler.

It is not possible to use the backplate provided with an EVO 120 (or other coolers) on a Socket939 (or 754) board because those backplates are for S775 or S478. The holes in the motherboard are in different positions on motherboards of different socket types. You would have to drill holes through the motherboard, which would ruin it.

It might be possible to physically fit the cooler without a backplate, by gluing it to the CPU. I wouldn't care to try, unless the motherboard was being mounted horizontally (a la desktop case) rather than vertically. The backplate is there for sound mechanical reasons. Without it, the cooler might cause sufficient torque to damage the CPU socket.

What I did was to obtain a K8 CPU mounting backplate (i.e. a backplate for Socket754 or 939) and used that. I got two, in fact. I bought one from Akasa (this is not normally possible, as they don't sell to the public) and I was given one at OcUK (this is also not normally possible, they just happened to have one available at the time from a dead motherboard) while I was waiting for the one from Akasa to arrve in the post.

It should be possible to use the K8 mounting backplate you can buy from Thermalright. You have to buy one separately - it is not supplied with Thermalright coolers (I checked an XP90). They sell them because Gigabyte S939 boards don't come with a standard K8 mounting backplate, so you can't use a standard cooler on them. Obviously, they're intended for people buying Thermalright coolers, but they seem to be a standard K8 mounting backplate (they would have to be, or you couldn't attach an XP90 or XP120 to them, as those coolers require a standard K8 mounting backplate).

Any chance you could sell me your spare backplate?

Kinetic · 28 Sep 2005 at 11:40

Quick question regarding PSU's and this mobo

Im currently running a ABIT NF7-S , 3200XP 400FSB & 6800GT AGP ,im looking at possibly buying this ASROCK board and a 3500 venice while keeping the 6800GT ,my question is will the PSU (480watt something or other) i currently have be ok for this board ?

Im under the impression i will only need to update the PSU if i install a PCIe card as they run on a new kind of PSU connector ? i see most of the new PSU are ATX 2.0 ,so my PSU must be ATX 1.0 as it has no PCIe connector that im aware of

**The ASrock 939dual-SATA2 (ULi M1695) thread**

The ASrock 939dual-SATA2 (ULi M1695) thread