Radeon troubles

[btsdev]

thanks for the ideas.

Im assuming that your going back to default CPU settings,,, since you didnt post them,, (ok ... np)

i would do this, but i'm a bit a of newb when it comes to bios settings. if you told me what bios values you would like to tell you about, i can do it. Also, my BIOS does indeed have a load fail-safe option, but when i did it, windows crashed when i did non-vga mode.

if it helps, here are my power readings.

VCore : 1.71 V
3.3V: 3.27 V
5V: 5.02 V
12V: 12.48 V
... anything look weird?

Or too high FSB can give problems.

what does that mean? heh

adjust the CPU timings

how? what BIOS values do i change from what to what? sorry, again, i'm not of much help here :/

and i am continuing to investigate if my K7VZA has conflicts with 9500 pro, but i haven't seen anything leading to that yet.

i would like to try some other options (like changing BIOS settings) before i try the old card in there, b/c i know that has worked and will work. the old card is a GeForce 2 GTS.

again i would like to say that even when booting in VGA mode, the system is still unstable.

thanks for your help noid. let me know if you can tell me anything about those BIOS settings or if you have any more ideas.

 

[Noid]

 

[btsdev]

crap really? it was probably with me installing the AMD AGP drivers from the msi website, then getting the VIA 4-in-1 drivers. as soon as i have the time, i will put in the old card and tell you how it goes. this will either be tonight or tomorrow. do you think its b/c of what i just mentioned? (amd then via?)

thanks

EDIT: if it IS a windows problem, can i reinstall Win2k, or would i have to reformat? :/

 

[Noid]

 

[btsdev]

AMD AGP nowhere to be found on my pc... maybe my hyperions wrote clean over it? the AMD AGP was not in Add/remove programs, registry, or in my device manager (even when viewing hidden devices). i'm not sure what to do now.

Try to put the old card back in tomorrow?

 

[kurt454]

Originally posted by: btsdev
AMD AGP nowhere to be found on my pc... maybe my hyperions wrote clean over it? the AMD AGP was not in Add/remove programs, registry, or in my device manager (even when viewing hidden devices). i'm not sure what to do now.

Try to put the old card back in tomorrow?

It is probably time for a clean install of windows. Install windows with the new card. Install Via 4in1 drivers. Do not install agp drivers that are not for your system.

 

[btsdev]

clean windows or format and windows?

i highly prefer the first if i can. if i don't get a response soon, i will just be reinstalling the OS

thanks again

 

[kurt454]

Format and install. The only way to go.

 

[btsdev]

well i started the reinstall without format before i heard from you, and finished recently. i crashed once i got to the desktop with catalyst 3.0. i guess i will format and install as soon as i can -- either tonight or tomorrow; i have to back stuff up first.

i guess if this doesn't work, it is time for a new psu

thanks for your help

 

[btsdev]

formatted. installed 2k. installed dx9. installed via 4-in-1. installed catalyst 3.0. reboot.

Surprisingly, i get to desktop, and windows can be rendered, and things seem to be working until while PC was still doing stuff at the desktop, i get "explore.exe" error and it says that the program must be restarted. i cant right click, only ctrl-alt-del and reboot.

Next, I crash at window's attempt to render desktop.
Then i crash at window's attempt to render desktop again.

Now, this would lead one to say: "psu, that's it." .... but what about the explore.exe error? what's going on?

I am very confused as usual and i would appreciate if anyone has any ideas.

thanks

 

[kurt454]

get memtest86 and test your memory. Sounds like some hardware problems somewhere.

 

[Noid]

 

[btsdev]

Quote
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""Quote
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Im assuming that your going back to default CPU settings,,, since you didnt post them,, (ok ... np)
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i would do this, but i'm a bit a of newb when it comes to bios settings. if you told me what bios values you would like to tell you about, i can do it. ""
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once again im sorry noid, i dont know what "CPU bios settings" you want me to post. if you tell me what values you want to know, i will write them down and post them here.

i had no idea my voltage is "high" and nothing in my PC is overclocked -- i don't know how to overclock, and i dont have money to waste in case overclocking messes up my chip.

thank you for the memtest86 idea. i will try that tomorrow.

thank you for the advice for looking up defaults (not sure for what values) for my board; as soon as i understand what defaults im looking for, i will make sure that all of my settings are acceptable.

thanks

EDIT: please, noid, i would hope you could reconsider your thoughts of abandoning me; you have already been of much help to me. as i stated a while back in this thread, i do not know what bios settings you wanted me to post.

 

[btsdev]

i think i might have a new idea of why i'm having problems. every time that go into windows, i can not install the driver for my soundblaster card, even though i give the "new hardware found wizard" the correct drivers EVERYTIME. this error appeared after i reinstalled windows like 6 months ago and i've had it since. my old GeForce 2 GTS worked with this error, but maybe the radeon won't work partly b/c of this? let me know if you think it has anything to do with it. i've just dismissed it in the past since i never thought much of it.

 

[btsdev]

i have once again reverted back to fail-safe defaults in bios, and i crash out of windows everytime.

i am currently running memtest86: i will post the results.

 

[btsdev]

so far i ahve been spammed by Failing Addresses on test five. "Errors: 160227"

sample: FAILING ADDRESS: 0001fffc748 511.7MB GOOD: ffffffff BAD: f7ffffff ERR-BITS: 08000000 COUNT: 1

meh, two new pieces of memory now? or is it usually only one?

 

[Slappy00]

Yah did you get a new power supply?

there are a few programs that can monitor your power consumption and voltage stablity but you need to get to windows to use em...

So my advice is: stop being cheap and get a part that you will buy anyways, a power supply then go from there

 

[StumbleBum1]

Yah did you get a new power supply?

I couldn't agree more These Radeon 9500's and 9700's need a very steady 3.3 volts and the crashing, bsod etc usally leads to a worn out PS

 

[Slappy00]

just to add one more point

"future power-1" (the name of btdev's psu)

just reeks of cheapness 400watts or not

 

[btsdev]

ok heh i had no clue about it being cheap, its not like i purposely got the crappiest psu available -- if i knew it sucked i would have gotten a better one, naturally. i only bought the case b/c i didnt know at the time that future power-1 sucks ... i saw 400watts and unknowingly assumed it would do the job.

I will be ordering a new PSU probably tonight. if i have any questions i will post them shortly.

EDIT: now i am up 642096 errors on the mem86 dealie. it wasn't clear from your responses, do i need 512mb of brand new RAM now? i will go crucial

thanks

 

[Slappy00]

ok well lets hear what memory you have?

Once again do you have brand name memory, or generic?

if generic then what do the modules say (the black peices on the ram stick)

memory usually has a lifetime guarentee, so you can return it if you are not sure...

but then again if the DIMMs are not getting 3.3v then they will have errors reguardless...

hehehe ive been in your shoes before and i know how frustrating it is so when jerks say "they give up on you" they obviously forgotten when they didnt know sh*t about computers... everyone has been there and ppl that say otherwise are lying...

 

[btsdev]

Thank you very much for sticking by me.

I currently have 2 bars of 256 crucial and the only crap in my box is the PSU . I will be ordering a new PSU tonight and i will most likely post a question about which one to get. heh

since the 3.3V isn't being offered, i'm glad that that's why the RAM might be acting up. So once i get the PSU, ill run the memory test again.

Thank you very much again.

 

[btsdev]

I'm looking at the "Antec P4 ATX12V 400 Watt Power Supply With 2 Fans - Retail" (also works with AMD) from this URL:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProdu...=58&manufactory=1516&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1

How does that look?

 

[Slappy00]

did you buy your memory from crucial or from a vendor?

what i mean is that since your computer is not working anyways you can send in your memory RMA-style to get some new sticks *just in case*. If you do: make sure they send you new sticks not refurbished items....

there are also new Cat 3.0 WHQL (windows certified... dont get me started on that...) drivers for your card from ATI ...

I think that your memory is good, premuim memory rarely is bad if you are not stressing it, but when i bought my first computer: a cyrix p166+ via mobo etc. i had a bad CPU that was throwing around page faults like no other... but i degress If i were you I would wait but I also wouldn't be shocked if the new PSU didnt do anything to help...thats how working with computers is...

relatedly:

for a new psu:

make sure you consider how much peripherals you will put on the computer that will take power from the PSU (Disk Drives, PCI cards etc.), then consider caompatibility (P4 connectors), then consider brand (Antec, Enlight, Vantec) then get more power than you think you need.. i.e. you think 400watts will do, get 450watts....

GL

 

[Slappy00]

my reccomadation is to spend the extra $10 and get a 430 True, i.e. you thin 400watts is good enough, so that means oyu need 430 or 450

Antec 430W Power Supply TRUE430 $78