A8N-E and Athlon64 processor stepping

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redsheraton

I'm after an Asus A8N-E and a Athlon64 3000 Venice. Looking at the AMD
website in the Athlon64 section, I am asked for model number, socket
number and also processor stepping. For the Athlon64 3000 90nm socket
939, I have the choice of processor steppings D0, E3 and E6. What do
these values mean?
 
I'm after an Asus A8N-E and a Athlon64 3000 Venice. Looking at the AMD
website in the Athlon64 section, I am asked for model number, socket
number and also processor stepping. For the Athlon64 3000 90nm socket
939, I have the choice of processor steppings D0, E3 and E6. What do
these values mean?
Click to expand...

The Athlon64 processor die has been continuously improved. The
latest group of steppings (revision E) adds SSE3 support,
and modifies the memory controller somewhat (better single
channel support). The second document here, will show you
which families of processors share the the same die revision.
The 25759 document would have been perfect, if they had
included the popular names in the table.

"AMD Athlon 64 Processor Power and Thermal Data Sheet"
Revision info no longer updated ?
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/30430.pdf

"Revision Guide for AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Opteron Processors"
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/25759.pdf

This AMD website is the equivalent of processorfinder.intel.com
Click the "view all products" link, if you want to see everything.
http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/desktop/

Finally, this site mentions the "popular name" of the steppings.

http://www.c627627.com/AMD/Athlon64/

Clawhammer 0.13u 1MB cache
Newcastle 0.13u 512KB cache
Winchester 90nm 512KB cache
Venice 90nm 512KB cache revision E (with SSE3, better single channel)

I got a crossref from stepping (E3, E6) to popular name (venice, manchester)
But the 25759 document shows there are both E3 and E6 Venice, so
being E6 doesn't automatically make a processor dual core Manchester.
Between this table, and the 25759 document, you should be able
to work out what you are getting.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1027479689

"Core type
AP = C0 Clawhammer, s754
AR = CG Clawhammer, s754
AS = CG Clawhammer, s939
AX = CG Newcastle, s754
AW = CG Newcastle, s939
BI = D0 Winchester, s939
BP = E3 Venice, s939
BN = E4 San Diego, s939
BU = E5 Newark, s754
LD = E0 (?) Lancaster, s754
BV = E6, Manchester, s939
CD = E6, Toledo, s939"

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=921999&page=10&pp=20&highlight=dh-e6

"playing around with the BW core(e6)

it seems to OC pretty good --its a little faster than my BP which
topped out @ 2.78g on air

this BW will pull 2.86 on air --very good but no improvement over my
early winchester that could do 2.96g on air .

and i'm running better ram now than i was with the winchester.

i figure there is som slack in these cores (as allways) some will
do very well and others will just be middle of the raod .

i tested on my a8n-sli deluxe and my dfi-lp-ultra d -- topped out
the same , bh5 ram was lower than tccd --slightly bios 1013-02
beta asus / bios 704-03 beta dfi

still a good core a little bit better than a BP-- but nothing
gigantic--at least on the one i got--"

So, an E6 stepping Venice seems to be in the same ballpark as
an E3 Venice. How they overclock is all the luck of the draw.
You need to examine many results to get a good statisical picture.

By the way - I'm having a lot of trouble searching for info on
steppings, because the search engine on the private forums does
not like to search for short text strings. If I type in E3 or
E6, the search engine ignores the string. That makes it hard
to "shop by stepping".

There has got to be a better table with all info in it, than
I've found so far...

HTH,
Paul
 
Paul said:
I bet its a contender...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/UncleBob1/VNF4ULTRA/2.jpg

Seems to have a problem with RAM though. Likes to run with 2T
command rate. How does yours run ?

http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=391404&page=1&pp=15&highlight=toledo

Paul
Click to expand...


I haven't even tweaked it much yet, waiting on a 1/2" ID waterblock
for the chipset. The little fan on this board has a bad rep. as it is.

Given the CPU has the memory control with these new CPUs; I
don't have too much hope that I can move it to 1T any time soon.
I should be seeing what I can do sometime next week.

The matched pair of 1GB Corsair CMX 1024-3200C2 may
have a little give to them.

Luck;
Ken
 
Thanks for the replies. It seems an E3 socket 939 Venice Ath64 3000+ is
what I need.

As for the A8N-E, am I right in assuming that if I run the CPU at the
rated speed, with Corsair Value Select DDR400, i.e. not doing any
overclocking, then this board should be stable 99.9% or the time or
thereabouts? My main power use for my system will be batch processing
of approx 8 megapixel image (RAW) files in Photoshop CS. I don't intend
to use it for power gaming.

Also how does the A8N-E compare to the A8N-SLI in terms of stability,
component compatibilty (e.g. fussiness with memory and graphics
cards?), when you don't overclock?
 
Thanks for the replies. It seems an E3 socket 939 Venice Ath64 3000+
is what I need.

As for the A8N-E, am I right in assuming that if I run the CPU at the
rated speed, with Corsair Value Select DDR400, i.e. not doing any
overclocking, then this board should be stable 99.9% or the time or
thereabouts? My main power use for my system will be batch processing
of approx 8 megapixel image (RAW) files in Photoshop CS. I don't
intend to use it for power gaming.
Click to expand...
It should be 100% stable I would hope. Anything less gets frustrating
pretty quick imho...
Also how does the A8N-E compare to the A8N-SLI in terms of stability,
component compatibilty (e.g. fussiness with memory and graphics
cards?), when you don't overclock?
Click to expand...
Since both boards are more or less identical (same pcb, some component
layout, the A8N-E just lacks some chips the A8N-SLI has like the
firewire chip, as well as having only a pci-e 4x slot instead of the
second pci-e 16x, same chipset (just with sli disabled)) I would suspect
they behave exactly identical. Unless asus used different components
(like lower-rated caps) but that seems unlikely.

Roland
 
Thanks for the replies. It seems an E3 socket 939 Venice Ath64 3000+ is
what I need.

As for the A8N-E, am I right in assuming that if I run the CPU at the
rated speed, with Corsair Value Select DDR400, i.e. not doing any
overclocking, then this board should be stable 99.9% or the time or
thereabouts? My main power use for my system will be batch processing
of approx 8 megapixel image (RAW) files in Photoshop CS. I don't intend
to use it for power gaming.

Also how does the A8N-E compare to the A8N-SLI in terms of stability,
component compatibilty (e.g. fussiness with memory and graphics
cards?), when you don't overclock?
Click to expand...

On this particular day, using the BIOS that are currently
avaiable, I would recommend you buy 2x1GB DDR400 RAM. If
you attempt to use all four memory slots, there could be
some surprises. I don't know if this is just an issue
with the BIOS doing the right thing for revision E
(Venice and the like) processors or not.

To use 4 sticks of memory, it would help if they all matched
one another. Buy the memory that is packaged two to a package
if in doubt (so-called dual channel memory, which is just
two physically identical ordinary DIMMs packaged together).
Install just one DIMM in slot B1, install the processor, bring
up the BIOS, and set memory to "DDR333" and Enable 2T to
"enabled". (If you had a really old stepping of processor you
bought off Ebay, the Enable 2T option would disappear from the
BIOS.) Once you've saved your settings, power down the computer
and install the other three sticks.

If set to DDR333 command rate 2T, with four sticks, the computer
should POST. But a less risky proposition, on this particular
day in August, would be to buy 2 x 1GB. (You will not see the
entire 4 x 1GB if that is what you have in mind - leaving address
space for the chipset means not all of the 4GB can be used
by the processor - could be closer to 3+ GB. And mixing 2 x 512MB
plus 2 x 1GB is just asking for trouble, at least until Asus
cleans up the BIOS. I would be content with 2 x 1GB.)

Instant relief for memory headaches :-) One pair should do.
By dropping the memory speed setting to DDR400 in the BIOS, you
will find that CAS can be tightened considerably. The PC4000
means it can be run up to DDR500 if you want.

http://www.crucial.com/ballistix/st...B368FA5CA7304&WSMD=A8N-E&WSPN=BL2KIT12864Z503

These would also be a good choice - 2x1GB PC3200 2-3-3-6 $300 a pair
http://www.corsairmicro.com/corsair/products/specs/twinx2048-3200c2.pdf

This is also an option - if you can find any at a good price.
It is not packaged in dual channel format, but may be worth a
shot if you want to save a few dollars:

Patriot PC3200 2-3-2-5 1GB stick for $132, 2x ==> $264
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820220045

If I had to guess, I'd say the price rise for DDR is upon
us :-(

Here is a sale price - Corsair Value Select for $101 a stick,
for the next hour only :-) PC3200 CAS3 VS1GB400C3. If the
sticks match, you'll be laughing...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145505

Paul
 
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