Iwill XP333-R - End of my rope - Help!

[darrendavid]

Hi again-

First off, thanks to everyone who has helped me along through my past few posts. But, here's where I stand:

I have recently purchased an Iwill XP333-R v2.0 motherboard, and am having serious instability issues. The system randomly restarts often, and each time generates a bugcheck (Win2k pro) with a different code each time:

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000001e (0xc0000005, 0x8044ef1e, 0x00000000, 0x3f3f3f2f). Microsoft Windows 2000 [v15.2195].

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000000a (0x00000028, 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x8044893d).

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000001e (0xc0000005, 0xa0020365, 0x00000000, 0x000000a3).

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000000a (0x00000001, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x80430cd0).

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000004e (0x00000099, 0x0001abf9, 0x00000000, 0x00000000).

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000000a (0x00000000, 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x804488f6).

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000001a (0x00041284, 0x041a9000, 0x00011378, 0xc0502000).

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x00000024 (0x00190256, 0xb59ca4ec, 0xb59ca144, 0x8041ffc9).

The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x0000007f (0x0000000d, 0x00000000, 0x00000000, 0x00000000).

I've basically assembled an entire new system from scratch, piece by piece, so i have *no* idea which component might be to blame. Where can I go from here? Can anyone recommend a diagnostic tool? Is this common for a new system? I get ~3 unexpected reboots a day, and often programs quit because they generated errors and then won't restart. Pretty soon everything starts generating errors (from winamp to IE to explorer.exe) and I have to *manually* restart. My system consists of:

Iwill XP333-R v2.0 (12/21 BIOS update, all BIOS settings at defaults, FSB running at 133)
AMD Athlon XP 1800+
2x256MB OCZ PC2700 RAM
ATI Radeon 8500
Maxtor ATA/133 80GB HD
Pioneer 16x DVD-ROM
ThermalTake Volcano 7
Enermax 350W Power Supply
Several case fans

Help! I'm not sure where to go from here.

Thank you for your help,
Darren

 

[jiffy]

It sounds like the ALi bug.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. All you hardware looks good to me, maybe it's something to do with Win2000. Have you tried reinstalling windows? And using the minimum of hardware, including using only one stick of ram? I wonder if your pushing your P/S to much, how many fans do you have.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by jiffy on 01/15/02 05:06 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[FatBurger]

Have you downloaded the W2k service packs?

<font color=orange>Quarter</font color=orange> <font color=blue>Pounder</font color=blue> <font color=orange>Inside</font color=orange>

 

[AMD_Man]

It sounds like the ALi bug.

lol, why is it that you hate ALi so much? It's highly abnormal, I mean, everyone knows all the common VIA bugs, but no major ALi bugs have ever been disclosed, AFAIK.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[jiffy]

no major ALi bugs have ever been disclosed

Then you admit ALi has bugs.. lol at least Via can't get blame for this one. I root for all the chips

Complicated Nit Picker

 

[AMD_Man]

Then you admit ALi has bugs.. lol at least Via can't get blame for this one. I root for all the chips

You'd be ignorant to say anything is bug-free. It's impossible. EVERYTHING HAS BUGS. VIA has many major bugs but no dangerous or hazardous bugs have been found in ALi chipsets as of yet.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[jiffy]

lol, why is it that you hate ALi so much? It's highly abnormal, ..<font color=red>I mean, everyone knows all the common VIA bugs, but no major ALi bugs have ever been disclosed, AFAIK.</font color=red><<

That's what I thought too, I didn't expect anybody to take
>>It sounds like the ALi bug<< seriously. I must not have explain myself to clearly, there for sorry for any misunderstanding. It was supposed to be funny, but I can see not everybody will have a sense of humor and pick up on that.


Complicated Nit Picker

 

[scamtrOn]

ok here we go. well first of all please post back so we know how far you've got. now like jiffy said try ONLY 1 stick of ram. and like FatBurger said download and install W2k service packs. thanks for the error list it helps. from the errors you get, it seems like you are having heat problems. here is what you should do, take the case cover off. now if you have a big fan put it next to the case and turn it on to full blast. run you pc like this and let us know if you still get the errors. there are other problems that could cause this, but mostly heat.

<font color=purple><b>I have a pc with a built-in house.</b> </font color=purple>

 

[darrendavid]

Welp, I installed Service Pack 2, DirectX 8.1, and every other Critical Update under the sun. I have done a clean install of Windows, but I didn't reformat the drive in between tries. I'm down to one stick of ram, and I've got the barn door open and a big ol' fan blowing on the system.

One more added note: running SiSoft Sandra Pro, when I attempt to run the Motherboard Information panel, the program generates an error and quits out.

As for heat... when my system reboots, i often try to check the temp report in the BIOS (however accurate that may be) - and my CPU has never been above 43 degrees Celsius. Any thoughts there? I'm certainly not too sure of my Artic Silver application...

Thanks for the help - hopefully I'll make it through this!

Cheers,
Darren

 

[jiffy]

Did you have this system up and running for any length of time? I think a format is in order, unless your trying to avoid that. Let that get confirmed or another solution.

Complicated Nit Picker

 

[darrendavid]

i've only had the system for 2 weeks, and it's been buggy since day one.

latest report? even with the big ol fan blowing on the system, i just had a random reboot with a bugcheck. so maybe heat's not the issue?

d.

 

[jiffy]

I was installing win98se sometime a couple times a month. Bottem line each installation was not always the same. Sometimes things got left out and I had to do it again. If Win98se is broken reinstalling windows won't fix it, sometimes yes. But format will. I'm thinking the samething here, it doesn't seem like it's going to hurt anything.

Complicated Nit Picker

 

[darrendavid]

so, being kinda new to all of this... how do i reformat my c: partition? I tried following microsoft's advice, kicking into resuce mode from setup, logging into the current WINNT installation and then doing a "format c:" but that dinna work. What's the catch?

 

[jiffy]

Others here know Win2000 a lot better then me. Might what to check out Win2000 form here. You should decide if you want Fat32 or NTFS <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=63" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=63</A>
I go in to my bios and set up to boot from CD. But there's a little more to it. Someone here might walk you threw it or give you some links to show you how.

Complicated Nit Picker

 

[scamtrOn]

well if you want to go with the format here is how it goes, first make sure you boot from cd rom. when the screen comes up with the "to boot from cd press any key" do so. now you'll have to wait for a bit in win2k. you'll get different options now. choose the one thats something like install a fresh copy of win2k. when you see all the writing on the screen press F8. now you should be given the choice of installing win2k, but first choose to delete partition(s). now you should have one big clean partition. you may now install win2k. it'll do few things before it restarts. this time don't press any key. from here on its easy. all you'll have to do is wait and fill in your information. its easy, you can do it with no problem.

<font color=purple><b>I have a pc with a built-in house.</b> </font color=purple>

 

[scamtrOn]

BTW have you tried to under clock the fsb? if not give it a quik try and see if you still have the problem.

<font color=purple><b>I have a pc with a built-in house.</b> </font color=purple>

 

[darrendavid]

How about that?!? What was the secret? Well, I'm sure a complete reformat and reinstall helped... but I also found the REAL ALi AGP patch on ALi's website - I was just downloading the patch from the front page of the Iwill support site, which was version 1.74, whereas they've got version 1.81 of the driver on ALi's site. The system has been up for two days, churning away on all kinds of repetitive tasks, with no apparent failures!

...although I did try kicking my RAM speed up to [Fast] from [Normal] and I had a reboot, so mebbe that's not a good idea...

Thanks to everyone for the feedback and the moral support. I'm just happy to have a working system. Now for overclocking...

Cheers,
Darren

 

[Kronos]

Way to go Darren! When all else fails...keep trying. You knew IWILL would not let a board out with that kind of initial result.

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

 

[Guest]

amd has not approved this board for xp1500-xp2000 at all, return it.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_182_869_4348^4378|115_1_XP,00.html

martin

 

[AMD_Man]

amd has not approved this board for xp1500-xp2000 at all, return it.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_182_869_4348^4378|115_1_XP,00.html

lol, this guy doesn't know what he's talking about, ignore him.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[Guest]

What I would do is try another OS. I don't see how your hardware could have anything to do with those errors your getting, but back up all your data, and try Windows XP. Or what you can do is take out one device at a time and boot, for example, the sound card. Get another sound card, install it, boot, if its onboard, disable it and use another sound card, for the video card, take it out, get another video card, try that. Disconnect one device at a time. Dont take out anything that will not allow you to boot into Windows (Ram, etc...). I tried this when I had the Soyo Dragon, the computer kept locking up on me, I took out the sound card and replaced it with another one, found out the hard way that VIA chipsets and Sound Blaster sound cards conflict.

And if you are having heat problems, get a case exhaust. It takes up a PCI expansion slot, but it does a good job.
http://www.startech.com/ProductPhotos/FANCASE.large.jpg

-d3

 

[Guest]

Dear Amd man, first of all you should know who you say doesn't know. If you have not looked it up on Amd's site, then you don't know. I assume you know more than Amd. These list all board that have passed their testing & have been approved. If not - it should be used, there is a reason they don't pass !!

 

[scamtrOn]

nice i'll keep that in mined. good job man.

<font color=purple><b>I have a pc with a built-in house.</b> </font color=purple>

 

[AMD_Man]

I am sorry martinr if I seemed rude. Anyway, IWill cannot claim Athlon XP-support without approval from AMD. The Iwill XP333 is a relatively new board and as AMD updates their approval list relatively infrequently, the IWill XP333 isn't yet listed. Martinr, I guarantee you that the IWill XP333 is AMD approved. I am however sorry for seeming rude.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[Guest]

I appreciate your response. As a technician, there is a proper way to build machines any it seems many of the issues on this site are do to them testing boards instead of building them the way Amd says to. I agree, they do not update their site frequently, however I would point out that MANY motherboard manufacturers claim compatibility & sometimes even certification when indeed they have none of either. Amd has not approved ANY Iwill board for xp1500-xp2000 at all. Our experience has been a lack of quality & reliability for that brand which may explain not being approved for any model. When I reply to a problem, the first thing I tell them is use Amd website approved product only & make sure the Processor is a RETAIL box.

Sincerely,

Martinr