*** Official EPoX 8RDA/+ (nForce2) Thread ***

[WT]

OK, I put together my friends 8RDA board yesterday and an earlier post mentioned the hardware monitor software on the CD. I tried to install it and the PC then reboots, but I see no install folder or anything under Start -> Programs showing it. His 80 GB drive developed bad sectors so while thats being RMA'd, I hadda use his old spare 10 GB. After I installed W2k, I logged in with the (default) Admin account which gave me an error because it did not have enough space on the drive to even create the account !!! He had about 80k free (!!) so might that be causing the problem ? I freed up enough space to create a second account for him but the Admin account looks botched as it gives me a message about it being unable to load the profile. Can I delete it and recreate it from my friends Username/Administrator policy account ? I ran 3dmark 2001 but thought the score of 9400 was low for an Nforce 2, 1700 Tbred, 512 RAM, ATI Sapphire 9500 PC. Granted, much of the blame can be placed on the old 10 GB HD but I hoped for 10K off the bat. Oh well, theres a lotta room left in that Tbred (which is why I asked about the hardware monitor). TIA

 

[farscape]

Thanks to all for your input.

I too believe that the prob is 98 related, so 2K is on order. After it gets here and installed, will update on progress.

 

[mboy]

Originally posted by: farscape
Thanks to all for your input.

I too believe that the prob is 98 related, so 2K is on order. After it gets here and installed, will update on progress.

Unles you play really old games, u wil be a much happier computer user

 

[Superdoopercooper]

Just built a new 8RDA+ system:

Epox 8RDA+
Twinmos/Winbond PC3200
Athlon 2200+
WD 80GB special edition
ATI Radeon 7000 32MB DDR

Everything is BRAND NEW... except for the video card (i.e. fresh install of WinXP to NTFS partition). I installed WinXP Pro, and all went ok. Then, when I first click to log on (click on my user icon at the startup screen)... WinXP goes to the screen with the grassy background... I could move the mouse for about 5 seconds, and then it froze and rebooted.

Upon restart, it said "Windows recovered from a serious error.... " and said it was likely related to the ATI video card. I click ok... and about 10 seconds later... reboot. Again and again, it will just reboot somewhere around the log in screen, or just shortly after getting into WinXP.

IS there something about my video card that I don't know? Is it not compatible with this MB? Does it have soemthing to do with being an AGP 2x/4x card? Please point me in some direction!!!

BTW: I'm running at 133MHz memory bus. "Auto" for the AGP bus (so I assume 66MHz), "Auto" voltages... etc. So, I have not yet started any type of O/C'ing excercise and I'm already hosed. I have Video RAM Shadow enabled, and AGP snoop enabled.

I have not installed ANYTHING else in/on my system except for my ATI TV Wonder VE... which I threw into the PCI slot, but of course never got far enough to install any drivers for.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I'd yank the TV wonder out till you've finished installing SP1, the unifieds, USB 2.0 drivers, catalyst 3.2'S, DX9 (if you plan to install it) ect. I'd also manually set up all the bios parameters for CPU, RAM, ect. to be certain they "take" as I've read auto can be a SNAFU sometimes.

 

[mechBgon]

Also, remember your option to boot in Safe Mode to do what DAPUNISHER is suggesting. edit: oops, I misread "Radeon 7000" as "Radeon 9700", never mind about the secondary power fitting advice

The fourth PCI slot would be the best place for any "heavy-use" PCI card.

 

[Superdoopercooper]

Hmmmm... I wish I had a Radeon 9700. I have a 2 year old *7000*.

Case is an ANTEC SX835 Performance II (350W Antec supply).

The 4th PCI slot is EXACTLY the place I put the TV card. But, I'll take DAP's suggestion and remove that and manually set up the Bios.

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Also, remember your option to boot in Safe Mode to do what DAPUNISHER is suggesting. Two other things to remember too: 1) the R9700Pro has an auxiliary power fitting, did you plug that in, and 2) do you have a high-quality brand of power supply, preferably 350W+, such as Enermax, Enlight, Sparkle Power, Antec...? The fourth PCI slot would be the best place for any "heavy-use" PCI cards such as your TV card, also.

 

[Superdoopercooper]

Ok... so I lowered the AGP frequency to 50Mhz, the Ram frequency to 100 Mhz, took out the Wonder VE... and still WinXp just shuts off/crashes/sucks.

On boot up, I've tried hitting F8 and F4.... neither seem to work to get me into Safe Mode. I can't think of how else to do it.

How can the video card be busted... I'm using it in my old system right now to type this message.

 

[mechBgon]

F8 is the right idea but you may have to spam it rapidly to get a word in edgewise.

Does your WinXP have SP1 pre-integrated? Theoretically, the right order of installation is

WinXP
SP1
Motherboard drivers (I used nVidia 2.03's)
Video drivers

 

[Superdoopercooper]

That was my plan...

1) WinXP (no SP1 built in... I've had my copy for a while now)
2) SP1
3) Nforce drivers (yes, 2.03)
4) CAT 3.1 or 3.2 drivers for Radeon
5) other crap.

But, i can't do anything in windows. I've tried holding down F8 as soon as the bios detects the IDE drives... no luck. :| I guess I'll try again. I knew I should have just bought a new Vid card.

 

[mechBgon]

The other way that you might get access to the Safe Mode menu is by cutting off power in the middle of WinXP startup, so it thinks something's wrong and offers the menu.

 

[MARMADUKE]

disable -I have Video RAM Shadow enabled, and AGP snoop enabled.
and set agp to 66mhz, set memory to expert settings 100% and timings of 6222

 

[Superdoopercooper]

So you're saying I should disable both "Shadow Video Ram" and "VGA Snoop"?

Another question: What is AGP voltage supposed to be? IT would see that on AGP 2x card, the voltage should be higher, becuase in general, it is older technology? Default on the board is 1.5V. Should it be 1.6 or higher? I've tried 1.6... but didnt' want to go higher until I found out if a higher voltage was necessary/warranted.

Thanks...

 

[DAPUNISHER]

N/M I see you have a thread for it now.

 

[Bartman39]

I simply love these new 8RDA+`s... I got my first one and it will run up to 245fsb w/NO VDD modd... (an A3 stepping on the Southbridge no less) No I just got another from newegg today and it too has the A3 stepping and so far will run up to 220+ fsb w/NO VDD modd either... Only sad part is I dont have any more twinmos/twinmos PC3200 to put in the second one... But I had a stick of OCZ PC3000 (older version just Cas 2.5 double sided w/copper heatspreader) and a stick of generic PC3500 single sided w/alum heatspreader... Well to my surprise it runs dual channel mode at 333DDR no problem... Funky but cool... I had them up to 220DDR but started getting errors out the wazzoo...

BTW have another 8RDA+ due tomorrow... (film at 11... )


8RDA+`s ROCK...!

 

[dinde]

should i buy one of those little speakers to put inside my case if i have an 8rda+? i know it has little diagnostic leds that display numbers, but does that mean i shouldnt get the speaker? will i gain anything with this?

 

[Forgotten]

I'm having problems with my computer, and I built it with the EPoX 8RDA+. I posted a detailed explanation in the Technical Discussion forum here. I'd prefer a reply on that post rather than this one to avoid confusion, but it's up to you. I'm not necessarily sure if it's a motherboard problem or a different hardware piece. I'll take any help I can get. Thanks to anyone who replies. It's greatly appreciated.

 

[MoFunk]

I too jumped on the 8RDA+ train when my 8K3A+ died! At first I was not too impressed but as I dig into this board more, the more I like it. It is taking some time to get all the "kinks" worked out, but as they are, this board rocks. I am running my 1700 Tbred "B" at 11.5x192 using 1.6 volts. I will be bumping the FSB up a little more later to see if I can reach that 200 mark and still be rock solid.

 

[MARMADUKE]

I'll give you a swift boot!
Sound card: Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
Hard drive: Western Digital 80g (special edition, 8mb cache)
RAM: Crucial pc2700 512mb

The HD should have no jumper on the pins and or set for single drive!
The generic micron ram is a big NO NO (replace)
The sound card? turn off onboard audio in cmos/bios setup

 

[Eddie33081]

I need some help getting my fsb up. I am running a 2100+ tbred 0203, 8rda+ 1.1 A3 3305, 512mb kingston hyperx pc3500. I can only hold stable right now at 6.0x180fsb which shows that 180fsb is my max fsb. Is this right? I have already bought a iceburg cooler for my sb/nb but Im thinking of rma'ing since this will probbably only push me around 190fsb. Anyone have any suggestions on getting my stock fsb higher?


Thanks alot

-eddie

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Eddie33081
I need some help getting my fsb up. I am running a 2100+ tbred 0203, 8rda+ 1.1 A3 3305, 512mb kingston hyperx pc3500. I can only hold stable right now at 6.0x180fsb which shows that 180fsb is my max fsb. Is this right? I have already bought a iceburg cooler for my sb/nb but Im thinking of rma'ing since this will probbably only push me around 190fsb. Anyone have any suggestions on getting my stock fsb higher?


Thanks alot

-eddie

vdd mod.

 

[MARMADUKE]

120MM FANS

 

[mboy]

Originally posted by: Eddie33081
I need some help getting my fsb up. I am running a 2100+ tbred 0203, 8rda+ 1.1 A3 3305, 512mb kingston hyperx pc3500. I can only hold stable right now at 6.0x180fsb which shows that 180fsb is my max fsb. Is this right? I have already bought a iceburg cooler for my sb/nb but Im thinking of rma'ing since this will probbably only push me around 190fsb. Anyone have any suggestions on getting my stock fsb higher?


Thanks alot

-eddie

What do u have your vcore and vdimm at?

Unless your cpu temp is high, I do not think cooling is your issue. Is your multi really only @ 6? Are u stable at the default fsb and multi?

 

[EvilSponge]

Hello 8RDA+ people,

Just completed the VDD mod with the SMD grabbers if you can't hit 200 fsb this is the fix no question about it I'm currently running 205 FSB
with a 11.5 multi stable prime 95 ran for 20 hours no errors used a resistance value of 680 ohms which results in a VDD o9f 1.82V

-ES

 

[cowdog]

Currently running "beta" bios 3402. Apparently this bios fixes issues with low latency RAM.

Check here for the beta bios 3402.