Confusion over updating chipset

[jb223]

I've been having a problem with my system briefly 'hanging' for a split second for random periods of time and I'm trying to rectify it by first making sure I've got all my drivers and such updated.

I've come to updating my chipset drivers and I'm a little confused.

I have a Gigabyte 790XT-USB3 MoBo so I've tried downloading the latest drivers from the Gigabyte site.
However, when I run the file it's asking me to install ATI Catalyst to update video drivers.

Do I need to install Catalyst to install chipset drivers too, as I've just gone from an AMD GPU to nVidia and thought this could cause some conflict?


Thanks in advance.

 

[Lutfij]

the problem is staring at you now. did you use drivesweeper and remove the amd drivers prior to installing the nvidia GPU?

 

[jb223]

I did. I also did a fresh install of Windows.

 

[Lutfij]

hmmm, if memory serves me right, get catalyst from the ftp site at amd and install the chipset drivers via catlyst.

see if that helps.

 

[jb223]

Sorry, what's 'ftp'?
Do you mean just download Catalyst from AMD and try it that way?

 

[Lutfij]

yeah bro

but mind you , its a 7 series chip. I couldn't find a link to the 790x chipset driver. only the 790FX.

this might help;
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/256927-30-sloved-find-chipset-drivers

and this
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1408974

 

[jb223]

I checked out those threads and followed the advice that was given.
I managed to find a South Bridge driver on the AMD site, but after downloading it and opening it it's just the ATI Catalyst installer again.

Should I just install it and see if it updates the chipset drivers and hope there aren't any conflicts?

Thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

no harm in trying - the worst tha could happen is cuase an error which can be removed via drivesweeper

 

[jb223]

Okay. So I installed the chipset drivers from the Gigabyte website, went through the installation and it did just update the Northbridge.

Kind of confusing when at the start it says it's gonna install ATI Catalyst for GPU purposes. :s

I'll see if there's any improvement with the system interrupts.
If they continue, can you suggest anything else for me to look into?

Thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

just looked at your first post again.

if its a hang taht you experience, might want to run memtest and see if the dimms and their slots are fine.

sorry mate; was busy with other agenda and i realized that i didn't ask you for a full system spec.

would these hangs be any more/less when gaming/taxing the system?

 

[jb223]

I'm not sure to be honest.
I get them when I'm just browsing the internet or watching a video or in a game, anything really.
The whole system just freezes for a split second and if there was any sound playing it might make a sort of buzzing noise as if it's hanging.

For a while it'll be fine or at least un-noticable and then there'll be periods where it's hanging every few seconds which can last until I restart. Even after restarting it can start again after a couple of minutes.

When it's doing it I go into Task Manager and then Resource Monitor and CPU usage shoots up due to 'System Interrupts'.

System:

Gigabyte 790XT-USB3 MoBo
AMD Phenom II x4 955 BE
nVidia 560 Ti OC
4GB Corsair DDR3 1333Mhz RAM
500GB Hitachi HDD
900W crappy brand PSU

Let me know if you need more info.

Thanks.

 

[jb223]

After updating the chipset driver I'm still getting the interrupts.

I downloaded a program called DPC Latency Checker and I've been running it in the background.
When it's all running fine the latency is around 200µs which is in the green, then when I get a spike it shoots up with the maximum figure at the moment reaching 331743µs.

Any ideas what could be causing this?

 

[Lutfij]

tha ram seems to me like the issue. try only one stick and see where this goes. i've seen a similar thread where the OP only removed one of his sticks and found the interupts gone. then he posted back saying he placed the dimms without a sequence - e.g: one dimm in a blue slot while another was in a white slot. You should have both dimms in the corresponding color. its in your manual - check it out. will do so from this end as well.

hope this helps

* crappy brand PSU might say you're getting unstable power to your mobo/cpu - but thas just over the top of my head.

 

[jb223]

I'll try taking out the RAM one at a time and seeing how that goes.
I'm pretty certain they're both in the correct slots though.

The PSU does worry me.
Some computer service guy replaced it when my computer died having said that 700W wasn't enough for my system. :s
Now I've got this 900W thing that I can't find a review or anything about online.
I'm tempted to just buy a new one from a reliable brand just for ease of mind.

Thanks for all your help so far.

 

[Lutfij]

** GENERIC/NON-BRAND PSU ARE A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD - take this advice with no grain of salt!

700W wasn't enough ? - you should actually be well off on a branded 550-600W PSU.

trust me i've been there and done that with a cheapo PSu - saw the 4th of uly inside my case from then on went with thermaltake's.

where dya live - could shoot a recommend.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/321076-28-650w
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/319237-28-power-supply

** run memtest?

 

[jb223]

Yeah, 700W should have been plenty. I wasn't around when my PC was taken in though so I didn't really have any say on what was happening to it.
Ended up getting charged about £80 in all for it. :s

I've actually seen a PSU at a pretty good price which looks quite good http://www.dabs.com/products/xfx-550-watt-core-edition-full-wired-80--bronze-psu-7NSW.html?src=3

I read some threads concerning PSUs with people who have similar rigs to me and people were saying 550W would be enough.

Maybe I'll see if I get much money over Christmas and invest in a better one.

Regarding memtest, I'm pretty certain I ran it a few months ago when I was having similar problems and I think everything came back okay.
I'll give it another run though and see if anything comes up.

Thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

you posted 4GB of 1333Mhz. how many dimms do you have - one stick or two in dual channel?

hpw about going into your BIOS and checking your mem voltages and compare it with your mem's sticker rating on its timmings and voltages. For DDR3, you should set it to 1.5 volts.

Just saying, no harm in trying.

is 50 quid the maximum you'll go for a PSU? considering an upgrade or sli in the near future or maybe getting a power hungry system later?

these would get you a long way IF you got either of them.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nzxt-Hale-Power90-Pc-Power-supply/dp/B003YFITNS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1324183804&sr=8-4
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thermaltake-Supply-80PLUS-Toughpower-TPG-750M/dp/B003VIQC9Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1324184216&sr=1-2

i have the latter - and is really awesome to work with.

don't thank me yet until we've gotten to the bottom of it.
Your welcome though.

 

[jb223]

I'm on a tight budget as I really don't want to be buying any more components for my PC.
It's just the fact that I worry about my current PSU blowing up and taking expensive stuff out with it that I'd consider getting a reliable one.

I'm not too fussed about SLI or any upgrades in the future that would warrant a larger PSU.
I think when I want to upgrade again I'll probably save up enough to basically get a new system, only keeping the GPU and RAM perhaps.
Would love to make the switch to Intel now if I had the money.

I've got 2x2GB of RAM, each in the correct slot I'm fairly certain.
I assumed that it would automatically set it to dual channel and that I wouldn't have to mess around with anything to get it working correctly, or am I wrong?

I'll do as you say though and check the voltages in the BIOS.

Thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

now have you removed one of those sticks and noticed any interupts?
the PSU is the last place to skimp out on. if you read up on the reviews and articles up on johnnyguru and tom's you'll see why people fail to realize and than go out and buy an overly priced psu.

and i'll stick with my advice for getting a 650W PSU(from a reliable brand) -
1| good for the future and better if you're overclocking that rig of yours.
2| since you have a mid-high end ranged rig, loosing all of them cos of an underpowered machine or because the unit didn't deliver the right amount of power to your board....well you can assume what i'm getting at here...?

Some computer service guy replaced it when my computer died having said that 700W wasn't enough for my system. :s
Now I've got this 900W thing that I can't find a review or anything about online.

chances are that that old 700W noname psu took out other components in your system, could be taht now you're seeing its effects.

FYI - most of the parts in that are in your machine are electrosensitive. If a static charge on you can kill them, what would a blown psu do to your rig?

 

[jb223]

Yeah, I know what you mean.

The old 700W PSU was an okay brand though, as far as I'm aware. Much more well known than the one I'm using currently.

The one I linked earlier I thought was from a good brand though and it looks like it'll do the job nicely.
Here's another one I found http://www.scan.co.uk/products/600w-psu-thermaltake-tr-600pcuk-88-eff-80-plus-bronze-eps-12v-quiet-fan-atx-v23
You say Thermaltake make good stuff.

I'll take out the memory tonight hopefully.
I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Lutfij]

okay, i'll make this my suggestion with PSU's

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/675w-psu-thermaltake-tpx-675mpcuk-89-eff-80-plus-bronze-sli-crossfire-eps-12v-quiet-fan-atx
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/650w-xfx-xxx-edition-bronze-80plus-certified-semi-modular-single-rail-psu

* but this would be an awesome purchase since its 80plus gold rated;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/OCZ-Silencer-Power-Supply-PPCMK3S600-EU/dp/B0068ESERI/ref=sr_1_21?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1324251212&sr=1-21


i've seen teh TR2's show a good amount of glitches, while the toughpower series are better performers.

Please read up on these before pulling the trigger on the PSU for now:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/low-cost-psu-pc-power-supply,2862.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/power-supply-psu-review,2916.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-psu-efficiency,2796.html

hope these help, enjoy the reading material.