Ali V chipset & 2k cuts FSB in half!

[videobruce 0]

Aladdin 5 chipset on a Gigabyte GA-5AX (Rev 3) MB running 2k; the systen clock and bus are shown by WCPUID to be running at 50 MHz instead of the 100 MHz the bios is set for. The processor is a K6-2 500.

The bios is F4 (the last one). O/S is 2k w/sp3.

I have seen this issue in another forumt, but with no answer.

 

FSB jumpers=100 MHz

Mulitplier=5X (also tried 5.5 with same results).

 

I just loaded 98SE on the 2nd bootable HDD and checked this with WCPUID and all is fine!

 

There seems to be a issue between the Ali V chipset and 2k!

 

The benchmark scores confirm this. They are what they should be with 98SE, there is a BIG preformance hit with the FSB being cut by 50% in 2k! This isn't a fluke reading by any means!

 

ME works ok also!

 

Any ideas??

[CyberGenX 0]

Have you tried the latest ALi drivers for that board?

[videobruce 0]

Never thought about it.

I don't know what was needed but I will look.

 

I had a explaination from the guy that sold me the box as follows:

 

"Chances are that windows 98 is a 16Bit OS and when used with this

combination of system hardware utilizes the system bus speeds correctly and measures them correctly.

Because w2k is a 32bit OS it is probably splitting the System in half in

combination with the software testing programs."

 

Doesn't that mean those 3 programs wre written only for 16 bit O/S's which they weren't?

[rubicant78 0]

Not a driver issue.. It's an ACPI issue. Change the ACPI computer to a standard computer. Theoretically that should fix your problem. Do a google search in the group alt.hardware.mainboards.gigabyte for more info. Might have to look in the archives.

 

Later

[videobruce 0]

I will try that search "alt.hardware.mainboards.gigabyte".

 

Change it in Device Manage or in the bios?

[rubicant78 0]

Quote:

I will try that search "alt.hardware.mainboards.gigabyte".

Change it in Device Manage or in the bios?

Device Manager>>Computer>> (should say Advanced Configuration and Power Interface PC) Right click that device and hit properties. Reinstall driver. Choose "Standard PC" close out and reboot. HAVE YOUR WIN2K CD READY.

**CAUTION**

There is a possiblity that you will have to format and reinstall due to the nature of Windows. Depends on how Windows wants to handle a HAL (Hardware Abstration Layer) change. I never had a problem with it..

Later

[CyberGenX 0]

What OS are you running, if it is an NT based OS then a blue screen will follow.

[rubicant78 0]

Quote:

What OS are you running, if it is an NT based OS then a blue screen will follow.

I am running Win2k3 Enterprise. But I am talking about Win2k Pro pre service pack. It's been a few years since I have done this but I never had a BSOD when doing this. I had windows freak out a few times and refuse to install devices but no BSODs. YMMV

[CyberGenX 0]

Sorry I ment "may" follow. I have turned off and on ACPI and had blue screens on almost all.

[videobruce 0]

I found that thread. Never thought of looking through Google!

 

The problem is real thanks to M$, Gigabyte and Ali! Question is what to do about it?

 

As I remember reading, you can't just change something as important as that in Device Manager and expect it to work. It has to be at time of install! ;( ;(

[rubicant78 0]

Quote:

I found that thread. Never thought of looking through Google!

The problem is real thanks to M$, Gigabyte and Ali! Question is what to do about it?

As I remember reading, you can't just change something as important as that in Device Manager and expect it to work. It has to be at time of install! ;( ;(

Check here. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;237556

This should give you a basic understandind of how to change the HAL.

This should be your main focus area. Read Below....


The optimum method to change from an ACPI HAL to a Standard HAL is to re-install Windows 2000 as an upgrade:
Start Windows 2000 Setup as an upgrade.
To automatically disable ACPI support and allow Windows 2000 to detect automatically or manually change and install the correct (Standard HAL) computer type that your computer supports, use either of the following methods:


To Auto detect the computer type:

Press F7 when Setup generates the following informational message:
Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver.

NOTE: You do not receive a visual indicator that auto detection is taking place when you press F7; proceed normally with setup until it is completed.

To Manually Select your computer type:

Press F5, and then manually choose the correct Standard computer type by using the following list:
i386 source File Computer Type
*hal.dll Compaq SystemPro Multiprocessor or 100% Compatible
*halapic.dll MPS Uniprocessor PC
*halapic.dll MPS Multiprocessor PC
*hal.dll Standard PC
*halborg.dll SGI mp


NOTE: You do not have to use the reinstallation method to update from a Standard PC HAL to a MPS Multiprocessor PC HAL, you can use the Update Drivers feature in Device Manager for this. However, you must reinstall Windows 2000 when going to an ACPI HAL computer type on a computer that was using the Standard computer type, and then permit Windows 2000 to automatically detect the correct computer type.

Good luck...

[videobruce 0]

I have seen that article before, but I was hoping there was another way since that is almost the same as re-installing the O/S.

 

I will give it a try.

[videobruce 0]

I did all that converted over APM during setup using the repair and f% options and all seems to be ok except for one thing:

 

I set the HHD's to suspend/sleep/stop after 10 minutes as I always have. When something needs to access than after that period, the drives will try to spin up, but then stop. This keeps on repeating. Any ideas??

[videobruce 0]

That was F5 options.........

[rubicant78 0]

Quote:

I did all that converted over APM during setup using the repair and f% options and all seems to be ok except for one thing:

I set the HHD's to suspend/sleep/stop after 10 minutes as I always have. When something needs to access than after that period, the drives will try to spin up, but then stop. This keeps on repeating. Any ideas??

Now, we are getting into an area that is almost taboo to me. APM......

If you want a straight answer just go to the bottom and ignore my ranting......

I am one of the "believers". One of the guys that says "Run your PC 24/7 and just turn off the monitor when you walk away." I disable any and all APM features in Windows and the BIOS due to this belief. I never had any luck with STR, hibernating, or the power scheme crap. The way I see it, if you are using APM to save on your electricity bill, you aren't going to save that much.
Some people guestimate that it costs about $5-10 each month for a pc to run 24/7 with a 300w power supply running full tilt. Full tilt meaning using all 300 watts all the time (which is rare, BTW). You *may* save $1 a month in electricty powering down your drives and whatnot.
Don't get me wrong, I love the environment. I know that everybody is trying to be "green" compliant. But I am not a tree hugger either. I try to conserve power in ways that I think are best for me that does not interfere with my PC's operation. When I am done with it, it is still working but I can kill the power to the monitor without windows or the bios. The monitor eats up a pretty big chunck of juice. Remove that from the equation and you have your instant savings by pressing a button on the front panel. APM has always been a crock IMHO. It has never really "worked".
/rant

As for your question..

Have you updated your IDE drivers?
Are all of your drivers WHQL certified? (Sometimes Windows will throw a fit and refuse to standby/hibernate/shutdown if the drivers are not up to snuff.) Look for a file named nohiber.txt or in the event viewer for errors where APM is concerned. Possibly, if you enable hibernation, and try to hibernate, it will not and it will proce the afformentioned file. It will tell you wht driver is preventing the hibernation sequence and may give you an answer as to what driver is not letting your disks spin up.

Here is where the voodoo comes in and may be your first step if you so choose.
Check the APM settings in the BIOS then in Windows. They should NOT match. One is in control or the other is in control. They both cannot be in control of APM. Period. I don't know which is best but I would assume that letting windows do it would be the best bet. Windows likes to take over everything anyway.

From my personal experience, I never had any luck getting the GA5AX to work in any APM state except for the automatic monitor powering down. I then upgraded to an Abit KT7 and the problem still remained. It's a little better for my ASUS A7V266E but now I realized that I am not saving anything. Let it run, it'll be much happier that way...

[videobruce 0]

Ok, my rant..........

As far as shutting down the computer...........it isn't just the cost it's the fact yours and 30 million others that are left on are a enormous waste of energy! Don't you believe in conversation or are you one that drives one of those Yuppie trucks that gets 10 MPG? Remember California last year?

 

As far as the drivers, anything that is there is from M$! The drives are stopping ok, but they can't seem to start properly.

[rubicant78 0]

Quote:

Ok, my rant..........
As far as shutting down the computer...........it isn't just the cost it's the fact yours and 30 million others that are left on are a enormous waste of energy! Don't you believe in conversation or are you one that drives one of those Yuppie trucks that gets 10 MPG? Remember California last year?

As far as the drivers, anything that is there is from M$! The drives are stopping ok, but they can't seem to start properly.

Have you tried the driver from gigabyte?

http://america.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/FileList/Driver/driver_chipset_ali_ide_2k.exe

Yuppie trucks? heh I drive a 1998 Ford Escort ZX2. Hardly a gas guzzler. And yes I believe in conservation. But I am a only conservative on things that are neccessary. I conserve gas (obviously) and water. Electricity is cheap and plentiful. (Where I am at anyway) I don't see an energy crisis is Alabama any time soon. Especially where my <$100 a month utility bill is concerned.

Anyway, i was just expressing my POV as well trying to help. Take it as you will.
Check that link and get that driver pack and let me know something.

[videobruce 0]

$100 for electricity??? Gee, mine is less than $35 and our rates are twice the national average!

 

But, thanks for the link, did see that and will try.

[rubicant78 0]

Quote:

$100 for electricity??? Gee, mine is less than $35 and our rates are twice the national average!

But, thanks for the link, did see that and will try.

No, $100 for utilities. Electricity, water, garbage, etc....

Of course I saw one of my parents' utility bills and it was a total of $450.
That would suck..

Later

[videobruce 0]

I tried that patch and it was worse!.

 

I gave up on 2k in this box and going to stick with ME (with Restore and PC Health disabled of course!).