Intel_DH55TC
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← Revision 23 as of 2010-08-08 13:28:30 ⇥
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| The system freezes when gnome is launched with the kernel included in 9.10 and 10.04 alpha 2.<<BR>> | Karmic can be installed, but some quirks are required.<<BR>> |
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| One fix is to use the kernel parameter ACPI=off or ACPI=ht.<<BR>> This will allow installing the system using a live media.<<BR>> Once the system is installed, a kernel from the updates will fix the problem if you are running Ubuntu 10.04.<<BR>> Another fix is to install a recent kernel from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ <<BR>> This might also improve the stability of the GPU since many fixes have been released in the 2.6.33-rcX kernels. Steps to do this: 1. Open http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ 2. select v2.6.33-rc7/ (latest at present, you might try a more recent one) 3. download linux-image-2.6.33-020633rc7-generic_2.6.33-020633rc7_amd64.deb (or one matching the chosen version) 4. sudo dpkg -i linux-image-2.6.33-020633rc7-generic_2.6.33-020633rc7_amd64.deb 5. reboot |
Lucid is not affected by this problem, and installs fine.<<BR>> Overall an excellent board for Linux, all hardware is detected and work out of the box.<<BR>> Highly suggested as a fast, stable and all-round system with support from a good brand.<<BR>> Definitely not a board for over-clockers due to lack of cpu or memory voltage override option. It is still possible to override bus frequency though, and with BIOS version 31 it is also possible to change memory timings.<<BR>> Apparently a memory voltage override option might be added in a future revision of the board. |
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| Direct rendering works OK but can sometime freeze the system. The problem manifests running quake3.<<BR>> This is a known problem, that has also been reported in some Phoronix reviews.<<BR>> |
The screen can occasionally freeze: see bug #560433, there are 2 possible solutions:<<BR>> 1. disable compiz visual effects<<BR>> 2. upgrade to 2.6.34 from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ <<BR>> Direct rendering works OK: tested with Warzone 2100 and Quake 3.<<BR>> Quake 3 has very playable frame-rates at 1920x1080 with maximum settings. Doom 3 and Quake Wars Enemy Territory crash during start-up with the Lucid stock kernel. With the 2.6.34 kernel QWET makes it as far as the menu, but crashes when game starts. Doom 3 makes it as far as asking for the key, but I don't have a valid one =)<<BR>> Dual screen works fine, tested with DVI and VGA. |
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| Left to be tested are: the front panel analogue header, he SPDIF header, and the HDMI sound output. | Left to be tested are: the front panel analogue header, the SPDIF header, and the HDMI sound output. |
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| There are reports that when running 2.6.33 the latest version of the driver from Intel has to be used for networking to work. | |
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| With the kernel mentioned above on an i5 660 Speedstep scales the speed in 9 steps from 1.2 to 3.33 GHz.<<BR>> suspend/resume features not tested yet. === STABILITY === There has been a report of errors with memtest86 and inability to complete the Linux boot when the system was turned on after having been on low temperatures (15-20C).<<BR>> This was probably caused by the pre-applied thermal paste on the Intel cooler that is almost solid when cold and "melts" every time is heated.<<BR>> The problem has been completely resolved by removing all the pre-applied paste and applying Artic Silver 5 thermal compound. |
With an i5 660 Speedstep the speed is scaled in 9 steps from 1.2 to 3.33 GHz.<<BR>> The module 'coretemp' works fine even though is not inserted by default by Ubuntu and displays the temperatures of both cores using the sensors command line utility.<<BR>> The module w83627ehf displays 2 temperatures that are plausible, and raise when the system is loaded, but voltages and fan figures are wrong or missing.<<BR>> The Intel QST SDK released by Intel in February 2010 looks very promising and compiles fine, except that it requires a HECI kernel module, that can be downloaded from www.openamt.org but is hopelessly outdated and doesn't work on any H55 board.<<BR>> Suspend/resume from S3 works fine except for the network card that doesn't seem to come back to life. |
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| VT-d: not tested. Software support for this new extension seems to be in-existent at present. | VT-d: not tested. Software support for this new extension seems to be non-existent at present. |
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| The BIOS doesn't allow setting the modules frequency or timings, so be sure to buy one that is tested by intel.<<BR>> Untested memory might run at 1066 even if branded 1333 !<<BR>> This is due to the fact that the board reads the modules SPD data in order to figure out its capabilities, and some memory brands, even famous ones, set the wrong data in the SPD.<<BR>> A future BIOS update might enable memory frequency override.<<BR>> It is possible however to reprogram the SPD of memory modules which happens to be incredibly easy with Linux.<<BR>> All you need is the DDR3 SPD specs (a document called 4_01_02_11R18.pdf that can be found at jedec.org), and the i2c-tools (a standard Ubuntu package). This also requires some knowledge of hexadecimal/binary numbers manipulation and is not generally user-friendly.<<BR>> A few tips in case you want to try: 1. the addresses you need are: 0x50 0x51 0x52 0x53, corresponding to the 4 memory slots. 2. don't forget to change the checksum ! 3. change the SPD of *only 1 module*, and test it with the other module removed. If the system is unbootable, install the other module and when 2 modules with different timings are installed, the slowest timings of the 2 are used. This will allow you to change the timings back to a slower setting. 4. take your time, don't rush, double check every number you type, this procedure could potentially brick your hardware.<<BR>> Memory reported to have wrong SPD data:<<BR>> OCZ OCZ3P1333LV4GK<<BR>> http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/ocz_ddr3_pc3_10666_platinum_low_voltage_dual_channel |
Memory can only be set to 1.5v so running one of those heat-spreader fitted modules publicized as having good timing like 7-7-7 at 1.65v is highly unadvisable. These memories will likely produce error at 1.5v even when lowering their frequency/timings.<<BR>> Modules reported as compatible in Intel website will likely produce best results.<<BR>> Kingston KVR1333d3n9k2/4g is reported to work very well with this board. |
Intel DH55TC motherboard
Karmic can be installed, but some quirks are required.
See https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/507770
Lucid is not affected by this problem, and installs fine.
Overall an excellent board for Linux, all hardware is detected and work out of the box.
Highly suggested as a fast, stable and all-round system with support from a good brand.
Definitely not a board for over-clockers due to lack of cpu or memory voltage override option. It is still possible to override bus frequency though, and with BIOS version 31 it is also possible to change memory timings.
Apparently a memory voltage override option might be added in a future revision of the board.
GRAPHICS
2D and Compiz effects work well. Tested with 1920x1080 display connected through DVI.
The screen can occasionally freeze: see bug #560433, there are 2 possible solutions:
1. disable compiz visual effects
2. upgrade to 2.6.34 from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/
Direct rendering works OK: tested with Warzone 2100 and Quake 3.
Quake 3 has very playable frame-rates at 1920x1080 with maximum settings. Doom 3 and Quake Wars Enemy Territory crash during start-up with the Lucid stock kernel. With the 2.6.34 kernel QWET makes it as far as the menu, but crashes when game starts. Doom 3 makes it as far as asking for the key, but I don't have a valid one =)
Dual screen works fine, tested with DVI and VGA.
SOUND
The rear analogue sound output (the green jack) works fine.
Left to be tested are: the front panel analogue header, the SPDIF header, and the HDMI sound output.
NETWORK CARD
Just works.
There are reports that when running 2.6.33 the latest version of the driver from Intel has to be used for networking to work.
ACPI
With an i5 660 Speedstep the speed is scaled in 9 steps from 1.2 to 3.33 GHz.
The module 'coretemp' works fine even though is not inserted by default by Ubuntu and displays the temperatures of both cores using the sensors command line utility.
The module w83627ehf displays 2 temperatures that are plausible, and raise when the system is loaded, but voltages and fan figures are wrong or missing.
The Intel QST SDK released by Intel in February 2010 looks very promising and compiles fine, except that it requires a HECI kernel module, that can be downloaded from www.openamt.org but is hopelessly outdated and doesn't work on any H55 board.
Suspend/resume from S3 works fine except for the network card that doesn't seem to come back to life.
BIOS SETTINGS
Hyperthreading: works
Turbo boost: works (see below)
Virtualization: works, virtualbox detected VT-x
VT-d: not tested. Software support for this new extension seems to be non-existent at present.
RAM
Memory can only be set to 1.5v so running one of those heat-spreader fitted modules publicized as having good timing like 7-7-7 at 1.65v is highly unadvisable. These memories will likely produce error at 1.5v even when lowering their frequency/timings.
Modules reported as compatible in Intel website will likely produce best results.
Kingston KVR1333d3n9k2/4g is reported to work very well with this board.
TURBO BOOST
It seems to work fine, even if you will not find out by looking at /proc/cpuinfo or any of the cpufreq entries in /sys !
To check if it really is working, you can try this utility: http://code.google.com/p/i7z/
Intel_DH55TC (last edited 2010-08-08 13:28:30 by 78)