Pcchips M571 board problems

[Troy Snider]

Hi,
I just built a system from used parts I've acquired. I'm using a Pcchips
M571 Ver. 7.0A motherboard with an AMD K6-2 333Mhz. cpu. When I started it
the first time it seemed ok, I loaded windows and it ran fine for the most
part. The first problem I noticed was that every now and then when playing
audio files It would sound like the audio was garbled for just a second,
then it would be fine again. Not the typical skipping as if the cpu was
under stress, but a garbled like sound. No other programs were running at
the time, It was idle except for Windows Media player 6.4.
At this point I was using (4) 72 pin simms for ram and I decided to
swap it for 1 stick of 64MB sd-ram (the board supports both). I did so and
started it again, it got into Win98 for less than 30 seconds and suddenly
reset itself, then when it tried to start again it didn't even make it
through the ram count, the screen distorted and dimmed and it just froze.
After two more resets it wouldn't even try to count the ram. I knew the
stick of ram was good, I had just pulled it from another machine, but I
swapped it for a different stick, with the same results. Then I thought
maybe the power supply is flaky, so I tried a different one, no change. I
then pulled the sd-ram and put the simms back, It booted and ran fine except
for the previous audio problem. Have I just got a bad board? I can't think
of anything else to try. If it makes a difference I'm using an AT style PS,
the board will support either AT or ATX however I don't have an ATX to test
it with. I'm also using the on-board video, although I can't see that to be
causing this either. If anyone can think of something else to check I'm
certainly open to any suggestions.

Thanks in advance,
Troy

P.S. sorry for the long post.

 

[Dave C.]

Hi,
I just built a system from used parts I've acquired. I'm using a Pcchips
M571 Ver. 7.0A motherboard with an AMD K6-2 333Mhz. cpu. When I started it
the first time it seemed ok, I loaded windows and it ran fine for the most
part. The first problem I noticed was that every now and then when playing
audio files It would sound like the audio was garbled for just a second,
then it would be fine again. Not the typical skipping as if the cpu was
under stress, but a garbled like sound. No other programs were running at
the time, It was idle except for Windows Media player 6.4.
At this point I was using (4) 72 pin simms for ram and I decided to
swap it for 1 stick of 64MB sd-ram (the board supports both). I did so and
started it again, it got into Win98 for less than 30 seconds and suddenly
reset itself, then when it tried to start again it didn't even make it
through the ram count, the screen distorted and dimmed and it just froze.
After two more resets it wouldn't even try to count the ram. I knew the
stick of ram was good, I had just pulled it from another machine, but I
swapped it for a different stick, with the same results. Then I thought
maybe the power supply is flaky, so I tried a different one, no change. I
then pulled the sd-ram and put the simms back, It booted and ran fine except
for the previous audio problem. Have I just got a bad board? I can't think
of anything else to try. If it makes a difference I'm using an AT style PS,
the board will support either AT or ATX however I don't have an ATX to test
it with. I'm also using the on-board video, although I can't see that to be
causing this either. If anyone can think of something else to check I'm
certainly open to any suggestions.

Thanks in advance,
Troy

P.S. sorry for the long post.

Take that motherboard completely out of the case. Set it on some cardboard
near the case. Try running it that way to test it. It sounds to me like
you've got a short somewhere, probably between motherboard and case. If it
works OK outside the case, examine the case to see if any loose metal is
grounding out the motherboard. If you can't find anything obvious, try a
different case. -Dave

 

[JAD]

check your RAM timings in BIOS....maybe even reset BIOS to default settings.....some RAM just isn't compatible in ALL boards....
make sure ALL is seated properly. remove/disconnect all hardware except VIDEO, CPU, HSF, 1 memory module, and see if it posts.

HTH,

Joe

 

[Troy Snider]

Hey Guys,
I did both of your suggestions at the same time. I pulled it back out of
the case and started it with just the monitor and CPU fan connected. I
placed it on a bench that's covered in particle board. I started it and it
did the ram count and gave me the missing HD message. I left it sitting like
that for several seconds and I thought I was making progress until static
swept over the message for just a split second. I assume that it froze after
that but being that no keyboard was connected I can't be sure. I then turned
it off and connected a keyboard and started it again, It counted the ram and
I entered the bios however before I could even try to change any settings
the static appeared and it was locked up tight again. I tried several more
times with the same result.
Do you think it could be a problem with the on board video causing this?
The previous owner had used a pci video card, I know because the on board
was disabled when I got it.
If anyone can think of something else to try, please post.

Thanks Again,
Troy

check your RAM timings in BIOS....maybe even reset BIOS to default

settings.....some RAM just isn't compatible in ALL boards....

make sure ALL is seated properly. remove/disconnect all hardware except

VIDEO, CPU, HSF, 1 memory module, and see if it posts.

 

[pheasant]

Hi,
I just built a system from used parts I've acquired. I'm using a Pcchips
M571 Ver. 7.0A motherboard with an AMD K6-2 333Mhz. cpu. When I started it
the first time it seemed ok, I loaded windows and it ran fine for the most
part. The first problem I noticed was that every now and then when playing
audio files It would sound like the audio was garbled for just a second,
then it would be fine again. Not the typical skipping as if the cpu was
under stress, but a garbled like sound. No other programs were running at
the time, It was idle except for Windows Media player 6.4.

Hi Troy;

If you've followed this group, you know by now that PCChips boards tend to
be ahem...crap.

I have the same board in a junked system, and seem to recall having the same
trouble. I think between the board, and processor (mine was a 266 IIRC) it
just wasn't enough power to run sound that was good.
See if this link might be of some help. http://m571.com/m571/
Good luck.
Mark

 

[Strontium]

-
Dave C. stood up at show-n-tell, in (e-mail address removed), and
said:

Take that motherboard completely out of the case. Set it on some
cardboard near the case.

And smash it to pieces with a heavy, blunt object.

 

[Troy Snider]

Hi Troy;

If you've followed this group, you know by now that PCChips boards tend to
be ahem...crap.

I have the same board in a junked system, and seem to recall having the same
trouble. I think between the board, and processor (mine was a 266 IIRC) it
just wasn't enough power to run sound that was good.
See if this link might be of some help. http://m571.com/m571/
Good luck.
Mark

Hi Mark,
Unfortunately I didn't do any research on the board before I bought it on
ebay. I was getting such a "good deal" that I just jumped on it. I got the
board, (1) 128MB stick of PC100 ram, and the AMD CPU for $10.00 shipping
included. I'm using the stick of ram in the PC I'm writing this on, so I
guess that was worth the money even without the board. Also his listing said
the CPU was a Cyrix 333 not an AMD, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it
under the heatsink when I was looking the board over.
Anyway, I'll Probably try to find another socket 7 AT board to put the
CPU on, until then I'll just use the EDO ram with it. Anyone know a good
deal on a board? Any suggestions on what boards I might want to look for (or
look out for!) when I'm searching?

Thanks Again,
Troy

 

[pheasant]

Anyone know a good
deal on a board? Any suggestions on what boards I might want to look for (or
look out for!) when I'm searching?

Thanks Again,
Troy

Troy, sent you an email, forgot it may have been my fake one.
I've got a couple Tekram socket 7's that are good boards,
one used from a system I built and upgraded, and 2 NIB.
If interested let me know.
Mark

 

[terry_b17]

hi,
have you made the changes to your autoexec.bat file and installed the
file 597v113.exe . in win 98 you need to install the file as
described in the margin of the m571 page Mark listed in his post. you
might want to check the audio driveers there.
hope this helps,
terry