A7N8X Again

[ROC]

Hi All
After much debate and reading of boards I decided to build the following puter:
A7N8X dlx Mboard
2 ddr333 512 mem chips
Radeon 9700 (not pro)
case with 400w PSU
win XP
As it was my first build I double checked everything and turned it on and all was merry, I have upgraded the drivers for all as recommended (eg. 1.16 from asus not 2. from nforce) everything is recognised etc. and is great until I try to play almost any game eg Unreal 2 doesnt get past the intro movie before it reboots the PC, Medal of Honour the same, older games like Settlers4 run for a while but it either locks up or reboots.
Any suggestions? before I start pulling things apart?
Thanks in advance

ROC

 

[CompSci]

Check that CPU temp! from bios and Install and check Probe!
Ya didn't mention what cpu... ant what speed...
If cranked up, try slowin down to stock speed,
that's what ya get when your start pushin too hard!

 

[fiask0]

You just said a 400W power supply, what brand? I'd also check your tempertures, install Asus probe from the driver cd and compare your tempertures from that to the readings from bios. Also, check your error log in windows, see if that yields any clues.

 

[lbailey949]

This borad has an issue with chipset voltage, that causes the AGP8X to crap out. The system will be 100% rock solid if you dont use OpenGL or DirectX, but what is the fun in that! It is a known issue and we are waiting to hear if Asus will ever fix it. WARNING: the problem will get worse! Dont mess with the board any further. Put it back to it's defaults, and contact Asus about it. If you attempt any further frequency or voltage changes, chances are you will damage the board beyond use.

Your best bet is to try and return the board, and use another manufacturers nForce2 board, that offers *chipset* voltage options. The simple fact that the other borads have chipset voltage options makes it kind of clear that there is an issue.

Best Regards,
Lonnie Bailey

 

[jimbo99]

There's no verifiable multi-party proof that there's a voltage regulator issue with these boards.

Of the posts that I have seen with your issue it was either the memory or the video card. The last issue the guy resolved his issue, apparently by replacing the memory. His problem was just like yours. This problem is not unlike those I see on various boards, not just the a7n8x.

Focus on those two areas instead of assuming it is a voltage regulator issue.

 

[ROC]

Sorry should have said, its got an AMD2400+(2.0 ghz), I havent pushed it at all in the bios, pretty much everything is default, temps are ok I have recorded them with asus probe and they have never gone above 36. Is there anything on the bios I may have missed that I should have changed maybe?
Thanks for replying guys
ROC

 

[ROC]

Thanks for all suggesions. I may have cured problems, I have removed one of my memory sticks and it now seems stable, im not sure if it is because the chip is faulty or because the mobo doesnt like dual memory, is there any way I can check this?
Thankyou

 

[jolle]

I was having the same problem only when I played UT. It works fine if I use the DDR333 at 133mhz bus, but when set to 166 it crashes in games within seconds. Is this the memory or mobo??

 

[Stormfury]

well what kind of memory do you have?? If its generic than probably yes its your memory.

 

[jolle]

I have OCZ memory. I have heard of the problems with it, but I'm not trying to overclock it, just run it at the speed its specified. I think it should at least do that, thats why I wonder if its the mobo. Why would the system run fine under Windows under the new settings but die very quickly when opening UT. The RAM is being used in the same manner before opening UT, its just another app loaded into memory. Except that it uses intense video, so may it be an AGP problem???

 

[Crashman]

I'm hearing the same thing about the P4S8X from...Asus.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[BastardTom]

Hey ROC, Jimbo99 is talking about my post were I expressed similar problems to yours. When I was trying to fix this problem I ended up changing my motherboard once and after that I changed my two corsair ram chips for a corsair twin-pack (which has been specifically tested for our mobo). It seems you have the same problem. What I would recommend you do, if it's at all possible, is RMA the ram and get the twin pack from corsair. If that doesn't solve your problem THEN take everything out and RMA the mobo for a new one.

I would also recommend you read my post ~"a7n8x boots to desktop" started by myself, BastardTom. I got a lot of helpful advice from every one and couldn't have solved my problem without them

<i>To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human.</i>

 

[CompSci]

Have been chasing intermitant/garbled sound when playin DVD's on this A7n8x...
WinAmp, cd, and MP3's ok - but not DVD sound!
Turned out to Cables... I think?????

It took an old, used std 40pin ide cable to get my DVD(Artec) & CDR(LiteOn) to work in combination and get good DVD playback audio(sound). Vidio play was ok, but got sound interference interference about half the time, like in and out... And it did produce WinDvd program errores occasionally!

I'm not sure ALL Atapi devices like the new 80pin ATA-ide cables - at least this particular 80pin cable. Do Atapi CD and DVD devices really benifit from a ATA-ide cable? Should Atapi devices even be using the 80pin ata cables..

I don't know if the games your runnin get loaded from disk or cd but
I would't overlook the "Cable" connection for burps and interference!

 

[Mac88]

I don't know if you solved your pb ... bu I got a 9700 Pro, on an AGP 8X, and this card (as solved through another chat) can hang under XP without preventing (XP can do it .. depends on it) just because the set is .. 8X ... (I think the 9700 non-pro is also 8X, no?) Try to put it down at AGP 4X (looks weird but works and gives the same perf) through the control panel of ATI...

Mac88

 

[Stormfury]

I've heard that sometimes the OCZ doesn't run at stock speed. You might want to try RMA'ing it.