D975XBX2 - New board, several issues!

[bradders]

I've just 'upgraded' to this board from it's older brother, the D975XBX and I must say, it really wasn't worth it!

The board details:
D975XBX2 (Retail Boxed Edition)
Bios 2674
AA D53350-505

OS: Windows 2003 Server, Std Edition. SP2

Problem Number 1:

I've got 4GB of G.Skill F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ memory and neither of the boards like booting up with all 4GB in them. (By 'booting' I mean showing the bios screen, turning the monitor on etc - perhaps it's better known as 'posting' ?)

On the XBX I just used to get beeps, with the XBX2 I get nothing at all.

If I remove *any* 1 of the 4 sticks, it boots fine.

For now I've just had to live with 2GB in the box and another 2GB in a cardboard box! (in an anti-static bag of course ;-) )

Mem timings were set at 4-4-4-12 and I tried a few different voltages in the 2.0 - 2.1 range. The XBX didn't have 2.0, which is basically why I got this new board in the first place, hoping it would fix it and I could use the full 4GB! Now I wish I'd have saved my cash!

Problem Number 2:

I can't get rid of a yellow exclamation mark in device manager on the 'Intel(R) 80332 PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge B - 0332' entry.

Properties on the entry just shows that windows thinks there aren't enough free resources.

Problem Number 3:

Having done a clean install of 2003 Server (SP2) and put all the very latest drivers on, every time I boot up and log in, I'm greeted by a couple of message boxes complaining that the Intel Audio Studio program is unable to initialise some of the Dolby API stuff.

I've tried uninstalling / reinstalling the drivers... no luck.

The sound still works though, or at least the normal wav / mp3 stuff does - I've not tested anything else yet really.

It might well be a different controller, I don't know, but I never had this problem with the XBX.

Problem Number 4:

I have a brand new Dell Perc 4e/DC installed and Vista's setup program simply refuses to find any drives on it - hence I can't install it.

Even if I try to load the drivers manually via the 'Load Driver' option, it finds the hardware entry in the INF files okay, but it still won't show any drives when I click 'Refresh' on the drive list.

I know it's working fine because about 24hrs ago I installed Win2k3 on the same drives / card - and I'm typing this post on it!

I'm wondering if this isn't somehow related to Problem 2?

I've also noticed that the floppy drive light seems to stay on whenever the machine reboots and the Perc card is doing it's little checks / spin ups etc at the SCSI BIOS screen. Some sort of conflict... who knows?!

I've tried the card in PCIe 2 and PCIe 3. Same problem in both.



So basically, if anyone has any ideas on any of these issues, I'd be very glad to hear them. Thanks

[kenc51]

Welcome!

re: Problem Number 1: 4-4-4-12 is very tight timings for 4x sticks, try setting either 5-4-4 or 4-5-4
Also try setting the memory ref speed to 1066, this will reduce the stress on the chipset.

re: Problem Number 2: Have you installed the latest chipset drivers from Intel.com?

re: Problem Number 3: Have you enabled full hardware acceleration?
Goto control panel, sound and audio, "advanced" at the bottom and then "Performance" --> move the slider to full.
Also goto start/run and type "dxdiag" and enable full acceleration for gfx.

[bradders]

Hi,

Thanks for reading through my lengthy post ;)

1. I will try some relaxed timings in the morning, it's a bit of a pain having to remove the GPU to fit the other sticks back in and I can't be bothered to do it now!

I was only really using 4-4-4-12 because that's what the sticks have printed on them and so I figured they'd be my best chance of getting them working.

2. Yup, all the latest drivers of everything. Chipset INF (they're the first thing I install on a new build actually), Matrix Storage, Marvell, Audio, Network, Video etc. I was downloading the latest of everything on one pc whilst the other one was installing.

3. Yup, done that. I have to do that for the GPU under 2k3 (or the display properties control panel tool doesn't load) so I know to check the audio too.

[vbironchef]

I would keep to 2 gb memory
are you running and anti-virus or spyware programs/firewall?
as far as the yellow exclamaton mark in device manager, it should be a driver problem. Try to have windows do a check to see if you have the latest drivers.
I had a problem with zone alarm internet suite. Maybe you do to. I asked for my money back. They did. I got something else. Sometimes programs delete stuff you don't want them to.

[vbironchef]

check to see if you have power cable connected to floppy drive? Sounds stupid but I didn't. I put it in backwards and got a nice red glow.
be careful.

[bradders]

Thanks vbironchef but all that stuff is kinda basic / common sense / newbie-ish!

I like to think I'm way beyond that stage!

Now that it's morning, I will at least try messing around with the RAM timings a bit more. I really want 4GB in the box because of what it has to do - it is acting as a server after all!

[bradders]

Ok, I've spent ages trying loads of different timings and voltages... it just won't boot/post with 4GB of that RAM in it!

It either stays black, resets itself like there's no tomorrow, or gives me the 3 beeps.

I think I'll try posting on the G.Skill forums and see if anyone there from the manufacturers has any ideas.

[Sparky]

I'm not familiar with Windows Server 2003, but I had the same experience with Windows XP Home w/ SP2. Added 2nd matched pair of PC6400/DDR2 for total of 4gb and system would only boot when it wanted to, became unstable and shut down. Ran memtest, no problems. Tried each stick in pairs, mixed pairs, you name it. Bottom line (or so I've read) Windows XP 32 bit doesn't support over 3gb ram. Gave up and stuck w/ 2gb for stability.

[Kodok]

I have a slightly different memory than yours. It's made by GSkill as well.

I set the timing to 5-5-5-14 and 1.88V. So far so good.

[NCrawler]

I'm running 4GB of Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400 with no problems whatsoever. Perhaps it's the GSkill memory which is at fault?


NC

[NCrawler]

Oh, and the only issue I have ever had with this mobo is when I first installed WinXP Pro, the system would not detect the on-board LAN. Couldn't install the drivers for it or anything. A couple of days later when I booted it up, it detected new hardware and let me install the LAN drivers. Kind of weird...

My system:

Intel D975XBX2 Mobo
Inel E6700 (2.66 GHz)
Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400 (4 GB)
XFX Geforce 7900 GT
SB X-Fi Fatal1ty Professional
1 x 160 GB WD SATA HD
1 x 250 GB WD SATA HD SE/16
Plextor SATA DVD +-RW

All SATA devices are on the intel SATA ports and I have not overclocked the processor or messed with the memory timings yet. Now if they would just fix that PS/2 keyboard detection error all would be great!


NC

[bradders]

It's nice to hear that *someone* has managed to get 4GB working in this board!

I'm not sure I can blame g.skill though, they just produce the memory, it's the board that has to support it.

As I mentioned, *any* 3 of the 4 sticks work just fine in *any* of the 4 slots. As soon as I add the 4th one in, it won't post.

I can actually live with the memory thing for now, 2GB isn't so bad and it gives me some spare for the next machine I build ;)

What I'd like to get to the bottom of now is the yellow exclamation on the pci-e to pci bridge and the sound related errors where it complains about not being able to load the Dolby APIs.

Actually, I might just give up and put the old Bad Axe 1 board back in.

That or change to yet another board... maybe the Asus P5W DH or something. I quite like the idea of 3 PCI slots as I have 3 cards I'd like be using.

[wymb]

.
.
.
Problem Number 2:

I can't get rid of a yellow exclamation mark in device manager on the 'Intel(R) 80332 PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge B - 0332' entry.

Properties on the entry just shows that windows thinks there aren't enough free resources.

Problem Number 3:

Having done a clean install of 2003 Server (SP2) and put all the very latest drivers on, every time I boot up and log in, I'm greeted by a couple of message boxes complaining that the Intel Audio Studio program is unable to initialise some of the Dolby API stuff.

.
.
.

Problem Number 4:

I have a brand new Dell Perc 4e/DC installed and Vista's setup program simply refuses to find any drives on it - hence I can't install it.

Even if I try to load the drivers manually via the 'Load Driver' option, it finds the hardware entry in the INF files okay, but it still won't show any drives when I click 'Refresh' on the drive list.

I know it's working fine because about 24hrs ago I installed Win2k3 on the same drives / card - and I'm typing this post on it!

I'm wondering if this isn't somehow related to Problem 2?
.
.
.

I believe your problem #2, #3, #4 are all related to each other and I've detailed them in my message here:

http://forums.legitreviews.com/about9274.html

My message has no solutions, but it reiterates the problems you're having. I think your Dell Perc 4e/DC is the OEM version the LSI Logic card that I have. The D975XBX2 does not seem to like SCSI cards such as these (someone else also had issue with the Areca RAID card).

I think many folks are having your issue but everyone doesn't realize they have the same problem because they see different symptoms (some notice the Dolby Audio problem, while others notice the yellow bang! in Device Manager). In any case, the underlying root cause is the same, the D975XBX2 does not seem to be assigning resources correctly. The older D975XBX works fine. Maybe Intel broke something when they switched to Marvell RAID.

Btw, I buy Crucial RAM and I got 4GB working perfectly on the both D975XBX2 motherboards. No issues at all with RAM. However, I don't overclock or mess around with timings.

[bradders]

Ah good, I'm not the only person trying to use this card (or versions of it) in the Bad Axe 2!

Hopefully someday they'll notice / accept that there's a problem when using this card and fix it.

I'll be sure to keep an eye on your thread incase you get any decent replies.

[EvilEgg]

I have a similar problem, i got the D975XDX2. It works fine with 2x1GB of Mushkin XP2-6400 memory, but when i try to use a total 4 sticks it only shows 2 of the sticks in the BIOS. I tried different timings, but it has no effect. Sometimes it boots and sometimes it doesn't. When i got the 4 sticks in and it boots, i get error messages about have to load the registry from a backup.

Dag nabit, i bought intel for its reliability

[Sparky]

I've had the same problem trying to install 4GB ram. From what I've read it's a Windows XP 32 bit issue. I could get mine to boot but it only saw 3.25 GB and was unstable. Gave up and returned 2GB and left 2GB.

[matsuya]

My specs:

QX6700
BadAxe2
4GB G.Skill F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ
8800GTX
X-Fi XtremeMusic

Memory timings: 4-4-4-12 @ 2.0v

Never had a problem running 4GB of RAM.

[Sparky]

What OS are you using to get 4GB to work?

[matsuya]

What OS are you using to get 4GB to work?

Vista Ultimate 64-bit. But being able to post has nothing to do with what OS is installed. I'm using BIOS 2692 by the way.

[Monk]

I am running 4gb with no issues (other than the Marvell controller, which I don't need anyway). I started with 2gb and added 2 more a month or so later. Granted my memory is rated a lot faster than I am currently pushing it.

I have a cheap BYTECC SCSI card because I needed another IDE drive. No problems there either. Also, a Creative XFI-Music card.

Running dual boot XP 32PRO and Vista 64 Ultimate. Each runs normally.

Regarding only seeing 3.25gb of memory in XP. From what I understand, that is normal. The way XP works, you can have 4gb but it only will show as 4gb minus the memory on your video card and minus something else that I can't remember right now. My video card has 256mb and I am showing 3.325gb of Ram. I believe Vista shows the full 4gb. I really don't worry about it. I got the extra memory for Vista anyway.

Good Luck,