Gigabyte GA-K8NS Pro

[mdogs444]

I am using bios F5. Are you guys flashing your bios in windows w/ the utility provided by Gigabyte?

I have not had ram troubles at all to begin with. Ive been using two sticks of Corsair 3200, running stable at ~ 215Mhz since day 1. I use slots 1 and 3, and leave the middle open. You may want to clear the cmos, then try this setting, then boot.

Just an idea.

 

[TaiJohn]

I just tried ET5, but no temperature (no cia.mib, smartfan or pchealth) Then I use live update, so some dll files where installed. but after that et5 didn't start anymore (din't found entrypoint in work.dll)

Bios F2 (stable )

 

[rogelio]

I had been running 2 sticks of 512 Mb at the default (undercloceked) 333 MHz. After 3 months I got persistent crashes in 3D games (still running underclocked at 333)... I upped the DRam Voltage and that solved the problem... for a month.

The only way I can run stable now is to have only 1 stick of 512Mb ram.

Is it possible there's been a "bad batch" of mobos released that has voltage issues with running 2 sticks of Ram over time?
Is it recall/complaint time?

 

[Vestan Pance]

It appears my board has developed the same issues a few other poster have described.

It was running with 2x512 mb on auto for over a month, untill it decided it would crash running games and media files. I fixed this by setting the values to manual and this worked for a further month or so, but the system no longer reaches post with two sticks in and auto set. It started playing up again so I upped the DDR voltage and it worked for another month or so.

I had got the system temporarily running with two sticks by lowering the multiplier to 9.5 using easytune. Default should be 10 for my 3000+, this setting wouldn't take in the bios stoping the system at post. Unfortunately this fix is now crashing randomly.

like your board rogelio I can now only run one stick of ram. I have sent support requests to Gigabyte and its now close to two weeks without a reply.

 

[Marasmus]

Do any of you guys have the "DualBIOS/Q-flash utility" as an option in your bios menu? Seems I only have access to Q-flash when pressing F8, which is really annoying, since I corrupted my bios while flashing the F5 bios using @BIOS. Funny thing is that the bios partially works, but I get an "Unknown flash type" when it's trying to access my s-ata disk, so I need to have the WinXP cd in my cd-rom drive to get access. Another funny thing is that @BIOS said I successfully flashed my bios, but obivously that was not the case. So now I have a bios that's about 256Kb instead of 512Kb, and Q-flash refuses to let me reflash, because it thinks the correct bios size should be 256Kb. Same goes for dos-flashing and @BIOS flashing

With no access to the DualBIOS, I have no way of getting it reflashed. If there's no way to intentionally erase the BIOS, my only hope is that it's possible to get a new BIOS chip for this board. Do anyone know if the BIOS chip is permanently attached, or is it possible to remove it and install a new one?

EDIT: Okay, figured out what was wrong. For some reason I've flashed my card with the K8NS bios, and I have no idea how this was possible, since I know I downloaded the newest bios from the K8NS Pro section, which was F5 just a few days ago, and K8NS is already at F7. It pisses me off that it's possible to flash the card to a fully functional K8NS without DualBIOS, while it's not possible to flash the card back to K8NS Pro. I need some way to force a bios update, but it doesn't exist

 

[tristramshandy]

How the heck does one unpack the F5 bios file? I downloaded something called "bios_k8nsp_f5.exe". I couldn't unpack it with Winrar. I tried running it in windows and a dos prompt skitters around in a command dos box.

What happened to the good old days when you just unpacked a .bin file to a floppy with awardflash and booted in with Dr. Dos.

P.S. Has anyone had a good experience with F5 yet? thanks!

 

[Marasmus]

The answer to that one is that you need to download the file again. That thing usually happens when you have a partially downloaded self-extracting file.

 

[rogelio]

Hmm... Vestan Pance

Looks like it VERY WELL might be a "bad batch" of mobos with DRam controller issues that develop over time. Urghh... I really can't do an RMA now (as I have 3 months of college left until winter break... in which case... I won't be able to take my PC home to rebuild)...

Does anybody know if Gigabyte will do an RMA where they send you the new board before you have to ship them yours?

 

[halfshadows]

Oh boy. Where to begin.

First of, let me introduce myself. I would describe myself as a graphic designer/digital artist with geekly leanings, but I'm not a hardware expert and I have never put a computer together on my own before. As luck would have it, I chose this mobo for my first experiment with such a project.

I've paired it with an Athlon 3400+ and PQI 2GB(1Gx2) DDR400 and a 400w power supply.

At first I couldn't even install Windows (XP Pro) -- I was getting a plethora of what seemed like memory-related errors. When I came to the memory conclusion, I swatched out my new PQI dimms with a couple 256s from my old machine. Everything worked beautifully and I was able to finally install Windows. As I continued to investigate the issue on the web, I found this forum and all of it's revelations about this mobo's memory issues. (Which, I might add, are nowhere to be mentioned on either Gigabyte's or Newegg's (where it was purchased) site.)

I've tried using just one 1MB DIMM and it *seems* to work alright. I forgot to mention -- when I put in two, it can only even see 1. I've tried all the slots, 1 and 2, 1 and 3, 2 and 3 (that wasn't pretty).

Also, I updated my BIOS to F5, to no effect.

I'm not interested in overclocking. I just want a stable system that will take the 3400 and will let me expand up to 3 or 4 MB RAM and has the onboard RAID and Firewire. Pretty much the only thing I do on this machine is Photoshop work and some occasional 3D.

My question is, would I be better off switching to slower RAM (which, with all the unresolved issues I still feel nervous about getting to work) in order to get the 3-4 MB or should I just try a new mobo altogether, and if the latter, what would you recommend?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[imported_Jayl]

Marasmus dont get desperate, I have a solution for you!!

I actually did the same thing myself about a month go. The solution is to get a program called Winflash. You can download it somewhere from the web. So get the that Winflash and then for example F5 bios.

Then make a bootable floppy disc. Put Winflash and then for example F5 bios to a floppy disc. Then reboot to "dos" and use winflash to flash bios. You have to force it. So you have to use command -f (if I remember correctly). This is your solution. I managed to flash my bios that way...

 

[Marasmus]

Jayl: Thank you for responding. You're giving me new hope

Do you think you could elaborate on what you mean by "dos" mode? Doesn't look like winflash wants to run in dos, and it crashes in any kind of safe mode before it starts. It does the same in regular windows mode, but then after I try to force it to update.

EDIT: NEVERMIND! I love you! I figured you meant awdflash, and tried that with the /f option, and it bloody worked! Everything is back to normal, and I feel like popping a bottle of champagne!

 

[paradise]

oh my god I just buy this mainboard few day ago!
everybody running this mainboard with two ram has got the problem??
anyone has no problem actually?

 

[Marasmus]

Two PQI RAM chips works just fine here. Don't worry just yet

 

[imported_Jayl]

Originally posted by: Marasmus
Jayl: Thank you for responding. You're giving me new hope

Do you think you could elaborate on what you mean by "dos" mode? Doesn't look like winflash wants to run in dos, and it crashes in any kind of safe mode before it starts. It does the same in regular windows mode, but then after I try to force it to update.

EDIT: NEVERMIND! I love you! I figured you meant awdflash, and tried that with the /f option, and it bloody worked! Everything is back to normal, and I feel like popping a bottle of champagne!

yes, I actually meant Awdflash! I now remember that I also tried winflash but got the same kinds of problems as you. And now somehow mixed up those names. But really great it worked out. It is allways a pleasure to help people

 

[Marasmus]

Originally posted by: Jayl

Originally posted by: Marasmus
Jayl: Thank you for responding. You're giving me new hope

Do you think you could elaborate on what you mean by "dos" mode? Doesn't look like winflash wants to run in dos, and it crashes in any kind of safe mode before it starts. It does the same in regular windows mode, but then after I try to force it to update.

EDIT: NEVERMIND! I love you! I figured you meant awdflash, and tried that with the /f option, and it bloody worked! Everything is back to normal, and I feel like popping a bottle of champagne!

yes, I actually meant Awdflash! I now remember that I also tried winflash but got the same kinds of problems as you. And now somehow mixed up those names. But really great it worked out. It is allways a pleasure to help people

What puzzles me is that Gigabyte's support didn't know that. That's pretty weird, but what do they care, they would've been quite happy if I bought a new mobo.

 

[Etrnaly]

Mine's running fine with 2 sticks of Corsair Value Ram PC3200 512mb. I'm using F2 and OCing it to 218 stable. I'm using DIMM 1 and 2.

 

[maced]

It seems that results for this board are extremely mixed. Some have good results with the RAM and others have several problems. This from Tom's Hardware Guide:

"The Athlon 64's memory controller is subject to a restriction that should not be underestimated, especially by the ambitious user: according to AMD's specification, it does not have the capability to operate two double-sided memory modules with a 200 MHz clock rate (DDR400 alias PC3200). According to the data sheet, a maximum configuration of 166 MHz or DDR333 is allowed in such devices. But who is going to buy a powerful processor only to nip its potential in the bud with slow memory?"

THG Puts 13 Bleeding-Edge Memory Modules, 14 Mobos To the Match-Up Test

While this test did not specifically include the K8NS Pro, the Giga-Byte boards tested did not fare well at all in the memory compatibility testing. Since some folks are having no problems, that is great for them and if you experience the memory problems, consider changing your memory if possible.

My problem is that first, I purchased MWave generic RAM for the mobo (rated at DDR400 but does not work any faster than DDR333). No matter how many ways I adjust the settings, reset the BIOS using the jumper, and re-flashing to an older version, Windows will not boot unless the default settings are used. What really pi**es me off is that this board has one of the greatest combinations for drives I have come across. I am sorry to say that since I ordered this just recently, an RMA has been issued and I have ordered the ASUS K8N-E Deluxe. This board has the same feature set as the K8NS Pro and the ASUS boards fared much better in the memory testing. Does that mean that this board will be any better? Wait until Thursday when I have had a chance to install and test the new one with Kingston memory. I apologize for the length of the rant but sometimes...

maced:disgust:

 

[the4head]

You should try the @BIOS utility that ships with the board. I was able to update from F1 to F5 over the internet, in Windows.

Also has anyone found 3 sticks of memory to not crash?

 

[paradise]

Originally posted by: Etrnaly
Mine's running fine with 2 sticks of Corsair Value Ram PC3200 512mb. I'm using F2 and OCing it to 218 stable. I'm using DIMM 1 and 2.

nice, thanks for reply
is it double side ram?

 

[Etrnaly]

This is the one I have.

http://www.newegg.com/app/view...&ATT=System+Memory

 

[paradise]

cool, totally same as mine

 

[paradise]

Originally posted by: Etrnaly
This is the one I have.

http://www.newegg.com/app/view...&ATT=System+Memory

i am using one stick of Corsair Value Ram PC3200 512mb
but i am using the 05 bios, with 200mhz * 10 at my Athlon 64 3000+ (newcastle)
can you try the 05 version bios and try if it's stable for running 2 sticks of this ram?
if it is running fine, I will buy more 1 Corsair Value Ram PC3200 512mb for my mb
thanks

 

[Etrnaly]

It crashed when I used F5. However, I'm almost certain it was because of my Netgear MA111. It seems to crash a lot of systems. F2 seems to be the only one that'll work for me right now. Hopefully the newer BIOS updates will work correctly. Also, I wasn't able to get into the BIOS settings with F5.

 

[paradise]

what button I can press in POST that I can choose the boot up device without entering bios settings?

 

[Savarak]

F8