Abit KT7 RAID freezes and boot problems

[darius]

After freezing in OS (98) at random times, I was fighting with it for 3 weeks and I just found out that if freezes in BIOS as well !! Just go to BIOS and let it sit for about 5min. I removed SCSI card and all other cards, did swap all the components, changed video card from AGP (TNT2 Diamond Viper 770) to PCI (Diamond 3000 3dfx?), changed memory (crucial pc133 to micron pc100), tried different memory slots, changed power supplies from 431w to 300w one, pulled out motherboard from the case, reseated the CPU, reapplied the thermal paste, cleaned the bridges on CPU with alcohol, flashed BIOS, double checked the temp sensor under the CPU for proper contact, cleared CMOS, set default in CMOS, manually set the CPU settings in CMOS, tried all CMOS settings, disconnected all cables IDE/FD, disconnected USB devices, unplugged power cables from all devices but mother board and fans... still freezes in BIOS !

All components used work just fine with my old Intel II333 and Tyan board.

The only think I can think of is temperature (it has great cooling with low temp reported in BIOS 36-37), bad motherboard or bad CPU? Systems runs great before it hangs, things like benchmarks (sandra, 3d mark), unreal, quake all run fine until the freeze.

Another interesting thing is that after it freezes in OS or BIOS the only way to shut it down is the power supply switch, if I don't wait few minutes it will power up, fans spinning but no POST.

Can someone with freeze problem try if it freezes in BIOS first, this will exclude the OS or drivers as a source of problem.

1GHz Athlon (not overclocked)
Silver Orb fan with thermal paste
Crucial 256mb pc133 cas3
431w Enermax power supply
BIOS ver WW

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by darius on 01/22/01 11:52 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

I've seen freezing in bioses (not kt7) in the hardware monitor screen.

I've got a kt7 and it works just fine. It's possible that there is some bios setting that is incorrect. There is some good information on KT7 at the following site:

http://go.to/kt7faq

 

[darius]

It finally stopped posting at all. but...

After it set for a day, I cleared the CMOS again by changing the jumper. removing the battery and power cord (just to be sure), next I reseated the CPU, the temp sensor seemed to be pushing hard against the CPU so I adjusted it, reapplied the thermal paste and reinstalled the fan. After all this it came back on! I tested over dozen times. Worked fine every time. I think that at first it had a problem with CMOS data, while I was trying to figure things out I must have not inserted the CPU right, I mean It looked right, I pressed on it before closing the socket but I guess the temp sensor was just pushing to hard.

I also waited for it to freeze in the BIOS but so far so good

I just can't let this board win!

 

[kal326]

check abits FAQ's about posting problems after leaving bios. I built a friend a 900 Tbird with a KT7 board. Its something to do with the Soft Menu III speed setting in bios that keeps it from posting some times. It may also be what is causing your lockups. Just set the Soft Menu to the correct speed setting, save and exit bios. It should work then. I had a hell of a time getting bios settings done and saved before setting that. The FAQ on abit's site tells how to do everthing, check it out.

 

[darius]

Thats the first thing I did before my very first boot

 

[Guest]

you may want to try bios kt7_ww which came out a few days ago on their ftp site.

My kt7 was freezing in games for seconds at a time until I installed the new ww bios.

 

[Guest]

mine freezed too. I think this is the fix follow this.

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=faq&notfound=1&code=1

"Help with Freezing Thunderbird" under CPU.

i have been running fine. make sure that you get the via 4 in 1 too. the chipset is often neglected (i didnt even know about it until now...as a driver set)...good luck...

50% of Americans....are idiots...T.F.