Need system critique before purchase

[KC Computers]

I'm a local IT manager for a global computer support company. The systems
we service use various brands of mainboards such as DFI, Epox, Chaintech,
AOpen and Asus, among many others. But the only brand we consistently
have "issues" with is Asus. Unfortunately, we don't build most of the
systems that we service, so Asus quality control (or lack thereof) keeps
all of us really busy. That could be good too, I guess (job security)

This could be related to usage patterns, also. The systems we service are
in constant use for many hours a day. Under those conditions, Asus
doesn't seem to hold up very well.

I'm glad to hear that you have had good luck selling Asus mainboards.
Based on my experience with them, I would NOT build a system for myself or
anybody else with an Asus mainboard. I CRINGE every time I read an expert
review which gives a "thumbs up" to anything made by Asus. -Dave

A lot of our customers (including 24 hrs a day myself) use ASUS motherboards
many hours a day
and some in critical business environments. What sort of issues are you
seeing?
I believe ASUS is one of the largest motherboard manufacturers so you may be
seeing
more issues total but that's not the same percentage wise.

 

[John Doe]

Recovery floppies are still the main way to get back in
and reimage a crashed drive. The USB sticks sort of
work on the newer recovery programs and mobo
BIOSs, but not yet. Same with the boot CDs. And
even the WinXP install disks go looking for the A-drive
for SATA drivers and everything. I got stupid and left
out the floppies in my labs ... so I have a USB floppy
drive.

Recovery CDs:
Windows XP
PartitionMagic 8
Partition Manager 2005 (no updates since 2004)

My bios has an option to configure a flash drive as either a floppy
drive or a hard drive. I haven't needed/tried it.

In Windows XP (SP2 slipstreamed), I was not asked for SATA drivers
for my SATA hard drive.

 

[Ed Medlin]

Recovery CDs:
Windows XP
PartitionMagic 8
Partition Manager 2005 (no updates since 2004)

My bios has an option to configure a flash drive as either a floppy
drive or a hard drive. I haven't needed/tried it.

My Asus P5GDC Deluxe has that option and it works very well, just like a
floppy.

In Windows XP (SP2 slipstreamed), I was not asked for SATA drivers
for my SATA hard drive.

Even with SP1 I am asked for raid or sccsi drivers, but no need to install
them unless I want raid arrays. I have my 4 sata drives configured in bios
as standard ide and no need for additional drivers. They are recognized just
like ide drives.

Ed

 

[AMooreonline]

Guys...I must agree here! I have had 6 computers in my day & 5 were
Asus & one MSI (Old MS-6167 AMD Irongate MB) Asus has never, ever
failed me! I just sent KC Computers for a price quote for a Barebones
system. I requested an Asus A8V-SE! Asus is a "Top-Notch" company!

BTW...My MSI board was fine too. DFI, Epox, Biostar, ECS etc. I stay
away! Not worth it IMHO!

Alex

 

[Mike T.]

BTW...My MSI board was fine too. DFI, Epox, Biostar, ECS etc. I stay
away! Not worth it IMHO!

Alex

Whoa. Don't EVER mention ECS in the same sentence as DFI, Epox and Biostar.
You could get the death penalty for that. -Dave