INFERNO2000 0 Posted August 22, 2000 I've been screwing with this mobo and athlon and Win2k for almost 3 weeks, and never have had the stability I did with my Compaq's PIII/440bx combo. Should I simply throw in the towel and sell it and buy an Intel system? If so, what should I look into getting? If all goes well, I'll have about $600 at my disposal(also selling a palmtop and have had several buyers wanting it). I WANT Win2k--I don't want Win98...but I NEED STABILITY. I used to leave my dual boot 98/2k on for weeks with my Compaq...but I'm lucky if it doesn't crash within an hour of use on the new system. I'm looking for suggestions as to which Chipset to look for, whether to look for dual processor support, or stick with a single processor and get a faster one, etc. My system configuration is below...for anything else ------------------ OBSIDIAN (Win2k System) ---Custom Built--- AMD Athlon 750(model 2) retail (Slot A) Asus K7V Mobo BIOS revision 1007 PNY 288(295 listed)MB PC100 SDRAM (2x128 & 1x32) A-Top 901 Case & 300W Athlon Approved Power Supply 3 Internal 80mm fans(along with Power Supply, CPU, and GeForce fans) CL SB Live! X-Gamer on Liveware 3 Drivers-only CL GB Annhilator Pro GeForce DDR on Detonator 6.18 Windows 2000 Advanced Server (SP1) Logitech Itouch Pro Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer Everglide (HL Giganta) Logitech Quickcam Home(listed as WEB) Logitech Soundman G1 Speakers D-Link DFE-530TX+ Ethernet Adapter DirectX 8.0 beta Compaq V720 17" Monitor Memorex 4x2x24 CD-RW Compaq(Pioneer) 6x DVD INFERNO (Win9x(ME)-and eventually Linux-System) ---Compaq Presario 5600i--- PIII 500(498 listed) (Pre CuMine) Compaq 128(131 listed)MB RAM Seagate 1GB and either a 3.2GB or 4GB Hdd ATI Xpert 98 video card Sonic Impact S90 Hauppauge! WinTV GO Intel Onboard and ATI AT-2000 ISA Ethernet cards Windows 98SE Mandrake 7.1 PC Concepts AT-to-Ps2 Keyboard Logitech First/Pilot Wheel Mouse Compaq JBL Speakers Packard Bell 14" monitor BTC 20x CD-ROM Share this post Link to post
INFERNO2000 0 Posted August 22, 2000 I don't want to do this just yet... Can ANYONE tell me hints, tips, etc. on how to get everything working properly, without crashes? I tend to get NTOSKRNL errors most often...but I like my system otherwise. Share this post Link to post
euankirkhope 0 Posted August 22, 2000 I don't want to sound rude, but I assume the top notch hardware has been in the compaq system too? I mean, DB8 beta , Geforce, sb-live! All three have the capability to kill a system alone. With Intel's monopoly, and MS and Intel sleeping together, (I hope Intel CEO is female ) The intel system will be most stable quickest. Other systems will stabilize slightly later. It took my non dead K6-2 and FIC 503+ about 6 months to go from dead to almost stable. Now my current system is rock solid. It has not crashed in 3 weeks (thats as long as I've had it). This is with no beta software at all. When compaq build a system they specify only components that will work properly in one combination. Take two compaqs and mix and match, it will be like any other system, in terms of stability. Remember Intel systems have bugs too. Luckily the workarounds and patches are incorporated in standard MS updates and also final software revisions. Other companies often have to supply their own. In past times it has been known for non-intel hardware to malfunction because it did not have the characteristic "features" that entire families of intel's did. Thus MS code would fail, as the non-intel hardware was more recent. Not a fault of MS, Intel, or the manufacturer. Its just that fact of living in a commercial industry with a market leader (aka blatant monopoly). If you want, continue this trend, sell your Athlon system. I know you will (quite truthfully) benefit from the Intel's stability and someone else will get a system that a few months down the road will be as good as a any other non-retail package. Never as good as a retail, but close. If I had money to burn, I'd by a dell, like my brothers, but I can't. I don't see the need either, (well BeOS would be happy ) Fair enough its rock solid. Good value too. Advice (finally): Go back to the way the hardware was sold. Unless there is something that requires an important bug fix, put the bios back to how you got it, use MS certified, or certified official released software/drivers. The day I didtched beta stuff, was also the day my PC started working. Up[censored] drivers and software not only fixes serious blemishes, it also provides the function of squeezing those few 0.1%'s of benchmark scores, hardware shorcuts, and efficiency savings, all for that "hardcore gamer". Who needs an extra 3fps when it just locks up the CPU bus, and make the PCI bus stutter under increased latency for one greedy card, to the expense of others? When you throw in loads of fans, do people think about the noise it intoduces to the power lines? Noise induced in the cables? The disturbance of smooth air flow through the case? Look in side any high end retail system. In most circumstances you should emulate how they have built their system. Don't have 6 fans all blowing in every direction. All you need is either a case fan directly over the CPU with hood, or if necessary a CPU and Case/PSU fan. Also never leave the case off. I can't understand why an advanced server installation has a geforce and SBlive. Can you enlighten me please? In a commercial environment a server will have a net card, scsi, and a basic 2D card. Something like a cirrus, S3, these cards don't stress the bus and are that refined they're dependable. A geforce will hold a three day conference with the memory bus, just tiding up its buffers. The SB-live is an unusual necessity for notification that defrag has finished after a weekend on constant work. Advanced server is a very busy OS, even before you try that 3D CAD app, or game. Regardless of the ammount of memory you feed it, it will soak it up with the aim of optimising the services it runs. Games and user apps come last. Often in a bid to get max power/max pleasure people will add all sorts of scrapings to get more performance. You have done just this with the fancy mouse, and mixed memory ammongst other things. Get rid of the 32Mb mem. And I know you have cas set to 2 so put it back to 3! . You have a lot of bits and pieces that the NT5 innerworkings both resent and loath. The scanner, web cam, are all dying to be installed in win9x/ME. Keep it simle an clean. Thats all I can say. ------------------ System Spec: Athlon 800 Gigabyte GA-7IXE 128Mb SSi PC100 TNT (radeon coming) Hauppauge Wintv Model 406 Realtek 8029 LAN Creative ES1371 (PCI64v) Creative 48mx CDROM Memorex TriMaxx200(DVD/CDR/CDRW, 6,4,24) (cracked 1.60 bios) Maxtor 91301U3 13Gb LS120 [This message has been edited by euankirkhope (edited 22 August 2000).] Share this post Link to post
INFERNO2000 0 Posted August 22, 2000 GeForce yes, DX8, no---not installed here either. SB Live No. bought later All the parts except my DVD drive in my new computer are NEW ------------------ OBSIDIAN (Win2k System) ---Custom Built--- AMD Athlon 750(model 2) retail (Slot A) Asus K7V Mobo BIOS revision 1007 PNY 288(295 listed)MB PC100 SDRAM (2x128 & 1x32) A-Top 901 Case & 300W Athlon Approved Power Supply 3 Internal 80mm fans(along with Power Supply, CPU, and GeForce fans) CL SB Live! X-Gamer on Liveware 3 Drivers-only CL GB Annhilator Pro GeForce DDR on Detonator 6.18 Windows 2000 Advanced Server (SP1) Logitech Itouch Pro Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer Everglide (HL Giganta) Logitech Quickcam Home(listed as WEB) Logitech Soundman G1 Speakers D-Link DFE-530TX+ Ethernet Adapter DirectX 8.0 beta Compaq V720 17" Monitor Memorex 4x2x24 CD-RW Compaq(Pioneer) 6x DVD INFERNO (Win9x(ME)-and eventually Linux-System) ---Compaq Presario 5600i--- PIII 500(498 listed) (Pre CuMine) Compaq 128(131 listed)MB RAM Seagate 1GB and either a 3.2GB or 4GB Hdd ATI Xpert 98 video card Sonic Impact S90 Hauppauge! WinTV GO Intel Onboard and ATI AT-2000 ISA Ethernet cards Windows 98SE Mandrake 7.1 PC Concepts AT-to-Ps2 Keyboard Logitech First/Pilot Wheel Mouse Compaq JBL Speakers Packard Bell 14" monitor BTC 20x CD-ROM Share this post Link to post
INFERNO2000 0 Posted August 22, 2000 Ok... the camera is off, took it off yesterday, and all I've used it for in the past few months is as a microphone. Why am I using Adv Ser? At the very least, I'd use server, as I do operate a file server for several PCs on campus, and did at one time use it as my media (webcam) server. I've found it works better than Windows 2000 Professional, when properly set up. Share this post Link to post
euankirkhope 0 Posted August 22, 2000 Thats good. Now all you have to do is swap the sound and video cards over. The rage pro is well suited to a server, as it doesn't stresss the PC, even in 3D mode. You only need a server for real heavy serving. SB live is a pain. Put the miscellaneous stuff on the WinME PC. Hey presto a stable PC. Share this post Link to post
INFERNO2000 0 Posted August 22, 2000 you're missing an important fact. The Win2k machine is MY WORKSTATION and File Server...whereas my Compaq is a CS Server, TV, and occasional media app box. The video cards are where they need to be--the 32MB GeForce is in the Custom, as I play CS and Q3A on the Custom; and the 4mb ATI is in the Compaq as I don't use 3d on the Compaq. As for sound--my K7V mobo has an onboard soundcard installed, but I've been told Aureal and Win2k are a no-go...seeing as how they are now defunct. Therefore, it is disabled, and I have an SBLive ------------------ OBSIDIAN (Win2k System) ---Custom Built--- AMD Athlon 750(model 2) retail (Slot A) Asus K7V Mobo BIOS revision 1007 PNY 288(295 listed)MB PC100 SDRAM (2x128 & 1x32) A-Top 901 Case & 300W Athlon Approved Power Supply 3 Internal 80mm fans(along with Power Supply, CPU, and GeForce fans) CL SB Live! X-Gamer on Liveware 3 Drivers-only CL GB Annhilator Pro GeForce DDR on Detonator 6.18 Windows 2000 Advanced Server (SP1) Logitech Itouch Pro Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer Everglide (HL Giganta) Logitech Soundman G1 Speakers D-Link DFE-530TX+ Ethernet Adapter Compaq V720 17" Monitor Memorex 4x2x24 CD-RW Compaq(Pioneer) 6x DVD INFERNO (Win9x(ME)-and eventually Linux-System) ---Compaq Presario 5600i--- PIII 500(498 listed) (Pre CuMine) Compaq 128(131 listed)MB RAM Seagate 1GB and either a 3.2GB or 4GB Hdd ATI Xpert 98 video card Sonic Impact S90 Logitech Quickcam Home(listed as WEB) Hauppauge! WinTV GO Intel Onboard and ATI AT-2000 ISA Ethernet cards Windows 98SE Mandrake 7.1 PC Concepts AT-to-Ps2 Keyboard Logitech First/Pilot Wheel Mouse Compaq JBL Speakers Packard Bell 14" monitor BTC 20x CD-ROM Share this post Link to post
euankirkhope 0 Posted August 24, 2000 I'm sorry I give up I'm missing no facts. You just don't play games on an Andvanced Server installation. Secondly, you do not play games, and have gaming hardware on a PC that is important for work and/or business. I find it unlikely that you need/own Advanced server. Maybe you should get Pro version? Having a server on the pentium will make very little difference than on the Athlon. Windows 9x and ME is best for games. That is why it should have the Geforce and SB-live. Share this post Link to post
INFERNO2000 0 Posted August 24, 2000 I own a Legitimate Key for Win2k Advanced Server I own a Legitimate copy of Win2k Professional. I could get away with only using Server, but I don't have a legitimate key for that...and though Piracy isn't beyond me...I don't want to go through the problems of my old warezed copy of MS Office 2000, where the SR1 destroyed the warezed copies. The fact of the matter is, I ahve Pro, and I have Adv Ser. The system resources required by Adv Ser are negligibly different than that of Professional, so why not have the more powerful OS? I've played games on Every OS. Win2k Prof works HL better than 98(connections tend to get lower pings). My use of Advanced Server is only for the fact it's an File Server, like I've mentioned, and I've had instances of over 30 people trying to connect all at once(see what happens when you decide to be the mp3 hub of the Residence Hall?). Yet, it is also my main computer, my personal workstation, if you will. I leave this Compaq up and running my CS server, and on occasion, use Linux on it. This is more of a backup PC. By all rights, this should be using the Advanced Server rather than WinMe, but, if I have to have 2 kernels(some programs for the campus to turn in homework don't like NT), then I'd prefer the inferior kernel-9x-to be on the inferior computer? It's basically a matter of choice. This has run Win2k Pro, Win2k Adv Ser, Win95, Win3.1, Win98(AND SE), and now WinMe. I prefer Adv Ser for the multitude of options it allows me, and I do use a vast majority of the options listed to Adv Ser that aren't in Pro ------------------ OBSIDIAN (Win2k System) ---Custom Built---REBUILDING LOOKING: PIII Coppermine in 800+mhz region(133FSB) Asus CUSL2 mobo(no onboard sound) PNY 288(295 listed)MB PC100 SDRAM (2x128 & 1x32) A-Top 901 Case & 300W Athlon Approved Power Supply 30GB MAXTOR Diamand Max UDMA/66 7200 RPM hdd and IBM15-7 15GB UDMA/100 7200RPM hdd 3 Internal 80mm fans(along with Power Supply, CPU, and GeForce fans) CL SB Live! X-Gamer on Liveware 3 (Drivers-only) CL GB Annhilator Pro GeForce DDR on Detonator 6.18 Windows 2000 Advanced Server (SP1) Logitech Itouch Pro Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer Everglide (HL Giganta) Logitech Soundman G1 Speakers D-Link DFE-530TX+ Ethernet Adapter Compaq V720 17" Monitor Memorex 4x2x24 CD-RW Compaq(Pioneer) 6x DVD INFERNO (Win9x(ME)-and eventually Linux-System) ---Compaq Presario 5600i--- PIII 500(498 listed) (Pre CuMine) Compaq 128(131 listed)MB RAM IBM DJNA 13501 UDMA/33 7200RPM Hdd ATI Xpert 98 video card Sonic Impact S90 Logitech Quickcam Home(listed as WEB) Hauppauge! WinTV GO Intel Onboard and ATI AT-2000 ISA Ethernet cards Windows ME Build 3000 OEM Final? Mandrake 7.1 PC Concepts AT-to-Ps2 Keyboard Logitech First/Pilot Wheel Mouse Sony Walkman Speakers Packard Bell 14" monitor BTC 20x CD-ROM Selling! AMD Athlon 750(model 2) retail (Slot A) Asus K7V Mobo BIOS revision 1007 for $250. 3 weeks old Share this post Link to post
INFERNO2000 0 Posted August 24, 2000 If nothing else, the answer is this: I have them both legally. Why use Win2k Adv Ser? Because I Can. Share this post Link to post
