Abit AB9 Pro...any Abit fans out there?

[markkleb]

I just bought a Abit mobo to replace the Biostar Tforce(that has no raid controller) I cant believe that there are new mobos using a Intel chipset that have no Raid Controllers.

This mobo has 10 Sata slots...lol. 9 internal and one Esata.

Back in the day when I first started everyone said Abit ruled..Than for a long while nothing, now is it coming back to its former glory?

I am not sure why I got a Abit mobo (probably cause I think I heard Frag talking about Abit) usually I go with DFI or MSI.

What the HECK were they thinking to put the IDE there?:crazy: And why is there a molex (usually for SLI)

 

[Rastalovich]

I like Abit myself, I don`t stand on the top of buildings shouting about them, but I do like them.

Prehaps the thinking here is, dood looking for board with 10 SATA slots maybe isn`t too concerned about the IDE.. clutching at straws there. I mean I`ve seen a SATA optical drive somewhere for $149... nope still clutching at straws.

I imagine the sound onboard is something of the AC` variety?, don`t like that myself, so u`ll highly likely be looking to stick atleast a soundcard in it.

If the onboard lan isn`t a gig, u may be looking for some of them.. soo if u got both those slots occupied (arguably u could use the express slots but..) the ribbon cable of the IDE thingy would press against the card ? then awkwardly run around the gfxcard and upwards ?? or drap over the gfxcard.. Frag`d go nuts with the wires everywhere.

Ultimately tho, I`ve seen similar boards to this when ISA slots were being phased out. It`s all to day with pcb design and running connection lines.

It is interesting that if u took a ruler and ran it over the top of the IDE port, in an attempt to disregard all the stuffz from it and downwards, u`d have a pretty decent µATX board.

 

[markkleb]

I have a X-fi card for sound and there is dual gigabit lans. And on the new comp I am building he is using a Sata DVD (only $35 for a Liteon) So I guess ur right there is no real reason for the IDE.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16827106046

Maybe thats their point the IDE isant important so put it out of the way of the important stuff. And if you absolutely need it 1 is there just in case.

Good Point Rasta man.

 

[FragTek]

I rocked one of these for a while, good board for the price. Horrible layout though, abit took a massive hit off the crack pipe before thinking it up.

My homie just picked one up for his new build too.

 

[FarFarAway]

I reviewed one. Stupid place to put the IDE but a pretty nice board apart from that, lovely BIOS

 

[BUFF]

apparently it's a very fast board & in terms of the features for the price it's great vfm.

A good (420-450fsb) but not great overclocker - possibly due to the fact thgat it doesn't seem to switch to the 1333 strap like other 965s do ~400fsb (of course this makes it faster @ e.g. 420)?

 

[FragTek]

I was able to get 420ish out of mine when I had it and I guess there are even better BIOS's available for it now.

 

[nathan]

wooo, this is the same board i just ordered for my htpc. when scan sort themselves out again.

 

[markkleb]

Being the noob I am last night I decided to put the comp together so I can use it. It has to work perfect cause I hate always worrying.

So I assemble it and it seems a little slow, I figure what junk! I load Flatout2 and it takes an hour to load the game, I was thinking "this isant good". I search the internet and there seems to be a bunch of people complaining the IDE DVD is really slow. Finally I came across a thread that said even if you arent using RAID you need to install the JMicron Raid drivers off the Abit Driver disk. I did and it works fine now.

Moral of the story, Get a Sata DVD (thats why there is 10 DVD slots on the mobo) The IDE slot is in a dumb place because its probably best not to use it, lol.

 

[FarFarAway]

Yep I was gonna say that till I got half way through your post

 

[NoL]

Currently I havent been a major proclaimer of abit, back in the Max3 glory days of the Abit IS7 they truly were kings, then crap happened with Fatality and the product decreased. Abit seems now back on there game with 680i and RD600 boards.

 

[markkleb]

For us noobs that are hardware challenged they should put those things on the front of the box in BIG LETTERS..

WARNING, get a Sata DVD first!

or for the Biostar Tforce 965 (and the other similar mobos)

WARNING, this mobo had ano RAID Controllers!

I bet stuff like that would save a lot of returns to Newegg and the other Retailers.

 

[FarFarAway]

Ey?

If you install the JMicron drivers at Windows install (which I did) then the board works 100% perfectly as regards IDE DVD performance

 

[markkleb]

Ey?

If you install the JMicron drivers at Windows install (which I did) then the board works 100% perfectly as regards IDE DVD performance

Yep, but you are smart (and I am not) What noob would think to install Raid drivers if he wasent using raid?

 

[Ham]

Yep, but you are smart (and I am not) What noob would think to install Raid drivers if he wasent using raid?

Im now seriously considering if this is why i can't get my SATA hard drives to work on this celeron system.

Im thinking about an abit mobo, found a few very nice pricepoint ones. Time will tell i guess.

 

[BUFF]

Finally I came across a thread that said even if you arent using RAID you need to install the JMicron Raid drivers off the Abit Driver disk. I did and it works fine now.

Moral of the story, Get a Sata DVD

The JMicron has caused lots of strife across lots of different 965 mobos not just abit's - even though I've got a Gigabyte 965P-DS4 I went with a SATA burner.