Radeon VS RAM????
More problems! My Radeon will work fine with the 3.7 CATS, and my RAM works fine witout my video card. I have one gig of RAM and my video card doesn't seem to like it very much. I have changed my AGP aperature size from 128 to 256, that didn't help. I can't use CAT 3.10s becuase they are even more unstable on my system...What does AGP 3.0 calibration cycle do? I disabled that and my system seems to be more stable. I am trying to play Dark age of Camelot and my system keeps crashing. Oh yeah I also took out a stick of RAM and played for like 4 hours with no problems. This is getting very frustrating, I am one step away from trading my card for a FX5900. My system:
AMD 2700+
1 GIG elixer RAM (tested and works fine)
Radeon 9800NP
FIC AM39L MB
I am thinking I may just have to wait for a BIOS update for my MOBO, but I am not sure, there is nothing available for it. It is a VIA chipset and the chipset drivers are up to date.
AMD 2700+
1 GIG elixer RAM (tested and works fine)
Radeon 9800NP
FIC AM39L MB
I am thinking I may just have to wait for a BIOS update for my MOBO, but I am not sure, there is nothing available for it. It is a VIA chipset and the chipset drivers are up to date.
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Comments
I worked at a local shop here for a while and we got a few shipments of PC2700 elixer 512mb sticks that were showing close to a 50% failure rate.
If you run the bootable ISO of memtest86 reconfigure it to run the full suite of tests and let it loop. I'm fairly certain you'll start seeing errors.
We used QuickTech Pro and sometimes it'd take the full test up to 99% complete to start showing any errors then every single address would light up like a christmas tree.
It *could* be a power issue, either power supply or motherboard voltage regulation. Got another power supply you can try out? This is a longshot tho.
I'm going to assume that you've tried your RAM in all the different DIMM slots, if you haven't that's another thing to try.
That said, I would suspect the RAM first; and a supposed incompatability with VIA chipsets and the new Cat 3.10.. That being VIA's fault. Try changing your 4in1 to a release behind the newest.
Some RAM does not like 2.5,3,3,6 or less in any value listed. Most fo the DDR I have used does not like over 2.75 V for real long time frames. What are your case temps when things flake, can you run MBM5 in 30 sec cycle interval log with temps logged, and voltages, and see if the low voltages like 3.3 and\or 2 drop or jump over 10% about the time the board\RAM\Video Card\DVD player combo crashes the system??? The ultra-low 2 subvoltage can be used for CPU and some 8X AGPs can draw from that power leg also with Via's.
One sign you have a near-maxed out PSU is if you turn on the DVD player or burn CDs or DVDs and this consistently happens, a bigger and better PSU might be wanted. DVD lasers pull a large amount of juice, and many PSUs have a totla wattage for all voltages and when 12 draw leaps sometimes 3.3 and 2 SAG and things go crazy.
RAM possible, slower, wrong voltage, wrong speed settings in SPD subtabling, and wrong voltage can be a cumulative draw thing.
One way to test for sure, run memtest86 from a DVD drive boot for 12 hours straight, oughtto yeild 10-15 full test cycle runs through a GIG or so of RAM. This can give you an idea if RAM is flaking. If not, start thinking about what else is happening when your box hangs.... Power-wise, that is..... Best SOFT and basic load and temp logger I know of is MBM5 (5.3.5.1) until you get into very heavy duty software.
John.
1. Intermittent unexplainable reboots or lockups.
2. Inability to launch AGP-reliant applications, but anything else.
3. Computer reboots or freezes only on AGP-reliant applications.
4. Rendering errors not reproduceable on other chipsets.
5. Inability to function at any level with Soundblaster cards, whilst others manage some slight degree of compatability.
6. General dislike of AGP 8X cards. Sometimes turning it to 4x or 2x will fix this with no loss of performance.
7. A dislike of frontside bus speeds that are well within reason for its own PCI/AGP bus and other vendors' chipsets, but too high for the VIA.
8. A random distaste for random drivers from all video card vendors.
Those are the ones I can recall.
I would recommend finding some ram to swap in, if only temporarily, and see if the errors persist. Memory testing, as we have found lately here, can show zero errors, but the memory could still be the root of the problem.
As for the Hyperion drivers; go one or two versions BACK from the most current one.
My primary suggestion now would be to stick with Catalysts below v3.10, and change your card to AGP 4x in the BIOS, or even 2x for right now.
You can get the best athlon board out there for around $100, but I dont recommend that yet.
What kind of Power Supply are you running? Have you tried another one? What readings are you getting for your various voltage lines? What temps are you getting (Case and CPU?)
There are hell of a lot more things to look for in a motherboard than AGP 8x support....
Freezing, Random Restarts, restarting drives, wierd unexplainable crashes, etc etc. Not enough power can create a world of havoc.
John.
John.
However, if you want to try a mobo, everybody in here would recommend the Abit NF7 or NF7-S if you want the added features of an oustanding onboard sound solution plus SATA capability. There's probably 40 of these motherboards owned amongst these forums' members, maybe more - and, by and large, we love them. On NewEgg, the NF7 is $80 and the NF7-S is $102 as this is typed.
try testing them seperatly
might be overheating after awhile too
try other slots if you have 3
Oh and as far as budget memory goes...how do these companies stay in buisness??? I went through 4 sticks of RAM before i finally got a working one! REDICULOUS!!! That was exactly my reasoning when I bought it "How bad can it be? The company wouldn't be in buisness if they made a bad product, and certainly best buy wouldn't carry it if it were" boy was i wrong!!!