Strange CPU usage problems with Soyo 6ba+100

Just got a new (old?) mainboard the other day, the Soyo sy-6ba+100 with the BX chipset, and I got it up and running with a PIII 800E, but it's giving me the strangest problem- never seen it before.

After a fresh install of Win98, I start up system monitor and I see that cpu usage is at a constant 45-50%. So I check to see if anything is running in the background - nothing is except Explorer and Systray (fresh install). Yet, something is being a cpu hog, but when I move the mouse, cpu usage drops to like 1-10%, if I leave everything alone, then it just climbs back up to 45-50% percent again. If I start any other apps, it jumps to like a constant 80%+!

The only thing I can think of that's causing it is the onboard highpoint ata100 raid controller, but I've got other MBs with built in raid and I've never seen this before. Is my mainboard defective? Hope someone can give me some answers.

Welcome to the forums!!

My Soyo SY-6VBA133 had weird problems like this. The CPU usage would start at zero then slowly climb up to 90% or so, even if no program were going. Since the CPU temperature did not also go up, I had to assume it was a mistake either in the software itself or in the hardware monitoring chip the software was reading.

Also, if I start the monitor when several programs are running, the monitor shows 0% usage till I open up something else. Then it climbs. I think the monitor program has problems determining a baseline to chart against.

I love my Soyo motherboards, they all work great but they all have at least one really weird harmless quirk about them. I think you've found your quirk!

1)Check your bios settings.
2)Make any adjustments if needed.
3)Contact Soyo and report your problem.

Quote:
1)Check your bios settings.
2)Make any adjustments if needed.
3)Contact Soyo and report your problem.
End

Ha,ha!! Fat chance, but good luck, anyway! Soyo could care F'n less! Stable boards, but quirky as hell. Just live with it and be happy.

Rick

Actually I'm quite happy with Soyo boards. I've got two SY6VBA133 boards as well as a 5EHM one, and they've never given me problems.

The problem above may be associated to Windows's Scheduling Agent, wich runs on background and activates itself whenever the CPU is somewhat idle.

I've corrected my problem by running Startup Manager, a usefull little proggy that comes with ZDMark's 3DWinBench. It gives you control over every program started automatically by Windows upon it's inicialization. I'm sure there are other programs out there that do the same thing, but I know none.

I'm sure there are other programs out there that do the same thing, but I know none.

Click to expand...

try typing "msconfig" into the Run box of your Win9x machine....it's built into Windows!

I have a SY6VBA133 also, I think it's great. Some weird quirks due to the Pro133 chipset not being too great. The Pro133A solved a lot of it's problems, though.

Monster of Rock said:

try typing "msconfig" into the Run box of your Win9x machine....it's built into Windows!

Click to expand...

Cool... can't believe I didn't know that.
Thanks a lot!