Tech: New Motherboard

Subject: Tech: New Motherboard
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 06:21 PM

I've just installed a new Motherboard.
"Biostar"
Can't get the PCIs to recognize my cards.
Any takers?

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 06:43 PM

Who are you?

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Jim Lad
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 06:51 PM

Me!

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 07:16 PM

ahh..good...cookies are helpful!...Motherboards are not. I am currently trying to get MY motherboard to recognize a graphics card. It may be that the bios simply wont deal with them....which is what I am suspecting here.

I hope someone else pops by.

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Bernard
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 07:30 PM

Need more specifics...

Does the board have an 'on board' graphics adaptor... what cards are not recognised?

Graphics cards can be PCI (rather old), AGP (not so common nowadays) or PCI Express (not the same thing as PCI).

AGP has the complication of 2x, 4x and 8x varieties, so the board has to support that type - 8x won't work on a board that only supports 2x and 4x, for example.

PCI express has similar complications, further complicated by some cards needing two slots...

So... what board, specifically, what CPU, and what cards?

Check your power supply, too...

(going to bed now... nighty bye!)

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Jim Lad
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 07:38 PM

Biostar G31-M7 TE
The GE Force card doesn't work with this one but that's not a problem.
I upgraded the Power Unit. That's fine.
It only has 2 PCI slots.
I put a USB PORTS card in one and the Echo Mona Sound card in the other.
I'm getting nothing.

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 10:29 PM

ah-HA! On the box of the graphic card I bought-AGP 8X. It goes into the slots, the computer boots and briefly identifies it (GeForce FX5200), then goes black.

The feller at the store said, "Sure...that's the one"

*grump*

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Bernard
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 10:02 AM

Hmmm... maybe there are some settings in the BIOS that need to be enabled (or disabled)?

I've been on to BioStar's website, and they say that Ver 6.0 uses Award Bios, and Ver 6.1 use AMI Bios...!! If you're getting video when you boot it, you'll know which BIOS it is. Then we can progress a little further...!

Click here to see the web page...

Bill... either sell it on eBay, or tie it to a brick and throw it through the shop window!!

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Bernard
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 10:08 AM

Just a thought, Jim... maybe you need to download and install the chipset drivers (link on the website), or use the ones provided on a CD with the board.

It could be that simple!

Are you installing the operating system from scratch, or did you try to cut corners by just swapping the board?

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Paul Burke
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 10:22 AM

Let's see... you have installed a new motherboard. What's the operating system, or is it failing before it gets that far? If the former, it could be that the low- level PCI and USB bridge drivers are wrong, unless you've reinstalled them from the motherboard's support disk. Which is essentially what Bernard is saying above. But you will probably also get problems with on- board devices like the VGA unless you install the new drivers.

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Jim Lad
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 01:35 PM

Thanks guys.
I've installed it every which way and with three different Vista OSs.
Gone through the Bios and tried a few things then went back and reset everything to default.
Installed the Drivers & Utilities CD and had my son download the updates.
It's a dud!
I'll send it back.
Mona is now safe and warm in the other computer and seems no worse for the wear.

Bill D: The video chip in the board is much better than the GE Force stuff anyway. I've checked the performance ratings of both and the motherboard wins hands down. If you need a new card though, I believe you need a PCI Express X16 Video Card.

Now, I have to get ready for me winter gig. I'll send this board back tomorrow.
Thanks Guys.

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Bernard
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 02:15 PM

Quite possibly right, Jim. Hope you find one that works - I'd be inclined to go for an MSI or Asus board as manufacturers tend to fit them. I've had Gigabyte boards that were iffy from the start, but the only two MSI boards I've seen go faulty were helped to their demise by their owners...

The first occasion was an Advent PC that was overheating, so the owner decided to transfer the bits into a bigger and better cooled box. Very laudable... except... when fixing the board to the metal mounting plate, you really should use the plastic stand-offs!! He couldn't understand why I burst out laughing and said I knew exactly what had gone wrong... good job he was a mate!

The second one was a board in an HP that was still working, just... the owner had been doing some upgrading inside, and somehow had broken some of the larger electrolytic capacitors off! Hamfisted or stupid... or both?!

Toodle-oo!

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Jim Lad
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 02:21 PM

Well this one comes as part of a bundle and will be more than adequate for my recording needs.
My searches didn't find anyone with the same problem, just a bunch of folks wondering why their video cards didn't work.
As I said though, their chip is better.
If I get the same problem with a new board then I'll start over.

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 03:38 AM

So I sent it back. They tested the board and said everything's fine.
Got them to send it back to me and still no luck.
So tonight, I took everything to a friend's place (computer guy) and he tried everyting he could think of to get Echo Mona on board.
Finally, he tried it on his own computer. NOTHING!
Turns out that PCIs are getting too fast for some of the old cards.
He said he'll try to find a way to slow things down a bit.
In the meantime, I'm back on the old Compaq C and Brenda gets herself a whole new computer.
Mona is discontinued now so I doubt that Echo have come up with a fix.
Thanks for the advice, all.

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 03:46 AM

I have heard many people complaining that Vista will not recognise anything but the most up to date bits.

Were you running XP on the old M/B? Have you got an XP Pro disk with its install numbers to hand?

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 04:25 AM

"8x won't work on a board that only supports 2x and 4x, for example."

Funny how the other day I was told that those boards are 'auto speed ranging' so they WILL work in a slower MB, but only at the max speed that the MB allows! :-)

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 08:40 AM

You need to watch out about voltages - old AGP cards have different voltages from new ones, and they do not always have notches that stop you putting the wrong ones in!

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 12:56 PM

Nothing to do with the OS, I'm afraid.
The card works in everything from 95 to Ultimate.

"I was told that those boards are 'auto speed ranging' so they WILL work in a slower MB, but only at the max speed that the MB allows! :-) "

Is there an Auto setting in the bios?

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 01:33 PM

"You need to watch out about voltages - old AGP cards have different voltages from new ones, and they do not always have notches that stop you putting the wrong ones in!"

Bang on Richard.
Da Guy came up with the same answer this morning.
You win a barrel of gold watches.

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 01:57 PM

Hope you haven't cooked teh mobo as a result...

Subject: RE: Tech: New Motherboard
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 02:31 PM

No. She's fine.
Just having the card in a dedicated computer, i.e. no security software, no Internet, no Windows Updates and switching to XP, rather than Vista, I'm miles ahead of where I was.
I'm waiting for Samplitude 12 to arrive which also uses much less juice than Mixcraft.
I'm a Vista fan but the number of times I've seen the task manager shoot up to 100% at 02:00hrs because it feels like running some stupid test, is quite startling. Not to mention the fact that it stops me from working.
I bought this gear from a guy who had updated his studio. Got a great deal on it and now I know why.

All in all.... This is a far cry from the ould Tascam Portastudio.