fkloster,
<< "...and modern KT133a motherboards display stability that puts old Intel BX warhorses to shame" - Modus, I would like to see this statement backed up. >>
Sure, just check Anand's KT133 motherboard roundup, or any of his recent KT133a reviews. The VIA boards were refusing to crash after 72 hours of constant, prolonged torture testing. Anand was so disgusted with their incredible stability he had to abandon his current stability tests and look for something new. No Intel board, BX or i8xx, ever came close to that.
Shiva112,
<< Maybe I'm being too picky here, but I lose faith in a company if their product requires an RMA. >>
Yes, you are. RMA rates from even the best companies are around 1 or 2%. That means that out of every hundred boards they sell, chances are two will fail or demonstrate abnormal instability. You just caught a bad board. Look around this forum. You're obviously in the minority. It's just that the people with good boards don't bother posting until some one like you comes along and makes a blanket, wrong-headed statement.
<< I have the old fashioned view that if you plug something in and follow the steps they tell you to follow, it should work without hassles. >>
So do I. So does VIA. Follow their recommended steps and, just like with Intel, everything will be OK, barring the defective hardware that plagues every company.
<< Honestly, the amount of bashing I see from those with Elite and Golden member status makes me wonder about the social quality of the people who post on here. Please don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. I don't start blaming companies before I've tried EVERYTHING. >>
You didn't ask for help, you just wandered in and started bad mouthing a company based on an out-of-context quote and your own rare situation. But in case you'd like some suggestions, here is the procedure to track down instability on any PC, Intel or AMD:
1) Ensure your heatsink and fan are properly mounted, making firm, flush contact with the CPU core. Remove any wrapping paper or tape from underneath the heatsink. Apply a very thin layer of thermal compound.
2) Update to the latest non-beat BIOS for your motherboard.
3) Format the hard drive and install Windows fresh. This eliminates the variable of conflicting software or virus infection.
4) Install the necessary OS support patches from your chipset manufacturer. For Intel, this is the latest Ultra ATA Storage Driver, and the latest Intel INF Update. For VIA, this is just the latest 4-in-1 from the official company site at
www.via.com.tw.
5) Go to
www.windowsupdate.com and get all the latest patches, security fixes, DirectX updates, and whatever else you want.
6) Download and install the latest non-beta drivers for your peripherals (video, sound, modem, etc.) Only use drivers from the chipset manufacturer's offical web site, not stuff posted on fan sites.
7) If instability persists, begin swapping hardware to locate the deffective part. Start with the easy stuff like RAM, power supply, CPU, video card, and move your way up to tougher stuff like the motherboard. Tell each supplier that you have exchanged all the other parts to no avail. This is technically a lie, but it's the only way you'll be able to get an RMA with some companies.
Remember, a computer is no more than the sum of its parts. Find the bad part, and you've fixed the machine.
Modus
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