Things to Know Before Building Your Mega 180

Some people have asked me for a list of tips so here is my attempt---I'll ask Wonk to sticky it if it turns out OK....
Feel free to PM me with more tips---I'll add as necessary....
TIP SHEET FOR THE MEGA 180:
So you bought that new Mega 180 and the docs leave a lot to be desired......Don't panic!! Take a look at this tip sheet. Should save you a lot of hours!
RAM AND PROCESSOR:
Several things here.....If you are going to use onboard video----you should NOT use higher RAM than PC 2700----waste of money to buy higher as the Nforce2 18G "Crush" was only designed to run no higher than with DDR333 RAM (PC2700). Nvidia warns against it on their site. I have personally experienced a LOT of problems when you try to run the onboard at DDR 400 (PC3200)----trashed Bios in most cases. Also---the 18G and to some extent---"Dual Channel" is picky about memory----try to get a matched pair of DIMMS----and if you REALLY want to be on the safe side----go to Nvidias site and look up the page that lists known, compatable memory with the NForce2 chipsetNforce2 compatable memory. I use A-Data 512 sticks---but they are hard to find.
If you are going to use a Vidcard---then higher memory is just fine----but if you are NOT planning on overclocking-----there is really NO need for higher than PC2700 as the default bus for Barton 2800+ and below is FSB 166 (DDR333---PC 2700).
Alyways run your RAM (Synch) 100%---do not play with dividers if you are using the onboard video. If you have no clue what I just said----you are fine as the defaults will take care of this----this last was for overclockers.
Processor----I like the cost of the Barton 2800+ right now----fast, cheap and even using the onboard and no overclocking----you have a fast machine that can do anything. The 2800+ also leaves the door open for a slight overclock (I have not tried this yet) without too much stress on anything.
LCD PANEL:
Do Not----I say again----Do Not use the "welcome.exe" program----or ANY other program on ANY disk or the MSI website to do ANYTHING to your front panel. That program is for the Mega 651 model and WILL TRASH YOUR LCD. The LCD panel works just fine----it doesn't need any updating.
If this advice is to late, the firmware fix is in here:
https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threadid=46355&sid=
Do download and install the latest version of PC Alert MSI Mega 180 Downloads----works great with the front LCD panel and displays PC info nicely.
Use the EQ mode buttons while playing in the HiFi mode----changes the sound a lot and also the display changes------COOL!
OPTICAL DRIVE:
Use an MSI optical drive----basically anything from MSI will work fine---some other drives are reported to work fine like a NEC 2500A----but if you use an MSI drive----you can't go wrong. You might want to put the drive in another machine with a floppy first----and download and update that drive to the latest firmware (most will require a floppy to do that and the Mega 180 has none.)
CABLE MANAGEMENT:
Buy a dollar pack of cable ties and go to work-----make sure ALL cables are away from the front of the intake fan for the CPU----you want a very clear path to the cooler. Less clutter---better airflow. Better airflow----lower temps.
CPU INSTALL:
Get rid of the MSI thermal grease with some Goof Off or acetone-----and get some good Arctic Silver 3, AS5 or AS Ceramique. Clean both the chip top and the bottom of the HS with denatured alcohol before applying the thermal grease. You might also want to lapp the bottom of the HS which is not very well done----but I found it not necessary. The HS/Fan unit is very easy to install----just rotate your screw down points as perscribed by the sticker on the cooler----don't tighten one screw all the way down----then go to the next.
DRIVERS:
I found the drivers on the install disk to be non-functional---- get the latest drivers from the MSI website (you can use Live Update for this) or go to http://www.nforcershq.com and get the latest Nforce2 Driver Remix from Morpheus1 or Mwarhead.
DO NOT use the Nvidia SW IDE driver (say "No" when it asks you in the driver install) Only use the ITB (In The Box) IDE driver----it's the default driver. Your Optical device will probably not function correctly (eject, etc) with the Nvidia SW IDE driver.
Nforce2 SoundStorm Drivers are a tricky topic----there are TONS of versions out there.... I've had the best luck so far with Drivers 4.31 (Off Microsoft Windows Updates---it was a Driver Update) and Audio Control Panel 4.31. Nvidia has a driver update package now JUST for audio-----posted Here
If you are having problems with Media Center III crashing----it seems to be a conflict between the SoundStorm Drivers and Media Center III, Uninstall your Nvidia audio devices in the device manager (Three of them----there is one hidden---so go to view and "show hidden devices") then reboot and let Windows rerecognize your devices and reload drivers. This will solve most problems until Media Center II has another bad crash----in which case---you may have to do this procedure over again. You can tell if it's really hosed up because the radio sound will come on automatically at boot----or you will have lost the SoundStorm Control Panel Icon in the SysTray. I'm working on different versions of SoundStorm to see which works best---will update if I find anything new. (Update)----4.31 seems to be the best but I still can'ttotally eliminate the crashing in Media Center III.
Once you get your Lan device up and running (or your modem) Go to Windows Update and make sure you are completly updated with all latest window updates---If using WinXP-----you need to be at WinXP ServPack 1a when you are done.
Use Windows Cleanup and Defrag when you are done----ESPECIALLY cleanup---to get rid of any left over temp files in the Mega----To get the BEST and most optimised defrag----run windows defrag at least three times in a row----maybe more----it will REALLY optimise the drive.
TV CARD:
The main TV Card designed for the Mega 180 is the MSI 8606-40 Mega TV Card----be careful to get it vice the other version of the MSI 8606 which is the MSI 8606-10 TV@anywhere Master.
The Mega TV Card does not include a Radio while the 8606-10 DOES include a radio. Since your Mega 180 already has a radio----you absolutely don't need or want the 8606-10 TV@anywhere Master.
Do NOT use any drivers or software you receive with the Mega TV Card MSI 8606-40----just set the disks aside. You will ONLY uses the drivers off the Mega 180 Install Disk.
The Mega TV Card MUST be installed before the menu item for "Install TV Tuner Drivers" becomes visible on the Mega 180 install disk.
Make sure your TV Card is hooked into the line called "Remote Control" within the Mega 180 itself----there is a small 3 inch connecting wire in the TV card box.
The TV and Radio function well with the remote----but you must have MSI Media Center III installed. I could not get the TV or the Radio to work without Media Center III.
Upon initial setup of the TV within Media Center III---you may have to switch the source between cable and antenna to get the initial channels to auto scan. Once done auto scanning---switch back to cable as source (assuming you have cable).
Using the remote to force the TV screen to full screen: When you use the up/down arrows on the remote----watch the menu items on the screen----the various menu item buttons will highlight as you hit the arrows.
Once you have highlighted the little arrow button on the lower right of the screen----just below the TV display (it will turn green)----hit the ENTER key
It goes to widescreen----hit the ENTER key again------it goes to fullscreen
BTW, the remote works fine-----the trick is you HAVE to have Media Center III installed and available to be called for it to control the TV Card----Radio Etc. It will start up normally when you push the TV button on the remote.
BIOS SETTINGS:
The defaults will mostly work. One thing----to get BEST performance out of the NForce 2 Onboard video----set AGP to 128 and Set Frame Buffer to 128----I had crashes with almost any other video setting. I'm still playing with PCI clock, voltages, and some other settings to get better stability-----will let you know.....
6 CHANNEL SOUND
Use all three ports in the back of the Mega 180 and then configure it using the SoundStorm Control Panel----Use the "Speaker Setup Wizard". Check and adjust using the "Test Tone" button. I'm using an inexpensive set of Analog Altec Lansing 5.1s----the sound is excellent.
That's all for now----tell me what else you've found and I'll post.
John

My MSI MEGA 180 has a strange display on the monitor.
I opened the boxed removed all items.
Installed the CPU (supported on the CPU compatability list for the MSI MEGA 180), installed the heatsink & fan.
Installed the HD drive.
Installed the MSI DVD+/-RW
Installed 1 DIMM module of DDR RAM PC2700 333MHZ 1GB
Pushed the Power button for the PC and the desplay is corrupted.
I tried the 4 possible configurations for Jumpers 7 and 8 to alter the FSB speed with no luck.
I also tried the 4 different J7 and J8 configurations without having the HDD and DVD-RW drives connected - same result.
I also tried the 4 different J7 and J8 configurations with the Secondary VGA output connected to my monitor.
I also tried the 4 different J7 and J8 configurations with the S-Video output connected to my TV and no signal at all.
Both my monitor and HDD work fine with my other PC.
I noticed the jumper pins are not numbered - made the configuration job a bit more tedious.
Please note the LCD screen works correctly, however the redio tuner in HiFi mode doesn't pick up any local stations.
As I am a Software Test Engineer, I am 100% confident I have checked all possible configurations including clearing the CMOS, but the system simply will not display to the VDU. The POST should at least be visible when Power is turned on for the PC mode.
NOTE: I will update the RAM Brand as soon as I find out the title from the supplier, but I believe it is OEM.
NOTE II: this is the URL to the CPU used: http://www.excaliberpc.com/product_info.php?products_id=1798
PLeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssss ssssssssssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eee help ease my pain!!

Similar Messages

Things to know before building a Mega 651 (and other things you should know afte

Okay, following hot on the heels of the "things to know" series on Mega 180 and 865, I thought I'd just chip in with this short post on what you should know before splashing out on a nice budget Mega 651
PROCESSOR SUPPORT:
The official list of supported CPUs can be found here:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/slim_pc/slm/pro_slm_cpu_support_detail.php?UID=431&kind=4
Basically the ageing SiS651 chipset does not support Celeron / P4 cpus above 533mhz, and does NOT support the newer "Prescott" core cpus
Celeron > 400Mhz FSB
P4 Northwood > 533mhz FSB (512kb L2 cache)
MEMORY:
Basically to add to what is listed in the 865 "things to know"; from my own experience of using MSI motherboards in the past, ALWAYS use good quality branded memory, as using cheaper "generic" types inevitably leads to major problems. I know for a fact that Crucial, Kingston and Samsung types work well in MSI motherboards, and you should be okay with other high-end brands like Corsair and Geil.
DRIVERS:
DON'T bother using MSI LiveUpdate! The drivers provided on the cd supplied will work, but if you wish to download the latest drivers, you will find them here:
http://download.sis.com/
Download and install the:
Chipset Software > SiS AGP (Gart) Driver
IGP Graphics Drivers > SiS650 and 740 series
http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/dlac97-2.aspx?lineid=5&famid=12&series=8&Software=True
for Realtek AC97 Audio drivers
http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloads1-3.aspx?lineid=1&famid=3&series=16&Software=True
For Realtek Onboard Network interface
The modem drivers supplied on the CD should work, I really don't know much about them as I have never used them (sorry). Failing that, if you are connected to the internet, Windows Update should be able to find them for you.
OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORT
MSI state that only Windows XP is supported on Mega 651 (and other Mega barebones). Other versions of Windows (98, ME, 2000) will work provided you have drivers for hardware devices, all of which are provided on the install CD or from the links supplied above.
You'll find that earlier versions of Windows won't have the drivers for the built-in card reader, so you may have to do a "google" search to get them. On my Mega 651, they are listed in Device Manager as "OEI-USB" devices.
If you haven't already got Windows XP then I suggest you consider upgrading at the earliest opportunity; Microsoft themselves no longer support Win 98 / ME and most new software is being designed to work only with Windows XP
Please note that MSI do NOT supply or support drivers for Linux; if you wish to attempt to install Linux on a Mega 651 (or other Mega PC model) you will need to obtain drivers yourself. The remote and LCD display functions will also not be available under Linux, unless some clever bod has developed drivers to do so.
MEGA RADIO AND LCD DISPLAY:
Download the Mega LiveUpdate for Mega 651 from here:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/software/swr/spt_swr_detail.php?UID=431&kind=4
This will update your MEGA Radio program, update the BlueBird HIFi module firmware and allow you to set a "greeting" displayed on the LCD display when you switch on HiFi mode. Apart from that the LCD display serves NO other purpose in PC mode.
After updating the firmware, you should power off your Mega 651, unplug the mains power cord for a few seconds then reconnect and restart for changes to take place.
OTHER MSI SOFTWARE:
If you REALLY must try out MSI Media Center III, it does work on the Mega 651, but I don't think the remote will work correctly.
Although PCAlert 4 has been reported to work on the Mega 651 - having read the numerous problems most users have, I don't advise installing it. If you do get it to work correctly, unlike on the Mega 180 and 865, it will not display temps or fan speeds on the LCD display, as this feature only works on the 180 and 865, as they use diferent LCD displays.
EXPANSION CARDS:
Same as with other Megas, you get 1 AGP and 1 PCI slot.
The AGP slot only supports up to 4x cards; a faster card will work, but only at 4x.
Space is limited, if you decide to fit a PCI TV tuner card, you will be limited as to which AGP card you can fit. A full length card is probably not recommended, and a model with a slimline (or even passive) heatsink would be best.
A better alternative would be to go for a VGA card with built in TV tuner, such as MSI TV5200-VTDF128 or an ATI Radeon All-In-Wonder card (ATI AIW is supported in WinXP MCE05)
ON-BOARD VGA
The SiS651 chipset is pretty old now, and the on-board SiS650 VGA is not up to playing any of the latest games, as it is only DirectX 7.0 compliant and does not support Hardware Texture & Lighting. However, it is adequate for playing back DVDs as it supports hardware acceleration (in PowerDVD for example), and general video output is decent. The maximum shared video memory size is 64mb.
The Mega 651 does NOT feature TV-out as standard. You can however either buy an AGP video card which includes TV-out feature, or the Mega TV-out card (availble in UK from www.dabs.com). Please note, this card is ONLY for Mega 651, and does NOT work with the 865 model. (The 180 does however, thanks to nforce2 chipset, support TV-out as standard)
ON-BOARD AUDIO
The Realtek ALC650 AC97 audio codec offers 5.1 surround sound (with suitable speakers of course ) as well as SP-DIF for digital output.
The sound quality is quite reasonable; i'm currently listening to MP3s through a set of Creative Inspire 5.1 speakers, and its certainly good enough for me.
There are three audio connectors on the rear, they default to:
GREEN - Front speakers
BLUE - Line In
PINK - Mic
To connect surround sound speakers correctly, you need to use the Realtek audio configuration tool (located in the Taskbar by the clock). Set the speaker config to 4 or 6 channel (5.1) and then click on the boxes to the right to configure the rear ports correctly
GREEN - Front speakers
BLUE - Rear Speakers
PINK - Subwoofer / Centre Speaker
NOTE: If you do decide you want to install a PCI soundcard, be aware that you will lose the Radio function in PC mode, and for audio output in Hi-Fi mode you will need to reconnect audio plugs from your soundcard to onboard sockets. The Hi-Fi mode and Radio only work with the onboard audio.
POWER SUPPLY
All the Mega series barebones come with a 200w PSU. Don't even think about upgrading to a higher output type, as the Mega PSU is a non-standard type. A standard ATX PSU will NOT physically fit inside the Mega case. Besides which, the Mega series have a special connector which powers the Bluebird hi-fi module and on-board sound when the PC is off. And there is a special Molex power connector for the CD/DVD drive, also for that to be used when PC is off.
WINDOWS XP MCE 2005
Media Center 2005 requires a DirectX 8.1 / 9.0 compliant video card with a minimum of 64mb RAM, 128mb RAM is recommended, however, for best performance. So you will need an AGP card, because SiS do not provide any MCE-compatible drivers. The TV@anywhere TV tuner (MS8606-10) and Mega TV Tuner (MS8606-40) are not supported by MCE05, because MCE2005 requires a TV card that will provide a direct MPEG2 stream, which a PVR card such as the Hauppage PVR MCE series can do (as a hardware card, MSIs card are software only and rely on drivers to do MPEG encoding), or a dedicated DVB-T card which receives an MPEG2 signal over the air.
MEGA 651 REMOTE
If you fit an MSI TV@anywhere card to your Mega 651, the Mega remote can be used to control the MSIPVS software, providing you use the remote receiver supplied with the TV@nywhere card. The Mega remote is designed to work natively with the MSI Media Center, and MSI Mega Radio programs only.
If you wish to program the remote to operate other programs within windows, then you will need a program called Girder, and the accompanying MSI plugin, kindly provided by nathan. please see his sticky thread for more info, about his plugin, and how to obtain Girder.
BROKEN HEATSINK MOUNTING CLIPS
https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=96148.0
Phew, thats about it. If any other Mega 651 users think I've missed anything out, please feel free to tell me.
For other general hints and tips, look through the "things to know" posts regarding the 865 and 180.
MEGA 651 =

Quote
PROCESSOR SUPPORT:
The official list of supported CPUs can be found here:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/slim_pc/slm/pro_slm_cpu_support_detail.php?UID=431&kind=4
Basically the ageing SiS651 chipset does not support Celeron / P4 cpus above 533mhz, and does NOT support the newer "Prescott" core cpus
Celeron > 400Mhz FSB
P4 Northwood > 533mhz FSB (512kb L2 cache)
your processor is not supported. please start a new thread if you need help

Mega 865PRO - Things to know before building...

MSI Mega 865PRO Barebones SFF PC
Hello there!
Following on from the success of the previous stickies on the Mega 180, 651 and 865, we present to you a new sticky on the most recent addition to the MSI Mega PC range: the 865PRO.
Unfortunately, I have no first-hand experience of using one of these, and as no-one else has bravely stepped forward to do the honours, I think we have enough already for me to start a sticky FAQ anyway.
If you have any valuable info that needs to be shared with other Mega 865PRO users, then please feel free to post in this thread, and at some point, I will integrate it into the main FAQ post.
If you want to ask a question, or need help, then start a new topic, please don't clutter this thread with useless or irrelevant posts. You will always get much better help by starting your own topic, and it keeps this thread useful.
InstantOn
Intervideo's InstantOn is a small Linux-based OS that allows fast booting to an environment where you can listen to music, radio, watch TV and DVDs, without booting up into Windows.
You must install InstantOn to a clean, unpartitioned drive. In other words, if you built your 865PRO with a brand new hard drive, you must install it before you install Windows.
We still don't have a definitive answer on what card the Mega 865PRO TV Tuner card is, but a look on Intervideo's website, tells us that the program supports TV cards based on the following chipsets:
Conexant 2388x
Bt878
Philips SA713x
which to me appear to be most software-based analogue TV tuners out there. InstantOn does not support DVB-T cards, only analogue.
InstantOn will also only work with the onboard Intel 865G chipset, so you won't be able to use it with an nVidia or ATi add-in AGP card. (It does work with other graphics chips but they are only solutions you will find in other integrated chipsets, such as SiS 650 and Via CLE266.)
InstantOn will also only work with the integrated audio, however you could use an addin soundcard, provided it was one of the following:
Advance Logic
Aureal Vortex
C-Media
Creative Sound Blaster Live
ForteMedia
ESS
Yamaha
Crystal
which does narrow your options somewhat....
CPU Support
Mega 865PRO is designed to support most Socket775 Intel Pentium 4 and Celeron CPUs. You can find the latest CPU support list here:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/slim_pc/slm/pro_slm_cpu_support_detail.php?UID=602&kind=4
Please note that if you intend to use a Pentium 4 6xx CPU which includes EMT64 64bit instruction set, then you will need to upgrade your BIOS to remedy a random crashing issue, addressed in BIOS version 1.1 (110). If your system already has this BIOS version, then you do not need to update.
Installing Windows to C: partition
Same as with the other Mega PCs, if you go to install Windows, the text setup program automatically allocates C: and D: to the card reader devices, and E: to the optical (CD/DVD) drive. Which leaves Windows to install on the F: partition which you will create on your hard drive. Not normally much of a problem, as Windows will work wherever you install it, but some programs are not happy if they can't find your Windows directory on the C:, most notably Intervideo software
So how to get round this? If you aren't using a USB keyboard, then you can just disable the USB controller in the BIOS setup, then you can re-enable it at any point following the first restart after Windows has created and formatted the partition and copied the installation files.
However if you need to use a USB keyboard during the text-based setup stage, then you will have to open your case and locate and disconnect the card reader connector from the motherboard. Do this with the power off, and reconnect when powered off also. You can do this at any point, when you start your PC, Windows will find the new hardware and automatically install the drivers for it.
The LED Display
The LED panel on the 865PRO is very different to the earlier Megas. It doesn't use the same Bluebird module, and doesn't have a 'Hi-Fi' mode. Therefore it is impossible to use Nathan's Girder plugin, to program the remote to work with programs other than Intervideo/MSI Media Centre II
However Digest and Kane81 have both been investigating methods of getting alternative information onto the LED display.
According to Kane81 in this thread, the LED display already displays some information, when running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (MCE2005): Mega865 LED display support in MCE
And Digest is working on his own utility to be able to display other information on the display, you can follow progress by reading this thread: 865PRO LED (VFD) panel, again
And this thread gives more info about configuring the System Control Manager utility: https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=92403.0

I have BIOS 1.0 installed in my 865 PRO, and i also have the known problem. BUT, when i try to do an automated download of the new BIOS, 1.1 hopefully (I´ve seen 1.3) the software do not find any new BIOS for me. Tried to use the console, but that was to complex. I have the lastest version of the software. Help please!
/PetherB

Things to know before (and after) building a Mega 865

As I am seeing a lot of the same questions regarding the Mega 865 I created this document,
29-Oct-2004 Added Northwood benefits
29-Oct-2004 Emphasized NOT to use live update for bios update
Processors in general
Start with the processor, I would say get something around 3 gighz (give or take) which is quite affordeble. If you are going for a prescott, make sure you upgrade your bios to 1.3 (see below).It will run a bit hot (understatement) otherwise.
If going for northwood any version is ok I believe. When I chose mine I let $$$ descide, and the prescott was on sale. (If I would buy a CPU for the Mega again, I would most likely go for a Northwood this time). Before buying your processor make sure your processor is supported, you can find the supported processors here;
http://cweb.msi.com.tw/program/products/slim_pc/slm/pro_slm_cpu_support_detail.php?UID=547&kind=4
Harddisk
As for Harddisk, I would suggest anything goes but take a serial ata since that is becoming the new standard nowadays.
When buying a HD larger than 130 Gig, make sure you install from a Windows XP SP1 CD (or higher) or divide your HD in smaller pieces. Otherwise you will not get a bigger partition than 130 Gigs.
DVD/CDROM
As for DVD/CD player, there is a special thread (see below) where everyone states if their DVD/CD player is working with the mega (there are some issues with some drives in HiFi mode, EVEN if they are MSI)
Mega PC barebones optical drive compatibility list
Memory
As for memory, get at least 512 Mb or 1024 Mb if you want to sit cosy. two sticks of DDR400 (a.k.a 3200) will do. Get a a-brand like Kingston, Samsung or look around on the forums what will work.
Installing Windows XP
Before installing Windows disable your USB devices, if you fail to do this you run the chance of not installing Windows XP on your C: drive (harddisk) and this will cause you trouble later on. After installation is complete you may enable them again.
Prescott processors & full size AGP cards
As for the GPU (Graphics card), this depends on what you are going to do with it. If you wanna try out at showshifting, and viewing get one with integrated TV tuner. Or use the on-board (some people are quite happy with it) and add a separate PCI tv tuner. If you wanna do hefty gaming (Doom3, Far Cry ... etc) you may want to get an better one. I'm quite happy with my Radeon 9800.
Please note; According to MSI, Prescott processors in combination with full-size AGP (add-in) cards are not supported. This is most likely a power issue since the full-size cards use a lot of power to run. Some forum members, stuborn as they are, are running with a full-size card.
Also note that you are installing a full-size card on your own risk in combination with a Prescott processor.
To calculate your estimated power supply take a look here;
http://www.jscustompcs.com/power_supply/
The following graphics cards seem to be working (please add to this thread if you have tested a full-size card with a Prescott processor so I can add it to this document)
Club3D Radeon AIW 9800 PRO
ATI Radeon ALL-IN-WONDER 9600 XT
ATI Radeon 9800 SE
AOPEN Aeolus 5900XT 128 Mb
Wise words from Stu:
If you do not want to take chances, go with a Northwood processor. Apperantly there is little perfomance difference between a Northwood and a Prescott processor, and the Northwood runs slightly cooler too.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 & Bios Update
When installing Windows XP with SP2 make sure you have the latest Bios version loaded (1.3) or install a Microsoft work-around fix. SP2 will not install without it, and you will have a hard time getting your system to work.
The Microsoft work-around fix can be found here;
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;885626
The latest bios version can be downloaded here;
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/bios/bos/spt_bos_detail.php?UID=547&kind=4
To install the latest bios, I would advise against using live-update. Use one of the following options instead;
1) Burn a bootable CD-Rom also containing the bios and flash software, (note some of the original Win98 CD's are bootable to MS-DOS prompt)
2) Create a bootable USB-memory key
--- Download the HP util to create one
--- http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/hpcpqdt/us/download/20306.html
--- Then create a bootable floppy on an other system or download from
--- http://www.allbootdisks.com/
--- (I used the Win98SE No ramdrive )
--- Then use the HP tool (on an system with an floppy drive) and enter a: as the source for booting,
--- and use the above created floppy.
--- Then copy the rest of the files from the a:\ drive (like autoexec.bat, config.sys etc) to the memory key.
--- ... and ... voila one bootable USB
--- make sure in the bios that the boot order of the USB key is before the Harddisk and your set to go.
3) Attach a floppy drive to the Mega 865
Bios update failure
Some people still manage to goof-up their bios, by doing the bios update from windows (winflash, live-update). I think there is only one road to travel when this happens, you have to attach a floppy drive to your mega. Then follow the following instructions (Award bios)
http://www.msi.com.tw/html/support/bios/note/boot.htm
Good luck !
PC-Alert
Do not use the PC-Alert version from the MSI website as this does not work together with your Mega 865, instead only use the one on the CD-Rom that was supplied. In general even the supplied PC-Alert has caused a lot of grief (Taking up resources, reboot problems ... etc). If you choose to install PC-Alert, at least remove it from your start-up folder where it is installed. You can always start it manually from the MSI menu in your Start menu.
A good alternative to Pc-Alert is Speedfan, this program should be able to spot your 2 temeperature sensored CPU fans. You can then connect these fans to the CPU temperature sensor and be able to tweak the RPM's according to your need. Speedfan 4.17 can be found here;
http://www.almico.com/speedfan417.exe
Temperatures
As these tiny PC's have very little space, it is quite normal for them to run a bit hot. Do not be alarmed to see CPU temperatures around 60-65 degrees when running on load (depending on your processor of course).
Wireless Network adapter
As for wireless internet, the mega865 has a built-in mini-pci nic (network card). which supports only the 11 Mbps data rate. I think you have to try it out and see how it goes, you can always upgrade to 54 Mbps. I would suggest to get a 54Mbps access point, so you can always upgrade if needed (54Mbps will also work with 11 Mbps) Some forum members have succesfully replaced their Wireless Network adapters with a 54Mbps one. The following network adapters seem to be working;(please add to this thread if you have tested a wireless 54Mbps network adapter so I will add it to this document)
Intel PRO/Wireless BG Network Adapter
6 Channel sound
I recently bought a 5.1 set from Soundblaster. You can connect the 3 connectors to the back of your Mega, then in the Sound util set it up for 5.1 surround sound and you are ready to go. Definately worth it !
Reboot problems
When you run into problems when the Mega reboots suddenly, watch out for a couple of things.
Always check your event/log viewer. It is in your configuration management, but the easiest way to start it is to enter the following in your Run or Command line entry
eventvwr /s
Check if you see red-dots in your application section or system section. Google the problems before dropping them on the forum ! (As most problems are not Mega related IMHO)
One problem I had was caused by BITS 1.5, I had to upgrade to BITS 2.0. (I think it was recently released by Microsoft-Update but I mention it anyway). Bits 1.5 caused my Mega to reboot.
LCD Display / Sound problems
If you have any problems where your front LCD display is not working or your on-board sound is 'missing' first try unplugging your mega from the power outlet (so completely powering down) for 2 minutes. If you still have problems, drop them on this forum.
LCD API ?
Alas, no external programs are available to 'drive' your LCD display. Nor will MSI release an API/Blue print on how to control it.
If you find anything missing here or have additional tips, please add them to this thread and I will update this document.
Good luck with your Mega !
Raymond

rkoppen i salute you
a truly glorious summing up of the main points asked about the Mega 865 in particular, although many points will invariably refer also to the other Mega series
if i can add my tuppence worth, anyone considering going for a powerful graphics card can always shy away from the prescott
i was reading an article just when the prescott core cpus came out and the review basically said that there wasn't really much performance wise between the new prescott and the older Northwood cores.
obviously newer prescotts have higher clock speeds now (3.2? 3.4??), but surely a 2.8ghz CPU is still going to be powerful enough to play the latest games!! (in conjunction with a top graphics card obviously)
is the extra temp increase surely worth the extra couple of hundred mhz?

Things to know before the upgrade to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)?

I am pretty sure my kit qualifies for the upgrade, and I am quite excited about this. I hope I have made the right choice. Let me tell you, a few days after SE announced that X10 is going to get the upgrade (to Gingerbread) , I couldn't resist the temptation to grab this model immediately, particularly since I was wanting to experience Android OS after a few years using Symbian (my previous phone was N95 - 8GB and Nokia 6600). The price is quite decent for a handset with quite impressive features (8MP camera, etc). My experience with my new phone is pretty good thus far, except for a few issues that we are aware of (eg Flash not supported).
Now, what are the things that I have to know before the upgrade, since downgrading is not supported? I am not a phone geek, and all I have done so far was to back up all my apps (using Astro). I know all the contents of my SD Card won't be affected. I wish to keep all my contacts, messages if that is possible.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Edit01:
Thanks to Dnny and uliwooly! Very informative replies from both of you. Keep the replies coming! I actually created this thread/post to keep all X10 users updated, and help them decide whether they should upgrade to 2.3 or not. If they choose to, hope this serves as a guideline to prepare them for it.

the Backup and Restore app will work just fine, if its not included w/ the update as SE said, you can always re-install it
Use this link instead to download the apk
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=I5CJUPJV
How to install it
You need to
go to settings -> applications -> check unknown sources
download IO File Manager
https://market.android.com/details?id=org.openintents.filemanager&feature=search_result
download the backup & restore app, transfer it to your SD card, use OI file manager to find it -> tap on it -> install it
just to play it safe sync your contacts w/ google if you haven't already
open your phonebook
press MENU button -> tap on Send Contacts -> select all -> send it to your email
on your computer
-> download the file -> go to your gmail -> click on contacts -> click on more actions -> on the drop down menu click on "import" -> choose the file -> and click import
"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)

What to know before rebuilding your credit with secured credit cards

The higher your original CL, the higher they can be raised to new higher CLs. I remember using Open Sky secured card and the $200 CL never went up in a 6 months. I got a CreditOne card with a $300 CL and was increased to $500 within 3 months. Not surprisingly, when I applied for Capital One nonsecured cards, I started at $500 (the highest CL of my two secured cards). Your available credit is a factor in your score so the more money you can put into these cards, the better - bc your score will be higher and will give you a better foundation of starting CL in the future.
Keep in mind, there are of many fees associated with SCCs and make sure to take that into account from the get go. This can range to annual fees to monthly charges to even transactiom costs when you swipe. Read the fine print and find a reasonable card without outrageous fees. I beleive I used CreditOne bc they didn't cost as much as others.
When starting out, an upfront fee may kill your utilization the first month. For instance, if you have a $49 CL and upfront annual fee is $27, you're already at 54% utilization. And if you pay that immediately, it won't matter bc your remaining available credit will still be $22 and your first month reported to the bureaus will show high utilization (or in any lenders eye's - high risk). So find out what upfront fees will hit the first month and depsit enough money to stay under 30% UTIL. Build a healthy habit of not crossing 30% utilization and pay your cards off 10 days before they're due the first time around bc some companies take up to a week post your payment and you never want to be late. This way you know how to time your payments.
The amount of credit accounts also is a factor in your score so if you can afford to, get two or more. The best way to do this is apply for one, make your first payment that will typically include your upfront annual fee. Wait for that payment to clear, then apply for another card. Lenders see payments will often grant you cards with signs you pay your balances. This healthy process of applying for CCs can be used with the regular CCs you will be eligible for, usually in 6 months time.
Keep in mind that your reporting date is usually 3 days after your statement date and timing is key. Let's say you have a $300 card. You've used $75 to stay under 30% and you know your due date is the 20th of the month. You make a payment on the 16th for $75 and it posts on the 19th returning your balance to $0. The next day, your due date, the day closes in good standing. Within a 3-10 days the balance will reflect your credit report. Try to use 1-9% (or 29% max) of your CL in this window bc having 1-9% UTIL reporting is better $0 reporting and you don't have to carry a balance and pay interest. These rebuilder cards prey on those who cannot manage their cards. But that's not you bc you know the game and are here to beat the system.
You want move to $0 annual fee CCs asap so feel free to apply for unsecured CCs within 6 months. Capital One is known grant cards and forgive for past mistakes so apply there after 6 months if you're not aware of bettet options.
It also ould be a good idea to take $500 and deposit as a CD with your bank and use that as collateral for a secured credit card. Its the same concept as a secured card but you get interest back with your original deposit.
Hope this helps someone.
Much love,.
Romulus

Personally, I would keep your utilization down to 10% or less for a few months and lie low, just showing responsible card usage. Keep checking the Capital One prequalification page after that, and once you become prequalified for the unsecured Platinum, take the chance, as the prequals are usually pretty solid.
When you get your unsecured Platinum, use it a whole lot and either pay in full every month, or, like with your secured, keep it at 10%-below. Meanwhile, definitely pay your secured in full every month. At about 5 months, if you displayed heavy (but responsible) usage, they should give you a pretty good CLI--I often see people go from $300 to $1500.
By then you should probably have your charge-off paid for, so, while it won't remove it off of your report, it will help. You'll also have a decent unsecured card, and by then I would feel comfortable applying for another card and maybe closing your secured card after that, since it unfortunately won't graduate.
BoA has a secured card that will graduate, but their prequalification page is utter garbage, so you'll be taking a huge chance by applying, and there will be a chance at denial even with recon. However, if you do get it, it will be great to have an evolving credit card in your hand, as you won't have to close the line (as I'm sure you'll eventually need to do with the Capital One).
I dunno, I'm a pretty conservative person when it comes to this credit game, so my offered plan might be a bit lukewarm, but I think it might be pretty solid for you. Good luck, you can do this!

Things to know before I buy a new iPod?

I've been wanting to buy an iPod touch 32GB 3rd gen lately and been looking to buy one used on ebay since I'm short on money and I'll get one sooner or later, but as I've been reading on these forums, I have noticed there's been a bunch of problems with the new OS version 3.1.3.
Wifi is the biggest single thing on this for me and this is where most of the problems I've read have been so tell me, should I wait out on buying one or is there a way to download to downgrade to 3.1.2 or avoid having to update it.
I have iTunes latest version on my PC if that matters at all.

" I have noticed there's been a bunch of problems with the new OS version 3.1.3."
Most people never have a problem. We have never had a problem nor do we know anyone (personally) that has.
This is a support forum. People come here because they have a problem. If you go to the hospital, you will see a lot of sick people. That does not mean that most people are sick.
People complain on these forums after each and every upgrade.
There is no legit way to downgrade.

Mega 180 garbled

About a week ago my 180 shut itself off. Ever since, on reboot the display is flickering and the text garbled. This happens at POST and in the BIOS, before Windows loads (I've removed the HDD now as I believe it is dead - this may be what caused the initial shutdown).
By garbled, I mean that many characters are incorrectly displayed. For example, the word "BIOS" displays as "BIOC"; the letter S always displays as C.
I have tried resetting the CMOS by removing the battery and flashing the BIOS in the hope of recovering it (not fun when the display is garbled). I still have the same problem.
Help. Please.

I had to "borrow" some replacement PC2700 memory from my machine at work. This solves the problem
It seems that BOTH of the Corsair memory sticks are faulty - I've tried each of them individually, one gives the "garbled" problem and the other is dead (mobo just beeps away at me).
BTW the HDD is not completely broken - I've managed to install it as a slave in another machine to recover some files. Seems there's just something wrong in the Windows startup (MBR appears to be OK as the Mega starts to boot Windows (XP)).
I'll be paying close attention to the "Things to Know Before Building Your Mega 180" thread when purchasing new memory and putting everything back together. I plan to get a bigger HDD & TV Card and get my Mega hooked up to my TV. Something I was looking into when it died. Now I can look into it again with a big smile on my face
Thanks Stu!

Remote PSU for MEGA 180

I'm proposing this as just an idea and if anyone out there is skilled with electronics it is something to consider. In fact, I may do it myself.
OK, down to business. What's the single biggest component in any Mico PC? The power supply unit (PSU). In addition, the PSU throws off alot of heat (most is vented out the back but infra-red is radiated throught the case) and is generally noisy (fans). Lastly, PSUs in micro pc's are usually underpowered. Myself, I usually put in a minimum of a 350 watt PSU when I build a PC (preferably 450W). PSUs are often ignored but believe me, a high quality PSU is critical to making a dependable PC. In fact, may PC's I've repaired that were suffering from mysterious reboots were because of low quality PSUs giving off 'dirty' power.
So here's what I'm thinking. Take the PSU out of the MEGA 180 (or any micro PC), buy a high quality, high powered PSU, and mount it remotely. All you will need to do is splice in wire b/w the PSU and the plug ends (solder and use heat shrink tubing). Then, use a wire loom to make all the power leads into one nice cable. You could place the PSU in an out of the way area. I'm thinking a lenght of about 3 feet would be great.
So what will you do with all the extra space you've created in your MEGA 180??? How about a nice big heatsink on the CPU??? Or, what about a second hard drive mounted where the PSU was? The options are endless.
I've used a PC power supply to make a regulated 12 volt power source. To see how, check out my website at http://www.e-maxximumrc.com/html/power_supply.html

As far as I can make out, the MSI PSU does have some 'special' outputs as the Radio and CD can be powered when the Power Supply is 'Off'.
You would just need to make a 1 to 1 cable to get the power to the Chassis and the original connectors if you were just remote mounting the MSI supply. If you did want to buy a new PSU then you would need to measure what voltages you get where with the MSI PSU 'Off' and also check that the ATX connector (and the others) are standard as I would imagine this is a Custom PSU for MSI and there is a danger that things may not be as they appear. For instance, I know that Dell have standard looking ATX PSU's but when you actually check the pinout, they are different and connect a normal PSU to a Dell system and it becomes very 'interesting' - mostly a lot of electrons escape in the form of smoke!!

MEGA 180 Advice

hey folks....
Im looking to buy a MEGA 180 and am after some quick info and advice....Basically what I am looking to do is use this machine as a movie player, you know DivX, XviD, blah blah and for the occasional websurf and game nothing too intense. I want to link it directly to my TV so no VGA screen will ever be pluged into it, this eliminated the pentium series because I wanted to spend a little as possible.
Anyway...I wanted to know if the TV Tuner card that can be bundled with the system will allow for you to record multiple stations at a time. You know Channel 7 and 9 both at 8:30 til 10:30 or whateva.
The other thing is that I wanted it link it to my main system whiich is located downstairs. This is where the wireless connection would be handy. However I am under the impression that 802.11b will give me with very slow transfer rates, can a 802.11g mini lan card be installed instead, (do they even exist?). Also how well will a wireless lan function when it will be operating for a vertical layout?
sorry bout the huge post..........any advice or suggestions would be great!?!!?
thanks
oh yeah........nearly forgot......the remote control, can I use that with Windows XP Media Centre? I have heard that the MSI center is kinda crapola in comparison...but I didnt want to loose the remote functions

Good to come to this place before buying the MEGA 180.
The first question: No! With the TV-card from MSI that contain only one tuner it's not possible to record more than one channel at a time. I don't know whether PCI-cards exist that have more than one tuner. Another possibility is to go for a PCI TV-card AND a AGP All-in-one graphics card. Make sure that both cards are equipped with hardware MPEG encoders otherwise your proc won't keep up and you'll end up watching stuttering movies. Also note that the MSI cards don't support automatic power-up/shutting down of the PC. There are other cards that can.
Concerning the wifi connection: you can indeed replace the 802.11b mini-pci card with a 802.11g version. They are readily available on the Internet. Whether you have the full 54Mbps transfer speed will depend on the distance and type of floor/ceiling between both PC's.
JaDi.

Choppy Video on MEGA 180

Hi all,
I'm suffering from choppy video playback on my MEGA 180. By choopy I mean every ten seconds or so it will freeze up for a split second, the audio stays in sync, but you can slightly tell that the video stops, or skips.
This happens when watching .avi, DivX or even commercial DVD's. It also happens on my screen saver.
Since I was using the onboard video I thought I'd try using a video card but the same thing.
What I can't figure out is what the onboard video and a seperate video card have in common, since it's happening to both.
My onboard video has the latest drivers, and the PC as a whole is up to date.
Any suggestions are greatly needed.
Thanks.

can you give more information on the hardware you have installed in your Mega 180?
and can you give more background information; ie how long have you had this system, has it ever worked correctly, did the problem start after you installed any particular software, etc etc...

MSI Media Live -- Mega 180 all over again???

Well, since there isn't a forum dedicated to the MSI Media Live barebones, I figured I post it here. Let me just start off by saying that I was very hesitant to buy another MSI barebones after the last overheating fiasco with the Mega 180 that I previously purchased. So, I bought the Media Live, along with 2GB of RAM and an AMD 5200+ X2 CPU and a 320GB SATA drive.
I tried installing Windows Media Center 2005. It installed but getting it to boot reliably each and every time without a blue screen proved to be an impossible task. I switched the CPU, the memory and the HD with no change. One thing that did strike me is the VGA BIOS on the system that states that it's not for production use. So, I went and purchased Vista Ultimate. That installed fine and it boots up with no blue screens which is a good thing. Of course, vista is very buggy and annoying and I would love to put MCE 2005 back on this thing. There are absolutely no driver/bios updates on the MSI Media Live barebones. I understang that it's new, but a pre-production VGA bios is unacceptable. Oh yeah, I forgot the most annoying thing about it. The front slot to feed a CD/DVD does not align properly with the actual optical drive, so when you eject cd/DVD it gets stuck. That of course is a workmanship issue. I would love to get a new front that actually works for this.

Well, the link doesn't work. It takes me to the MSI global site. Why should I contact the reseller? It's not their fault MSI has a QA problem! It's not like the flip door on the Mega 180 ever worked right anyways, did it? It's not like the Mega 180 didn't get hot as hell, but MSI continued to sell it, didn't they? Any other manufacturer would have recalled all the units instead of having posts on their forums on how to cool down your mega 180 and by the way, by following these instructions you invalidate your warranty, blah blah blah!. I mean seriously, who does that?
There is nothing to adjust on the drive cage as far as I can tell. I think it's a poorly designed front. I'm sure I'm going to end up being yet another beta tester for MSI with this unit just like I was with the Mega 180. I just wish the media live doesn't end up being the same crap that the mega 180 was.
I'm sure this topic will be censored by MSI. I hope not, because it will be re-posted on anandtech as well as hardocp and any other forums that I see fit. All I want is a properly working unit without me having to do any freaking adjustments to it. I don't think it's too much to ask from a manufacturer. I'm simply not going to take it in the rear from MSI on this one!!! Once was enough. This time I will make a big stink about it.

Mega 180 turns on for 2sec. then dies...please HELP

I was so excited about this system after building it (Mega 180). When I turn it on the pc starts for 2-3 sec. and then turns off. I've tried changing the CPU and memory but have been unsucessful. Has anyone else had this problem? Someone please help!!

I had just the opposite problem. When booting and recognizing drives, the computer would proceed very slooooooly - about 5 minutes to initialize the HD and DVD drive. So I tried changing both drives from Master to Cable Select. Zoom! Now it takes only 1 to 2 seconds.
Your problem could be power supply related. Are both PS connectors firmly connected to the motherboard? Maybe the PS is faulty. Does the PC run in HiFi mode?

Mega 180 DVD problem

Dear all,
I know the problem with optical drives has been discussed many times, the NEC ND-2500A is supposed to work (somewhat).
With me it has been working almost ok for some time but now it shows the typical behaviour that many had to complain about with their drives:
- system hangs when change disc, need reboot
- eject button stops working
Sometimes, when I am lucky, I reboot and I manage to acess a CD or DVD, but I can never eject, if I do by opening the lid and pressing the drive button and try any other disc, it will hang.
I thought perhaps this was due to something I had installed, but no, I have two OS loaded, I checked with both and I get the same behaviour. I don't think it has to do with the drive itself, did not flash it and did not record anything recently. Autoplay is disabled. I reinstalled the original drivers that came with the PC, nothing.
WHY?
Can someone please help?
Thanks in advance.

> What do you mean by "somewhat", did you have the eject problems from the beginning?
Jadi,
The eject button of the Mega sometimes stopped working but I could simply eject by pushing the button on the drive. Reading the discs was not a problem.
> Have you tried to unplug the powercord? This will cause the Bluebird controller to reset itself. I can imagine that the BB controller software is not fully compatible with the NEC 2500 although it worked from the beginning.
Actually yes, I had to unplug a few times to open the box and check if every connection was OK, I booted without the drive and than agin with it to see if anything would change, no result, still hanging.
ANYONE HAS AN IDEA???
WHY DOESN'T IT WORK ANYMORE?
> Something else, how does your MEGA 180 perform with the 30" (!!) LCD screen?
Excellent so far, especially with DVDs (now nix) but it depends how you want to use it, knowing that picture artefacts become more visible with larger sizes.
I am using the MegaPC as a Multimedia center in the living room for everything (including DVD and Divx playback, Sat receiver and Hard Disk recorder, MP3 jukebox, streaming radio) but the instability of the Mega forced me to keep the standard CE equipment around for back-up.
Dark scenes are a bit the weakspot for LCD vs plasma because of backlight, but brightness is better, and for the rest is great.
Another problem in my setting is deinterlacing with TV content from satellite. I use the Moonlight's Elecard SW decoder. With high motion sequences especially (eg sport) the performance is poor. I am not sure if a good AGP video card would bring about any improvement, I guess is a SW issue still (performance limit?). I tried the ATI AIW 9800 in the past, graphics looked nice, but the TV was not satisfactory, so I use the RF tuner of of the 30"LCD at the moment.
If you consider buying a widescreen display to use with a HTPC, the 300WN5QS is great, it is a monitor with TV fiunction, so has all the setting features you'd expect from a high-end monitor, not the crappy CE settings you find on TV sets.
(I don't mean to do any advertisement here, but if you are interested in specs you can check: http://www.lcddiscount.nl/LCDDiscount.html?url=/Philips-300WN5QS-Zilver-details-thuisbioscoop.html )
Cheers,
Marc

Mega 180 Remote

Hi,
Is there a "code" know'n for the Mega 180 IR-remote
I'd love to use my Marmitek remote for HIFI and CD playing
As i use the Marmitek remote for showshifter on my Mega 180 and for my TV, DVD and Sat set.
Don't like my table full with remote's

LOL
There is not any stockist in France for Mega 180 beacause this Mega is too old and nobody ditribute it now
And MSI France is not able to help me.
I'm very about MSI custumer service.
I must to make everything myself.

Things to Know Before Building Your Mega 180

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