P3B-F question

[Rob100]

Patrick - Asus Probe runs fine here on PIII850.

Doc - Can't recall exactly which switches I used when flashing BIOS.

[Dr Mordrid]

It has nothing to do with the switches you used when you flashed the BIOS. You do this AFTER flashing from the BIOS setup program.

The option to look for is "Load BIOS defaults" or something similar. Before you do this you'll want to copy down your custom settings, if any, so you can re-enter them in the new setups.

When you execute this the default settings for the new BIOS are loaded in from the CMOS. Otherwise it uses the existing ones from the old BIOS.

The problem with this is that if the entry point of a routine in the new BIOS has changed location the old settings may be adjusting another routine or hitting in the middle of a routine. Neither is good

Dr. Mordrid

[Patrick]

Arrghhh@!!! Well, as you can probably already tell, setting the BIOS to its default values and then manually resetting them all didn't make any difference. I still get this line displayed during boot-up:

<BIOS:> BIOS update data incorrect. CPUID=0000068A,

And I still get the alarm window that opens up every four seconds if I have Asus PC Probe running which states:

Invalid floating point operation

I think the Asus CUBX (BIOS version 1006) board is working properly with this new Celeron 900MHz processor, but I continue to be a little concerned by these messages...

[Dr Mordrid]

Well, I can't speak for the C900 but I have had a C600 working in this one for testing purposes.

I have to dig into the case later on to change a fan out. I'll check my mobo version number while I'm there.

One other thought: BIOS 1006 came out after the PIII-850 but BEFORE the C900. Perhaps the beta BIOS ver. 1008 has the updated microcode? I can't tell for sure as there are NO dox for it that I can find.

Dr. Mordrid

[DJ]

I have gotten that "Invalid floating point operation" message before and the solution was to increase the size of my swap file. Don't know if that will help your situation.

DJ

[Patrick]

Doc, you may be correct about the BIOS version I have not being current enough. I found this at the official ASUS site:

CUBX BIOS Ver. 1007 02/14/2001
1) Add microcode update.
2) Fix Hotkey error with older version of CMD BIOS.

Interestingly enough, at a website dedicated entirely to the CUBX motherboard, I found some information about even more current BIOS updates:

http://pub32.ezboard.com/fcubxfrm1.showMessage?topicID=151.topic

Is there any reason for me to shy away from CUBX BIOS Revision 1008 beta3 and/or is it "safer" to use BIOS version 1007 instead?

DJ, when I put this processor in, I also installed 1024Mbs of PC133 RAM. I've been running with NO swapfile since then. I'll try it with a swapfile and report back...

[Patrick]

Well, one mystery solved! Thanks DJ! Having a swapfile eliminates the alarm message from Asus PC Probe, although I don't understand why it was getting all worked up into a lather. I don't usually have Asus PC Probe running though, so eliminating the swapfile again shouldn't matter.

However, now that it's been brought up- Is there any real need for a swapfile in a Win98 system that has 1024Mbs of RAM?

Doc, still need your advice on the BIOS issue...

[DJ]

Thats what I thought and so turned off my swap file. It took me about a week to figure out why I was getting that error. If there are any other benefits to be derived from using a swap file I certainly do not know.

DJ

[Dr Mordrid]

Some software hits the swapfile regardless of there being enough RAM to store an army. Never could figure that one out though....

Dr. Mordrid

[Patrick]

Some software hits the swapfile regardless of there being enough RAM to store an army. Never could figure that one out though....

So what happens then if there's no swapfile to swap to?

Is there any reason for me to shy away from CUBX BIOS Revision 1008 beta3 and/or is it "safer" to use BIOS version 1007 instead?

Still interested in opinions on this question I asked a little earlier. Although I was asking specifically about the BIOS for a CUBX board, opinions about using beta versions of any motherboard's BIOS would be welcome!

[Dr Mordrid]

If there's no swapfile to swap to then you have problems

Dr. Mordrid

[Patrick]

"Problems"? Come on Doc, be a little more specific! Are we talking freeze-up and crashes here?

Doc, you've GOT to have an opinion on using a beta version of a BIOS for a motherboard!

[Dr Mordrid]

Yes, we're talking crahses with an out of memory error. That's assuming you even get far enough to display the error.

As far as using BETA BIOS's goes they can be a mixed blessing.

If they have microcode for a CPU your previous version doesn't support then fine, you can use one in a pinch.

They can also cause a s**load of trouble too.

My suggestion to try using it is based on the fact that I've never had a poison BIOS from ASUS.

Abit is another story entirely...

Dr. Mordrid

[Patrick]

Thanks Doc, I'll probably try loading up version 1008 later today. Regarding the swapfile, as an experiment I'll continue to run without one for now. I'll see how long it takes for me to crash the system.

[Sciascia]

If it is any consolation, I am running a beat BIOS on my 440 BX MB. Different animal, but it works. You could always flash it back to the original or current if it doesn't owkr.

By the way the beta VIOS did allow my faster proc to boot without the BSP CPU ERR...microcode. I did not see any differences good or bad though.