stevem2k

Have you manually set the memory timings Martin ?

Is it the enermax or achme psu Martin ?

I *think* the achme has higher output, and the enermax shouldn't be shipped currently as some of them have a quality fault . If you believe it is power related, pull out the power to the cd & floppy & have another go.

Steve

[Edited by stevem2k - 4/3/2003 9:57:40 AM]

DazV

I've had amy SN41G2 for a little while now, and decided to try my GeForce3 Ti500 in it - after all, its a little faster than the integrated GF4 MX440 that comes with the PC

Trouble is when I put it in, the RAM clock ups from 333MHz to 400MHz and I can't get the damn thing to install its driver.

Has anyone added an AGP card to their XPC successfully ?

-Darren

[Edited by DazV - 3/28/2003 6:10:18 PM]

stevem2k

??

I have an agp card in mine and it went in a dream .........

You're saying the bios now has the fsb at 200 ?

Steve

towzer

Mine's fine. I've currently got a SS51G with an ATi 9700 card plus the standard integrated Intel video. Have you downloaded the AGP driver and chipset updates from shuttle.com?

Phil

DazV

Steve, boot up screen says the memory is now set to 400MHz, whereas it used to be set at 333MHz

Towzer, got all the updates for it.

-DV

stevem2k

What does the bios say ?

DazV

Just noticed they've brought out a new version of the BIOS in the LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.

Apparently it addreses a problem with the Matrox Parhelia, but I'll see if it makes any difference over the weekend.

Prior to installing the GF3 I'm unintalling the existing NVidia Display Drivers using Add/Remove programs.

Note I leave the entry in Add/Remove programs that says NVidia NForce Drivers as I assume these cover the LAN, AUDIO, etc and NOT the display drivers.

-DV

stevem2k

Re the nvidia drivers - that's correct.

I'm around over the weekend - drop me a mail to profile and I will give you my number...

Cheers

Steve

DazV

Cheers mate, very kind.

I'll see what happens after this latest BIOS update. It was a miracle I could update the BIOS as I don't have a floppy installed in the XPC, and I don't have any Win9x disks I could boot into DOS.

Ended up burning a boot CD instead with some kind of free DOS on it. If anyone wants the details let me know.

-DV

stevem2k

Oh well done ... I haven't bothered with a floppy drive this time around - and was going to look at the possibility of booting off a USB pen drive.

Steve

MartinM

Me again - with 3 more questions about my SN41G2.. (sorry, it's long...)

CPU Speed
-- I've got an XP2400+, but My Computer|Properties show it as running at 1.34GHz - seems a bit slow to me
-- so I go into the BIOS and set FSB to 133Mhz and it's unstable - just dies instantly to off after being in XP for 10 secs - 1 minute or so
-- if I'm quick, My Computer|Properties show it as running at 1.80GHz. More like it...
-- when it dies to off, it won't turn on with the power button until I remove the mains cable for 10 secs or so. I can then go into BIOS and set it back to 100Mhz FSB and its fine (but 1.34GHz only)...or I can do the trick of holding down Ins and turning on, but it doesn't seem to help much
-- FSB 166 doesn't work at all
-- I read in the Shuttle Q&A that I should be running an XP2400+ at 133Mhz FSB and 15x multiplier, but the BIOS doesn't have a multiplier setting at all
-- what gives??

USB
-- I've installed XP SP1 to get USB 2.0, but I can't tell whether I've actually got it.
--Device manager shows Universal Serial Bus controllers at the bottom, and they're all OK, but no evidence of 2.0
-- Device Manager also shows Other Devices with a yellow question mark with Universal Serial Bus (USB) Controller under it, also with a yellow question mark
-- what gives???

Stability
-- I ran SIS Sandra 2003 burn in test (1 iteration) and walked away. When I came back, machine had turned off and wouldn't restart until mains cable removed again
-- I tracked it down to the Multimedia CPU test ... m/c turns off almost immediately it starts...
-- what gives??

I don't want to overclock it, I just want the normal performance from it.

I've got the latest BIOS on (dated a few days ago), 512MB Crucial DDR PC2700 CL2.5, no additional graphics card, Plextor CDR/CDW/DVD (nice), FDD and 80GB Seagate drive.

I'm generally very impressed, and would live with the above if it was my m/c, but it's for the neighbour and I don't want to give him a low performance and unstable system

Any thoughts???

TIA, Martin


[Edited by MartinM - 3/29/2003 8:59:18 PM]

stevem2k

/me repeats mantra "tab key , not Return"

[Edited by stevem2k - 3/29/2003 10:39:30 PM]

stevem2k

ok , from the top

XP2400 is 133mhz fsb, it looks like yours is running at 100mhz. Try underclocking it in bios (expert mode) and see where it becomes stable.
166 won't work.
There is no multiplier control in bios - only fsb

USB - should come up as USB2.0 device found when you install sp1 - but I can't find any reference to it in device manager either - nothing to worry about

Stability - related to your cpu issues - there have been some instability issues with crucial 2700 ram reported on sudhian - I recall it depends on whether the chips are samsung (good) or micron (bad) - I would suggest checking.

Try it with a single stick - or swap them out if you have access to another brand.

*Most* stability issues with these boxes ( and Nforce2 motherboards in general ) seems to come down to ram.

Let us know how you get on.......

Steve

MartinM

Steve

You have mail...or will have in a mo ;

stevem2k

edited to remove address

S

[Edited by stevem2k - 3/31/2003 10:38:51 AM]

MartinM

Done - you can edit out your email address above if you wish

DazV

Since reporting my initial problem via this thread, its developed into something annoying. Every time my computer boots in the morning, the screen res resorts to 800x600, and looking in the device manager, an exclamation has been placed next to the graphics card.

If I reinstall the driver, everything is fine, until the next time I boot the computer and the whole problem repeats again.

Can someone compare their BIOS settings with me on their SN41G2:

CPU XP2600+ (BIOS recognises it correctly)
RAM: 1GB CORSAIR PLATINUM PC3200 (BIOS sets at 333MHz)
FSB: 166
T(RAS)5
T(RCD)2
T(RP)2
CAS 2.0

FSB SPREAD SPECTRUM 0.50%
AGP SPREAD SPECTRUM 0.50%

FRAME BUFFER = 32MB
AGP MEMORY = 64MB

stevem2k

My memory timings are looser than yours, but I have had issues with my 2700ddr & normal timing.

XP2600+
FSB 177
Memory Frequency By SPD
Timings
RAS 8
RCD 4
RP 4
CAS 2.5

FSB Spread : Disabled
AGP Spread : Disabled
Frame Buffer : disabled
AGP Aperture 64M
8x Support Enabled
Fast Write Enabled


Don't forget I'm not using the IGP though


Steve

DazV

Ok, will give it a go.

Noticed I can't uninstall the NFORCE drivers in ADD/REMOVE progs. Think I'm heading towards a re-install of WinXP

-DV

stevem2k

you shouldn't uninstall the nforce chipset drivers

The ones listed as 2000/XP Nforce Drivers and Nforce Utilities need to stay.........


Steve

DazV

Major bad news on the SHuttle front - put my GF3 in. It switched FSB to 100MHz, so I switched it back to 166MHz and now I can't get it to boot at all!

Tried clearing CMOS - no joy
Tried holding down INS when switching on - no joy, although my keyboard is cordless so don't know if that makes any difference.

I've been told it may be possible to create a boot floppy that will auto flash the BIOS and get all my settings back to normal.

Well cheesed off now.

-DV

MartinM

Steve, DazV

Hmm...not too happy here either

I've got some major SN41G2 instability somewhere - it now boots up and either:
- I get into the BIOS settings and whilst I'm thinking about what to do (<10 seconds) the machine powers off and it's the old 'mains plug out for 10 seconds' before it will restrart from the power button
- it offers me the Safe mode/last known good settings/normal boot text page. Nothing works except Safe mode and thats gives me a page or two of driver loading messages and then hangs on mup.sys (damn muppets)

I'm not interested in any overclocking/aggressive settings - I just want the damn thing to work

XP2400+ (reported as XP2200+ ), runs at 1.34Ghz with PC2700 and 1.80GHZ with PC2100...weird
1 stick Crucial 512MB PC2700 333MHz
...or two sticks generic 256MB PC2100 -- doesn't matter which
Internal Graphics Card
..I've got a spare Radeon 8500 - any benefit in trying that??? (is it a BIOS setting?)
..CPU temps fine (when I get a chance to see them) at 42C

Martin
...I might RMA it back to Gemma and get a standard ATX card and midi-tower, but I don't really want to...

stevem2k

Martin,

As you discovered yesterday, that crucial memory is what is causing most of the instability. Can you RMA that for some Corsair 2700 ?

For now, try 1 stick 256x2100ddr + the Rad8500 and see if it becomes stable at bios defaults, then add the extra stick after.

Steve

DazV

Heads up for people with boot up problems.

If you goto the main site, www.shuttle.com and select "shuttle headquarters" from the list of global sites.

Goto support and check out the FAQ section on the XPC systems. They've a section detailing a new BIOS update which will help people who've inadvertently modified the FSB to unusable settings.

They've also got a zip file which you can extract to a bootable floppy which will reprogram the bios and get it stable again.

Sadly my Shuttle still won't boot and won't even try to look at the floppy. Don't know what to do next.

May try Steve's suggestion of booting with only one stick of ram, etc...

Overclockers tech support weren't very helpful - they told me I may have "knocked something" and asked me to rebuild the system again from scratch!

-DV

stevem2k

you anything like local to me Daz ?


Steve

DazV

Steve, three hundred miles ?

Why don't you pop in for a couple of cold ones ?

stevem2k

ar$e ...

Like to see me explain that one to the missus ..." just off to try and fix a(nother) computer dear .. see you in tomorrow ..."

DazV

Shuttle is still Donald Ducked.

Any ideas anyone ?

To recap:
Running latest BIOS
2x Corsair 512MB Platinum PC3200
XP2600+
WDC (120GB) H/DISK

Put GF3 in, and now won't boot at all.

Tried the following:
1. Run via GF3 DVI
2. Run via GF3 DSUB
3. Remove GF3 and run via integral GF4 (DSUB) socket #1
4. Remove GF3 and run via integral GF4 (DSUB) socket #2
5. Remove stick of PC3200 RAM
6. Clear CMOS jumper
7. INS held down whilst booting
8. Use shuttle boot disk to try and auto-flash BIOS

None of the above will work.
Will be away work-wise for a little while from tomorrow - so if don't answer for a while, you'll know why.

-DV

stevem2k

I reckon you'll get it up if you can find a pci graphics card from somewhere.


Steve

DazV

Steve - forgot to mention - I've tried that too. No luck.

In all my time fiddling with PC's I've never been in this position before!

Whats the ultimate solution ? Replace the BIOS chip ?

-DV