Looking to upgrade an Athlon XP PC to A64.
Considering the A8N-E, as I don't game and don't need two video cards.
I was about to buy the A8N-e with Venice 3200+ and 2 Gig PC3200 from NewEgg
when I started reading customer reviews on the motherboard:
Numerous reports of having to buy 24 pin PSU in excess of 500W.
Numerous reports of BIOS problems with Venice core CPU's
Quite a few reports of "bad boards" (could be user error, of course).

So, I'm looking here for opinions on the A8N-E, hopefully some based on
ownership.
TIA!

"Peter van der Goes" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:57N9f.7$xv.6@dukeread01...
> Looking to upgrade an Athlon XP PC to A64.
> Considering the A8N-E, as I don't game and don't need two video cards.
> I was about to buy the A8N-e with Venice 3200+ and 2 Gig PC3200 from
> NewEgg when I started reading customer reviews on the motherboard:
> Numerous reports of having to buy 24 pin PSU in excess of 500W.
> Numerous reports of BIOS problems with Venice core CPU's
> Quite a few reports of "bad boards" (could be user error, of course).
>
> So, I'm looking here for opinions on the A8N-E, hopefully some based on
> ownership.
> TIA!

Well mine works ok, as far as I can tell. There is a lot that
depends on configuration and the uses you are putting it to.
So far I haven't run across any issues that I would attribute
to the MB, but that is with the way I'm using it. It could be
that it would fail if I were using it in a different way, perhaps
the way you want to use it.

I am still running the 32bit XP with SP2.

It has a matched pair of 1GB PC3200 400 DDR memory
running at 1T command and dual channel.

CPU = DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2400MHz 4800+

ASUS A8N-E ACPI BIOS Revision 1009-001

Drive #1 - WDC WD740GD-32FLA0 (69 GB)
Drive #2 - WDC WD360GD-00FNA0 (34 GB)
both 10000 RPM SATA Raptors

NEC DVD_RW ND-2510A and a MITBISHI
LS-120 floppy drive on IDE as masters.

RADEON X850 XT Platinum Edition (0x5D4D)
running current Omega drivers.

It's on a Gigabit switch with a BuffaloTech "TeraStation"
and "Link Theater" connecting to the Internet through a
Linksys router.

Adaptec AVC-2000 PCI MPEG Capture Device

USB printers; an Epson R200 and a Dymo LabelWriter 330

LPT1 has a Mustek 600 III EP Plus scanner

No serial ports in use, disabled in BIOS.

--------------

All the above functions as I would expect, while I use
this system for both single player gaming and video
processing (including DVD creation).

Luck;
Ken

"Ken Maltby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:qq-dnZMwn9RrKvreRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
> Well mine works ok, as far as I can tell. There is a lot that
> depends on configuration and the uses you are putting it to.
> So far I haven't run across any issues that I would attribute
> to the MB, but that is with the way I'm using it. It could be
> that it would fail if I were using it in a different way, perhaps
> the way you want to use it.
>
> I am still running the 32bit XP with SP2.
>
> It has a matched pair of 1GB PC3200 400 DDR memory
> running at 1T command and dual channel.
>
> CPU = DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2400MHz 4800+
>
> ASUS A8N-E ACPI BIOS Revision 1009-001
>
> Drive #1 - WDC WD740GD-32FLA0 (69 GB)
> Drive #2 - WDC WD360GD-00FNA0 (34 GB)
> both 10000 RPM SATA Raptors
>
> NEC DVD_RW ND-2510A and a MITBISHI
> LS-120 floppy drive on IDE as masters.
>
> RADEON X850 XT Platinum Edition (0x5D4D)
> running current Omega drivers.
>
> It's on a Gigabit switch with a BuffaloTech "TeraStation"
> and "Link Theater" connecting to the Internet through a
> Linksys router.
>
> Adaptec AVC-2000 PCI MPEG Capture Device
>
> USB printers; an Epson R200 and a Dymo LabelWriter 330
>
> LPT1 has a Mustek 600 III EP Plus scanner
>
> No serial ports in use, disabled in BIOS.
>
> --------------
>
> All the above functions as I would expect, while I use
> this system for both single player gaming and video
> processing (including DVD creation).
>
> Luck;
> Ken
>
Thanks, Ken.
Actually, you are probably doing more than I would, in terms of peripherals.
I'd be using it in a development/IT course homework evaluation role.
Two hard drives, two optical drives, Win XP32 SP2, Visual Studio, Java,
Office.
Were you able to boot with your dual core CPU with the BIOS that came with
the motherboard?

"Peter van der Goes" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:57N9f.7$xv.6@dukeread01...
> Looking to upgrade an Athlon XP PC to A64.
> Considering the A8N-E, as I don't game and don't need two video cards.
> I was about to buy the A8N-e with Venice 3200+ and 2 Gig PC3200 from
> NewEgg when I started reading customer reviews on the motherboard:
> Numerous reports of having to buy 24 pin PSU in excess of 500W.
> Numerous reports of BIOS problems with Venice core CPU's
> Quite a few reports of "bad boards" (could be user error, of course).
>
> So, I'm looking here for opinions on the A8N-E, hopefully some based on
> ownership.
> TIA!
I think it is a good board. I am running with high quality (and quiet) 380W
PSU. I would recommend that you use a 24 pin CPU, as is the case with other
24 pin mb's.

Here is my config that was built to be quiet:

Antec 3700-BQE w/Nexus 120mm rear and front case fans, both @12V
Seasonic S12-380
Asus A8N-E MB w/ ZM-NB47J chip cooler and 80mm L1A Panaflo blowing nearby
(replacing the stock HSF)
AMD64 3500+ .90 w/XP-120 & Nexus 120 @12V
1GB (2 x 512) Corsair 3200C2PT
2 x WD 160 GB SATA
Plextor PX-716A
Leadtek 6600GT w/Zalman VF700 AlCu @5V
Audigy2 ZS
AcoustiPack Std.

"Peter van der Goes" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news7Q9f.111$xv.51@dukeread01...
>
> Thanks, Ken.
> Actually, you are probably doing more than I would, in terms of
> peripherals.
> I'd be using it in a development/IT course homework evaluation role.
> Two hard drives, two optical drives, Win XP32 SP2, Visual Studio, Java,
> Office.
> Were you able to boot with your dual core CPU with the BIOS that came with
> the motherboard?
>

I originally got the board from Monarch Computers as a
preinstalled and tested MB & CPU combination, just to
avoid that problem. I think it needed to be at least 1005
to work right. I have since flashed the BIOS a couple
of times. It is at 1009 now and it is most likely you will
have a BIOS later than the 1005, if it's new.

I forgot to mention my PSU before, it's an Antec "True
550" 550W ATX12V with the 20pin connector.

I learned programming with pencil and paper, and it got
in my computer by setting three sets of three switches,
for each bit of data input. Eventually I got to have Holerith
card decks punched, with my code. (Nothing like "singing"
tape decks; around Christmas time.) I still find it easier to
work out a program on a legal pad, than on my computer.

I guess at some point you need to run your, what -XML,
Java, C#, Cocoon2, HTML? to see if you got it right, or
missed anything. But for IT issues, you shouldn't need
anything as powerful as an A8N-E, a 500MHz P3 system
should be more than enough.

Luck;
Ken

Ken Maltby wrote:
> "Peter van der Goes" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news7Q9f.111$xv.51@dukeread01...
>
>>Thanks, Ken.
>>Actually, you are probably doing more than I would, in terms of
>>peripherals.
>>I'd be using it in a development/IT course homework evaluation role.
>>Two hard drives, two optical drives, Win XP32 SP2, Visual Studio, Java,
>>Office.
>>Were you able to boot with your dual core CPU with the BIOS that came with
>>the motherboard?
>>
>
>
> I originally got the board from Monarch Computers as a
> preinstalled and tested MB & CPU combination, just to
> avoid that problem. I think it needed to be at least 1005
> to work right. I have since flashed the BIOS a couple
> of times. It is at 1009 now and it is most likely you will
> have a BIOS later than the 1005, if it's new.
>
> I forgot to mention my PSU before, it's an Antec "True
> 550" 550W ATX12V with the 20pin connector.
>
> I learned programming with pencil and paper, and it got
> in my computer by setting three sets of three switches,
> for each bit of data input. Eventually I got to have Holerith
> card decks punched, with my code. (Nothing like "singing"
> tape decks; around Christmas time.) I still find it easier to
> work out a program on a legal pad, than on my computer.
>
> I guess at some point you need to run your, what -XML,
> Java, C#, Cocoon2, HTML? to see if you got it right, or
> missed anything. But for IT issues, you shouldn't need
> anything as powerful as an A8N-E, a 500MHz P3 system
> should be more than enough.
>
> Luck;
> Ken
>
>
>
>
Like the IMSAI 8080? Paddle switches? Oh for those heady days...

"Ken Maltby" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:geydnQ3_1rlB3PXeRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
<snip>
> I guess at some point you need to run your, what -XML,
> Java, C#, Cocoon2, HTML? to see if you got it right, or
> missed anything. But for IT issues, you shouldn't need
> anything as powerful as an A8N-E, a 500MHz P3 system
> should be more than enough.
>
> Luck;
> Ken
>
Ah, but the IDE's! For Java, the combination of NetBeans and the Java 5
development kit require a *minimum* of 512 meg of memory and run like an
arthritic snail in anything less than 1 gig of memory on a 2+ Ghz CPU.
Visual Studio is not quite as bad, but still requires serious horsepower.

I have been running this board since mid-summer and it has been very stable.
One thing that stands out and I have no specific reasons for such is that it
has been about the easiest board to work on that I have ever used. The
placement of components seems to make it a little easier to fit large bulky
hands in between small tightly packed components.I understand that there
have been some issues with noisy chipset fans but that those have been
resolved by installing an upgraded version that asus will supply to you to
you upon erquest. Like you a major factor in purchasing this card was the
lack of an overriding need for sli. One deficit, though, is the lack of
firewire. An alternate to look at might be msi. I built my first msi system
a few months ago and was impressed with the board and the documentation
provided.

"Peter van der Goes" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:57N9f.7$xv.6@dukeread01...
> Looking to upgrade an Athlon XP PC to A64.
> Considering the A8N-E, as I don't game and don't need two video cards.
> I was about to buy the A8N-e with Venice 3200+ and 2 Gig PC3200 from
> NewEgg when I started reading customer reviews on the motherboard:
> Numerous reports of having to buy 24 pin PSU in excess of 500W.
> Numerous reports of BIOS problems with Venice core CPU's
> Quite a few reports of "bad boards" (could be user error, of course).
>
> So, I'm looking here for opinions on the A8N-E, hopefully some based on
> ownership.
> TIA!
>

"PB" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:nw%9f.502770$x96.407855@attbi_s72...
> Like the IMSAI 8080? Paddle switches? Oh for those heady days...

Or, how about the DEC PDP-8? Or, going way back, the Bendix G-15?

Ed

A8N-E SLI Deluxe does have firewire.

"ed jurewicz" <(E-Mail Removed)> a écrit dans le message de news:
ze6dnbSPCZS5QvXeRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have been running this board since mid-summer and it has been very
>stable. One thing that stands out and I have no specific reasons for such
>is that it has been about the easiest board to work on that I have ever
>used. The placement of components seems to make it a little easier to fit
>large bulky hands in between small tightly packed components.I understand
>that there have been some issues with noisy chipset fans but that those
>have been resolved by installing an upgraded version that asus will supply
>to you to you upon erquest. Like you a major factor in purchasing this
>card was the lack of an overriding need for sli. One deficit, though, is
>the lack of firewire. An alternate to look at might be msi. I built my
>first msi system a few months ago and was impressed with the board and the
>documentation provided.
>
> "Peter van der Goes" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:57N9f.7$xv.6@dukeread01...
>> Looking to upgrade an Athlon XP PC to A64.
>> Considering the A8N-E, as I don't game and don't need two video cards.
>> I was about to buy the A8N-e with Venice 3200+ and 2 Gig PC3200 from
>> NewEgg when I started reading customer reviews on the motherboard:
>> Numerous reports of having to buy 24 pin PSU in excess of 500W.
>> Numerous reports of BIOS problems with Venice core CPU's
>> Quite a few reports of "bad boards" (could be user error, of course).
>>
>> So, I'm looking here for opinions on the A8N-E, hopefully some based on
>> ownership.
>> TIA!
>>
>
>