A7N8X-E Del ntoskrnl.exe mem dump stop error/ Vid driver probs/ mobo revision??

[ddhartwick]

This week old machine just started generating this error today on
boot-up. I'm using 2 - 256 Crucial PC3200 in dual channel with a 2500+
Barton with max FSB of 333 mhz and wonder if this could be a problem
since I believe this forces asynchronous operation? Prob is
intermittent this morning.

I thought the only potential problem with this configuration is a
slight performance penalty. Would I be much better off with PC2700
ram, Corsair XMS, for example?


Different problem:
I have an antique Visiontek 5632 GTS-V Xtasy vid card and the only
driver that doesn't BSOD on boot immediately after driver installation
is the 1.2.4.1 driver that originally came with the card on cdrom. I
didn't record the nature of the BSOD--flashed by. I wonder if this old
driver is causing the above stop error.


Revision question: The A7N8XE-Del PCB says revision 1.01, but the
"show motherboard information" utility on the Asus nVidia cdrom says
revision 2.XX. This board also came with the 1008 version bios.
What do I have? Should I return this thing to Newegg if it is a rev
1.01? Egg tells me they do not guarantee mobo revisions--fabulous.
Thanks guys.
Dave

 

[Paul]

This week old machine just started generating this error today on
boot-up. I'm using 2 - 256 Crucial PC3200 in dual channel with a 2500+
Barton with max FSB of 333 mhz and wonder if this could be a problem
since I believe this forces asynchronous operation? Prob is
intermittent this morning.

I thought the only potential problem with this configuration is a
slight performance penalty. Would I be much better off with PC2700
ram, Corsair XMS, for example?

If you buy PC3200 memory, it is capable of DDR400 or DDR333 operation,
so there is no need to return the memory. The SPD chip on the DIMM
keeps timing info for more than one operating speed.

The Nforce2 chipset has a quirk, where the memory bus should be
kept synchronous to the CPU FSB. When processors were still unlocked,
people would crank both busses to 200MHz, and crank down the multiplier,
to get the best performance out of memory, without stressing the
processor. (Memory errors only happen when running async, in one
of the two memory modes, either single channel or dual channel -
I cannot remember which. If you only have two sticks, you could
sidestep the issue by changing bus configurations. Since running
async robs a lot of performance, it is usually better to just
run the thing synchronous.)

For the locked chips now shipping, some people just crank the clock
anyway, leaving the processor core overclocked.

Different problem:
I have an antique Visiontek 5632 GTS-V Xtasy vid card and the only
driver that doesn't BSOD on boot immediately after driver installation
is the 1.2.4.1 driver that originally came with the card on cdrom. I
didn't record the nature of the BSOD--flashed by. I wonder if this old
driver is causing the above stop error.

Test the DIMMs on your board first with MEMTEST86 from memtest86.com.
If they test clean, and you are still getting BSODs, then you can
return to worrying about the video card. I'd work on the memory
config first.

Revision question: The A7N8XE-Del PCB says revision 1.01, but the
"show motherboard information" utility on the Asus nVidia cdrom says
revision 2.XX. This board also came with the 1008 version bios.
What do I have? Should I return this thing to Newegg if it is a rev
1.01? Egg tells me they do not guarantee mobo revisions--fabulous.
Thanks guys.
Dave

AFAIK A7N8X-E Deluxe Rev 1.01 comes after A7N8X Deluxe Rev 2.xx, so
you are getting a recent board. No need to panic.

HTH,
Paul