Interesting Problems/Solutions with 645 Ultra V1.0

Question

Hi All, I just wanted to share some of my experiences with the older 6457 Ultra V1.0 MB.
I've had one of these since last Sepetember, and I've been trying to get it stable ever since and only just succeded.  Oh, as a side note, everything is being clocked as it should be, no OC'ing here, I'm after stability. Okay, system spec:
MSI 6457 Ultra V1.0 bios 1.3, 1.6,1.7, 1.8 but mostly and currently 1.9
Intel P4 2.0Ghz 400 FSB Stock HS and fan
1 X 256 333 DDR Ram (Generic 2.5 CAS)
2X Maxtor hard disks 20 and 30 Gig ATA 100 (Primary master and slave)
Liteon DVD CDRW dirve (secondary master)
Netgear FA311 NIC
Soundblaster Audigy 2 Platinum
Creative Geforce 3 Ti200
Chieftec 350W PSU v+3.3=28 v+5=30 (may be other way round, I'm at work right now and can't check)
XP Pro
Problems I've had :
Nvidia drivers (Creative or Nvidia any version since September 2002) result in the system booting very slowly (3- 5 mins instead of 50 secs) and quite often just rebooting once the windows UI appears, just after log on. Kept getting the infamous "nv_disp.dll" error report from XP.
The solution to this was to run the memory at 266 rather than the rated 333.
A side effect of this problem was that sometimes (not always) the system would drop to 10% of its usual speed. Once this had happened there was no speeding it up again. Sandra clocks the MEM bandwidth when this happens at 220MB instead of the usual 2200MB. A symptom that this has happened is that when the XP logo first appears at boot up it fades in very slowly instead of it's usual snappy fade in.
The solution to this was to jumper the CMOS clear and reset up the BIOS.
Alternately you can format the system and rebuild it, but nothing else seems to return the system to full speed. Only a CMOS reset or a rebuild of the OS.
These solutions are only tested on the current 1.9 Bios. I have no idea if they'll work on earlier or hacked versions.
In order to find these solutions, it's taken a lot of blood sweat and tears, not to mention reading all 1600 posts about problems with Ultra's.
I hope the solutions presented here can save someone else the frustration I've had just trying to get this thing stable enough to play games on.
I must also add that these solutions may not work for you, I went through hundreds of Bios settings tweaks and fiddles trying to remedy these problems and none worked bar the ones mentioned.
I suspect that the RAM in this system may be the cause of all the problems, but I am unable to get hold of any other 333 Ram to try.
If anyone has any suggestions as to how I can get this to run its memory at 333 (which is what it physically is and should run at) without buying more RAM (been unemployed for six months and only have 2 weeks work now!) and be stable with Nvidia drivers, I'd be delighted to hear them. I'd also like to hear from others who've suffered similar problems, as I could do with the moral boost of knowing I'm not alone :-)
As a side note, this setup does run very nicely with the Ram at 266 and Bios 1.9. It now seems very stable which is a breath of fresh air.
Sorry for the long post, but it's alot of information to impart. Hopefully, it'll save someone else from tearing all their hair out.

Answer 1

had sim prog fix them... :P
what to do...
bios v1.9 (update)
[support new chips etc
update agp drives (SiS AGP Drivers v7.2.0.1130 )
[fix some usb /video card problems ]
set agp apeture (in bios) to 128mb
set ram (assuming 333ddr) 2.5 / normal / normal
most generic ram (my is first modual is 2.5 -3-3)
set irq settings to auto(non auto setting will cause random (equal to or less than blue screen of death)
(move sound card (if not using on board disable games port and sound) to pci slot (3) [3rd from the bottom of moatherboard]
- this provides no conflict with video card.
-set irq for vga = on
use xp pro
user service pack 1
run 3dmark2001se for 3 hours (should not crash)
if you think it your ram download a ram tester software(free) (and put on on a floppy disk) this will test you ram.
if useing a network card put it in slot 5 (fifth from the bottom)
p.s. also check (in bios health ) power supply problems
eg rails 3.3v should be no lower than 3.2xx
5v should be no lower than 4.87x
12v should no be lower than 11.70v
because i had a bad power supply (3.3v was 3.02v and 12v wat 11.2v (from time to time hard disk drive would power on/off then on....)
3.3v is for vide cards /pci slots /ram voltage etc..
12v for hard disk drive/cdroms etc...
5v for logic board on harddiskdrives etc...