D865GBF + Radeon 9700np

  • Thread starter Thread starter Strontium
  • Start date Start date
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Strontium

Since I bought this card (Powercolor), I have not been able to get it to
send signal to the monitor at cold boot. I have to, every time, hit the
reset button or let Windows 'reboot from bugcheck' and then it fires up the
monitor. Every cold boot. Only one reset needed. I've narrowed this down
to 3 possibilities: 1) PSU 2) CMOS 3) Defective card.

Things I've tried: Reseated card, ad infinum. Update CMOS (from P07 to
P08). Adjusted all settings in CMOS to various settings ( keep onboard
sound/LAN/HighSpeed USB disabled). Swapped PSU's. Changed HDD/CD-ROM
configurations. Different video drivers (don't know how Windows is talking
to CMOS, if it is, at all). Changed memory config from Dual to Single
Channel Mode. Boot with only one memory module (out of two), with each
different module. I've, even, tried pulling both the sound card and NIC and
used the onboard devices. I'm out of ideas. I, really, do not want to go
out and pay $100 for a top of the line PSU later to find out it was an issue
with this motherboard's BIOS revision. So, has anyone out there seen or
heard of this issue with this motherboard/video combination? Specs follow:

D865GBF with P08 BIOS
P4 2.4C, retail. Stock HS/F. No overclocking.
2x512MB PC3200 Samsung DDR
PowerColor Radeon 9700np, Catalyst 3.6 drivers. No overclocking (ATM).
Server tower with 7x80mm fans, one which blows directly on video card from
side.
(I don't think heat is an issue:)
Samsung SyncMaster 700s Monitor
WD400 7200 RPM (Pri. Master)
WD200 5400 RPM (Pri. Slave)
Sony CRX220E1 CD-RW (Sec.Master)
Generic 52X CD-ROM (Sec. Slave)
Ensoniq PCI128
LinkSys LNE100TX v4.0

Any, and all, suggestions/help/criticisms welcomed.
 
Well. I tried something that I hadn't had to do, since installing the card
and getting video memory corruption: I cleared CMOS. LOL! I, also,
changed bare minimum settings, in CMOS. Here are settings I changed:
time/date, disabled onboard LAN/Sound/HS USB/ASF(whatever ASF is?), boot
order. I left the setting for SATA enabled (enhanced, it's called).
Powered down. Cold booted. Video signal! Went into Windows, shut down.
Waited a minute, cold booted....video signal! Now, I can use that $100
bucks towards a new laserjet hehehehe.

The thing that got me to try this, was the fact that when I removed a module
of memory (thinking it was memory related), a cold boot would give immediate
video signal (just the first time) for CMOS to tell me that my memory amount
decreased and to hit F4 to continue. This made me start leaning toward it
being a CMOS issue, not a card or PSU problem. All the times that I had
cleared CMOS, before while installing this card (PITA), I had pulled the
card as well. I'm wondering if BIOS's 'memory of what's attached' has
anything to do with this...

Whooohooo!

-
Strontium stood up at show-n-tell, in (e-mail address removed),
and said:
 
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

I waited 15 minutes (power off) to test it again, to make sure.... Sure
enough, no video on cold boot. This is very aggrevating!

-
Strontium stood up at show-n-tell, in (e-mail address removed),
and said:
Well. I tried something that I hadn't had to do, since installing
the card and getting video memory corruption: I cleared CMOS.
Click to expand...

<snip>
 
Strontium said:
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

I waited 15 minutes (power off) to test it again, to make sure....
Sure enough, no video on cold boot. This is very aggrevating!

-
Strontium stood up at show-n-tell, in
(e-mail address removed), and said:


<snip>
Click to expand...

-I know my PowerColor 9700 seems to take longer to get signal to monitor.
When I had a STB TNT, I could see the Video BIOS info before the m/b BIOS
info showed. Same with the Geforce 4200. Now the monitor comes on already in
the POST check of memory. I never see video BIOS info when booting.

-I do better with the Omega tweaked CAT 3.6 drivers. version 2.6.16 than
with ATI's.

-Try having only the Video card on a power connection. Use the 'Y'
connections for HD and CD-ROM power.

-What is your CMOS video setup? AGP, AGP Aperture, Palette Snooping etc.
Omegacorner has recommendations.

-Is there an "Event Logging option in your BIOS? Is it enabled and are there
any events of interest that may shed light on this?

-Is there an option to reset Configuration Data? Is this part of your
clearing of CMOS?

-SATA is Serial ATA. It doesn't look like either of your HDs is Serial ATA.
The 7200 rpm is either ATA/100 or /133 the 5400 is either ATA/66 or /33.
Shouldn't conflict with video yet could try setting to ATA of fastest HD.

-AGP slot, PCI1 and on board sound etc. usually share same IRQ (11). Try
leaving PCI1 empty.

-If you think you may be returning the card, don't flash the BIOS. Otherwise
if you will keep this card a BIOS flash may (slight chance) correct
situation.
 
-
Phydeaux stood up at show-n-tell, in [email protected], and
said:
-I know my PowerColor 9700 seems to take longer to get signal to
monitor. When I had a STB TNT, I could see the Video BIOS info before
the m/b BIOS info showed. Same with the Geforce 4200. Now the monitor
comes on already in the POST check of memory. I never see video BIOS
info when booting.

-I do better with the Omega tweaked CAT 3.6 drivers. version 2.6.16
than with ATI's.
Click to expand...

I've, so far, used both the Omega drivers (3.4 and 3.6), as well as the
Catalyst versions.
-Try having only the Video card on a power connection. Use the 'Y'
connections for HD and CD-ROM power.
Click to expand...

Forgot to mention that I tried swapping around the power connection. My PSU
has 3 floppy connectors. Tried with that, and the Y connector shared with
the fastest HDD.
-What is your CMOS video setup? AGP, AGP Aperture, Palette Snooping
etc. Omegacorner has recommendations.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, this is an Intel board. Not many options, in CMOS. AGP
aperture seems not to have any affect on this.
-Is there an "Event Logging option in your BIOS? Is it enabled and
are there any events of interest that may shed light on this?
Click to expand...

Yep. No events.
-Is there an option to reset Configuration Data? Is this part of your
clearing of CMOS?
Click to expand...

No option. I clear CMOS by pulling the battery.

-SATA is Serial ATA. It doesn't look like either of your HDs is
Serial ATA. The 7200 rpm is either ATA/100 or /133 the 5400 is either
ATA/66 or /33. Shouldn't conflict with video yet could try setting to
ATA of fastest HD.

-AGP slot, PCI1 and on board sound etc. usually share same IRQ (11).
Try leaving PCI1 empty.
Click to expand...

I, always, avoid using PCI slot 1. I learned that lesson, three years ago,
when I put a NIC there (ADSL). I wondered why big downloads would be
corrupted. I found out, the hard way :)
-If you think you may be returning the card, don't flash the BIOS.
Otherwise if you will keep this card a BIOS flash may (slight chance)
correct situation.
Click to expand...

I've already flashed it, to overclock it :) I've, since, flashed back the
original BIOS (no overclocking).

Thanks for your input. I'm really thinking this is a motherboard issue.
Especially, since if I remove a DDR module a cold boot will produce video
signal instantaneously in order for CMOS to tell me my memory has decreased.

I leave my box on 24/7, anyway. This just became an issue as I was solving
some other issues with the OS and this card. Didn't want to leave the thing
on, while I was at work. I'm just gonna buy a different card, in a few
months. Probably an ATI 9800 pro.

/shrug.

--
Strontium

"You may be right! It's all a waste of time! I guess
that's just a chance I'm prepared to take....A danger
I'm prepared to face.....Cut to the chase." - RUSH
 
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