Biostar M7VIG PRO or Shuttle AK32A?

[FoolishMcNasty]

Which should I use for a low budget linux box with a 1700+ XP, 1 GB PC2100, 8500LE?
Biostar M7VIG PRO or Shuttle AK32A...or any other recommendations for a sub $400 box...

 

[Zepper]

I just upgraded my system using the MSI KM2M Combo L. It's almost identical to the Biostar, but it has the P4-type 4-pin 12V connector to power the CPU. It has run rock solid for me w/ a Duron 1200 OCd to 1320 on a Sparkle 250 PSU. Just flash w/ the new BIOS they just posted to fix some minor niggles and you should be very happy with it. And it saves the cost of a video card like the Biostar and unlike the Shuttle.
.bh.
:moon:

 

[tcsenter]

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with BIOSTAR tech support. I have the M7VIG v1.2, which is for all practical purposes, a M7VIG Pro due to the use of the VIA 8235 SB with USB2.0 but has no fancy colored PCB (unless you think green is fancy).

I still use Win98SE because...well...because I do! I don't like ACPI mode so I always disable it in BIOS preferring to use the older (and more reliable) APM for power management features like Standby. When I installed the M7VIG and migrated my old Win98SE installation, the Standby option disappeared from the shutdown menu and Control Panel power management options. I tried installing a newer 4-in-1 and redetecting the Advanced Power Management, but nothing.

Biostar sent me a BETA BIOS but that didn't work, either. I tried a clean install of Win98SE on both BIOS, nothing, no Standby. There is no 'PM controlled by APM' option in BIOS as I've been used to seeing.

A couple months had went by since Biostar sent the BIOS for me to try and now an engineering tech is telling me "this is a Microsoft problem, contact Microsoft". Umm, no, sorry.

I've used Win98SE with just about every VIA chipset in the last four years, including VIA MVP3 (Super 7), 693a/694x (Socket 370), KT133A, KT266A and KM133A (Socket A). Various models from various manufacturers. Even several Intel Chipsets (i440LX/BX/etc). And Standby option is always available from the Shutdown menu with or without the 4-in-1, with or without any latest video card drivers, with or without other patches or updates.

So I did a little digging in the MSKB, low and behold I find a Knowledge Base Article about this very problem. The possible causes are:

This issue can occur for any of the following reasons:

When you received the following message, you clicked Yes:

[*]The last few times your computer went on standby it stopped responding. Would you like to prevent your computer from going on standby in the future?

[*]Your computer stopped responding while in standby mode two times consecutively.

[*]Advanced Power Management (APM) is not configured properly in your computer's Basic Input/Output System (BIOS).

The first two don't apply, since Standby has never been available or working since installing the M7VIG. The only one left is the third, and there are no APM options in the BIOS, only ACPI (enable/disable).

So I gather up all of this evidence and reply back to tech support a week ago. They are now ignoring me. Basically they are trying to pass off their problem, blaming it on Microsoft, when they damned well know it is their problem.

I am a pretty forgiving person, I am willing to overlook mistakes, but I do not tolerate being lied to and a company refusing to deliver the most basic levels of technical support for a product that is defective or flawed.

A few years ago now, FIC got itself on the top of my "DO NOT BUY AGAIN - EVAR!" list because of this kind of run-around and deliberate refusal to give support for their defective/flawed product. Looks as though I may have a new #1 if things continue as they have.

 

[bambam]

I am trying to decide between these two myself and hope that the VIA KM266 integrated video will be acceptable since for just a few $ more I could buy a non-integrated VIA KT400 board like the Biostar M7VIT . BTW VIA just announced the next generation of this chipset called the KM400 but I have no idea when boards with it will be out .

Edit - Zepper - I think that the Biostar and the MSI boards are probably better quality than PCCHIP / ECS or other PCWARE brands and there is at least a getting some support with either of Biostar or MSI. brands .

 

[tcsenter]

I am trying to decide between these two myself and hope that the VIA KM266 integrated video will be acceptable since for just a few $ more I could buy a non-integrated VIA KT400 board like the Biostar M7VIT.

Well since all the boards mentioned in this thread have an AGP slot, whether or not it also has integrated video, its really no different than buying the M7VIT, except that you are getting integrated video and saving a few bucks. If the integrated video isn't up to your expectations, you'll still have to buy a video card either way.

 

[Zepper]

If you want to take a chance, Computer Geeks (Linkage) has the PC Cheaps version of this mobo, M825LMU - Rev.3, for $58.25 +sh. It includes a CMR riser modem card and an internal 6-in-1 memory card reader that connects to an onboard USB header. But it doesn't have the P4 power connector and has only two PCI slots...
. And MSI just blew the Shuttle AK32A out of the water with their new KT2 Combo L. Just like the shuttle but has the 8235 south bridge - USB 2.0 plus onboard LAN and the P4 connector so you can use a cheaper PSU. So IMO, MSI now has the best one-two punch for low cost systems.
.bh.
:sun:

 

[BTSpope]

Im tgyping this on a budget box i built for my parents with an mtvig pro at its heart. So far its performed flawlessly. the great allure of this board is its price, onboard audio and video for backups, and its sdram ram option if the ddr isnt in your hands yet. great budget buy, but you might want to consider a slightly faster chipset if your considering future ram upgrades beyond pc2100 speeds. Note, if you buy this board, make sure you check the boards jumper setting for 266 fsb performance