Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)
fsda <Sh@fdafd.fds> wrote in
news:Xns95E4E29575C1EShfdafdfds@66.75.162.201:
> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
> news:csij4e02uql@news2.newsguy.com:
>
>> fsda wrote:
>>> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
>>> news:csfvvi0uob@news1.newsguy.com:
>>>
>>>> fsda wrote:
>>>>> fsda <Sh@fdafd.fds> wrote in
>>>>> news:Xns95DF67D57CCShfdafdfds@66.75.162.198:
>>>>>
>>>>>> fsda <Sh@fdafd.fds> wrote in
>>>>>> news:Xns95DCDF64653E3Shfdafdfds@66.75.162.196:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
>>>>>>> news:cs2ovm02gt4@news2.newsguy.com:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> fsda wrote:
>>>>>>>>> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
>>>>>>>>> news:cs07lp02t6q@news3.newsguy.com:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> fsda wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>> news:crtgli012e1@news3.newsguy.com:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> fsda wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Najum Hussain <zen19750@zen.co.uk> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:41d749cb$0$21324 $db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anyone have one and if you do what do you think? anyway i
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> can get the max performance out of it?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Naj
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have had nothing but stability problems with mine. This
>>>>>>>>>>>>> is with a plenty big enough power supply (Enermax EG701AX)
>>>>>>>>>>>>> and four sticks of Kingston RAM (2GB total) right off the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> official Asus Memory QVL list. No overclocking.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm running an AMD FX-55 with factory heatsink.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have a big Silverstone case with huge fans -
>>>>>>>>>>>>> temperatures are very low inside the case and cooling
>>>>>>>>>>>>> works very well.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Can't figure out why I have so poor stability.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Originally, with a single eVGA 6800GT PCIe card, I would
>>>>>>>>>>>>> get a hardware lockup about once a day. The lockup seemed
>>>>>>>>>>>>> to always be accompanied by a repeating sound. I'm mostly
>>>>>>>>>>>>> playing Half-Life 2 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 9.1
>>>>>>>>>>>>> right now, so usually the lockups occured there, but I did
>>>>>>>>>>>>> get at least one lockup when web browsing, accompanied by
>>>>>>>>>>>>> a repeating sound that happened to be playing at the time.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Oh yeah, also got the same crash in Need for Speed
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Underground 2.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have an Adaptec 2940UW, a Maxtor ATA/133 card, and a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS card. Using the XP SP2 drivers
>>>>>>>>>>>>> for the first two cards, and the lastest Sound Blaster
>>>>>>>>>>>>> drivers.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Meanwhile, my second eVGA 6800GT arrived, and I of course
>>>>>>>>>>>>> installed it and went SLI.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Now I get even more frequent crashes - several times a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> day. These crashes do not involve repeating sound. I've
>>>>>>>>>>>>> hardware locked twice now during initial loading of
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Half-Life 2 (loading the actual program, after the "Valve"
>>>>>>>>>>>>> advertisement), but there was no sound repeating - just a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> hardare lockup. I've done less game playing due to trying
>>>>>>>>>>>>> to troubleshoot the problem, so most of my crashes now
>>>>>>>>>>>>> occur during standard Windows browsing, or while the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> computer is just sitting there. These usually start with
>>>>>>>>>>>>> massive video corruption - i.e. the screen is all
>>>>>>>>>>>>> scrambled.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> This is followed by the screen going completely black and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> machine totally locking up (i.e. Windows XP is frozen at
>>>>>>>>>>>>> that point. I have used NT/2000/XP enough to recognize
>>>>>>>>>>>>> when the video driver is simply crashed and the rest of
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the machine continues to run. That is not the case here -
>>>>>>>>>>>>> once the screen goes black, the computer is totally
>>>>>>>>>>>>> frozen).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Suspecting a hardware conflict, I removed the Adaptec and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Maxtor cards, and this did not help. I then removed the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS and uninstalled it's software,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> so that now all I have installed are the two video cards.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I reactivated the motherboard sound system.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I still get the same crashes described above - i.e. video
>>>>>>>>>>>>> corruption followed by black screen and complete hardware
>>>>>>>>>>>>> lock, even with nothing but the two eVGA 6800GT cards
>>>>>>>>>>>>> installed.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> So far, I am very unhappy with this system. I feel like I
>>>>>>>>>>>>> "gold plated" all of my hardware, and tried to buy the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> best components available, so it's not like I skimped and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> went with a marginal power supply, case cooling, etc.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm not sure what to try from here.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I've been using BIOS version 1002, and the release Nvidia
>>>>>>>>>>>>> drivers. Since going back to the baseline configuration
>>>>>>>>>>>>> has not helped, I'm not sure what to try next.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> My only next options are:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1) Remove the second 6800GT and go back from SLI. I hate
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the idea of doing this, for obvious reasons (i.e. the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> expense of this system just to get SLI).
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2) Start trying the Asus BETA BIOS versions.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3) Try the latest Nvidia BETA drivers.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm never a fan of BETA drivers and BIOS, but I'm getting
>>>>>>>>>>>>> desparate....
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Assuming you've already run MemTest overnight, to eliminate
>>>>>>>>>>>> your RAM, and Prime95 overnight to check CPU/RAM stability,
>>>>>>>>>>>> then the instability can only really be caused by your
>>>>>>>>>>>> video card(s). I'd swap out the 6800s and run a PCI video
>>>>>>>>>>>> card for a few days to be sure. I'd also remove two of the
>>>>>>>>>>>> Memory sticks, just to eliminate the
>>>>>>>>>>>> too-many-sticks-at-too-higher-speed problem that seems to
>>>>>>>>>>>> plague most modern chipsets.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Actually, thank you for the suggestions. I have not yet run
>>>>>>>>>>> MemTest overnight, nor Prime95 overnight. I will try to
>>>>>>>>>>> find these through google...
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Note that I am new to the AMD platform. While I was
>>>>>>>>>>> impressed with the whole "memory controller integrated into
>>>>>>>>>>> the CPU" thing, I have to say that now I am longing for a
>>>>>>>>>>> Northbridge memory controller.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I really wanted 2GB, and I wanted to only use two of the
>>>>>>>>>>> four DIMM slots to allow for future upgrading. But reading
>>>>>>>>>>> that the DIMM configuration is so finiky, and that you can't
>>>>>>>>>>> use really fast timings when using all four DIMMs, I decided
>>>>>>>>>>> to go with something off the official Asus QVL. The only
>>>>>>>>>>> 2GB configuration that Asus has on the QVL are the 4x 512MB
>>>>>>>>>>> Kingston config - I bought the exact Kingston part number
>>>>>>>>>>> that Asus recommended.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I did notice that the motherboard went to 333MHz memory
>>>>>>>>>>> speed, even though these are DDR400 sticks. I forced them
>>>>>>>>>>> to 400MHz in the BIOS. I now read on the Asus site FAQs that
>>>>>>>>>>> the motherboard will automatically slow down to 333MHz when
>>>>>>>>>>> four DIMMs are used, although they also say you can force it
>>>>>>>>>>> to 400MHz and that this should be fine when using QVL memory
>>>>>>>>>>> (which I am). I am going to be pissed if it ends up that
>>>>>>>>>>> I'll have to run at 333MHz - what's the point of a FX-55 and
>>>>>>>>>>> SLI in this case? Plus, then I might as well have gone with
>>>>>>>>>>> non-QVL memory and left two DIMM slots open...
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I was running an old PCI Matrox Millenium II for a while
>>>>>>>>>>> while initially setting up the machine (i.e. before I could
>>>>>>>>>>> get my hands on a 6800GT). I didn't have any hardware
>>>>>>>>>>> lockups at all at that point, although I also could not
>>>>>>>>>>> stress the system as much with that old PCI card (i.e. no
>>>>>>>>>>> games, screensavers, etc.), and I didn't really use the
>>>>>>>>>>> system a lot until I got my 6800GT.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I have noticed that the "hardware lock with repeating sound"
>>>>>>>>>>> occured with a single 6800GT and the Sound Blaster Audigy 2
>>>>>>>>>>> ZS, while once I went SLI I just get a system freeze, and
>>>>>>>>>>> it's not associated with sound (with or without the Sound
>>>>>>>>>>> Blaster installed).
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Today the system froze again on a screensaver (DirectX, but
>>>>>>>>>>> not 3D - the Michelangelo one from MS Plus!), with no
>>>>>>>>>>> repeating sound and no screen corruption.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Now I am trying the system at 333MHz memory, instead of
>>>>>>>>>>> forcing it to DDR400, to see if that works.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I'll try the stress tests, too, although I'm not sure how
>>>>>>>>>>> I'll know if it causes the crash - right now I get the
>>>>>>>>>>> crashes with no "stress test". So, how will I know that the
>>>>>>>>>>> "stress test" is causing the crash?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks again for your advice.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> From that, I suspect your problems are being caused by the
>>>>>>>>>> GFX card(s) or the Memory.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Take two sticks of memory out, and see what happens.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Take the 6800(s) out, stick the Millenium PCI in, and see
>>>>>>>>>> what happens.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Thanks for the suggestion.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I tried setting my DDR400 to "Auto" in the BIOS, which runs it
>>>>>>>>> at 333MHz. Still got a lockup, although almost 24 hours
>>>>>>>>> later. This time between lockups certainly makes this tough to
>>>>>>>>> troubleshoot...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> That's what Prime95 http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm and
>>>>>>>> MemTest http://www.memtest.org/ are for ! Both will put your
>>>>>>>> CPU and Memory system under 100% load - meaning any failures
>>>>>>>> should show up within 15 minutes or so.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Use the same method to test GFX stability - loop 3DMark05
>>>>>>>> http://www.futuremark.com/ and rthdribl
>>>>>>>> http://www.daionet.gr.jp/~masa/rthdribl/ for a while.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I'm going to try the latest beta version of the video drivers
>>>>>>>>> from the Nvidia site first.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Dodgy drivers normally result in a Blue Screen Of Death crash.
>>>>>>>> If things are just freezing up, it's almost certainly some sort
>>>>>>>> of hardware/stability issue, as above.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> If that doesn't work, I'll start swapping out
>>>>>>>>> video cards and memory sticks. This'll be a long and
>>>>>>>>> frustrating road...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Nah, it'll be easily solved
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks again for the advice. I will use the programs you
>>>>>>> recommend and embark on a set of tests to see if I can find the
>>>>>>> hardware problem. Give me a few days to report results.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> BTW, the latest beta Nvidia drivers did not help. I once again
>>>>>>> returned to the machine after about 18 hours of up-time to find
>>>>>>> it frozen again.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I've not pulled two of the four memory sticks (leaving in the
>>>>>>> two 6800GTs in SLI mode), and will see what happens in the next
>>>>>>> 24hrs.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It'll probably be this weekend before I can do the stress
>>>>>>> testing, but hopefully it'll point me in the right direction.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks again for your help!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Took two sticks of RAM out - still locked up (after about 15
>>>>>> hours).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Now I put the stick back in, but pulled out the second 6800GT.
>>>>>> I.e. I am "removing SLI" to see if that stabilizes the system.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> OK, I've been running the system now for 3 days straight with no
>>>>> lockups. Trick was removing SLI and going with a single 16x PCIe
>>>>> 6800GT. This is with all my DIMMs installed. I've even run
>>>>> Prime95 for at least 12 hours, with no lockups or errors at all.
>>>>>
>>>>> Note that with both of my eVGA 6800GT cards installed in SLI
>>>>> configuration, I'd never get to 24 hours before a hardware lockup.
>>>>>
>>>>> Since I've made the machine as bare-bones as possible, it's pretty
>>>>> clear that my system is stable when NOT running in a SLI hardware
>>>>> config.
>>>>>
>>>>> So... now I guess it's time to put the second 6800GT back in, go
>>>>> back into SLI config, and see what happens.
>>>>>
>>>>> What is bothering me is that if SLI brings back my hardware
>>>>> freezes, there's really nothing else I can do or remove to make
>>>>> the system more stable - everything has already been pulled...
>>>>> And I already tested SLI with only two DIMMs (instead of four).
>>>>>
>>>>> So, put me down on the list as one with an unstable Asus SLI
>>>>> system...
>>>>
>>>> Curiouser and Curiouser !
>>>>
>>>> I'm assuming you've already updated the Motherboard BIOS to the
>>>> latest version ? Do the same with the GFX BIOSs (you'll have to
>>>> contact the manufacturer to obtain the necessary files).
>>>>
>>>> It's probably worth trying a different PSU, just for testing
>>>> purposes. Whilst yours can supply plenty of juice, you may find
>>>> it's slightly low on one of the rails or something. Does it have
>>>> the 24-pin ATX connector, or the older 20-pin ? And you have
>>>> connected the 4-pin Molex to the input on the motherboard haven't
>>>> you ?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I'm using the latest _release_ BIOS from Asus (version 1.002). They
>>> have tons of beta BIOSes, but I'm reluctant to try them.
>>
>> Try them all !
>>
>> If they're rubbish, you can always flash back to the one you have
>> now. I think it's fairly likely that one will fix your problem, as
>> we've pretty much eliminated everything else !
>>
>>> I'll check the video card BIOSes - not sure where to find the
>>> version number, although I do remember seeing that they had stickers
>>> on the cards. But, they don't list during POST.
>>>
>>> I don't have another PSU to try.
>>>
>>> Mine has the 24-pin connector. Yes, I have connected to the 4-pin
>>> Molex on the motherboard. (In fact, if I don't do this, the BIOS
>>> gives a warning during POST.)
>>
>> All should be well with the power side of things then.
>>
>>
>
> OK, I've operated for two days now with no hardware lock with TWO
> 6800GT's in the machine. However, this is in standard video card mode
> - i.e. SLI is not activated in the Nvidia driver.
>
> Next step now is to put the driver into SLI mode, and see if the
> system starts to freeze once a day again.
OK, after showing that I can run for days at a time with either:
- one 6800GT installed
- two 6800GT's installed, but in "normal" driver mode
I reactivated "SLI" mode in the Nvidia driver, and the machine hardware
locked in the first few hours.
Actually, what happened when it locked was, I had a browser page open, I
then loaded the Nvidia Nalu 6800 demo, and while it was loading, the
browser window pulled itself to the foreground (with Nalu behind it).
When I minimized the browser window (bringin Nalu to the foreground),
the machine hardware locked (with no repeating sound). This is
consistent with some of my other hardware lockups in SLI mode - I've
even had them while using only Windows explorer, so I don't believe this
is even "3D mode" related.
So, clearly, with the latest release Asus BIOS and release Nvidia
drivers, my machine is: - stable with one or two eVGA 6800GTs installed
in my A8N-SLI. - unstable, with complete hardware lockups, when the
Nvidia driver is in SLI mode.
Hard for me to recommend SLI to anyone right now...
fsda <Sh@fdafd.fds> wrote in
news:Xns95E4E29575C1EShfdafdfds@66.75.162.201:
> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
> news:csij4e02uql@news2.newsguy.com:
>
>> fsda wrote:
>>> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
>>> news:csfvvi0uob@news1.newsguy.com:
>>>
>>>> fsda wrote:
>>>>> fsda <Sh@fdafd.fds> wrote in
>>>>> news:Xns95DF67D57CCShfdafdfds@66.75.162.198:
>>>>>
>>>>>> fsda <Sh@fdafd.fds> wrote in
>>>>>> news:Xns95DCDF64653E3Shfdafdfds@66.75.162.196:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
>>>>>>> news:cs2ovm02gt4@news2.newsguy.com:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> fsda wrote:
>>>>>>>>> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
>>>>>>>>> news:cs07lp02t6q@news3.newsguy.com:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> fsda wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> "Nom" <Nom@Somewhere.Somewhere> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>> news:crtgli012e1@news3.newsguy.com:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> fsda wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Najum Hussain <zen19750@zen.co.uk> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:41d749cb$0$21324 $db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anyone have one and if you do what do you think? anyway i
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> can get the max performance out of it?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Naj
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have had nothing but stability problems with mine. This
>>>>>>>>>>>>> is with a plenty big enough power supply (Enermax EG701AX)
>>>>>>>>>>>>> and four sticks of Kingston RAM (2GB total) right off the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> official Asus Memory QVL list. No overclocking.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm running an AMD FX-55 with factory heatsink.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have a big Silverstone case with huge fans -
>>>>>>>>>>>>> temperatures are very low inside the case and cooling
>>>>>>>>>>>>> works very well.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Can't figure out why I have so poor stability.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Originally, with a single eVGA 6800GT PCIe card, I would
>>>>>>>>>>>>> get a hardware lockup about once a day. The lockup seemed
>>>>>>>>>>>>> to always be accompanied by a repeating sound. I'm mostly
>>>>>>>>>>>>> playing Half-Life 2 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 9.1
>>>>>>>>>>>>> right now, so usually the lockups occured there, but I did
>>>>>>>>>>>>> get at least one lockup when web browsing, accompanied by
>>>>>>>>>>>>> a repeating sound that happened to be playing at the time.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Oh yeah, also got the same crash in Need for Speed
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Underground 2.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have an Adaptec 2940UW, a Maxtor ATA/133 card, and a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS card. Using the XP SP2 drivers
>>>>>>>>>>>>> for the first two cards, and the lastest Sound Blaster
>>>>>>>>>>>>> drivers.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Meanwhile, my second eVGA 6800GT arrived, and I of course
>>>>>>>>>>>>> installed it and went SLI.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Now I get even more frequent crashes - several times a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> day. These crashes do not involve repeating sound. I've
>>>>>>>>>>>>> hardware locked twice now during initial loading of
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Half-Life 2 (loading the actual program, after the "Valve"
>>>>>>>>>>>>> advertisement), but there was no sound repeating - just a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> hardare lockup. I've done less game playing due to trying
>>>>>>>>>>>>> to troubleshoot the problem, so most of my crashes now
>>>>>>>>>>>>> occur during standard Windows browsing, or while the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> computer is just sitting there. These usually start with
>>>>>>>>>>>>> massive video corruption - i.e. the screen is all
>>>>>>>>>>>>> scrambled.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> This is followed by the screen going completely black and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> machine totally locking up (i.e. Windows XP is frozen at
>>>>>>>>>>>>> that point. I have used NT/2000/XP enough to recognize
>>>>>>>>>>>>> when the video driver is simply crashed and the rest of
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the machine continues to run. That is not the case here -
>>>>>>>>>>>>> once the screen goes black, the computer is totally
>>>>>>>>>>>>> frozen).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Suspecting a hardware conflict, I removed the Adaptec and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Maxtor cards, and this did not help. I then removed the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS and uninstalled it's software,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> so that now all I have installed are the two video cards.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I reactivated the motherboard sound system.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I still get the same crashes described above - i.e. video
>>>>>>>>>>>>> corruption followed by black screen and complete hardware
>>>>>>>>>>>>> lock, even with nothing but the two eVGA 6800GT cards
>>>>>>>>>>>>> installed.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> So far, I am very unhappy with this system. I feel like I
>>>>>>>>>>>>> "gold plated" all of my hardware, and tried to buy the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> best components available, so it's not like I skimped and
>>>>>>>>>>>>> went with a marginal power supply, case cooling, etc.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm not sure what to try from here.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I've been using BIOS version 1002, and the release Nvidia
>>>>>>>>>>>>> drivers. Since going back to the baseline configuration
>>>>>>>>>>>>> has not helped, I'm not sure what to try next.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> My only next options are:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1) Remove the second 6800GT and go back from SLI. I hate
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the idea of doing this, for obvious reasons (i.e. the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> expense of this system just to get SLI).
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2) Start trying the Asus BETA BIOS versions.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3) Try the latest Nvidia BETA drivers.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm never a fan of BETA drivers and BIOS, but I'm getting
>>>>>>>>>>>>> desparate....
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Assuming you've already run MemTest overnight, to eliminate
>>>>>>>>>>>> your RAM, and Prime95 overnight to check CPU/RAM stability,
>>>>>>>>>>>> then the instability can only really be caused by your
>>>>>>>>>>>> video card(s). I'd swap out the 6800s and run a PCI video
>>>>>>>>>>>> card for a few days to be sure. I'd also remove two of the
>>>>>>>>>>>> Memory sticks, just to eliminate the
>>>>>>>>>>>> too-many-sticks-at-too-higher-speed problem that seems to
>>>>>>>>>>>> plague most modern chipsets.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Actually, thank you for the suggestions. I have not yet run
>>>>>>>>>>> MemTest overnight, nor Prime95 overnight. I will try to
>>>>>>>>>>> find these through google...
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Note that I am new to the AMD platform. While I was
>>>>>>>>>>> impressed with the whole "memory controller integrated into
>>>>>>>>>>> the CPU" thing, I have to say that now I am longing for a
>>>>>>>>>>> Northbridge memory controller.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I really wanted 2GB, and I wanted to only use two of the
>>>>>>>>>>> four DIMM slots to allow for future upgrading. But reading
>>>>>>>>>>> that the DIMM configuration is so finiky, and that you can't
>>>>>>>>>>> use really fast timings when using all four DIMMs, I decided
>>>>>>>>>>> to go with something off the official Asus QVL. The only
>>>>>>>>>>> 2GB configuration that Asus has on the QVL are the 4x 512MB
>>>>>>>>>>> Kingston config - I bought the exact Kingston part number
>>>>>>>>>>> that Asus recommended.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I did notice that the motherboard went to 333MHz memory
>>>>>>>>>>> speed, even though these are DDR400 sticks. I forced them
>>>>>>>>>>> to 400MHz in the BIOS. I now read on the Asus site FAQs that
>>>>>>>>>>> the motherboard will automatically slow down to 333MHz when
>>>>>>>>>>> four DIMMs are used, although they also say you can force it
>>>>>>>>>>> to 400MHz and that this should be fine when using QVL memory
>>>>>>>>>>> (which I am). I am going to be pissed if it ends up that
>>>>>>>>>>> I'll have to run at 333MHz - what's the point of a FX-55 and
>>>>>>>>>>> SLI in this case? Plus, then I might as well have gone with
>>>>>>>>>>> non-QVL memory and left two DIMM slots open...
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I was running an old PCI Matrox Millenium II for a while
>>>>>>>>>>> while initially setting up the machine (i.e. before I could
>>>>>>>>>>> get my hands on a 6800GT). I didn't have any hardware
>>>>>>>>>>> lockups at all at that point, although I also could not
>>>>>>>>>>> stress the system as much with that old PCI card (i.e. no
>>>>>>>>>>> games, screensavers, etc.), and I didn't really use the
>>>>>>>>>>> system a lot until I got my 6800GT.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I have noticed that the "hardware lock with repeating sound"
>>>>>>>>>>> occured with a single 6800GT and the Sound Blaster Audigy 2
>>>>>>>>>>> ZS, while once I went SLI I just get a system freeze, and
>>>>>>>>>>> it's not associated with sound (with or without the Sound
>>>>>>>>>>> Blaster installed).
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Today the system froze again on a screensaver (DirectX, but
>>>>>>>>>>> not 3D - the Michelangelo one from MS Plus!), with no
>>>>>>>>>>> repeating sound and no screen corruption.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Now I am trying the system at 333MHz memory, instead of
>>>>>>>>>>> forcing it to DDR400, to see if that works.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I'll try the stress tests, too, although I'm not sure how
>>>>>>>>>>> I'll know if it causes the crash - right now I get the
>>>>>>>>>>> crashes with no "stress test". So, how will I know that the
>>>>>>>>>>> "stress test" is causing the crash?
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks again for your advice.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> From that, I suspect your problems are being caused by the
>>>>>>>>>> GFX card(s) or the Memory.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Take two sticks of memory out, and see what happens.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Take the 6800(s) out, stick the Millenium PCI in, and see
>>>>>>>>>> what happens.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Thanks for the suggestion.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I tried setting my DDR400 to "Auto" in the BIOS, which runs it
>>>>>>>>> at 333MHz. Still got a lockup, although almost 24 hours
>>>>>>>>> later. This time between lockups certainly makes this tough to
>>>>>>>>> troubleshoot...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> That's what Prime95 http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm and
>>>>>>>> MemTest http://www.memtest.org/ are for ! Both will put your
>>>>>>>> CPU and Memory system under 100% load - meaning any failures
>>>>>>>> should show up within 15 minutes or so.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Use the same method to test GFX stability - loop 3DMark05
>>>>>>>> http://www.futuremark.com/ and rthdribl
>>>>>>>> http://www.daionet.gr.jp/~masa/rthdribl/ for a while.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I'm going to try the latest beta version of the video drivers
>>>>>>>>> from the Nvidia site first.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Dodgy drivers normally result in a Blue Screen Of Death crash.
>>>>>>>> If things are just freezing up, it's almost certainly some sort
>>>>>>>> of hardware/stability issue, as above.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> If that doesn't work, I'll start swapping out
>>>>>>>>> video cards and memory sticks. This'll be a long and
>>>>>>>>> frustrating road...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Nah, it'll be easily solved
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks again for the advice. I will use the programs you
>>>>>>> recommend and embark on a set of tests to see if I can find the
>>>>>>> hardware problem. Give me a few days to report results.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> BTW, the latest beta Nvidia drivers did not help. I once again
>>>>>>> returned to the machine after about 18 hours of up-time to find
>>>>>>> it frozen again.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I've not pulled two of the four memory sticks (leaving in the
>>>>>>> two 6800GTs in SLI mode), and will see what happens in the next
>>>>>>> 24hrs.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It'll probably be this weekend before I can do the stress
>>>>>>> testing, but hopefully it'll point me in the right direction.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks again for your help!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Took two sticks of RAM out - still locked up (after about 15
>>>>>> hours).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Now I put the stick back in, but pulled out the second 6800GT.
>>>>>> I.e. I am "removing SLI" to see if that stabilizes the system.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> OK, I've been running the system now for 3 days straight with no
>>>>> lockups. Trick was removing SLI and going with a single 16x PCIe
>>>>> 6800GT. This is with all my DIMMs installed. I've even run
>>>>> Prime95 for at least 12 hours, with no lockups or errors at all.
>>>>>
>>>>> Note that with both of my eVGA 6800GT cards installed in SLI
>>>>> configuration, I'd never get to 24 hours before a hardware lockup.
>>>>>
>>>>> Since I've made the machine as bare-bones as possible, it's pretty
>>>>> clear that my system is stable when NOT running in a SLI hardware
>>>>> config.
>>>>>
>>>>> So... now I guess it's time to put the second 6800GT back in, go
>>>>> back into SLI config, and see what happens.
>>>>>
>>>>> What is bothering me is that if SLI brings back my hardware
>>>>> freezes, there's really nothing else I can do or remove to make
>>>>> the system more stable - everything has already been pulled...
>>>>> And I already tested SLI with only two DIMMs (instead of four).
>>>>>
>>>>> So, put me down on the list as one with an unstable Asus SLI
>>>>> system...
>>>>
>>>> Curiouser and Curiouser !
>>>>
>>>> I'm assuming you've already updated the Motherboard BIOS to the
>>>> latest version ? Do the same with the GFX BIOSs (you'll have to
>>>> contact the manufacturer to obtain the necessary files).
>>>>
>>>> It's probably worth trying a different PSU, just for testing
>>>> purposes. Whilst yours can supply plenty of juice, you may find
>>>> it's slightly low on one of the rails or something. Does it have
>>>> the 24-pin ATX connector, or the older 20-pin ? And you have
>>>> connected the 4-pin Molex to the input on the motherboard haven't
>>>> you ?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I'm using the latest _release_ BIOS from Asus (version 1.002). They
>>> have tons of beta BIOSes, but I'm reluctant to try them.
>>
>> Try them all !
>>
>> If they're rubbish, you can always flash back to the one you have
>> now. I think it's fairly likely that one will fix your problem, as
>> we've pretty much eliminated everything else !
>>
>>> I'll check the video card BIOSes - not sure where to find the
>>> version number, although I do remember seeing that they had stickers
>>> on the cards. But, they don't list during POST.
>>>
>>> I don't have another PSU to try.
>>>
>>> Mine has the 24-pin connector. Yes, I have connected to the 4-pin
>>> Molex on the motherboard. (In fact, if I don't do this, the BIOS
>>> gives a warning during POST.)
>>
>> All should be well with the power side of things then.
>>
>>
>
> OK, I've operated for two days now with no hardware lock with TWO
> 6800GT's in the machine. However, this is in standard video card mode
> - i.e. SLI is not activated in the Nvidia driver.
>
> Next step now is to put the driver into SLI mode, and see if the
> system starts to freeze once a day again.
OK, after showing that I can run for days at a time with either:
- one 6800GT installed
- two 6800GT's installed, but in "normal" driver mode
I reactivated "SLI" mode in the Nvidia driver, and the machine hardware
locked in the first few hours.
Actually, what happened when it locked was, I had a browser page open, I
then loaded the Nvidia Nalu 6800 demo, and while it was loading, the
browser window pulled itself to the foreground (with Nalu behind it).
When I minimized the browser window (bringin Nalu to the foreground),
the machine hardware locked (with no repeating sound). This is
consistent with some of my other hardware lockups in SLI mode - I've
even had them while using only Windows explorer, so I don't believe this
is even "3D mode" related.
So, clearly, with the latest release Asus BIOS and release Nvidia
drivers, my machine is: - stable with one or two eVGA 6800GTs installed
in my A8N-SLI. - unstable, with complete hardware lockups, when the
Nvidia driver is in SLI mode.
Hard for me to recommend SLI to anyone right now...
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