Iwill KK266-R freezes my system

[Guest]

This is really weird (hope I have the time to type this before the system freezes).

I built a computer with following compontens.

AMD T-bird 1000/266 mhz rev c
Super Orb Fan
Iwill KK266-R (enabled raid)
Vitalic Mosel 133 mhz cas-3
2 x ibm 46.2 gb 7200 rpm
Soundblaster live value
Network card
Win2000 SP 1

My computer is unstable of some reason. I have all kinds of settings in bios. even running my cpu at 750 mhz and ram at 100 mhz to cpu @ 1240 mhz and ram at 160 mhz. This doesn´t matter. My system freezes at every setting I have made.

After windows booted it might freeze at once or after 30 min. But just before icons might float out or grey windows appears. I have tried setting ram at both cas-2 and cas-3. No difference...
I have also upgraded the bios to the newest version. But it freezes just the same way now. I also tested win98 and the same problem appeared there.

Anyone have a suggestion (no. I won´t buy an other motherboard What I have heard this motherboard should be very stable.'

Worth saying is that soundcard and network card with diskdrives work just perfect in my old system. So I have hard to believe they are bad.

The Frustrated Homegrowe Who Wants To Use His Computer For More Than 5 Min

 

[noko]

A few questions:

1. Did you do a clean install of your operating system?
2. Have you tried removing all of your cards and testing to see if stable?
3. Have you reseated your CPU and memory?
4. Monitoring temperature, what is the temperature of your CPU when you see the crash? Could it be a cooling problem?
5. Have you tried raising your cpu voltage up as well as raising up your I/O voltage (jumper for I/O)? What voltages are reported by Via's Hardware Monitoring Program?
6. Do you have at least a 300w power supply approved by AMD?
7. Have you tried different memory.
8. What Video card are you using? Have you tried a different video card, sounds kinda like a video card problem?
9. Which 4in1 drivers are you using?

Please answer as many as possible so we can narrow down where the real problem is, thank you.


I have a IWILL KK266 non Raid setup and it is a dream come true for stability. Hopefully for you too.


<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by noko on 03/17/01 03:22 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[noko]

Here is another check, are all of your cards properly seated in there slots (AGP and PCI)?

 

[bw37]

I have the same mobo, but I haven't set it up for RAID. I'd try what noko says, especially adding one card at a time to try to isolate the problem. The other thing I'd try if you end up doing a clean OS install is to set it all up with RAID disabled and just a single drive on the standard IDE primary channel. This would reduce the number of variables for diagnostic purposes, and eliminate RAID as a suspect.

BW

the more I learn, the less I'm sure I know...

 

[noko]

Sounds good to me, the easiest way to solve a problem is to find the cause first.

 

[Guest]

>A few questions:
>
>1. Did you do a clean install of your operating system?
Yes. I installed win2000 as ntfs on raid also on raid disable.
>2. Have you tried removing all of your cards and testing to see if stable? I have tested removing all cards except video.
>3. Have you reseated your CPU and memory? Memory removed
>4. Monitoring temperature, what is the temperature of your CPU when you see the crash? Could it be a cooling problem? I don´t think it is a cooling problem cause it is between 30 and 40 C
>5. Have you tried raising your cpu voltage up as well as raising up your I/O voltage (jumper for I/O)? What voltages are reported by Via's Hardware Monitoring Program? I haven´t changed I/0 voltage. That might be the problem
>6. Do you have at least a 300w power supply approved by AMD? Yes which followed with the aopen hq08 fulltower
>7. Have you tried different memory. It didn´t start with my huinday memory.
>8. What Video card are you using? Have you tried a different video card, sounds kinda like a video card problem? I use pixelview tnt2/m64
>9. Which 4in1 drivers are you using? That latest from iwill website. Same problem with the old
>
>Please answer as many as possible so we can narrow down where the real problem is, thank you.

 

[noko]

First problem is the 4in1 drivers which are Via's 425a. These drivers have three issues with W2k:
1. DMA for onboard IDE controller
2. Bus mastering in W2k.
3. 686B south Bridge ATA/100 mode in W2K
Recommend you download and install the most recent approved Via 4in1 drivers 429 at ViaHardware.com
<A HREF="http://www.viahardware.com/download/index.shtm#4in1" target="_new">http://www.viahardware.com/download/index.shtm#4in1</A>

If you are trying to use AGP 4x mode with your TNT try going to AGP 2x by changing <b>AGP-4x Mode</b> in bios to <b>Disable</b>(just in case you havn't tried).

If you boot up W2k in VGA mode is your system stable? (Option when starting up W2k after hitting f8 key if you didn't know) and not crash after 30minutes? This may help diagnose the problem better.

I take it you tried different bios settings without any change in stability. Plus I don't want to bore you or waste your time with a thousand different combinations. Just wondering if you use ACPI? (I do.) Also is the onboard sound disabled? This shouldn't make a difference unless the wrong drivers are loaded into W2k (Win9x drivers). You did say you loaded win98se and had the same problem.

Please indicate your voltages indicated on Via's Hardware Monitor.

Really sounds more and more like your video card if it occurs both in Win98se and W2k.

Hopefully this is helpful or at least rule out a number of possiblities. Good luck and let us know as soon as you can.



<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by noko on 03/17/01 09:56 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[noko]

Just remember a perfectly good running card when removed from a computer and placed in another can be damaged by the smallest amount of static electricity or a bad solder joint. If your computer is crash free in VGA mode then it is either the AGP bus (North Bridge) or video card causing the problem as best as I can tell. If it still crashes then I recommend you install another video card, borrow one if necessary. Good luck.

 

[Guest]

I appreciate all the help I have gotten from you folks!!!!
Especially Noko. I traced down the failing component and ofcourse it was my tnt2/m64 pci graphics card. I noticed when I deattached it that the heatsink was very warm. I inserted my brother´s tnt agp card and now the system is spinning like a young healthy cat.

1 week ago I overclocked my tnt2 graphics card with a tweak utility. I suspect that did something bad to my card:/

So I just have to wait for the salary 23rd and go out and buy a geforce mx card with agp.

Thanks guys

Homegrowe

 

[Kronos]

Indeed Home...that Geforce2 MX is a great "bang for the bucks" choice. I just put together an all new system with that card and it has been stable as a housecat. Course that IWILL KK266 mobo helps.

I want to die like my Grandfather...in my sleep...not screaming in terror like his passengers.

 

[noko]

Check out this review of the Radeon LE which spanks the MX's in 32bit, plus it can be had for less than $80. Imagine a 32 meg DDR board for less than $80. TV out version for less than $95.
<A HREF="http://www.xbitlabs.com/video/radeon-le.html" target="_new">http://www.xbitlabs.com/video/radeon-le.html</A>

 

[Sparkplug]

Do you have a big enough power supply for all the hardware you've installed? It's not too hard to overextend a 250 or even a 300 when you add a couple extra drives and cards... and usually the first thing to not get enough power if the supply is overextended is your video card.

I had freezing problems for a year that I spent dozens of hours and expensive component replacements trying to trace down... eventually I put in a new 400 watt power supply and it solved the problem.