Aint broke - dont fix it !

[xt477]

system specs.
AMD K6 2-500, DFI MB., 64 megs ram, 2-4.3 gig SCSI hds, Adaptec 2940, ATI All in wonder 128, 16 bit SB AWE, SMC 8432 NIC, USR 56k. Running continuously for the last 6 months or so.

Was running WIN98 and started having minor glitches. Explorer would "crash" after dialup would connect. This would just mean you lost the DNS icon on the task bar. Eveytyhing else worked fine. Just little things like this.

Blamed the glitches on 98 first edition and to take advantage of SE's internet sharing I installed WIN98_se. Clean install Fdisked and formated from a clean write protected floppy.

Oh brother!

After setup was complete I couldnt see the network. Looking closer found that there was a problem with the nic card. Windows reported that it locked up trying to initialize the card and would never try to agian! Ok so I lost a nic card, removed that card from device manager. Shut down removed that card and installed a 3com. booted safe mode command prompt only and ran 3c5x9cfg. At the autoconfig card prompt program would crash. Looked like a carriage return then just freeze. Bios see's the card booting up just cant configure it. Finally after trying every CMOS setting I disable the CPU internal cache and bataboom it works! Just damn slow. Ok processor is bad. I swap out the CPU with another one from an identical machine and it does the exact same thing.
Ok motherboard! I buy a new DFI MB and now can setup the 3com card. but the new MB only has 2 isa slots so i must use the SMC.
Now after reformatting and setting up windows I can see the network, but! If I remove the realmode drivers for my SCSI controller I get either a blue screen of death reporting an error with "OD" or a stacks overflow, Increse stacks command in the config.sys.

Replaced the SCSI controller with a like one and still have the same error.

I give up!!!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Jeff

[Schui]

get a new mobo and chip. AMD Duron's are cheap now....

Sorry.... It's a very wierd problem. I get it now and again.... running similar system (450k62, FIC 503+, 128ram etc) and I often loose explorer.... but everything carries on fine. Installed Win2k, with dual boot and 98, (for my older dos games) and everythings fine. There's a VIA 4in1 patch if your mobos' got a Via chipset.... can't remember what your post said.>!

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A General Protection Error has occured - Time to go home...

[xt477]

it was the VIA chipset.

FIC knows they have a piece of crap chipset and recommends that you remove all cards. Then install windows, the VIA patch and finally start adding your cards back.

Jeeze what a fix!