ASUS P5GD1 architecture

Evgenie Rudometov,

Victor Rudometov

http://www.rudometov.com

Rather recently company ASUSTeK on the basis of Intel chip set 915P develops and releases motherboard ASUS P5GD1 supporting processors of Intel of Pentium  4 in konstruktive LGA  775. Feature of the given card is support of a two-channel subsystem of dynamic storage with traditional DDR units. In card ASUS P5GD1 architecture a number of perspective firm processing techniques is realised.

As is known functionality and the major parametres defining productivity, stability and dependability of operation of all computer system substantially depend on quality of design of motherboards and units used in them. Now motherboards release many corporations among which names of some became known brands. As one of examples it is possible to result ASUS — ASUSTeK corporation brand. This corporation stably takes the upper positions in the list of manufacturers of motherboards.

One their these models recently released by ASUSTeK corporation hi-tech izdelej card ASUSP5GD1 supporting processors of corporation of Intel in newest konstruktive LGA  775 and realising in architecture newest branch and firm processing technique is . The new built in resources of a multi-channel sound of excellence, resource RAID and, of course, a two-channel subsystem of dynamic storage concern such branch processing techniques PCI Express. However unlike the majority of models of motherboards of new generation ASUSP5GD1 released now it is calculated for traditional DDR units. The newest and popular chip set of Intel 915P became a basis of this card.

Intel chip set 915P motherboard ASUS P5GD1

Fig. 1. Structure of the computer created on the basis of a chip set of Intel 915P

Intel chip set 915P (i915P) is oriented to creation of high-powered desktop personal computers. Supports systems with processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading, 90 nanometers created on processing technique , hooked up through LGA 775 plug and working with bus FSB of type QPB (Quad-Pumped Bus) which clock rate can make 133 or 200 MHz.

As is known bus FSB of type QPB at clock rate of 133 MHz carries out data transfer with frequency of 533 MHz, an address part — 266 MHz that capacity to 4,2 Gbytes/with provides peak. At clock rate of 200 MHz data transfer is carried out with frequency of 800 MHz, and an address part — 400 MHz. In this mode peak capacity reaches values of 6,4 Gbytes/with. The bus supports 32-bit addressing that provides to 4 Gbytes of dynamic storage.

Traditionally for chipsets of system logic the chip set consists of two components named Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and I/O Controller Hub (ICH).

The base package of a chip set i915P consists of Intel chips 82915P Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and Intel 82801FB (ICH6). As the second chip can use improved variants ICH6. It can be Intel chip 82801FR (ICH6R), possessing the expanded possibilities of operation with a disk subsystem of memory, or Intel chip 82801FW (ICH6W) with integrated controller Wi-Fi, or Intel chip 82801FRW (ICH6RW), possessing both specified functions.

Chips MCH and ICH are jointed by special Direct Media Interface (DMI local bus to a transfer rate to 10 Gbit/with in each direction: a full duplex.

The MCH component contains the controllers giving interfaces with high capacity in the structure. These controllers control the system bus with data transfer with frequency of 800 MHz and two-channel dynamic storage. Besides, they will organise operation of graphic interface PCI Express x16 and communication facilities with a chip of input/output ICH.

Built in Intel 82915P the controller of processor bus FSB of type QPB supports the bus with clock rate of 200/133 MHz that provides data transfer on frequencies of 800/533 MHz.

Built in Intel chip 82915P the memory controller provides support of two-and one-channel functional modes of memory DDR/DDR2 SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM — SDRAM with data transfer on lobbies and back edges of clock pulses of the bus of memory). Probably patterns with usage as DDR SDRAM with frequency of 333 and 400 MHz, and DDR2 SDRAM with frequency of 400 and 533 MHz. But all units should be one type, specified in the documentation on the motherboard: either DDR2, or DDR. Maximum size of dynamic storage — to 4 Gbytes. Two-channel memory DDR2 with frequency of 533 MHz has maximum capacity to 8,5 Gbytes/with.

Chip MCH supports different frequency functional modes for processor and memory buses.

Handle of computer peripheral devices is carried out by the second component of a chip set. Thus it is necessary to mark, that in a chip set i915P chip ICH of the sixth version is used. According to this fact it has received name ICH6 and is presented by Intel chip 82801FB. This chip enters into a base set of a chip set i915P.

The built in resources of a chip of handle of peripheral devices of a base set support: one channel IDE with support ATA 33/66/100 (to two arrangements IDE), four ports Serial ATA 150, eight ports USB 2.0, to four PCI Express x1, to seven PCI (PCI Rev 2.3, 32 bits/33 of MHz), LPC (Low Pin Count), the controller of Intel High Definition Audio with support of three codecs, AC ’ 97 2.3 (to 8 channels), integrated controller LAN (10/100 Mb/s Ethernet), SMBus, Wireless Connect Technology (only for ICH6W/ICH6RW), APIC, ACPI Rev.2.0, and also other resources and functions.

Except Intel 82801FB as it has been specified above, usage of the expanded version of hub ICH6 — ICH5R, ICH5W, ICH5RW is possible .

Structure of package ASUS P5GD1

Fig. 2. Structure of package ASUSP5GD1

According to accompanying documents into package structure standardly enter:

·         the Packing box,

·         Motherboard ASUS P5GD1,

·         the Cover plate of input/output corresponding to specification ATX 2.01, 

·         the Quick reference guide of the user in English,

·         the Compact disc with the software from ASUSTeK,

·         Cable Ultra DMA 66/100/133,

·         Cable IDE,

·         Two cables Serial ATA 150,

·         the Cable of power supplies Serial ATA 150,

·         the Cable for hooking up of the flexible drive,

·         the Unit of input/output USB 2.0 (two ports),

·         the Unit of input/output GAME (one port).

The main technical parametres of motherboard ASUS P5GD1

Fig. 3. Motherboard ASUSP5GD1

Fig. 4. Motherboard ASUSP5GD1 plugs

The processor

·         Support of the processor of Intel of Pentium 4 in tank LGA775 with the system bus 533 and 800 MHz,

·         Support of processors of Intel Celeron with the bus of 533 MHz in in tank LGA775.

Chip set

·         Intel 82915P (MCH),

·        Intel 82801FR (ICH6R).

Dynamic storage

·         Four plugs (240 contact electrodes) for dynamic storage DIMM,

·         Support of one or two channels of dynamic storage,

·         DDR 400 Units or DDR 333,

·        maximum size — to 4 Gbytes.

USB 2.0

·         Eight ports USB 2.0,

Video

·         the Videoadapter in PCI slot Express X16.

Audio

·         the Audiosubsystem of Intel High Definition Audio on the basis of 8-channel codec Realtek ALC861.

LAN

·         Gigabitnaja (10/100/1000 Mbit/c) a network subsystem on base gigabitnogo network controller Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI Express.

System BIOS

·        AMI BIOS (in 4 Mbit FWH),

·        Support Plug and Play, DMI2.0, SMBIOS 2.3, WfM2.0.

Disk drives

·         the Interface of the floppi-drive,

·        Intel ICH6R: one Parallel ATA IDE with support of UltraDMA 100/66/33 protocols; four Serial ATA c RAID 0, RAID 1 and Intel Matrix Storage Technology,

·        ITE 8212F IDE RAID: two Parallel ATA IDE with support of UltraDMA 133/100/66 c RAID 0 protocols, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, JBOD.

Plugs of peripherals

·         One parallel port,

·         One port LAN (RJ-45),

·         Six ports of audio,

·         Four ports USB 2.0,

·         One serial port,

·         One port S/PDIF out,

·         keyboard and mouse Ports PS/2.

Slots

·         one PCI slot Express x16,

·         three PCI slots Express x1,

·         three PCI slots.

Form factor

·         mikro-AtX,

·         the Sizes of 243,84 mm h 243,84 mm.

Features of ASUS P5GD1 architecture

The motherboard is created according to referens-design which by tradition develop the manufacturer of a chip set, in this case is a corporation of Intel.

Rather recently Intel corporation has passed to the new standard of tank and the plug — LGA 775. It has found the reflexion and in the motherboard architecture. Appearance of the new plug is presented in a Fig. 5.

Fig. 5. The processor plug of standard LGA 775

High efficiency of modern processors is accompanied considerable teploobrazovaniem. It demands appropriate resources of cooling.

Appropriate resources of cooling chip MCH (a Fig. 6) which structure the controllers which are responsible for link with the processor are built in, subsystems of dynamic storage and video, and also with chip ICH demands also .

Fig. 6. A part of Intel chip set 915P chips Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and and I/O Controller Hub (ICH) with cooling resources

It is necessary to mark, that motherboard ASUS P5GD1 is oriented as a basis of mass high-powered systems of wide application. Usage of processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading and the bus of 800 MHz providing reaching of a maximum level of productivity therefore is recommended  . However usage and less efficient models is possible. It can be, for example, the processors calculated for the bus of 533 MHz.

Together with motherboard ASUS P5GD1 probably usage of models and without support of processing technique Hyper-Threading though it also will not allow to reach extreme possible performance level.

Feature of motherboard ASUS P5GD1 is application in a subsystem of dynamic storage of DDR SDRAM units, instead of DDR2 SDRAM. It admits a chip set but only when it is provided by the card architecture. However simultaneous usage of units of different standards is impossible. Application in the architecture of motherboard ASUS P5GD1 of traditional units allows to lower system cost as now the price of units of perspective memory DDR2 SDRAM it is essential above DDR2 SDRAM.

For the given card the functional mode of memory modules DDR SDRAM can be one-channel or two-channel. The two-channel mode allows to receive completely depthbalanced system for a case when pass-bands of the processor bus and the memory bus coincide and make equal values — 6,4 Gbytes/with. Thus operation of memory modules DDR SDRAM can be or synchronous — clock rate coincides with frequency FSB, or asynchronous — clock rate differs from frequency FSB.

Graphics solution PCI Express x16 provides speed to 4 Gbytes/with in each direction, that more than in three and a half time exceeds high-speed performance of the best external graphics adapters with interface AGP8X.

For handle of input\output devices the second component which is a part of the used chip set traditionally responds. As this component of the given copy of motherboard ASUS P5GD1 Intel chip 82801FR (ICH6R), resulted on a Fig. 6 uses .

From features of the architecture it is necessary to mark an audiosubsystem realising processing technique of Intel High Definition Audio. It provides considerable improvement of playback of a multi-channel sound 48 kgts in comparison with traditional solutions AC ' 97. Support of new formats of house cinemas and support of simultaneous playback of several separate sound streams is Besides, carried out. As the codec chip Realtek ALC861 presented in a Fig. 7 is used . It is realised eight audiochannels («Flexible 8-channel audio with jack sensing»).

The network controller Gigabit Ethernet realised on a chip of controller Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI Express and presented on Fig. 7 is built in the motherboard architecture . The given integrated network tools allow to include easily the computer through built in RJ45 (LAN plug in local area network structure.

Fig. 7. Chips of the audiocodec and LAN (are selected red) with plugs of maps of PCI Express X1 extension, PCI and PCI Express X16

For the extension of the computer system created on the basis of motherboard ASUS P5GD1, the appropriate slots presented by traditional PCI plugs and PCI Express x1 are. Thus it is necessary to mark, that the subsystem of input/output PCI Express x1 provides speed more than in 500 Mb per second. It more than in 3,5 times exceeds speed of traditional PCI architecture which, as is known, has capacity in 133 Mb per second. PCI Express x1 plugs together with PCI Express x16 and traditional PCI are presented in a Fig. 7.

One more feature in the architecture new materinski cards which concerns and ASUS P5GD1, is a processing technique of Intel Matrix Storage. The given processing technique realised in ICH6R and ICH6RW, provides high efficiency at usage of one disk or a RAID-file.

Increases productivity of hard disks by means of processing technique RAID 0 and protects data by means of processing technique RAID 1, applying them on the same disks. Interface AHCI raises productivity thanks to integration of sequence of commands and provides support of hot installation and changeover of hard disks.

The processing technique of Intel Matrix Storage helps to protect data, simultaneously raising productivity in comparison with systems with one hard disk. And it is important, that supports transition from a pattern "RAID ready" with one hard disk on array RAID 0 or RAID 1 without OS reinstallation.

The motherboard architecture incorporates four ports Serial ATA 150 (four arrangements) and one port Parallel ATA-100 (UltraDMA 100/66/33, two arrangements IDE). The increase in number of ports Serial ATA and abbreviation traditional Parallel ATA-100 testifies to step-by-step transition to consecutive, more perspective interfaces.

For the purpose of the extension of possibilities of the motherboard the additional chip which is ensuring functioning with an additional set of disk drives is integrated into its architecture — ITE 8212F IDE RAID. This chip ensures functioning of two Parallel ATA IDE with support of UltraDMA 133/100/66 protocols, and also functions RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, JBOD.

Thus, motherboard ASUS P5GD1 supports operation of two arrays of disk drives with functions RAID. Thus one array is controlled by a chip of Intel ICH6R, and the second — ITE 8212F IDE RAID.

In a Fig. 8 plugs of the disk subsystem which are a part of the architecture of motherboard ASUS P5GD1 are presented.

Fig. 8. Plugs of a disk subsystem of motherboard ASUS P5GD1

Considering possibilities of motherboard ASUS P5GD1, it is necessary to mark, that this card supports variety of firm processing techniques. As an example it is possible to mark hardware-software support of the developed system of dispersal (overclocking).

Power supply of units of motherboard ASUS P5GD1 is carried out through system of impulse stabilising devices.

In a multi-channel impulse surge protector of the processor (a Fig. 9), traditionally allocated round a processor socket, the considerable quantity of filtering capacitors is applied.

Fig. 9. VRM motherboard ASUS P5GD1

Except this converter, on the card there are additional converters of supply voltage PCI Express  x16 and dynamic storage units.

In motherboard ASUSP5GD1 architecture possibilities of the hardware monitoring providing the control over supply voltages and operation of cooling fans are realised.

Stability and dependability

In the course of durable testing motherboard ASUSP5GD1 worked steadily as it usually and is characteristic for products of this manufacturer.

For data acquisition about dependability of card ASUSP5GD1 it is necessary to access or to the computer corporations realising this product, or it is direct to the manufacturer of mother chamber — companies ASUSTeK through its representations.

On motherboard ASUSP5GD1 the manufacturer a guarantee target date in three years.

High-powered card ASUSP5GD1 can be recommended a wide range of users.

Motherboard ASUS P5GD1 is given by the Moscow representation of company ASUSTeK