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DFI Horrors

C

-Cryptic-

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 28, 2006
Messages
66
Okay this is my first biuld and all I've been running into with this mobo is problems. First off there is no sound. I have installed all the drivers, checked my connection, re wired my connection, and tested the speakers. The speakers do work, but I get nothing on any of those audio slots (karajan audio module). That is the least of my conecerns because I'm most likely gonna go buy a sound card. On the other hand I'm on my 4th windows xp install. The first one I thought my dual core wasnt working right according to the dual core fix. Second time it worked then like 4 hours laters things went to HELL. My internet would just randomly drop (I'm on a wired connection), then when I would go into any games the comp would just totally freeze. Crtl alt delete didnt work, nothing . So then when I would boot up windows normally nothing would work. AIM wouldnt start up..nothing. None the .exe would work. So then I would reboot and I could click on My computer I would open up then totally freeze again. Finally on my third I reinstalled and it booted in fine everything worked. Then it had to reboot so the dirvers would update. When it went into reboot it said Windows cannot boot because the following files were either missing or corrupt: system32/DRIVERS/pci.sys I dont know if that is the exact file but it was very very close. Im reinstalling this fourth time to see if it works, I'll let you guys know how it goes. Im wondering if I should just return it cuz it may be a bad mobo.

My setup:
-DFI lanparty ut nf4 ultra-d (socket 939)
-(G.SKILL Extreme Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 500 (PC 4000)
-AMD opteron 165 dual core
-EVGA 7800gt
-Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3120813AS 120GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
-PLEXTOR Black Slot Load

Please help this thing is getting to be a pain in the butt.
 
The PSU and memory are possible problems. Have you run memtest? If the memory checks out it's probably the PSU.

You're not overclocking, right?
 
1st question: Are you running ANYTHING overclocked?

If you're not moderately experienced...the DFI's can tend to be VERY picky (much like women :p )

If you haven't done so already, set your ram timings to something a little conservative at first. Tweak after you've got everything built and running like a top (and preferably made a ghost image :p )

for the audio problem. check the jumpers on the board. There are a set of jumpers that need to be set according to if you're going to be using the NF4 sound or the karajan. The nf4 sound will output via the karajan so it's easily confused. I had the same problem when I first set mine up.

The karajan sounds a little better than the nf4 imo, but like you said...if you get a different sound card who cares? :p
 
thewhiteguy said:
The PSU and memory are possible problems. Have you run memtest? If the memory checks out it's probably the PSU.
Click to expand...

Good advise here. What power supply are you using? Do you have all 4 power connectors attached to the mobo?
 
I got the PC power cooling 510 watt and I am not overclocked at all. Also I'm running a memtest right now and so far so good so i let you know how its goes with the memtest
 
I did a memtest and it made 7 passes with no errors. Now I'm on the computer with the prblems with this being the fourth windows install and so far so good but just like the other times it took like a day or so then things went to hell so....I guess we will see.
 
A few quick suggestions:

- Make sure you are running the 6-23 bios
- Check your temps
- Run Prime95 for an extended period of time, and watch your temps make sure they are within reason
- Use the Marvell Lan port
- Try different SATA ports
- Do not use the NVidia IDE driver

I have had to RMA my last two Ultra-D's. One wouldn't recognize the processor and the latest one started sparking and crackling and took down my Venice 3800+ which was working in a MSI Neo4 Plat. (Hope AMD comes through with an RMA, but the CPU was OEM so I doubt it, supprisingly enough my RAM and everything else was okay. The board is already RMA'd, so I hope I have better luck with the next one)

I have sold two other request systems with Ultra-D's and they have ran like champs, no problems at all, but the Ultra-D's I got for my own setup haven't even posted.
 
why use the marvel lan port instead of the nvidia?
also...why not use the nvidia ide drivers?

I haven't had problems with either. I don't install/use the nvidia firewall and network management software though, so maybe that's why I haven't had a problem with the nvidia lan port. But I install the ide drivers all the time and I've never had a problem.
 
6/23 bios fixed a lot of my issues with dual core and Ultra-D.
 
nst6563 said:
why use the marvel lan port instead of the nvidia?
also...why not use the nvidia ide drivers?

I haven't had problems with either. I don't install/use the nvidia firewall and network management software though, so maybe that's why I haven't had a problem with the nvidia lan port. But I install the ide drivers all the time and I've never had a problem.
Click to expand...



It's something to try, since he was having problems with his network and what could have been hard drive corruption. If you read the DFI-Street forums you will find that

1) The NVidia IDE driver hoses some windows installs

2) Many people have switched to the Marvell port from the NVidia because of the port dropping and resetting

3) Some people run the NVidia IDE driver and NVidia Ethernet port and have no problems at all.

Also not using the nvidia drivers removes the add/remove hardware icon in the system tray, with the nvidia drivers it was always there.

 
Here may be an answer to your sound issue:

1. Do you have the Front Mic and Headset connectors connected to the karajan Audio module?

If not then that is pry why you are not getting any sound. If you are not using the front connectors then you need ot put jumpers on the karajan audio module just as they were when you took them off the motherboard audio jumpers before you put the karajan module on.

If this is not clear let me know and i will attach pictures.
 
Where do i get the 6/23 bios at dfi site. I have done the dual core bios update with the floppy image thing (n4d623-3). I assume that is the same thing which I did do that bois update on all my other windows reinstalls. I ran my comp all night just to see how it would be in the morning and so far so good. This is my temps with stock fan cooling: Cpu = 31C, PWMIC = 42C, Chipset = 45C.

Did you guys want my volts??? according to smart gaurdian.
 
can you write down everything in the BIOS settings for CPU, volts and ram settings.
 
dr_dirtnap said:
1) The NVidia IDE driver hoses some windows installs
Click to expand...

Not to mention that, if your HDDs are SATA, you have no reason to install the IDE driver and shouldn't be installing something that would be nothing but a potential problem source
 
Cpu= 1.32v
LDT Bus = 1.18v
ATX +5.0v = 5.1v
DRAM = 2.64v
ATX +12V = 11.9v
NB +1.5V =1.5v
ATX + 3.3V = 3.31v
VBAT +3.0V = 3.07 V

My ram is at stock settings and yes can send me those pics of the module becuase I would like some sound for at least a lil while lol.
 
What mem slots do you have your memory in? If it's the yellow ones i'd suggest swaping them to the orange slots as people have reported having problems in the yellow slots. Also i'd bump the voltage of the Chipset/LDT to 1.6/1.4 (in that order). One more thing that i'd try is i know the DFI board has an issue if you don't manually select the1T timings, should be the setting CPC in the memory screen in the bios, make sure u set it to enable or disable because i had issues when it was set to auto, as for the rest of the mem setings that DFi has set in the mem screen you can set them to auto, again i have personally run into issues with those timings even though they really shouldn't be an issue. GL! :D
 
I have my ram in the orange slots and i up the volts like u said my ldt bus thing is 1.39 v in red is that good or its jsut above stock so it recognizes it as above normal. Also were is that 1timings thing in the bios i couldnt find it.
 
-Cryptic- said:
I have my ram in the orange slots and i up the volts like u said my ldt bus thing is 1.39 v in red is that good or its jsut above stock so it recognizes it as above normal. Also were is that 1timings thing in the bios i couldnt find it.
Click to expand...

Look in the memory settings screen, it should be called CPC or Command Per Clock. I'm not sure though, it may be on the genie BIOS screen (the one with the voltages). Check there too.

BTW, how's the 4th Win XP install working?
 
dr_dirtnap said:
1) The NVidia IDE driver hoses some windows installs

2) Many people have switched to the Marvell port from the NVidia because of the port dropping and resetting

3) Some people run the NVidia IDE driver and NVidia Ethernet port and have no problems at all.
Click to expand...


hehe...the mudd's been cleared :p

I had read that the source of the problems for the nvidia ethernet was from having the firewall and network management software enabled. I just use either one, but not very often since I have a wireless card anyway.

@OP - the ram timings and CPC is a good thing to check. The only problem I had when I first set my board up was that my Geil ram I had at the time wouldn't do 1t. It would boot...load windows, but things got corrupt. Check that setting in the Bios under Genie > Dram. should be the second or third option down on the DRAM settings screen.
 
dr_dirtnap said:
It's something to try, since he was having problems with his network and what could have been hard drive corruption. If you read the DFI-Street forums you will find that

1) The NVidia IDE driver hoses some windows installs

2) Many people have switched to the Marvell port from the NVidia because of the port dropping and resetting

3) Some people run the NVidia IDE driver and NVidia Ethernet port and have no problems at all.

Also not using the nvidia drivers removes the add/remove hardware icon in the system tray, with the nvidia drivers it was always there.

Click to expand...

Yep, i figured it was those IDE drivers from nvidia...that was making me install every few weeks giving me the blue screen w/ X000000000C memory dump...blah bnlah blah...It's seems to be the latest nvidia drivers and not using those versions and or different bios's might explain why they're not having problems with em.
 
WOW after enabling the cpc everything went good for about 15 mins then my comp just totally froze. Then it would boot into windows. So I went back in a disable it and lets see how this round goes
 
My comp ran all night with cpc disabled and it didnt freeze... not like I was really doin much considering I was sleeping.
 
If thats the case it sounds like it's you're memory, cuz thats the 1T/2T timing, so maybe try some toher ram sticks in there too...
 
Well I did do a memtest and it found 0 errors so......
I dont have any other stick I will most likely have to RMA this pair if it is infact the ram
 
Try runningHCI Memtest in windows and it will tell you if you are mem stable in windows.

Allot of times I have passed multiple Memtest 1.55 runs then get into windows and not be stable. Surefire way to know is using HCI memtest. Usually tells you pretty fast too. Also seems with the DFI boards TREF is what ends up getting me. Luckily my Mushkin redlines perfom best when I have it set to auto :D

GL!
 
Well I ran that test and it found zero erros so im at a lose for was causing the porblems. Qeustion though the cpc being disabled will that make my ram slower or affect my oc when i attempt to oc
 
The main thing to check is if your G-skill memory is rated for 1T operation. I don't think all their memory is rated for 1T command rates. That might be why you are experiencing problems in the long run. Since you turned it off and are running fine, it might be that your memory was just being overstressed not that it is defective. I know when I bought my G-skill memory, the kit was specified to run 1T. I checked on G-skill's site and the only 2GB kit PC4000 didn't state 1T on the product page.

I say run it like it is and if you have no problem then that is your issue not anything else. Otherwise contact G-skill or visit their forums on their site and see what they say. They help out over on XtremeSystems as well. Might want to check them out.

To answer your question: Yes your system will be a little slower but nothing you can tell without a benchmark to put numbers on it. It is just a spec of the memory you bought more than likely. It will more than likely help you OC more since it will be a little looser "tolerances". Almost everyone has to change timings most of the time to oc real high.

???
 
Well I did do a memtest and it found 0 errors so......
Click to expand...

Well since you ran memtest and the windows mem test, i'd say it's pretty stable but theres been times where i would pass memtest too but when i went to run super pi, it would give me errors, as for the 1T timings as opposed to 2T, it's not going to be a major difference in fact you probablly woln't see a difference at all, and like was said above, it may actually help you're OCing ability because of the more "lax" timing.
 
If I do run into anymore problems any gueses wat else it could be. I mean i dont think it is my psu cuz the pc power cooling are decent psu so... im leaning towards mother boards but so far so good. Kinda wierd i must say though considering i have done nothing different in this install to the other and this time I have no problems. Do the muskin relines oc better than the g skill i got. I read they do about teh same but some reviews show they do a little bit better.
 
Wow new problem when I try to launch counterstrike source it tells me " the instruction at "0x222362ad" refrenced memory at "0x0d6561b0". The memory could not be "read"

Does this mean i have bad ram or wat.....
 
You wouldn't happen to have any other ram to test with would you?
Try running the ram at a divider so it's at a lower speed. Try it with the CPU too just for the hell of it. When you don't have any spare parts to swap and test with, it makes it tough to single out what's causing the errors.

Know anyone locally that would be willing to run your ram in their system to verify it works? Truly bad cpu's are fairly rare if they've never been overclocked/overvolted but it could happen.

If you're running a clean install of XP with good drivers and a virus/spyware scanner then it sounds like there's something in your hardware causing things to become corrupt.
 
I used to get those errors all the tim when i would play WoW for extrended periods of time, i had my mem timings too tight and i needed an active fan over the sticks to activelly cool them. Try doing that, it fixed my problems. :rolleyes:
 
Your DRAM voltage is low at 2.64v - Try 2.7v or 2.8v

Oh and also make sure you are giving your CPU enough voltage as well

I have my RAM on 2.7v (TCCD) and it works great now, overclocked to DDR500

My CPU is at 1.4v
 
how u change the cpu volts is it the cpu vid thing or no? cuz its under the genie bios right
 
had the same thing happen to me once, it was a bad hard drive...... believe it or not; I think something might have been wrong with the buffer RAM...... actually it happened to me at work as well on a gateway; that one was bad motherboard...... the damn Southbridge went bad and hosed the IDE controller.....
 
Well i tried to OC just for giggles and it couldnt even break 2ghz without being unstable I think this baby is gonna be RMA'd

I even bumped up the volts on the cpu and dram and still couldnt get stable above that. Also when i would bump the volts up, in smart guardian it showed the volts to be lower like i had it a 1.65 and it was at 1.49 in smart guardian.

OR should I try different bios.. if so wat are some recomendations
 
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