ECS KT600-A Issues

[zettler]

Okay, I have now read a bunch of posts on the Net about ECS and their being crap but I got one with a bundle for cheap and need it it to work, so here is my post.

Okay, for all of you who have bought, installed, troubleshot and recomend the ECS MB's (KT600-A), can you recommend a couple of links to somewhere where people who have actually written down what to do with one and how to get one to:

A. Actually work.
B. Recognize (properly) the CPU and RAM.
C. Register actual (at least approximate) temps on the CPU.
D. Whatever else people should know to get them to actually work correctly.

I am not being sarcastic or the like, it is just that I bought one of the combo from the Chicago Fry's Grand Opening and I am having serious issues!

1. The temps on MBM5 are saying anywhere between 170 and 260 degrees for the CPU - but it still runs.
2. It will not recognize the CPU that was bundled with it - it will only show it as 1290mhz.
3. When I reset the jumpers from 100 to 200, the board wont even start.

My setup includes: AMD2700 CPU; Thermaltake Smartcase Fan 2; SK7 HS; ATI Radeon 9700 Pro, 2-256 PC3500 HyoerX; WD 160GB; 120GB Maxtor; Lite-On 48x24x48 CDRW; Cyberdyne DVDRW; Santa Cruz Turtle Beach; ANTEC ATX (BIG) case; 350W Antec Smartpower; rounded cables and the like - so its not a bad setup.

I got it running but worry greatly about those temps!! I also worry about not being able to set it up properly so it recognizes the bloody CPU that came with it. The SmartFan has a temp probe which I thermal taped to the bottom of the CPU but I do not know how to set something up that will tell me the temps via that probe.

Also, I for the life of me cannot recall how to check what version of the BIOS it has and when I tried to use the ECS (Taiwan) BIOS update program, it wouldn't work....

I wasn't even going to use this ECS MB but when I went to clean up my sons PC that had all the above included in it except the new 2700 CPU, the darn EP-8RDA+ quit and will not even power up now. No clue how or why this happened. Tried setting it up twice too!

Anyway, I am posting my dilemma here and will in the MB forum now that I am awake from dinking with it till 7 AM this morning BUT would really appreciate any and all consideration, counsel and assistance!!!

 

[mechBgon]

Start by confirming that your CPU's heatsink is on correctly, as illustrated here. They're directional, and sometimes the correct direction is the inconvenient one. Since you have a Thermalright SK-7, also follow the link by the third photo that shows some additional info about Thermalrights.

The AthlonXP 2700+ wants a 166MHz bus speed, not 200MHz, so you'll want to pick that for the bus speed. It's par for the course that you have to set this yourself, so get used to it For this motherboard, you'd put caps on pins 2 & 3 of jumpers JP8 and JP9 to set it to 166MHz bus speed.

Before setting the CPU's bus speed, I'd lock the memory's bus speed to the CPU's bus speed (1:1 ratio). This is found in the Advanced Chipset Setup > DRAM Clock/Drive Control menu. and also set the memory voltage to 2.7 volts if the BIOS allows you to set it... high-speed RAM often seems to want some extra voltage for stability. UPDATE: looking in the mobo's manual, I see this option is entirely unavailable to you :frown: Try some PC2700 memory if you have some, or consider getting a different motherboard like a Shuttle AN35N Ultra (sorry).

Make sure not to plug the ThermalTake DumbFan 2 into your motherboard, whatever else you do, because it draws a ridiculous 8.4 watts. Definitely dangerous to the health of most motherboards' fan headers.

 

[zettler]

Thanks so very much for the feedback and suggestions!

After posting this, I went ahead and tried to get the EP-8RDA+ working as someone suggested elsewhere by stripping it all down until there is just the MB, CPU & Fan. See if they work (which they did) and then start adding (which I did). Got it back together and lo and behold, the whole thing is running.

Except I didn't do one thing.

You ready.

I remembered that when I redid the case, cleaning it, bundling the cables and wires, etc., I also moved the Santa Cruz sound card into a different slot. Well, if memory serves me correctly, I read a long time ago that the EP8RDA+'s did not like some PCI slots being used and I guess I found one of them.....as it is running now and I do not have to deal with ECS MB right now. Also, I went ahead and replaced the HyperX with some Corsair 512MB (2) that I got from the Fry's Grand Opening for $30 each...

However, in my delirium this AM before I went to bed at 7 AM, I ordered a refurb ABIT NF7 from NewEgg ($46) and will now have two fairly new MB's as backups....which is okay, as I darn sure have enough other crap to make another PC - even a spare AMD 1700+ JIUCB laying around.....

The new/revised EP8RDA+ is running cool at 91 F for the CPU and I haven't even gotten into OCing it yet. I be happy!!!

However, as a followup, it would still be great if someone knew of a site or two that has "good" info on setting up the ECS MB's as a Google search did not turn up much for me this AM, as neither did my search through several of the forums I know and use.

Thanks again and look forward to someone adding to this thread on the ECS KT600A MB's setup and such!!!!

Bob

 

[Peter]

Well, you should have ...

(A) moved the CMOS Clear jumper to the Normal position
(B) set the CPU bus speed to the appropriate value for this CPU (166), same for the RAM.
(C) use a piece of software that KNOWS the mainboard instead of doing wild guesses
(D) just concentrated instead of building up useless anger against the product

 

[zettler]

Originally posted by: Peter
Well, you should have ...

(A) moved the CMOS Clear jumper to the Normal position
(B) set the CPU bus speed to the appropriate value for this CPU (166), same for the RAM.
(C) use a piece of software that KNOWS the mainboard instead of doing wild guesses
(D) just concentrated instead of building up useless anger against the product

Thanks...

a, Had already done that.
b. I wasn't too sure about this due to my not being familar with having to physically set jumpers, instead of how I am use to the EP-8RDA+ and its BIOS. Plus it was very late....
c. According to MBM5, it is supposed to recognize this MB. Is there something esle that is freeware that I could use.
d. It wasn't so much anger as frustration, compounded by reading a lot of posts (via Google) from disgruntled owners of this MB.

As a followup. I said to heck with it and went back to the broken (I thought) EP8RDA+ and got it working. At first I thought the issue was the slot I put the Santa Cruz card in (I moved it) but I just discovered that its the NEW Antec EASYUSB for the front 5.25" bay. WHen its plugged in, the MB doesn't work. I was trying to plug the Antec EASYUSB device onto the EP8RDA+ pins but no go.

Any suggestions?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: zettler

Originally posted by: Peter
Well, you should have ...

(A) moved the CMOS Clear jumper to the Normal position
(B) set the CPU bus speed to the appropriate value for this CPU (166), same for the RAM.
(C) use a piece of software that KNOWS the mainboard instead of doing wild guesses
(D) just concentrated instead of building up useless anger against the product

Thanks...

a, Had already done that.
b. I wasn't too sure about this due to my not being familar with having to physically set jumpers, instead of how I am use to the EP-8RDA+ and its BIOS. Plus it was very late....
c. According to MBM5, it is supposed to recognize this MB. Is there something esle that is freeware that I could use.
d. It wasn't so much anger as frustration, compounded by reading a lot of posts (via Google) from disgruntled owners of this MB.

As a followup. I said to heck with it and went back to the broken (I thought) EP8RDA+ and got it working. At first I thought the issue was the slot I put the Santa Cruz card in (I moved it) but I just discovered that its the NEW Antec EASYUSB for the front 5.25" bay. WHen its plugged in, the MB doesn't work. I was trying to plug the Antec EASYUSB device onto the EP8RDA+ pins but no go.

Any suggestions?

I can help with this one. Pin #10 is +5V on the 8RDA+'s internal USB header, and so you want to remove the wire from that hole on the EasyUSB's plug. If you look at EPoX's own rear-USB outlet that's intended to plug into that header, you'll notice that hole #10 is vacant. I don't know if EPoX goofed up when they designed the board, or what, but I've been there/done that. That pin would be a ground pin on an Asus or most other boards, but on this one it's 5V for some reason

 

[zettler]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

I can help with this one. Pin #10 is +5V on the 8RDA+'s internal USB header, and so you want to remove the wire from that hole on the EasyUSB's plug. If you look at EPoX's own rear-USB outlet that's intended to plug into that header, you'll notice that hole #10 is vacant. I don't know if EPoX goofed up when they designed the board, or what, but I've been there/done that. That pin would be a ground pin on an Asus or most other boards, but on this one it's 5V for some reason [/quote]

Thanks! I went ahead and connected the extra USB ports that bolts into the back of the case for the meantime and left the ANTEC in place but not operable.

Right now, I am having so much stress from three - count them - three PCs at our home that are ALL having real issues.

The first one is the above BUT I think I am on the right track. It was working well until I added more software and its at part five of a chckdsk because it had a Blue Screen memory dump tonight.

The second, is another EP-8RDA+ that got into trouble with Norton SystemWorks Pro 2003 that wouldn't delete, then wouldn't install, then....whatever. I am doing a Windows XP Pro install/REPAIR right now WHICH I HATE to do but have not had the time to learn how to Slipstream an install as described in the Hot Deals section or do a GHOST which never seems to work for me!!!

The third, is a ANOTHER Norton SystemWorks Pro 2003 issue. I built a really great new PC last week out of stuff from the Fry's Grand Opening Sale in Chicago and good stuff from NewEgg. It has an ABIT NF7-S, ATI Radeon 9800 Pro, AMD 2400+ Mobile, HyperX PC3500 1 Gig, two 160Gig HDs, etc., BUT the NORTON corrupted something and:

1. Could not either Shut Down or Restart the PC without unplugging.
2. Could not do an uninstall of Norton OR finish the install.

SO that one looks like I will have to ALSO reinstall/Repair Windows XP Pro for it so my son can have 20 glorious days of Summer Vacation playing Star Wars Galazies, etc. by the end of the week AND MAYBE I can get some rest.....

However, I am typing on the first PC he and I ever built - which was over two years ago - and it has a hard Drive (C-drive of course) which is about to go D-E-A-D!!! I can hear the heads getting STICTION right now but have at least been able to copy most, if not all my most important documents, downloads, and the like onto eight (8) CD's!

You try and save money and have a great PC home network and all you do is fix, fix, fix, fi........

Thanks to all!

FOLLOWUP

With regard to PC #2 above, it has to go through a complete Windows XP Pro Install, son-of-a....

With regard to the PC that has a hard drive on its last legs, let it run a chckdsk while I went to bed and it finished when I awoke....however.....it keeps restarting and wanting to run a scheduled chkdsk over, and over, and over again.

How do you prevent it from running a scheduled chkdsk - when it has already run and completed it???

 

[yee]

get rid of norton. looks like a source of your problems