The *Official* MSI K8NGM2-FID GeForce 6150 Motherboard Thread

[renethx]

mshan,

Because of BIOS v3.20. Update BIOS to v3.50.

 

[mshan]

Is the 2 x 512 MB Corsair Value Select PC3200 kit the one that was originally released or the newer chipset that overclocks well (mine is the original chipset that is really only good at stock speeds)?

Also, I have having a lot of system freezes, now crashes, and get a lot of "corrupt file" error messages when extracting files. Is this a symptom of incompatible memory and would the BIOS update fix that (I have never flashed a BIOS, so I am hesistant because I am worried I will damage my brand new mobo).

EDIT: I took out one of my 512 MB modules on now on boot up it says NDRAM = 400, instead of the previous NDRAM = 333. I know this stuff is supposed to run at fsb 200, so how do I make sure I get fsb 200 when running dual channel (slots one and three, from closest to cpu to furthest away)?

EDIT #2: 1 x 512 MB runs error free (two passes of Memtest, with or without USB Legacy support disabled). I think my problem is the mobo is defaulting to DRAM = 333 in dual channel format. How do I enable fsb 200 SPD with 2 x 512 MB RAM in BIOS? (I haven't learned about hypertransport and all of the other options in BIOS yet)

 

[bumbarash]

I'm building my HTPC using MSI K8NGM2-FID and nMedia 200 and running through the set of small, but annoying problems.

1. After XP shut down, I can't boot PC using front panel button. After I press the button, CPU fan and PS start running, signal sent to VGA monitor, but no BIOS loading, no HD reading. After that I can't shut PC down using reboot button and have to actually turn off and on power supply.

2. I was planning to use Audio bracket. Unfortunately audio bracket connector is too close to PCI 2 slot so my Hauppauge PVR-150 literally presses into it. When Hauppauge installed to PCI 1 then there is no way to run cable over the card (not long enough). It means that audio bracket could be installed only to PCI 2 and I'm loosing this slot. Possible solution is to reprogram on-board audio connector to support 5.1 audio and do not use bracket at all.

3. I can't setup driver in multimonitor mode. I don?t even see the option about choosing second video device. May be because I'm trying to use VGA+TV combination. I wonder if simple DVI_A to VGA adapter will help

 

[renethx]

mshan,

My Corsair VS1GBKIT400 (purchased on April 2005) runs stably at 220MHz.

You have to:

1. Insert the memory modules in DIMM1 (GREEN) and DIMM2 (PURPLE), the two slots closest to CPU.
2. Flash BIOS to v3.50. Follow the instruction in the first post. Your motherboard won't be damaged unless the system shuts down abruptly (for example due to power failure) during flashing.

Then run Memtest86 to see if errors occur.

 

[mshan]

I had my memory installed in two green slots (DIMM1 and DIMM3).

Gotta try DIMM1 and DIMM2.

Hope that works.

UPDATE: installed into DIMM1 and DIMM2 and got screenfuls of Memtest errors. Windows loaded, but appears corrupt (4 bit color depth, I think 800 x 600 resolution).

Guess I really have no choice but to update the BIOS. Is BIOS 3.50 well tested, stable and bug free? Or should I just live with 1 x 512 MB RAM and wait for future BIOS updates?

 

[renethx]

mshan,

AFAIK BIOS v3.50 is very stable and bug free. You'd better flash to v3.50 immediately.

 

[mshan]

Thanks for the input; it is very much appreciated!

I think I am going to live with 1 x 512 MB for a while, just to make sure everything is functioning properly and completely burned in. Then do fresh Windows install and update BIOS to 3.5 via Windows method as you recommend.


P. S. - is this MemTest problem (in my case, at least, it is much worse as I am getting system instability, freezes, etc.) specific to Corsair Value Select or does it also occur with lots of other memory?

 

[Mark9]

What is the secret to finding the newest bios on the MSI website. The download page doesn't list it; even typing "K8NGM2-FID bios" in their search engine turns up a comment "Product does not exist!!!

Has MSI given up on the board already - or is their webmaster just lame?

 

[grits]

Mark, the first post in this thread has a direct link to the bios's.

 

[Mark9]

Found it, thanks!!T

This thread for the motherboard is absolutely invaluable!!!!

Pity the poor user who tries to find it on the MSI USA site alone!! He (or she) seems plain SOL....

Another little annoyance: it appears that you can't use live update3 with FireFox as your browser. One of the first things we always do after a new Windows install is to immediately "kill" I.E. for security reasons. So manual flash it'll have to be.

 

[Mark9]

OK..Downloaded the new bios and read the ridiculous "How to Flash the BIOS.doc" that's included with the bios download . This description is so far out of date it's patently stupid. I would venture to say that very few people have Windows 98 or ME systems setting around - I have 13 systems on my network and the last time we used 98 (never would use the bug-ridden ME) was years and years ago. Using a DOS disk is a very outmoded procedure. You haven't enjoyed "fun" until you've been in the middle of a flash and the blankety - blank floppy balks on you and you have a dead system on your hands!!

BUT NOT TO WORRY!!
For those persons wanting to update their bios use Renethx's description in the first part of this thread: Section 11. BIOS II. Methods of Flashing BIOS - 1. Flashing in Windows Mode..

THIS WORKS and works very well. Follow the instruction precisely (which is simple - just don't try to short cut steps). It couldn't be any easier!!! Those of you that are a bit afraid to flash your bios, don't be. Use the method described and it will go like clockwork! Well this is assuming that you're using the NTFS file system - if you're still stuck on the FAT file system GOOD LUCK!!!!!


..

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: Mark9
Using a DOS disk is a very outmoded procedure. You haven't enjoyed "fun" until you've been in the middle of a flash and the blankety - blank floppy balks on you and you have a dead system on your hands!!

I actually used a win98 bootup CD and burned the bios on a CDRW when I tried out v3.0 (cause you can't update the bios to a previous version in windows) to avoid that exact situation.

 

[mshan]

Has anyone successfully installed an ATI HDTV Wonder on this mobo.

I just download the MMC 9.14 and it installed, but I don't get any audio (moving mouse wheel up and down doesn't change volume and there is no sound).

If successful, which MMC package did you use?

What about Windows Media Center 2005? Does this ATI HDTV Wonder work properly with that software?

 

[renethx]

Originally posted by: avi85
you can't update the bios to a previous version in windows

Use WinSFI.exe to flash BIOS to a previous version in Windows.

 

[tomt4535]

Originally posted by: renethx
Data Lifeguard Diagnostic is the diagnostic tool for WD drives. You can download it from the WD website. Ultimate Boot CD includes it.

If the onboard video is disabled, the NB heatsink is usually very cool, around 40°C or below. It is attached with two plastic pins and loose as compared to CPU heatsinks. This is normal.

I ran the data lifeguard diagnostic and it kept crashing randomly. I took out the drive and installed it in a diffrent system, and it was giving me problems. I just replaced it with a known good spare WD raptor I had around here, I just finished installing windows. I got a BSOD before I even got into windows. It was a 0x00000077 KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR. Google led me to either be a virus(not even hooked up to the net yet so thats not right) or a Drive/controller error. Im going to continue testing this system with the new drive and if I keep having problems Ill most likley end up RMA'ing the board.

 

[renethx]

Originally posted by: tomt4535
I ran the data lifeguard diagnostic and it kept crashing randomly. I took out the drive and installed it in a diffrent system, and it was giving me problems. I just replaced it with a known good spare WD raptor I had around here, I just finished installing windows. I got a BSOD before I even got into windows. It was a 0x00000077 KERNEL_STACK_INPAGE_ERROR. Google led me to either be a virus(not even hooked up to the net yet so thats not right) or a Drive/controller error. Im going to continue testing this system with the new drive and if I keep having problems Ill most likley end up RMA'ing the board.

Data Lifeguard Diagnostic should not crash even if the drive is defective. Crashing perhaps means memory error or IDE controller error. If your memory modules passed Memtest in your K8NGM2-FID system (testing memory modules in a different system is almost meaningless), then the only possibility would be the defective IDE controller.

 

[bogolisk]

what's the easiest way to upgrade the bios for folks who don't have windows?

 

[renethx]

bogolisk,

Update BIOS from a floppy disk drive in DOS mode.

 

[bogolisk]

Originally posted by: renethx
bogolisk,
Update BIOS from a floppy disk drive in DOS mode.

Thanx. 2 things I noticed:

• it seems that all the options for the GigE are gone in bios 3.5 (not that I care)
• stupid afud408.exe blows away the CMOS checksum even if when copying the current bios to a file for backup!

 

[smorzando]

I bought my motherboard about a month ago for the home. (And the deciding factor was this thread.)

i haven't had much time at all to spend on the board, but i've noticed that my 512MB RAM (Kingston DDR kvr400x64c3a/512) is recognized under Windows as 448MB of ram (via the My Computer->Properties).

What's going on here? I've seen some discussion about memory tests and I ran one on Ultimate Boot CD the other day, but I didn't see anything.

I've just ordered more ram from New Egg in order to be at 1GB, but I wonder whether I'll get the dual-channel performance given what I'm presently seeing.

Thanks.

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: smorzando
I bought my motherboard about a month ago for the home. (And the deciding factor was this thread.)

i haven't had much time at all to spend on the board, but i've noticed that my 512MB RAM (Kingston DDR kvr400x64c3a/512) is recognized under Windows as 448MB of ram (via the My Computer->Properties).

What's going on here? I've seen some discussion about memory tests and I ran one on Ultimate Boot CD the other day, but I didn't see anything.

I've just ordered more ram from New Egg in order to be at 1GB, but I wonder whether I'll get the dual-channel performance given what I'm presently seeing.

Thanks.

you have 64MB being used as memory for the onboard graphics, if you have a PCIe graphics card then in the BIOS disable the onboard graphics and you should have all 512MB available to you, if you don't have one and only use 2d stuff then I think you could lower the shared memory to 16MB without a problem although I'm sure that somebody will correct me if I'm wrong...(but I'm pretty sure I'm not cause I've done it before myself when I wanted as much memory as possible and only needed 2d)

Edit: your dual channel performance should be fine by the way.

 

[smorzando]

thanks for the info!

And now I've got another reason to buy a graphics card... eventually.

 

[renethx]

smorzando,

Please read

Section 6. GeForce 6150 I. Performance > Video Memory Size

in the first post for more information.

 

[smorzando]

Thanks. I was searching for the wrong thing. I was looking for memory testing, having caught a few of those posts.

so if I wanted better performance from the onboard graphics, would i get it by adjusting the default memory from 64mb to 128mb? thus, resulting in a jump from 128mb virtual to 256mb virtual?

sorry if the question seems elementary.

 

[Medicalmess]

so if I wanted better performance from the onboard graphics, would i get it by adjusting the default memory from 64mb to 128mb? thus, resulting in a jump from 128mb virtual to 256mb virtual?


Always use the maximum frame buffer allowed which is 128MB on this motherboard. The virtual memory is whatever you or the operating system assigns by the choices you make including "NO PAGING" for no swap file usage. Creating a swap file twice the installed memory size is only a vague general ballpark recommendation. Best thing to do is just let Windows handle the memory usage. I have seen no advantage to using any add-on memory managers so you might also want to stay away from those programs also.