Regretting use of an MSI motherboard

[SanDiegoPC]

I am 99 percent an Asus guy. On the build I just completed today, I used an i5 and an MSI motherboard. The computer basically came out OK ... but for a couple of anomolies I need to figure out before I put it into service full time.

First, Memtest+ won't check the memory. When the PC boots off the Memtest CD, it does ID the CPU and the amount of RAM correctly. But nothing happens then and I can't get it to test the computer's memory. This is using the new version of the program designed for DDR2 and 3 machines, and the CD has worked on other systems so I know the boot image is fine.

Next, the system seems sluggish to respond to commands when in Setup. Once it gets into windows, it runs fine and I could probably release it to the user without any trouble. But I notice these things.

When in Setup, you use a left/right arrow to go between menu settings and it seems to pause for a tiny bit before the menu options change. I'm using a PS2 keyboard FWIW on the setup/testing bench. When I hit the reset button there is a second of time before it responds.

Also when you start it, the power light on the front panel of the case comes on, but you don't see anything happening on the screen for a second other than two small digits in the very bottom right of the screen which I guess is MSI's BIOS version number.

So am I overthinking this stuff? I'm used to ASUS boards and I've never had this type of hesitation before when in setup. Also, I need to find out why the Memtest+ program refuses to test. Just for giggles, I tried the original Memtest program too, and it does nothing either.

The computer is not overclocked, all the settings are factory stock.

 

[aigomorla]

When in Setup, you use a left/right arrow to go between menu settings and it seems to pause for a tiny bit before the menu options change. I'm using a PS2 keyboard FWIW on the setup/testing bench. When I hit the reset button there is a second of time before it responds.

Also when you start it, the power light on the front panel of the case comes on, but you don't see anything happening on the screen for a second other than two small digits in the very bottom right of the screen which I guess is MSI's BIOS version number.

So am I overthinking this stuff? I'm used to ASUS boards and I've never had this type of hesitation before when in setup. Also, I need to find out why the Memtest+ program refuses to test. Just for giggles, I tried the original Memtest program too, and it does nothing either.

The computer is not overclocked, all the settings are factory stock.

The first part, it could be because of the PS/2.
Im not 100% sure, i do remember seeing lag like that on ps/2 keyboards tho in bios.

The second part is normal on boards now.
The board undergoes a preboot which can take up to 15 seconds b4 bios responds.

Been seeing this since the 680i's as the LCD diag panel goes though a bunch of numbers b4 seeing FF "Boot Start"

Memtest not working.... mmmm... that i have no clue... have someone else run a memtest and see if it works on another P67 board?

I met a MSI rep this weekend, so if it is indeed a problem with the MSI board, let me know.
Ive been itching to get a excuse to follow up with him.

 

[wanderer27]

If the CD is setup for ASUS boards, is it possible that the MSI might have a few different chips that might need different drivers?

Prime95 should be able to test the Memory shouldn't it?

 

[The Jedi]

I was just thinking, I did have one genuinely quirky MB from MSI 10 years ago which kind of soured me on MSI. But 6 years ago I had a bad MSI experience and I later found that I had a quirky power supply of all things, and MSI was not to blame. One thing I'll raise is if you dent the MB with your screwdriver during assembly, all bets are off. You may come out lucky, OR it may not POST or it may just have weirdness such as how you described - not to be accusatory or anything.

 

[coffeejunkee]

Next, the system seems sluggish to respond to commands when in Setup. Once it gets into windows, it runs fine and I could probably release it to the user without any trouble. But I notice these things.

When in Setup, you use a left/right arrow to go between menu settings and it seems to pause for a tiny bit before the menu options change. I'm using a PS2 keyboard FWIW on the setup/testing bench. When I hit the reset button there is a second of time before it responds.

I've read more than one review/forumpost claiming MSI's uefi is laggy. No guarantees but there's always hoping uefi updates will fix it.

 

[Absolution75]

IMO memtest is rather worthless - I've have had 3 sets of ram that were bad but tested perfect in memtest.

Other than that - the two numbers are the boot status codes, you can look them up in the manual and its actually a good feature.

My old P45 gigabyte board (UD3P) also always refused to boot into memtest at all - so its not uncommon to have issues with it so it seems.

And yes, your over thinking stuff. Its the first version of uefi that anyone will have out. Its pretty obvious there will be early adapter pains.

 

[Elixer]

IMO memtest is rather worthless - I've have had 3 sets of ram that were bad but tested perfect in memtest.

Memtest (the floppy/CD version, not the windows version) is good at finding around 95% of all errors, if you leave it running for at least 24 hours.

 

[Zap]

Its pretty obvious there will be early adapter pains.

Exactly. My Asus P8P67 is running on an official beta UEFI version. Yes, it has... certain odd behaviors, such as an occasional dual POST (people started experiencing these with P35 chipset), finicky with voltages, odd CPU fan controller issues (low speed... low speed... low speed... OMG SUPER HIGH SPEED!) among others.

 

[Absolution75]

Memtest (the floppy/CD version, not the windows version) is good at finding around 95% of all errors, if you leave it running for at least 24 hours.

Eh, i'd like to see some sort of actual verification on that number - cause it seems pretty made up on the spot.

And yes, I was using the CD version and in fact left it running for over two days. Didn't display any errors.

Ex: Supertalent with my 680i - was stable at 2T at < 700Mhz, but anything higher would result in blue screens. Passed memtest, RMA'ed the ram because the fact that it didn't run at rated settings seemed to indicate it was the ram. Got new ram, still blue screens, tested ram, passed. RMA'ed MB, still blue screens, RMA'ed motherboard again, bluescreens again. RMA'ed ram for the 2nd time, system was finally stable (on 3rd set of ram and 3rd MB, funny thing is that all those initial MB's were probably fine - sorry EVGA <3).

Worst build of my life.