Note: This is a long work log containing large image files. For your personal sanity, might I suggest making the following adjustment in your User Control Panel in order to limit the number of posts per page and greatly reduce download time:

"My Controls\Options\Board Settings\Board Display Settings\Number of posts to show for each topic page: 25."

I was going to hold out on a DDR3/Penryn build until introduction of the X45 chipset (and drop in price and latency of DDR3). Vegasr, however, tipped me off to a New Egg promotion on DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) that was priced too low to resist (sold out that same day): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16820609238. I purchased the RAM along with a Maximus Extreme motherboard. I'm in the process of swapping out the P5N32 Plus mobo for the ME in my dual loop system. Given this is an Intel chipset, I will lose one of two video cards. I may upgrade to the AMD Radeon HD 3870 X2 when introduced next month, but haven't made a final decision.

This motherboard sports integrated Southbridge/Nbridge and Vreg watercooling. The only mishap to date in the build was a leak caused by ill-fitting and cracked cheap Asus 3/8” ID tubing that runs between the native Sbridge waterblock and the 3/8” to 1/2" adapter barb. Since most of us do not keep the freakishly small 3/8" inner diameter Tygon around the house, I made a quick trip to the local hardware store and picked up some 'Tygon-esque' tubing of superior quality to the Asus garbage. You can see the new tubing in the third photo from the bottom

The leak left coolant under the Southbridge heatsink and around the CPU socket. Fun times. I was flooding the loop at the time and checking for leaks, so no power to board. I’m hoping there is no damage. I used a hair dryer to dry most of the spill and now have a fan on it overnight to get the rest. Not much fluid leaked (teaspoon), but enough for concern. I replaced the cheap tubing with some Tygon-esque tubing I found at the local hardware store (wish I could get Tygon locally!).

Some quick pics tonight of the work in progress. More detailed captions and photos tomorrow.

Bare motherboard installed and stripped down system after removal of loop to second video card; will be running one Nvidia vid card, given that the Maximus Extreme's Intel chipset doesn't support SLI. May substitute one Radeon HD 3870 X2 after they hit the market the end of January:



NB/SB/Vid loop disassembled and pulled out of the way for motherboard installation:



Three radiators are used in this system: two triples stacked one on top the other are in the lower compartment of the Lian Li case behind the PSU. The third, single rad also houses an exhaust fan (three more exhaust fans are located at the top of the case interior). One negative to this design is that the single rad has to be removed (but not disconnected) to remove or install a motherboard:



Flooding NB/SB/Vid Card Loop and Leak Test. First photo shows the funky Asus 3/8” ID tubing attached to a 3/8” to 1/2" adapter barb. The problem is the tubing is of inferior quality and brittle. It is prone to cracking and is too rigid to obtain a good seal. My advice, avoid like the plague! The second photo below shows the adapter barbs and connecting 3/8" tubing after substitution of superior, Tygon quality tubing:



Defective Asus SB connector tubing replaced with superior grade Tygon:



Behind the SB, you can see primary wloop running to the D-Tek wblock cooling CPU. This loop is a designated loop that cools only the Quad core CPU. Presently using a Q6600, but may replace with a QX9650:



Lights, camera . . . look Consigliere, no leaks!



Aerial perspective:


By jmkays, shot with NIKON D2Xs at 2008-01-19

Looking really good so far. Probably a little more breathing room with just one vid card. I'm sure that won't last though.

Lookin' good - Jason!

Was up until 3:00 AM last night cleaning up, re-grouping and taking photos.

Today is off to a much better start. The system booted up without a hiccup. I will flash BIOS then do a fresh XP install.

What chip were you going to run? Just sticking with the QX6850 or going Penryn?

Paul, I sold the QX6850 in anticipation of the new chips. I bought a second Q6600 to use while I decide. I'm close to committing to the QX6950.

At the moment, I'm trying to work through problems with the new motherboard. I'm getting sporadic lockups and BSOD errors while trying to install XP Pro. Very strange as it ran fine for a 30 minutes or so -- rebooting into BIOS multiple times to tweak settings, etc. When I began the OS installation, all hell broke loose. Guess I should be used to this by now, right?! Ha ha. Wrong!

I see no signs of more leaks -- or moisture remaining from the first. I think it's either a BIOS issue or there was damage to the CPU socket from the first leak. The motherboard wasn't powered at the time (to be precise, the 8-pin connector was in place, but the 24 pin was not), so seems unlikely. Maybe the power from the 8-pin connector was enough to fry it?

What BIOS version are you using?

I've tried 0905 and 1001, David. Same problems with both. I think it may not be a motherboard issue, but a DDR3 voltage/timing issue. Still not sure, but there are several reports of RAM setting issues with this mobo on the Asus support forums.

I really like the beautiful built-in watercooling for both chipsets AND the vregs. You gotta love that! That alone makes me want to upgrade but no way am I going DDR3 till the price drops.

What Mhz, voltage, and timings are you running?

Have you seen this article and this one too?

They talk about timings, voltage needed, and BIOS settings.

After getting a Memory Management BSOD issue 20% through XP Pro setup on my la-*test*-('") attempt, I think Chuck and others called this right -- RAM settings issue.

The FSB settings as they're interrelated to RAM and CPU on this BIOS are unlike anything I've seen before. Example, when I set RAM timings to manual, I can select timings, but am limited on RAM speed to 1066 (where it should be set to 1800, given that this is DDR3 2866 MHz RAM, correct?). I intentionally set it low -- 800 MHz -- but still ended up with a "Memory management" BSOD message 20% into the XP installation. I think you called this one right, Chuck -- it's a matter of getting the right RAM settings. The faster the RAM, the more challenging that is. If CPU FSB is 266 (as it is at default with a 2.4 GHz processor).

What would you guys set 1866 RAM speed to if constrained to 1066 cap?

Here's another odd thing about this BIOS: you cannot manually set voltages for either the CPU or RAM unless you opt for the manual overclock mode. The BIOS for the P5K-Dlx board manual voltage settings are independent of the overclock settings. 1800 is available for DDR3 setting when in auto mode but not in manual mode -- explain that one to me.

There is a lot of uncharted territory here.

Agreed -- I wouldn't have either, Merc, had I not found the great deal on the Super Talent. It's nice that it's manufactured in the US too.

If you are running 266fsb, then the memory would be 1066MHz. The suggested timings would be: 7-7-7-18. Voltage about 1.5v - 1.6v at that low of a MHz.

To run the memory at 1866MHz, the fsb has to be at 467MHz. There's not a strap to run the mem at 1866 with a lower fsb. This is because the "highest" strap is 1:2 (cpu fsb to mem). So, a 467fsb, runs the memory at 2 x 467MHz = 934 (which is 1868MHz).

Got it, David. Thanks -- makes sense. My synapses are pretty run down after the last few days. I'm reading the linked articles now.

Ok, good. I had to think it through a couple of times to get it down good.

Only memory-MHz-crazy PaulZig has run the 1:2 strap, I think ... you can't run the fsb much above 300Mhz using it with ddr2.