GF4 & KX133 chipsets

[L8CS]

I recently installed a Visontek GF4 4400 into my Win98SE box with a ABit KA7mb. I unistalled the working Kyro2 and drivers before installing the 4400. Everything went fine until I ran a 3d program. All the standard apps worked okay but I couldn't run a 3d program like Medal of Honor. I could go into the program setup but it wouldn't run the game, causing the system to reboot itself. I tried several different games like Solider of Fortune, Combat Flight Simulator and had the same results. I was running DirectX 8.1, the latest VIA 4n1 and current release NVidia drivers. I even reset the video defaults and Bios defaults to standard but it made no difference.

I then did a clean install of Win98SE and one of Win2k with the same results. I finally took the GF4 out and put my Kyro2 back in. I put the GF4 in my son's Abit KT7A with a 1700XP and it worked great. I'll try his GF3 TI500 next and see if there's any difference, but the fans dead so I'm waiting on a replacement.

Anyone got an idea?

 

[AMDfreak]

It seems that GF 2 cards had a lot of problems with that mobo. I would think that GF 4 cards will be in the same boat. Check out Paul's Unofficial ABIT KA7 FAQ for some detailed info.

 

[L8CS]

Thanks,

I wasn't ready to upgrade my mb yet but I got in on the Gateway GF4 4400 deal and couldn't pass it up. I guess I'll bite the bullet and upgrade to the KT7A and put either the 1800 or 1900XP in it. I still want to utilize my 512mb of PC133 so I'm limited to the KT7A or I think Asus still makes a sdram mb.

 

[Brian48]

I agree. The KA7-100 was a fast and stable board, provided that you used a video card that it liked. Unfortunately, this was different for every specimen I've come across so it's difficult to pin exactly which brands work best. I had this problem with it as well, but only with my Kyro I (Herc 4000xt). I also remember that when the GF2 came out, there was a hardware related compatibility problem (cold boot issue) with it that required an RMA to correct if you wanted to use a GF2, but that problem was unrelated to what you're experiencing now.

What you might want to try is playing around with the AGP voltages in the BIOS. Not only higher settings, but LOWER ones as well. Believe it or not, I've seen this issue corrected by setting the volts below the recommended factory specs.

 

[L8CS]

My son was running his GF3 Ti-500 on a Aopen AK72 mb with a Athlon 700 Classic before I upgraded him a few months ago and everything ran great. I haven't had a NVidia product on my stuff because I was Voodoo fan. I then tried the Kyro2 which I still like but it can't come close to the frame rates of the Ti-500 or the 4400, so it's time to move on.

 

[L8CS]

<<The KA7-100 was a fast and stable board, provided that you used a video card that it liked>>

Do you think the compatability issues will be the same between the GF3 and the GF4, for the KA7?

 

[Peter]

Problem with any generation NVidia chip is that they draw HUGE amounts of power - which in turn overstresses the voltage regulation of older boards and/or PSUs. Consider using an ATi Radeon 8500 card - you get somewhat lower performance, but at half the power consumption of a GF4 you'll have a much higher chance that the thing works at all.

regards, Peter

 

[L8CS]

I needed to retire my Abit KA7 and 1ghz Slot A Classic anyway because my son's setup is blowing me away. He's getting 8200 3dmarks with 2001SE and my GF4 4400 and I'm only pulling around 2200 with the Kyro2. He was very content with his Ti-500 and I want my 4400 back so I just ordered a Abit KT7A and 1800 XP from NewEgg.