A8N-SLI - is it really this bad?

[Speedo]

I only play one game: UT2k4. I also have another friend who also only play this game. We bought almost the same new systems, based on the A8N-SLI, except my friend had to reuse more from his old setup. Now, we have the same problem. UT2k4 random freezes. Sometimes after some minutes, sometimes after a few hours.

My friend has the non-deluxe verison, and he can sometimes get back into the game after like 10 secconds. I always have to hard-reset. So what happens when it freezes? Well, the graphics stop totally, while the sound starts "looping". If I'm really patient, I can get to the desktop and do a soft restart. So it seems its only UT that hung, not the whole machine.

Now, why do I blame the A8N-SLI? Well, we have tried EVERYTHING. Me and my friend are using different bioses, so that's not it. We have tried different chipset driver versions, as well as different graphics driver versions (71.84, 66.93) without luck. It's not an overclocking issue, since it happens at both overclocked and default speeds. Systems are running cool. WinXP has all available updates. Tried different UT patches (3339, 3355). System is cleanly installed; no virus or adwares. Also, no antivirus programs is installed (behind a NAT firewall). DEP on or off doesn't make any difference (with the latest gfx drivers).

When trying to find the problem, I have thought much about what me and my friend have in common and not. We have the same mobo, although he has the non-deluxe. We are both using the Leadtek PX6600GT TDH (although I have have the Extreme flavour) and Logitech mice. HDD, memory and PSU however is different. On the software front we have both installed all the latest XP updates, some codecs and other usual programs. Nothing special here.

So, as far as I can see, it must be either the motherboard itself, a bios setting, or possibly some software we have in common, although I couldn't see what since we haven't installed much at all. I had more software installed on my old setup, and it ran withouth a hitch.

I also met another guy which also have the A8N-SLI, and said he has similar problems, but with a completely different game.

Right now everything points --> Asus A8N-SLI. The only thing I find strange, is that I cant seem to find many other in the forums with the same problem...

 

[blinky8225]

I think the No Executable feature of the AMD processor might be the problem.

 

[BAR007]

Have you updated video drivers to the newest? I have A8N-SLI deluxe, and I play UT04. I've played w/ either 1 or 2 MSI 6600GTs. I had reboot problems w/ older driver, but the new has been flawless.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: BAR007
Have you updated video drivers to the newest? I have A8N-SLI deluxe, and I play UT04. I've played w/ either 1 or 2 MSI 6600GTs. I had reboot problems w/ older driver, but the new has been flawless.

What he said:thumbsup:

 

[BlackMountainCow]

as well as different graphics driver versions without luck.

I guess he has!

 

[NokiaDude]

You're not running an SLI setup right?

 

[Speedo]

blinky8225 & BAR007: You are talking about the DEP problem which also exist with UT2k4. And yes, we went thru that problem aswell (BSOD at exit or tab-to-windows), but it was solved with DEP turned off and later the 71.84 drivers.

The problem we are having now is much worse, since its so hard to reproduce. It always happens when I'm playing an important match it seems. Actually, as it is now, my clan members wont let me play any matches, since we never know if I'm going to finnish the match or not.

Of course I tried the latest drivers. When I install a new system I always put in all the latest drivers for all the hardware. Only if there is a problem I try reverting back to older ones to see what happens.

NokiaDude: No SLI. Only a single 6600GT. I got the Asus board for stability (and good experience with them in the past) but I really do regret that now. Stability btw... When I think about it I almost start to laugh. I haven't seen so many BSOD and freezes with any other setup I've built. Also, I feel akward towards my friend which I recommended these parts for. This is just terrible.

 

[Speedo]

I just looked thru the bios again.

Is it correct to have "PCI Express Clock = 100" and "PCI Syncronisation Mode = 33.33" at both default and overclocked speeds?

 

[mrscintilla]

must be problems at your end. try unload the activearmor and nv firewall stuff. I don't know what else to try.
I am running my a8n-sli stable for couple months now. playing IL-2.. no problem whatsoever....

maybe your components have problems. don't blame it on the board yet.

 

[Speedo]

The nv firewall is not installed.

Components problems? As I wrote, me and my friend has the same problem, and the only common thing we have is the motherboard and Leadtek 6600GT as well as using Logitech mice.

 

[steamnputer]

You may want to take this over to the A8N thread see if anyone else has had or is having this problem.
One thing I did not see is which LAN port are you using, and is the other disabled.
Also there are updaded Nforce4 drivers as I did not see that mention specifically.

steamnputer

 

[FastEddie]

To start, you need to list all of your components, including power supply, then list the os with sp's and drivers. I play UT2K4 and haven't had any problems with my system what ever.

 

[sep]

My first weeks with the A8N-SLI Deluxe were bad. Crashing, unstable, etc. I've set everything to default (manually) in the bios, removed NV Firewall, NV Tuner, etc. I've been rock solid for over 3 weeks now. Playing ET, HL2, CSS, UT2004, etc.

Nothing is overclocked. I play for about 7-9 hours every Saturday Night.

I would recommend you don't overclock anything until you get this fixed. Also, let 3dMark2005 loop for about 16hrs to test. Or better yet, play the UT Benchmark and have it loop for 10hrs or so to test.

Good Luck!
-JC

 

[Speedo]

steamnputer: I'm using the nVidia LAN. Marvel is disabled in bios. Chipset drivers I've tested is nForce4 standalone 6.39 and 6.53.

FastEddie: Why I thought complete systemspec wasn't that important, is because if you read the whole story, you see that me and my friend has the same problem, with different components around the A8N-SLI. Anyway, you have the specs here:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=27&threadid=1551732

Can anyone tell me if the bios settings I listed (a few posts up) is correct? Or should PCI be set to auto?

 

[Speedo]

Hmm... I just started thinking about the combination of TeamSpeak and UT2k4...
Actually, I forgot to mention that we always run TS while playing UT2k4. Could that be of importance?

 

[sep]

I have TS running too! I don't think it should matter.

Also, my PCI-E is setup to 100 and PCI 33.3.

My drives are PATA no SATA. All SATA's are disabled.

 

[rockstar]

If I were you, I would try a different video card just to see. Also, you mention TS. Is there anything else you are running in the background. I have seen major performance problems caused by Xfire in CS:S and perhaps it affects UT2004 as well. Also, do you have the same problems when you are not playing online? Have you tried the other network adapter on the board? I get 20ms less ping by using the Marvell adapter instead of the Nvidia network adapter. Good luck! My gaming experience has been very good with this board and I do occasionally play UT2004 without problems.

 

[alkemyst]

my A8N-SLI with a single 6800 GT worked fine with UT2003

 

[Big Bunny]

Originally posted by: sep
My first weeks with the A8N-SLI Deluxe were bad. Crashing, unstable, etc. I've set everything to default (manually) in the bios, removed NV Firewall, NV Tuner, etc. I've been rock solid for over 3 weeks now. Playing ET, HL2, CSS, UT2004, etc.

I had the exact same experience with my system. Get rid of all of the nVidia software except the drivers.

 

[Speedo]

rockstar: I have swapped the graphics card once.

I have not tried the Marvel LAN, but have not heard any major issues with the nVidia LAN and since its integrated in chipset it should be more effective. I have a hard time believing that the network card would affect ping that much. Anyway, I have 8 in ping on my own server and I don't think it could go much lower than that without upping the tickrate of the server a lot.

 

[Speedo]

Is there anyone out there who can play UT2k4 or WoW successfully with the following common setup?:

1. A8N-SLI (DLX or plain)
2. TeamSpeak or Ventrilo
3. Logitech mouse
4. nVidia video card

These are the common things I have noticed between the now three systems that has these problems.

Symptom once again. Every now and then graphics locks up and freezes, while sound loops. Sometimes it releases after 10 secconds, and sometimes you have to hard-reset.

 

[Speedo]

Big Bunny: What nVidia software do you mean? I have only the graphics and chipset drivers installed. I did not install the network management tools (firewall) software.

 

[steamnputer]

Another dumb question, but is your SLI jumper correctly set, this was problem with them coming in SLI postion instead of the regular as the manual states. I am not sure if that would really cause a crash. Did you install the nvtune crap or any of that other stuff, nv software really screwed up my system untill I unistalled it.
some more things;

-I assume your memory is over 2 dimms(if not look up memory problems on a8n thread)
-Have you disengaged AIBOOSTER from MSconfig and in the bios? this will cause hangs but I have had most on startup.
-Do you have cool & quiet engaged, this will clock back the cpu and sometimes causes me lag in BFV.
-are you OC the GPU? disengage peg link or leg in the bios(i forget what its name is) set clock speeds to default in nvida tray.
-are you OC anything at all?
-all bios settings are manual in regards to OC, try loosing your memory timings a bit if not auto. ( i use auto)


edit
are you running a sound card or the onbaord?

steamnputer

 

[Xed]

I had major issues with the nvidia lan port, games crashing, connection randomly dropping, etc. Since switching to the other lan port they've all gone away.

worth a try at least.

 

[Speedo]

Thanks for your interesting questions, steamnputer.

1. Yes, all three systems experiencing the problem are running in dual channel mode. Different brand of memory on all three machines (Geil Ultra, Crucial value select and A-Data).

2. I have the "jumper free setup" set to manual. I looked in MSconfig and found no reference to AIBOOSTER.

3. I do not have cool & quite enabled.

4. Problem happens when nothing is overclocked.

5. 24h memtest and prime95 confirms memory and CPU is stable both at default and overclocked speeds. It also does loop 3DMark for 24h without problems.

6. I use the onboard audio.