Performance issues with an ABIT/KT-7 RAID motherboard

[Maekial]

I have a system with an ABIT/KT7-Raid motherboard. Also, a GeForce DDR, running at a 1ghz T-bird and have 128MB of RAM. I just got fed up with Diablo II one day and decided to format for no good reason. I installed my video drivers first after the install was completed. No other /important/ drivers were loaded besides my video card, not even my motherboard.

I proceeded to install Diablo II, and low and behold, with just my Video card installed, it ran without a hitch. I said, ok, great. Installed my soundcard (SBLive! X-gamer 5.1) and it still ran smooth. By then I thought maybe my problem had been solved. Hah.

I installed my motherboard drivers, and the game went to total and utter crap. It would occassionally pause for a second here, a second there. When I would attempt to hit an enemy, I'd get a pause right before the sound and the actual hit took place, same thing with skills. It seemed like when there was a lot of action on the screen, it would pause even longer. It also bogged down a little bit, but it paused more than anything else.

I flashed my BIOS up the latest offical version (even tried the latest un-offical version), upgraded the Highpoint motherboard drivers, loaded up the latest 4-in-1, searched around for new drivers for my SBlive, and my Geforce, and tried to launch it again. No luck.

The whole defrag, scandisk, mem manager thing, I would rather not hear. I've tried all of that already before I decided to go poking around at Tech support (who basically told me to perform the above, and right now they want me to change around my IRQs, and reserve 9, but that's been done too) but that proved fruitless.

I'm not sure if the issue is specifically related TO the motherboard, or IS the motherboard, but if anyone can provide any sort of advice, I'd be thankful.

(And yes, I did try to diable my soundcard, and the SB16 emulation.)

[This message has been edited by Maekial (edited July 12, 2001).]

 

[Guest]

Seems lika a real difficult problem... Maybe you can try to remove all pci-cards that is not necessary to start and run the computer?? Just leave the video card and then try if that also causes the same problem. You should use the drivers included in the operating system for sound and other stuff... I dont trust creative even though they dont seem to cause your problems.

 

[Arta]

...so uninstall the mobo drivers

 

[Maekial]

Yeah, already tried that. I flipped my IRQs around, reserved 9, ripped my system basically inside and out. Nothing really seems to be working. Also, when I try uninstalling the motherboard drivers, it won't boot up unless I go into safemode, but I haven't spent much time with a workaround with that yet, so I guess I'll do that for a bit and see if I can't manage anything.

 

[Maekial]

Just as I thought. I was able to get into windows without the motherboard drivers activating, but when I tried to load up the game itself, my system locked up. Attempted 3 times just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and each time it siezed up on me.

 

[Nelson]

Personally .. heres how I do reinstalls.. and have had pretty good luck so far...
Step 1.. Install OS
Step 2.. Install Mobo Drivers
Step 3.. Install Cache and Mem Tweaks
Step 4.. install Vid
step 5.. install Sound
Step 6.. install NIC
Step 7.. Install Patches and remaining tweaks

so for example.. Install windows.. Install Via 4 in 1.. install Cacheman and Rampage.. then Install Detonator3.. then Install Liveware and Drivers.. then NIC cards.. then Windows Update via Internet.. then finish off with Tweak ME.. and some other crap like Logitech drivers and reg patches.. and MS Strategic Commander.. and Saitek Cyborg Joystick.. and Gravis Annihilator Gampad.. and DVD proggies..then Scandisk and defrag.. then Install all the other games and crap.

 

[Maekial]

Well, I'm not getting any performance boost on anything I do. Instead of making my system a piece of crap by cattering to DII, I'll just toss the game, and berate Blizz programers for being lamers.

 

[Vinkie]

O.K. as I have the same config as you (almost exactly), and I am a computer service manager, I feel that I can give you some help. First thing is that I will need much more detailed info about your config. However, I can tell you about mine and you can infer from that.Here are the parts:
Abit KT7-Raid mobo
Guillemot/Hercules 3D Prophet ll Pro 64MB
SB Live
Linksys 10/100 nic
56k ISA modem
Corsair pc133 cas2 sdram 256MB
16x/40x Acer DVD rom
2x Maxtor 30GB UDMA100 7200rpm (in raid 0 config on the HPT370, Pri master + Sec master)
1x Maxtor 13.6GB UDMA66 7200 (on hpt370 as sec slave)
First things first! Your i/o card placement and IRQ configuration is Critical! PCI slot 5 shares an IRQ with the Highpoint controller, avoid that slot AT ALL COSTS! PCI slot 1 shares with the AGP, also a NO NO (also you need to give the card room to dissipate heat). This leaves you with 2,3,4 + 6 (if you're not using any ISA). Slots 2+3 share with each other, slots 4+6 share with the USB controller. Sharing with the USB is FINE for non critical I/O cards (PCI modems, sound, etc.). Here is my suggestion:
AGP slot = Geforce 2 MX
PCI slot 1 = EMPTY!
PCI slot 2 = Network if you have it
PCI slot 3 = Empty or NON-Crit(shares W/ Nic)
PCI slot 4 = SB Live 5.1
PCI slot 5 = EMPTY! EMPTY! EMPTY!
PCI slot 6 = Pci modem OR >
ISA slot = Isa Modem (com2 2f8,IRQ3 prefer)
Now the Bios:
1)Enable AGP 4x, fast write, driving value auto or DA
2)AGP aperture size 1/2 of system ram (64MB?)
3)Plug+Play OS set to NO! (Do not allow windows to assign IRQ, Use BIOS!)
4)Resources controlled by MANUAL not auto!
Reserve IRQ 5 for ISA (not 9) for SB Live emulation. Unless you are short IRQ's or have NO USE (Old DOS based games,etc.) there is no reason to disable SB emulation.
5)As you scroll the "INT (IRQ) slot assignment" each I/O card will show on the right.
6)As follows:
INT pin1 display = AUTO (Ideal is IRQ 10)
INT pin2 NIC = IRQ 4 (If you don't need it, disable com 1)
INT pin3 should be "mass storage controller", this is the HPT370 = IRQ 11
INT pin4 This should the SB Live and the USB controller (anything in slot 6 e.g. modem, will also show up) = IRQ 9!
The SB Live (PCI function) and the USB controller can share IRQ 9 without any prob!
SB DOS emulation should be on IRQ 5, the whole point is to emulate the OLD ISA SB cards resources (IRQ 5, ADD 220, DMA1, etc.)
You will probably have to enable "Reset configuration data", this tells the BIOS to dump all previous settings as reconfig the IRQ routing table (as per YOUR setup). This is a one time only shot and will revert to disable on the next boot. When the sys reboots after save and exit HIT THE PAUSE KEY AS SOON AS THE SECOND SCREEN (after memory count, energy star logo screen) COMES UP. This screen allows you to view the IRQ assignment before booting to windows. If everything is kosher, hit enter. If not, reconfig the BIOS or shuffle your I/O cards.
In Win9x this is the driver load order after a CLEAN INSTALL:
1)VIA 4in1 v4.32 FIRST
Enable DMA check box
AGP VXD in TURBO mode for AGP 4x
2)Load latest Highpoint Raid cont. driver
3)Load Video driver
(NOTE: D2 would NOT find ANY video device with Hercules 7.52 OR 12.41, OR Nvidia reference 12.41 drivers!)Earlier versions e.g. 6.35 worked, I had to use LEAKED Nvidia reference driver 12.60 for D2 to recognize a Video device for DDraw or D3D.You are forewarned!
4)Load Nic drivers if Nec.
5)Load Liveware 3.0 and THEN load the driver update (sbl9x??.exe I think?) from Creative
6)Load any misc hardware drivers
7)Load DX8.0a
8)Use Windows update to load bug fixes like the Large IDE Cache update, etc. etc.
9)Disable ALL of the CRAP that loads and runs in the "systray" at startup including Audio HQ, Creative Launcher, and all misc crap!
I know this was lengthy and I probably left something out. If you need more help e-mail me at [email protected]

 

[Maekial]

Well, thanks for the post Kevin. However, it seems everything's alright. I had just about given up with it, and suddenly, *boom*, hard drive went and died on me. After getting a new hard drive put in (Although i didn't put it in the RAID slot) and getting everything installed, the game ran without a hitch. I also replaced my IDE cable in case there was something fishy with that, but my problem seems to be solved.

 

[Wargasm]

lol

gotta love HD's

i dunno bout setting pci cards that way tho kevin .
with a good brand mobo and a good power supply it's a good setup .
however on those A-brand machines with sometimes their own produced mobo's (hello compaq) and under powered power supply's (hello HP) i would suggest to put all devices as close to the cpu as possible hehe.