Matrox G400 and VIA chipsets: solutions

[doelf]

I get a lot of questions concerning the Matrox G400 and lockups with VIA based systems. We've found a few solutions that might work for you. The most important message for owners of VIA KX133 based motherboards is: disable "SD-RAM Bank Interleave" in your Bios. I can't post it all right here, have a look at: http://www.au-ja.de/review-g400s-eng.html

German users might try: http://www.au-ja.de/idx-review-g400.html

hope this helps! It worked for me!

[Electric Amish]

I was told to use the 4.17 4in1's from VIA instead of the 4.20's.

This now allows me to start Q3.

I used to hang after the id splash screen.

amish

[Brama]

Electric Amish. Yes, with 4.17 Quake3 works but you haven't the AGP enabled under directX. Try to launch DXDIAG and see what it reports !

In another thread I read a nice compromise:
use the 4.02 VIA AGP driver, PD 5.52 and substitute the g400icd.dll with the one contained in PD 5.30.

It seems to work, not very fast but it works.

Bye,

[acs48]

Yes Brama that solution was suggested to me in another thread and it did the trick.Performance isnt optimal but it works at least.

[atysoe]

I just bought a gladiac for my work computer which has a new via chipset, and have been having much the same problem as you guys with your G400's, I have one of my own but it runs fine in 2X.

With the via chipset I found that 401 and 402 run REALLY slow, In our game engine at 800x600 I get 60-70fps, with the 417 I get 120+

I am wishing they bought a MB without a via chipset at work, but I had no choice in the matter. The thing is the lead prog as a new ABIt with the copermine version of my CPU clocked from 650 -750mhz and he gets 10fps with his TNT2 card

So I'm pretty frustrated. One things for sure though. Judging by the number of patches avaliable for MB with the via chiopset this isn't the only time VIA sucked ass, and I won't be gerring one of their boards for my next home machine which will hopefully have a G800 (if the drivers are more stable in 3D Apps)

[CrazyBee]

Heres your VIA problem solution..

Drop the VIA chipset motherboard and get a mobo with a chipset that works.

I've had plenty of experience with VIA chipset and they do indeed suck. Its like the software team and the hardware team dont talk to each other. Youd think VIA chips and VIA drivers would work with each other but they dont. Sometimes a VIA driver will cause VIA chips to start conflicting, etc.

VIA just plain sucks.

[Gurm]

Wow, someone beat me to it. *sigh*

- Gurm

------------------
Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[CrazyBee]

Just to reiterate.. VIA sucks.

I dunno why people keep on buying those damn motherboards. Does not matter if you have a tricked out system or some cheesey email/web terminal.. the stuff DOES NOT WORK..

And its so PAINFULLY obvious that they do not work and people keep on buying them! I just do not get it... nope, don't get it.

I just don't understand why people spend their good money on a product that will yield to them at best sub-par performance.

Its like people want to get to the other room. But, becuase they bought a VIA shirt which has no openings for your arms, and you cant open the door, and you just keep on bangin up on the door.. thinking that maybe, just MAYBE it'll work this time..

Seriously... sell that VIA mobo turd and buy another non-VIA mobo.. the sudden lack of frustration will feel so good.

[rinkol]

Well there isn't much in the way of alternatives. One of my colleagues at work has a PIII 700 running on an i820 board with SDRAM. Even though it has a GEFORCE with DDR memory, the performance is substantially inferior to my work machine with a PIII 650 and vanilla G400 running on a BX chipst motherboard.

In the last two years, I've built 4 computers, 2 with Via chipsets (MVP3 and KX133) and 2 with BX (BP6 and BH6). I used G400s with the BH6 and EP-7KXA motherboards. Of these systems, I had by far the most problems with the BP6 - couldn't get the G400 to run without inevitably locking up except by crippling it (5.13(?) driver and agp x1). I did manage to fix this problem by swapping my G400 with another. The BP6, aside from some lame bios versions, also had the infamous HPT366 IDE controller - this has to be the epitomy of crap - good only for using up excess irqs.

In my view there is room for improvement all around. I have doubts as to whether either VIA or Matrox (or, to be fair, many other vendors) do adequate beta testing. I would also like to see Matrox integrate a proper uninstall program with their drivers so they can be uninstalled prior to installing updated versions without lots of fiddling.

Robert Inkol

[Joel]

For all you people who have VIA based boards that can't seem to figure out how to use them and want to get rid of they, just send them my way. I could use a few more good stable systems in my house. Of course I won't pay you for them because as you said I would be throwing my money away but at least you won't have to worry about them anymore.

Joel

[Jon P. Inghram]

I think it's possible, however unlikely, that some people can get Via based boards running Ok.

I've got a Epox MVP3G5 that's currently running my G400 Max at AGPx2 without being forced, and is quite stable when using the 5.30+TGL. The Q3A demo and Quake 2 both run good, along with the demo for Superbike 2000 (Very, very nice looking game).

When I installed my SBLive!, I had no crackling problems even though the SBPCI64 that it replaced did. I guess I'm one of the few lucky people who got a G400+MVP3+SBLive! to work without a hitch.

[mj12]

I have to say that IMHO the kx133 is a descent chipset with quite adequate 9x drivers. But the W2K drivers suck. As for your sblive problem, that was proven to be a Epox problem solely and had nothing to do with Via, this was included in on of the the latest Epox release notes. I have a asus K7V and have been quite happy with it for the most part. There seems to be a trend with all the latest chipsets be it via or intel having issues. I do miss my trusty bx.

[paulcs]

Let's all chant in unison:

i815
i815
i815
i815
i815

It's become my personal mantra.

Let's hope it's not another disappointment.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[ahartman]

I'll never understand this uprising against Via. My last two computers have been Via based and I have had little to no problems with them.

Can't any of you admit that perhaps it's pilot error and not 100% chip based? I know people who have trouble with Intel chipsets - does that mean they suck? No.

Would you rather we only had a single choice in chipsets? I imagine you like your $150 motherboards. If you only have the Intels to pick from, what do you think the price would be? It's called competition and it's healthy for everyone.

If you don't like Via, don't buy a board with Via chips. But don't spout "They suck - no one can get them to work". Plenty of us have working Via-based computers.

*sigh*

[EchoWars]

Interesting to note that someone posts some useful information for a specific chipset, and is deluged with "VIA Sucks!" posts. Find something worthwhile to do with your time...

Anyone needs advice on Matrox cards and VIA 133A chipsets, will be glad to help out.