Problem with Biostar I45

[pablo906]

I just picked up the Biostar I45 since I lost two 780i's recently, the eVGA and the Striker Extreme. The eVGA was from me drinking while playing with Phase Change, note to self don't mount the Prommy while drunk.

The board is a beast but I'm having problems getting video stable even at defaults. I'm trying to get my 8800GT to work, MSI brand, and it keeps either locking up or crashing. I was having data corruption issues until I loaded the latest BIOS from 7/10, http://download.biostar.com.tw/upload/Bios/P45AA710.BSP , and now I can keep Vista Installed and running without data corruption after the first reboot. Also I found that the drivers for the PATA marvell controller are nowhere to be found on Biostar's site. I found that the Asus P5Q-E has nearly the same chip and the drivers work with any PATA controller in that series, they can be found at http://support.asus.com under the P5Q-E, it's the strangest driver install I've ever seen but the PATA works much more reliably now.

I'm having some wierd problems. First I can't disable the PATA controller in the BIOS even if I go under hte PCI/PCI-EX settings and try and disable it there it still shows up. Second, with the 8800GT when I run a 3d app for about 5 minutes I either get a driver stops responding error and crash or lock up and loose video, the monitor shows the no signal input screen. The card works fine in a 570SLI board that I have for AMD benching and an NForce 4 vanilla MSI board on my file server. I can run 3d there no problem. The card is not overheating as I've taken the heatsik off and changed out thermal paste with Arctic Silver and made sure that all the mem pads were making good contact, as a side note this dropped my temps by 5 degrees. I've got the fan set to go on high as soon as windows starts and I've not seen the GPU breach 65C. My processor is running at 32C-45C on air at defaults and 45-55C overclocked to 3.6. I can run prime for hours, and ran memtest for 24 hours.

I've got the latest intel, realtek lan and audio, NVidia WHQL (not using the .41 CUDA drivers as I thought that may be the cause), and have no other devices in there. I am using a 74GB Raport and a Pioneer SATA DVDRW. I have an IBM IDE 250GB Drive that I'm using simply to store files and have tried disconnecting it also.

The wierd thing is my 7800GTX runs like a champ on this board and is 3D stable for HOURS, even OC'd. Does anyone have any suggestion on how I can get this 3d stable or what the problem may be. Biostar removed all the older BIOS files from their site yesterday but I've tested with the June and the July beta Bios files and still experience the same behavior. I've got 4GB of Mushkin RAM in there running loose timings right now and like I said, it's completely memTest stable. I'm not pushkng a single component yet and still have this issue.

[Glow9]

Have you gone back to the previous bios and seen if they are stable? If not clear cmos and reflash.
2nd one looks like it has something for the 8800GT

http://www.biostar-usa.com/app/en-us...s.php?S_ID=365
File Size 1048576 Upload Date 2008-07-08
Description Improved HDD compatibles. (Beta)
File P45AA708.BSP

File Size 1048576 Upload Date 2008-06-20
Description To support GF8800GT and GF9800 vga card. (with Biostar logo)
File P45AA620.BSP

Does it use Marvell? Just surprised since it doesn't even use marvell lan. The manual I found online lists something about Intel Matrix storage technology

Biostar tech support is pretty good too btw, email them and they'll get back to you in a day or two usually.

[sofarfrome]

you can go HERE and look at the bios' available. I had a problem where the video drivers wouldn't even load for my 9800GTX without issues. The 620 bios worked for me but there were still some serious issues with the PCIe buss. After loading and cleaning countless versions of the nVidia drivers with many variations of the board's hardware drivers I ended up RMAing the board.

[mrcape]

That's weird that they removed the other bioses. I'm running 708 no problems whatsoever. Orthos large and small fft stable 8.5x500 4.25ghz with 44412, using both 8800 gts 512 and an older 320 card.

I'm going to try that 710 bios at Rebels.

Good luck guys.

[pablo906]

I'm having some seirous problems with the PCIe bus. WHen you RMA'd the board did you get another I45? Is it having the same problems? I'm thinking of dropping a 4870 on it and seeing if I still have problems. I get an nv driver stopped responding error anytime I try and run 3d apps. I'm prime stable all day long. I tried an XFX 8800GT and a BFG 8800GT and they all show the same behavior. I'm wondering if it isn't completely a BIOS problem with the NV cards. I'd like to hear if sofrafome got another I45 or just bought something new? I'm getting pretty perturbed at Biostar support as they have not responded to me and I used the TPower II utility to contact them. I may try sending them an email straight to their support.

[pablo906]

Have you gone back to the previous bios and seen if they are stable? If not clear cmos and reflash.
2nd one looks like it has something for the 8800GT

Does it use Marvell? Just surprised since it doesn't even use marvell lan. The manual I found online lists something about Intel Matrix storage technology

Biostar tech support is pretty good too btw, email them and they'll get back to you in a day or two usually.

Ya it uses Marvell when you boot it shows up and I think it provides the eSATA connections, however, there is no way to go into the Marvell Controller, and there are no Drivers provided for it ont he CD. The PATA controller is MUCH more reliable after you load the Marvell drivers for the 61xx series PATA/SATA raid controller. What wierd is you can't get into the Marvell controller to set up raid or anything even though at post it is called the Marvell 61xx RAID controller.

They removed the older BIOS revision, though thanks to a post below I've been able to find them again :-). I will try a different BIOS when I get home. Has anyone that's had issues with this board tried using an ATi card? When I pop in my 7800GT I don't have any problems, it makes me think that it's a problem witht he GeForce 8 series and a BIOS update may fix it. I haven't tested with the 7800GT extensively. I'll test more with it tonight to see if I have problems. If it's solely an Nvidia G92 issues I'll gladly swap to an ATI/AMD card.

[pablo906]

That's weird that they removed the other bioses. I'm running 708 no problems whatsoever. Orthos large and small fft stable 8.5x500 4.25ghz with 44412, using both 8800 gts 512 and an older 320 card.

I'm going to try that 710 bios at Rebels.

Good luck guys.

Try running COD 4, or 3dMark 05 tell me if you have any issues if you don't mind. COD 4 seems to have the worst issues out of the games I've tried.

[Mafio]

I've the same problem with a 7900gs and 8800gts 512 point of view, biostar suggest me to update the driver of the chipset...

later I will try...