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

[JustStarting]

my USB works and is detected just fine- however it will not boot with a USB device plugged in. if i plug it in after booting, it's fine. i have to remember to unplug it if i need to reboot or the same thing happens.

 

[AMDBOY]

chargin8
Sounds like me trying to install drivers for new or troublesome device. I found that if I was persistant enough, I could finally browse for the correct FILE PATH. Then it would eventually find the needed drivers. Perhaps someone here with more experience could eloquently guide you in that direction and see if the correct drivers can be found & work. Patience, you are close.IMHO

 

[chargin8]

Yeah WOW, check this out!!!


USB driver install problem


This was my problem, well at least it fixed device manager, my usb connections all show up now, seems theres 3 grouped together and another one that when installed puts about 3 things in the usb part of dev man.
WHY WHY WHY did this happen?!! I kept getting the invalid data error when installing like in the thread but after the reg tweak it worked fine, seems a windows bug if you ask me, and why doesnt it hit everyone??? what was different between my windows install and others who wont encounter this problem?? crazy
BTW my usb card reader, pocket pc cradle et al, still arent detected when I plug them in, USBready util says everything is working though so now Im really stuck

 

[techfuzz]

Even after contacting EPoX for support on the motherboard I was not able to get the board to work so I've RMA'd it back to Mwave for replacement. I should be getting the replacement sometime next week. Hopefully board #2 proves to be just a tad more cooperable than board #1 was!

techfuzz

 

[russr]

To all the regulars here:
Epox has just posted a New Audio Driver for the Realtek ALC650 chipset

You can find it here

Please comment on your experience with this newer driver: I have found that I have to turn my speakers much higher now to get the same level of loudness as before.

 

[tommyjt24]

Does anyone have anything to say when comparing the 8K5A3+ with the kt400 version of this board?? as far as i can tell the performance gain is minimal. Will the performance gains be bigger in the future and is it worth it to get the kt400 version. anyone have links of these two compared?

 

[drewdogg808]

Originally posted by: tommyjt24
Does anyone have anything to say when comparing the 8K5A3+ with the kt400 version of this board?? as far as i can tell the performance gain is minimal. Will the performance gains be bigger in the future and is it worth it to get the kt400 version. anyone have links of these two compared?

bump, cause i'm having a hard time deciding between the 2. performance gains does seem minimal at this point from reviews i've been reading, and the kt400 is still sorta buggy with some hardware.....not sure what to do...

 

[Ruroni]

And if the New Audio Driver for the Realtek ALC650 chipset 3.35 isn't good enough for you, you can always go here, where you'll find the 3.36

 

[bupkus]

If you want a VIA chipset and want real differences wait for the KT400A.

 

[russr]

Thanks for the driver Ruroni. The one on Epox's site is not 3.25 but 3.35. I find the 3.35 too soft so I'll try the 3.36 version.

 

[FriedRiceBob]

Originally posted by: bupkus
If you want a VIA chipset and want real differences wait for the KT400A.

i second this.
just like those who waited for the kt133A over the kt133 were greatly rewarded, i believe the kt400A boards will be much better. Probably including: official DDR400 support, working 1/6 dividers for pci (when will AMD boys get to lock down the agp/pci like P4 users?), possibly on-chip serial ATA support. these thoughts of mine are speculation, but it seems that VIA releases the "A" chipsets with everything that people wanted in the original. :\

out.
Fried

 

[Chappo]

First my complete setup (again)

- chieftec 360 watt
- epox 8k5a2+
- Nanya 512 MB pc2700
- 1 maxtor plus 8 - 30gb
- 1 maxtor d740x - 80 gb
- 1 plexwriter cd-writer 8/4/32A
- 1 dvd player pioneer
- Creative soundblaster live platinum
- Asus geforce 4 v8420 Special edition 128mb
- Pinneacle PCTV PRO
- 1 firewire pci card


What i would like to know is.... what is the best 'pci setup' for my 3 pci cards.
(pinneacle pctv pro , 1 firewire card , soundblaster platinum )
I noticed that some pci are 'sharing' and as i'm gonna make a clean installation again of windows 2000, what are the best things to do ?

I exprienced a few problems with my new computer , one of them was that i was unable to burn cd's on my plexwriter 8/4/32a.
Hoping that a clean install will do the works, because i tried everything on the hardware side (changing cable, correct master/slave jumper settings, enabling udma in bios)

Could someone please tell me how i can make the best out of my system ???

BIG THANKS IN ADVANCE !!!!!!

 

[AMDBOY]

Chappo, Start by installing Win XP Pro. You will love it. And if you don't, you can tweak it 'till you do.

 

[poorsa]

After reading all of this thread I ended up getting a 8k5a2 , corsair xms 3500 , and an xp 1600- aroia. I put it all together and it runs perfectly stable at 166 with turbo memory settings, stock voltage and all! Thanks to all who have posted in this thread for the great info, this was the most painless overclock I have ever had !!

 

[MrPALCO]

Congrats, poorsa !

 

[FriedRiceBob]

yeah, poorsa.....w00t for the 1600 and mainly AGOIA cores!

 

[DrPara]

stupid question : is AROIA stepping better than AGOIA ?

 

[daveqb]

dunno why it post blank twice when logging in

but tha answer is no

AGOIA weeks 6, 9 and 16 are the way to go mate

i fried my VRXP last night, so looking @ getting the 8k5a2+

nothing but praise i hear

 

[daveqb]

 

[Skiracer]

After scanning this thread, I still have a couple of questions:

System: Xp2600+ (333), 8K5a3+, 512MB Corsair PC3200 CL2, Lots of HDDs/CD/DVD.

Questions:
1. Can you select other memory bus speeds other than 166 or setup? Currently running at 166 MHz (333 DDR) and Turbo timings.
2. I thought that someone said that the 2600+ processors were unlocked for multipliers above 12.5. I try anything over 13 and get 800 or 900 MHz processor speeds! Can I bridge the L3 pin(s) to correct this? Lower than 12X also yeilds lower frequencies (no way to increase multiplier over stock setting of 12.5 currently).
3. Is there any way to adjust the AGP/PCI divider manually to allow for FSB speeds of 400 MHz? Currently maxes out at a divider of 5 (33/66 MHz at 166 FSB)

I've managed to OC to an FSB of 175 (350 DDR), but I don't want to push it any further because of the PCI/AGP frequencies.

Any/all help is appreciated- TIA!

 

[drewdogg808]

Originally posted by: DrPara
stupid question : is AROIA stepping better than AGOIA ?

from what i've seen and read, the aroias oc the same, if not a little better than agoias. a little more consistent too. agoias are good, but it may be hit or miss. i've had 2 agoias and 1 aroia, and the aroia oc'd the best. of the 2 agoias, one did well, the other sucked. of course, ymmv.

 

[Live]

Originally posted by: Skiracer
After scanning this thread, I still have a couple of questions:

System: Xp2600+ (333), 8K5a3+, 512MB Corsair PC3200 CL2, Lots of HDDs/CD/DVD.

Questions:
1. Can you select other memory bus speeds other than 166 or setup? Currently running at 166 MHz (333 DDR) and Turbo timings.
2. I thought that someone said that the 2600+ processors were unlocked for multipliers above 12.5. I try anything over 13 and get 800 or 900 MHz processor speeds! Can I bridge the L3 pin(s) to correct this? Lower than 12X also yeilds lower frequencies (no way to increase multiplier over stock setting of 12.5 currently).
3. Is there any way to adjust the AGP/PCI divider manually to allow for FSB speeds of 400 MHz? Currently maxes out at a divider of 5 (33/66 MHz at 166 FSB)

I've managed to OC to an FSB of 175 (350 DDR), but I don't want to push it any further because of the PCI/AGP frequencies.

Any/all help is appreciated- TIA!

1. 166 is the max setting.

2. Cant help you there.

3. 1/5 is the highest divider to date on VIA chipset. You have to go Nforce 2 to get a 1/6 divider.

 

[DrPara]

Setup:
EPOX 8k5a2 (15/8/02 bios)
256 MB PC3200 Samsung
Abit Siluro gf4 ti4200
60Gb Barracuda IV (main)
20gb Quantum fireball
AMD XP 2000+ AGOIA
taisol 760(copper insertion)

i recently sold my 8KHA+ and yesterday i bought this board,i installed and when entering WIN2000 professional(sp1+sp2) i keep getting this error :
" WinMgmt.exe - Application Error
The instruction at "0x77f940f8" referenced memory at "0x00bf4855".The memory could not be "read" ".
...."

always same adresses, ...first i thought it was the memory but i tried another 2 sticks of samsung pc2700 & pc 3200
(i'm getting this error with all configurations of memory,starting with Fail-Safe Defaults and Optimized Defaults to almost overclocking)
but the error persisted ...
i'm beggining to think it's my hdd (Barracuda) as i tried it on another sistem (kt333,abit mb -cant remember model) and when win98se was almost loaded , the computer froze
i tried changing the hdds,instead the Barracuda i bootet with the HDD with win98se ... no problems ..3dmark,sisoft sandra,etc
hmm ..i'm still investigating,maybe i'll so a format of the Barracuda tomorrow ...what do you guys think ?
has anyone encountered that error with this motherboard ?

psls excuse my english
thx

 

[Skiracer]

Try doing a Win2000 recovery from the installation CD. (Boot from the W2K CD and select recover previous installation wharn prompted>) I needed to do this to get W2K working after swaping to this MB (my Win98SE dual-boot worked right away, but not the W2K). After doing the recovery, you may need to go into safe mode and install the 4-in-1 VIA drivers, HPT RAID drivers, and video drivers (in that order) to get a good system. Good luck!

 

[DrPara]

i forgot to mention :

-via .43 installed
-cpu temp is about 43-45 C
-win2k freezes at the installation