Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

[Per Hansson]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

KZG's aside I think this is a software issue, do you have the latest BIOS?
I would try XP 32bit, 64bit, Win7 32bit, 64bit
In no particular order.

Also keep in mind several Windows OS have had issues during installation with more than 2/4GB of RAM, so might be useful to remove all sticks bar one during install and let it do all Windows updates then put them back in.

Also in systems like these the mapping of memory above 4GB is very important, there I can't help you with what is correct but trial and error usually solves it, or post what options you have and then I can give some recommendations.

What it basically comes down to is KISS, i.e. remove/disable anything the system does not need to POST, then try install, if it works enable/reinstall things one by one

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

There was an Xp x64 install on the RAID array which immediately BSOD'd... however, I don't know if it was working previosly or not as V3 wasn't stable.

The win 7 disc BSODed within seconds of a DVD boot attempt. BIOS would boot the disc, then a sec or two later, BSOD and hard reboot. Like something major was up. A RAM mapping issue would make sense but if it was working on 8gb ok, then I don't get why 16GB wouldn't. I may do a CMOS reset and start from scratch.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

I saw this in the Board's manual:

There are three power connectors on your Thunder K8WE.
The Thunder K8WE requires an EPS12V/SSI EEB 3.51 (24 pin + 8 pin) power
supply to boot. TYAN recommends using a split plane power supply because of
the amount of power the S2895 requires.
You also have an option of using an SSI v3.51 workstation power supply. This
is recommended when running both PCI Express slots

Does that still apply if the GPU's have direct PSU connections?

[gg1978]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

i had a typo in the post about how i was running that board.. I had a PCIe 9400GT in the top PCIe slot, so that definately should work OK.. when you put two cards in SLI, i'm not sure if the PC will show a POST display on the second card..

I was running 8 pin CPU power and the 24 pin ATX connector, as the acbel 550W PSU had both of those.. I don't recall any other connectors on the motherboard itself though

[gg1978]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

as for your existing Win XP 64 bit install, that would probably BSOD no matter what, as you would probably have the wrong chipset drivers loaded, as i assume the last motherboard to boot that OS had a different chipset.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

as for your existing Win XP 64 bit install, that would probably BSOD no matter what, as you would probably have the wrong chipset drivers loaded, as i assume the last motherboard to boot that OS had a different chipset.

Very true.

[Uranium-235]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

if I remember off the top of my head, in MT86+ you hit C and then...2? I think

[shovenose]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

Did you install sli bridge? If so remove it maybe it will work then?

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

Reseat the RAM. And your may need a VDIMM bump.

[mariushm]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

Windows xp 64bit is basically using the Windows 2003 kernel, so anything validated/certified for Windows 2003 64bit should run on Windows XP 64bit as well.

But I don't understand why you'd HAVE to use Windows XP... I basically had Windows 2000 on my home computer, then skipped straight to Windows 2003 Standard Edition and now I'm using Windows 7.

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I still had a dedicated server in a datacenter with windows 2003 web 64bit and it was working fine.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

Did you install sli bridge? If so remove it maybe it will work then?

Tried it already, no dice.

[Pentium4]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

I still think the 3.3V rail on the PSU might be getting overloaded, those old high voltage ECC sticks use a lot of power, especially in memtest

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

I think I found the issue, kinda. It will run with 4gb or 8gb of ram, but with 16gb it doesn't get far. Memtesting all 16gb while I'm at work for an hour, I'll see what happens when I get back

As for the 3.3v issue- any psu suggestions?

[mariushm]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

You could just open the power supply and measure the current taken out of 3.3v ...

If there's an inductor for the 3.3v rail (pi filter at the output) just desolder one of its legs and put the multimeter in series with the inductor.

With such a motherboard, I kinda doubt they're using 3.3v to power the ram - it makes more sense to just use 12v for everything, for better efficiency.

[thesloc]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

You're probably running an outdated bios if that much ram isn't supported, if at all.

Or check the configurations.

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

It has the latest BIOS, 1.06, 11/'08

Memtest failed like crazy around 42%... just a constant string of failed addresses when I got back from work.

So yeah, the RAM is hosed, at least one module.

Also, one of the HDD's died today. it was the one with 26 Bad sectors (or so it was the last time I checked). Won't show up at BIOS. tried different controller ports, the onboard SATA, and different power connections and SATA cables. Dead as a doornail.

Not sure if I'll replace the dead drive or stick with the 3 and call it good. As for the RAM, I'll see if I still have an ebay seller warranty on it. edit- no such luck. Looks Like I'm stuck at 8GB unless I justify $$$ for another 8gb. I may have mishandled a couple modules when I was seeing if a board could do ECC, so this one is on me. I hope 8GB is enough.

Any feedback on whether to replace what died or to do without?

[mariushm]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

Get some isopropyl alcohol, dab an plain unscented paper handkerchief in it and rub the memory module contacts to clean them.

Get a piece of A4 paper, bend it two or three times then drag it between the pins in the memory slots to rub away some oxides. Inspect the modules to make sure each pin is in the proper position and can flex a bit when you insert the ram, to make good contact.

If you have time, test each module one at a time to see which one fails... well, one on each cpu.

[thesloc]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

It has the latest BIOS, 1.06, 11/'08

Memtest failed like crazy around 42%... just a constant string of failed addresses when I got back from work.

So yeah, the RAM is hosed, at least one module.

Also, one of the HDD's died today. it was the one with 26 Bad sectors (or so it was the last time I checked). Won't show up at BIOS. tried different controller ports, the onboard SATA, and different power connections and SATA cables. Dead as a doornail.

Not sure if I'll replace the dead drive or stick with the 3 and call it good. As for the RAM, I'll see if I still have an ebay seller warranty on it. edit- no such luck. Looks Like I'm stuck at 8GB unless I justify $$$ for another 8gb. I may have mishandled a couple modules when I was seeing if a board could do ECC, so this one is on me. I hope 8GB is enough.

Any feedback on whether to replace what died or to do without?

I have a couple of ECC modules, I can send them to you if you want since I'm pretty sure I'm not making much of use of them.

I *think* have them around somewhere, they're 2gb sticks, I think.

[thesloc]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

Wait, mine is DDR2 PC2-3200 (IBM)

There's 2 2GB sticks, for a total of 4GBs.

Your machine uses ancient DDR, no?

[ratdude747]

Re: Ratdude's Main rig V3.5

It uses PC3200 ECC DDR1. I know, old and freaky, but it works and is low cost.