Looking 4 a new motherboard?

TaWasNe · Mar 27, 2004, 07:40 PM

Hi guys

Just looking at getting a new MB, At the mo i have a Abit AT7-MAX2 and looking for a real shit hot MB for Overclocking

i will be looking at getting DualMem as well

was thinking of the Abit AN7 MB.

So come on guys help me out here?

Big thanks for any help u can give

oh got a AMD XP3000+ unlocked

free_refil · Mar 27, 2004, 07:52 PM

Are you looking for an AMD or Intel based board? Know what chipset you are wanting to use? What about posting your system spec's so that we/I can determine what board would suit your setup!

TaWasNe · Mar 27, 2004, 07:56 PM

here is spec:

ATI RADEON 9700 ATLANTIS PRO
Abit AT7-MAX2
AMD XP3000+ unlocked nice for over clocking but not clocked at the mo
512 Kingston HyperX DDr400mhz
400 gig HD space
Sound Blaster Audigy 2
Lite-On 52x24x52
Pioneer DVDRW 106

but looking at getting new 1 gig of Dual mem as well

free_refil · Mar 27, 2004, 08:01 PM

Have you ever considered making the switch to Intel? If you're going to be shopping for a new board, you could sell your old board and CPU for cash towards a nice P4 C!!!

TaWasNe · Mar 27, 2004, 08:04 PM

just only got my cpu 4 weeks ago.

But i'm having problems with my motherboard and its still under Warrantee thats why i said new

Necrosis · Mar 27, 2004, 08:17 PM

I'm a bit out of touch when it comes to newer XP boards. Isn't your board "supposed" to be a pretty good OC'er?

The DFI boards seem to be well recommended as well as the old standard Abit NF7-S. I also heard the AN7 is good too.

Judas · Mar 27, 2004, 09:09 PM

the AT7-MAX2 isn't an overclocker... it a full featured board... seriously one of the best and considering it's a MAX Series board... man... works wonderfully.... what's your problem with the board... also... if you are running 3000+ but want to pump it up... simply change the Multiplier.... it'll seriously push it up and make the board last longer.... if not... i seriously suggest you hold onto it as it's a VERY VERY good board (you mentioned that you recently got your barton 3000+..... since installing it. is that when the issues showed up.... if so.... does it sometimes not want to boot... sometimes show up as 500mhz/1100mhz or some strange speed.... IF SO.... i suggest you do a simple jumper switch.... abit built the board with serious SPEED in mind... the polimino's and thorough-bred cpus work fine with it ... but doesn't appear to agree with bartons..... check the manual for a CPU DECODE SPEED jumper.. set it to normal instead of FAST... this will clear up ALL problems....and if you want to OC... setting it to normal with older cpu's will result in a more stability..... I definitely suggest you don't touch the FSB... just the multiplier......and cpu vcore..... If you plan on selling it.. the board is not without value... they still sell for nearly the (and in my case more) then the same price when the first appeared.... MOST EXCELLENT FOR servers) ....i'd wait just a bit longer as abit might be produceing another revision of the AN7 board... fixing all the plagued problems with it.....

BTW... i have 2 of those boards....

I've oc'd my barton 2500+ to 3000+ as you can see below... zero problems.... I can get it to run past the 3000+ without a hitch using the multiplier however.. due to me having a rather lacking.. and totally underpowered PSU (350 watt versa what i should have min of 400)... i can't get my rails stable.... (my rails actually dip at 3000+.... but i haven't encounter and serious stability problems for well over 6 months now)

TaWasNe · Mar 27, 2004, 09:29 PM

Hi judas

i have 2x IBM Deskstar 60gig i have both running on the raid but not as raid.

and running my other HD on IDE 1 and my DVD and lite-on on the IDE2

one of the main problems i'm haveing is with Harddrive which is one of the Deskstar drive

when i boot up it finds the HD ok and in winXP finds the HD, But it can not read the drive at all.

Now i have taken the HD to my mates computer shop today and asked to see if it would work on any system there.

so we tryed it and had no problems with it at all, all system we tryed it on found it and u could have accsses to the drive.

so i made a back up of all the data on it just to make shaw i have it all. i have not tryed it in my system again yet but will be doing that in the morning.

and will try the HD my mate has let me taken to see if its my motherboard.

will let ya know how it goes

Judas · Mar 28, 2004, 12:37 AM

Ok... i've encountered this before... it's not limited to Abit AT7-MAX2 board at all...

But i have suggestions.... this will OUTLINE absalutely everything i can think of right off the top of my head.. with a little help from my own install practices to perfecting my installs for both speed and complete and utter pure stability.... (i was shaky at first when i first got this mobo.... but it's always the case when you get your first bike)

OK... to make things simple.. i'm going to try and put everything in order.... and put working direct links to things you need to make sure it's all running dandy...

WARNING... i will not take responcibility for ANYTHING that you or your computer might do to itself/you/your surroundings.....

First of all... check this: BIOS...

ftp://63.241.67.41/pub/download/bios...ax2/at72eb.exe

Download this if you haven't before (you can check your bios version on bootup... down at the bottom there is a string of numbers/letters... if i recall without rebooting myself.... it's at the end... SEE if it says "EB" at the end... if it does... skip this part comming up and move to step 2

STEP 1: After downloading and saving it to a location you can remember free of other files... Get a unused (or clean out one) floppy disk ready... Download
>THIS< and run it... this will create a very very excellent bootup disk created specifically with bios Flashing/backing up IN MIND..... it's finished.. copy the Bios files i had you download directly to this boot disk ... (don't put them in a folder) and make sure that you don't WRITE protect the floppy after (you'll know why next)

NOTE-If you have some things preset in the bios... you will want to take note of these settings now...

Next.... reboot your computer.. making sure that your FLOPPY is set to the first boot device.... (if it isn't, set it up now in the bios and reboot again).... let the floppy chew a bit then you'll be presented with a A:\ prompt.... that's it.... type in "runme.bat" and hit enter... It may that this point tell you that you should make sure no other programs have been ran.... blah blah blah......just continue through.....let it do it's thing and MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T INTERUPT THIS PROCESS AT ALL.... it will make a backup of your last bios onto the floppy.... if it finishes that successfully.. it'll automatically start updating the bios....this should all take a matter of a minute or 2 to complete.... after which ... it may tell you to hit f1 or ENTER or some key combination to reboot your computer..... do it.... IF your computer doesn't reboot... DON'T TRY TO POWER IT UP again.. shut it off if it's stuck..... reset the CMOS before trying to start it again... (i've yet to encounter this happening... abit does recommend you reset the cmos anyways... but i've never had a problem...

Go into the bios... setup your system again.... (i highly recommend that as soon as you get into the bios... hit the OPTIMAL SETTINGS right away.... THEN start from the begginning and work your way through everything... make sure CPU COMMAND DECODE IS STILL SET TO NORMAL....

OK.... now to the next part....

STEP 2:

Apon booting... you should have 2 bootup screens... one being the mainboard... and the other being the HIGHPOINT TECH..... to enter the highpoint tech... you have the push CTRL+H ..... (tap both a few times to make sure you get in)..... this is were you set up the hardrives.... which is the boot... what is what.... if it's hidden... a pile of things.... you want your main hardrive to be setup as the boot drive... the other you want as just being seen as another available hardrive.... in some weird auto setups... i've encountered some drives not even showing up at all.... or the second was mirroring the first... but this step is simply to see what your settings are setup like... you don't want raid i suspect..... After setting that up... setting the boot... checking things over..... (read your abit mobo manual for more info on the highpoint tech bios)..

STEP 3: Getting the latest highpoint tech drivers.... (please.. don't use abit download list... try and get each driver package from there respective true manufactures.... like the via 4in1's from via themselves... highpoint ones from them etc.)

Abit has the 1.23 drivers available for download.. true these are the latest.... but i recommend you do a clean true setup...

this is how it's done.... put your Highpoint floppy you have received with the mobo... in and format it with the same LABEL... (btw.. never use QUICK format).... set the cluster sizes to the default..... Clean it right out... NEXT download this (it's not the absalute newest... but it's recommended) version 1.23 highpoint ..... http://www.highpoint-tech.com/BIOS%2...-v123-1125.zip

Unzip it to a known location and put it in it's own folder.... now here the part were you can't make a mistake...

Your freshly formated HPT floppy is still in your drive..... go into the location you copied the files to and go into the "DRIVERS" folder..... make sure that you just don't copy the folder itself.. you have to copy the stuff inside.. all of it... .... paste it into the floppy... after completeing.. make sure that TXTSetup and Disk1 files are there... (as soon as you open up the disk... they should be visible.. and not in a subfolder.. or else the disk is useless if you plan on reinstalling)

After you successfully made this disk.. you'll have the latest drivers for your controller..

STEP 4: Make sure you have the latest Via 4-in-1s ... I've been running the 4.51's with ZERO problems.... stable.. fast... work grrrreat...

ftp://downloads.viaarena.com/drivers...4IN1_V451v.zip

Now... i can continue on with the more indepth procedures with a fresh format of the hardrive... and install of windows along with the INSTALL order.... but i'm not sure on your version of windows... be it XP... home/pro... with SP1 or not... (if it's intergrated or installed later using network isntall or express internet..... )....

I can however make another set of recommendations....

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IN THE BIOS APCI set to 1.4

AND the AGP/PCI cards setup like this:

(from top to bottom being AGP to the last PCI slot)

AGP>Use for your video card.. (this is abvious)
Empty space>use this slot for a slot fan or just nothing at all...
PCISlot1>LEAVE EMPTY... do not put anything in this .. maybe a USB braket possibly.... just don't use this PCI slot
PCISlot2>I recommend you use this one for a Sound card...(if you have one)... if you don't .. put your next most important PCI card here

The rest of the slots i'm unsure of now.... i used to know which next one to use.. but it's been awhile since i've had more then one pci card... I might have to come back and tell you later... if i get around to testing...

Again i stress that you check the abit mobo manual.. and check the CPU COMMAND DECODE jumper... set it to NORMAL... this will give you pure stability (it's set to BIOS setting by default.... which is FAST)

Another things.... Set all your drives to master if you have 4 drives...

Set your main Hardrives into the Raid arrary (also make sure your Boot Drive is on the first channel).... ( by the sounds of it you've got this cased already)

(*me scratches head*).... i think that's everything off the top of my head... if your interested in doing a fresh install to cure all possible problems.. elimate them and work from there..... also making an intergrated SP1 install disk for XP (if your running XP)..... just post a message saying you'd like it... i'll get on it.... i'll also include a more indepth..but simple layout on the best installation method....

BiGBrOwNPimpsta · Mar 28, 2004, 12:39 AM

that was a record! judas using the least number of ... in a post! good job!

Judas · Mar 28, 2004, 02:56 AM

*my hands go limp and fall off*

TaWasNe · Mar 28, 2004, 03:49 AM

Thanks Judas

i have tje latest VIA drivers but not the Highpoint one's will try that out. and let u know.
Going to back up on to backup on to DVD-RW today got about 40 gig to do lol once thats done i'll
Check out your idear.

Big thanks bud will let u know how i go on..

Judas · Mar 28, 2004, 11:48 AM

make sure you check the bios.... i'm going to look into and ask some questions about highpoint's version 3.03 driver and bios.... (see if we can update the highpoint bios on my board)

TaWasNe · Mar 30, 2004, 03:11 AM

Well just been in touch with IBM and they have siad that the HD is F**ked.

So I have a new on on its way.

Abig thanks to u Judas for your help in this matter.

[SIZE=xx-large]Ya Da Man[/size]

Judas · Apr 4, 2004, 01:42 AM

your very welcome..