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**UtwigMU** · 16 November 2002, 12:21

Q What are the penalties of using nonintel chipset with G450 PCI

From teh Matrox FAQ
- For non-Intel chipsets, the G450 PCI does not support bus-mastering. While this lowers performance on synthetic benchmarks, it does not hinder the everyday usability of the card. Additionally, for the combination of G450 PCI and non-Intel chipsets, Open-GL acceleration and DVDMax are not supported.

- Matrox has identified certain instabilities when bus-mastering is activated on the combination of non-Intel chipset and the PCI version of the Millennium G450 series.

**GT98** · 16 November 2002, 15:01

I had no problems running my G400 MAX in a ECS K7S5A..though I'm not sure what your asking

**UtwigMU** · 16 November 2002, 15:05

Mine is one of those early AGP 2x only cards and may require R69 mod.

**XHotKolaX** · 16 November 2002, 20:55

What are/Are there any MPX/Parhelia glitches/incompatibilities?

None that I have experienced here.

**RichL** · 17 November 2002, 17:35

I've recently had weeks of fun trying to get an ECS K7S5A to run stably.

First off it didnt even post if I had a Compaq 3121 Nic installed in it (Tried 2 of them that worked in other systems) and would lock up for no apparent reason. I swapped HDDs, NICs, video cards, Memory, upgraded and downgraded drivers etc etc and eventually someone suggested I run the ram at PC100 instead of PC133.
It worked, now the board is stable.

My advice is junk the ECS mobo unless you really really cant afford anything better or have large amounts of PC133 memory you want to use (my reason for buying the thing)

**UtwigMU** · 17 November 2002, 18:29

512MB Micron PC133 CAS2

From what I read, heard this boards either work or not.

I'm planning on getting one with NIC. The only other card I'll use will be Adaptec 2904 Fast SCSI controller. There is option of geting Epox 8kem2 but that board cannot take DDR, has no NIC and is SIS 740 based.

Here's the complete deal:

RIG1 (now)

generic beige case 3/3 drive bays (it's actually nice)
Macase 300W PSU
Zalman silent case fan

DFI P2XBL (440BX, Katmai 600/100 is maximum supported CPU, won't take coppermine on a slocket)
Pentium II 350@466, stock intel cooler
512MB Micron PC133 CAS2 (256MB sticks are not officially supported by this mobo)

Matrox G400 16MB SH
SB64 PCI
Adaptec 2904 Fast SCSI (scanner, 2 CD-ROMs)
US Robotics V90 ISA hardware modem

Teac 1.44 Floppy
IDE1 master WD800JB (next week, have teh monies)
IDE2 master WD CAC28004 (8.4@5400)
IDE2 slave Philips CD-ROM 36x ATAPI

SCSI1 Umax Astra 2200 (USB+SCSI) scanner
SCSI4 Teac CD-ROM532S
SCSI6 Teac CD-R56S

Adi Microscan 5 (17", 1024x768@85max)

spare parts:
Codegen 200W PSU (Memtest86 locked up with 2 256MB sticks, but worked with either stick)
128MB LG PC100 CAS3 (capable of 133CAS3)
Hercules 3D Prophet II MX with added fan
Epson !!!! 1.44MB Floppy

The goal of this upgrade is to make two rigs out of one and donate lesser rig to my bro. Since I have 512MB of PC133 and 256MB is unacceptable, DDR will have to wait.

Xmas

RIG1 (my rig)
Chieftec Dragon DA-01WD silver 6/2/6 drive bays
Macase 300W PSU
appropriate fans

ECS K7S5A w/ LAN
Q Possible also Epox 8KEM2, is this better? The board has no NIC and supports only SDRAM, costs same as ECS.
Athlon XP 1600+
Thermalright SK6 (Not sure yet, has to fit on TigerMPX, quiet and efficient)
512MB PC133 CAS2

Matrox G400 16MB SH, Adaptec 2904, Sound: integrated for a while, US Robotics PCI or serial hardware modem, NIC integrated

Teac 1.44MB Floppy, WD800JB, Teac CD-ROM532S, Teac CD-R56S, Toshiba DVD SD-1712 ATAPI

Adi Microscan 5+

RIG2 (goes to my bro - schoolwork, light gaming)
generic beige case 3/3, Zalman silent case fan
Codegen 200W PSU

DFI P2XBL, Pentium II 350@466, 128MB LG PC100@133 CAS3

Hercules 3D Prophet II MX, SB64 PCI, US Robotics V90 ISA, intel 10/100 NIC

Samsung 15"

After that:
Q1 03 (next semester more time = more $bling$)

512MB of quality PC2100 or 2700 CL2 (Samsung and Kingston is to be had here) by January ~ 195.00€/$

Tyan TigerMPX, 2x AthlonXP2000+ to 2200+ and appropriate coolers or
Asus P4PE, P4 2.0@2.66 and appropriate cooler
(Whatever is best at the time for about ~495€/$)
Hercules GameTheater XP or similiar soundcard

Q2/Q3 03
HP DeskJet 1700 PS (for school and for freelancing proof prints) 11x17"/A3+ postscript inkjet with separate colours ~600€/$ - dealer prices for HP printers are close to hp's online shop listed prices

Incrementally two to three quality 19" monitors (likely Mitsubishi DiamondPro 930SB - newer buy crappy monitors again) and videocard(s) to drive them ~470-600$/€ per monitor + videocard (Depends what's best price performance then)

Broadband 130€/$ ADSL + 130€/$ ISDN (a "technological" = read monopolistic prerequisite here = 260€/$

I'd also like to get (later next year)
logitech MX700 mose
black logitech cordless keyboard
logitech Z540 or 560 or 640 or similar decent speakers
home tv capture card
rebuild BX as a router/server
perhaps a nice force feedback joystick
RAM upgrade by end of year and possible CPU upgrade

**WyWyWyWy** · 17 November 2002, 19:26

Originally posted by RichL
I've recently had weeks of fun trying to get an ECS K7S5A to run stably.
First off it didnt even post if I had a Compaq 3121 Nic installed in it (Tried 2 of them that worked in other systems) and would lock up for no apparent reason. I swapped HDDs, NICs, video cards, Memory, upgraded and downgraded drivers etc etc and eventually someone suggested I run the ram at PC100 instead of PC133.
It worked, now the board is stable.

My advice is junk the ECS mobo unless you really really cant afford anything better or have large amounts of PC133 memory you want to use (my reason for buying the thing)

Honestly agree.

I have to run my ddr333 @ 266

**Admiral** · 18 November 2002, 08:37

Originally posted by RichL
I've recently had weeks of fun trying to get an ECS K7S5A to run stably.
First off it didnt even post if I had a Compaq 3121 Nic installed in it (Tried 2 of them that worked in other systems) and would lock up for no apparent reason. I swapped HDDs, NICs, video cards, Memory, upgraded and downgraded drivers etc etc and eventually someone suggested I run the ram at PC100 instead of PC133.
It worked, now the board is stable.

My advice is junk the ECS mobo unless you really really cant afford anything better or have large amounts of PC133 memory you want to use (my reason for buying the thing)

The problem apparently has to do with ECS changing parts on its motherboards to accommodate Athlon XP processors in some revisions of the motherboard.
Running some resistors out of AMD specs and causing problems with other CPUs than Athlons XP. Some 1.x and 2.x revisions seem to have the problem.
Can't find the site where I read it anymore but thye guy had problems with a TBird and Crucial DDR memory.

The idea is that the 3.x revisions are safe and also can acomodate all the Athlon XP processors.

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Matrox cards and motherboard compatibility

Matrox cards and motherboard compatibility

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