A7V BIOS goes into FAIL SAFE

[Joe101]

I upgraded my ASUS A7V from Athlon 1000(100MHz FSB) to an Athlon 1333(133MHz
FSB). I understand that my A7V has the VIA KT-133 chipset which is rated at
100MHz FSB, therefore I must keep FSB close to 100MHz. I really needed an
Athlon 1333 with 100FSB, but they are out of production and I had to settle
for an Athlon 1333(133MHz FSB). Luckily the new Athlon speed multiplier was
unlocked so it can be run at 100 x 12.5 ~ 1250MHz. Actually I cranked it
up a bit (7%) and am running stable at 107 x 12.5 ~ 1,391MHz with the
following exception:

On about 1 out of every 5 boot-ups, the BIOS traps out into the BIOS Set-UP
screen with red FAIL SAFE error message something like "the CPU or memory is
having problem with settings and falls back to 100MHz Memory and 33MHz
PCI". I try again and usually boot-up fine and can run rock solid all day
long at 1,391MHz.

I progressively reduced speed down to FSB=100MHz and Multiplier of 10 for
1,000MHz CPU which is where I started (the old
CPU's speed), but BIOS still goes to FAIL SAFE just as frequently as it did
when I has it set to 1,391Mhz. I flashed the latest BIOS V.1011

Next I will try.....
1) removing one 256MB memory strip at a time to make sure it is not memory
related, I have two 256MB memory strips.
2) removing all PCI cards (except AGP) to take load off the power supply.
3) Then I will put the old Athlon 1000 back, just to check.
4) Then flash back old BIOS v1008

I also checked the voltages using BIOS SetUp......and found
Vcore=1.78volts, +3.3= 3.49volts, and +5 = 4.99volts .....the VCore is still
set to the [CPU default]. Should I jack with the Vcore voltage??????

Anybody got any other ideas?????
I'll report my progress (or lack there of) in this string....stay tuned.
Joe101

 

[F.N]

Just a FYI, but it is not a good idea to bump the original A7v FSB up,
since then you o/c your AGP & PCI, Mem, and HD devices. Some devices
can handle it, some can't. I think the setting is 1/3 FSB, so 107 /3
=~36 instead of 33. I have run into some HDs that seem fine, but
corrupt the data.

Taking load off powersupply? Just how small of a PSU do you got? In
any case, I doubt it will help. The issues is with the chipset not
being able to run stable at higher FSB speeds.

 

[gdp]

But, if you look at his third paragraph, it says he tried it at 10x100
with the same results. So it doesn't look like a FSB thing.

Just a FYI, but it is not a good idea to bump the original A7v FSB up,
since then you o/c your AGP & PCI, Mem, and HD devices. Some devices
can handle it, some can't. I think the setting is 1/3 FSB, so 107 /3
=~36 instead of 33. I have run into some HDs that seem fine, but
corrupt the data.

Taking load off powersupply? Just how small of a PSU do you got? In
any case, I doubt it will help. The issues is with the chipset not
being able to run stable at higher FSB speeds.

I upgraded my ASUS A7V from Athlon 1000(100MHz FSB) to an Athlon 1333(133MHz
FSB). I understand that my A7V has the VIA KT-133 chipset which is rated at
100MHz FSB, therefore I must keep FSB close to 100MHz. I really needed an
Athlon 1333 with 100FSB, but they are out of production and I had to settle
for an Athlon 1333(133MHz FSB). Luckily the new Athlon speed multiplier was
unlocked so it can be run at 100 x 12.5 ~ 1250MHz. Actually I cranked it
up a bit (7%) and am running stable at 107 x 12.5 ~ 1,391MHz with the
following exception:

On about 1 out of every 5 boot-ups, the BIOS traps out into the BIOS Set-UP
screen with red FAIL SAFE error message something like "the CPU or memory is
having problem with settings and falls back to 100MHz Memory and 33MHz
PCI". I try again and usually boot-up fine and can run rock solid all day
long at 1,391MHz.

I progressively reduced speed down to FSB=100MHz and Multiplier of 10 for
1,000MHz CPU which is where I started (the old
CPU's speed), but BIOS still goes to FAIL SAFE just as frequently as it did
when I has it set to 1,391Mhz. I flashed the latest BIOS V.1011

Next I will try.....
1) removing one 256MB memory strip at a time to make sure it is not memory
related, I have two 256MB memory strips.
2) removing all PCI cards (except AGP) to take load off the power supply.
3) Then I will put the old Athlon 1000 back, just to check.
4) Then flash back old BIOS v1008

I also checked the voltages using BIOS SetUp......and found
Vcore=1.78volts, +3.3= 3.49volts, and +5 = 4.99volts .....the VCore is still
set to the [CPU default]. Should I jack with the Vcore voltage??????

Anybody got any other ideas?????
I'll report my progress (or lack there of) in this string....stay tuned.
Joe101

 

[Joe101]

This is really weird. The failure is not random. There is a distinct pattern
to the FAIL SAFE occurrences. Every time I power up w/power button it
works fine. It predictably fails to FAIL SAFE the first time I push the
red reset button after it has been powered on. When I hit the reset button
again while at the end of the boot screen it begins a normal boot. When I
hit the reset button again it fails. It fails predictably every other
alternate push of the reset button.

You may wonder why I was doing a stupid thing like this ...... repeatedly
pushing the reset button........ well I was testing and changing memory
modules and only wanted to only see the first part of the boot screen. It
was during this testing that I noticed what I thought was random BIOS FAIL
SAFE.

Not only does it predictably fail every other time, but it is at the exact
same spot in the boot screen test messages. I think this is significant.
When it fails, I always notice the last message to flash by is "PNP Init.
Complete". The next text message should be "Trend ChipAway(TM) - Virus On
Guard". I think the Trend ChipAway is a built-in BIOS boot sector virus
checker. It could be executing and the source of the alternate failures,
but just not staying on the screen long enough to see.

As I have indicated before, my system is rock solid at 107MHz FSB and
1,391Mhz CPU. It always boots up first time when turned on in the morning
and I normally don't beat on the reset button so it is not a problem. If
Windows hangs up I would only have to push the reset button twice, or better
yet power on/off.

Whether this is causing problems that I do yet understand or is an
indication of something to come, I just do not know. I just don't like the
feel of it. Any Ideas?

Joe101

But, if you look at his third paragraph, it says he tried it at 10x100
with the same results. So it doesn't look like a FSB thing.

Just a FYI, but it is not a good idea to bump the original A7v FSB up,
since then you o/c your AGP & PCI, Mem, and HD devices. Some devices
can handle it, some can't. I think the setting is 1/3 FSB, so 107 /3
=~36 instead of 33. I have run into some HDs that seem fine, but
corrupt the data.

Taking load off powersupply? Just how small of a PSU do you got? In
any case, I doubt it will help. The issues is with the chipset not
being able to run stable at higher FSB speeds.

I upgraded my ASUS A7V from Athlon 1000(100MHz FSB) to an Athlon 1333(133MHz
FSB). I understand that my A7V has the VIA KT-133 chipset which is rated at
100MHz FSB, therefore I must keep FSB close to 100MHz. I really needed an
Athlon 1333 with 100FSB, but they are out of production and I had to settle
for an Athlon 1333(133MHz FSB). Luckily the new Athlon speed multiplier was
unlocked so it can be run at 100 x 12.5 ~ 1250MHz. Actually I cranked it
up a bit (7%) and am running stable at 107 x 12.5 ~ 1,391MHz with the
following exception:

On about 1 out of every 5 boot-ups, the BIOS traps out into the BIOS Set-UP
screen with red FAIL SAFE error message something like "the CPU or memory is
having problem with settings and falls back to 100MHz Memory and 33MHz
PCI". I try again and usually boot-up fine and can run rock solid all day
long at 1,391MHz.

I progressively reduced speed down to FSB=100MHz and Multiplier of 10 for
1,000MHz CPU which is where I started (the old
CPU's speed), but BIOS still goes to FAIL SAFE just as frequently as it did
when I has it set to 1,391Mhz. I flashed the latest BIOS V.1011

Next I will try.....
1) removing one 256MB memory strip at a time to make sure it is not memory
related, I have two 256MB memory strips.
2) removing all PCI cards (except AGP) to take load off the power supply.
3) Then I will put the old Athlon 1000 back, just to check.
4) Then flash back old BIOS v1008

I also checked the voltages using BIOS SetUp......and found
Vcore=1.78volts, +3.3= 3.49volts, and +5 = 4.99volts .....the VCore is still
set to the [CPU default]. Should I jack with the Vcore voltage??????

Anybody got any other ideas?????
I'll report my progress (or lack there of) in this string....stay tuned.
Joe101

 

[user]

I am having the same falling back to safe mode speed (100 Mhz) with my A7N8X
deluxe rev 2 mobo with barton 2500+.

Even when I take the cpu settings back to what they originally are or even
lower values where no component under stress, the result does not change.

The reset thing does not work me. I am stuck. ALWAYS i get the same message
and can't go beyond that point. The bios virus protection can be disabled
from the BIOS but that doesn't change the result...
-arcin

This is really weird. The failure is not random. There is a distinct pattern
to the FAIL SAFE occurrences. Every time I power up w/power button it
works fine. It predictably fails to FAIL SAFE the first time I push the
red reset button after it has been powered on. When I hit the reset button
again while at the end of the boot screen it begins a normal boot. When I
hit the reset button again it fails. It fails predictably every other
alternate push of the reset button.

You may wonder why I was doing a stupid thing like this ...... repeatedly
pushing the reset button........ well I was testing and changing memory
modules and only wanted to only see the first part of the boot screen. It
was during this testing that I noticed what I thought was random BIOS FAIL
SAFE.

Not only does it predictably fail every other time, but it is at the exact
same spot in the boot screen test messages. I think this is significant.
When it fails, I always notice the last message to flash by is "PNP Init.
Complete". The next text message should be "Trend ChipAway(TM) - Virus On
Guard". I think the Trend ChipAway is a built-in BIOS boot sector virus
checker. It could be executing and the source of the alternate failures,
but just not staying on the screen long enough to see.

As I have indicated before, my system is rock solid at 107MHz FSB and
1,391Mhz CPU. It always boots up first time when turned on in the morning
and I normally don't beat on the reset button so it is not a problem. If
Windows hangs up I would only have to push the reset button twice, or better
yet power on/off.

Whether this is causing problems that I do yet understand or is an
indication of something to come, I just do not know. I just don't like the
feel of it. Any Ideas?

Joe101

But, if you look at his third paragraph, it says he tried it at 10x100
with the same results. So it doesn't look like a FSB thing.

needed

an

multiplier

was

all

day

it

did

when I has it set to 1,391Mhz. I flashed the latest BIOS V.1011

Next I will try.....
1) removing one 256MB memory strip at a time to make sure it is not memory
related, I have two 256MB memory strips.
2) removing all PCI cards (except AGP) to take load off the power supply.
3) Then I will put the old Athlon 1000 back, just to check.
4) Then flash back old BIOS v1008

I also checked the voltages using BIOS SetUp......and found
Vcore=1.78volts, +3.3= 3.49volts, and +5 = 4.99volts .....the VCore is still
set to the [CPU default]. Should I jack with the Vcore voltage??????

Anybody got any other ideas?????
I'll report my progress (or lack there of) in this string....stay tuned.
Joe101