Problem discovered - now for a solution

Dale

Dale

Dale

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Joined
5 Jan 2004
Posts
663
Location
Sussex
Hi all,

Well after a couple of weeks of thinking I've solved the issue of my machine crashing I think I may have discovered 100% what the issue is.

Long story short:

1: Machine crashes whilst loading BF2 (system halts, only way out its to button it)

2: Machine goes into a continuous boot loop, before eventually blue screening with what looks like either memory or graphics driver issues.

3: Reset BIOS, manage to get it to boot into Safe Mode, re-boot, blue screen, reboot into Safe mode, system restore to about a week earlier, boots into Windows, seems stable.

4: Stability vanishes when re-installing BF2's latest patch, first 3 points again.

5: Remove BF2 from the equation above and that is pretty much the situation over and over again, even re-installs of the OS crash mid installation.


I tested the GFX card, and mem tested the memory. Single pieces of memory are fine, but in a pair I got one lonely error. Couldn't repeat the error so inconclusive.

I finally last night removed one stick of memory and all seems totally fine. I then swapped memory sticks, and all seems fine - problems only seem to be when they are paired - so I'm thinking the dual channel controller on the motherboard is shot??

So enough di*king around, I'm going to get a new mobo, question is what do I get? I currently have an Asus A8N Sli Premium socket 939 with an A64 4000+ SD CPU. I am / was very happy with the board and would happily replace with the same but, is it really sensible to just get the same again?

I don't have a massive wedge to spend unlike last time so can't afford to replace memory mobo and CPU etc etc, but is there something I should get that would be better than what I have at the moment?

If I can keep my memory I guess I can think about changing CPU (different socket??) My GFX card is a Leadtek 7800 GTX Extreme, PCI Express - can't afford to even think about replacing that!

I guess the CPU is the bottleneck? (RAM is OCZ 3200 Plat stuff)

I'm pretty out of the loop as to what is hot and what is not at the moment, and the only game I really play with any consistency is BF2 so it must be good for that (hence the 2GB Ram)

Thanks so much in advance for any kind help and happy Xmas to all :)
 
I assume that OCZ is a dual channel kit?? Is it the 2Gb EL Plat.??

Did this happen before, when did it start??

With A64 Mem controller is integrated in the CPU so motherboard has nothing to do with it. Have you tried changing sockets?? Move both sticks to the black sockets (or blue sockets if black was what you were using).

I moved mine to black sockets and stability was improved.
 
Thanks for that bit of information - I haven't tried moving memory to the other slots yet. I wasn't sure of there purpose (dual channel and all that!!)

I also forgot to mention above that nothing has ever been overclocked in this system (yet) due to lack of knowledge.

Yes the OCZ stuff was the dual channel kit (the model of the stuff is: 2 x 1gb PC3200 OCZ EL Dual CH Plat Edition)

It 'was' stable, and the problem suddenly started appearing about a month and a half ago. I have had several OS re-installations since, trying to diagnose the issues, and the only time it ever seems stable is with just one piece of RAM installed in the first socket.

I haven't tried a different CPU yet due to me not having one! But I have tried different GFX cards etc as the original problem started after a crash, and the re-boot resulted in the computer powering up, but nothing appearing on the screen, no BIOS nothing (listening to the computer's noises I don't think it got to the stage of HDD's powering up - but this issues has now passed)

I guess it is a toss up as to either CPU, memory or mobo that is broken?
 
I think the point here as mentioned by steve258 is that the memory controller is NOT on the motherboard, it's on the cpu.

Do you have any friends you can borrow some memory from for testing? Alternatively, do you have any spare sockets you can try the memory in on the motherboard (so if your sticks of memory are in 1 and 2, can you try 3 and 4)?
 
Dale said:
If I replaced the motherboard with one of these:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-159-AS

I assume that will support my current CPU, but also be ready for a CPU upgrade in the future?

Will it support my current DDR Ram?

Thx
Click to expand...

That motherboard is an AM2 Socket one, your chip is a Socket 939 one and thus won't fit. And no, it wouldn't support your current RAM either, but that's a bit of a moot point if the CPU won't fit in the first place :)
 
Thank you guys, I might have a friend who has a couple of sticks of DDR which I should be able to test the memory, unfortunately I don't have a spare CPU. If the it fails like it did with the new memory then I may just purchase a new CPU and hope that resolves the issues. If not then Motherboard, and last case Memory. Failing that, I may just give up and replace all three in one swoop and go for an Intel core 2 duo thingy.
 
Yes, I have the lastest BIOS and I have no idea how to loosen the timings - Everything is 'standard' i.e. installed and left alone, but I also realise that the standard settings might be causing issues and those could be loosened.
 
Try setting the BIOS from Auto to Menu for the CPU, presuming the memory is in the right slots according to the manual.
 
OK, the memory was installed according to the manual with one dimm in slot A1 and another in B1.

The BIOS settings for the memory was set to 'Auto' but the timings were listed and are as follows:

Timing mode - Auto
Mem Clock - 400mhz
CAS (Tcl) - 2.5
Min Ras (Tras) 5T
RAS to CAS (Trcd) 3T
Row prechange time (Trp) - 3T
Row Cycle Time (Trc) 1T
Row Refresh cyc time (Trfc) 14T
Ter - 3T
1T / 2T mem timing - 2T

No idea what any of that means hence why it was left to Auto!
 
On my Mobo you go into Advanced Chipset Features, CPU Frequency Multiplier and the default is Auto change that to Menu. Exit and save change.
 
Last edited:
It blue screened again earlier today with the error being NVATABUS.SYS.

Now I cannot re-install the OS again as it says I have no disks installed!

Ran the recovery prompt to run CHKDSK and it says an unrecoverable error has occured.

I have re-set the BIOS again, no joy.

Gulp!
 
Dale said:
It blue screened again earlier today with the error being NVATABUS.SYS.

Now I cannot re-install the OS again as it says I have no disks installed!

Ran the recovery prompt to run CHKDSK and it says an unrecoverable error has occured.

I have re-set the BIOS again, no joy.

Gulp!
Click to expand...

Just checked the OcUK website and its an Nforce motherboard and i read your NVATABUS.SYS BSOD as Nvidia ATA Bus. Which would lead me to suspect your ATA cable that connects your Hard drive.... or maybe drivers for your SATA HD

or am i wrong?
 
Last edited:
OK, I have diasbled the onboard Nvidia RAID and swapped to the SiL RAID controller and so far the installation has worked (not finished yet)

Will keep you posted.....
 
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