KT7A-RAID random lockups?

**AssRash** · August 20th, 2001, 10:32 PM

Hey, folks,

Anyone had problems with random lockups on the KT7A-RAID? I'm running the following:

- KT7A-RAID (Rev. 1.1, BIOS 3R)
- High Point 1.11.xxxx
- 1.2GHz Athlon (266FSB)
- Taisol forged heatsink w/ Sunon fan
- Win2K SP2
- 392MB PC133 SDRAM (3 DIMMs)
- 32MB TNT2 Ultra
- SB Live! 5.1

I have gone by VIAHardware.com's FAQ for the KT7A-RAID for optimal BIOS settings, using various combinations to solve some minor issues, including jittery mouse movement and sound problems.

The major problem I have now is just random lockups. No Ctrl-Alt-Del functionality, no warning, and no specific thing that sets it off. I can be listening to MP3s or dragging the mouse around on the screen. Really weird.

Some folks have said RAM slot 2 can cause problems. I removed a DIMM with no effect on the lockup problem. Also lowered I/O voltage from 3.4v to 3.3v, per a recommendation from VIAHardware.com. Running the CPU voltage at 1.80v, but the VIA hardware monitor is reading 1.85v. I'm thinking about going back down to 1.75v.

VIA 4-in-1 drivers (v.4.32) are installed. BIOS is up-to-date. Temps are running around 46° C during regular application use (no gaming). I wasn't sure, with this 1.2GHz processor, if it was running a little hot. Otherwise, I'm lost. All ideas are welcome.

Thanks,
Michael

**Sowulo** · August 21st, 2001, 12:17 AM

Two quick thoughts...Power supply? (responsible for a lot of mystery random lockups) And an observation that you have older Highpoint drivers installed. Get the current ones here.

**Froghead** · August 21st, 2001, 01:40 AM

I'll agree with sowulo on the power supply. I've had to replace an extraordinarily high number of them in the past few weeks. Hmmm... is there an easy way to test their reliabilty?

Also do you have any USB devices connected? If so see if disconnecting them makes any difference.

There is also the SB Live and VIA 686B issue that I couldn't ever resolve on one KT7A system even with all the patches, updates and tweaks. AS the client had to have the SBLIve I replaced the board with an A7A266 and all was well. The KT7A board lives quite happily in my home system with a SB128.

**JWW** · August 21st, 2001, 10:43 AM

You have not said if you have reserved IRQ5 for Legacy/ISA in the BIOS. If not then try this first. Solves a lot of problems.

The temperature is fine, mine idles at between 49-52C with no problems.

Also which drivers are you using for the 5:1? Using the default Win2K WDM drivers solves a few compatiability probs with the 686B chipset but you will lose obviously the 5:1 feature.

I haven't come across the SBLive/686B problem in numerous systems that I have worked on, since I read one of DW's posts a few months back & set my (and all others since) to the way he has done his & not had any problems at all.

It may be worth going back through some of the threads in the Tech to Tech, Motherboard & Sound card forum's to find these out.

**AssRash** · August 21st, 2001, 12:24 PM

[quote]Originally posted by JWW:
You have not said if you have reserved IRQ5 for Legacy/ISA in the BIOS. If not then try this first. Solves a lot of problems.

The temperature is fine, mine idles at between 49-52C with no problems.

Also which drivers are you using for the 5:1? Using the default Win2K WDM drivers solves a few compatiability probs with the 686B chipset but you will lose obviously the 5:1 feature.

**Capricorn** · August 21st, 2001, 01:17 PM

Probably not much help, but I had exactly the same problem with lockups, no control alt delete etc. After going almost mad with it, and having even tried changing the RAM, I found that the problem was with the Graphics Card (ATI) I changed the card, no more problems. I am running an Athlon 1.2 with a 300w PSU, which was recommended. Temp usually between 48 and 52.

**ephmynus** · August 21st, 2001, 01:48 PM

[quote]Originally posted by Froghead:
Also do you have any USB devices connected? If so see if disconnecting them makes any difference.

**AssRash** · August 21st, 2001, 02:47 PM

[quote]Originally posted by Capricorn:
Probably not much help, but I had exactly the same problem with lockups, no control alt delete etc. After going almost mad with it, and having even tried changing the RAM, I found that the problem was with the Graphics Card (ATI) I changed the card, no more problems. I am running an Athlon 1.2 with a 300w PSU, which was recommended. Temp usually between 48 and 52.

**AssRash** · August 22nd, 2001, 06:57 AM

Well...I installed that updated version of the High Point controller driver -- to 1.2x. No random lockups, but the mouse jitters I was having earlier returned. Not too bad, but unpleasant nonetheless. I'm going to run it for a day with that driver and see what happens.

I noticed that, in Device Manager, there were two (2) entries under the SCSI controller. One was the High Point ATA100 controller; the other was something like High Point RMA Controller(?). When I updated the drivers on the obvious controller, the other High Point item was not updated. I used the same driver to update that one as well.

Any ideas?

**JWW** · August 22nd, 2001, 10:10 AM

Newer drivers than the ones supplied with on the Abit Floppy or CD are known for the Mouse jittering problem (it is noted on the Drivers page of the KT7 FAQ)

I don't see how you have disabled the ISA slot on the board via the BIOS as none of the BIOS's that I had got (& used) for the KT7A-RAID (WW & higher) have this option in them..... unless you have a 1.3 revision board (which I have not used yet so cannot comment there).

OK here we go.

Last resort time, remove any expansion cards one at a time & see if this solves the problem.

For the User with the ATI problem, which card was this that you had the problem with??? I haven't encountered a single problem using ATI cards on these boards (from Xpert@Works through to 64Mb DDR Radeon ViVo) except for the renaming of a file with the 64Mb RADEON DDR boards, & all the cards that supported AGP 4X from ATI were run in AGP 4X mode.

**Capricorn** · August 22nd, 2001, 11:32 AM

The Graphics Card I had problems with, was the Xpert2000Pro 32mb AGP with TV out. I tried it in both my computers, and it locked up both of them. I took it back and got a refund. I replaced it with an old Voodoo 3000 Card in one of my computers, and it is fine. I have still to get another card for my other computer.

**AssRash** · August 22nd, 2001, 12:38 PM

[quote]Originally posted by JWW:
Newer drivers than the ones supplied with on the Abit Floppy or CD are known for the Mouse jittering problem (it is noted on the Drivers page of the KT7 FAQ)

I don't see how you have disabled the ISA slot on the board via the BIOS as none of the BIOS's that I had got (& used) for the KT7A-RAID (WW & higher) have this option in them..... unless you have a 1.3 revision board (which I have not used yet so cannot comment there).

OK here we go.

Last resort time, remove any expansion cards one at a time & see if this solves the problem.

**AssRash** · August 22nd, 2001, 07:18 PM

[quote]There is also the SB Live and VIA 686B issue that I couldn't ever resolve on one KT7A system even with all the patches, updates and tweaks. AS the client had to have the SBLIve I replaced the board with an A7A266 and all was well. The KT7A board lives quite happily in my home system with a SB128.[/QB]

**AssRash** · August 24th, 2001, 02:33 PM

Ladies and gentlemen,

In 2 working days, I'll be the owner of a KG7-RAID motherboard. To hell with the VIA sh*tset and my KT7A-RAID.

While I was rebuilding my machine from the dead with the KT7A-RAID, I DID get brand new Crucial PC133 (CL2) 128MB SDRAM DIMMs...three (3) of 'em. If you wann buy 'em, PM me. They were used in an unmodified motherboard/CPU/video card setup for 12-15 hours total.

Thank you all for your help, but I've lost nearly 2 weeks worth of freelance web development time (my laptop chokes on Adobe Photoshop 6.0 and CF Studio 4.5.2) because of the KT7A-RAID.

Also, I may have already lost my fiancée somewhere in the pile of Microsoft KB article printouts, boxes, bubble wrap, and shipping peanuts in our apartment's sunroom. I've not seen her for a week.

I hear her fussing a lot about the computer though. She must be here somewhere.

**JWW** · August 28th, 2001, 06:40 AM

If it is the sound card that was causing the problems, then unfortunatly you are going to get the same problem on the KG7 as the problem lies with the Southbridge (686B) which the KG7 has as well!!!!!!

I see all these people knocking the KT7A-RAID, & if there was major problems with them why are a lot of people having no problems at all with theirs, including myself????? I will say that they are not the easiest of boards to setup, but if you know what to set & not to set in the BIOS & install any add-on cards in the right sockets regarding I/O resources, you will have no problems at all.

If the KT7A-RAID was not stable or any good, why would a die-hard Intel user such as DW choose this board over his beloved Intel boards & chips, and then rave over it's stability & performance???? Because he has it set up correctly, and there are no secrets where he got the information to set it up from..... VIA Hardware's KT7 FAQ. All the information is there that you need.

Sorry if I sound harsh, but the boards are not the problem unfortunatly & people use them as the excuse, instead of actually sitting down and thinking about things laterally instead of expecting them to work without tweaking. I understand that you ahve sat down and tried to get it working, but I see that you have been going through the MS Knowledge Base, which unfortunatly does not offer much help in regards to the problems that you are having.

The ISA IRQ reference I am talking about is under, PNP Settings - IRQ Resources - Set to Manual - enter IRQ Settings - Assign IRQ5 to Legacy/ISA PNP - save & exit. Sounds like that this step has not been taken from your answers and is NECESSARY on all boards that use the Highpoint RAID controller (or any IDE RAID Controller even expansion cards) & PCI sound cards.

Also do not run your TNT2 in AGP4X mode as this is asking for problems as well.

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