[ASUS A7N8X VM/400 Nforce2]+[ABIT NF7-M Nforce2]
Please read the buttom I really need the help.
this is old but for the mouse kb problem go to:
integrated peripherial in bios >then go to pci devices > usb mouse and keyboard change both to [bios] instead of [os]
this will allow your mice and keyboard to function before the os installs the drivers.
[My Problem]
I just got the NF7-M (atx with igp)as a replacement board and I'm having graphics artifacts with normal cpu and memory settings (speed and timing). same cpu+memory worked fine in my A7N8X VM/400 (matx with igp). the ram was, even though labeled DDR266, running fine at DDR333 speeds and ddr266 timing 2.5 3 3 6 in the old board(asus). it even overclocked near DDR 400 speeds. DDR374~ if i remember.
I have a question, ram compatibility wise, it's the same chipset so does that mean the memory would be compatible too?
Another thing, there was the Pre-Charge setting in A7N8X VM/400 (400 as in it supported 400 mhz fsb cpu which the NF7-M manual only says 333, I believe fsb limitation was a northbridge stability issue in Nforce2 s), continuing on, pre charge would cause the same artifacts and glitches and restarts as what's happening right now. Setting is missing in NF7-M as it's probably an asus thing but my old board ran ROCK SOLID with that setting disabled. Is there a way around this problem.
I'm trying to fix this to revive the old system. xp is more responsive and I only run a laptop besides the old desktop so I need this fixed before i build a new system. (can usb boot a usb drive on laptop but xp won't load inaccessible device it's m$'s usb driver's fault) I wanted to dual boot to test how responsive xp is on my laptop but it messes with my vista boot file. (had to burn a trimmed vista dvd to run system recovery or something to repair the boot sector or boot manager.
I'm basically having artifact problems and some bsod. i'm downloading the chipset drivers right now trying to reinstall to see if it does anything. Running with hardware acceleration options disabled to all but basic accelerations. also without smbus installed I was bsoding while windows tried to search for smbus drivers, I set it disabled until i got online to dl drivers. (btw fsb spread spectrum and agp spread spectrum is disabled because I fear stability problems.)
[Additional Problem] The old A7N8X VM/400 was stable performance wise but heat might have done it in this summer. When I plug it in, the motherboard lights stay on, the fan runs for 1 second and the southbridge gets TOO hot (no post obviously). The northbridge thermal pad must have melted at some point because I can't take it off. NB stays cool like no power is running through it.
I was running A7N8X VM 400 with a 2800 xp-m at 2300 conservative oc. 11.5x200 (400fsb) pin mod for multi and fsb stock volt. btw I will stop running async after this. (i was doing this since 07 so it was stable and could handle it. just not the components(seems only mb) power and heat wise.)
I'm contemplating on trying to revive the motherboard by replacing some caps if anything if I have to but I need feedback on if this situation looks revivable (I only have a 25watt iron and no cap skills and no multimeter I'm not willing to give up on a good solution) . I still have the cpu+ram psu fan and harddrives that were on the [A7N8X VM 400] (it's nforce2 igp, ROCK STABLE, responsive in 2D tasks and windows, mATX) I even tried the ram in a compatible computer and it booted fine without artifacts (gonna try some memtest with accel off to see if it is fine in this board nf7-m). The voltages in the psu are a bit low but I have a corsair replacement that I haven't opened as well as another old one that functions ( I want to revitalize them with caps some day. (I was afraid one of the rails gave out and broke the motherboard but that isn't the case at all checked 3.3 5 and 12 from bios it is within range with a load of 1 hardrive and 3 fans)
[ABIT NF7-M BIOS] There is a weird annoying problem with the bios. this board is version 1.21. If I save more than 1 or 2 major settings in the bios then it won't save properly or I have to clear to default settings to post again. I heard one of the nforce boards were notorious for this. Can't really change my memory timings four at a time. Is there a workaround like a bios update.
Thank you for your time if you can help me out. I might need to make my own thread but I'm hoping posting in this thread will get some attention from the abit and nforce2 veterans.
ps the new board is running on the floor (on anti static bag) without a case because it's in the garage. the old system still has my dvd drives (pata) that i will probably need for making a memtest cd if I don't have any other way to boot so it will be annoying if suggestions require me to move too many things. oh and I know about the don't use nvidia ide controllers.
ok...i did a combo of uninstalling 1 old motherboard devices and audio thing (hdd was installed with xp from nforce ultra computer (never installed nvidia chipset drivers.) with only display driver) in device manager then rescanned restarted and everthing looks clean there but before that I turned off write combining in display properties. this seems to let me enable more levels of acceleration without any artifacts so far. problems were there long after i installed the chipset drivers. I can see some slight glitches that appear disappear when moving a window, its almost too fast to be noticable. (4 of 6 bars enabled.) cursor glitchies at 6, 5 seems ok for now.
memtest time and this is still ridiculous.
the new psu is a 400 watt corsair CMPSU-400CX, pretty inexpensive at $60 not including rebate price but f that for now. it has a single 12 volt rail with 30 amps ( I think I can charge a car battery with this cuz mines only has 10 amps.). 3.3v 20 amp 5v 20 amp combined 130w..(conservative label) won't that mean cpu won't get power or does it run off 12 v now? 6 molex connectors and 6 sata so I think thats enough for a midrange build. I haven't opened it as I just brought it cuz its night time and I needed a backup incase my old psu wouldn't work for the *new* NF7-M. from my understanding 3.3v and 5 v are perfect for turning into the voltage needed by the cpu so then this psu would only run a 66 wat processor, I think i got this all wrong. actually for athlon xp socket A, anyway, I am right. so I don't endorse this psu, it aint enough 3.3v.
update: btw at 5 bar hw accel, the mem test in windows failed with 48 errors. maybe thats when my screen saver went on.
i'm running at 2 bar and its been stable for 14 min if its stable for a while then I can say it didn't fail the quick test.
i really want to use the igp because it will save power as well as the hassle of agp cards especially really old hard to find non performing hard to ship stuff.
update: well at bar 2 the mem test I think it ran 6 times as it says something about 630% no errors for 1 hour now with some screen saver3x. no restart just change setting. so i think i can say for sure that the ram is compatible just the igp sucks and I might need a discreete but getting a smooth cheap one fast is not gonna be easy OR BIOS UPDATES. please don't make me make another post about recapping the a7n8x vm 400.
