I assume your CPUs have the same stepping etc.? Since you´ve obviously tried a lot of variations, maybe it´s a SMP problem. Which version is enabled in the BIOS? 1.4 or the earlier one?
What about ACPI? Enabled in the BIOS or not?
Weirdo IRQ problems with early rev mobo
I only know that _different_ steppings can cause trouble in a SMP setup.uhoh wrote:The CPU steppings, i haven't looked at - do BP6s have any history of having stepping revision problems?
As you were probably getting to, i haven't tried a different pair of procs as yet - i'm kinda reluctant to take apart a working machine.. it's starting to look like the next step though. Bugger.
I'll suss out the steppings, and post them when i clear some desk space.
You can check out the steppings without disassembling the machine, with Sisoft Sandra or some other tool.
BP6, RU BIOS, XP SP3, ACPI, 2x366@523(1,95V), Pentalpha HS + 1x 12cm fan @5V, 768MB, Powercolor Geforce 3, RTL8139D NIC, Terratec EWS64L, Samsung M40 80GB (2,5''), LiteOn CDRW
My advice to all who are having stability or flakeyness issues with the BP6 is to retire your HPT-366. This is one of your best first steps in troubleshooting many BP6 problems. With all three of my BP6 systems, serious problems have vanished by merely replacing the HPT366 with a Promise/Maxtor ATA100 PCI controller. I will no longer connect anything except CDROM or DVD-ROM drives to the HPT366. The BP6 already has enough quirkyness to deal with without adding the heavy baggage of the HPT366 controller in the picture.
-
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2002 6:19 pm
- Contact:
^^^^ Very good advice. HPTs hate me, I hate them. Went back to the standard 440BX IDE controllers but even then I had issues after hacking the board for dual P3s. Dropped in an old Adaptec 2940U2W, a SCSI DVD and a 10k rpm drive and problems vanished. SCSI speeds up I/O significantly, so the machine is much smoother than with IDE. Besides, Solaris and FreeBSD like SCSI better... now only if I could magically replace the x86 Intels with PowerPCs or SPARCs and make UNIX really happy.
I doubt that. While I would always agree that the HPT366 is not exactly the most reliable and uncomplicated onboard component ever, I think it is not responsible for mouse lockups, acid rain or smelly feet.rwwood wrote:Is this a possible cause of keyboard/mouse lockup problems?
When do these lockups occur?
BP6, RU BIOS, XP SP3, ACPI, 2x366@523(1,95V), Pentalpha HS + 1x 12cm fan @5V, 768MB, Powercolor Geforce 3, RTL8139D NIC, Terratec EWS64L, Samsung M40 80GB (2,5''), LiteOn CDRW
I have had good luck using USB mouse & Keyboards on all (3) of my BP6 systems. This also frees up H/W IRQ12 too, if you disable the PS/2 moise in CMOS setup; what slot is the LAN card placed? have you moved it around? Avoid Slot3 as I believe it shares IRQ with the HPT controller & sharing is not good for a Bus Mastering LAN card.
The USB KB & Mouse must plug in to the USB on the BP6 mainboard to allow the BP6 BIOS to initialize them at boot. They should work at the POST stage, at the DOS level & in Windows, if the onboard BIOS+USB detects & initializes them properly. There may be a BIOS setting to make the system look for USB I/O devices - I can't remember for sure.