Looking for REAL support

[Zuddud]

Well I've been banging my head against a wall on this for 2 weeks now and I'm just not getting anywhere. Here's where I am at this point:

I am getting constant BSOD. The most consistent one is the IRQL. I rarely, if ever get a message about which driver failed, and when I do bugchecks I frequently see ntoskrnl.sys listed as the possible cause. I also frequently have problems launching apps. I'll click the icon and nothing happens. I then can only move the mouse but get no other response from the system. Can't ctrl-alt-del, can't click on anything, can't use shortcuts, nothing until I hit reset. I've had BSOD while the system is idle, when restarting, when booting, when installing apps, when installing XP, when playing Oblivion, surfing the web, running Symantec scans, you name it. This part (I think) is important: I've also had BSOD in the middle of the XPSP2 install prior to the first reboot where things are still loading off the CD. I can almost never force the BSOD, but if I run a full virus scan with norton it will usually BSOD, but will do so with different stops each time and at different times in the scan. Usually IRQL, but others as well. I'm pretty certain it's not Symantec though since I've had the BSOD while installing XP.

I've done setups with the SW IDE drivers and without. I've used and haven't used the MS dual core hotfix for sp2. I've installed and uninstalled 8.24 and 8.26 drivers. (Reformating the system and reinstalling XP after every attempt.) I've avoided installing all of the firewall tools.

I've given up on the 2nd IDE drive as I get almost no stability at all when it's connected. Before I did that, I'd get more frequent BSOD and sometimes when rebooting I'd find the BIOS had reverted to UDMA 2 mode on both drives. With the 1 I can usually run for a while before BSOD and the UDMA won't reset. I've replaced the old CD-RW with a new DVD-RW. The optical drive never gives me hassles. I run the HD on 1 channel and the DVD-rw on the secondary. Both are jumpered as master.

I've used memtest to check the RAM by leaving it running long enough to get 15 clean passes. I've run each stick through at least 4 passes each on their own with no errors. Not once have I recieved an error on the RAM. I've manually set the voltage and timings to 5-5-5-12, 5-5-5-15, 5-5-5-18, and the voltage to both auto and 1.9 in each combination. No impact whatsoever and no errors with memtest. Just more BSOD.

The WD HDD is the exact same drive I used in a system up to the day this new build began. I've reformatted the C partition (2 partitions) and have re-installed XP-SP2 countless times. I've run HDTach, chkdsk, and WD diagnostic tools on the drive and had no problems. I've defragged and reset the swap file repeatedly...still no improvement.

I replaced the older 400w power supply with a new 430W PSU with no change. (Other than being incredibly impressed with that PSU!)

I've pulled, reseated and disabled the Soundblaster Audigy 2zs PCI card repeatedly...no change. I've uninstalled and reinstalled it's newest drivers and have even run the system without the card at all.

I've pulled and reseated the 7600GT video card and had no improvement. I've used 3 different driver versions and seen no difference.

I've unplugged the front panel USB devices.

I've disabled every device in the bios I can. USB, audio, video, sata all disabled. SMART is disabled, all AMD features disabled. I've tried to disable prefetching and memory hole mapping as well with no luck. I've flashed the BIOS to the newest available and have reset the CMOS by removing the battery and setting the jumpers per the manual.

The processor is an AMD athlon 64 x2 (Windsor) 3800+ 65w.

At this point I see no option other than to return the board, but I need to know if there are any incompatibilities, or other issues I might have missed. If I return this board, get another one, and have the same problems I think I'll just have a heart attack.

Please...someone tell me what is going on!

 

[WildHorse]

"IRQL not less than or equal", "ntoskrnl.sys" listed as the possible cause, "freeze ups," "bsod's",all regarded together as a group, to me, indicate your root problem lies in wrong BIOS settings.

Right now I'm working on an OC of an Opteron 150 San Diego, which is drastically more sensitive and reactive to the tiniest voltage changes than was my old 3200+. So is your 3800+. So far in the process I've encountered each of those exact errors you've listed. All rooted in bios settings.

Although the memtest gauntlet indicates that you bought wisely, it doesn't mean your ram settings and cpu voltage are clocked so they interact well together.

Disabling auxilliary features in bios as you've done is helpful, but you also need to go through a methodical process to find proper settings. Even if you don't plan to overclock (why wouldn't you?) you can still be helped by the guideposts pointed out in a good overclocking guide. Here's one. Plenty of others can be found on the web.

In summary, I bet you have good components, not defective ones, and that you are being tripped up by their incredible sensitivity to tiny adjustments in bios.

You spent a pretty penny on that video card, eh?

 

[Zuddud]

Thanks for the feedback.

Well, after doing a lot more digging, going though comments on newegg, reading here, reading other places, I finally broke down and backed the memory down to 667. So far it seems to be working pretty well. I've been able to do a lot of app installs, play Oblivion for a few hours, and no BSOD yet. Of course, since I say that now, I'll be waiting for a fire.

What it seems to come down to at this point is that is board is BARELY DDR2 800 compatible with it's current BIOS. They have a very short QVL for 800's and none paired. But there I go trying to make sense. I just don't think they should advertise it as 800 when it only works with very specific model chips and if you balance yourself on your left ear when it's raining.

The thing that through me off though was memtest. I thought that it would have spit errors out if the board was having issues handling the 800 but obviously that's not the case. The other weird thing was how it was acting with the hard drives. Though I think that was rooted in the PSU.

As far as OC...I'm simply chickens**t. I don't have the ability to replace components if I screw up and fry something. So I figure why take the chance. Sure it will be a bit faster, but at what potential downside? Killing a CPU or board is more of chance than I'm willing to take on a $0 tax refund only budget.

I take it you mean I didn't look for a better price on the card? At the time it was 109 with a 20 rebate, so I was pretty happy. At least until you said that. ;-)

 

[WildHorse]

I take it you mean I didn't look for a better price on the card? At the time it was 109 with a 20 rebate, so I was pretty happy. At least until you said that. ;-)

I'm not dyslexic but was just scanning too fast, and misread your gpu as 7900GT. Sorry for my comment, which, as you have just now said, does not apply.

 

[cubby1223]

Recent ASUS motherboards have had bad memory incompatibility issues. Stuff that doesn't show up in memtest. If there is any way you can get your hands on a different brand ddr memory stick, I would try that.

If the equipment is working properly, and you're not overclocking, you shouldn't ever have to adjust settings beyond the defaults to get a stable system.

 

[Zuddud]

I couldn't agree more. For now, I'll live with it. I've been fighting this crap for 3 weeks now, and am pretty fed up with the whole thing. It's stable, I'm not taking a performance hit in my apps, and hopefully Asus will provide a proper BIOS update soon.

This is my first ASUS board, and it's likely my last. I know how everyone tends to like them, but this kind of crap is just wrong. Not to mention the fact that their website goes up and down like a...well...it just goes down a lot. Their forums have almost no representation from Asus, and their tech support line is a complete joke. Overall though, I shouldn't even need all that when buying products that should clearly be compatible with each other. I've done a fair number of builds for myself and others using Abit and MSI boards and not once have I had even 1/3 of the problems I had with this build. When I did have problems, I found the answers quickly and easily.

The QVL should be a good reference point for recommendations, not a restricted shopping list. If you call a board 800, it should support 800. Problems like mine should be a rarity at worst, not a common issue. Especially across multiple board models. Asus needs to get it together.

 

[Slikkster]

Well, I've seen posts that claim they're using the same RAM as you on the same mobo without issues. I'm not convinced it's the motherboard. The real test is to try different DDR2 800 ram in there to see what happens. I know that's easier than it sounds, given that you might not have access to it. But I still think you're blindly thinking it's the mobo without actually knowing whether your Corsair sticks might be not quite up to snuff.

It's quite feasible that you got a couple (or at least one) that don't quite live up to specs, Memtest notwithstanding. I did read some reviews of this RAM at newegg, and while most were happy, some reported sticks going bad or DOA.

I found a post on another forum that says this RAM/mobo should work well together, based on the poster's own experience:

Here's a post about your RAM and this board:

"Re: Asus M2NPV-VM

I can report that the Corsair TWIN2X1024A-6400 Kit (two 512MB modules) works
great at stock timings/voltages with this board. Beware of some of the
higher-end Corsair sticks, which need higher voltages (+2.1-2.2V) than the
little Asus board can deliver."

I've found that Newegg will accept returns, charge 15 percent, but will waive the fee once you contact a customer support person. So, might want to go that route to try different ram.

 

[Zuddud]

Of course, I can't deny that it is possible that the RAM isn't quite 100%, but I need something to show me that it is before I go through the gyrations of an RMA and replacements. For me, it's no memory, no PC, so if I'm going to RMA I have to order the replacements first, then send the others back. With my budget that's a lot harder than it may sound.

I've run memtest on the pairs, and each individually. Each has passed consistently with no issue on 8-10hr runs. Is there a different software package I should use?

I understand another person was able to get the RAM to work at 800 with this board, but for how long? I didn't start having too many issues for the first 24hrs-48hrs, it was after that that things got funky. Could be the same there.

Again, it could be the memory, but when you've done every test you know of and you see multiple users in multiple places state that Asus 800 boards don't tend to run most sticks at 800 it's hard not to think it's the board.