IP35 Pro experience here

#1: Missing component on IO panel. The CCMOS switch was missing. Just
a 3 pin header sticking up.

Nice QA. I should have known better but re-ordered for one more.

#2: Won't power up. It endlessly cycles through 82.83/99. (Power
supply).

Another clue: If the MB found fault with the PSU, it should stop. It
doesn't.

ABit Forum Guys: "Your PSU is no good. Go buy an Antec EarthWatts 500
at Staples"

I did. Sure enough, it gets past 82/83 and now hangs on "C1" (memory).
Endless loops again.

Abit Forum Guys: "Your memory is no good. Go get a cheap stick of RAM
to boot with. Once you can get to the BIOS, change the RAM voltage to
2.1. Power down and put your memory back in. It will work fine."

I almost fell for it. Then I wondered how I could get so many brand
new "bad" components. Especially the RAM, a matched pair of
CM2X024-6400C4 from Corsair. It *is* JEDEC compliant, and while one
stick might be bad, the odds of two failures in the same package are
pretty low. Then too, PSU is a brand new Antec TP3-550. How strange
that another Antec fixes the problem.

I ordered an ASus P5E. Guess what? My power supply is fine. My memory
is rock solid. The board screams and is way nicer in every respect;
even the supplied cables and connectors.

The Abit IP35 Pro, IMO is too fussy to be worth owning. Everything has
to be "just right". Too bad. In concept its a nice feature set. If you
get it working, then there are a whole bunch of other issues that crop
up. Double booting, vDroop, Some complaints about WD SATAII drives not
working on IP35 boards at New Egg....

I don't have a great opinion of the Abit forum support posters. We
have 36 years of standards promoting PC parts interoperability. I
think hiding failures to comply with them is a disservice to ABit
customers as well as the PC community at large. I can just see the Mac
guy snickering.

Hasta la Vista ABit,

Stockdrover

PS -I've been Asus/AMD powered for years. When I went looking for
Intel, I skipped Asus because they have been AMD/NVidia heavy for
years. I didn't think they'd play well with C2D and Intel Chipsets. I
was wrong, wrong, wrong. Asus rocks.

E6850/P5E/cm2x1024-6400c4(*2)/WD1600YS(*3)/nx8600gt-t2d256ez/P180B/
TP2-550/Raid5/Vista32

On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:55:38 -0000, stockDrover
<StockDrover.RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote:

>#1: Missing component on IO panel. The CCMOS switch was missing. Just
>a 3 pin header sticking up.
>
>Nice QA. I should have known better but re-ordered for one more.
>
>#2: Won't power up. It endlessly cycles through 82.83/99. (Power
>supply).
>
>Another clue: If the MB found fault with the PSU, it should stop. It
>doesn't.
>
>ABit Forum Guys: "Your PSU is no good. Go buy an Antec EarthWatts 500
>at Staples"
>
>I did. Sure enough, it gets past 82/83 and now hangs on "C1" (memory).
>Endless loops again.
>
>Abit Forum Guys: "Your memory is no good. Go get a cheap stick of RAM
>to boot with. Once you can get to the BIOS, change the RAM voltage to
>2.1. Power down and put your memory back in. It will work fine."
>
>I almost fell for it. Then I wondered how I could get so many brand
>new "bad" components. Especially the RAM, a matched pair of
>CM2X024-6400C4 from Corsair. It *is* JEDEC compliant, and while one
>stick might be bad, the odds of two failures in the same package are
>pretty low. Then too, PSU is a brand new Antec TP3-550. How strange
>that another Antec fixes the problem.
>
>I ordered an ASus P5E. Guess what? My power supply is fine. My memory
>is rock solid. The board screams and is way nicer in every respect;
>even the supplied cables and connectors.
>
>The Abit IP35 Pro, IMO is too fussy to be worth owning. Everything has
>to be "just right". Too bad. In concept its a nice feature set. If you
>get it working, then there are a whole bunch of other issues that crop
>up. Double booting, vDroop, Some complaints about WD SATAII drives not
>working on IP35 boards at New Egg....
>
>I don't have a great opinion of the Abit forum support posters. We
>have 36 years of standards promoting PC parts interoperability. I
>think hiding failures to comply with them is a disservice to ABit
>customers as well as the PC community at large. I can just see the Mac
>guy snickering.
>
>Hasta la Vista ABit,
>
>Stockdrover
>
>PS -I've been Asus/AMD powered for years. When I went looking for
>Intel, I skipped Asus because they have been AMD/NVidia heavy for
>years. I didn't think they'd play well with C2D and Intel Chipsets. I
>was wrong, wrong, wrong. Asus rocks.
>
>E6850/P5E/cm2x1024-6400c4(*2)/WD1600YS(*3)/nx8600gt-t2d256ez/P180B/
>TP2-550/Raid5/Vista32

Meh. I have an IP35 Pro here and it runs great. Sadly, the Abit
forum has a few anal-retentive quacks that birddog every post and spew
bad advice.

The IP35 Pro does have a problem with memory that requires > 2.0 volts
to run properly, but to be honest those modules are running out of
spec anyway so it's hard to fault Abit. IOW a reset causes the mobo's
memory voltage to default to 1.8 (standard voltage) but if your module
requires 2.1 to operate then you're pretty much screwed.