G400 lock ups

[Mujoken]

Hi,

I've got a system that constantly trashes the video in Quake2 (looks like a severe snow storm) then locks up when I try to exit the game. It requires a hard reset to get running again. A similar problem occurs with a graphics program I use, Thumbs Plus ver 4.02, in this instance it lock up after clicking on 10 or so thumbnail images and requires a hard reset to recover. I have the system stripped down to the bare bones as indicated below. I've used the 4.11 drivers that came on the CD and also tried the 5.13 drivers, no help. The system, at present, is a clean install (including reformatting the HD). The only app installed at present is Quake2. Sure boots fast :^) The one thing that seems to solve the problem is disabling the bus mastering in the Matrox display properties. But the frame rate hit is horrible. The system works fine when I install a G200 8M card from another system we have here.

I've also tried the different AGP aperture sizes to no avail. It's pretty much down to either the video card or the mother board? I'm really looking forward (hopefully) to the dual head feature for work and play!


Any thoughts would be welcomed.
Thanks
Mujoken 8-5-99

[M Ragsdale]

What kind of Motherboard, Operating system, other PCI devices, USB?, etc. Need to know, to help.

Rags

[Kruzin_K]

Also, have you overclocked the system or G400.

If you did try o/c the G400 at some point, what utility did you try?

[Mujoken]

Sorry,

Below is part of the orignal text, I must have truncated it in the paste operation some how. I'd better read my own posts after submiting them, geez!

All new stuff, nothing over clocked.

System:

Asus P2B-F
PIII 500
128 PC100 Ram
Maxtor G400 32M
Maxtor 8.4G
Logitech Mouseman Wheel
Win98 2nd edition


The following stuff is not installed at present:

Jaz drive
MS Sidewinder Precision Pro
Zoom 56K modem
Turtle Beach, Montego Quadzilla sound
DVD software etc.

------------------
Mujoken

[M Ragsdale]

Kruzin? He would know I haven't played much with the Asus boards. But I have heard that early P2B's won't do AGP 2X, maybe try using the reg hack to force it at 1X. Better yet, wait till Kruzin(_K) answers.

Matt

[John Carney]

I have a VERY early P2B (the first on my block to get one way back when) and according to the latest version of PCI List it does do AGP 2X with my trusty G200. This did require a registry hack, but I've had no problems. Is PCI List inaccurate? Just curious.

John

[Kruzin_K]

Well, the P2B-F is not an early board...it's one of their latest. Mine is the standard P2B, and has given me no problems. I've gotten 2x AGP from day 1 without a reg hack, both with the G200 and G400 (and a couple of other cards I've tried). The P2B series are well known for their stability...

You might try slowing down the RAM settings a notch in the BIOS. Maybe turn off USWC.

If possible, try a different stick of RAM. Even though it works with the G200, it's worth trying...

How long does it take before Q2 scrambles? Is it immidiate, or does it happen over time? If it only happens after 5 or 10 min., it might be a heat thing. G400s run pretty toasty. I mounted an old pentium fan on mine.

What about other apps? Does this happen in D3D games at all? What about other OGL games (HL, Q3, etc.)?

[Strider]

How can I check if AGP is 2x or 1x. Is PCI list a Windows tools or a utility that I have to download? Please let me know when I can find it so I can check my P2B.

[Mike H]

Are the G-400's shipping with 4.11 drivers? Those are the ones that shipped with my Marvel in Jan. Or did he mean 5.11?

------------------
Mike H.

Watercooled AMD K6-3 450 @ 500 (100*5) Epox EP-MVP3G Rev. 1.0 Bios 7-16-99 128 Meg PC100 Matrox Marvel G-200 TV 16MB 5.15 Drivers SB Live! Full Retail Western Digital Caviar AC313000RTL

[Mujoken]

Kruzin_K, and all,

Your right the P2B-F is very current. I also have had no problems with a number of earlier P2B, very stable but I must admit I'm conservative and stick with the spec's when it comes to clocking. BTY their latest series is the P3B, featuring software jumpers etc.

I tried slowing the RAM from 2T, 2T, 2T, 8T, (as set by SPD option) to 3T, 3T, 3T, 10T (8ns, 125Mhz option) no help!

You lost me on USWC, please explain.

I did try another 128M PC100 rated stick of RAM, no change.

It trashes the video fast, sometime right at the quake splash screen. Interestingly you can generally keep playing the game with the video problem, albeit a bit hard to find your way around. Like I said the picture looks like your in a blizzard. When trying to exit the game the video gets completely out of sync, Ctrl+Alt+Del will function if your patient, sometimes no! During this period the mouse pointer is still active (and seemingly controllable) it you could find a button to click on!

It doesn't appear to be a thermal problem, (900mm fan with cubic feet of air and pin point aiming no help) the problem follows the bus mastering setting. It will clear up in the two apps I know of by turning it off in the Matrox Display Properties. (Another person claims it happened while on the net but I have my suspicions, this same person spotted Elvis last year!)

I have focused on these two apps because they both function well in other systems and fail consistently on this machine. The graphics app, Thumbs Plus is nothing more than a fancy graphics viewer, not very demanding of CPU or video hardware. And Q2 should be a breeze on this machine.

I have not tried Q2 in the OGL mode, my experience with the G200, OGL support (?) and the seemingly unfinished G400 OGL suggests I not add another variable to the problem.

--------------------------
To Strider,

Do a search for a file, pcilist.zip on the net or email me at p_levesq@ix.netcom.com and I'll send you a copy if you like. It's a utility that will tell you a number of things related to your system's bus, stuff that your parents probably tried to shield you from : )

-------------------------
To Mike H,

I was quoting the Display Driver, 4.11.01.1110 The Matrox Power Desk is 5.11.012 which I assume you were refering to.

Mujoken 8-6-99

[Mujoken]

"This may be a repost if so disregard"

Kruzin_K, and all,

Your right the P2B-F is very current. I also have had no problems with a number of earlier P2B, very stable but I must admit I'm conservative and stick with the spec's when it comes to clocking. BTY their latest series is the P3B, featuring software jumpers etc.

I tried slowing the RAM from 2T, 2T, 2T, 8T, (as set by SPD option) to 3T, 3T, 3T, 10T (8ns, 125Mhz option) no help!

You lost me on USWC, please explain.

I did try another 128M PC100 rated stick of RAM, no change.

It trashes the video fast, sometime right at the quake splash screen. Interestingly you can generally keep playing the game with the video problem, albeit a bit hard to find your way around. Like I said the picture looks like your in a blizzard. When trying to exit the game the video gets completely out of sync, Ctrl+Alt+Del will function if your patient, sometimes no! During this period the mouse pointer is still active (and seemingly controllable) it you could find a button to click on!

It doesn't appear to be a thermal problem, (900mm fan with cubic feet of air and pin point aiming no help) the problem follows the bus mastering setting. It will clear up in the two apps I know of by turning it off in the Matrox Display Properties. (Another person claims it happened while on the net but I have my suspicions, this same person spotted Elvis last year!)

I have focused on these two apps because they both function well in other systems and fail consistently on this machine. The graphics app, Thumbs Plus is nothing more than a fancy graphics viewer, not very demanding of CPU or video hardware. And Q2 should be a breeze on this machine.

I have not tried Q2 in the OGL mode, my experience with the G200, OGL support (?) and the seemingly unfinished G400 OGL suggests I not add another variable to the problem.

--------------------------
To Strider,

Do a search for a file, pcilist.zip on the net or email me at p_levesq@ix.netcom.com and I'll send you a copy if you like. It's a utility that will tell you a number of things related to your system's bus, stuff that your parents probably tried to shield you from : )

-------------------------
To Mike H,

I was quoting the Display Driver, 4.11.01.1110 The Matrox Power Desk is 5.11.012 which I assume you were refering to.

Mujoken 8-6-99

[rickT]

I have a P2B-F and have no problems with my g400 32mb.

my ram settings are 2t 2t 2t 8t ma wait state to fast. 64mb aperature, UC

[Kruzin_K]

USWC is a write combining option in your BIOS that some can run, others have trouble with it enabled.

I'd certainly not be afraid to try Q2 in OGL mode. There is nothing wrong with the OGL of the G400 cards.

Have you tried the card in a different system, and does it also do it there?

[Mujoken]

To rickT,
Do you play Q2?

To Kruzin_K and all,

I'll look into the USWC setting. I found it in the Asus book after the post.

No fear of Q2 in OGL, I just figured if it didn't word at ground zero it probably wouldn't work in OGL, I'll give it a try.

What I can do is install the G400 and drivers in a Asus P2B, with a PII 400 I have here, I was hoping to avoid the hassel but your right. I hate to rip out video drivers and reinstall, always seems like they leave some fragments behind to haunt you later! I mean the G400 5.13 even has a special uninstall program (which I've used),
why?

Mujoken 8-6-99

[SwAmPgIrL]

Howdy Mujoken,

this may sound silly but try this:

- Uninstall PD.
- remove the mouse drivers and disconnect the mouse.
- remove the sidewinder drivers and disconnect the it.
- re-install PD.

SwAmPy