K7A, G400 Max and AGP speed problem

[Damien Green]

Just upgraded to an Abit KA7. Fresh installation of win 2K. Problem is that I can't get any higher than AGP 1X, 3D MARK 2000 etc. Run at half speed. No VIA AGP drivers are listed under Device manager, and I can't install VIA AGP driver. I think I need a driver, but can't find one, is there a way to force AGP x 4 by a registry hack etc?

Many thanks,


Damien

[Nuno]

Not really sure if it will help you, but take a look at this: http://www6.tomshardware.com/mainboa.../kx133-02.html

[Damien Green]

Cheers, I've tried the modification, but I my system still can't find the CPU to AGP controller, modifying the machine.ini file only allowed my computer to find the VIA PCI bridge driver, I can't even find a VIA AGP driver under the Add Hardware Wizard. Help!!!

[Damien Green]

Thanks for all the help, I've solvedthe problem now (yet another Win 2K install) and magically after Toms Modification, the CPU - AGP bridge was found - horay!!!

[Nuno]

Glad you got it working. It seems then that the KA7 also misreports the devices ID to the OS...

[anid]

Talk about a BIOS programming f*** up. Wonder how that happend? Should be easily corrected in a BIOS update, it's only 4 register values. Unless, for some odd reason, Win98 and 2K are causing BIOS corruption of the boards, as Win95 did with the Epox.

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"I wrestled with reality for 27 years and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it."

[Damien Green]

It seems that the KA7 reports the chipset numbers differently to other KX133 motherboards, Abit really should have spotted this and released an updated Machine.ini. I'll post mine to anyone who wants it - but perhaps if Ant sees this, he might consider uploading it to the websight.

[CannyOne]

This issue appears to be fairly common to KX133 boards. Epox released a program to update the infs for mulitple OSs (even including WinME!) on the 8th of March. Abit should have something similar out. It's certainly easier, and safer IMO, than the proceedure at Tom's.

[Damien Green]

Agreed, modifying ini files is not a procedure that should be carried out by the average user, there's plenty of scope for things to go wrong.

[Arsa]

It seems that ASUS has the same problem! (although Tom suggests opposite)

Maybe it's bcause of my bios 1004 - g400 crashed on standart 1003, and I couldn't find 1002 as Tom suggested.