Prebuilt [SFFn] ASRock's DeskMini A300 - Finally!

[alles_alles]

have found the solution

go to :

AMI | Power - Manage - Secure | BIOS ⁄ UEFI Utilities

Search the

AMI Firmware Update (AFU) entry​

Klick on the Aptio_V Entery and you Download the Aptio_V_AMI_Firmware_Update_Utility.zip from there.

Extract the files .

Go to directory : AMI AFU for Aptio V\afu\afuwin\64\AfuWin64.Zip

Extract this file

Go to AFUWin64\AFUWINGUIx64.exe -> Wait for 5 seconds or so .

Klick on Save. Now you have Save the bios from Motherboard in Rom File.

Note : Tested . Since now you can use it with ubu to read out the bios information. Flash don't work since now. AsRock instant flash sais. Can't read secure information, AFUWIN Flash failed if you want ot Flash.

You can Overwrite the Bios with this Utility too. But there is no testing or Warenty if you make that with that Utility if you overwrite your Bios. Save your Bios isn't any Problem. It gives more variants in the Utilitys from Dos till EFI Boot and Windows. No warenty if you do that with that Utilities.

 

[limsandy]

Happy new year guys!

I am so sad to report that my system is not stable at 3200 MHz. I had hoped to watch movie marathon during this holiday with my HTPC ie the A300 but it's just not stable. I have not switched the DDR4 memory frequency to 2400 MHz. Shame!

For you guys who have the 4650G/4750G, are you able to successfully overclock your memory to 3200 MHz and keep your system 100% stable? For me, I know my memory can take it. At 3200 MHz, it passed memtest 3-4 passes no problem. But booting sometimes can be a problem and as we suspect it's the SoC VID, right?

So next I want to try to set my memory frequency to 3200 MHz @ 1.35V, SoC VID @ 1.2V. Is this too aggressive or still okay to run 24/7 ?

Edit: I hope you don't mind I tagged you guys @gustav @TomHC81 @rubicoin

 

[yuusou]

You should try that. 1.35V on ram is its default. 1.15 to 1.2V is the highest you should do on SOC voltage from what I've checked. See if you can set LLC as well, though I don't think so on the A300.

 

[yosoywilson78]

Happy new year guys!

I am so sad to report that my system is not stable at 3200 MHz. I had hoped to watch movie marathon during this holiday with my HTPC ie the A300 but it's just not stable. I have not switched the DDR4 memory frequency to 2400 MHz. Shame!

For you guys who have the 4650G/4750G, are you able to successfully overclock your memory to 3200 MHz and keep your system 100% stable? For me, I know my memory can take it. At 3200 MHz, it passed memtest 3-4 passes no problem. But booting sometimes can be a problem and as we suspect it's the SoC VID, right?

So next I want to try to set my memory frequency to 3200 MHz @ 1.35V, SoC VID @ 1.2V. Is this too aggressive or still okay to run 24/7 ?

Edit: I hope you don't mind I tagged you guys @gustav @TomHC81 @rubicoin

Zero issues for me. Im on 3.60s. RAM oc'd to 3400c16 and perfectly stable. I havent had one crash since I built the system in August.

 

[yuusou]

Edit: nevermind, saw the info I asked for elsewhere on the forums.

 

[limsandy]

Zero issues for me. Im on 3.60s. RAM oc'd to 3400c16 and perfectly stable. I havent had one crash since I built the system in August.

3.60S? So you can't increase the SoC VID? But how on earth do you manage to overclock the memory to 3400 at stock SoC voltage? A300 or X300 ?

 

[limsandy]

Okay, so I have decided to go for teh crazy and set SoC voltage to 1.200V, memory frequency at 3600 MHz at 18-20-20-20-40-64. Windows booted fine and passed memtest. I am now trying 18-20-20-20-39-60. Bandwidth is at 16.10 GB/s.

Unfortunately, I have had 16.5x GB/s bandwidth with 3200 MHz 16-18-18-18-36-56 with tighter secondary timings. So I think I will end up running the memory frequency at 3200 Mhz.

I told you guys my memory sticks can handle it.

Update 1: By tightening the secondary timings, I can get my memory working at 3600 MHz with 18-20-20-20-40-64 timings and bandwidth at 16.67 GB/s. I will be testing stability at these settings. Will report back in a few days.

Update 2: Tightening secondary timings made the system unstable. I have set all secondary timings back to AUTO. Bandwidth is at 16.10GB/sec. Even now I don't know if my system is stable.

BTW, yeah I installed Uni Valley benchmark but my system passed, no lockup, no artifact. How long am I supposed to run it? I noticed that when running the benchmark, only my GPU is at 100%. Since it's a single-threaded process, my CPI is only at 6%. I don't even think it's giving my DDR4 a work-out.

Call me insane but I've been tirelessly turning on my computer on and off to see if my system is stable when loading Windows.

 

[Valantar]

Okay, so I have decided to go for teh crazy and set SoC voltage to 1.200V, memory frequency at 3600 MHz at 18-20-20-20-40-64. Windows booted fine and passed memtest. I am now trying 18-20-20-20-39-60. Bandwidth is at 16.10 GB/s.

Unfortunately, I have had 16.5x GB/s bandwidth with 3200 MHz 16-18-18-18-36-56 with tighter secondary timings. So I think I will end up running the memory frequency at 3200 Mhz.

I told you guys my memory sticks can handle it.

Update 1: By tightening the secondary timings, I can get my memory working at 3600 MHz with 18-20-20-20-40-64 timings and bandwidth at 16.67 GB/s. I will be testing stability at these settings. Will report back in a few days.

Update 2: Tightening secondary timings made the system unstable. I have set all secondary timings back to AUTO. Bandwidth is at 16.10GB/sec. Even now I don't know if my system is stable.

BTW, yeah I installed Uni Valley benchmark but my system passed, no lockup, no artifact. How long am I supposed to run it? I noticed that when running the benchmark, only my GPU is at 100%. Since it's a single-threaded process, my CPI is only at 6%. I don't even think it's giving my DDR4 a work-out.

Call me insane but I've been tirelessly turning on my computer on and off to see if my system is stable when loading Windows.

The iGPU uses system memory, so running a 100% GPU load definitely gives your DDR4 a workout. As for gaming/graphics benchmarks being light in the CPU department, that's pretty common - they're mostly designed to test the GPU and only the GPU. 3DMark has "combined" subtests that stress both the CPU and GPU, guess you could run a custom loop of one of those if you want to stress both over time?

 

[limsandy]

The iGPU uses system memory, so running a 100% GPU load definitely gives your DDR4 a workout. As for gaming/graphics benchmarks being light in the CPU department, that's pretty common - they're mostly designed to test the GPU and only the GPU. 3DMark has "combined" subtests that stress both the CPU and GPU, guess you could run a custom loop of one of those if you want to stress both over time?

Hmm should I have set my VRAM to 4GB instead of 1 then? Or does it even matter?

 

[Valantar]

Hmm should I have set my VRAM to 4GB instead of 1 then? Or does it even matter?

iGPU VRAM allocations are dynamic, the set amount is just the minimum allocated to the iGPU (which is then never available to the CPU). As such it shouldn't make a difference in terms of performance - if the GPU wants more memory, it gets it unless you're at 100% memory usage.

 

[gustav]

@limsandy interesting findings @1.2V SOC. You had 17GB/s memory Bandwidth at 3200mhz if I can recall correctly.
This is an anomaly I've also came across. Please check your memory frequency in cpu-z using 3600mhz.

The stability could be "faked" - mainboard does something to the ram, you'll be able to spot in cpu-z.

I can not explain. But it lowered the frequency to 1500mhz for ram @3200 in couple of oc scenarios. Please check it against.

 

[limsandy]

@limsandy interesting findings @1.2V SOC. You had 17GB/s memory Bandwidth at 3200mhz if I can recall correctly.
This is an anomaly I've also came across. Please check your memory frequency in cpu-z using 3600mhz.

The stability could be "faked" - mainboard does something to the ram, you'll be able to spot in cpu-z.

I can not explain. But it lowered the frequency to 1500mhz for ram @3200 in couple of oc scenarios. Please check it against.

My memory is good, I checked with memtest no error. Just that it's not stable while loading Windows or random blue screen. I assume it's the SoC VID. I am at 1.218V 1.225V now. Is it safe to go higher?

 

[limsandy]

Even at 1.225V SoC VID, my system is not stable at 3600 MHz. I have lowered it to 3200 MHz and performing Unigine Vally benchmark now.

Edit: It turns out that Prime95 is a great program to "stress memory controller and RAM" if you choose Large FFTs.

 

[yosoywilson78]

3.60S? So you can't increase the SoC VID? But how on earth do you manage to overclock the memory to 3400 at stock SoC voltage? A300 or X300 ?

A300. Yeah no changes to anything even when I was on 3.60R.

 

[limsandy]

Okay, just so everyone knows my 2200G previously was stable at 2933 MHz at 1.2V and SoC VID set to AUTO. After so many blue screens, I decided to set everything back to my old 2200G settings and I STILL GET BLUE SCREENS! At the moment, I really don't know what to do..... I know my system is stable at 2400 and it's not my memory causing the instability.

 

[gustav]

I suggest do not provide more power to the SOC, at this point it's safe to say (I guess) that there is basically no overclock, unfortunately.

 

[yuusou]

Yup at this point assume your A300 can't deliver clean enough power.

 

[limsandy]

Fvck that, my system is not even stable at 2666 MHz. I tried 3600 MHz, SoC VID at 1.225V and memory voltage at 1.35V and memtest passed 3 times without any errors. At this point, would you suggest I get the X300 and move the rest of my rig there and sell the A300?

Update: Since I am stuck at 2400 MHz, I set my timings to 13-14-14-14-28-44 just for fun. SoC VID is set back to AUTO and memory voltage at 1.2V. Will update if it's stable. It should be since my bandwidth is only 13.6x GB/s

 

[gustav]

Oh boy this is so wrong. I have no idea whether X300 that good is. I understand your thinking. I have just no clue.

 

[smolfactor]

Hahaha you're right. I was missing somewhere the use case and leaned to much out of the window I guess some time in the listing I applied my use case. 300W should be enough. But forget the dedicated GPU upgrade (PSU will be limiting)
Edit: right, there are PSUs in smaller format than ATX, like pico for example. I have to agree, they will be more than enough.

I mostly want RAID in a small form factor. I travel quite a lot so want a SFF pc. Usually I buy monitors on the spot.

Just general use, not a gamer. web browser, photoshop, that sort of thing. So I liked the a300/x300 since it has two hdd slots for raid0 and an m2 ssd. a dedicated graphics card would be a plus (i sometimes work in AE) but it's not worth the extra 5L of space in my suitcase imho. 700 euros is at the top end of what I'd be willing to pay for. Sorry if it's the wrong thread for this...