Chaintech VNF3-250 RAM and graphic card issue

[codeine100mg]

1. I think the problem with RAM is the compatibility. The RAM I have is Crosair CMX512-20002/XMS270. I have total of 1GB but in System Properties, it only shows 128MB. So when I play games, the frame rate is so slow it gives me a headache. I am not sure if my assessment on this issue is correct, maybe Windows just not showing the correct RAM info or maybe it's the BM issue.

2. I think the problem with the graphic card is the IRQ issue. The new MB don?t have a setting in BIOS that let it assign an IRQ just for AGP. It is keep sharing it with something call "OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 HOST Controller". Well, I have no idea what that is or does. Windows won't let me set the IRQ manually cause it didn't pick up my graphic card as PnP or something like that.

When I was messing with the BIOS setting last night, I think my graphic card went on strike on me. The computer shut itself off. When I restarted it, there are dots all over the boot screen, and on Windows load screen, there are green horizontal lines on the screen. Then the monitor will go into suspend mode, lose signal from graphic card. There is no problem booting into safe mode. So now I think the graphic card is broken. I'll be getting a new one, but the IRQ issue will still be there.

Now I'm in safe mode typing this, everythign works fine in here, except screen freezes and comes back every 5min or so and sometimes the computer reboots for no reason.

If anyone has any suggestion on the RAM and IRQ issues, that would be great.

Current system/OS (if it works)

AMD 64 3200+
Chaintech VNF3-250 (MB)
eVGA GeForce FX 5900 128MB DDR
Crosair XMS2700 Total 1G RAM
Windows XP Home

 

[johnjkr1]

Welcome to the forum, codeine,

First thing you need to check is how much ram the bios sees. Turn off quick boot and see what it comes up with. Also, you might want to reseat your video card, it could just be loose. IRQ's are not a problem in modern OS's like 2k and XP, you should not be trying to change IRQ's. The OHCI iee1394 is firewire....be sure you dont have anything plugged into the slot closest to the AGP slot, that one should be empty if at all possible. Also, check your temps and the fan on the vid card, be sure it is moving.

Lastly, did you try reloading your video card drivers?

 

[codeine100mg]

Thank you for the reply.

At boot up, it says 134000000bytes. I use zeros cause I don't remember all the numbers. Anyway, that's about 128MB of RAM. I just ordered some new RAM that had been tested on this board and see if it'll work.

I'm also going to make sure that the system has enough power for it. I have a 400W power supply right now and I'm sure it's enough, but just in case that's the problem. If all fails, I'll just return the board and get a new one.

thanks again.

 

[Lionel]

I by no means am an expert, but I had this very same problem with the Chaintech VNF3-250, and a Geforce Fx5950. The problem was eventually solved using only one of my 512 dims, and installing all service packs from microsoft and chaintech. Afterwards I installed the rest of my gear one part at a time and it seems too be working just fine. Other than the temp readings for my cpu and motherboard dont seem reliable but there is a patch on this board somewhere I am looking for that should fix that.

Good luck,

Lionel

http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=27973