help Bios is missing 4X option now

[slvrcvc]

I have a epox 8hka+ and upgraded from a geforce 2 gts ti to a gef4 4400 leadtek 128MB DDR. Now my system is saying it is operating at 2X instead of 4X

my voltage for the agp is now at 3.3 instead of 1.5 most likely due to the 2x and 4x issues.

I went to Leadtek and they had me Download the latest Viakt266a drivers for winXP. It installed various AGP supports and other stuff I was missing.

Restarted the comp and it was still at 2x! so I went into bios and there STILL is no option to select 4x ...just 1x and 2x

so the next step was to use the recommended registry value from Leadtek to force the 4x so I did that and its still the same

ok I'm racking my brains out because I believe 4x is better than 2x. IS there any way to enable 4x and have "normal" AGP voltage go back to 1.5?

seems like I searched everywhere, epox.org, epox.com, leadtek.com and other sites. Still no help.

pls help.

[plague]

Have you flashed the BIOS on the mobo? It's just a thought, go to epox's site and make sure you have the latest BIOS.

[slvrcvc]

Ok i flashed the bios and updated it from the epox.com site ....still no difference although I ran riva tuner and discovered something very interesting!

since you have the same mobo as me can you help me out?

here you will see the Northbridge is supported at only 2X! and the display adapter is suported at 4X.

any suggestions or advice you can give me??

$ffffffffff ---------------------------------------------------
$ffffffffff Northbridge information
$ffffffffff ---------------------------------------------------
$0400000000 Description : VIA KT266/333 series
$0400000001 Vendor ID : 1106 (VIA)
$0400000002 Device ID : 3099
$0400000003 AGP bus : revision 2.0
$0400000004 AGP status : enabled
$0400000005 AGP rate : 1x 2x supported, 2x selected
$0400000006 AGP SBA : supported, enabled
$0400000007 AGP FW : not supported
$ffffffffff ---------------------------------------------------
$ffffffffff Display adapter information
$ffffffffff ---------------------------------------------------
$0000000000 Description : NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4400
$0000000001 Vendor ID : 10de (NVIDIA)
$0000000002 Device ID : 0251
$0000000003 Location : bus 1, device 0, function 0
$0000000004 Bus type : AGP revision 2.0
$0000000005 AGP status : enabled
$0000000006 AGP rate : 1x 2x 4x supported, 2x selected
$0000000007 AGP SBA : supported, enabled
$0000000008 AGP FW : supported, disabled
$0000000009 Base address 0 : e0000000 (memory range)
$000000000a Base address 1 : d0000000 (memory range)
$000000000b Base address 2 : d8000000 (memory range)
$000000000c Base address 3 : none
$000000000d Base address 4 : none
$000000000e Base address 5 : none

[o770]

all you did was just replacing the cards?

if you still have the G2 try to put it in and check if it works as it should.
you say that BIOS is missing the 2x option now? are you sure it used to have the option?


also, now youve installed the chipset drivers, try un-inistalling the display driver and re-installing it.

[slvrcvc]

yes just by replacing the G2 and G4 the option to select AGP 4x on the G4 is missing. The display drivers arent the problem it seems its the Via chipset drivers or a complete hardware incompatibilty of the mobo and G4 card.

here is more info I discoveed on the problem:

"hello again,

I discovered more info on the problem. I have a AMD Athlon XP running WinXP

and a VIAKT266 made up of a Northbridge AMD762(VT8366/A) and a Southbridge

VT8233

well as you know the GeForce 4 Nvidia display drivers support 4XAGP and AGP

fast write.
and when running Riva Tuner diagnostics it shows that the Northbridge chip as

only 2XAGP supported and AGP Fast Write disabled.

I guess the problem might be chipset driver related so the Via 4in1 chipset

drivers (most current version 4.43) was installed to no effect to enable

4XAGP or AGP fast write.

I went to AMD and they do have a windows XP AGP driver that specifically for

a Northbridge chip combined with the AMD Southbridge chipset. It is named the

5.33 drivers. I also installed those and it still did not enable the choice

of AGP4X in the Bios (Award Bios is currently up to date with Epox 8KHA+

6/12)

SO to summarize I have

-installed the latest 4in1 Via drivers 4.43
-updated 8KHA+ Epox bios 6/12
-installed the AMD AGP Driver for Northbridge & Southbridge chipset combos

5.33
-used the updated display drivers for Leadtek GeForce4 4400 and the new

Detonator Drivers 40.72 for WinXP.

also to note...when the option to select Enable AGP Fast Write within the

Bios actually locks up the system and must be restarted!"

[slvrcvc]

just found out that VIA northbridge VT366/A of the VIA KT 266/A chipsets are incompatible with newer AGP 4X cards such as the GeForce 4's

ooooo......THANKS A LOT VIA! next mobo I buy I will avoid VIA.

[plague]

Hey, sorry I never got back to you.

Where did you read that the VIA northbridge is incompatible with GeForce 4's?? I have a gainward 4400 that works just fine on my 8KHA+. As for your problem, I really have no idea what could be wrong. I can't think of anything other than updating all your drivers and your BIOS, but you already did that... Maybe start from scratch and reinstall everything? (on a spare HDD perhaps). Or return the card and get a different brand, because it really should work just fine. I hope you figure it out, good luck.

[Angry]

Yeah, I think there is a very odd problem here as well because every VIA chipset since the kx133 or something like has had AGP 4x....

[Slayn]

I have the same thing on my kt133. My gf2 mx used AGP4x, but my radeon 8500LE 128MB doesnt work with it. and i dont have the gf2 anymore to test

[slvrcvc]

also found a link that shows I'm not the only one having problems


http://www.PetitionOnline.com/epox1/


but thanks Plague I will do a clean intall of everything on my puter just XP and the vid card and 4 in1 .

This is my last try.....wish me luck

[RoadWarrior]

Could have blown out the 1.5V lines. :(

[plague]

Originally posted by slvrcvc
also found a link that shows I'm not the only one having problems


http://www.PetitionOnline.com/epox1/


but thanks Plague I will do a clean intall of everything on my puter just XP and the vid card and 4 in1 .

This is my last try.....wish me luck
:)
That petition is about something completely different. On earlier GeForce4's there was a capacitor that hit the memory clip on the 8KHA+. This worried me when I was looking at getting my card, but I learned that the problem has been corrected. This has nothing to do with not being able to get agp 4x.

Anyway, let us know how the reinstall goes, good luck.

[shill82]

Try taking the GF4 out and look for a burn't trace near where you plug the card into the AGP slot (on the card). I had the same problem and found a burn't trace some defoger paint filled in the gap where there used to be a copper trace and I got 4x back worth a look anyway.

Shawn