Motherboard causing freezing

[chris]

Hello:

I am trying to troubleshoot an issue that just came up with my Soyo
SY-6BA+100 motherboard. The system started locking up more and more
frequently in Windows. So I spent a day and removed/swapped out every
piece of hardware, even swapped the memory and processor with known
good spare ones. Then flashed to the latest BIOS and cleared the CMOS.
I then put in a fresh hard drive and tried installing Windows XP with
only the processor and memory installed (and a known good spare AGP
video card). However this still did not work. The general problems
are:

- Freezing in Windows 2000 or XP
- Various reading errors for any CD-ROMs connected to the primary IDE
controller

When I reduce the clock speed on the system bus to 100 MHz instead of
133 MHz, the system appears to run stable with no problems. But if I
put it back to 133 MHz I get the weird behavior mentioned above.

Can anybody tell me what could possibly be wrong? This problem came up
without any changes to the system. But I was curious if it would be as
simple as cleaning the contacts, or does it sound like the motherboard
is bad??

Thanks much for all feedback!

 

[Mark W]

I left this out but the memory I'm using is two 512 meg Corsair TWINX
1024-3200XLPT. These are in the first two 'blue' slots for memory. I
am showing 1 gig total. As well, I have a Maxtor 300GB SATA Hard
drive and am using Windows XP Professional with SP2.

 

[~1Alex~]

i've had the same problem, it was the hard drive.

 

[ToolPackinMama]

Can anybody tell me what could possibly be wrong?

Cheap RAM?

 

[ToolPackinMama]

Can anybody tell me what could possibly be wrong?

Cheap power supply?

 

[kony]

Hello:

I am trying to troubleshoot an issue that just came up with my Soyo
SY-6BA+100 motherboard. The system started locking up more and more
frequently in Windows. So I spent a day and removed/swapped out every
piece of hardware, even swapped the memory and processor with known
good spare ones. Then flashed to the latest BIOS and cleared the CMOS.
I then put in a fresh hard drive and tried installing Windows XP with
only the processor and memory installed (and a known good spare AGP
video card). However this still did not work. The general problems
are:

- Freezing in Windows 2000 or XP
- Various reading errors for any CD-ROMs connected to the primary IDE
controller

When I reduce the clock speed on the system bus to 100 MHz instead of
133 MHz, the system appears to run stable with no problems. But if I
put it back to 133 MHz I get the weird behavior mentioned above.

Can anybody tell me what could possibly be wrong? This problem came up
without any changes to the system. But I was curious if it would be as
simple as cleaning the contacts, or does it sound like the motherboard
is bad??

Thanks much for all feedback!

Run memtest86+ for a few hours... if there are errors you'll
have to resolve them, THEN reinstall XP after the system is
stable so you don't have data corruption.

 

[szilagyic]

Hello,

Thanks for your reply. I have tried two sets of RAM and two separate
power supplies, but still no luck.

Thanks...

 

[JAD]

make sure your using the IDE drivers that came with the mainboards install
CD

 

[szilagyic]

I did as you suggested and ran memtest86 3.2 on the box for 11 hours.
During that time it was able to make 6 passes, with no errors. Hmm.
Also I did swap the memory out with some spare memory and it didn't
seem to make any difference.

 

[szilagyic]

I'm currently using the latest Microsoft released drivers for the
regular IDE controller (Intel 82371AB/EB). I'm also using the latest
drivers for the other integrated IDE controller (Highpoint HPT-370).

One strange thing that I later found out, is that the system locks up
almost immediately in Windows when I am using the PS/2 mouse. When
unplugging the PS/2 mouse and using the keyboard (or using PCAnywhere)
the system runs for over an hour with no problems.

So far I'm stumped. If anybody else has any ideas, I'd love to hear
them!!! Thanks....

 

[JAD]

I'm currently using the latest Microsoft released drivers for the
regular IDE controller (Intel 82371AB/EB). I'm also using the latest
drivers for the other integrated IDE controller (Highpoint HPT-370).

I would revert back to the IDE drivers that came with the MB. MS is never a
good source for drivers.

 

[kony]

I'm currently using the latest Microsoft released drivers for the
regular IDE controller (Intel 82371AB/EB). I'm also using the latest
drivers for the other integrated IDE controller (Highpoint HPT-370).

One strange thing that I later found out, is that the system locks up
almost immediately in Windows when I am using the PS/2 mouse. When
unplugging the PS/2 mouse and using the keyboard (or using PCAnywhere)
the system runs for over an hour with no problems.

So far I'm stumped. If anybody else has any ideas, I'd love to hear
them!!! Thanks....

Your SY-6BA+100 motherboard uses intel 440BX chipset.
Ignore any website that claims it supports 133MHz FSB, as it
does NOT! 133MHz FSB is overclocking it, and there's where
you get the instability. Back in that era, many were able
to successfully overclock their BX boards, and some even had
bios features to aid in doing it, but even so, Intel
themselves did not spec it as able to do 133MHz FSB because
it did not do so in all cases.

If you "need" 133MHz FSB, I suggest a newer motherboard,
Intel 815 (if you can accept it's 512MB max memory
limitation) or Via 694X or Via 694T based.

 

[szilagyic]

I was aware of this when I bought this motherboard brand new in 2001.
It was intriguing to have the 440BX chipset, due to its known
stability. I also purchased a second SY-6BA+100 board that I've been
using since 2001 and that one just started doing the exact same thing
the past couple days, in a whole separate system! What baffles me is
that it has been very stable until recently in both systems. I am
wondering if running it at 133 MHz for this long may be the problem
like you suggested. One PC has Win 2000 and the other has Win XP,
but that doesn't seem to make any difference. Modifying the bus speed
from 133 to 100 on both systems gets them to both run without a hitch.
Drawback is the processor is now running at 750 MHz and not 1000 MHz
(it is a real 1000 MHz coppermine).

Has anybody else had similar experiences in overclocking the 440BX
chipset from 100 MHz to 133 MHz? Any tips to keep running it at 133
MHz? I've looking around and so far haven't been able to find any
current information.

If not I guess the solution is a 1.0 GHz processor at 100 MHz FSB, or a
newer motherboard like you suggested.

Thanks a lot for the helpful feedback!!

 

[kony]

I was aware of this when I bought this motherboard brand new in 2001.
It was intriguing to have the 440BX chipset, due to its known
stability. I also purchased a second SY-6BA+100 board that I've been
using since 2001 and that one just started doing the exact same thing
the past couple days, in a whole separate system! What baffles me is
that it has been very stable until recently in both systems. I am
wondering if running it at 133 MHz for this long may be the problem
like you suggested.

I meant that it might not work initially. If it did work ok
at exact same speed and settings in the past, the chipset is
not the problem. I would then suspect the motherboard
capacitors having failed... check them for signs of
venting... swollen tops, leaky residue on top or bottoms.

One PC has Win 2000 and the other has Win XP,
but that doesn't seem to make any difference. Modifying the bus speed
from 133 to 100 on both systems gets them to both run without a hitch.
Drawback is the processor is now running at 750 MHz and not 1000 MHz
(it is a real 1000 MHz coppermine).

You might remove the memory and inspect it, and the board
slot contacts, cleaning them if necessary.

Has anybody else had similar experiences in overclocking the 440BX
chipset from 100 MHz to 133 MHz? Any tips to keep running it at 133
MHz? I've looking around and so far haven't been able to find any
current information.

It's been awhile since I've ran one like that, but some
boards didn't have the proper AGP or PCI divider (or both)
so if you were previously using a different video card,
retry that other card. Beyond that the more conservative
bios settings for things like memory timings might help, and
a chipset voltage increase might help as well, though most
boards of that era did not support chipset voltage
increases, AFAIK, and I don't even recall anyone actually
increasing the voltage to gain stability.

If not I guess the solution is a 1.0 GHz processor at 100 MHz FSB, or a
newer motherboard like you suggested.

.... or just run it at the reduced speed? I wouldn't put
more $ into a system of that age if you can get it running
stable at 750MHz, as the performance difference relative to
the gains in performance from a new (even budget grade)
system are small.

 

[szilagyic]

I meant that it might not work initially. If it did work ok
at exact same speed and settings in the past, the chipset is
not the problem. I would then suspect the motherboard
capacitors having failed... check them for signs of
venting... swollen tops, leaky residue on top or bottoms.

I did a preliminary check but will do that again. I didn't see
anything yet that looked abnormal.

You might remove the memory and inspect it, and the board
slot contacts, cleaning them if necessary.


It's been awhile since I've ran one like that, but some
boards didn't have the proper AGP or PCI divider (or both)
so if you were previously using a different video card,
retry that other card. Beyond that the more conservative
bios settings for things like memory timings might help, and
a chipset voltage increase might help as well, though most
boards of that era did not support chipset voltage
increases, AFAIK, and I don't even recall anyone actually
increasing the voltage to gain stability.

This board has voltage settings, which I did try increasing but didn't
seem to help. I will try the memory timings as you suggested and see
if that helps any.

... or just run it at the reduced speed? I wouldn't put
more $ into a system of that age if you can get it running
stable at 750MHz, as the performance difference relative to
the gains in performance from a new (even budget grade)
system are small.

Exactly. If I get one of them to work at 1000 MHz (133 MHz bus) again,
I will definitely post back to the group! In the meantime this will
get us by.

Thanks again for the suggestions & help!!