X2 MSI Neo2-related diagnostic/problem-solving discussion

[Aardman]

Aardmans IRQs (http://users.actrix.co.nz/queny/AIRQs.JPG)
Aardmans conflicts (http://users.actrix.co.nz/queny/Aclfct.jpg)

I believe the above pics are the type used to sort out device conflicts.

I cant get my IEEE 1394 recognised or working nor any PCI cards at any time on this MoBo even at stock. Please note despite my sig that my testing and reinstalls over the last week have all been at stock. they didnt show at stock when I first tested for stability over 3 days.

Basicly if I select in BIOS to enable onboard IEEE 1394 , on reboot the system hangs, with the PC monitor showing a pretty orange light instead of the usual green that accompanies monitor screens other than its blank one. So I reset CMOS, and back in BIOS the IEEE 1394 reference is gone. IEEE 1394 devices do not connect and are not recognised. Also my 3 PCI cards moved straight from another PC, dont work in any slot. They are an Audigy 2 (yes folks Ive tried turning the realtek off in BIOS) a Netcomm Inmodem 56 V92 and a Pixelview Play TV Pro. Ive tried the 1.a03, the modded BB3 and now the rev 2 Bioses. Sadly I have been unable as yet to stuff that up and put this rig out of its misery. The offical 1 A03, of courrse, has no USB 2.0. Ive tried non NVida IDE drivers, I've tried testing a signle card (modem) in all slots. Ive tried rebooting after disabling nearly all devices-e.g all the Lans, the SATA. DOS Mainboard utilities from the ultimate Boot CD show and error in the PCI routing table-saying it "appears faulty". In windows XP (SP2) Sandra finds the APIC isnt enabled for the MPs-but actually it is. Even tried changing the ACPI to a straight MP PC one, via yet another XP reinstall (my 6th now on this rig) which didnt enable anything that had gone, and which showed my microsoft fingerprint scanner was malfunctioning, fixed that device only by reinstalling XP back with ACPI.

Ive discussed this issue in posts in another section, but I really need some advice and this is the place for that-do I buy a new motherboard, and if so do I need to avoid the Neo2 with my X2-going for say a Gigabyte 939 NF3 model? But can I then sell this MoBo, because its only a BIOS incompatability with my gear, or must I presume its somehow broken-despite it having no sign of physical damage and running rock steady dual prime stable at stock or with a mild (20%) OC? Do the PCI cards still work or has the MoBo fritzed them? The MoBo is second hand. I bought it with warranty left and got the original receipt. Becuase of that the seller, who runs a garage PC business, has offered to get a from where he bought the MoBo from to test it if I send it back to his city. He says the original supplier will e-mail him and let him know if the MoBo is fine. It sure isnt fine here with my gear.

So basicly, how can I work out what to do without knowing the error? Just about out of cash after buying the CPU. Otherwise I'd just pay for a tech here to inspect and buy a new MoBo, obviously.

[sideeffect]

Aardman have you tried using a 1.8 bios to see if you still get this issue. I know the 1.8 doesnt support dual core cpus but it will still work and will tell us if its a bios issue or not.

Its sounding to me like you have a hardware issue with the board. The audigy 2 problem has been had before by users and they fixed it by using the orange slot pci. Ive never heard of Firewire not working though, even if it sharing a IRQ it would still work just might slow pc down or crash it with heavy data load pehaps.

the 1.9 and above bios files are a different bios from scratch so may give different results. If the 1.8 bios does work then I can try and make a dual core support bios for you with set IRQ's and Firewire enabled by default and it might help.

If 1.8 doesnt work i think your going to have to RMA the motherboard because somethings is damaged. :stick:

[Aardman]

Thanks for the quick reply sideeffect. Ok Ive tried the 1.8 BIOS -am on it as I type. This time when I enabled IEEE 1394 it stayed enabled, but still does not appear in device manager, nor connect a Sony DV camera. So from what you've said a hardware issue-I see the stick..do you suspect I did wrong in the build-what would cause such a fault, and if so surely it wont be RMAable? Also please tell me so I am less likely to do it again :) I take it this is a type of damage that isnt visible-everything looks OK, and the AGP/USB works fine.

[Aardman]

Funny thing when I tried running NSSI again it told me I had too many PCI devices (error 3) for it to cope with. 1 X AGP and 3 X PCI cards ??

If the 1.8 BIOS doesnt really support the dual core and indeed device manager now shows just the 1 CPU -I take it this means that even a single core CPU wont be compatable in this particular MoBo with the onboard firewire or with PCI cards?

On the bright side one might expect that to make an RMA easier (actually I've never had one before) but the RMA route on this item appears as if its going to be somewhat more involved than a direct return to a store. I suspect I will just get the board back with no paperwork. Plus I still havent even got a guess at the possible causes of such isolated hardware faults.

I think I can take it from the lack of replies no-one in fact has any idea how one can FUBAR just 2 elements of MoBo hardware, the onboard IEEE 1394 and 5 PCI slots or at least the controller chip or power supply to those devices (do they use the same ones?) without even noticing? I mean is this a repeated experience or not? Or have I gone where no newbie has gone before?

[sideeffect]

Its almost certainly not your fault. The motherboard could have quite easily been damaged in transit. Even if you got it from a store it could have been damaged on the way to the store or at the store by some reckless employee.

The 1.8 bios works absolutly fine with dual core cpus except that it only will show 1 core and 1 core will work. Your problem isnt a cpu issue. The cpu doesnt control the pci devices it just communicates with them and vice versa.

The pci and onboard devices are controlled by the Nforce 3 ultra chipset. The 1.8 bios maps the IRQ's differently to the 1.9 and above bios and is more efficiant at it.

Last thing you can try is to remove all the addon cards and see if the onboard devices work then. If they dont work even when all your pci slots are empty then RMA the board because its broken.

[Aardman]

Its almost certainly not your fault. The motherboard could have quite easily been damaged in transit. Even if you got it from a store it could have been damaged on the way to the store or at the store by some reckless employee.

Whew!

The 1.8 bios works absolutly fine with dual core cpus except that it only will show 1 core and 1 core will work. Your problem isnt a cpu issue. The cpu doesnt control the pci devices it just communicates with them and vice versa.

Cool, understood.

The pci and onboard devices are controlled by the Nforce 3 ultra chipset. The 1.8 bios maps the IRQ's differently to the 1.9 and above bios and is more efficiant at it.

Yes, I was trying to be clever and find the specific part of the chipset that was fritzed-isolating the one that related to just firewire and PCI and not AGP, LAN, USB, other ports the bits that are working.

Last thing you can try is to remove all the addon cards and see if the onboard devices work then. If they dont work even when all your pci slots are empty then RMA the board because its broken.

Just tried it, still no firewire, but as before I still have the LAN and realtek working just fine as well as the parallel port. Anway I'll try to RMA this evidently damaged board, and for an extra shot at sucess Ill try a Gigabyte GA-K8NS Ultra 939.

Thanks very much sideffect for your advice, which I was in dire need of. I'll add a postcript if I get the Gigabyte MoBo to boot and/or if despite my cynical expectations I get an RMA.

[Aardman]

OK well the first part of my postscript-I swapped out the Neo2 for a Gigabyte Ga K8NS Ultra 939. With only an in-place reinstall of XP, the Gigabyte is able to recognise all onboard and connected devices, including Firewire and all the PCI cards that didnt work on the Neo2. Interestingly the shipped Gigabyte BIOS recognised the X2 by name , but did not enable dual core support-easilly fixed with a BIOS flash.The Gigabyte also allows an overclock to 2.4 ghz at 1:1, which I could NOT achieve on the Neo2 with the same X2 3800 CPU and same UTT BH5 RAM @3.3V. I've posted the Neo2 back to the supplier, and will update with the result.

[Aardman]

and this is the second-I got the old MSI box back a few days back with the original cables and manuals but a newly sealed MoBo with a higher serial number on its back to the one on the box label. The retailer e-mailed me to say it was replaced by his agent, and I'll presume this is what usually happens with an RMA -just getting the broken bit replaced,-unless I read otherwise. Wish there was some paperwork though! So I guess now the question is if there is much value in swapping the Gigabyte K8NS ultra 939 back out for this, or whether I should sell it still sealed. Especially when I have a DDR booster and an X2 3800 that is never going to go anywhere near a 300 mhz FSB. Any thoughts, guys?