MSI K7T Turbo2(6330v5) - dead/defective/missing thermal sensors?

[Vinny N]

I just received a MSI K7T Turbo 2 as a replacement for a K7T Pro2-A I RMAd (which was a replacement for the original K7T Pro-A I RMAd).

I tried a Duron 700 as well as an Athlon XP1900+. I tried two different power supplies and different memory PC100 and PC133. Each processor used a different HSF.

Anyways, as far as I could tell, neither was running with any problems. No overheating, lockups, etc. But it's just a barebones, try a DOS bootdisk stuff.

All the voltage readings looked great (especially compared to the constantly dying voltage reports on the Pro2-As).

But the CPU Temp and System Temp are both reported as 0C/32F. Even on a cold power-up, warm power-up, whatever, as soon as I check the PC Health Status, that is what displays. It never changes to anything else.

I've searched the MSI forums, the ocworkbench MSI forums, the MSI newsgroup, general web search on altavista and google.

I can find very few, if any, similar reports.

Any ideas?

I don't have the desire to RMA this board too I believe its warranty is good up through June 2005 according to the serial number. (the same 3 year warranty policy that allowed me to get this replacement in the first place).

It does seem to be running fine and as soon as I get a hard drive, I'm going to install an OS like Win2KSP3 or Windows XP to see how it runs.

Still, it's a little nerve racking to not know at all how hot the CPU is running.


If anyone has any ideas of what I should be looking for physically on the board, that'd be nice too.

This board doesn't have the optional d-leds or ISA slot that the manual mention. It has 6330 Ver 5 silkscreened between PCI slots. It has a ATX12v connector near the standard ATX 20 pin power connector.

It is a green PCB, not the red limited edition one.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Vinny N]

it'll be a whole day in 3 hours...bump

 

[mechBgon]

Dead is my guess. I couldn't find any photos with a resolution high enough to pick out the thermistors.

 

[Vinny N]

Darn.

Well it's runing Windows XP right now without a single problem. The install went without a hitch too.

I think I'll live without knowing how/what the temps are. I suppose it doesn't matter. It just needs to run perfectly for my little sister (9 yrs old) since I won't be home for the most of the year(s) with this fall semester and my semester abroad coming up.

I guess I'll try to RMA it for the sensors the next time I'm home for a month or more. I hope I don't forget by June 2005

 

[Buz2b]

Just for giggles, did you try to install MBM5 to see if it can pick up the temps. It's a long shot, but what the heck? You've got nothing to lose! Right? Go here and try it.

 

[Vinny N]

Originally posted by: Buz2b
Just for giggles, did you try to install MBM5 to see if it can pick up the temps. It's a long shot, but what the heck? You've got nothing to lose! Right? Go here and try it.

I didn't try MBM, it's kind of bloated for my tastes, but you reminded me of speedfan which I've been using with much success.

So I install it and expect to see the same 0C readings...

temp 1: 144 C
temp 2: -73 C
temp 3: 19 C

I don't think any of those are right, and I have a feeling that motherboard monitor is going to read close to the same.

If anything was even close to 144C or -73C, I don't think the system would be running PERFECTLY.

But those numbers are kind of useful...

If I were to guess that temp 2 should be closer to the case temp of 30-35C or so, that means that the sensor is off by about 100 degrees.
If I were to guess that temp 1 is also off by ~100 degrees, that would make a cpu temp of about 40-45C.

Thanks Buz2b. I think that was worth the shock

 

[NesuD]

sounds like a board Msi manufactured for a large oem Like hp or compaq. Those big oems don't want things like thermal sensors on the boards since they cost extra. Looks like they sent you one of those with the stadard msi bios showing the monitering things that are inherent in the board design ie, voltages but no temps for lack of thermistors. I know gateway used some msi boards when they were still selling amd systems that were stripped of the the temp probes.

 

[beverage]

I too just purchased a MSI K7T turbo-2 and have the same problem, voltages and fan speeds both can be measured, but no temps what-so-ever. Seems strange that it's a feature they list as being able to do, when I can't find it anywhere.

 

[Buz2b]

Just FYI, I built one for my wife several months ago and MBM5 reports the temps, voltages and fan speeds just fine. I'm not sure what the differences are but this board was even a "refurb" from NewEgg. Best deal I've made in a while.

 

[KGB]

I've RMA'd 4 of those boards and have received many different types in return.
All they are obligated to do is return you a board that has similar capabilities (i.e. CHIPSET) as your Pro-2A.
It sounds like you may have received a 6330 Lite version.

 

[beverage]

I really don't feel like sending it (K7T turbo2) back when I just got it. I suppose I can live without knowing the temps...but then again, my hopes of overclocking are pretty much shot....

 

[beverage]

Originally posted by: Buz2b
Just FYI, I built one for my wife several months ago and MBM5 reports the temps, voltages and fan speeds just fine. I'm not sure what the differences are but this board was even a "refurb" from NewEgg. Best deal I've made in a while.

I tried MBM 5...no luck I guess it can't tell you temps the mobo can't read...

 

[Buz2b]

Originally posted by: beverage
I really don't feel like sending it (K7T turbo2) back when I just got it. I suppose I can live without knowing the temps...but then again, my hopes of overclocking are pretty much shot....

You could always use a thermal sensing device or something like the
CompuNurse Advance for under $20 to check out your temps when overclocking. There is even a cheaper version (non-advance) that monitors just one temp if you wanted to just check on the cpu temps. See, all is not lost but all is not free either. Unfortunately.

 

[beverage]

well after a few hours of boredom and tinkering...i got MBM5 working...sort of... it located three sensors on my mobo ... or so it says.

they read the following temps:

77 C, 21 C, and 0 C

so apparently something is very very hot..something is colder than my room, and the other well i could store milk in that part of the case...

so now i'm more confused than i was when i "didn't" have temp sensors..

 

[Buz2b]

Have you gone to the MBM5 home page and checked with the options on the left side that list the MB manufacturers and the sensor chips that will work with them? It is easy to overlook but if you find MSI and then click on it and look for that particular board, you will see what sensors work. From there it is just a matte of making them do what you want. Hey, and don't forget the newest "addition"; hard drive temps!

 

[beverage]

yah...the k7t turbo2 didn't make his list... the k7t turbo R did....besides, there are only three sensors detected, and regardless of which is which...the temps that i am getting seem as if they're probably not accurate...

 

[beverage]

i did a search in the mbm forum for "turbo2" and found only two threads...one person posted the following:

-----------------------------------------

Hello.

I wonder if the readouts from mbm on my pc are correct:

sensor 1: 20 degrees C
sensor 2: 1 """"""""""
sensor 3:77 degrees C

Mainboard MSI K7T Turbo2 with Athlon XP 1600


Thanks for your help in advance

---------------------------------------------------

seems strangly close to my own temps....too close to be coincidence...
not to mention he's running a 1.4 gig, and i have a 1.73

 

[Buz2b]

FWIW, I just rechecked my wife's system and I used the VIA686B sensors for that one. Are those the ones you selected?

 

[beverage]

Yes, the three sensors that MBM5 detected are:

VIA686B-1 : reading 21 C
VIA686B-2 : reading 0 C
VIA686B-3 : reading 77 C

Another thing to note, the sensor that reads 77 C has never changed, it was 77 when i first configured MBM, and it has been at 77 since that time, even after the computer was off all night long. The sesor that reads 21 C will occasionally read 22 C, but again, has not made any drastic changes over night; and of course the one reading 0 C has not changed at all either.

 

[Buz2b]

Hmm, just checked my wifes. Make sure that under Voltages there is the "Via 686B Standard" selected. Under Sensor 1, the VIA686B-2 is selected and the temp is currently 39c. Sensor 2 has VIA686B-3 selected and reads 29c. Sensor 3 is useless and has the VIA686B-1. It reads 21c most, if not all the time. Other than that, that's all I can tell you. Both Sensor 1 and 2 (using the VIA686B-2 & 3 respectively) rise and fall accordingly with changes in ambient temps, cpu load, etc.