Need Help w/ New A64 system

[ricoDadams]

I just got my parts in for a 3400+ system and it is not working right at all. I bought the Aopen ak86-l board and 2x512 of Kingston hyperx pc3200 ram. The first problem is that the board is seeing the processor as a 3600+ instead of 3400, next the system for some reason doesn't want me to mess with bios settings because it keeps resetting them automatically. Next, when I try to install win xp I get a different error everytime. I even bought some different ram (kingston valueram) to see if it was the culprit and that didn't fix anything. I don't have another board nor processor to test this out, can anyone give me some suggestions on what the problem is.

Thanks

oh, also my power supply is a antec 350 smart blue

 

[mechBgon]

If you haven't tried resetting the CMOS yet, that would be a good start Unplug the system from the wall, move the Clear-CMOS jumper for a few seconds and then move it back (see manual for the location, it's usually very close to the CMOS battery except I don't think that board has a CMOS battery), and see if it starts to behave better.

 

[ricoDadams]

Yeah, I tried that too. It will clear everything to default, but it see acts the same. I just tried memtest (the one that is iso format) and the screen flashes and the computer just resets. I have tried this on both types of memory. Also when I was attempting to install windows again, I got the bsod. Thanks in advance for all replies.

Also I was thinking if I flash the bios to the new one listed on anandtech's review page, maybe it will help me with my problem. The problem with that is I can't flash the bios. Everyone that I tried doesn't reconized the board or says it isn't an award bios. Is there a way of flashing this thing in DOS, or is it just windows all the way?

 

[mechBgon]

Ordinarily I would download the manual so I could get more insights, but AOpen's site seems to only have it available in Chinese, and I can't read anything but English, y un poco de Español

What I would start with is changing the CPU's speed to the lowest it can go, downclock the memory to something like PC2100 speeds (100MHz or DDR200, depending which convention they use), and try saving & exiting with the system underclocked, for starters. If it can hold those settings, then that's a start. Really wierd that it wants to call your 3400+ a 3600+...

 

[ricoDadams]

Finally I got the system up and going. After buying a new antec true 430w power supply. I concluded the problem is my ram. I removed on of the sticks of hyperx memory and it worked. When I put the other stick back in, I run into all types of errors. When I swap sticks of memory, the computer won't even get to the loading screen.

I am still not all that happy because even with the other stick, the computer isn't all the way stable. I know the ram is great because I put both of them in a friend's P4 system and it worked well, extremely well. It seems that my board does not like kingston memory (hyperx or not). What is another brand I can use that is known to work with my setup? I am quickly getting poor so please give me some "affordable" options. Thanks

 

[foofoo]

hi,
i'm running 2 512 sticks of kingston hyperx 3200 on that exact motherboard with the 1.06 bios and a 3200+. you might try upgrading the bios with only 1 stick of memory and the system stable. then try the hyperx again. if it doesnt work, you might try to rma the memory and try again with different sticks. also try different memory slots. it's working ok here.
good luck.

 

[ricoDadams]

After a few hours of testing, the errors came back. I talked to the vender and they asked me to send the board back.
Its been two weeks and they sent a new one, but the problem is still there. This time I went to a local retailer who builds the A64 systems and they gave me 4 different brands of pc3200 memory to test. One of them didn't boot while the other had the same problem. They wouldn't let me test out another processor in the board nor try mine in another board.

I called AMD and they believe the problem is the board, but told me to send the processor to them and they will test it out. Does anyone have any other suggestions before I have to wait another 1 1/2 weeks to build my computer. If this keeps up, the 3800+ will come out before mine is up and running.

 

[mechBgon]

What voltage are you running the memory modules at? Also, did you try my suggestion of lowering their speed?

 

[ricoDadams]

I am running the memory at 2.6v. Sometimes I played with the voltage +-.5v to see if it would help. I have tried to lower the speed and I have the same problem. It will either lock up in the middle of something or the board won't accept the settings and will reset them to default.

 

[ricoDadams]

I just got off of the phone with aopen and they said that I got part of some bad batch of boards. They recommended me to send it back to mwave and exchange it for another. But chances are it will be bad also. They would take the board back, but they said it will take about 3 weeks. I am going to see trade this motherboard with mwave for a asus or an msi.