G400 OEM and Gigabyte 6VX7-4X problems

[paulcs]

I would try the Power Desk 5.41 or 5.30 drivers. The 5.52 drivers have given many VIA users problems.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Thundrchez]

When you installed the Matrox 5.52 drivers, did it detect your video card as a Matrox G400? Perhaps it misidentified it as a Gigabyte GA-400?

Yes, I would recommend trying the 5.41 drivers.

[SPUD]

G400 OEM and Gigabyte 6VX7-4X problems

Ive just recently built up a new system comprising of the following components :-

GA-6VX7-4X Via Apollo 133A
128meg pc100 ram
10.2gig quantum HD 7200 rpm S.M.A.R.T Capable
50x CD ROM
Sound Blaster Live
G400 32meg OEM
Netcom Roadster II usb modem
Windows 98 Second Edition

The drivers for the G400 are 5.52
I have Turbo GL 1.3 installed also
I have the VIA service pack 4.20 installed
Except for ACPI and IRQ mini port driver cause 98 SE already has it

I have no error messages appear as of yet
But when i install any 3d game it wont allow it to run ............it just freezes after the intro .......either the screen going black or just sits there like a stuffed mullet
Ive tried adjusting bios settings .........turning off video shadowing etc ........i have my arpeture set at 256 and each time it has no effect on the problem ?
Im starting to run outta ideas ?
Appart from the games not working everything else seems stable ? the pc runs with no other faults ?

[SPUD]

I tired uninstalling the 5.52 drivers and then reinstalling the 5.41 but i still have the same problem ? ........
The card is installed on IRQ 11 by itself so i cant see it being a conflict of such sort ? Is there any other settings in BIOS that i could try to change ? Im starting to think i should just get another card ?
But then again ....knowing my luck i'll have the same problems with that

[Lorenzo Rizzi]

Livius, when you install the Matrox drivers, do you accept the default card detected (Gigabyte GA-400) or do you force the setup to install drivers for the Matrox G400?

I've got problems with FAT tables not matching as well. Only my drive is SCSI and it's connected to an Adaptec 2940U2W, do you think removing the Live! would fix my problem as well?
Would it fix my random black screen hangs as well?

Thanks,
Lorenzo

[Livius]

Hi!
Had a similar system. The problem is with the Live! My system failed to work ok as long as the Live! was stuck inside the PC - even though it was not installed! As soon as I removed it it was fine. Now everything's all right with the Vortex2 instead. If you want to know details read the 6vx7-4x review on www.thoughtshell.com.

Also: the Live! has a problem with 500MHz FC-PGA processors. I reccomend reading the troubleshooting on Creative's website.

[Livius]

Yes I know about the problem. No, I installed the Millennium G400 - rather than the GA400 - drivers.

Removing the Live! solved my problems once and for all. Remember it was not even installed, just plugged in. I tried it in all PCI slots and the only option was to get it out. The Adaptec story is even stranger. Anyway, try removing the Live and let me know, please.

[Alegria]

What kind of SCSI drive is it and how is it connected to the U2W controller, Lorenzo? Just let me know...

Regards, Alegria

------------------
The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle...
Bob Dylan

[Lorenzo Rizzi]

The drive is a Quantum Atlas IV. 18.2GB at 7200rpm.
I have it connected as the only device in the U2W chain as ID 6 (default for this drive).

I haven't tried removing the Live yet. So I don't know if the problems will be fixed. The strange thing is that Drive Image Pro refuses to make an image of the primary partition complaining about FAT tables not matching, broken chains etc. but when I go into Win98se and run the disk checking tool, everything seems to be fine.

Another thing might be of interest. I noticed that all BIOS versions of the 6vx-4x motherboard newer than the F1 cause two problems:
First, Win98 installs in non ACPI mode while it installs fine in ACPI mode with the F1 bios. (I tried installing 98 on F1 bios and the ACPI was there. Then I updated the bios to F5 and the ACPI was gone. Finally I just put back the F1 bios and ACPI came back!)

Second, when I update my BIOS to F4 or F5, Doc Memory (http://www.simmtester.com)fails the RAM tests on my Crucial PC133 DIMMS, if I then put back the F1 BIOS, every test passes fine. I still can't figure this one out. In the later BIOS versions, a lot of options have disappeared from the setup so I suspect Gigabyte have set some defaults that don't agree with my RAM. Of course the CAS and frequency settings are still there but changing those to any setting, even 66Mhz, CAS3 doesn't fix the failing tests...

Anybody knows any details about why these odd problems might happen?
Thanks,
Lorenzo

[Livius]

OK. Let's settle something - Lorenzo, do you use the 6VX-4X (Slot) or the 6VX7-4X (FC-PGA)? I'm talking about the socket board.

[Lorenzo Rizzi]

I'm using the Slot1 (6vx-4x).
I know the thread is about the socket version 6vx7-4x but I thought the motherboards are similar enough, and maybe my experiences with the slot1 version could help identify the common issues.
Sorry for the confusion.

Lorenzo