MAX unable to run 3D games is there anything left to do?

[paulcs]

I was under the impression did a fresh install of Windows after the motherboard swap. If you didn't, you should.

Have you tried working with only one DIMM at a time? (I'm assuming you have two PC100 128 Mb DIMMS.) You might have a bad stick, something we've seen recently, or maybe there is a problem with a slot.

Test one without the other in the machine, and then alternate. You might also want to test each and then both in different slots.

The odds of your getting either two bad videocards or two bad motherboards, one right after the other, are pretty slim. It sounds like something that's sitting in your motherboard is causing the problem.

Just a shot in the dark... Is busmastering enabled? Have you installed a NIC since the last time you posted your IRQ's?

You're very patient. I might have thrown my machine out the window at this point.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[CMB]

Patience??????
aggggghh :O)

its drivin me nuts.. Im a media student and regularly use my PC when im not at college or working, usually from 10pm-3am and i cant get my video work done now its drivin me nuts.. at least i can use word, anyway.

I appreciate the odds of getting duff boards and cards but the way i see it is this..

Everything was fine till i got the abit.

Either something went wrong when i was installing it and it broke the marvel, or the marvel decided to give up the ghost or something but video stopped going proprerly.

(maybe im unlucky. i had a DXR2 die on me for no reason after 3months)

I thought it was the ABIT so i took it back.

It took them a week to test it and they said theyd give me a new one.. I try the new one and now i cant play use 3d it seems.

Working on this theory.. the first ABIT was ok??? and the second is dodgy... wait up if the first was ok why did they replace it???
ahhh F*** IT !!! its making my head hurt..

I did have another motherboard but sold it at last weekend. so now im stuck as i am.

I have tried with a fresh install of windows.. just the MARVEL in and one 128mg dimm (and i have 2 64dims)

All my trouble started when i got an ABIT grrrrrr)

anyhow i rang the shop and said that i tried to find these drivers but as it happend they dont exist.. so he asked what else i had done to make it work. I ran off everything in mentioned here, and even added that i had crossed my fingers (he didnt see the funny side) anyhow he then said if i took my system in he would check it out and make it work. I said surely you charge for that..
he said.. oh yes its £15 + VAT

so great i have to pay to get my pc fixed.. after asking if there was ANY other options. and saying it sucks that i have to pay to get my pc fixed and arrange to get it the 4 miles into town.... (i have a Tower case and i travel on push bike for christ sake) I can pay a taxi but thats like nearly a tenner taking it.. and then picking it up.. and then its fitting it around my BTEC and work

After checking with the manager and coming back to the phone he said that hed sorted something out. if i brought in my system AND they found the motherboard to be at fault then the wouldnt charge me the fee for looking it over??????

It took them a week to test my first ABIT, and they didnt ring me to tell me to collect it, i had to go in over a week later and ask about it. I had to ring 3 times today to get through to this guy who basically told me that i have to pay out money to get what i bought to work? So youll understand that i dont particualry want to take my system in

i asked if i could just swap it for another ABIT but he said they had none in stock.. and if i was to take in the motherboard buy itself then it would take longer because he would have to order chips and such forth in to build a test system to test the motherboard. and then if it was faulty he would order another ABIT????

Is it me or am i being screwed..?

So thats how its left! I have the option of taking in my system for god knows how long, or leaving it as it is.... Those are my only options as he put it

And again the most importanty thing is time..
Right now i can use word and Astound for college work.. if i take it in i cant.. and im at there mercy...

AGHHHHHHHHHH So where should this thread be now? General hardware or soapbox???
:O)

Hell, i want my moneyback then ill go to PC world and get a GIGABYTE?? (please tell me there ok :O)

but i bet theres no chance of that happening..
so any words of wisdom from you who are wiser then I

[CMB]

oh and the matrox test thing says bs mastering is ok
and i dont know what nic is so i guess not?
and ive tried 5.25 5.30 and 5.41

If it isnt the motherboard i dont know what it could be.... cause 2 cards 1 brand new (max) and the other tried and tested (marvel) worked before..


and of course theres that fact that EVERYTHING WAS FINE IN MY FIRST ABIT
apart from video of course but that was down to the marvel. (But i didnt know that then :O)

[Jorden]

Guys,

As I saw from his other thread, he's got a UDMA/66 card in his machine... (sorry to ignore you for the moment, CMB )

Anyone remember the McRhea Thread?? Could a UDMA/66 card be the culprit??

Jord.

[CMB]

actually come to think of it... I was so concerned with getting video going... I cant actualy remember installing any games......... Maybe it wouldn't have been fine.

Ive just seen on their website they have a NO EXCUESE number to ring ro deal with mail order or shop sales... I think ill ring tomorrow and see if they have .. err.... any excuses :O)

[CMB]

Hey Jordan Thats ok :O)

The UDMA/66 is built into the board...
i think you can disable it through windows.
but my 3 hard drives are on there.. and if i cant use it, it kinda defeats the object of me buying the BE6 in the first place (more IDE devices, i wish my friend had slapped me and just told me to get a UDMAcard if i needed it)

Good point though , i remember reading in the news history that disabling fixed it.. ill try that but i dont hold out much hope..
and again everything worked fine in this area regarding the first ABIT board
so surely this board is at fault..

[paulcs]

OH NO!

Jorden is referring to a rather extraordinary thread involving a Promise controller and a Matrox board. A significant number of forum members participated via ICQ as Jorden and Tim Bixler went on a bug hunt of biblical proportions.

I can't see this getting quite that complicated. The first thing we must determine, however, is if you are using Norton Antivirus or any other anti-virus or intrusive system monitoring software.

Jorden isn't suggesting that you ditch your UDMA/66 controller, although it might be the root of your problems. It might involve a purging of your old drivers and an update, but there are others on the forum better informed about this device. (My high speed drives are either SCSI or plain-Jane IDE.)

This is the epic McRhea thread.
http://forums.murc.ws/ubb/Forum5/HTML/006091.html

Jorden? Tim?

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[paulcs]

The latest driver Abit's posted for the on-board UDMA/66 controller is here:
http://www.abit.com.tw/english/download/driver-ha66.htm

It's dated 11/9/99. Are you using an older driver? (Please don't do anything yet. Possibly someone with experience with the Highpoint controller will chime in.)

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[The PIT]

Well I've got an Abit BF-6 and theres a little critter called Sdram leadoff in the bios. I think this defaults to 3. Left in this mode I get a nice faster computer but screen corruption. Setting this to 4 brings a nice stable computer it maybe worth checking this out.
I'm at work at the moment so I can't tell you which screen it's hiding in but I'm sure you'll find it.

[CMB]

yep Sdram lead off is set to 4
and its running at 3

No antivirus software installed,
ive reinstalled windows with just the marvel in and put on the highpoint drivers then power desk, then TR4 demo.. and sometimes it runs... othertimes (mostly) it has corrupted textures
and i have allways used those highpoint controler drivers since getting my ABIT

ho hum... off to college for me

[CMB]

ok ok i was in a rush
the lead off is set at 4
but the timing setting (just above it) is set at 3.

After being on the phone to software warehouse all morning. and speaking to their manager they have agreed to take my system in tomorrow and have it tested and checked within 5 hours.. and there will be no charge since i have been messed around allready..

but shouldnt it be like that anyway?

so hopefully. they will realise its broken.
replace it with a new one, or equivelent and they said i would have a fully working system by end of closing tomorrow.
lets hope so :O)

Ironically i dont even want to play games for pleasure.... Im putting together a Documentry on Video games and Violence.. and would like to tape me playing games to a video in order to capture the footage and incorporate in the program

rest assured when i have it all sorted and am free to play games. you will all feel my wrath and fear me when im playing Q3 and UT on the matrox server :O)

haa haaa im crap really :O)

[Bixler]

CMB: You get the prize this month for patience and relentlessness. And I know you will succeed--cause you've stayed on topic, remained extraordinarily calm under the circumstances, and listened to the sometimes overwhelming cacophony of suggestions without getting snitty! You da man!

Holly, Here's one to direct the little impatient kiddies to when we're done.

And he will be.

Hang in there CMB and BE SURE to let us all know what the shop's final solution is.

It's always something stupid and simple.

(BTW, I would have suggested PaulCS's last stab and looked at some other busmastering config.) But too late now--the shop will fix it or eat it.

CHEERS CMB!

[Jorden]

Let's be negative and see that 'the shop' says there's nothing wrong or they can't find a problem with the machine...

Then what??

Jord.

[The PIT]

Then you make sure your machine is insured get a friend to steal it then place it under a steam roller. When it's nice and squashed claim on your insurance.
We'll wait until you get the machine back.

[This message has been edited by The PIT (edited 01 February 2000).]

[CMB]

LOL
hmmm lets see possible outcomes...

1: they say the motheboard is faulty, replace it or swap for another and im everyonse happy

2: They try the MOBO in another system and it works.. they deem the BE6 incompatable with my system and replace it with another make board that is? i would hope. after the the fuss thats happened i cant see them saying "well its incompatable, there you go take it home"

3: They find a soloution and make it work. and i eat humble pie.. though i should hope this wouldnt happen, i really dont see this outcome. OK im not the best when it comes to PC's but i would of said i am at least more then competent. And besides. What can this super tech guy do to fix it in 5 hours that we havent tried or suggested between us in the past few weeks :O)

the worse case as i see it. Is that they say its fine. i bring it home and it crashes out again. this would be just my luck. i have had UT going for about 30mins, but it crashed out when i did something stupid like click the mouse lol

if thats the case. then i will be off to PC world tomorrow night and get a new MOBO on my Credit Card (arnt they wonderful things) and then reisgn this to the shitty experience part of life. also ill try and test the mobo with a friends pc and if it works then ill sell it on cheap or something

There is light at the end of the tunnel.. i can just see it.......