**Official Epox 8K5A Series (KT333) Thread** (Files, Reviews, and Info Inside!)

[russr]

Ridefree, it appears as if there is only one USB2.0 port, but in reality there is only 1 usb2.0 controller. That controller controls 6 usb ports. There are three usb1.1 controllers because each usb1.1 controller controls only 2 ports so 2X3 = 6 ports. Read my previous post on this.

And while windows xp sp1 does install some usb2.0 stuff, the via 2.47 usb 2.0 drivers are the latest signed drivers and are much newer than those of microsoft's. They may or may not offer a performance advantage.

 

[BZeto]

Who ever is using the onboard sound, I need help! I cant access the soundmanager so I can configure my speakers and everything, I did the first time I installed the drivers but I think I chose to hide it from the task bar or something. Anyway, now I cant even open it, its running b/c I can see it in the proccesses tab when I hit ctrl alt del in win xp. I checked my task bar options and made sure its not set to "hide". I tried reinstalling the drivers but I still cant open it.

 

[mooo]

Originally posted by: BZeto
Who ever is using the onboard sound, I need help! I cant access the soundmanager so I can configure my speakers and everything, I did the first time I installed the drivers but I think I chose to hide it from the task bar or something. Anyway, now I cant even open it, its running b/c I can see it in the proccesses tab when I hit ctrl alt del in win xp. I checked my task bar options and made sure its not set to "hide". I tried reinstalling the drivers but I still cant open it.

Avance Sound Manager is available from Start/All Programs/Avance/SoundMan. Selecting it will put it in the system tray and you can launch from there as usual.

 

[BZeto]

Thats the thing, it doesn't appear in the system tray when I launch it.

 

[mooo]

Originally posted by: BZeto
Thats the thing, it doesn't appear in the system tray when I launch it.

try uninstalling Avance; download latest from realtek and install.

 

[mooo]

Originally posted by: russr
Ridefree, it appears as if there is only one USB2.0 port, but in reality there is only 1 usb2.0 controller. That controller controls 6 usb ports. There are three usb1.1 controllers because each usb1.1 controller controls only 2 ports so 2X3 = 6 ports. Read my previous post on this.

And while windows xp sp1 does install some usb2.0 stuff, the via 2.47 usb 2.0 drivers are the latest signed drivers and are much newer than those of microsoft's. They may or may not offer a performance advantage.

From Via's download site

USB 2.0 Drivers

Note: Please do not get confused which type of USB controller you have. This article should clarify any questions you may have.

WinXP - Due to licensing agreements, USB 2.0 drivers are not available for download. USB 2.0 drivers are supplied on CD with new mainboards. If you have misplaced the driver CD or have questions about the USB 2.0 driver, please contact your motherboard manufacturer or Microsoft.

It would appear that Microsoft and mb manufactures would get the latest drivers at the same time. But there doesn't seem to be any way to tell how the MS version relates to the 2.4x version scheme.

 

[russr]

Although I installed the latest Via 2.47 usb2.0 drivers over xp sp1, all my driver files seem to have the 5.1.2600.1106 version pinned on them and they are dated 9/09/02.

Honestly the issue isn't so much Via or Microsoft as it more whichever you have that's already working. There's no point in getting the via ones if microsoft ones you have are working fine. If there's a performance issue then it might be reason to try out the latest ones.

So really microsoft or via whichever you have and works for you.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: mooo

Originally posted by: BZeto
Who ever is using the onboard sound, I need help! I cant access the soundmanager so I can configure my speakers and everything, I did the first time I installed the drivers but I think I chose to hide it from the task bar or something. Anyway, now I cant even open it, its running b/c I can see it in the proccesses tab when I hit ctrl alt del in win xp. I checked my task bar options and made sure its not set to "hide". I tried reinstalling the drivers but I still cant open it.

Avance Sound Manager is available from Start/All Programs/Avance/SoundMan. Selecting it will put it in the system tray and you can launch from there as usual.

uh..All Programs..? looks like in Control Panel to me..XPPro with XPPro view(Start menu/button configured for most items viewed as Menu..) not the Classic view

 

[Ruroni]

Anyone knows what would provoke the following error:

CMOS checksum error - Defaults loaded
Magic Health
Blah Blah Blah
(The temps are fine; the CPU is at 39C)

Press F1 to continue, DEL to enter setup

But when I press Del, or F1 nothing happens. Even if I pess CTRL+ALT+DEL at the same time nothing happens.
Also, the processor is being read as an 1800+ although it's a 2400+ and the RAM is being read as PC1600 eventhough it's corsair XMSPC3500C2.

I've already tried clearing the CMOS with the jumpers, AND by removing the the power cable from the supply, disconnecting the motherboards ATX connector, removing the battery and setting the JCK1 jumpers to the 2-3 position for over one minute, and setting the JCK1 jumpers to the 2-3 position (this sets the CPU host clock select to 133Mhz) but that changed nothing.

Anyone have thoughts, comments, ideas or oppinions? I would greatly appreciate them.

(MoBo = 8K5A2+)

 

[russr]

Ruroni this is what will cause it:
1) Installing a new cpu
2)flashing the bios with a new bios and loading cmos defaults either through BIOS or through CMOS clear jumper.
3) an overclock causing default to load

You need to set the jumper by the cpu fan header to 133mhz, that way your cpu and ram will not default to a 100mhz front side bus upon any overclock/reset/clear. Check the manual about that jumper for more info.

It's something that has been asked on the thread a couple of times.

 

[russr]

For those interested a new official BIOS (8k5a2+) has been posted on the Epox website dated 11/01/02:

here's the link:
BIOS 11/01/02 for 8k5a2+

 

[DrPara]

is it true that the new 8K9A has a 1/6 PCI DIVIDER ?

 

[jagilbertvt]

Ruroni,

Are you using a USB Keyboard? Sometimes they fail to work during boot (until a driver is loaded) if "USB Keyboard support" isnt enabled in the bios. Solution: plug in a PS2 keyboard and enable this setting.

-Jeremiah

 

[Ruroni]

Thanks guys. That did the trick, had to change the keyboard. As it turns out being USB K.B. I couldn't enter the BIOS to enable USB support, thus using a PS2 KeyBoard was the solution.

For those who are familiar with my previous dilemma and are curious as to how it's resolved... I replaced the XP2200+ with a 2400+ for the sake of installation. Once the OS was installed and everything was running like it's supposed to, I removed the 2400+ and sat it back up on the Abit AT7 MAX2 then I plopped the 2200+ OEM on the Epox 8K5A2+. And things have been running smoothly (so far). My costly expereince has left me with 2 complete systems pretty similar to each other, one slightly more advanced than the other. For the time being I'm sharing the Corsair PC3500 DDR RAM one stick of 512mb a piece. I may get a stick of 512 of crucial or samsung to use on the Epox, so that the AT7 MAX2 will house both Corsairs.

And the moral of the story is... I don't know what the moral of the story is. Don't trust the 2200+?

 

[RideFree]

russr

Ridefree, it appears as if there is only one USB2.0 port, but in reality there is only 1 usb2.0 controller. That controller controls 6 usb ports. There are three usb1.1 controllers because each usb1.1 controller controls only 2 ports so 2X3 = 6 ports. Read my previous post on this.

I am not aware of anything said that would disagree with what you have stated.
Yes, I agree that the USB2 controller manages the six ports as does the USB1.1 controller only manage two ports so that there are three USB1.1 controllers required to manage the 6 ports. USB 2 is simply more robust. (However, USB has caused quite a headache for VIA.)

 

[RideFree]

russr,
Thanks for the flash on the 11/1 BIOS

 

[russr]

I still don't understand why there have to be USB1.1 controllers at all since USB2.0 is supposed to be backward compatible. So in theory there should only be 1 usb2.0 controller and nothing else.

 

[RideFree]

Ruroni,

Don't trust the 2200+?

I think this issue goes away with the Tbred "B".

 

[RideFree]

russr,

I still don't understand why there have to be USB1.1 controllers at all since USB2.0 is supposed to be backward compatible. So in theory there should only be 1 usb2.0 controller and nothing else.

I think this may have been VIA's solution to a problem that reportedly almost brought the house down.
VIA's CEO Jim *can't think of his lastname* was seen and heard publicly wringing his hands over USB.:disgust:

 

[mooo]

Originally posted by: Ruroni

And the moral of the story is... I don't know what the moral of the story is. Don't trust the 2200+?

Ruruoni, congratulations & thanks for keeping us all posted!

Take heart in the knowledge that you have educated numerous people with your informative posts. Perhaps also saved a number of people from headaches.

 

[russr]

Re: about tbred causing problems

I for one have not seen this issue before. Also, it's very strange to see "consistent" errors that occur same place and same time caused by overheating...if you can call temps in 40-50C overheating.

 

[russr]

Ridefree, it's not just VIA that does this:

check out the second to last post here

even Intel motherboards with p4 have same issue.

 

[dwn]

Hi everyone, first post to this thread. Great read, thanks for all the information.

Am I doing something wrong when I try to overclock the fsb? I'm not having any luck at all. I know there is no guarentee that overclocking will work, but I just want to make sure that I am using the correct settings.

Here's my rig:

New Stuff I bought:
EPOX EP-8K5A2+
Athlon 2000xp+ OEM
Thermalright SLK-800 (with a quiet Panaflo 24CFM fan)
Kingston 512MB DDR333 PC2700 Memory Retail
Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 6Y080L0 80GB ATA/133 7200RPM
Chaintech GeForce4 Ti4200 AGP 4X 128MB DDR Video Card w/TV-Out & DVI Retail
Zalman ZM300A 300W Noise-Free Power Supply

I also have:
TV Wonder PCI
M-Audio Delta 1010 Pro Audio Recording card
Soundblaster Live! 5.1 Plat
CDRW and DVD Drives

Running Windows 2k with all the latest patches

I think that's it. So I have everything all setup and running pretty quiet and very smoothly (it always reports temps on the CPU below 50 by the way), but now I want to try to overclock the thing just a little. But I'm having absolutly no luck. And I know that's a possibility with overclocking (you might not be able to), but I just want to make sure that I'm doing it right since I'm new to OC.

Is there any sort of guide that would walk me through the bios setup? If so, can you point me at it? I've read this whole thread, but it's long and I might have missed it - if it's in there, point me to the page please. So far, the only thing that I have done in the bios is diable the on-board audio. I haven't done anything else. Should I? Then to overclock it, I just go to "CPU Clock", where it says "Key in a DEC number" and put in 166. I would think that my multiplier is locked since I haven't unlocked it, so I don't change anything else. I just save the bios and reboot. But when I do, I just get a blank screen, so signal sent to the monitor. So that's it, I have to reset the bios and I'm back to square one.

Can someone tell me if I'm doing anything wrong? I tried to include everything I could, but if you need any more info, just let me know.

Thanks so much. I really love this setup and appreciate the wealth of info in this post.

 

[Live]

dwn I would disable anything on the mother board that you don't use. com ports Serial port usb etc.

Then raise FSB with only 1 MHz at the time. Do this until it wont boot. Then lower to last working number and try to load windows. if windows fails lower again until working. With a locked 2000+ I doubt you will hit 166 at once. I know I cant with my locked 1900+. I run 153 FSB which is still a nice 250MHz overclock. And that with aggressive memory timings.

Memory and Artic Silver (or any other thermal paste) might need time to "burn in"

Consider upgrading your bios. There is some bios posted in this thread that have proven to work well while raising FSB.

Install latest VIA 4in1 and other drivers for your hardware.

Still no luck?

Check for errors. Scandisk and hardware conflicts.

Remove any PCI card that might be causing problems. If possible have no PCI card in slot 1.

Remove all PCI cards.

Change memory slot.

Hope some of this helps.

 

[DrPara]

so ...shouild i guess that no1 knows anything about 1/6 divider ?