Mr. Fox

1 hour ago, Papusan said:

 

It will be interesting to hear what his conclusions are after 30 days. I can't say that I like either one now. I can identify things that I dislike about both brands, but I try not to dwell on those things because it can get pretty depressing when you begin compiling a list of the things that suck.

Merry Christmas, everyone. Blessings to all of you.

On 12/5/2025 at 3:05 PM, Papusan said:

 

And still very smart. 

Linux creator Torvalds thinks Elon Musk is 'too stupid' to be working at a tech company

Yes, he is smart. But, thinking that raises questions about his ability to think clearly. Only a small number of people with misinformed bias think such things.

1 hour ago, Redneck_Randy said:

The size of the videos.

I do not think you can upload videos here, only embedded links.

23 minutes ago, Rage Set said:

Just snagged a PRIME 5070 TI from Amazon Resale - Like New condition for MSRP to compare to the 9070 XT Red Devil that is coming before Christmas. Due to all of the fraud I have heard about, I am going to unbox both on camera. I am hoping the 5070 Ti has damaged packaging and isn't actually used. 

 

Whichever card performs the best for my use cases will stick around and I will probably either send the other back or sell locally. 

 

I saw a 5080 for a little over MSRP, but I can't justify spending over 1K for the same 16GB and average of 15% better performance over the 5070 TI. Even in video editing apps, the 5080 isn't much better than the 5070 TI. I don't understand Nvidia's thoughts on the 5080 but I assume they were always planning on making the 5080 Super (which may or may not be cancelled). 

 

At the very least, if GPU pricing goes all to hell again, I can resell the 5070 TI for what I paid for. 

Awesome. Glad you were able to snag one for a proper price. I think things are going to continue to circle the drain in the PC space for the next couple of years and anything that can be purchased now at proper pricing will likely hold its value longer than it normally would or should.

On 12/20/2025 at 12:02 PM, Redneck_Randy said:

Is the limit 4.88 MB ?

⁉️ limit for what?

11 hours ago, electrosoft said:

 

Epyx looking good! Which sticks are those and how are they cooled?

Thank you.

Just using a basic Barrowch memory cooling kit similar to this one from Titan Rig (slightly different appearance to the block on top). The memory kit is the same one I have had since May. G.SKILL F5-6000J2636H16GX2-TZ5NR was $189.99 when I bought it. Now I wish I had purchased a dozen at that price. Could easily sell for double what I had paid for them, maybe triple.

Edit: here is the exact cooler kit on the Strix memory. I think it looks great, and it works great, but I do not recommend it because the spacing of the screw holes to attach the block to the RAM jackets are not spaced according to common standards. They do not line up with the spacing of any generic memory cooling parts I have purchased in the past, so this kit is sort of a proprietary piece of crap in that respect. I recommend sticking with the generic stuff like Bykski, Freezemod and the stuff that the eBay/Amazon counterfeiters sell.

If you don't care about that then it is a great product. The reason I hate it is because I cannot simply move memory modules around between systems without disassembling everything and transferring the memory jackets to other sticks. That sucks. For a person with one PC that doesn't fiddle around with things it would be totally fine.

25 minutes ago, Reciever said:

 

Every time I see more reports of cables giving up the ghost, happy to see my 7900 XTX still chugging along even after I pushed 850w into it. Though while I may think of my card as something akin to a muscle car, 4090/5090 are still going to dust it like some exotic supercar.

 

Rest of the watercooling stuff showed up today, tomorrow I run to Home Depot for some wireframe shelves and distilled water. Once that is done I have to move a bunch of stuff around which will probably take the better part of a day alone, then get to flushing the loop if I have enough time.

 

Trying to not get too excited, dont want a repeat of the Sage motherboard.

Hard to not get excited about things like this.

1 hour ago, Mr. Fox said:

The PD_UPDATE_TOOL_V0206.exe flash completed successfully on the Apex, but the second ASMx4242 firmware update doesn't seem to do anything. Running it gives a momentary cursor circle icon that goes away immediately. I rebooted and it still does not seem to run. I wonder if the Readme.txt file has erroneous information about installing both updates. I will see what it does on the Strix.

Hmm. Had the same issue on the Strix. The ASMx4242 firmware update did not seem to run. Then I remembered I had USB4 disabled in the BIOS on both of my systems. I toggled it back on and the firmware update for ASMx4242 completed on both... but with a bit of a scare... (see below).

54 minutes ago, electrosoft said:

The bulk of my work is with external media both personally and professionally. Main reason I jettisoned AM4. To suddenly see USB port issues pop back up caused immediate concern.

 

Installed the firmware update a bit ago.....

 

And just like that my second front USB-A port now connects every time......like before the last BIOS update. I was ~3 BIOS updates behind though. I updated mainly for more 8000 stability on the Hero.

When I ran the ASMx4242 firmware update all of my USB and LAN stopped working on both systems. There was no visual indication on my screen that anything was taking place in the background. After what seemed like a long time the USB came back (maybe 20 seconds, but seemed like a long time waiting) and I was prompted to reboot. After rebooting and making it back to the desktop it seemed like a long wait for USB and LAN to power on again. This was exactly the same behavior on both systems. After the initialization the first time after rebooting the USB and LAN is working normally after multiple reboots. Apparently the flashing procedure does this since both systems behaved exactly the same when flashing the ASMx4242 firmware update.

Did you experience the same with the ASMx4242 firmware update? I am glad I did not get impatient and power off in the middle of an invisible firmware update procedure. A$$zeus should have something in the Readme file about that. I could see some people flipping the power off before it finished. The PD update flashing provided a very visible indication it was working while it was happening.

1 hour ago, electrosoft said:

Since the last bios update, my front USB-A ports are suddenly sporadic in whether devices connect or not. Check to see if there is a firmware update available for your board.

Hmm. Interesting. There is a firmware update for both the Apex and the Strix. In fact, it appears to be the exact same firmware update for both systems... same SHA-256 hash even.

Quote

ASUS 4242 and PD-GX Firmware Windows Update Tool

Version 4242: 250708, IT8857: 0206

5.83 MB 2025/12/12

SHA-256 :99DFED62167F0F5CD43522AF6611ACF9A5E6D8433996910B9FDC6B4A53BA8E4A

Updated firmware to ver. 250708 for ASM4242 and V0206 (GX) for IT8857 to improve compatibility with connected devices.

The PD_UPDATE_TOOL_V0206.exe flash completed successfully on the Apex, but the second ASMx4242 firmware update doesn't seem to do anything. Running it gives a momentary cursor circle icon that goes away immediately. I rebooted and it still does not seem to run. I wonder if the Readme.txt file has erroneous information about installing both updates. I will see what it does on the Strix.

I haven't had any major USB issues except for my USB mic would intermittently and randomly throw a device descriptor failure error message on the Strix, but never on the Apex. Maybe this will fix that.

@Rage Set it must be DIMM dying season. Check this out. Weird short circuit on this PC at the DIMM module.

A test BIOS (9923) dropped from ASUS for AM5 and it seems like an improvement. I cannot get 8400 fully stable, but I think that might be a CPU/IMC limitation. This is my weakest CPU. I may try my better 9950X or my 4585PX, but there is almost no measurable difference in performance between 8200 and 8400, so no biggie either way.

These Kingbank XMP/EXPO 8400 sticks that @gupsterg turned me on to have been great. They were dirt cheap when I bought them on Amazon back in the "good old days" (not long ago) before the tech world went off the rails with the crazy AI nonsense. I've never seen so many stupid people that would otherwise be viewed as intelligent. Now I wish I hadn't sold that second 8400 kit. Kingbank no longer sells memory on Amazon, and even if they did the price would suck now. 😑

4 hours ago, electrosoft said:

I'm going to FAFO and give the Z890 Unify-X a whirl especially at $399.99 on Amazon. Worst case scenario, back it goes! I liked the MSI BIOS, but can readily admit I still find Asus BIOS to be my favorite especially now that EVGA no longer makes motherboards. 😞

 

I could see why they exited the GPU market, but I still don't understand why they also did away with their excellent motherboard division.  😠

Yeah it is a real bummer. I am puzzled as well. Maybe they didn't make enough on motherboard sales for it to be sustainable. I loved their hardware and firmware.

That will be a nice case upgrade for the wife. Antec makes good stuff, especially their cases.

I enjoyed the Intel Unify X, but the firmware kept me from loving the X870E Carbon. It was not terrible by any means, it just never rose to the level of seeming awesome... good versus great.

4 hours ago, electrosoft said:

I do see merit in the argument about a "single player only" version devoid of this level of security and monitoring, but that is an entirely other argument to address.

That is the only solution that I would deem acceptable. Although disappointing, the fortunate thing for me is gaming is not important enough that making an exception and compromising my position on the subject isn't necessary. I won't lose any sleep over no longer playing new titles in game franchises I have enjoyed since the initial release. Seems like status quo that good things eventually turn to crap. Not a matter of if, but when. Easy come, easy go. Que sera sera. 🤣

3 hours ago, Papusan said:

 

And as usual... The consumers of the scam close their  eyes. They will still use Facebook and Insta. 

 

Meta knowingly took in billions from scam ads on Facebook and Instagram, says Reuters

Another day, another Meta controversy

In a nutshell: Meta has faced several controversies over the years, including the misuse of private data for political profiling, failing to stop the spread of fake news and hate speech, and ignoring the impact of Facebook and Instagram on the mental well-being of young people. A new report now claims the company has also knowingly accepted fraudulent and scam ads originating in China.

Meta (aka FacePoot) Instacram and Reddtit are the social media cesspools of the world and I do not even like logging in to their platforms. I feel instantly dirty when I do.

5 hours ago, electrosoft said:

It is most likely going to be a UNIFY or APEX.

After owning several MSI boards (Unify X and Carbon) and numerous ASUS boards, if it were me I would stick with ASUS if for no other reason than much better firmware. Apex is a great motherboard generally. Every MSI I have owned has something in the firmware that was irksome to me. They were OK in terms of hardware. Svet deals with fixing lots of MSI firmware messes. They are never-ending. MSI forums are littered with examples of problems caused by screwed up firmware.

4 hours ago, Papusan said:

Nice. Forced to enable Secure boot and TPM to play ain't enough anymore. Now you'll need to update the bios as well to be able to play some of the games. What will come next?

That sucks donkey butt. These idiot game dev clowns are going to FAFO what happens to dictators. They usually end up dead. I am happy that I don't care about Valorant. If I did, I would no longer. It would be dead to me, just as Battlefield and Call of Duty titles that require this stupid nonsense are now. Nasty finger salute to all of them, with both hands. No game is good enough or matters to me to such a degree that I will be told what I have to do in order to play it. They can drop dead and I hope that they do.

1 hour ago, Papusan said:

 

This was/is inevitable... Those with sligth older gen cards/new low mid end saved by  the dram crisis. 

 

Game development is now affected by the RAM crisis

 

TL;DR: Rising DDR5 memory and storage costs, driven by the ongoing DRAM crisis and AI demand, are causing supply shortages and higher prices through 2026. This forces game developers like Larian Studios to optimize AAA titles for limited RAM and VRAM, impacting PC gaming performance and hardware upgrade cycles.

 

What does this mean for gaming, specifically high-profile AAA-style experiences with a focus on immersive and detailed visuals? Well, a fundamental shift in how game developers will approach making games for the "foreseeable future." And with that, game developers will be forced to optimize performance for systems with limited RAM and VRAM.

 

 

G.Skill And Micron Share Depressing Update On PC Memory Crisis

by Paul Lilly - Thu, Dec 18, 2025

Just in case anyone needs to hear it again (as if!), we're in the midst of a memory crisis that has seen the cost of DRAM catapult to unsettling levels. 

 

G-skill statement.

https://www.gskill.com/community/1502239313/1765875574/Why-has-G.SKILL-DRAM-memory-prices-increased-so-much-recently-since-2025-Q4

 

38 minutes ago, Rage Set said:

 

That's actually great news. It will force developers to optimize for all levels, instead of the high end. Don't get me wrong, this will make those that have invested thousands on high end GPUs a bit angry, but those people only account for about 10% of the market. 

 

The true adverse thing to come out of this RAM shortage is Nvidia and AMD will continue to push 8GB cards in their next generations. Or worse, the reintroduction of the 6GB or lower "midrange" GPUs....Lol the 6070 coming with 8GB and 6070 TI with 12GB above $750

The current situation sucks. However, there is always a silver lining to a dark cloud when you are forced to look for it.

This will likely benefit those selling spare used PC components. They (we) may be able to sell things used for the same amount or more than what was paid for them new. And, an additional benefit is that consumers will probably stop wasting money upgrading systems that still work fine for the tasks for which they are used.

If games are dumbed down or "optimized" to function well on less capable hardware, the notion that an upgrade is needed should also be dramatically reduced. In practical application, systems that were nearing the end of their service life due to performance limitations may get a new lease on life.

Another potential benefit is this may pressure the Redmond Reprobates to back off on their idiotic OS system requirements if their intent was to contribute to e-waste development by forcing people to buy newer computers. That may become more difficult for consumers and cause Winduhz 11 adoption to stagnate even further than it has.

And, another potential benefit... perhaps the best possible scenario of all... AI development will implode, end up in a state of ruin and self-destruct. The very thing causing these problems may burn itself out due to astronomical costs developing something that their intended victims will not be able to leverage due to not enough consumers having the resources needed to utilize the garbage they are hoping to capitalize on. The idea of spending gobs of money on something that will not generate enough revenue to offset costs will ultimately fail. This is what I am hoping happens.

2 hours ago, Rage Set said:

 

With the bad stick in and when the mobo tries to retrain, I get error Code 55. I am going to chaulk it up as bad and submit an RMA with G.Skill. I am going to spend a lot of money to make sure it gets to them, which means insuring it for $600. I am going to ship it via FedEx, so hopefully it doesn't go missing. 

 

Thanks for all of your help brother. It felt great getting into the minutiae of hardware troubleshooting like this again - I don't get a lot of that in my IT day job.

You're welcome. I also enjoy that kind of thing. If/when you can figure something out, or explore something out of the ordinary trying to figure it out, it feels good.

23 minutes ago, Rage Set said:

 

So this is what I found out thus far.

 

The green stick - is dead as a door nail. The PC won't boot with it, at ALL. Even with the known working stick in A2, trained and etc. As soon as I put it in any slot outside of A2, the mobo just clicks whenever I press power. 

 

The bad G.Skill stick will boot with the known working stick in A2 after it has trained. I don't think it is hardware related, but it is definitely corrupted by that damn iCue software. I tried changing around the speeds to see if it could be detected. I even lowered the trained stick to 2133, lol. Still can't be detected but obviously it is getting power by the slot. It's almost behaving like a dummy stick. 

If you can determine the target slot number with the tool after saving the SPD from the good stick, select the target slot for the dead stick and see if the tool will allow you to write to it. When I had the SPD corruption happening from OpenRGB the stick seemed dead. CPU-Z could not "see" it and the tool could not read from it, and Thaiphoon Burner showed the module had no firmware on it. But, I was able to select the target slot annd write the SPD from the good stick to the corrupted one. Set the BIOS for SPD Write enabled (or SPD write disable set to "enabled" depending on how it is worded in the BIOS) has to be toggled. It may not work, but it would be worth a shot. Maybe you will get lucky.

6 minutes ago, Rage Set said:

 

I am using my Asus Z690 Extreme board. The good news, the newer version works with my board and I was able to read and save a copy of the working stick's firmware. The bad news, is the software doesn't see the other stick. 

 

EDIT: Yes, I had iCue on this machine. So it is likely what caused the issue with the bad stick. 

Try with the naked green sticks as well as the RGB. That's a bummer that it doesn't see the other stick. That suggests it could be a hardware failure. Did you enable SPD Write in the BIOS? If not, enable that and try again and maybe it will work.

18 minutes ago, Mr. Fox said:

Edit: @Rage Set I believe it is bundled in this OCPak archive.

I found a link to it in this thread: https://community.hwbot.org/topic/220910-asus-rog-maximus-apex-z790-apex-15/#comments

There might be a newer version in the opening post by Safedisk in this thread:

https://community.hwbot.org/topic/242375-rog-crosshair-x870e-heroapexextreme/

I will have to see if it works on my X870E Apex motherboard.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/94dljuo7lj4o0luen1hc1/OCPak_1506.zip?rlkey=sgozvyrcy88kxxhbo3fpwdcya&e=1&st=9zd14xd6&dl=0