Official - ABIT AT8 Crossfire Thread -

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: Fraggable
I've had the Abit AT8 for about 4 weeks now, I bought mine at a local Microcenter.

It's an ok board, the manual is pretty poorly written and was just plain wrong about at least one thing. It said that if you have only 1 video card that you have to put the dummy card in the 'slave' PCI-E slot. If I put the dummy card in, it won't POST. If I just leave it out it works fine.

I've been having some problems with system instability at stock speeds and I think I'm getting some kind of data corruption on my RAID 0 array, forcing me to run CHKDSK almost everytime I reboot but I'm not ready to blame that on the RAID controller yet. There's a possibilty it's bad memory or maybe even a rootkit even though this install is only 2 weeks old.

As far as OCing, I tried to use the bundled uguru utility to OC to 216 X 9 and got an instant crash when I started BF2. That's about as far as I got with it because then I started having all kinds of other problems.

What RAM timings are you using and what's the specs for your RAM?

 

[pdu]

Originally posted by: Fraggable
I've had the Abit AT8 for about 4 weeks now, I bought mine at a local Microcenter.

...... and I think I'm getting some kind of data corruption on my RAID 0 array, forcing me to run CHKDSK almost everytime I reboot ...

I am experiencing the same issue here on a NTFS formatted system partition- I actually read somewhere that XP might have issues with NTFS boot partitions. Too bad it ain't that easy converting NTFS to FAT32.

 

[Fraggable]

Originally posted by: pdu

Originally posted by: Fraggable
I've had the Abit AT8 for about 4 weeks now, I bought mine at a local Microcenter.

...... and I think I'm getting some kind of data corruption on my RAID 0 array, forcing me to run CHKDSK almost everytime I reboot ...

I am experiencing the same issue here on a NTFS formatted system partition- I actually read somewhere that XP might have issues with NTFS boot partitions. Too bad it ain't that easy converting NTFS to FAT32.

You mean XP might have issues using an NTFS boot partition with this chipset? or this board in particular? Because I'm sure at least 70% of systems running XP have NTFS boot partitions.

I don't know what my RAM timings were, the 216MHz OC was a preset in the uguru utility, I really didn't spend any time with it.

 

[RobDMB]

Well I too just ordered the AT8 32x from atacom, we'll see how the board is once I get it. I needed something with a heatpipe since I was sick of whiny little fans and this was my choice. Hopefully all is well with it.

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: Fraggable

Originally posted by: pdu

Originally posted by: Fraggable
I've had the Abit AT8 for about 4 weeks now, I bought mine at a local Microcenter.

...... and I think I'm getting some kind of data corruption on my RAID 0 array, forcing me to run CHKDSK almost everytime I reboot ...

I am experiencing the same issue here on a NTFS formatted system partition- I actually read somewhere that XP might have issues with NTFS boot partitions. Too bad it ain't that easy converting NTFS to FAT32.

You mean XP might have issues using an NTFS boot partition with this chipset? or this board in particular? Because I'm sure at least 70% of systems running XP have NTFS boot partitions.

I don't know what my RAM timings were, the 216MHz OC was a preset in the uguru utility, I really didn't spend any time with it.

Looks like you've got a RAM OC of ~8% and from what I've seen (casually looking around the net), it seems like a 5% OC is pretty "normal" with tight timings and PC3200 RAM. I'm not saying your 8% OC on the RAM is an issue, but I'm interested in knowing if you're getting the 8% OC with CAS 2 timings. As you can see in my sign., I'm getting about a 5% OC with my Patriot RAM and tight timings. Anything faster, and I have instability problems.

Regards,

Bub

 

[pdu]

Originally posted by: Fraggable

Originally posted by: pdu

Originally posted by: Fraggable
I've had the Abit AT8 for about 4 weeks now, I bought mine at a local Microcenter.

...... and I think I'm getting some kind of data corruption on my RAID 0 array, forcing me to run CHKDSK almost everytime I reboot ...

I am experiencing the same issue here on a NTFS formatted system partition- I actually read somewhere that XP might have issues with NTFS boot partitions. Too bad it ain't that easy converting NTFS to FAT32.

You mean XP might have issues using an NTFS boot partition with this chipset? or this board in particular? Because I'm sure at least 70% of systems running XP have NTFS boot partitions.

I don't know what my RAM timings were, the 216MHz OC was a preset in the uguru utility, I really didn't spend any time with it.

The issue is not related to the chipset - it's a general problem. I'll see if I can find a link to the article I'm referring to.

 

[AlphaForce]

 

[AlphaForce]

i noticed that the AT8 only has one PCIE slot between the x16 slots, while the X1900s have a very large HSF. Will i be able to pull off a Crossfire without the two X1900s touching each other?

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: AlphaForce
Will i be able to pull off a Crossfire without the two X1900s touching each other?

Don't know if they will touch but they obviously fit.
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2719&p=5
"2 x ATI X1900XT (PCI Express) for CrossFire tests"

 

[Agent11]

SB600

Maybe Uli sleeping with the fishes is a good thing, ATI seems to have got it together.

 

[cupajava]

I picked this board up last week and assembled my htpc setup without a hiccup. I was very impressed with the boards performance at stock and it seemed quicker than my nforce4 setup with loading Win XP. I loaded on on the rest of my software and I was very impressed with how well everything was running. I wanted to start overclocking and that's when my troubles started. Here are my issues:

First, here's my rig:

Abit AT8 bios 1.1
A64 3000+ Winchester
Thermaltake Silent Boost HS w/ Nexus 80mm
Samsung spinpoint 250 gb
Corsair VS 2 x 512
Sapphire X1300 512mb
Fortron Sparkle 400w
Mitsumi 7-1 card reader USB 2.0/floppy
Sappire Theatrix TV Tuner
TDK DVD 880N
Silverstone Lascala LC13 case


1) Before I even started, I decided to test stability at stock. To my surprise, I got multiple errors in memtest (run in Windows) as well Super Pi 1M and BSOD in P95 large ffts. So I thought my memory was toast. I then ran memtest in DOS and passed test #5 and #8 without issues. I had to get some sleep so I had to leave it. What gives? I have heard USB devices attached can sometimes cause memory hiccups but I haven't heard that with this board. Any ideas? I will test the memory in my other rig but wanted to check here first.

2) I realize cooling and ventilation in my case is not the greatest and I notice NB temps get as high as ~57C . Should I be concerned about this? Could this be causing by instability issues? What temps are deemed as acceptable?

3) Not sure how to get S3 functioning properly. It will go in stanby but won't come out of it. Not sure about the setup for it.

 

[Duplex]

cupajava - How did it go? Hope your'e up and running fine now!

The rest - Pleeease report! Besides some raid and 4gig problem, any clock results
with cpu and ram?

I hope a new bios will come soon. They've worked on it quite some time now.

 

[FireTech]

I fear that all their efforts are being channeled into AM2 boards and the AT9 32X due in September. Hope I'm wrong but it's all gone a little quiet on the BIOS front. Maybe Gary's upcoming AT8 32X test will encourage them?

 

[Budarow]

Originally posted by: FireTech
I fear that all their efforts are being channeled into AM2 boards and the AT9 32X due in September. Hope I'm wrong but it's all gone a little quiet on the BIOS front. Maybe Gary's upcoming AT8 32X test will encourage them?

Since nVidia bought ULI...I don't think mobo makers using ATI chipsets will be getting much support from ULI. So IMO...I wouldn't bet on too many more BIOS updates for ATI/ULI mobos. Anyone know if AT9 will use ATI's SB600?

 

[Heidfirst]

I believe so but it may not be available until September.
I'm told that there is a beta BIOS for the AT8 32X under test.

 

[FireTech]

It's stated that it will in a 'visit abit' article on TweakTown but as Heidfirst says it's not out until September. Beta BIOS is too late maybe, everyone's gone DFI crazy now...

 

[cupajava]

Originally posted by: Duplex
cupajava - How did it go? Hope your'e up and running fine now!

The rest - Pleeease report! Besides some raid and 4gig problem, any clock results
with cpu and ram?

I hope a new bios will come soon. They've worked on it quite some time now.

Well, I finally got it stable. Don't think this new bios fixed all memory issues cause I ended up having to overclock the cpu to 235ht with memory at 2.5-3-3-7 1T 166 div. just to prevent from getting errors in P95 and memtest. The memory set at 2T with these setting also worked. I also have some OCZ TCCD ram in another rig that may have worked out better but I was determined to get my value ram to work. Like I said in my previous post, all stock settings in the bios were causing errors in P95. Not a great overclock but I was glad to get something extra out of it anyway.

As for the NB heating up, I contacted Abit support and they responded with "normal temps for NB is between 55 - 65C". Didn't like the answer so I put a 40 mm fan on the NB and undervolted it on the mobo so I can't hear it. Unfortunately, temps are still in the low to mid 50s but more acceptable.

I still love this mobo and all the options it offers but I have one more issue. Finally got my pc to come out of standby S3 with using the mouse of kb but the monitor won't come on. Anyone else have this problem? Is it the mobo or the video card causing this?

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: FireTech
Beta BIOS is too late maybe, everyone's gone DFI crazy now...

It's not as if that board is trouble-free ...
It definitely has it's own issues

 

[FireTech]

Originally posted by: Heidfirst
It definitely has it's own issues

I know but it's too late, they've all dumped their abits to fund the DFI (currently flavour of the month)

 

[Duplex]

Originally posted by: cupajava
Well, I finally got it stable. Don't think this new bios fixed all memory issues cause I ended up having to overclock the cpu to 235ht with memory at 2.5-3-3-7 1T 166 div. just to prevent from getting errors in P95 and memtest. The memory set at 2T with these setting also worked. I also have some OCZ TCCD ram in another rig that may have worked out better but I was determined to get my value ram to work. Like I said in my previous post, all stock settings in the bios were causing errors in P95. Not a great overclock but I was glad to get something extra out of it anyway.

As for the NB heating up, I contacted Abit support and they responded with "normal temps for NB is between 55 - 65C". Didn't like the answer so I put a 40 mm fan on the NB and undervolted it on the mobo so I can't hear it. Unfortunately, temps are still in the low to mid 50s but more acceptable.

I still love this mobo and all the options it offers but I have one more issue. Finally got my pc to come out of standby S3 with using the mouse of kb but the monitor won't come on. Anyone else have this problem? Is it the mobo or the video card causing this?

Sorry to hear that. I can´t help you since I don´t have it.
Are your Corsair VS 2 x 512 modules UCCC (samsung?)?
Try directing a fan over your memorymodules so that it chills your NB too.
That´ll give you better use of the airflow and space.

 

[TenchiKioto]

Originally posted by: Fraggable
It said that if you have only 1 video card that you have to put the dummy card in the 'slave' PCI-E slot. If I put the dummy card in, it won't POST. If I just leave it out it works fine.

Is this true??

I just bought this board a reman from newegg.... and cant get it posted...

it locks on error code 25 something to do with video....

 

[cupajava]

Originally posted by: TenchiKioto

Originally posted by: Fraggable
It said that if you have only 1 video card that you have to put the dummy card in the 'slave' PCI-E slot. If I put the dummy card in, it won't POST. If I just leave it out it works fine.

Is this true??

I just bought this board a reman from newegg.... and cant get it posted...

it locks on error code 25 something to do with video....

No, this is not true. Mine posts with the dummy card in place. Just make sure you have the dummy card in the 'higher' first slot and the video card in the second slot. Try reseating your video card and dummy card. Make sure to disconnect all power when doing so. Since it is a refurb, reset the CMOS as well.

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: TenchiKioto
it locks on error code 25 something to do with video....

My board worked OK with the shadow car in.
Try checking your IDE cables/optical drives as they sometimes cause that too.