cling: Yeah I've installed the driver from the CD, drivers I downloaded, and the XP driver... none of them worked, all had the "The data is invalid" message at the end of every install attempt. There is a supposed registry fix for when you get the messages but setting permissions to "full control" on the particular key, but that didn't work either... The sound has not worked so far since I've installed XP. Don't know what the problem is. Read somewhere that the only fix is to re-install XP (arrgh!!) if the registry trick didn't work. I don't even want to think about that right now... spent literally the whole weekend getting the system up to par.

Michael C: I can almost guarantee it's the RAM, you're having the exact same symptoms that I had with my 512MB offbrand PC3200. Went with a more pricey, and a little slower PC2700 (although I hear it doesn't make that much of a difference anyway), and except for an unrelated sound problem (see above), everything works beautifully now. I don't know if it's a problem with ALL PC3200 memory, or just the off-brand stuff, but the board doesn't seem to like it. Either that or we both got bad sticks of RAM.

-Neil

Okay... update:

Sound is now working. Re-installed XP, but not from scratch. Just popped in the disc and ran install/upgrade, so it re-installed the system devices while in install, and it worked. I guess that is the only way to get some PCI devices working again if the registry trick doesn't work for the "invalid data" errors. So, now, technically, I got everything up and running... although I have to +0.1 on my DIMM just to keep it stable, it's better than where I was before. Now I have a really easy question for everyone, what is considered a "safe" limit for CPU temp?

After putting the case door finally on, my CPU is running around 50°C, and I don't know if that's too high, or safe.... right after exiting out of UT2K3 or something, I will notice it max out around 53°-54°, don't know if that's getting close to not being safe or not for the CPU. I took the thermal gel off the processor thinking that I may have been bridging circuits earlier or whatever, but it probably wasn't the case. Haven't applied it back yet though, but I don't think I want to keep the box heatsink on it, heard it doesn't hold up very well in the long run. Gonna hafta drop some more dough on a decent hs... UNLESS, of course, running in the mid 50°s is acceptable. Thanks again for everyone's input.

End of problem.

the retailer change it !
The card was defective, it could not find any peripherals at all.

thanks to all

I've read that around 50 is ok, but much over that and you'll start to see instability in some setups.

Start with the basics: good flow into and out of the case, round cables instead off flat ones, clean air filter.

Can anyone help me out? I have been having problems with my computer it has:

GA-7VAXP 1.1
Samsung 512DDR 333MHZ
GF3 TI200 128mb Video card

Well this is the problem, i had just recently built this computer. I used it at a lan party then after the lan i left it in my room. Didnt use it for about a week. Now i had recently used different parts like new ram Crucial pc2100 DDR and now system wont boot. The monitor recives no siganl and hard drives dont spin. As of now i know that the video card still works and ram works, i dont know whats wrong with it can anyone help me out?

Does the cpu fan spin?

For dark screen problem I found the solution.

In fact when POST checks peripherals it locks.
I was having a blinking cursor top left .

In the BIOS , do not enable the "top performance" (I have a F6 bios) => it locks.
Without it it works and all peripherals are displayed and then system ca boot.

Need help about installing XP on VAXP mb.

=> while first install I have a setupdd.sys error (code 4).
According to Microsoft error codes it is due to a bad/unknown disk driver.

I so, tried to press F6 and install promise Raid Driver. Nope. At every attemp I have a bad driver info.

As anyone a Promise Raid Disk with correct txtsetup.oem.

I have tried the last driver from promise this night. Always the same.

So I have some questions :
- do I need Promise driver for installing XP. If not, how can I overpass error code 4 setupdd.sys ?
- if I need to install the Driver (with F6 in XP setup), I always choose "other" (rather than multi-processor systems, ACPI system, compaq system, 'cos I ain't those). Right done ?

- Has someone a Promise Raid disk that is correct ? Or a listing of directories and/or files.
I just need to install this I mean.

By the way, thanks to all for the dark screen problem.
I am a 10 years IT worker, Ingenior, and I never seen such @#$*%.
After mobo auto-detection, flash BIOS at the very beginning (if no needs why flashing the BIOS ?) I fall into the Micro$oft pit : the Xp install gap !
I hope no more problems with this system.

I hav at last a question : should I go back to IT school ?
Thanks in advance.

(hope my english not to bad)

From Paris - France. (where Christmas lights are beautiful !)

New to this forum, read all posts but haven't found my problem. In the process of attempting to fix it, I have created a new problem. I would appreciate any help you can give.

First and most Crucial problem:

In the process of updating the cmos, I accidentally knocked the cord from the back of my computer. Reattaching the cord and attempting to boot results in a total system lockup. Nothing happens. Fans spin, light comes on the leds but no beeps or resets. I pulled the battery and attempted to clear the cmos that way. Waited 20 minutes and put battery back in, no luck. Do I need to wait longer? Suggestions on how to recover from this disaster?

I don't want to scrape the contacts on the motherboard as I purchased it from Fryes just over a week ago and I don't want to void any warranty.

My second problem that led to this one is this:

Upgraded motherboard from asus a7v-333 (supposedly a killer board but have had too many problems with it....bad floppy interface, loose heat sinks etc). After installing board and processor and running installation of all drivers on cd, I could not get any video card to work properly. Yes, I uninstalled all the drivers and reinstalled them. Yes, they are the latest and greatest drivers. Both cards I tried were an ATI Radeon 7000VE and an nVidia 4200ti 128 mb 8x agp. They will work in safe mode but whenever I try to boot to windows ME, the display is crapped out. The image displayed is either blocks of colors or a white background with smears of color layered across it. The image is different each time. I have been building computers since 1987. This is probably my 20th or so. I know how to install drivers, I just can't figure this problem out. I suspect a memory timing problem possibly. I am considering tryng some 2100 ddr memory I have to see if that might fix the problem but need to be able to boot first. I have tried all the different settings under the cmos. Auto, "fail-safe", "optimized" and have disabled all of the other built in hardware using the cmos in an attempt to trouble shoot it. My system consists of :

Windows ME
Antec 420w ps and case.
Processor temp 42 degrees max.
amd xp 1800+
Switch 1 set to auto
FSB set to 133
Samsung 512 mb 333 ddr memory (2700)

video cards as described above.

Originally bios version F6, updated to F9 with no luck. I also noticed that under the new bios, you cannot disable the raid device anymore. Perhaps it is hidden in the bios somewhere that I didn't see. Any ideas?

The A7V333 is not an agp 8x mobo. I'm not sure if this is the problem though. I run the same board with an 1800xp processor also. Never had a problem. BTW I run Win 2K pro os.

Ooooops sorry I missread your post. My mistake.

Okay, got problem 1 solved. Pulled motherboard out of case and checked it for loose screws etc. None found. Reinstalled mb, booted fine. Go figure. Current bios F9. Used Ctrl-F1 to adjust the settings under "advanced" with no luck. Dropped the AGP speed to 2x, no luck. Dropped AGP cache to 64mb, no luck.

Now when I boot to windows in safe mode, I get a display screen that allows me to set the display properties at 640x480 and 16 colors and then asks me to reboot. When I reboot, I get the random splotches of colors. If I reboot to safe mode,

Sorry, I left the computer for a few minutes to check something and my son sent the post without checking with me.

Anyway, I can get a standard vga setup but cannot get any drivers installed. I have the via 4 in 1 version 4.41 that came with the installation disk installed including the miniport driver. I think I will try installing the agp driver in standard mode instead of turbo and see if that works. I also borrowed another nvidia card from my son's computer to see if maybe that works. Will keep you posted.

Still waiting to hear from gigabyte tech support.

Thanks

Pat

Fixed.....
I guess the third time is the charm. Swapped in an nVidia ge Force 2 100/200 64 mb card. Installed the lastest drivers, computer found card, works like a charm. I guess the Radeon 7000VE and Gigabyte don't get along. Still don't know why the original card GE Force 4 ti 4200 didn't work. Recall a previous post where somebody stated that ATI and Gigabyte don't work well together. perhaps this is the case. Thanks to all who read my posts. Hope this helps somebody else.

Pat

I hope it lasts for you , if you put it under serious loads is when i had problems . It was so instable after the second one i got sick of al the lockups. Via is a worthless peice of crap chip maker they are the patch , and patch , and patch and still do not work right . Nvidia will push them right out if we are all lucky , people are seeing how stable Nforce motherboards are . If you are not an extreme gamer the giga junk might be ok but that is about all . Good luck if it last for a year without bluescreens and lockups i would be Suprised .

I seriously need some help with this mb!!

I have 3 7vax and 1 7vaxp boards here, trying to run xp2400+ and 1 xp 2600+ (333mhz) on this board. I cant get the mb to even boot up. It will turn on and boot for 4sec., no video even, then shut down. All 4 boards do the same thing. here are my setups....

1.
1 XP2400+ (266)
1 512mb Samsung ddr400(pc3200)
1 ga-7vax mb
1 420w power supply
1 wd 120gb 7200rpm hdd
1 Thermaltake volcano 9 cpu fan
1 Geforce 2 ti 64mb Video Card

2.
1 XP2600+ (333)
2 256mb Samsung ddr266(pc2100)
1 ga-7vaxp mb
1 500w power supply
1 wd 80gb 7200rpm hdd
1 Thermaltake volcano 9 cpu fan
1 Ati Radeon 9000 Pro 128mb Video Card

Serious computers I know, but I can't get any to even bring up a screen!!

I have my sw1 jumpers set correctly, i left the multipliers set to auto, and can't figure out what the problem is..... need help asap....

David

Odd that they all are giving you trouble, so the obvious plan is to find the similarities. You've set the jumpers right, so the next thing I notice is that you're using Samsung RAM on both machines. Beg, borrow or steal another type to test.

I did. I also tried elixer 1 256mb pc2100 as well, to no avail.

I am so frustrated! I can't even get into the post screen.

Any more ideas?

David

Have you tried booting with just the basics? (Ram, cpu and vid card)

I thought the hard drive needed to be hooked up as well?? But I have switched drives to a "good pull", to no avail.

Next idea please??

david