Oh! NO! Got my MAX and it doesn't... (page 2, reply to Haig)

[Scytale]

I'm glad to have more problems with this forum than with my MAX. Three cheers for the implementation of the multi page thread

Okay Haig, if you got this far then let's try again: Thanks for testing. Too bad nothing showed up yet, but I guess that was to be expected. There are other guys around having no problems with their BH6+G400 combo. Count your blessings.

As you know I have tried various configurations, the most bare being with only my FirePort 40 SCSI and G400 MAX. Here you go:

Hardware

-Abit BH6 Rev 1.01
-Diamond FirePort 40 UWSCSI, P/N 23170000-004, BIOS 4.09.06 (included with 2.02 driverset)
-Matrox Millenium G400 MAX, Rev A, G4+MMDHA32GR, P/N 79095010671, BIOS 1.05 - 22

BIOS

-LN BIOS
-reset to default values
-disabled all integrated BH6 peripherals except for LPT
-SoftMenu 4x100, turbo disabled, AGP 2/3

OS and Software (in order of installation)

-Win98 4.10.1998 (first edition), clean install, no updates
-DirectX 6
-PowerDesk 5.13.020
-Matrox Tech Demo from G400 CD
-Expendable 1.0.0.1 from G400 CD

Drivers

-Diamond Multimedia FirePort PCI SCSI Host Adapter:
SYMC8XX.MPD 4.10.1998
IOS.VXD 4.10.1998

-Matrox Millenium G400 Dual Head - English:
BIOS 1.5 - 22
G400.DRV 4.11.01.1130
G400.VXD 4.11.01.1130
PowerDesk 5.13.020
DD/D3D 4.11.01.1130
DirectX 4.06.02.0436

That's it. With this configuration the lock ups and crashes would occur early in Expendable, before I would reach the first instance of bump mapped water. The Tech Demo would lock up just after the menu (first frame) with mouse and sound still active and display showing apparently random lines of data (including mouse cursor).

Something I haven't mentioned before, is that when using AGP2X+BM + 32bpp desktop, my system would crash immediately when painting the desktop background. Tried it 5 times, and it crashed each time.

Further more, there's a thread 'G400 problem' in the matrox usenet newsgroup discussing these lockups. We must have something in common, and you may want to look into it if you haven't done so already.
Well, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. I myself am waiting for a different SCSI card to get the FirePort out of the picture.

Thanks Haig.

[This message has been edited by Scytale (edited 08-10-1999).]

[Slartibartfast]

Scytale,

Has anyone suggested cooling yet? I know it's a regular G400 and you're not O/C, but a couple other people had all their problems mysteriously go away if they opened the case, decreased the room temperature, etc.

Maybe it's already been tried... but if you have a barebones install like the one you described with major problems, I'd get the card replaced.

- Slarty

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I used to be a guy named Gurm. I used to have a signature. But that's all gone now. Now, my name is Ash... and I am a slave.

[Matrox]

Hi Scytale,

I'm counting them as I write

I'll add the same hardware as you. I don't know if we have the same scsi card. If we don't I'll have a 2940 put in to see what happens.

Other than that, both systems should be identical.

I don't suppose you tried this in 16 bit yet have you?

Haig

[Scytale]

Slarty, cooling wasn't suggested yet, but while testing I used a 220V table top ventilator to keep the air moving. The MAX doesn't seem to get hot at all.

I don't think there's a true indication for the card being defective, and I'm not the only one having this problem. I'd swap it anyway but I'm afraid it could take another 2-3 months or so before I got a replacement.

Haig, 16 bits isn't that... like... a violation of 3dfx intellectual property? I didn't even think of it, but I certainly will try. What do you think of it (the problem in general) so far?

Thanks guys.

[This message has been edited by Scytale (edited 08-11-1999).]

[Buuri]

Why don't you use the latest DirectX?

B

[Nafets]

Try using just AGP1x. I had to do that to get my G400 working in OpenGL games. They just wouldn't run at AGP2x. I also have an Abit BH6. Here's the setting:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Class\Display\0001\Settings\CPU

AGPFallback = 0

Maybe that will help...

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-= nafets@mediaone.net =-

[Scytale]

Buuri, dunno, am I? Thought this was the latest (formal release, that is).

Stefan, so you're another BH6 based 'victim'. Except for one single crash after hours of gaming and benchmarking AGP1X+BM works great for me too. Just can't get AGP2X+BM to behave.

Hmmm... this problem is getting more obscure by the minute... now even the Sun seems to be crashing on me... odd.

[Buuri]

You wrote DirectX6, but DirectX6.1 is the lastest and many new games/apps require that.

I believe that 6.1 is on G400 CD.

(Run 'dxdiag' to get the real version. Or was it 'dxsetup'..)

B


[This message has been edited by Buuri (edited 08-11-1999).]

[Nafets]

I'm pretty sure the problem is the Abit BH6's AGP implementation. I've had the same problem before with a G200 I had. It was on the same BH6 I have the G400 on now. I have been able to verify this, by using the G200 and G400 on other motherboards. AGP2x works fine in all games tested with both cards on other motherboards.

------------------
-= nafets@mediaone.net =-

[Scytale]

Okay I've been staring at the eclipse and now I'm almost blind. But boy, feel that bumpmapping!

Buuri, I'll try the CD version. I guess I deleted the newer file from my archives.

Stefan, you're bad news. I bought my BH6 to solve my P2L97S+G200 problem, and it did. The BH6 never had a problem handling the G200, TNT and TNT2 cards I fed it.
I dig this card, but would it count as whining when I say I'm getting a tad weary of buying a new mainboard each time I get myself a Matrox card?

[Scytale]

He he gotta love that very blue smiley

[Slartibartfast]

I've personally never seen a problem with a BH6 that didn't get fixed by upgrading the BIOS.

Definitely try DirectX 6.1, most newer games (including OpenGL ones, go figure!) require it... as well as the newer drivers requiring it... hint hint.

- Slarty

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It wasn't always like this... I had a real life once. A signature, too. I used to be a guy named Gurm. But that's all gone now. Now, my name is Ash... and I am a slave.
------------------------
Specs? You want specs? Yeah. Alright you primitive screwheads, listen up. See this? This is my boomstick! It's a twelve gauge double barreled Remington, S-Mart's top-of-the-line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids Michigan. Retails for about $109.95. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop Smart. Shop S-mart. Ya got that?! Now I swear, the next one of you primates, even touches me...

[Scytale]

Okay I take a subtile hint. But guys come on, the version from the G400 CD seems to be the same I was running already (4.06.02.0436).

I get it now. You're just pulling my leg, left and right, trying to get me to reinstall everything again and again and again, flash my BIOSes until I reach the magic number. Keep me busy until the G1000 (or Glaze3D for that matter) devaporizes... then start all over again using a different nick

[SockBoy]

Hey all!
I've got an Abit BH6 mb, and I can't even get my Millennium to install!! I'll install the drivers, reboot the computer, and it gives me some stuff about "Your display settings are incorrect" and I'm stuck in 16 colour 640x480 mode! I'm gonna try to flash my Abit BIOS to a newer version, and see if that solves the problem, which I hope it will! I love meatballs.

[Matrox]

Hi Scytale,

From what I see, it looks like some kind of timing problem or a bus mastering problem.

We tried it here with your settings but used an adaptec 2940 scsi drive and still couldn't reproduce it.

We did see something odd though. If we disable Bus mastering, then we goto 1x mode after reboot. Normal so far. We enabled Bus mastering, rebooted and still stayed in 1x mode. We had to force it back to 2x mode.

We don't have to do this with other motherboards.

In any case, we didn't get any problems.

Here are more things to try:

1 - If you still have these problems in 1024x768@16bpp, can you try a regular stick of PC 100 memory?

2 - If possible, try an IDE hard drive with your scsi card removed?

3 - With this new forum format, I can't see the posts while I write this so if you have a PCI sound card, remove it completely and try out OGL games.

If it is BM problem, then there would be something between our card and any other BM device hogging the bus.

Haig