Radeon 9700 Pro on Gigabyte GA-7VAX

[jmorrell]

I can't get my new Radeon 9700 Pro to work on my GA-7VAX motherboard. 2D works fine, but all 3D games and benchmarks either crash to the desktop or lock the computer. I have tried format and reinstall with just video drivers sound driver, and a couple of 3D games and benchmarks, but I still get crashing. I even tried upping the AGP voltage to see if that would help. No good. I have Windows XP with all the patches, latest VIA 4 in 1s, latest ATI Catalyst drivers, latest BIOS, etc. This is my second Radeon 9700 Pro, as I though the first was defective. The new one is even a different brand. I'm totally stumped. Any suggestions?

 

[Slappy00]

i had a similar problem
do this

check your bios for the AGP aperature and set it TO NO LESS THAN 128mb.. it fixed the problem for me, as it tured out the F9 BIOS set my aperature to 64megs, i only found out after 2 OS installs later...

BTW it might be in teh advanced BIOS settings i think to get to it is you load the bios screen and press ctrl+F1 or some other 2-button combination, but i forget .. Im pretty confident that that might be a problem, bte I own a GA-7VAXP (same as youe plus RAID )

 

[jmorrell]

I checked, AGP aperature is already at 128. I even tried it at 256, and it still locks up.

 

[Slappy00]

ok sorry i went out drinking .... but did you mess with any of the D3D functions (like forcing AA or ANSO?)? Try default, also did you try in 4X mode instead of 8x?

Im kinda drunk right now so I',m interested in your problem..... IM me and well figure it out.... I had that same problem, but only in D3D apps like AOM or Empire EArth, I forget now but I had two solutions, one of which was the APerteure size i mentioned, I forget what the other was...

let me know if this onlyhappens in D3D or if it also happens in open GL ...

 

[jmorrell]

Lock ups happen in Return to Castle Wolfenstein and 3DMark03. Happens regardless of whether AA or ASF are turned on or off. Happens with either DirectX 8 or DirectX 9 installed. Passes DirectX diagnostics. Original GeForce 3 TI 200 has no such problems with the same games or benchmarks. Tried AGP 4X mode, still locks. Tried turning off AGP Fast Writes, still locks up. I've tried setting the memory settings in the BIOS to the most conservative, and I still get lockups. I'm at my wits end. I've contacted ATI tech support, and am waiting for an answer. I just hope I don't have a bad motherboard. It's brand new, and works with my GeForce 3 Ti 200, so I'm pretty sure it is OK. I don't feel like buying another motherboard just to try it and see if it works.

 

[Generalen]

You might experience a conflict between you old Nvidia driver and the new catalyst(sp?) driver. Did you remove the detonators and installed a generic VGA driver before you installed the ATI drivers? You might want to search somewhere on the net for a guide how to completly remove your detonators, this takes some manual regedit and deleting though.
EDIT: Oh didn't know you had reformatted.

 

[jmorrell]

I even had the problem with a freshly formatted hard drive with nothing installed but ATI driver, sound card driver, and Wolfenstein and 3DMark03 only, so it's not a driver conflict.

 

[Slappy00]

what BIOS version do you have (im sober now ) ?

 

[jmorrell]

I have tried it on BIOS versions F8 and F10, with the same results each time. I've tried just about every BIOS setting and DirectX setting available. I've tried three diffeent sets of ATI drivers. I've been building computer systems as a hobby for ten years, and never have I experienced this kind of trouble with a video card. This is my second bout with ATI drivers (the first being a rage Fury Pro), and it just isn't worth the hassle. Having the fastest video card currently available is not that important to me as I rarely play 3D games. I prefer stability over ultimate speed, and the two Nvidia cards I have owned have been extremely stable on both this system and my previous system. I've pretty much decided to give up on ATI and go back to Nvidia (I'm just waiting to hear about my RMA).

Thanks for trying to help. If you do come up with anything before Tuesday next week (when I expect to get RMA approval), please let me know.

 

[Slappy00]

MY opnion is that its something to do with your BIOS settings or general compatibility ...

HAve you tried the 9700 on another MOBO? I would do that next if its possible.

 

[Elvis2]

never have I experienced this kind of trouble with a video card

That doesn't sound good. I've been saving my coins and was planning on selling my GF4 Ti4600 in order to get the new R350. I only play two games. Racing sims actually (F1 2002 GT/M3 mod and Nascar Racing 2003 season) and fps is not the issue. Truth is, I've never really liked Nvidia's image quality. Even back a couple of years ago I thought the Voodoo5 5500 blew the GF2 GTS/Ultra's away in picture quality. From what I've seen with the 9700 Pro series, I was impressed with the picture but it sure sounds like a hassle to get it to work right on some systems. That's the reason I left AMD for Intel. Just got tired of the compatibility bs.

 

[merkutio]

I'm having exactly the same problem, as of lately though, I've gotten powerstrip and lowered the clock speeds on my radeon 9700 pro, it's not the card, it is a problem with the mobo, I think, or it could be that I have a crappy power supply. All in all, it does frustrate me to have to run underclocked, but I'm still trying everything.

 

[jmorrell]

I have to agree that ATI generally has better image quality, but Nvidia image quality seems to have gotten better as each new generation of cards has come out. My GeForce3 Ti200 has image quality very close to the 9700 Pro (at least it worked for DVD playback), so returning to Nvidia is not a huge loss. I just have to use what works with my system. I'm seriously considering getting either a GeForce4 Ti4200 or a GeForce4 Ti4600 to replace the Radeon and my current GeForce3 Ti200. Time will tell.

 

[Elvis2]

email me: bu.rr@gte.net or enable your pm

 

[jmorrell]

Elvis2:

PM enabled.

 

[Pacfanweb]

I'm having the same problem. Either lockups or crashes to the desktop.
I have a 9700 pro, with this config:
Asus Nforce2 motherboard. (A7N8X)
SB Audigy
512 megs DDR 333 Samsung
450 watt Thermaltake power supply

I've tried Windows 98, 2000, and XP, with the same results.

I started with an MSI KT4 Ultra mobo, had the same problem. Then I switched to the ASUS.

I've tried everything I've read on rage3d.com, with no luck.

I had ATI send me an RMA card, and it won't even boot up.

Every one of these combos was with a fresh format/reinstall of whatever OS I was trying at the time.

This has been going on since December.....I'm obviously a patient person, but I'm about ready to get another Geforce.
Sad thing is, I really want the Radeon to work.....for the few minutes you can play before the crash, it runs and looks great.

 

[jmorrell]

Pacfanweb,

I see maybe one common thing between your system and mine - we both have Audigy sound cards (mine is an Audigy2). Do you suppose there is a conflict between the ATI video drivers and the Audigy drivers? If there is a conflict, my sound card takes precedence over my video card. I absolutely WON'T give up my Audigy2 - I'm into DVD playback on my computer, and I especially love the new DVD audio support on the Audigy2. If that means I go with a Nvidia graphics card, so be it.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Jmorrell,

I didn't use the Audigy when I had the MSI board in.......it had onboard 6.1 audio that sounded awesome. I also tried using the onboard sound on the Asus mobo at first, same problem.

I was thinking maybe I just had a bad card, which is why I let ATI charge my credit card 400 bucks to pre-ship me another one....unfortunately, the one they sent won't even boot up, so I still am wondering if my original card is bad.

I have heard of some issues when using Soundblaster cards, but haven't experienced them that I know of, yet.