I hate computers...Episode 20020601.the saga continues

from WinCustomize Forums
Well...it's all to do with that 'second-hand' comp you chuck together for your other half...total cost of bits....AUS $75....not too bad for a P11/333 slot 1....chucking on all the 'cast-off' bits from the various upgrades...
It all gets a little squishy when DirectX 8.1 from XP BSOD's in a dxdiag test and you hear suggestions that a Bios update 'may' be in order.
You open up the box again to look for the name of the board....Via chipsets may need the update, but Intel ones don't....something like that.
Then the fun starts....all you can find for a 'name' is 35-8802-03...in letters about 5mm high...but nothing else...no clear 'VIA' or 'INTEL', apert from the CPU, of course....so there's nothing left for it but to strip 'er down [again].
Everything disconnected from the MB and you pull it out and turn it over....
Not a word....nada...zip.
Waste of time, you say?...and yer right....but I now know that the Dimm sockets were made by Lite-ON [whoopee-do].

On to the net we go....[skipping the 'home-page' [here] for a moment]...and into google..for a giggle.
35-8802-03 gets you a couple of links....in Japanese....nope, no time to study a new language.....
Enter 'slot 1'...ah...much more 'luck', now.....oodles of 'em...all sorted by manufacturer....but...
It's the manufacturer's name that I'm looking for in the first place....I feel I'm getting no-where fast, now...[better than getting no-where slow]..
It's a '98 MoBo....2 Dimms, AGP, 3 PCI, 2 ISA, USB....does this ring a bell....any correlation?
Nope....
Nothing like it...
Gotta be 'discontinued' [obviously]...4 years is ancient...

After a couple of hours of tail chasing...[is it worth it?]...I conclude...
'It takes about 2 hours to get no-where'.
But...
In 2 hours...on a bicycle...I could easily be 40 miles away....from that damn slot 1 computer....
6,170 views 25 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jafo: Usually the information you need re the chipset and bios is in the information you first see when you switch on the PC while it's going though the POST. The numbers at the bottom left of the screen IIRC. Or have you tried that?

Powered by SkinBrowser!
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You could try some shareware pc analysis type software to id the thing. Something like SiSoft Sandra would tell you BIOS info, motherboard make, chipset, memeory etc etc.

Powered by SkinBrowser!
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
After a couple of hours of tail chasing...[is it worth it?]...I conclude...
'It takes about 2 hours to get no-where'.
by Jafo - 6/1/2002 3:51:41 AM

nope it's not worth it...
/me says buy the better half a better computer
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Easiest way I've found it to look for the FCC number on the board. Should be there somewhere albeit it wont "look" like it was meant to be seen. then go here. http://www.fcc.gov/oet/fccid/

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
/me rally's up the girls for Mrs. Pauly
Get her a new machine!
Get her a new machine!
Get her a new machine!

okay or.....

listen to James hehe
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
James....I know the FCC trick quite well...alas, no FCC number...

Of course....bloody thing won't post.....it's still in bits.
I'll put it all back together again....tomorrow...and....and get straight into the bios....and grab some more clues....
But, heaven help it if I get the message I once got on another comp....

"Keyboard not found.
Press F1 to continue."
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi, before you go down the BIOS road, have you considered a slow rebuild of the system? Take it down to just what is needed in the way of hardware to install the OS, then install the latest VIA 4in1, install Nic card, etc,etc, leaving the Video card and Sound card for last, but in that order. And with the latest drivers you can download.

Your having a problem with the Video card? do you have a ATI card? I remember reading within the directions for ATI's drivers, that before installing the ATI Video drivers install the latest version of DirectX. and that problems can occur the other way around. This can also be true with other Video drivers, maybe worth a try.

Also check out this site for problems with Video stuff http://www.guru3d.com/forum/board.php

Good luck
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oops, forgot Here's some other sites that may help,

VIA's http://www.viatech.com/en/index/index.jsp They can help with the chipset thing, or at least rule out it out.

Little more on Video http://www.guru3d.com/guide/detonator-install-guide/

PC in general http://www.pcguide.com/

And if all else fails http://www.pricewatch.com/ a new motherboard

I've heared of a site that can help with motherboard ID's and BIOS's there for, wish I had it for you, try hardware forums.

BTW there is nothing wrong with an old PC, just put together out of old parts, a system for a friend and thats an socket7 with a Pen 233 MX, it runs good, as long as you don't have much running at the same time. It all depends on what your using it for, he's using it mainly for the internet, he loves it, its been running for 6 months now, he moving it into the bedroom, so that he will not disturb anybody, A.aaaaaaaa I'm not so sure I did him a favor anymore? I'm going to stop thinking about this now.

Anyway I love this hardware stuff, anyway I can help, let me know.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jim...the main problem is it's a Diamond Viper 770, 32 meg AGP graphic card...and in XP the generic drivers don't like it...nor do the Latest nVidia Detonator drivers....UT only runs in software mode and dxdiag gives you a dump [sometimes a re-boot].
I'll get to the bottom of it eventually....
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi, I think you'll need S3 Drivers for that card, Try this link http://www.s3graphics.com/ not sure nvidia will work for you.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
UT Doesn't go too well in XP, no matter what card/drivers you have. I have a dual boot XP/ME to get round this. Doesn't help you though...sorry

Powered by SkinBrowser!
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jim...I'll go look...but the Viper is an nVidia chipset...and was OK with Win2K and Detonator 3 drivers [back then]...
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Fuzzy....
GeForce 2 32meg and Detonator XP drivers and UT is fine....runs just great...
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Er..that's a different comp....XP on a BX6 Slot 1 P111/500 1 gig PC133 running at 100 [old board].

It's this 'OTHER' one that's the drama queen...
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jim...S3 no longer supports Viper....[I had been there ages ago]...so nVidia is 'it'...
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What computer did it come out of? I am assuming that it was an OEM special since you have almost no info about it.

Acer made boards for several differant companies.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OK...using it here and now....440EX chipset [Intel]...tried another graphic card....but it's a Stealth....another Diamond card...so it's no better...so I'm back to the Viper...
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey, how did I get that red writing in my post. Do I know something I don't know?

As to your problem: just buy a new one - this old one sounds fragged and you know no matter how good it is she's going to say 'thanks for the pc....yours is a nicer colour though...'

Powered by SkinBrowser!
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Fuzzy...
Type / m e [without the spaces] and it inserts your nick and changes colour...

eg... /me can do it, too.....
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi, does WindowsXP list a driver for it at all? I guess what I'm asking is have you tried running with any of the drivers that are built into XP. I know that they are not the best but maybe that will get around that DirectX thing.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OK that was lame on my part, I had a problem with detonator drivers came to find out that you should remove as much as you can of the old detonator drivers before installing a new version. I gave it a try and it worked. I used this http://guru3d.com/detonator-destroyer/ . In your case your going to be playing around with different detonator drivers looking for the right one, this may become an issue. Heres a location for all the Detonator driver http://www.guru3d.com/files/ I hope this helps. Let us know.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks Jafo. I see what I did now. I was trying to write ...dual boot WinXP'/'WinME...

/me understands...

Powered by SkinBrowser!
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Jim...got the Destroyer...will give it a 'go'...[wouldn't have thought I'd need it for XP]...and I'll try an older Det driver....
Maybe it's just God's way of telling you that you now have an excuse to get a GeForce 4 for yourself, passing down the GeForce 2 to the 'boss' and pensioning off the Viper....relegating it to an older OS...
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"But, heaven help it if I get the message I once got on another comp....Keyboard not found.
Press F1 to continue."

My father had that once (though it must have been some unspeakable fiend who unpluged the keyboard) I have no idea who could be so shameless to do that.

*walks fast away*

Powered by SkinBrowser!
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Entilza...
It's a real Bios error code...can't remember which version, though..