Athlon 750/FIC SD11/400MAX: 3D crashing

[Michael Chan]

When running 3d accelerated games, the system will reboot(instantaneous and momentary video signal loss, then boot sequence). Occasionally, the system dumps to the GUI and throws an exception error or bluescreens, and sometimes just dumps back to desktop with no error, but more often the system reboots.

The problem occurs only when running D3D and Open GL accelerated games, (HL/TFC, Rayman2, NFS High Stakes, Q3A retail, D2 Freespace, and others). There are no problems/crashes during normal 2d operation. The problem appears to be random though only during 3d accelerated operation. Game for an hour (or only a few minutes), a crash, then everything will be okay for the rest of the day or perhaps will crash multiple times. Often there will be no crashes at all even after many hours of 3d use.

Drivers and BIOS are(were) current; I realize that VIA released new AGP drivers today.

Any ideas/comments as to what component(s) are most likely at fault would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Michael



------------------
System Spec
===========
Athlon 750mHz
FIC SD-11
Sparkle 300W ps
G400MAX-not using DH
128MB RAM
WD 27GB Expert HD
Pioneer 10X Slot DVD
SB Live Platinum
Mitsubishi 900u
Intellimouse Exp USB
PS/2 Keyboard
Win 98SE
All drivers/BIOS current

[Nuno]

I think I read somewhere there was a batch of FIC SD-11 that were shipped defective, causing random reboots. That migh well be your case. Ask FIC for technical support.

[Othello]

I´ve seen warnings not to buy noname RAM if youre gonna use Athlon (the place I bought my system warned about it). Of course, greedy and suspicious as I am, I bought the cheap kind anyway and yes, my system locks up(frozen image, looping sound, ctrl/alt/del not working) now and then. More often while playing some 3D game, but sometimes while in windows. Check your RAM.

------------------
Athlon 500 (@500)
Asus K7M
128 MB PC100 (some noname crap)
G400 (not MAX)
Soundblaster 128 PCI
IBM 8512 (max. resolution: 640x480 woohoo :] )

[Greebe]

Michael, return the motherboard to the place you purchased it... There is a fix for this but requires a cap to be soldered onto the back of the SlotA according to FIC (ick). Look here for it. Also FIC has a new bios (NC607). Here's the readme on what's fixed.

------------------
Designer of the first commercial Athlon mod. Currently marketing the "Eclipse" through AZZO Computers.
Anyone up for an Eclipse'd Athlon? Email me (epc@netdirect.net) for more information

3000 mips, 1.172 gflops @ 900 mHz 1:3 latency
CPUmark99 75
FPU Winmark 4890

3Dmark 99 Max (8x6 16, 16, triple) PD5.41
8000
15181

[Michael Chan]

Thank you for the help. Great stuff, and thorough. I don't want to attempt the solder, and I've had the board for more than 30 days (return time of online reseller). Hoping that FIC America is cooperative... (510)252-7777 in CA for anyone who is looking for that number.

Michael

[Derek Wildstar]

If it's only happening during 3D games, it sounds more like the PS than the infamous "rebooting SD-11" problem. (Though I'm sure there are alot of relieved rebooter owners out there; Greebe's fix is rumored to be good.)
I've got an SD-11 myself, and while I have been fortunately spared the spontaneous reboot problem, it would seem that those who have been having it have been having it randomly, without warning, and with no predictable pattern.
I have a batch 0254 board, which IS the batch that produced the rebooters, but mine isn't one. If you have an 0263 or higher batch, you probably don't have a rebooter.
Is your PS on the AMD/FIC lists? If not, it doesn't mean it WON'T work, it just means it hasn't been specifically tested. Generally, QUALITY 250's seem to be OK, but you should really be running a quality 300.
It sounds to me like your MAX is just sucking too much juice.

DW

[Michael Chan]

The power supply is a Sparkle 300w. The motherboard is batch 263. The crashes have only been during direct3d or open gl operation. Is it still possible that it is the motherboard, or would that point more at the power supply?

Thank you,

Michael

[Derek Wildstar]

I surely don't know enough to say that NO 0263 boards were bad, but it just seems to be the concensus. The SD-11 has gotten alot of discussion over at www.arstechnica.com

I just didn't think it sounded typical of the trademark SD-11 reboot. I'd have suggested you check the various mobo drivers, but you sound like you were already pretty thorough with that.

I'd still call tech support at FIC, but if they will be upfront with you about whether any of the 0263 batches were rebooters, at least you'll know if you just need to find a good tech to do the soldering for you, even if they won't cover it under warranty. Of course, it could be bad in some flukey, random way...

I don't know whether they publicly admit the problems with even the 0254 batch, though, so who knows how honest they will be about that...

DW

[This message has been edited by Derek Wildstar (edited 05 January 2000).]