HELP! error message...

machintos

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Mar 1, 2003
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I just finished building my computer this morning and about 6-7 times I've received an error message saying something like "Windows has discovered and recovered a device failure. Please reboot your computer."
This happened mostly when I have a cd in the cd-rom. And, before the message appears, the computer always froze for about 30 secs to a minute and after the error message, the resolution of my screen will be at the lowest as if there's no video card at all.

Can anybody please tell me what's wrong? Thanks a lot guys!!
 

Assimilator1

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Nov 4, 1999
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Rather lacking in information here:p

I don't get your resolution problem (not going into safe mode is it?) ,but it sounds like you might have a faulty CD ROM? ,does it do it with any CD in it?
 

machintos

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yes, it does get into safe mode...
And it sometimes does it with cd in it, sometimes no...
Is it one of those p4g8x - 9700 problems. I tried looking for information but still not clear of what the problem might be.
Would anyone care to explain?

Thanks a lot...
 

machintos

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Well, here's my system's specs:

Antec Truepower 430W PS
Asus P4G8X-DLX mobo
P4 2.53GHz running stock
2 x 512MB PC2700 HyperX
160GB + 200GB Maxtor HDDs
50x CD-ROM + Yamaha CRW-F1 burner
ATi Radeon 9700 Pro
Sound Blaster Audigy 2

I don't have the exact message yet, but when I do, I will post here again. The error message only appeared once yeterday and I didn't write it down.

I hope somebody here can help me out.


 

Assimilator1

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Nov 4, 1999
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Hmm ,well I don't really know ,but have you tried the latest chipset & video card drivers?
 

machintos

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Originally posted by: Assimilator1
Hmm ,well I don't really know ,but have you tried the latest chipset & video card drivers?

I have downloaded all the latest drivers from ATi's website.
And here's the error message: "Microsoft Windows detected and recovered rom a device failure. Please save your work and reboot to restore full function"
The screen always freezes up before this message appears and turn into safe mode when this message appears.

So? Any ideas?
 

DieHardware

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Had this same message when I installed a 9000Pro on a Gigabyte 7IXE4 MB. I tried every Cat driver, AMD AGP drivers, different BIOS versions...no go. Funny thing is an 8500LE worked fine on that board.
 

machintos

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Originally posted by: DieHardware
Had this same message when I installed a 9000Pro on a Gigabyte 7IXE4 MB. I tried every Cat driver, AMD AGP drivers, different BIOS versions...no go. Funny thing is an 8500LE worked fine on that board.

So, any advice on what to do? I'm tired of restarting my computer all the time :(
 

DieHardware

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Have you tried adjusting the AGP settings in BIOS or emailing ASUS for a BIOS fix?...if not, it might be time for a videocard or motherboard change. :(
 

machintos

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Originally posted by: DieHardware
Have you tried adjusting the AGP settings in BIOS or emailing ASUS for a BIOS fix?...if not, it might be time for a videocard or motherboard change. :(

Well, I set the AGP speed to 8X because I know my motheboard support 8X AGP and the 9700pro has 8X AGP.
I haven't tried BIOS fix though, which I think I will try.
Replacing the motherboard or the video card is out of the question because both the motherboard and the video card are only one month old.
I'll keep an update after I upgrade my BIOS.

Thanks
 

DieHardware

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Well, I set the AGP speed to 8X because I know my motheboard support 8X AGP and the 9700pro has 8X AGP


You tried fiddling with other AGP settings?...fast writes, etc. There might be a BIOS update for the 9700 too.
 

machintos

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Originally posted by: DieHardware
Well, I set the AGP speed to 8X because I know my motheboard support 8X AGP and the 9700pro has 8X AGP


You tried fiddling with other AGP settings?...fast writes, etc. There might be a BIOS update for the 9700 too.

Well, I set the AGP speed to 8X but I turn the fast writes off because I thought this would solve the problem. A friend of mine told me that if I want to turn the fast writes on, I would have to set the AGP speed to 4X, or if I want to set it at 8X, I would have to set the FW off.
After I did this, the error doesn't happen as often. It only happens once or twice a day now compared to the 8-10 times my first day. But still, I'm trying to solve this problem for good.

And, if you don't mind, could you tell me how to update BIOS? what steps do I need to take?

Thank you :)
 

DieHardware

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What ATI drivers are you using?...have you tried earlier or later drivers?(2.5s, 3.0s, 3.2s etc) Update which BIOS?...MB or video? ASUS has the directions listed on their website and rage3d has the procedure for the ATI cards.
 

machintos

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Originally posted by: DieHardware
What ATI drivers are you using?...have you tried earlier or later drivers?(2.5s, 3.0s, 3.2s etc) Update which BIOS?...MB or video? ASUS has the directions listed on their website and rage3d has the procedure for the ATI cards.

I'm using the latest ATi drivers that I downloaded from the website when I installed the card. I didn't use the CD to install the video card.
I will check their website for directions. Thank you.

Assimilator1:

If I turn off both AGP 8x and FW, would the video card perform at its max? If you don't mind telling me, what does the Fast Writes funtcion is for? And how different AGP 8X and 4X? Thank you :)
 

Assimilator1

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AGP x8 to x4 isn't going to impact performance much ,if at all.Its mainly meant for AGP cards that don't have nough on board RAM ,when they run out of vid RAM they then access system RAM ,which is much slower than vid RAM even with x8 & DDR mbrds.
I don't know too much about FWs ,its some kind of latency reducing optimisation routine ,you may loose upto 5% performance here.

Benchmark your rig using 3dMark & then let us know the results:)
Btw I recommend using 2001SE as 2003 might scare you;)
 

machintos

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Originally posted by: Assimilator1
AGP x8 to x4 isn't going to impact performance much ,if at all.Its mainly meant for AGP cards that don't have nough on board RAM ,when they run out of vid RAM they then access system RAM ,which is much slower than vid RAM even with x8 & DDR mbrds.
I don't know too much about FWs ,its some kind of latency reducing optimisation routine ,you may loose upto 5% performance here.

Benchmark your rig using 3dMark & then let us know the results:)
Btw I recommend using 2001SE as 2003 might scare you;)

Dang it's a big file... but I'm downloading it right now.
Mind telling me how to read the benchmark? I've never done this before...
 

Assimilator1

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Err ,well I just read the final score these days & don't bother with the seperate scores;) (though most of them are FPS)

The final score is a measure of how well your rig peforms various graphic tests.
I've got an XP1700 @2.05GHz with dual channel DDR RAM @178MHz with a GF3 @ 210/465 & I get about 9500.
My 2nd rig which is an XP1800 @1.88GHz with PC133 RAM @ 150MHz with a GTS2 32MB 230/380 gets about 4600
 

machintos

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Originally posted by: Assimilator1
Err ,well I just read the final score these days & don't bother with the seperate scores;) (though most of them are FPS)

The final score is a measure of how well your rig peforms various graphic tests.
I've got an XP1700 @2.05GHz with dual channel DDR RAM @178MHz with a GF3 @ 210/465 & I get about 9500.
My 2nd rig which is an XP1800 @1.88GHz with PC133 RAM @ 150MHz with a GTS2 32MB 230/380 gets about 5000...... I think!

Whoa....
I just ran the benchmark test and my score is nothing compared to yours.
It only ran a 4689 on the 3Dmark_03 benchmark test
I run everything at stock speed thoug because I don't know how to overclock...
Any advice on how to increase the benchmark score??

I also ran sandra's memory benchmark test and it shosed me:
RAM Int buffered iSSE2 Bandwith 3278MB/s
RAM Float buffered iSSE2 Bandwith 3274MB/s

What do these numbers say about my system? Are those good numbers or not?

And while I was at it, I also ran AIDA32 memory benchmark:
Memory read: 3409MB/s
Memory write: 1040MB/s

Are these good numbers? And any advice on increasing my benchmark score would be greatly appreciated.

I'm kinda new with all these benchmark scoring stuff as this was my first rig EVER :)

Thanks a lot...
 

Assimilator1

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Oopps! ,forgot to say that was with 3DMark 2001SE!:eek:

Re higher benchmarks ,would help to know what graphics card you have!;)
 

Assimilator1

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Afraid I don't know much about them ,but I'd guess the latest versions of powerstrip will overclock them?

Anyone else?
 

machintos

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I don't know much about overclocking. So, anyone with any input, please post... :)
Thanks a lot!