The ASUS P4s8x-x

[Paul]

Hey all,

Has anyone managed to boot from a USB key on this
mobo?

I tried it with BIOS 1004, it stopped just after
post, and went no further! (I've got a transcend USB key).

I know you can boot from the USB key , coz it works on this PC I'm on
(P4P800).

I then updated the BIOS to 1005.001, it went as far as the PCI listing, and
stopped! And said something about it not being a hdd.

Well, I KNOW it isn't a hdd.

I tried every option under the boot menu, to see which one would work, and
none of them worked.

Also, has anyone, who uses this mobo, noticed the slowness, once you get
into XP (If u use XP).

Its pretty damn slow, doing anything at all.

There's like a 5-10 sec delay, before it decides to actually run / load a
program.

The other PC here (the P4S8x-x) has 2 ide 20 GB hdd's, (using an 80 wire ide
cable), 1GB ram, a modem, and a tuner.

That's it. And has a 400W PSU in it. Which should
be plenty to run the system.

I've read on different sites, it may help if the CPU mhz is changed to 166.
(default is AUTO).

Since this mobo doesn't support 400 DDR ram (thats whats in the case). And
also changing the memory chipset clock mode to Asynchronous. Default is
Synchronous.

Its helped a bit BUT not that much. So, if anything knows how to make this
thing faster, / has any tips, I'll be grateful!

Cheers

 

[Paul]

Hey all,

Has anyone managed to boot from a USB key on this
mobo?

I tried it with BIOS 1004, it stopped just after
post, and went no further! (I've got a transcend USB key).

I know you can boot from the USB key , coz it works on this PC I'm on
(P4P800).

I then updated the BIOS to 1005.001, it went as far as the PCI listing, and
stopped! And said something about it not being a hdd.

Well, I KNOW it isn't a hdd.

I tried every option under the boot menu, to see which one would work, and
none of them worked.

Also, has anyone, who uses this mobo, noticed the slowness, once you get
into XP (If u use XP).

Its pretty damn slow, doing anything at all.

There's like a 5-10 sec delay, before it decides to actually run / load a
program.

The other PC here (the P4S8x-x) has 2 ide 20 GB hdd's, (using an 80 wire ide
cable), 1GB ram, a modem, and a tuner.

That's it. And has a 400W PSU in it. Which should
be plenty to run the system.

I've read on different sites, it may help if the CPU mhz is changed to 166.
(default is AUTO).

Since this mobo doesn't support 400 DDR ram (thats whats in the case). And
also changing the memory chipset clock mode to Asynchronous. Default is
Synchronous.

Its helped a bit BUT not that much. So, if anything knows how to make this
thing faster, / has any tips, I'll be grateful!

Cheers

Regarding your lagging disk performance, someone described the
exact same symptoms for the A7S333. That suggests it could be
a "feature" of that era's SIS chipsets. I would try a separate
PCI IDE controller card, and run the disks from there. Then,
you are dealing with a different maker's drivers, and perhaps
things will improve.

http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55223&highlight=p4s8x-x

For installation, plug the PCI IDE into the mobo. Install the
drivers for the card, while the boot disk is still connected
to the motherboard. Once the drivers are in, you can shut down,
and connect the disk to the PCI IDE card.

Regarding the USB boot thing, how bad do you want it ? Bad
enough to consider some kind of custom format on the USB key ?
Maybe if you can find a way to put a "HDD like" file system
on the USB key, and then the BIOS will accept the key as if it was
a hard drive ?

Paul

 

[Paul]

Ah, I would get an IDE card, but
I'm kinda broke lol

I might reflash back to 1004 for starters.

I wouldnt be suprised if the 1005 beta is a bit
screwed lol.

I thought 1005.001 may have done something
to fix booting from the USB key . It did SFA lol.

All it did was go a bit further, than 1004 and come to a halt.

Umm, well I planning on removing the floppy.

And well, I can't since the stupid thing wont let me boot from the USB key.

The P4P800, I'm typing this on, has no floppy. I

t's using a 7-1 internal USB 2 card reader, and I use the USB key, if and
when a BIOS update comes out.

The USB key came with a mini cd, and the program on it
needs a floppy with the boot files on it, and then it copies the boot files
to the USB key.

BUT, yup I think you're right. SIS mobos suck!

I think the option for the hdd bit on the P4S8x-x assumes you have something
like a USB 2 hdd, not a USB key.

Which pisses me off lol.

I think I may have to get an Intel based mobo, and burn this bloody
P4S8x-x.... It'll die a slow death....

Thanx for the help there Paul! Much appreciated

Cheers

Hey all,

Has anyone managed to boot from a USB key on this
mobo?

I tried it with BIOS 1004, it stopped just after
post, and went no further! (I've got a transcend USB key).

I know you can boot from the USB key , coz it works on this PC I'm on
(P4P800).

I then updated the BIOS to 1005.001, it went as far as the PCI listing,
and
stopped! And said something about it not being a hdd.

Well, I KNOW it isn't a hdd.

I tried every option under the boot menu, to see which one would work, and
none of them worked.

Also, has anyone, who uses this mobo, noticed the slowness, once you get
into XP (If u use XP).

Its pretty damn slow, doing anything at all.

There's like a 5-10 sec delay, before it decides to actually run / load a
program.

The other PC here (the P4S8x-x) has 2 ide 20 GB hdd's, (using an 80 wire
ide
cable), 1GB ram, a modem, and a tuner.

That's it. And has a 400W PSU in it. Which should
be plenty to run the system.

I've read on different sites, it may help if the CPU mhz is changed to
166.
(default is AUTO).

Since this mobo doesn't support 400 DDR ram (thats whats in the case). And
also changing the memory chipset clock mode to Asynchronous. Default is
Synchronous.

Its helped a bit BUT not that much. So, if anything knows how to make this
thing faster, / has any tips, I'll be grateful!

Cheers

Regarding your lagging disk performance, someone described the
exact same symptoms for the A7S333. That suggests it could be
a "feature" of that era's SIS chipsets. I would try a separate
PCI IDE controller card, and run the disks from there. Then,
you are dealing with a different maker's drivers, and perhaps
things will improve.

http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55223&highlight=p4s8x-x

For installation, plug the PCI IDE into the mobo. Install the
drivers for the card, while the boot disk is still connected
to the motherboard. Once the drivers are in, you can shut down,
and connect the disk to the PCI IDE card.

Regarding the USB boot thing, how bad do you want it ? Bad
enough to consider some kind of custom format on the USB key ?
Maybe if you can find a way to put a "HDD like" file system
on the USB key, and then the BIOS will accept the key as if it was
a hard drive ?

Paul

 

[Paul]

And changing it from Synchronous to Asynchronous
didn't help it. It turned on but went nowhere lol.

The monitor wouldnt turn on. I had to change it
back to Synchronous (default setting).

So whoever posted that fix on the net should be shot.


Ah, I would get an IDE card, but
I'm kinda broke lol

I might reflash back to 1004 for starters.

I wouldnt be suprised if the 1005 beta is a bit
screwed lol.

I thought 1005.001 may have done something
to fix booting from the USB key . It did SFA lol.

All it did was go a bit further, than 1004 and come to a halt.

Umm, well I planning on removing the floppy.

And well, I can't since the stupid thing wont let me boot from the USB key.

The P4P800, I'm typing this on, has no floppy. I

t's using a 7-1 internal USB 2 card reader, and I use the USB key, if and
when a BIOS update comes out.

The USB key came with a mini cd, and the program on it
needs a floppy with the boot files on it, and then it copies the boot files
to the USB key.

BUT, yup I think you're right. SIS mobos suck!

I think the option for the hdd bit on the P4S8x-x assumes you have something
like a USB 2 hdd, not a USB key.

Which pisses me off lol.

I think I may have to get an Intel based mobo, and burn this bloody
P4S8x-x.... It'll die a slow death....

Thanx for the help there Paul! Much appreciated

Cheers

Hey all,

Has anyone managed to boot from a USB key on this
mobo?

I tried it with BIOS 1004, it stopped just after
post, and went no further! (I've got a transcend USB key).

I know you can boot from the USB key , coz it works on this PC I'm on
(P4P800).

I then updated the BIOS to 1005.001, it went as far as the PCI listing,
and
stopped! And said something about it not being a hdd.

Well, I KNOW it isn't a hdd.

I tried every option under the boot menu, to see which one would work, and
none of them worked.

Also, has anyone, who uses this mobo, noticed the slowness, once you get
into XP (If u use XP).

Its pretty damn slow, doing anything at all.

There's like a 5-10 sec delay, before it decides to actually run / load a
program.

The other PC here (the P4S8x-x) has 2 ide 20 GB hdd's, (using an 80 wire
ide
cable), 1GB ram, a modem, and a tuner.

That's it. And has a 400W PSU in it. Which should
be plenty to run the system.

I've read on different sites, it may help if the CPU mhz is changed to
166.
(default is AUTO).

Since this mobo doesn't support 400 DDR ram (thats whats in the case). And
also changing the memory chipset clock mode to Asynchronous. Default is
Synchronous.

Its helped a bit BUT not that much. So, if anything knows how to make this
thing faster, / has any tips, I'll be grateful!

Cheers

Regarding your lagging disk performance, someone described the
exact same symptoms for the A7S333. That suggests it could be
a "feature" of that era's SIS chipsets. I would try a separate
PCI IDE controller card, and run the disks from there. Then,
you are dealing with a different maker's drivers, and perhaps
things will improve.

http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55223&highlight=p4s8x-x

For installation, plug the PCI IDE into the mobo. Install the
drivers for the card, while the boot disk is still connected
to the motherboard. Once the drivers are in, you can shut down,
and connect the disk to the PCI IDE card.

Regarding the USB boot thing, how bad do you want it ? Bad
enough to consider some kind of custom format on the USB key ?
Maybe if you can find a way to put a "HDD like" file system
on the USB key, and then the BIOS will accept the key as if it was
a hard drive ?

Paul