New Abit KT7-RAID mobo related probs.......

[EvilHorace]

After installing my new Abit KT7-RAID mobo, T-bird 1 gig cpu (still at 1ghz), PC-133 ram I tryed using my 2 older HDs as there were (removed/re-installed card drivers) and everything seemed OK until I read more through the Abit book and installed thier mobos drivers, then @$%^*&$#@! it wouldn't boot again with fatal errors, even in safe mode so I re-partitioned and reformated the primary HD only, taking the 2nd one out in the bios selection.

I've re-installed all Abits mobo drivers, Win98SE, my cable nic (working) but I still have no sound and whenever I try to run the SB Live CD, it locks up trying to install the SB Live program (3Xs so far). The SB Live card is in the 3rd PCI slot down (don't presently know if that's a problem with this mobo yet).

During bootup, it trys to find a PCI input controller for it yet I don't have a drivers available here that can be found so I have to push though that. In device manager, PCI input controller is inop, PCI multimedia controller audio device is inop and SCM eUSB smartmedia is inop. Anyone with this mobo and SB Live card combo run into this? (Yes, I'll check Abits site too) but.....?

Then, my primary HD is now almost empty (8.4 gigs) but I didn't change anything in my secondary HD because I had it selected as "none" in the bios during my reformatting of the primary HD. The primary HD is now fat32 (as is the other), both are (were) running Win98SE YET now I can't bootup at all if I select the secondary HD again in the bios to "auto".

It shows both at the start (memory count, cpu ID) but it goes to the Win98 start screen where I can select "normal" or "safe mode", etc then after trying says "Unable to find Win.com". Now before, Win98 was not installed at all on this secondary HD, just games, extra programs, etc so I don't know why it won't now bootup if I select the secondary HD to run in the Bios.

I'd hate to have to lose everything now in there and re-format that HD too. I have saved C-drive info in there from before I formatted and don't want to lose it. Any ideas on that?
I also can't install games from the cd-roms (two, a Kenwood True 72Xs and a Plextor Plexwriter 12/10/32A) even though I was able to use either to install Win98, '98 plus and '98 SE upgrade plus other drivers off cd-roms with no probs. Now however, if I try to install any longer installing type programs like off the SB Live cd (to install its drivers), or games like UT and Q3 onto a newly formatted HD, it'll lock up during the proceedure (no errors, just locks requiring a re-boot). The cpu is not OCd, it's running at its default 1ghz speed. I'll re-read all the bios settings in my manual but to my knowledge it's mostly setup as default now. Anyone here running this mobo experience any of this? Solutions/ideas?


[Edited by EvilHorace on 11-25-2000 at 12:03 AM]

[JohnM]

What version of the 4in1 drivers are you using??

I am using the 4.25a's with mine & Liveware 3.0 & everything works fine.

I did have to clean install Win98SE & W2K when I installed the MB (I tried installing the HD without formatting, but it didn't work real well).

I installed in this order :
1: Win98SE
2: VIA 4.25a's
3: 7020 Radeon drivers
4: Liveware 3.0 with dos emulation disabled

All my pci slots are full & everything works fine. I'm not using the RAID controller because boot drive is an X-15 Cheetah. I have three scsi HD's & two ide HD's for BU.

[EvilHorace]

After carefully examining all my bios settings and making a few changes, I now have both HDs and sound too .
Now to re-install my games lost during the format.

[EvilHorace]

Fixed it .
It was my fault in assuming that the blue IDE RAID HD plugs were optional, they aren't.
After carefully re-reading the mobo wiring section (plus info on it mentioning it elsewhere), it turns out the the IDE HDs must be plugged into their included blue plug ribbon, then plugged into the mobos blue IDE RAID #3 plug with the cd-rom and burner then plugging into IDE #1. After doing that and (once again) playing 'find the right PCI slot that doesn't crash the PC for the SB Live' (very troublesome with this mobo), the PC now runs normally (stable) and the games, etc install without a hitch.
Lesson, it's definately "not your dads mobo" and very different in many ways from what I was use to (the ol' BH6). It pays to thoroughly read and follow every detail in the manual.

[Edited by EvilHorace on 11-26-2000 at 06:01 PM]

[Frost]

Glad to hear that you got it fixed! BTW you lucky b@stard! You have a damn nice comp!

[VonJames]

That is one of the good features of Abit products E-H, they do make a darn fine and thorough mobo manual.

[EvilHorace]

Not only is it fixed, but I can even FINALLY play UT at 1152x864 in 32bit mode with decent FPS, so far only kickin' bot butt but it should good online now too. Gotta reDL my mods and maps.

[wvjohn]

finally got my kt7/duron 700 up and running too. for some reason ity wasn't happy until it reformatted the hd and reinstalled me - go figure - now i have to find my wife's magnifying loup so i can try the pencil trick again - i i can get to a gig i'll put my gts in there and run some fps!