Does the AOpen SilentTek eliminate the need for undervolting

JarsOfFart · Post by **JarsOfFart** » Thu May 08, 2003 2:56 pm

http://www.bjorn3d.com/_preview.php?articleID=252

The article mentions that SilentTek feature can control fan speed. Does this eliminate the need for undervolting? (assuming the fan is connected to the motherboard) The feature seems too good to be true. I saw it on SPRC homepage a few months ago, but did not know the specifics.

mahkum2 · Post by **mahkum2** » Thu May 08, 2003 3:26 pm

Hi JarsOfFart

Yes it does control fan speed.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/modules.p ... =64&page=1
But it controls only two fans if I am not mistaken. However on the AOpen website there is a screen capture showing three fans being monitored.

http://www.aopen.com/tech/techinside/SilentTek.htm

Btw I have just ordered AK79d max version.

aphonos · Post by **aphonos** » Thu May 08, 2003 5:56 pm

mahkum2 wrote: But it controls only two fans if I am not mistaken. However on the AOpen website there is a screen capture showing three fans being monitored.

Correct...it controls only two--CPU and Sys1. There are three fan headers on the mobo. The Hardware Monitor Utility that is shown in the screenshot monitors all three headers even though the board allows you to set speed only on the CPU and Sys1 fan headers.

Not sure why Aopen did it that way.

mahkum2 · Post by **mahkum2** » Fri May 09, 2003 6:07 am

aphonos -- I am just curious. Do the advertised features on your AOpen motherboard work as advertised? I mean features like Winbios, Winflash, Ezrestore and ofcourse the all important Silenttek.

aphonos · Post by **aphonos** » Fri May 09, 2003 1:13 pm

mahkum2 wrote:aphonos -- I am just curious. Do the advertised features on your AOpen motherboard work as advertised? I mean features like Winbios, Winflash, Ezrestore and ofcourse the all important Silenttek.

Still playing with it to be honest. I've had some difficulty getting the fixed fan speed option to work in SilentTek (it shows up in the Bios, but the Windows app doesn't seem to reflect the Bios settings), but I really haven't had time to play with my home computer...at work too much.

Actually, you just prompted me to check the AOpen website. The product page for my board AX4GPro specifics that PCB 37,57,77 doesn't support SilentTek.

I'm at work now, so I can't check if I have that build...but boy, I'm worried now. That will really stink, since that's the reason I bought the AOpen board....too late to RMA to newegg...maybe AOpen will do something. Will have to wait and see if this is the problem.

I won't even mess with the Ezrestore, b/c I use Drive Image.
I was able to flash the Bios just fine in Windows.
I don't see WinBios as a feature on my board.
[EDIT: And the onboard video does fine for me (not a gamer), but the onboard sound was tinny, had to add a PCI sound card.]
[EDIT: It does not detect the RPM for my NMB 80mm fans, even at 12v...not sure if fan speed is too low for board to read, fan RPM not working (tried 3 different NMBs), or other error?]
[EDIT: found in AOpen forums that minimum fan speed for detection is 1500RPM...not very helpful for undervolting quiet fans that are already low RPM/CFM]

aphonos · Post by **aphonos** » Fri May 09, 2003 11:30 pm

No, the SilentTek software apparently does not work on my AOpen AX4GPro!

The latest version of the Hardware Monitor/SilentTek Utility that AOpen lists for my board is 3.0.10b. The SilentTek tab does not work--it's just blank. [EDIT: The Hardware Monitor will report temps just fine, but does not give access to the software side of SilentTek.] I have the latest Bios installed and there is SilentTek in the Bios, but so what, it isn't working in the OS and I didn't build a computer to leave it in POST all day. I downloaded the 3.12.20 version of the SilentTek software. It will install, but it wouldn't initialize in Win2K--hangs on the splash screen forever. The one time it finally opened (EDIT: I finally had to run the software as Administrator in Win2K--even though my user account is a member of the Admin group--this is a "bug" in SilentTek that AOpen acknowledges) the Hardware Monitor and the SilentTek tab of the utility says the AX4GPro does not support SilentTek.

SilentTek is the whole reason I went with AOpen.

Their product webpage for the AX4GPro shows SilentTek as a feature. I don't think those caveats about PCB 37.57.77 were there when I purchased [EDIT: I have PCB version 87, so that's not the problem].

I now have to find out if it is newegg or AOpen (or neither

) that will do something about this. Seems like big-time false advertising at this point. Will probably try newegg first to avoid having to communicate across the language barrier with AOpen. Wish I had put my computer together and tinkered sooner, but other (read: family) responsibilities came first.

I'll keep y'all updated.

PS. If you are looking to buy an AOpen board, make sure you check the AOpen website for SilentTek compatibility by reading the Readme.txt files associated with the latest download of SilentTek (which I was only able to locate by using the Advanced Search in the Downloads section).

I really like this line at the bottom of the AX4GPro product description:

AOpen wrote:Specifications subject to change without notice. We keep refining our products.

No kidding.

mahkum2 · Post by **mahkum2** » Sun May 11, 2003 4:41 am

aphonos -- Sorry to hear that

. I have had similar experience in the past with advertised features not working..so understand how you feel. I always buy components after reading many reviews but still sometimes get it wrong. Hopfully Newegg will replace it as I have heard good things about them on another thread. Btw I am fairly sure that AK79D Max version supports Silenttek. Thanks for your replies.

aphonos · Post by **aphonos** » Mon May 12, 2003 12:19 pm

Situation Update:

In addition to a list of system parts and BIOS version,

I wrote:In Hardware Monitor III 3.0.10b, the SilentTek tab is blank. There are no updates to this utility available that are compatible with my motherboard. Please advise. If SilentTek will not work with this board, I request a full refund, since your product description web page http://www.aopen.com/products/mb/AX4GPro.htm lists SilentTek as a feature for this board.

Here is the reply I received from AOpen tech support.

AOpen wrote:Our engineers are working on a new file update. This should then allow this board to work with silentek.

That's it.

To me that means that, though they advertised SilentTek as a feature for this board, they do not have this feature. (Am I missing something here?) I think we call that "false advertising." Anyone have experience with reporting or litigating issues like this?

JarsOfFart · Post by **JarsOfFart** » Sat May 17, 2003 11:30 am

I just finished setting up a system with the Aopen AK79G Max. SilentTek does seem to work for me. I can clearly hear the difference in sound from the whole bootup process to the windows desktop. I'm using a Chenbro PC611, the 300w Forton w/120mm fan, Thermalright SLK-800A. The SLK-800A is using the 92mm fan that came with the case. I currently have my 1700+ @ 1.925 GHz at a nice 42 C at full load (running D²OL). The 92mm fan is running at 1800 rpm (from some rpm I don't know) and the system fan is running at 1300 rpm (from 5000). I was going to replace the NB chipset HSF with a Zalman passive, but I can't seem to get the HS off. The system is not close to silent, but it is far better than my main system. It sounds like my Dell XPS T500.