AGP Card Problems

[HRod]

I just built my first system from barebones.
I cannot get the AGP video card to work. Fortuntly
I have an older PCI video card to get me by.

Here's the deal. When AGP card installed and system
rebooted, I get 2-beeps, a pause, 1-beep from my system
and that is all. The screen is dark and I know the boot-up
has failed.

I originally thought it was video card. I have since made two trips to the store to replace, nothing works.
(even tried another brand)

I have a Giga-Byte 7IEX4 mobo and 700 Duron. The bios is
AMI. I'm running win98se with 128MB pc-100 RAM.

I have tried everything possible that I know except new
mobo. Can someone PLEASE help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[kraken]

2 questions

What is the graphics card (specifics).

How many watts is the Power supply unit rated at, include the shared wattage for 3.3 & 5Volts.

What are the BIOS settings for the AGP. It is possible that you have a faulty AGP, Try running it at 1X to see if system boots.

[HRod]

The power supply is 250. As far as the shared numbers I
honestly have no idea. I am new to all of this.

The video card is a Diamond viper V550 AGP 2X w 16MB.
I have also tried an ATI Rage Fury Pro AGP 2X/4X w/32MB.

The BIOS has two items that mention the AGP:
1. VGA Boot From (options are AGP & PCI)
2. PCI/VGAPalette Snoop.

The bios manual is not for beginners, it shows you the items
found in the menus and then the options available.

[kraken]

After searching through the manual on the gigabyte I couldn't find anything concerning the BIOS.

However searching for the beep codes at AMI I found the complete list.
http://www.ami.com/support/doc/beep_codes.pdf

The two beeps that you hear on boot is a parity error and is to do with the memory. The further one beep is a refresh failure.

The document recommends to reseat the memory, if that does not work use known good memory.

I have seen a problem similar to this where the memory was faulty but the card still worked for normal use. As soon as you tried to play any 3D game there were lockups galore.

While you can boot with a PCI card, that card does not use direct memory addressing to access the memory. AGP cards can.

[HRod]

Thanks for your help. I will try to reseat memory.

Could it be I'm using PC100 RAM on a board that supports
PC133? Or does that matter?

[kraken]

Set memory to 100MHz.

The 750 chipset only allows for 100 MHz SDR memory to be used. Using PC133 memory shouldnt be a problem running at 100 MHz.

The memory problems should be contained within the module itself (bad memory).

Support for higher res memory does not come into play unless you are trying to force.

PC133 memory will be capable of being utilised at PC100.

CAS latency is a whole different ballgame.

PC100 is what you should use.

[Edited by kraken on 12-25-2000 at 04:24 AM]

[HRod]

Thanks again kraken!

I have tried every possible configuration with my memory
DIMM's I have in the DIMM slots and nothing works.

If I understand what your telling me, the memory DIMM's I
have are not of the quality I need to support my AGP video
card? And, when/if I go to purchase new memory, I should
purchase PC100 SDRAM?

I apologize for my ignorance on this matter. It's nice to
know there are people out there who will/can help!

[wedor]

No your RAM has nothing to do with your video, that is not what he said. RAM may be one of your problems is all he was saying. It is more likely your power supply is insufficient for that set-up. You need a better power supply.

[Tiretool]

Power supply should support that card, at least past the post. Possibly a memory conflict between the AGP slot and ???

[HRod]

I discovered through a dianostic tool that my AGP port
is set to 1X. The card I purchased is 2X. The BIOS does not
have a setting to change modes.

I'll keep plugging!

[kraken]

Tiretool is as close as I can tell from this distance.

The beep codes are telling you that there is a problem with main memory. As the system works with the PCI card it is most likely to be an AGP problem in accessing memory.

If reseating the memory has not helped then the likely culprit is the memory module itself. Get the store where you bought them to replace them.

Does anyone know of a good memory testing program out there.

Check in your BIOS what the CAS latency settings are. If they are set to CAS2 , then change them to CAS3 (default) to see if that helps (and visa versa). A lot of PC100 memory is CAS2 but will run at CAS3.

Another thought is to change the display graphics aperture to 32Mb from the 64Mb that is the default.

[revelation]

I am sorry to leave a post, not having an answer to the problem. I am just curious as to why the system works OK when the PCI slot is used for the graphics, and the AGP slot does not work. It seems to me that maybe the AGP slot is messed up. When building my first system, I was given the same beeps. I was trying to use a AGP card that was not compatible with my mother board chipset ( I do not believe that this is your problem, the ATI card should work with just about ANYTHING). All I am saying is that it seems to me that maybe it is just the AGP slot itself. If this is a new build with a new motherboard, maybe the motherboard manufacturer could shed some light, at least they may offer a replacement if that is what is needed.

[kraken]

Revelation

The AGP port has direct access to memory at fast rates. Faulty memory can operate under normal conditions, it is just when its pushed it can crumble.

It is possible that the AGP is faulty, and that is why the beep codes are registering faulty memory (how did you fix yours).

As this has been built from a bare bones system, the memory should have come with it? Checking the memory (replacing under warranty) is the first thing to check as the motherboard may have nothing wrong with it. As HROD mentioned that he went to the store twice to replace the vid card, he should be able to go back and get a different stick of memory.

If the replacement memory still shows the same behaviour then the next logical step is the motherboard itself.

[revelation]

Thanks, that makes sense to me. It would be easier to try the memory, as he has with the video card. AMD systems seem to be a lot more fussy when it comes to power supply, memory, and other such things.

[kraken]

AMD processors are certainly fussy about their power supply (they need a lot). Intel is just as fussy when it comes to faulty devices.

[HRod]

New memory did not work.

I have submitted a couple of emails to the support staff
at Giga-Byte describing my problems and hinting towards
my frustration.

Will the 1X setting of my AGP port not work with the 2X
card and visa versa?

Everything I've read from Giga-Byte says this board supports
2X but they say nothing about how to change modes from 1X to
2X.

[kraken]

Someone correct me if I am wrong!

When AGP was first introduced it ran at 1X or 66MHz. 2X AGP is 66MHz (2X PCI 33MHz). The 2X is used to describe this. What diagnostic program did you use.

If the new memory did not work then it is most likely a Mboard problem.

Get something that is not the 750 irongate chipset as it is a bit dated now.

Did you try setting the graphics aperture to 32Mb.

[HRod]

When I installed the new memory I went back and
tried all the things I tried before, setting the
Graphics Aperture to 32 MB was one of them.

I hope Giga-Byte will provide some insight as to the
problem but I'm not going to hold my breath.

I will probably continue to use this older 4MB PCI
graphics card for now until I get a different mobo.

[HRod]

When I installed the new memory I went back and
tried all the things I tried before, setting the
Graphics Aperture to 32 MB was one of them.

I hope Giga-Byte will provide some insight as to the
problem but I'm not going to hold my breath.

The diagnostic program is called "cpu-z". I downloaded
it from cnet's download center (i.e. download.com).

It has a tab for chipset. Under that tab there is an area
for AGP. It's telling me that my AGP status is enabled,
my transfer rate is 1X, the aperture setting is 32 MB,
and that the side band addressing is disabled. Of all these
settings, the aperture size is the only one I can find to
change.

[wedor]

The AGP rate is not your problem, look elsewhere.

[HRod]

The problem has been fixed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like a idiot for not seeing this earlier.
I was able to talk to the head Tech support person
at the store where I bought this system and it took him about 2 seconds to figure out the problem. It seems to
be a common problem and especially with this mobo. It
is as simple as reseating the AGP card in its slot until
it clicks (loudly). The PCI slot directly beneath the
AGP slot sometimes keeps the AGP card from seating
completely in its slot when there is a card present
in the PCI slot (for some reason).

That had to be the only thing I didn't try (removing the
PCI card below AGP port). UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you all for your help and support, little did you
know that you were helping a complete idiot.

[revelation]

Hey, Don't feel like an idiot. I bought a motherboard one time that I swear that the only way you could seat things was to drive a truck over it to push hard enough to get them in. I talked to a tech guy at a neighborhood computer store that would laugh when a new worker came to pushing in the cards and memory and they would ask for his help because they were nervous about pushing so hard. On the other hand, my brother-in-law had a board once that things seemed to be too loose. I would rather know that things are tight and seated well. You did well, if you had to admit it you would probably say that it would not have been as much fun without the added challenge.

[HRod]

It was some challenge alright! The worst thing about it
is that my wife (who knows less about computers than I)
kept telling me it was something simple. She even asked
me, at one point, if I had installed the card correctly.
For you married people, you know there is nothing worst than
telling your spouse they were right, especially when it
comes to issues they know nothing about.

[kraken]

My apologies to you for not suggesting this most basic of things. I mentioned to reseat the memory, but alas not the card itself.

[AndyM]

HRod,
At time like these when it comes down to admitting certain faults to our spouses I rely on an old long-forgotten but reliable savior of my ego...DENIAL! Just don't let her read over your shoulder and you're home free! Enjoy safe computing.
AndyM