<rant>I hate Via</rant>

[SunnyD]

I've had nothing but issues with 3 different NVIDIA nForce 1 boards. I finally got a Shuttle AK35GT2 KT333 board after putting one together for my dad. Best and most stable machine I've owned.

 

[Freejack2]

Actually when I had a Via based KT266A (Asus A7V-266E I think) it was rock solid stable.
However for a while I did have a problem. A release of Nvidia's video card drivers was making the system unstable. Via put a patch out and the system was rock solid after that.
Did you put a post in technical support asking for help?
Also did you check on Amdmb.com's forums?

 

[radioouman]

I always built with Via chipsets or AMD chipsets. AMD 760 is my favorite, and I've not had a lot of trouble with the Via chipsets.

<-- Running a KT400 board right now, used to run KT266 and KT133 and even a KM133 (I think)

 

[0roo0roo]

i had 3 stable via systems. maybe your other components suck or your inept o/c fuxored everything.

 

[weezie]

MSI KT400 here. Hasn't crashed once in 5 months...Go figure!

 

[tcsenter]

I've been using VIA chipsets since late 1996, started with the VPX. I've also been using Intel chipsets off and on starting with the i430VX. Various brands; Biostar and FIC were my first, but I've nearly used them all.

VIA's very problematic early 4-in-1's notwithstanding, I have found after participating in a few thousand usenet discussions and other support forums three primary root causes of the vast majority of people's gripes over VIA, in the order of frequency or likeliness:

- user error
- poor support by peripheral manufacturers <-- not as bad as it was a few years ago
- faulty mainboard and/or BIOS design (not the chipset)

I will give you that VIA's 4-in-1 drivers were consistently poor during the early years, but VIA was going to heroic lengths to try and 'fix' incompatibilities largely caused by the peripheral industry's refusal to at the very least test their products for compatibility and operability with any chipset not bearing an "Intel" logo, not to speak of their refusal to actually do anything about compatibility issues that were brought to their attention; "Sorry, buy Intel" was the industry's universal solution. So VIA was running around playing fireman to put out all these little fires which were not caused by them to begin with.

Peripheral manufacturers began to wise up, not by choice. Allocating a little debugging time became more attractive as VIA related problems began to burden their technical support departments. A few remaining unsympathetic peripheral manufacturers could still be found as late as 2000 whose 'solution' to problems between their product and VIA was "our products are not tested with VIA, buy Intel", I won't mention any names COUGH! <soundblaster> COUGH!

Certainly not since the 694x have there been any legitimate criticisms concerning a design flaw in VIA chipsets themselves. A flawed mainboard design is another story.

 

[bunker]

Gigabyte KT333 board here...not a single problem in the year I've had it.

 

[CraigRT]

I love VIA.
all my good running AMD based computers are on VIA.
KT333, KT266A, KT133A. no troubles with any.

 

[Booster]

VIA chipsets aren't the best, but many of them used to work in the past. They have a trouble with waking up from standby/hibernation though... The biggest problem IMO. And once I ran a modem, audio application, TV tuner, an mpeg movie and a financial program together and it corrupted the data in that program b/c of so much load. Pretty screwed up if you ask me. No, I wouldn't ever buy a crappy VIA chipset. Heck, I can't even save energy properly with those pieces of crap. The computer just doesn't go out of standby no matter what.

 

[Electrode]

I can't say anything about their AMD chipsets, but my Apollo Pro 266 board (dual P3 DDR) works great.

 

[BoberFett]

I've put together dozens of system over the last few years using an entire range of parts from Intel server boards to el cheapo Shuttle boards. Except for a couple of DOA parts, I've never had a problem with any parts. I've found that problems rarely happen unless you're running out of spec. Running beta drivers, overclocking, etc. At that point, it's not the manufacturers fault.

 

[UNCjigga]

I am one of the few who's never owned a VIA chipset since the Pentium era began (had a VIA chipset-based 486DX2/66 back in the day that let me upgrade to DX4!!)

During my Pentium days I stuck by Intel (430FX and TX, 440BX on my Abit BX6 rev2 r0x0red!!) and when I finally made the switch to AMD I picked the SiS 735 in a K7S5A (no problems btw, and I've flashed official bios/cheepobios many many times!)

I really don't want to upgrade my board until either:

a) the KT400a is stable and has had rave reviews
b) SiS 746FX has good reviews and is picked up by Abit, Asus and other top-tier mobo manufacturers
c) the Asus A7N8X Deluxe can be had for $100 shipped!

 

[obiwaynekenobi]

Originally posted by: Grasshopper27
Epox KT333 board here, rock solid stable.

ASUS KT133A board before, also rock solid stable.

That being said, I know what you mean.

Hopper

I have issuies with it with Asherons Call 2

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: AmdInside
Title says it all. I hate Via. I hate them with a passion. Because of them, I am working late trying to get people's systems running correctly. Trying to find that magic combination that allows a system to run somewhat stable. And I am not talking about old MVP3 or KT266 chipsets. KT400 chipsets even. Arrrghhh. Why is it so hard for Via to make a stable chipset? (Ali sucks also but who buys Ali?) SiS is not that bad. Non ECS SiS chipset based motherboards seem to be pretty stable. NVIDIA chipsets seems to be stable. Intel is the gold standard in chipsets. Why can't stupid Via get it done right? I am tired of working late nights, even weekends. Arrrghhh. Sorrry for the rant. I've just been working to much lately.

Maybe you're just dumb?

I've never had a problem with a VIA chipset.

amish

 

[Stark]

I gave up an via and now have an AMD chipset in my main box. If I stick with AMD cpus in the future, that's the only chipset maker I'll use.

Intel is starting to look good again now that they've finally dumped their Rambus-only philosophy. For a while (back when the P4 first came out) choosing Intel was like making a deal with the devil... and paying a price premium to boot!

I just recently built an Intel P4 2.4GHz system for a family member and I have to admit I was impressed.

 

[obiwaynekenobi]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: AmdInside
Title says it all. I hate Via. I hate them with a passion. Because of them, I am working late trying to get people's systems running correctly. Trying to find that magic combination that allows a system to run somewhat stable. And I am not talking about old MVP3 or KT266 chipsets. KT400 chipsets even. Arrrghhh. Why is it so hard for Via to make a stable chipset? (Ali sucks also but who buys Ali?) SiS is not that bad. Non ECS SiS chipset based motherboards seem to be pretty stable. NVIDIA chipsets seems to be stable. Intel is the gold standard in chipsets. Why can't stupid Via get it done right? I am tired of working late nights, even weekends. Arrrghhh. Sorrry for the rant. I've just been working to much lately.

Maybe you're just dumb?

I've never had a problem with a VIA chipset.

amish

the First Run of the NorthBridge had issues. But after the got them worked out it ran really well.

 

[Booster]

Well, anyways, there must be a reason why to most people 'VIA is suck. Period.'