![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Thursday , January 04, 2007
- Author:
- Morry Teitelman
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
abit AW9D-MAX
The abit AW9D-MAX motherboard is abit’s premier offering for the Core 2 Duo line. With abit’s stellar reputation and the overclocking potential of the Core 2 Duo, this could be the match to beat...but it is not.
BIOS
In designing the AW9D-MAX’s BIOS, abit chose to use a Phoenix AWARDBIOS design. The BIOS version used in testing the board was version 12.
The uGuru Utility menu is split between 2 tabs – OC Guru and ABIT EQ. Voltage and bus speed related options are contained within the OC Guru tab, while system monitoring specific settings and controls are contained under the ABIT EQ tab.
With the CPU Operating Speed option set to User Define, all CPU and memory speed options become user configurable. The External Clock option sets the base CPU FSB speed, with an allowed speed maximum of a hefty 600MHz. The Multiplier Factor option determines the current CPU multiplier. Actual CPU speed is determined by multiplying the External Clock setting with the Multiplier Factor setting, and is listed under the read-only Estimated New CPU Clock option. The N/B Strap CPU As and DRAM Frequency (CPU:DRAM) options are used in conjunction with one another to configure the DRAM FSB based on the user defined CPU FSB. In practice, it has been found that the N/B Strap CPU As option only takes affect when the setting selected is equal to or less than the currently defined CPU FSB. If the N/B Strap CPU As option is set to a higher setting than the current CPU FSB, the setting is ignored by the system, and the RAM will run as determined by the SPD settings. With the N/B Strap option set to the PSB1066 setting, you have the option of running your system memory at 533MHz (1:1 CPU:DRAM ratio), 667MHz (4:5 CPU:DRAM ratio), or 800MHz (2:3 CPU:DRAM ratio). With the N/B Strap option set to the PSB800 setting, the memory ratios map as follows: 533MHz (3:4 CPU:DRAM ratio), 667MHz (3:5 CPU:DRAM ratio), or 800MHz (1:2 CPU:DRAM ratio). Once a memory speed ratio setting has been chosen, the calculated DRAM speed is shown under the read-only Estimated New DRAM Clock option.
By setting the Voltage Control option to User defined, all system voltages become user accessible. The CPU Core Voltage option determines the voltage supplied to the CPU, with the actual minimum and maximum determined by the CPU currently in use. As a rule of thumb, the board allows for +.40V over the CPU default voltage as a maximum settable voltage. With a Core 2 Duo CPU and adequate cooling, that should be more than sufficient. The DDR SDRAM Voltage sets the memory module voltage, with a massive 2.65V maximum setting. Note that it is highly recommended to actively cool your DIMM modules when using above 2.1V. The MCH & PCIE 1.5V Voltage setting controls the voltage supplied to the PCI-Express slots as well as the system Northbridge and Southbridge chipsets, with a full .5V over default allowed topping out at 2.0V. The Power Cycle Statistics option opens to the Power Cycle Statistics submenu, which lists total board usage and uptime.
The ABIT EQ screen within the uGuru Utility menu contains a series of submenus for configuring various system monitoring options and for viewing real time system statistics. Within this top level menu, the LED Effect Control option allows for customization of the under board LED blink pattern with a series of pre-set configurations. The ABIT EQ Beep Control option, located within the main ABIT EQ menu, enables the issuance of warning alarm over a system connected speaker. The Temperature Monitoring submenu shows all monitored system temperatures, allowing for configuration of warning and shutdown triggers based on preset threshold values. The Voltage Monitoring submenu offers similar warning and system shutdown capabilities for monitored system voltages. The Fan Speed Monitoring submenu controls system warning and system shutdown events based on feedback from the BIOS monitored fan headers.
The FanEQ Control submenu contains various other submenus for controlling the operation of the onboard fan headers. The onboard fan headers are split 3 groupings, listed as the submenus under the main FanEQ Control submenu. Within each of the submenu groups are various options for configuring the operation of the attached fans. The reference temperature monitored in conjunction with the settable threshold value is determined through the Reference Temperature option. The Control Temperature High and Control Temperature Low options are used to set the high and low temperature threshold for the fan header in question. The fan header voltage is set through the DC Fan Voltage High and DC Fan Voltage Low options for the 3-pin fan headers, and the Fan PWM Duty Cycle High and Fan PWM Duty Cycle Low options for the 4-pin headers. When the monitored temperature goes below the selected Control Temperature High setting, the fan header supplies the voltage configured within the DC Fan Voltage Low or Fan PWM Duty Cycle Low setting. Should the temperature climb above the Control Temperature High setting, the header voltage changes to the setting under the DC Fan Voltage High or Fan PWM Duty Cycle High option. By varying the power to the fan headers, the BIOS automatically controls the attached fan speed.