Asus A8R-MVP Discussion

360_Rog · Apr 12, 2006, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 360_Rog

Me too. It happens about once every week to ten days.

For me, this issue sometimes BEGINS on a fresh boot. It will stay that way until the system is rebooted again. Now every time I boot and I hear the windows xp wave file all messed up, I sigh, wait for the services to load, then re-reboot.

Could this be the product of the particular combination of A8R-MVP, Creative X-Fi Platinum, and ATI X1800XT?

Oops! Never mind. You guys don't have exactly the same hardware...

GreenEnvy · Apr 12, 2006, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 360_Rog

I have exactly the same problems. I've been able to reduce the freezing and rebooting, but it still happens at least once per day, and usually twice. Have you kept a log of times when it happens (I've turned off all the power management so that I can turn the monitors back on and see the time)? Hardware specs are in my sig. I've reinstalled windows enough times that I've had to call Microsoft to reactivate my copy of XP. I've changed my power supply from OCZ Modstream 520 to Enermax Liberty 620. No change. I've been waiting for the LanParty UT CFX3200 to come out so I can replace my POS A8R-MVP, but it's still vapourware in Vancouver. Vapourware that keeps going up in price too...and it's not even on the shelf yet (it's now priced at $267.90 CDN for PRE-ORDER)!

Mine has not ever locked and stayed locked, it always freezes for a few seconds then reboots, so I don't see the time on it. From memory, I don't remember any discernable time pattern in the rebooting.
I put in an Audigy yesterday, will see if I get any crashes now or not.
Thankfully I am a network admin, and we use WinXP corp VLK at work, so I don't need to worry about activating every time I reinstall Windows.

P@N · Apr 12, 2006, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grog

The "/usepmtimer" options is appended to the "boot.ini" file if you install the AMD drivers from AMD. Now if you don't want Cool-'n'-Quite you can just set the "boot.ini" options yourself which is what I did.

Look in your "C:\boot.ini" file. You should be able to just edit your "boot.ini" file with notepad. Just make sure the "/usepmtimer" option is used as shown below.

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windo ws XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer

NOTE: Without this option freezing, sound problems and a host of other issues are expected. Not a ASUS issue, a dual-core X2 "feature".

Greg

Mmm, but 'm not using a dualcore cpu (see sign). However I will give it a try ... let's see if it works

Zwisch · Apr 12, 2006, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grog

For the sound problem are you sure you have the " /usepmtimer" option in your "boot.ini" file?

I am not using onboard sound but the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro Sound Card I am using is trouble free.

I have the All-In-Wonder X1800XL paired with the ASUS A8R-MVP and I usually have either the TV playing in the corner of my screen or I am playing a DVD. No skip in sound at all. Games do not have skip issues as well.

Frankly my ASUS A8R-MVP has been stable as hell for me. No lockups, no problems of any kind.

The only issue I had with the board was the Ethernet driver and I have already posted a fix for that issue. Simply download the driver from Marvel!

I am sure my Asus motherboard is crap from reading this thread but so far I have been unable to prove it to myself. Sorry to say I am happy with both ASUS A8R-MVP boards I bought. One in my system and one in my wife's.

Puzzled.

Grog:
I have nearly the same setup as you (AMD X2 3800/Xfi/X1800XL AIW), but my computer is locking up all the time when I have a USB device attached. I've changed the boot.ini file a while ago, but the problem persists.

If you don't mind, could you verify whether you have any attached USB devices to your A8R-MVP and what revision your Motherboard is? (Revision # is on the board itself. Mine is a 1.02G) Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm beginning to suspect that it might be a Asus manufacturing batch problem, as lots of people have no issues with the board, while others are having lots of issues.

Anyone else have a 1.02G version board that's causing issues?

Cheers,
Zwisch

jpinard · Apr 12, 2006, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwisch

Grog:
I have nearly the same setup as you (AMD X2 3800/Xfi/X1800XL AIW), but my computer is locking up all the time when I have a USB device attached. I've changed the boot.ini file a while ago, but the problem persists.

If you don't mind, could you verify whether you have any attached USB devices to your A8R-MVP and what revision your Motherboard is? (Revision # is on the board itself. Mine is a 1.02G) Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm beginning to suspect that it might be a Asus manufacturing batch problem, as lots of people have no issues with the board, while others are having lots of issues.

Anyone else have a 1.02G version board that's causing issues?

Cheers,
Keith

Mine is 1.02G.

Nightowl225 · Apr 12, 2006, 04:32 PM

You guys really want to tell ASUS how you feel about this board, fill out their survey form. I'm going and I'm getting ready to get an ABIT Crossfire board, checked this morning and they are fixing the problems with that board.

http://sip.asus.com/Survey/Questionn...326171300.aspx

grog · Apr 12, 2006, 04:42 PM

USB is working fine for me and I have a number of USB devices connected.

I am using USB keyboard/mouse.
I have an external USB DVR+RW drive connected.
I have the ATI USB remote wonder plus connected.
I have my Dell 2405FPW monitor connected which provides an extra USB HUB and 6in1 card reader... all USB.
I also have a USB floppy connected right now.
My APC UPS is also connected via USB.

And I don't have one problem with USB.
I have even burned a number of DVD's on this system without an issue using my external USB DVD/+RW drive.

I am even running Linux Fedora Core-5 64Bit Edition from an external USB hard drive. So USB is not a problem here at all.

I am also running the same revision of the board, 1.02G.

Greg

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwisch

Grog:
I have nearly the same setup as you (AMD X2 3800/Xfi/X1800XL AIW), but my computer is locking up all the time when I have a USB device attached. I've changed the boot.ini file a while ago, but the problem persists.

If you don't mind, could you verify whether you have any attached USB devices to your A8R-MVP and what revision your Motherboard is? (Revision # is on the board itself. Mine is a 1.02G) Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm beginning to suspect that it might be a Asus manufacturing batch problem, as lots of people have no issues with the board, while others are having lots of issues.

Anyone else have a 1.02G version board that's causing issues?

Cheers,
Zwisch

Zwisch · Apr 12, 2006, 04:59 PM

Thanks for the detailed response Grog.

I guess I'm going to have to RMA and see if anything changes.

BTW, what version MB bios are you running? 0309 or 0402?

grog · Apr 12, 2006, 05:13 PM

BIOS Version 0309

This is the BIOS version that shipped with my board.

Greg

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zwisch

Thanks for the detailed response Grog.

I guess I'm going to have to RMA and see if anything changes.

BTW, what version MB bios are you running? 0309 or 0402?

Order 66 · Apr 12, 2006, 05:15 PM

It would be nice if the problems could be tied to one revision of the board. That way, an easy fix could be made, i.e an exchange.

Nightowl225 · Apr 12, 2006, 05:32 PM

Mine too is a 1.02G.

P@N · Apr 12, 2006, 06:11 PM

Okay I tried Grogs suggestion and added /usepmtimer to the boot.ini. And guess what

, so far the sound hasn't skipped or stuttered once. And I've tried Dvd's, mp3s, xvids, divx etc. So I think your solution works

If I don't have any stuttering tomorrow.. I think I can join the lucky few with a 100% working A8r-mvp, besides the 1t and vcore issue that is ..

Some pages ago, I mentioned that my new Maxtor DiamondMax 10 300gb sata2 harddisk has an booting issue in combination with the Uli raid bios. Well I've searched the Internet and found that the Maxtor DiamondMax 10 sata2 harddisks have an issue with our mainboards (the problems lies with Maxtors firmware) . So do not buy the DiamondMax 10 sata2 if you have an A8R-MVP !!!

@ Zwisch
Have you attached the EZ_Plug? Because I believe that the lack of EZ_plug is causing the usb problems...

Ah and here is a picture of mine 1.02g (with Ez_plug attached and no USB problems):

GreenEnvy · Apr 12, 2006, 07:06 PM

Little update, new sound card did not resolve the crashing, however I disabled the onboard USB controller, and so far no crashes, and I just played an hour of BF2.
I'll keep trying it and see how it is.

I wasn't actively using USB ports before, but I have a multireader/floppy drive that uses 2 usb 2.0 connections on to mobo, so they would have been active.

Zwisch · Apr 12, 2006, 07:21 PM

P@N: It's funny, but if you check back in this thread, I was the one who originally suggested that plugging in the EZ_Plug would solve the USB problems.

Unfortunately, after a few days of no USB crashes, they've returned for me... and at a greater frequency. If you have any other ideas, please let me know. It's appreciated.

Cheers,
Zwisch

AlexM105 · Apr 13, 2006, 02:50 AM

What happened with that email, Veridian3?

P@N · Apr 13, 2006, 07:54 AM

2 bad, I'm still having the sound issues. So the option Grog mentioned does not work. Anyone an other suggestion?

Order 66 · Apr 13, 2006, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P@N

2 bad, I'm still having the sound issues. So the option Grog mentioned does not work. Anyone an other suggestion?

Are you using Windows drivers, or Analog Digital drivers? It seems that the Analog Digital drivers are very buggy.

P@N · Apr 13, 2006, 12:42 PM

I'm using the Analog Drivers, because the microsoft drivers don't support the spdif, which I have to use for my 5.1 receiver.

AlexM105 · Apr 13, 2006, 08:18 PM

Well, I honestly got SICK of waiting, so I just sent a Support Ticket to ATi relating to some Catalyst 6.4 issues and I also wrote about the A8R-MVP. The first reply back gave me some generic FAQ kind of thing, so I wrote back telling them that's not what I need, and I'm now waiting for a reply from a person (not automated).

I'll let you guys know.

skruB · Apr 14, 2006, 02:26 AM

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50223

AlexM105 · Apr 14, 2006, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skruB

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50223

Are you gonna get it? I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I just spent a lot of cash on the X1900XT, so I won't be able to for a while.

jpinard · Apr 14, 2006, 07:55 AM

Well, the proof is in the pudding guys. Same hardware, different motherboard. These test results say it all. Asus A8R-MVP (tweaked out for 3 months) vs. DFI NF4 Ultra-D (tweaked out in a couple of hours)

3dMark 2003

http://service.futuremark.com/orb/mu...=1&c=574004606

As expected, the DFI (oh this is a cheaper DFI board too) blows away the Asus in cpu scores. and beats it in every category save one.

3DMark 2001: Same great results for DFI vs. Asus.

http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=8942495

jpinard · Apr 14, 2006, 08:23 AM

Another one. 3dMark 2005, the DFI NF4 just kills the Asus A8R-MVP

http://service.futuremark.com/orb/mu...&c=-2025877885

AlexM105 · Apr 14, 2006, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpinard

Another one. 3dMark 2005, the DFI NF4 just kills the Asus A8R-MVP

http://service.futuremark.com/orb/mu...&c=-2025877885

It would be a better comparison if the DFI was using the same Catalyst version... Catalyst 6.4 improved 3DMark CPU scores.

skruB · Apr 14, 2006, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexM105

Are you gonna get it? I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I just spent a lot of cash on the X1900XT, so I won't be able to for a while.

I'm in the same boat you are, dude....my XTX wasn't cheap, and NewEgg has the 'board listed over $200...so to answer your question, I won't be able to for a while, either...

Alicomb · Apr 14, 2006, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexM105

Well, I honestly got SICK of waiting, so I just sent a Support Ticket to ATi relating to some Catalyst 6.4 issues and I also wrote about the A8R-MVP. The first reply back gave me some generic FAQ kind of thing, so I wrote back telling them that's not what I need, and I'm now waiting for a reply from a person (not automated).

I'll let you guys know.

I have so far had 2 tickets from ATI the first was a standard FAQ that didn't really help in the situation, especially when I already indicated that i have check all my drivers.

working in support myself i sort of know what I am doing, however the second e-mail was just as bad informing me that the problems could be fixed with the new cats.

I will install them tonight and test, however since i've had my blue screens since drivers 5.13 i am not holding our much hope.

The second ticket i sent to them even included the windows dump files as well as my dxdiag and msinfo files.