Which BIOS version is stable for Biostar M7VIZ?

[SWEnginerd]

I recently built a box for a friend with the Biostar M7VIZ version 5.0. She has been having problems with the machine locking up -- the pointer freezes, ctrl-alt-del won't work, and even the "soft" power button won't turn it off; she has to hit the hard-power-off switch.

I am guessing that it's a BIOS problem. :-( Unless anyone knows of other issues with this board?

Is there a particularly stable BIOS version for this board? Looks like Biostar goes by date-of-release; the board shipped with the BIOS dated July 10 2003 installed, but Biostar lists a September 5 2003 (released version) and a Novermber 11 2003 (apparently beta version) BIOSes as being available.

I'm hesitant to install these, since I can't find the July 10 2003 BIOS anywhere to back it up in case these don't work.

Other specs: retail AMD 2600+ 333MHz, 512Mb of namebrand memory (Samsung, I think), InWin case and PS, running a legit retail Win98SE with all updates. Onboard video and sound and USB are in use. The machine has only one card plugged in, an Intel DSL-PRO internal DSL card; it worked fine in her previous machine, no lockups even after days of being up. Since the networking is done through this card, the onboard ethernet isn't in use.

This doesn't appear to be thermal in origin; CPU temp maxes at 46 C, and the lockups can happen anywhere from within a few minutes of startup to after a couple of hours.

Many thanks,

Michael

 

[Vette73]

A bios would probable NOT fix a freezeing proble,.

Run a check ont he ram, then check out the power supply. Those are the 2 biggest things to cause problems.

 

[SWEnginerd]

Uh-oh. Are there any good (preferably free) RAM-checking utilities out there??

 

[jjyiz28]

Originally posted by: SWEnginerd
I recently built a box for a friend with the Biostar M7VIZ version 5.0. She has been having problems with the machine locking up -- the pointer freezes, ctrl-alt-del won't work, and even the "soft" power button won't turn it off; she has to hit the hard-power-off switch.

I am guessing that it's a BIOS problem. :-( Unless anyone knows of other issues with this board?

Is there a particularly stable BIOS version for this board? Looks like Biostar goes by date-of-release; the board shipped with the BIOS dated July 10 2003 installed, but Biostar lists a September 5 2003 (released version) and a Novermber 11 2003 (apparently beta version) BIOSes as being available.

I'm hesitant to install these, since I can't find the July 10 2003 BIOS anywhere to back it up in case these don't work.

Other specs: retail AMD 2600+ 333MHz, 512Mb of namebrand memory (Samsung, I think), InWin case and PS, running a legit retail Win98SE with all updates. Onboard video and sound and USB are in use. The machine has only one card plugged in, an Intel DSL-PRO internal DSL card; it worked fine in her previous machine, no lockups even after days of being up. Since the networking is done through this card, the onboard ethernet isn't in use.

This doesn't appear to be thermal in origin; CPU temp maxes at 46 C, and the lockups can happen anywhere from within a few minutes of startup to after a couple of hours.

Many thanks,

Michael

don't fee bad, its not you, its the board. i got the m7viz too, "had" actually. the 1st time everytihng was fine except it had restart/shutdown issues, and had to do hard reset or hard shutoff all the time. updated bios, forgot which one, the latest without the biostar log. still probs. RMA exhcnaged, then the replacement was worse, stuck at biostar splash screen. can't even get to bios. can't do bios upgrade. RMA refund. got a epox 8kmm3i, this board has no issues whatsoever. manual looked like it was used, the mobo seemed clean though. from newegg. little bit more expensive, like a couple bucks more, but you get what you pay for. no more biostar for me.