G400Max - 3D Lockups - Constantly

[TTCharon]

Hi

I've just posted this over at Matrox Tech Forum.

What do you guys make of it!

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To sum it up 'briefly':

I had some problems getting 'Shogun' running without getting constant lockups during its 3D phases.
It's in this thread: http://forum.matrox.com/mgaforum/For...ML/001117.html

Now all my 3D games lockup! It makes no difference whether it's D3D & OpenGl, both locks up after 1-5 minutes of gaming (sometimes even after a few seconds)
usually the lockup is accompanied by a highpitch sound. No CTRL-ALT-DEL, Power Off is the only way!

Games tested:

Hidden & Dangerous (1.3)
MDK2
Quake III
RS Urban Operations
Shogun
Ie. a mix of OpenGL & D3D games

The G400 is sitting on IRQ 9 (Alone!)
It makes no difference whether my CPU/FSB/G400 is overclocked, normalclocked or 'underclocked'!
It makes no difference whether i force AGP*1 or AGP*2 with your techutil.
I have tried all the win9x drivers, all the way down too 5.20 (although the lastest seem to last a minute longer before freezing)
All drivers were installed/uninstalled using your uninstaller util. along with a safeboot to remove the pd*.* files.
G400 flashed to latest BIOS.
AGP aperture size is 256 (although I've tried all options)
And the wild thing is that 2 months ago I made a Ghost-Image of my Win98SE systemdrive.
I have used that image (flawlessly) for the last 1-3/4 month until now.
Well. Now I've rolled back to that clean image (as a last resort, which used to be a bulletproof solution) and it's still the same. Mayor lockups!

Oh! by the way, my PSU is a 300W ATX 2.01 compliant with all the prober voltages!

Now I know that the BE6-2 (SH-Bios) isn't the most stable MoBo, but it has been running perfect with my G400 for 2 months!

I read somewhere that the G400 sometimes have a problem with correct seating in the AGP slot. Could this be it?

Any (I mean any) suggestions are welcome!


TTCharon.

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Yes definitely any suggestions are welcome!

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Abit BE6-2 (Rev 1.1), P3-600E@800(6x133/4), 192mb MCT 8ns CAS3, G400MAX(OC'ed 110%), SBLIVE, AHA 2940AU, WDC 4.3, WDC 6.4, IBM GXP34 20.5, Mitsumi FX48, Yamaha 4416S, Zyxel Prestige 100IH, 3Com 905C-TX On W98SE, DX 7.0a, PD 5.55

[Maggi]

Originally posted by TTCharon:
I read somewhere that the G400 sometimes have a problem with correct seating in the AGP slot. Could this be it?

yup ... could be it ... I'll try to find the proper thread.

[TTCharon]

Thanks Maggi!

[Maggi]

Here you go ...
http://forums.murc.ws/ubb/Forum5/HTML/007366.html

[TTCharon]

Thanks Again Maggi!

I hope that's my problem, it sure sounds like it! well, apart from the jerkyness, my card runs fine just until it freezes!

I'll keep you posted!

TTCharon

[Jorden]

You might want to take a look at your soundcard as well...

usually the lockup is accompanied by a highpitch sound.

I take it you hear this sound through your speakers? Maybe something is wrong with your SBLive. Does that card sit on it's own on an IRQ, or does it share with something else? You did put it in a slot that uses busmastering, but isn't the slot next to the AGP card?

Jord.

[TTCharon]

Jeez! I just made a search for 'seating' in all the MURC forums. It's simply amazing how many people have had these problems!
It's even more amazing that I didn't know about how widespread this problem is!
Now I can't wait to get home from work to test it!

Keep you posted!

TTCharon

[Maggi]

Gives some hope, that it might cure you problem, right ?

[TTCharon]

Maggi

Yep.. It gave hope, unfortunately it seems not be my solution. It still freezes. Ok I've reseated it, bent it in all directions at least 10 times. No avail! Dammit!

I even switched PSU with my old one, which, I know, never locked my system up like this.

I even isolated the current in the poweroutlet in my wall, so that it didn't share power with my fridge, television or anything else.. God.. I must be gettin' desperate!... But I read about someone else who had had this problem...

Well... I'm of to do some more reseating. Which leads me to ask: Is there any special trick (or enchantment to say) for reseating?

BTW. I tried to fiddle with my SBLive. No Go!

Keep you posted!

TTCharon

[Sisyfos]

You could try to unscrew the Slot Cover Bracket to make totally sure it isn't a bracket vs. case problem.

Kim

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[TTCharon]

Hej Kim

Yeah I've tried that too. No go!

Tue

[Jorden]

Doesn't the SBLive need an IRQ inbetween 9 and 12 as well, just like the G400 does, so it gets its stuff done better and earlier?

I thought IRQ 5 was good for the SB emulators and such, not for the Live itself!

Jord.

[TTCharon]

Jorden

No, I don't think it 'needs' it. But I agree it would be much better between 9-12. But then I have to share it with something or put my NIC to 5 instead. Well... I don't know.. It's a catch22 allright!

Anyway the SBLive has been on IRQ5 from day one. So I doubt it's the problem.

Thanks anyway.

TTCharon

[TTCharon]

Jorden

Through speakers: Yep
It's own IRQ: Yep (5)
Busmastering: Yep
Next to AGP: Nope

Actually, it's not always a highpitched sound, sometimes the sound loops instead!

But I'll try to remove it anyway, Thanks!

TTCharon

[Rags]

Hi TT,

I am pretty darned sure of your problem. Your signature says you have 192 MB of RAM and a BE6-2, this is a problem (I have experienced it myself on a BF6). Things you can try:

1) Take out a memory module. Leave the two in that are matched. Retest.

2) Try one module at a time.

3) Slow your memory timings down.

4. Move the ram to different banks.

Rags