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

[najames]

I wanted to buy a MSI K8NGM2-FID but snoozed too long and it was sold out when I went to order. I don't think Newegg ever got them in recently and now it is gone off the website completely. ZZF had them but now they are on "back order". I am not certain that MSI is still making this board? I'll just punt and use an ATX board/desktop case I guess.

I also looked at the AM2 DFI Infinity model listed on page 1 here. After reading that it didn't fit in a guy's mATX case I checked and it is actually larger than mATX (10.1"). Perhaps renethx can add this note to the first page.

http://us.dfi.com.tw/Product/xx_product...ID=4718&CATEGORY_TYPE=INFINITY&SITE=US

 

[ryansebiz]

Originally posted by: dtube
What's your share memory for the onboard video is set at (in the BIOS and also the CPU to NB and NB to SB frequency set to?.

My onboard video was set to 64MB and I increased it to 128MB. This actually made the video more choppy!

The CPU to NB was set to 1000Mhz and the NB to SB was set at 800Mhz. I tried raising the NB-SB to 1000Mhz (once with video at 128MB and then lowering the video back to 64MB) and neither fixed the problem, the video was still choppy (64MB) or really choppy (128MB).

I left the NB-SB at 800Mhz and put the video back at 64MB. Should I raise them both to 1000 Mhz and 128MB, respectively?

Upon further inspection I found that this only occurs with 1080i; 720p is not choppy at all.

My CPU utilization is around 70-80% while watching HD.

Anything else I can try to get smooth 1080i video?

 

[pepsimax2k]

hey, i'm about to flash the bios of the K8NGM2-FID through dos / floppy (i don't care what msi say, i've *always* read *never* to flash through windows, and always with a floppy).

the guide says "Copy the DOS flash utility AFDOS404.exe included in any of the latest files 7207v30.zip, 7207v313.zip, and 7207v31.zip [to the floppy]" and i just wondered if that applied to the real latest 3.50 bios, as they come with a file called Afud408.exe and not AFDOS404.exe, and the guide seems to suggest it was written before any of the latest bios' came out, so i'm not sure which file to use.

 

[dtube]

Originally posted by: pepsimax2k
hey, i'm about to flash the bios of the K8NGM2-FID through dos / floppy (i don't care what msi say, i've *always* read *never* to flash through windows, and always with a floppy).

the guide says "Copy the DOS flash utility AFDOS404.exe included in any of the latest files 7207v30.zip, 7207v313.zip, and 7207v31.zip [to the floppy]" and i just wondered if that applied to the real latest 3.50 bios, as they come with a file called Afud408.exe and not AFDOS404.exe, and the guide seems to suggest it was written before any of the latest bios' came out, so i'm not sure which file to use.

The afud408.exe flash utility is probably the latest version, it's ok.
The latest bios 3.5 works with that.
Your bootable floppy disk just need to have afud408.exe and the 3.5 bios file.

 

[dtube]

Originally posted by: ryansebiz

Originally posted by: dtube
What's your share memory for the onboard video is set at (in the BIOS and also the CPU to NB and NB to SB frequency set to?.

My onboard video was set to 64MB and I increased it to 128MB. This actually made the video more choppy!

The CPU to NB was set to 1000Mhz and the NB to SB was set at 800Mhz. I tried raising the NB-SB to 1000Mhz (once with video at 128MB and then lowering the video back to 64MB) and neither fixed the problem, the video was still choppy (64MB) or really choppy (128MB).

I left the NB-SB at 800Mhz and put the video back at 64MB. Should I raise them both to 1000 Mhz and 128MB, respectively?

Upon further inspection I found that this only occurs with 1080i; 720p is not choppy at all.

My CPU utilization is around 70-80% while watching HD.

Anything else I can try to get smooth 1080i video?

As far as the share memory setting and NB-SB speed, I guess you have to try out what will be best for you. I think you are ok with 64 MB and 800 MHz.

With 1080i I sometimes see choppiness but not much.
Running @720p, my cpu utilization is about 20-33 %.

I see that you have a GEforce 7800GT in your main PC. May be you can try that in your HTPC to see if this may help. I was not too happy with the onboard video so I installed a 6600-based vid. card.

 

[korinel]

I'm trying to troubleshoot a problem, and would appreciate some help. I'm running an MSI K8NGM2-FID (BIOS 3.5) with Athlon 64 X2 3800+ and 2 GBytes paired RAM. All relevant system checks report no problems with disks, memory, etc. No overclocking has been performed.

I recently bought a new hard drive (Seagate 320 GB SATA-2) to install Vista RC1 on. This didn't work. It installed fine, no drivers needed, but upon reboot the bios reported a disk error.
I verified the Vista DVD, tried upplugging everything non-critical (including other hard drives), all to no avail.
Then I tried installing Windows XP onto it, to check it out. No luck. When booting from the DVD (SP2 OEM), the system froze whilst inspecting the hardware. It was fine as long as the new drive wasn't the first one (i.e. the XP boot disk was in), but clearly XP thinks there's a problem. I tried fixboot/fixmbr, etc., all seem to work but I still can't install XP.
So I tried another hard drive (Western Digital 500 GB SATA-2). Same deal. Both this and the Seagate work fine as secondary drives under XP.
My next attempt was Vista Beta 2. I had successfully installed it on my original (Samsung 250 GB SATA-2) hard drive, but erased it in favour of XP, which is now on the Samsung drive. I attempted the Beta 2 install on both of the two new drives, but the results were the same as RC1.
So basically it looks like both hard drives are unbootable, but the chances against them both having developed the same (obscure) problem simultaneously seem incredibly slim, so I can only think that the problem is with the motherboard. After all, I successfully installed both Vista Beta 2 and Windows XP SP2 previously with no problems at all.
I have also tried using both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Vista RC1, resetting all BIOS settings, changing SATA cables (including using the one that works fine on the XP Samsung drive), using the rescue tools on the Vista DVD, etc., etc.

Is anyone else having similar problems?
Could the BIOS be at fault? My original installs of XP and Vista Beta 2 used BIOS 3.2, but I am loathe to revert.
Is there any way to restore the hard drives to factory settings, so that I can try with a clean unused hard drive?

Really, this problem is driving me nuts! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

-Karl

 

[dtube]

Originally posted by: korinel
I'm trying to troubleshoot a problem, and would appreciate some help. I'm running an MSI K8NGM2-FID (BIOS 3.5) with Athlon 64 X2 3800+ and 2 GBytes paired RAM. All relevant system checks report no problems with disks, memory, etc. No overclocking has been performed.

I recently bought a new hard drive (Seagate 320 GB SATA-2) to install Vista RC1 on. This didn't work. It installed fine, no drivers needed, but upon reboot the bios reported a disk error.
I verified the Vista DVD, tried upplugging everything non-critical (including other hard drives), all to no avail.
Then I tried installing Windows XP onto it, to check it out. No luck. When booting from the DVD (SP2 OEM), the system froze whilst inspecting the hardware. It was fine as long as the new drive wasn't the first one (i.e. the XP boot disk was in), but clearly XP thinks there's a problem. I tried fixboot/fixmbr, etc., all seem to work but I still can't install XP.
So I tried another hard drive (Western Digital 500 GB SATA-2). Same deal. Both this and the Seagate work fine as secondary drives under XP.
My next attempt was Vista Beta 2. I had successfully installed it on my original (Samsung 250 GB SATA-2) hard drive, but erased it in favour of XP, which is now on the Samsung drive. I attempted the Beta 2 install on both of the two new drives, but the results were the same as RC1.
So basically it looks like both hard drives are unbootable, but the chances against them both having developed the same (obscure) problem simultaneously seem incredibly slim, so I can only think that the problem is with the motherboard. After all, I successfully installed both Vista Beta 2 and Windows XP SP2 previously with no problems at all.
I have also tried using both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Vista RC1, resetting all BIOS settings, changing SATA cables (including using the one that works fine on the XP Samsung drive), using the rescue tools on the Vista DVD, etc., etc.

Is anyone else having similar problems?
Could the BIOS be at fault? My original installs of XP and Vista Beta 2 used BIOS 3.2, but I am loathe to revert.
Is there any way to restore the hard drives to factory settings, so that I can try with a clean unused hard drive?

Really, this problem is driving me nuts! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

-Karl

Wow ... I don't know. I really hate to believe that BIOS 3.5 has anything to do with it. 3.5 been out for a while and no SATA disk problems have been reported. I suggest you try some of the diaganostic tools from seagate site (http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/utils.html) and possibly low level format it.

 

[korinel]

I've tried this already. Also the Western Digitial utilities and online SMART check with SpeedFan. Absolutely clean. No problems reported. I'm totally stumped!
-k

 

[comdw]

Originally posted by: comdw
Just to clarify the motherboard won't even send the power on signal to the Antec PSU. Having read up on the ATX power standard a bit more, the only supply to the motherboard before powerup is via +5VSB pin (the normal rails shouldn't be active yet and the motherboard can't know whether these are "good" or not).

So I figure +5VSB is what the MSI is having a problem with. I'm going to test that on a voltmeter later and compare to the other PSU +5VSB before power on.

I've tested both PSUs with a voltmeter. The Antec has +5VSB at 5.03V wheras the older PSU that works has it at 4.95V. Can the MSI really be that sensitive that 5.03V is too high for it?

Not much else I can do apart from try more PSUs...

 

[renethx]

comdw, I don't know if it is relevant to your problem, but Antec NeoHE had a similar problem to start up the system. The cause was too small load on 12V rail (less than 1A).

Basically, the switchoff problem occurs as the minimum current on a 12V rail for ATX12V is 1 amp, and if you try and draw less than an amp the rail wont turn on - it just powers off as soon as you turn the machine on, or when the rail draws less than an amp for 'a while'. Obviously newer mobos and graphics cards that require extra power wont have this problem. Antec support told me to load up as much hardware in the box as possible and turn the TriCool fan on full - I did this; when I have 2 disks and the fan at the highest setting the machine boots fine!! (p-munky, Antec Neo HE PSU Users Poll, SPCR Forums

 

[pepsimax2k]

hey, saw this question asked earlier but can't find a reply so... is the cpu-ldt of 200.9 normal? i don't really want to overclock at all (not my system) so would it be ok to set it to 200.0?

 

[renethx]

200.9 is normal.

 

[aeroguy]

Question: Is there any way to get his board to output DD5.1 sound sources (HDTV and DVDs) throught digital coaxial and at the same time output stereo sound through the regular old 3.5mm line out jack?

More info: I'm running Windows MCE with an HDTV and analog Tuner cards. I have the digital coaxial connection running to my receiver, and the 3.5mm line out directly to the TV (so my wife doesn't have to turn on the receiver to watch TV). In the WinMCE setup, I told it I have a 5.1 speaker setup through a digital coaxial connection. For my analog tuner, sound outputs to both the TV and the receiver, but for my HDTV tuner and DVDs, I must have my receiver on in order to get sound, and no sound is output directly to my TV via the 3.5mm line out. If I tell WinMCE I have a 5.1 speaker setup though 3.5mm jacks, I get sound to both sources, but I don't get 5.1 surround sound to my receiver.

Any way around this? My standalone DVD player can do it, but not my HTPC... I suppose I could just use 3.5mm jacks to my receiver and split one to my TV, but I was looking for an all digital solution.

 

[Aquavita]

I Built a new PC with a MSI K8NGM2-FID GeForce 6150 Motherboard.
Originally i had an LC Power LC6550 power supply which worked fine.

When I replaced it with a Seasonic SS-400HT I did not get any monitor (boot) screen!?
Then I installed an Seasonic SS-550HT and got the same problem!

All fans were working fine. HDD & DVD & CD diodes were working , but I did not get any
monitor screen - it was 100% black w/o anything on it!? (Monitor, Samsung 930B, was on.)

Then I reinstalled a LC Power LC6550 power supply and everything works fine!

Can anyone advise what can be wrong?
Thanks.

 

[dtube]

Originally posted by: aeroguy
Question: Is there any way to get his board to output DD5.1 sound sources (HDTV and DVDs) throught digital coaxial and at the same time output stereo sound through the regular old 3.5mm line out jack?

More info: I'm running Windows MCE with an HDTV and analog Tuner cards. I have the digital coaxial connection running to my receiver, and the 3.5mm line out directly to the TV (so my wife doesn't have to turn on the receiver to watch TV). In the WinMCE setup, I told it I have a 5.1 speaker setup through a digital coaxial connection. For my analog tuner, sound outputs to both the TV and the receiver, but for my HDTV tuner and DVDs, I must have my receiver on in order to get sound, and no sound is output directly to my TV via the 3.5mm line out. If I tell WinMCE I have a 5.1 speaker setup though 3.5mm jacks, I get sound to both sources, but I don't get 5.1 surround sound to my receiver.

Any way around this? My standalone DVD player can do it, but not my HTPC... I suppose I could just use 3.5mm jacks to my receiver and split one to my TV, but I was looking for an all digital solution.

Yes. You can config the SPDIF to pass through the signal to your receiver so it can decode the signal. At the same time, you can use the analog output (green port) to connect to the TV left and right input.

In winMCE setup, select the 2 speaker setup.
So what you have at the end is: 1. coax cable from SPDIF out port to your receiver digital coax IN port. 2. From 3.5 mm jack (green) to your TV audio IN port.

BTW, are you using the nvidia decoder at all?.

 

[dtube]

Originally posted by: korinel
I've tried this already. Also the Western Digitial utilities and online SMART check with SpeedFan. Absolutely clean. No problems reported. I'm totally stumped!
-k

Can you post the exact model of your seagate and Western didgital SATA drives.

 

[z21218]

Can anyone tell me if the onboard RAID controller will work with 2 PATA drives to do RAID 0 or 1 on this board or the NBP version of the board? Thanks.
Edit: I read the manual for both boards but the wording sounds more like the NVRAID will work for 1PATA + SATA and the Silicon Image controller will only work with SATA drives...

 

[aeroguy]

Originally posted by: dtube

Yes. You can config the SPDIF to pass through the signal to your receiver so it can decode the signal. At the same time, you can use the analog output (green port) to connect to the TV left and right input.

In winMCE setup, select the 2 speaker setup.
So what you have at the end is: 1. coax cable from SPDIF out port to your receiver digital coax IN port. 2. From 3.5 mm jack (green) to your TV audio IN port.

BTW, are you using the nvidia decoder at all?.

Yes, I am using the nVidia decoder. I currently have my equipment physically hooked up how you describe, but I don't think I'm getting surround sound via the receiver. I will check it out again and ensure SPDIF pass though is enabled. Thanks.

 

[dtube]

Originally posted by: aeroguy

Yes, I am using the nVidia decoder. I currently have my equipment physically hooked up how you describe, but I don't think I'm getting surround sound via the receiver. I will check it out again and ensure SPDIF pass though is enabled. Thanks.

Are you not getting "correct" surround sound from your receiver?. What I meant is if the digital out is an AC-3 stream but your receiver somehow down sample it to pro-logic?.

Try this:
- play a movie that you know for sure has AC-3 audio.
- if your receiver is not seeing the AC-3 stream, then go to the nvidia purevideo setting, click on speaker setup, select receiver and select spdif.

At this point, hopefully your receiver will switch to AC-3 mode.

I have to do this everytime because the nvidia settings does not stick.
Please let me know what you find out.

thanks

 

[dtube]

Originally posted by: z21218
Can anyone tell me if the onboard RAID controller will work with 2 PATA drives to do RAID 0 or 1 on this board or the NBP version of the board? Thanks.
Edit: I read the manual for both boards but the wording sounds more like the NVRAID will work for 1PATA + SATA and the Silicon Image controller will only work with SATA drives...

Where did you find the Silicon Image controller on the MSI K8NGM2-FID motherboard?.

This mobo has the GEForce 6150 and Nforce 430 chipset.

- nForce 430 supports dual channel native SATA II controller up to 300MB/s
- nForce 430 supports RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5

The RAID option via the Nforce 430 applies to SATA drives. I am not sure if the IDE controller is also part of the Nforce 430. If it is, then it is possible you can do RAID with PATA (check this info out: http://www.nvidia.com/page/gpu_mobo_tech_specs.html).

FWIW, the Silicon Image controller is simply nasty...

 

[z21218]

Originally posted by: dtube

Originally posted by: z21218
Can anyone tell me if the onboard RAID controller will work with 2 PATA drives to do RAID 0 or 1 on this board or the NBP version of the board? Thanks.
Edit: I read the manual for both boards but the wording sounds more like the NVRAID will work for 1PATA + SATA and the Silicon Image controller will only work with SATA drives...

Where did you find the Silicon Image controller on the MSI K8NGM2-FID motherboard?.

This mobo has the GEForce 6150 and Nforce 430 chipset.

- nForce 430 supports dual channel native SATA II controller up to 300MB/s
- nForce 430 supports RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5

The RAID option via the Nforce 430 applies to SATA drives. I am not sure if the IDE controller is also part of the Nforce 430. If it is, then it is possible you can do RAID with PATA (check this info out: http://www.nvidia.com/page/gpu_mobo_tech_specs.html).

FWIW, the Silicon Image controller is simply nasty...

Yeah, you are definitely right. I thought this board and the Neo4 Platinum have the same RAID controllers...
Edit: It seems the Ide controller is part of Nforce 430. Can someone confirm he's successfully done PATA raid it? Thanks.

 

[z21218]

By the way, is MSI discontinuing this board? Or it's just on back order and will be back in stock? Anyone?

 

[dtube]

Originally posted by: z21218
By the way, is MSI discontinuing this board? Or it's just on back order and will be back in stock? Anyone?

My guess is MSI stops making it because new processors from AMD are AM2 type socket.
Anyone knows if AMD stop making 939 socket processors?

 

[aeroguy]

Originally posted by: dtube

Originally posted by: aeroguy

Yes, I am using the nVidia decoder. I currently have my equipment physically hooked up how you describe, but I don't think I'm getting surround sound via the receiver. I will check it out again and ensure SPDIF pass though is enabled. Thanks.

Are you not getting "correct" surround sound from your receiver?. What I meant is if the digital out is an AC-3 stream but your receiver somehow down sample it to pro-logic?.

Try this:
- play a movie that you know for sure has AC-3 audio.
- if your receiver is not seeing the AC-3 stream, then go to the nvidia purevideo setting, click on speaker setup, select receiver and select spdif.

At this point, hopefully your receiver will switch to AC-3 mode.

I have to do this everytime because the nvidia settings does not stick.
Please let me know what you find out.

thanks

Okay, I tried your suggestion and set up WinMCE for 2 speakers via 3.5mm jack. I went to an HDTV source broadcasting DD5.1 (My Name is Earl). The reciever downsampled to pro-logic. I went to nVidia Decoder Properties and clicked the Audio tab. nVidia settings show the audio format is DD5.1 and the listening mode is stereo. At this point, I went into the speaker setup, and when "Connected to computer speakers" there is no option for SPDIF passthough. When I clicked the "Connected to a receiver" radio button, I get an option for "via an SPDIF cable". Only when I check that box do I get DD5.1 on my receiver, but then the sound will not play straight to the TV. I'm beginning to think it's not possible to get DD5.1 to my receiver and 2 channel stereo to my TV at the same time.

Thanks for taking interest in my problem. If I can't get this solved I may go analog 5.1 to my receiver.

 

[glennbig]