ECS K7VTA3 MOBO

[Peter]

v6 and v8 are identical, they're only using different versions (not revisions, mind you) of the chipset. VIA made two different versions of the same KT333 chip, one pin compatible with KT266A and the other pin compatible with KT400. Other than for the chip package, they're identical.

Using that fact, ECS make five different products out of two slightly different versions of the same board layout - a KT266A board (PC-Chips M811), two KT333 boards (K7VTA3 v6 and v8), a KT400 board (L7VTA2) and a KT400A board (M852).

 

[rlgdtime]

Originally posted by: Peter
v6 and v8 are identical, they're only using different versions (not revisions, mind you) of the chipset. VIA made two different versions of the same KT333 chip, one pin compatible with KT266A and the other pin compatible with KT400. Other than for the chip package, they're identical.

Using that fact, ECS make five different products out of two slightly different versions of the same board layout - a KT266A board (PC-Chips M811), two KT333 boards (K7VTA3 v6 and v8), a KT400 board (L7VTA2) and a KT400A board (M852).

The board I bought says V.8C on the Frys price tag, but on the board it says version 6, finally got the $%^&** drivers to load right and I notice the Bios version says 6.0, so I look at the board and sure enough it's stamped V6.0.

Is it worth it to take the whole thing apart and exchange it at Fry's? Or can I just flash the Bios to 8.0? Or Should I just be happy with V.6, if it works? Any help would be appreciated. PM me if you don't feel it's appropriate to this post.

I purchased it with the XP 2400+ bare, but would like to have the maximum replacement options in future.
Thanks.

 

[o1die]

If you think the ecs bios version is newer on their website, I would flash it now. If it doesn't work, you can return it to Fry's. When I flashed it, I got "unknown cpu" when posting my duron 1.6. The original Fry's bios posted as duron 1600. To be safe, you can save the Fry's bios when prompted before flashing the ecs version.

 

[AkumaX]

can you give a link of someone that has a newer 8.0 c bios?

all the kt7vta3's ive gotten were all c bioses.

i've worked w/ this board extensively, and had gotten my thorton 2000+ to 2.2ghz (12.5 x 176)

i've even gotten a thorton 2200+ to 2.3ghz (13.5 x 171) after raising the vcore to 1.85 via wire mod

the version 8 is smaller and has 2 dimm slots compared to the version 5 w/ 3 dimms (probably can't flash it to version 8 anyway)

believe me, if it works, don't break it! there should be no reason to warrant you into flashing into a newer bios

also, the fastest cpu it would take would be anything that has a 166mhz fsb, so a barton 3000+ 512kb (12.5 x 166) should work w/ it

edit: assumed v5 == v6

 

[nork]

what about the v 8.0c that is at ECS website? No good?

 

[Peter]

AkumaX, v6 and v8 boards are of identical size and features. They just use different pinout versions of the KT333 chip. The big ones are v3, v5, v7. These are quite different, having options for IDE RAID, 3 DIMM, and a few other things.

 

[rlgdtime]

Originally posted by: Peter
AkumaX, v6 and v8 boards are of identical size and features. They just use different pinout versions of the KT333 chip. The big ones are v3, v5, v7. These are quite different, having options for IDE RAID, 3 DIMM, and a few other things.

So do you think there is any benefit to returning my V6 board to get a V8C board? Or shoulc I just stay with the V6 , if it proves to be stable?

 

[DusterAZ]

I bought the 2600+ and K7VTA3 combo two weekends ago also ... what I did was exchange it for the 2600+ and ECS Nforce2 combo since it was the same price. What you get is better onboard sound, support for 400 Mhz FSB and AGP 8x support ... also Nforce2 chipset versus VIA . I'm gonna be setting it up tonight since I just got my memory.

 

[Peter]

rigdtime, ONE LAST TIME, the v6 and v8 boards have absolutely no functional difference. Even their latest BIOS releases are from the exact same date. Get on with it already.

 

[rlgdtime]

Originally posted by: Peter
rigdtime, ONE LAST TIME, the v6 and v8 boards have absolutely no functional difference. Even their latest BIOS releases are from the exact same date. Get on with it already.

OK, thanks. I was just asking for other opinions. As other people seem to have differrent ideas about which versions have which features. Since I don't know you personally, I didn't know you were the ECS guru that you so obviously are. Lighten up man! It's not like I posted this in the Hot Deals Forum or anything!

 

[nork]

He's right, we need to have more respect on these type of threads, no place for those comments, only constructive comments please.

So lets please get back to info only , not personalities.

thanks

 

[Peter]

rlgdtime, it's just I had explained exactly that already. Twice. Right on the same page you came onto with the same question for the 3rd time.

nork, respect, fine. The one thing we lack the most though is people reading the information that's already there before posting a question.

 

[rlgdtime]

Originally posted by: Peter
rlgdtime, it's just I had explained exactly that already. Twice. Right on the same page you came onto with the same question for the 3rd time.

nork, respect, fine. The one thing we lack the most though is people reading the information that's already there before posting a question.

You're just a rude and hypocritical SOB, aren't you? As I previously stated, I don't know you from Adam. So why should I accept your word as gospel?

And as far as "lack(ing) the most though is people reading the information that's already there before". I read the information, and AkumaX clearly stated that "the version 8 is smaller and has 2 dimm slots compared to the version 6 w/ 3 dimms". So why don't you take your own advise you A$$, and read the whole post before you start pointing fingers. It seems there was some difference of opinion as to what the differrence between the boards is.

And while we're at it, you also said that "VIA made two different versions of the same KT333 chip, one pin compatible with KT266A and the other pin compatible with KT400. " I'm not exactly sure what this means, in terms of future upgradeability. But, it certainly didn't sound like they are"functionally identical". It sounds to me like you were"clearly" contradicting yourself. So, I asked another question and all I got was your wise a$$ remarks.

No wonder people stop using AT and go to FW. Because of Condescending Morons like you.

Anyone who agrees please feel free to post!

 

[Peter]

You don't have to believe on guy or the other. We're not talking about an obscure piece of hardware, the information is all right there on the manufacturer's web site. With pictures. The only ass here is the lazy ass who'd rather rant at people than go check.

M811 aka K7VTA2 pro, KT266A board
K7VTA3 v6 KT333 board
K7VTA3 v8 KT333 ver. CF board
L7VTA2 KT400 board
M852 KT400A board

All five use the exact same board layout. The latter three just use a different trace routing around the main chip (in the center, w/ heatsink) to compensate to the change in pinout that came with KT400. KT333CF is the same KT333 as before, with the pinout changed to fit on boards made for KT400, while the "normal" KT333 package is made to fit on boards made for KT266A.
Other than this merely mechanical difference in how they're packaged into the physical chip, KT333 and KT333CF are identical silicon.

Whereas rev. 5 and 7 (again, KT333 and KT333CF versions) are a design quite different from the above - but just like those are just members of a large family of very similar boards that just went through a few generations of chipsets:

K7VTA3 v2
K7VTA3 v3
K7VTA3 v7
K7VTA3 v5
L7VTA

v2 is KT266A/8233, v3 is KT333/8233, v5 is KT333/8235, v7 is KT333CF/8235, and L7VTA2 is KT400/8235.

I bet you'll be back ranting, since I reckon the one thing you really can't stand is someone else being right and you being wrong.

 

[AkumaX]

Originally posted by: Peter
You don't have to believe on guy or the other. We're not talking about an obscure piece of hardware, the information is all right there on the manufacturer's web site. With pictures. The only ass here is the lazy ass who'd rather rant at people than go check.

M811 aka K7VTA2 pro, KT266A board
K7VTA3 v6 KT333 board
K7VTA3 v8 KT333 ver. CF board
L7VTA2 KT400 board
M852 KT400A board

All five use the exact same board layout. The latter three just use a different trace routing around the main chip (in the center, w/ heatsink) to compensate to the change in pinout that came with KT400. KT333CF is the same KT333 as before, with the pinout changed to fit on boards made for KT400, while the "normal" KT333 package is made to fit on boards made for KT266A.
Other than this merely mechanical difference in how they're packaged into the physical chip, KT333 and KT333CF are identical silicon.

Whereas rev. 5 and 7 (again, KT333 and KT333CF versions) are a design quite different from the above - but just like those are just members of a large family of very similar boards that just went through a few generations of chipsets:

K7VTA3 v2
K7VTA3 v3
K7VTA3 v7
K7VTA3 v5
L7VTA

v2 is KT266A/8233, v3 is KT333/8233, v5 is KT333/8235, v7 is KT333CF/8235, and L7VTA2 is KT400/8235.

I bet you'll be back ranting, since I reckon the one thing you really can't stand is someone else being right and you being wrong.

nice work. so v5 is to v7 (same 3 dimm mobo layout) as v6 is to v8 (smaller 2 dimm layout). all the difference is that its kt333->kt333cf.

 

[rlgdtime]

Originally posted by: Peter

I bet you'll be back ranting, since I reckon the one thing you really can't stand is someone else being right and you being wrong.

What was it again that I was wrong about? Asking a question?

 

[Peter]

In your judgment of the quality of my postings, in your choice of language, and in going below waistline . At least that.

Now that your doubts about what I said have been shred to pieces (and besides, zero others agreed with your rant), you should apologize or at least admit the information I gave has been correct. But apparently you don't have enough style for even that, and choose to continue picking about. Sad.

 

[nork]

Since this is my thread, please keep to the topic.

I am not surprised what has happened here. People at AT seem to think they have the right to be rude at any time they wish.

I usually go elsewhere for info/advice as there are other places where people dont act like this. Im not giving the addy out as i dont want certain people there in the first place.

I put this thread hoping that maybe, just one time, i would get advice/info without the rudeness, and NOT to my surprise, it didnt happen. I dont know what it is about AT but it brings out the rudeness in people.
I only hope the mods read this and start doing something about it. This rudeness pushes people away from this section of AT, it has pushed me away i can tell you. Strange how the internet makes giants out of little people.

I want people to stop the arguing and name-calling and simply stick to the topic.
Matter of fact, if there is no new info on the ECS mobo, then please consider this topic closed.

PLEASE DO NOT POST ANY MORE RUDE COMMENTS!!!

 

[Peter]

Sticking to the topic, have you gotten any new information about the presumed newer BIOS from Fry's?

 

[nork]

If you are talking to me, I dont know for sure, i got my mobo new but from a forum member, so i dont know if its a fry's board or not, guess i could ask. I do have a v8.0 board and it says v6.0 on the outside of the box as, i think, i have heard some others point out the same thing, so i very well may have a frys board, just not certain.

But i do have v8.0c bios pre-installed, so i guess i dont have to upgrade.

I would like to get a copy of the Fry's to see if its the same as v8.0c posted at ECS website, but, if i recall from earlier posts, these bios are indeed different.

I'm just not sure on all if this. I did post asking for someone to email me the frys bios but maybe they dont have it, maybe its already installed and they didnt get a cdrom with bios on it? then again, there was a lot of other stuff posted and some things got lost in the shuffle, sounds like i am casting aspersions, but im not, its only a statement is all. Now that we are back on track, i dont want it to be me starting any war, lol.

I can add that as soon as i changed the fsb to 100 then the bios recognized my cpu correctly as an athlon xp 1900+.
If i like the board i will likely see how high i can go and get a new cpu for it. I think, its been so long now, that this might have been one of the questions i was asking at the start. I think, so far, if not mistaken, this mobo will take up to athlon cp 2800 or 3000, not 100% sure, would have to read all the posts.

 

[Peter]

You mean you have the CPU bus at 133 now? With the board going up to 166, it'll take a 3000+. Mind you, there also is a 3000+ flavor for 200 MHz bus, so watch what you get when you're ready to upgrade.
My bet on the BIOS thing is just date format confusion, with the BIOS on the ECS sites being the latest one alright.

 

[nork]

yes, you are right, it came from factory set at 100 and i had to change it to 133.
I made a mistake, thinking i changed it from 66 to 100, but its from 100 to 133 as you say.
I do a lot of charity work, so i am working on mobos from below pentium 2 right up to P4 and AMD equivalents, and i get confused sometimes. Course i am not an expert in this area to begin with, lol.

And thanks for the warning about the 3000 too, i wouldnt have thought of it.
Can you use the 200 and change it to 133, would one have that option? I'm a bit short of knowledge as you can see!

I was thinking the same thing about the bios, but, in earlier posts here, someone pointed out that one bios wouldnt identify a duron cpu and a bios fix enabled the bios to correctly identify the duron, think it was duron1.3. Course maybe that had to do with setting the fsb as well?
See how short i am on knowledge here, sticks out like a sore thumb,lol. WE all gotta start somewhere, least im not afraid to try, but thats only because i have you people to fall back on!! always get the answers via forums.

 

[Peter]

You can't change the individual Athlon models to be some other model, no. They're factory preset for a certain multiplier, so if you run them at the wrong bus speed, the core speed will come out wrong too. Athlon 3000+ comes in 200 and 166 MHz flavors.

As for the BIOS not recognizing the "new" Duron models, the ECS site list that explicitly as an addition to the latest BIOSes available there. These are 133 MHz bus, so yes, someone might have missed a step in their setup. That's for Duron-1400 and up though, 1300 and below are 100 MHz bus.

 

[nork]

"Athlon 3000+ comes in 200 and 166 MHz flavors"

So, since my mobo only does max 166, then i have to get the 166.
Didnt realize that, so thanks!

 

[rlgdtime]

Originally posted by: Peter
In your judgment of the quality of my postings, in your choice of language, and in going below waistline . At least that.

Now that your doubts about what I said have been shred to pieces (and besides, zero others agreed with your rant), you should apologize or at least admit the information I gave has been correct. But apparently you don't have enough style for even that, and choose to continue picking about. Sad.

OK.

I'm sorry that this is posted in a forum where most people won't see it. Hence few responses.

I'm sorry that you'd rather try to intimidate people than to offer constructive advice.

I'm sorry that your head is so big, that you are offended that someone who doesn't even know you might not trust "the quality" of your posts, when you didn't even anwer their question to begin with.

You see posting technical data, rather than answering my question, "should I bother to trade a version 6 for a version 8?", didn't really anwer my question.

And I'm sorry that computers are your life and that you get your jollies by trying to intimidate people with your vast knowledge of them. Maybe you need a woman, or a man, or anyone, to make you feel better about yourself as a human being, so you will leave the rest of us alone.

And by the way, Nork(OP) seemed to agree with my rant!