sn95g5 - v3 or not??

[5lab]

lo peeps

i got my sn95g5 a couple of months back, and i'm trying to work out (For the sake of bios upgrades etc) whether it is a v3 or not.. anyone care to point out what the differences twixt v1/2 and v3 is?

[austinjreid]

I figured mine out (thought I had a V3 but it was a V2). Look at the mobo at the edge just by the AGP slot. should be printed FN95 v?.? Mine was FN95 v2.0 and there is a chip on the same side of the board but nearer the front of the shuttle with FN95s20? Mine said FN95s205 which was the BIOS version at manufacture. I think the latest V2 update is FN95s20E.

Coz I ordered a V3 I almost flashed this with a V3 BIOS update!

[DJWillis]

5lab,

If you got an SN95G5 a few months back it will be a V2 (or V1 at worst). The V3's are only just hitting retail.

Major diffrences are the chipset (nForce 3 Ultra on V1 and 2, nForce 250 on the V3 (so 250FSB limit)). The V3 also used the nVidia PHY for the NIC so has the hardware firewall. If you have a Marvel NIC installed rather then the nForce PHY wrapper then you have a V1/2.

The text under the AGP slot will also tell you what you have FN95 V1.0, 1.1, 1.2 = V1. V2.0 and 2.0 = V2. V3.* etc.

The other big change is official support for rev. E (venice/san diego) CPU's on the V3 (V1 and V2 support for the CPU's is hit and miss based on poor QC from Shuttle) and dual core (X2) support on the V3, the V1 and V2 DO NOT support dual core.

The latest BIOS upgrades for SN95G (all versions) are worth the upgrade form a stability point of view. You can tell the latest BIOS upgrades as they add a lame Shuttle XPC BIOS splash screen .

Coz I ordered a V3 I almost flashed this with a V3 BIOS update!

Don't worry, it would not have let you flash it .

[imax]

Bit confused about those numbers. My SN95G5 was purchased a month ago. It is definitely V2 and the chipset is nForce3 250, with Marvell NIC. Checked out partnumbers with PC Wizard 2005.

The full Type number on Bottom of enclosure and pasted on to AGP socket is: SN95G5 - V3GH00-21.

I specifically selected a 3000+ cpu with Venice core. Works very well, completely trouble free so far.

I discarded the drivers on the Shuttle CDROM since they created problems. The latest nVidia Nforce x64 composite driver pack sorted everything out very well

[DJWillis]

imax,

You have an SN95G5 V3 there. Not a V2. Shuttle do have this nasty habit of shipping older versions of some of there XPC's with new revision boards as they move over.

Considering a motherboard is what makes a PC to all intents you have a V3.

V3's still have a Mavel NIC (I should have been more clear on that) but used the nForce PHY so can use the NVIDIA NIC drivers with the ActiveArmour chipset based hardware firewall if you want.

[!nfil]

Bit confused about those numbers. My SN95G5 was purchased a month ago. It is definitely V2 and the chipset is nForce3 250, with Marvell NIC. Checked out partnumbers with PC Wizard 2005.

The full Type number on Bottom of enclosure and pasted on to AGP socket is: SN95G5 - V3GH00-21.

I specifically selected a 3000+ cpu with Venice core. Works very well, completely trouble free so far.

I discarded the drivers on the Shuttle CDROM since they created problems. The latest nVidia Nforce x64 composite driver pack sorted everything out very well

I don't suppose you could tell me where it was purchased from?

As a large number of retailers are shipping V2's in V3 boxes as DJWillis has mentioned and I'm having a hard time trying to track down a retailer which sells a V3, which ACTUALLY is a V3 and not a V2.

[imax]

!nfil

Set out to buy from Overclockers but they were out of stock. Got it from Dabs.com for about £20 less than I expected.

Despite DJWillis helpful answer, I am still not sure about exact version. The print screening on motherboard identifies the part as FN95V2. I'll try nVidia driver with Yukon (if I can find it) which could be conclusive.

I am not fussed about it, my box and Venice cpu are cool and competent. My only gripe with Shuttle is quality of software drivers etc included with box. In particular the SATA drivers on the floppy disk were wrong vintage and I had to transfer files from nVidia driver package to floppy to get clean install of WinXP x64. The instructions for doing this and setting BIOS correctly are in a FAQ on web site. Time consuming but good result.

[austinjreid]

Don't worry, it would not have let you flash it .

It would if I forced it to ! After all I was sold a V3 - not my fault if scan sold it as a V3 then told me it was my responsibility to update it with V3 updates!

If you got an SN95G5 a few months back it will be a V2 (or V1 at worst). The V3's are only just hitting retail.

Where, where, where?? I emailed shuttle Europe 4 days ago:

Dear Mr Reid,

thank you for your trust in our products.

The version 3 probably will be available in about two or maybe three
weeks. There was some delay concerning the shipment from Taiwan to
Europe.
--
Mit freundlichen Grüßen / with kind regards
Matthias Lohse

Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH
Fritz-Strassmann-Str.5 / 25337 Elmshorn
Tel: +49 (0)4121-476843
Fax: +49 (0)4121-476900
www.shuttle.com
mailto:azv4@spacewalker.de

[!nfil]

!nfil

Set out to buy from Overclockers but they were out of stock. Got it from Dabs.com for about £20 less than I expected.

Despite DJWillis helpful answer, I am still not sure about exact version. The print screening on motherboard identifies the part as FN95V2. I'll try nVidia driver with Yukon (if I can find it) which could be conclusive.

I am not fussed about it, my box and Venice cpu are cool and competent. My only gripe with Shuttle is quality of software drivers etc included with box. In particular the SATA drivers on the floppy disk were wrong vintage and I had to transfer files from nVidia driver package to floppy to get clean install of WinXP x64. The instructions for doing this and setting BIOS correctly are in a FAQ on web site. Time consuming but good result.

Yep it's a V2 then. Looks like its another case of V2 in a V3 box . I guess I'll just have to wait a bit more like austinjreid.

[imax]

V3's still have a Mavel NIC (I should have been more clear on that) but used the nForce PHY so can use the NVIDIA NIC drivers with the ActiveArmour chipset based hardware firewall if you want.

My system will not accept nVidia NIC drivers. OK with generic Marvell driver. Also motherboard part No. is FN95V2.0. I have to acept that my system is SN95G5 V2 with nVidia nForce3 250 chipset.

[!nfil]

My system will not accept nVidia NIC drivers. OK with generic Marvell driver. Also motherboard part No. is FN95V2.0. I have to acept that my system is SN95G5 V2 with nVidia nForce3 250 chipset.

It's actually an nForce3 Ultra chipset for the V2 and not the 250 gb which is for V3.

[imax]

nForce3 250 is the generic name for a series of chipsets with 4 main subsets at present:

There are two chipsets for Socket 754 Athlon 64:

1. nForce3-250 - basic value chipset for 754, 800HT, does not include on-chip Gigabit LAN or on-chip Firewall.

2. nForce3-250Gb - 800HT, includes Gigabit LAN and on-chip Firewall.

Gb stands for Gigabit, which refers to the included on-chip Gigabit Ethernet.

There are a further two for Socket 939:

3. nForce3-250Gb Ultra - 1000HT, Gigabit LAN, Firewall, Dual-Channel unbuffered, for Athlon 64/Athlon 64 FX.

4. nForce3-250Gb Ultra PRO - 1000HT, Gigabit LAN, Firewall, for Opteron.

It seems that some features may be omitted to suit Mboard manf requirements.

(Source: Wesley Fink, Anand Tech)

My V2 has the features of category 3, except for the Firewall (Ultra probably signifies 1000HT).

[austinjreid]

I emailed shuttle again if they had any news of the V3:

Dear Sir,

we think that it probably will be available at the beginning of next
month, if nothing unexpected should happen.

--
Mit freundlichen Grüßen / with kind regards
Matthias Lohse

Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH
Fritz-Strassmann-Str.5 / 25337 Elmshorn
Tel: +49 (0)4121-476843
Fax: +49 (0)4121-476900
www.shuttle.com
mailto:azv4@spacewalker.de

[DJWillis]

imax,

Ahhh, yep you have a V2 without doubt, sorry, your post managed to both imply you had a V2 and V3 depending on if you went on physical markings or your view of what software was telling you. Sorry for giving slightly the wrong advice (I blame lack of sleep).

SN95G5 V1 and 2's use...

nForce3 250Gb Ultra - 1000HT, Mavel Gigabit LAN (as PCI device), no use of chipset NIC/PHY. Full spec HT bus multi and bus can be pushed over 250 if you have the hardeware to do that.

V3's use...

nForce3 250Gb - 800HT, includes Gigabit LAN and on-chip Firewall (nvidia PHY). Lower HT multi (people will debate if this is a real downside, I see it as one). HT can not be pushed over 250. Plus points are dual core support and the use of the nVidia PHY for the hardware firewall. There is still a marvel chip under the nvidia PHY.

[imax]

DJWillis

My original post (#4) was unambiguous, I said, 'it is definitely V2'. My confusion was with the numbers in your post (#3). Maybe I was being just too polite by not making this clear!!

The characters 'V3' do appear in the system part number but I don't think they have anything to do with the box version. Perhaps they refer to version 3 of the nForce chipset.

I agree entirely with the rest of your post, particulary about the downside of 800HT rather tha 1000HT. This may be a trade off to enable the upside of dual core support.

[austinjreid]

The characters 'V3' do appear in the system part number but I don't think they have anything to do with the box version. Perhaps they refer to version 3 of the nForce chipset.

I think this may be the reason many retailers believe they have V3 products, unfortunately at the moment it seems not to be the case.

I have a 3700+ San Diego awaiting a home. I want a shuttle for the ICE cooling and my only option is the SN95G5 as I require AGP support.