List ALL Your A7M266D Issues And How You Fixed The Problem(s) Here

[Klondikekit]

Title says it all...

again, this is not a rebutle thread... Just like the A7V266 thread this thread will serve as a base of knowledge so searching will not be necessary for those building a new A7M266D system.

Post your findings and fixes below.... and thanks to everyone for all the support you have all shown in the forums!

[Anarchist]

problem : infinate loop
Solution: Ask here, Viaarena, and www.bjorn3d.com

[majcameron]

Okay Here is my Setup.

A7M266-D
2x MP 1600+ (at 1575 FSB@150)
2X256 MB Crucial DDR (Unreg)
VisionTek GF3
64 slot 1---Empty
64 slot 2---Empty
32 slot 1---Dlink 530+ NIC
32 slot 2---GT XP
32 slot 3---Adap 29160
PC Power & Cooling 350w

2x 18gig 10000 rpm HDD
1x yamaha CRW2100S

So, I orginally installed my scsi controller in 64 slot 2, which was running fine, but performance-wise it seemed considerably slower then in my previous board (epox 8k7a). On top that performance issue, I had problems writing CDs. I was running XP PRO, and I thought that might be the prob, seeing as how others have been having problems writing cds in XP. I switched to 2k, and my CD writing problem persisted. I knew all the hardware and software was ok, except the MB, because I had it all in my prev. system. So, on a whim I switched my SCSI card to the 32 slot 3, and now I can write cds w/o a problem, and my performance is up about 30-40 percent, at least in sandra. I had already read about the jumper issue on the 2cpu forums, and had already set my board to jumper free mode, before i installed anything on it. So it seems to me this board just doesn't really like 29160 in the 64 bit slots.

[dtk81]

try putting the card on the 64bit slot and running intels IO test
then put it on the 32bit and see how that goes
benchmark programs like sisoft are horrible when testing scsi drives

i dont see how by putting the it to the 32bit slots cant make ur cd burner work and 64bit not working
but i dont have the board so i couldnt tell you
might want to call asus

[tom_ed_uk]

My problem is that the BIOS appears not to like my 100GB disk, a WD1000 (Western Digital). It does allow me to boot from a different (smaller) hard disk, however.

This issue is currently ongoing and I'm not aware of any new releases of the A7M266-D BIOS. At the moment I cannot use the A7M266-D motherboard.

My previous motherboard (after a BIOS upgrade) allowed me to boot from the same WD1000 hard disk.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions that might allow me to boot from the WD1000.

System:

Motherboard: A7M266-D, BIOS version 1004 dated 12/17/2001
PSU: AOpen 400W
CPU: 2 x Athlon MP 1900 (1.6GHz)
Memory: 512MB PC2100 CL2.5
Hard disk: WD1000 100GB
Video: Trio64V+ (temporary)

[Gabriel]

how do i know if it is a a7m266d or just a a7m266?

[hiboom]

Without being a smart ass D=2 CPU'S

[Tweekster]

A7M266-D setup tips

Can't go into jumperfree mode
-Set all the DSW switches to 'off' then move the JEN jumper to jumperfree.

Keyboard doesn't respond
-Make sure the IDELED is plugged onto the vertical pin set below the JEN jumper, not the pins on the PANEL block, these are really the keyboard lock pins mis-labeled.

My PCI cards don't fit the 64 bit slots.
-These are 3.3volt 64 bit PCI slots and you need 3.3V compatible cards. 3.3V cards have a slot closer to the card bracket.

Am I using both processors in NT/Win2K?
-If you set up the board with one processor initially, then add a second, you need to change the HAL (hardware abstraction layer). See Microsoft Article Q270715

This is a start, let's see what else we can dig up!

[JulianLatasa]

Hello, I have a problem with an ASUS A7V266-E Promise and a 40GB 7200RPM Quantum HD, when I connect the HD into the IDE 1 or 2, the machine boot normally, but when I connect it into a Promise IDE, It doesn't detect the HD. It have the BIOS version 1005. Any idea please!!

[KJY9]

Specs:
A7M266-D
2 X 2000XP Procs
2 X 256 Mb Crucial Unregistered (1 X 512 Crucial Registered be here today)
Asus GF3 Ti500
PCI Radeon 32Mb for second monitor
Promise PCI ATA133 Controller card
2 x 40 Gb Maxtor
1 X 80 Gb Maxtor
TDK 16 X 10 X 40 CDRW
AOpen 16X DVD
Enermax 550W PSU
12VRail@12.22
5VRail@5.06
3.3VRail@3.37
Vcore 1.776 on both
Asus 52X CDRom
Winnov Capture Card
Linksys LNE 100TX Nic Card

Can't write CDs in WinXP.
Have installed the CDBurner Patch from MS
Running the Promise ATA133 controller in the second 64bit slot.
The CD Burner is on the primary onboard ide controller all by itself and the Maxtors are on the PCI Promise controller.

Will try running the Promise in a 32bit slot after my 512MB stick of registered ram gets here today.
The Promise Controller is on the second 64Bit PCI slot and the Radeon is on the first 64bit PCI slot.

The board is very unstable in jumper free mode...had to run in jumper mode.

One VERY strange thing. There is one Video conferencing program that now refuses to install on this board (SeeSaw). I get an error while installing;
"description: Dll function cal crashed: cpuspeed.INTEL_CPU Speed.
Setup will now terminate"

On another VideoConferencing proggie (ISPQ) I can send messages but not receive them. They don't even show up in my out box. Both proggies work fine on my Epox 8K7A+ with a 1900+@1850 on the same network with the same network settings.

This may sound silly, but, could it be that this rig is just too fast for these proggies?

[KJY9]

BTW...anyone ever try to get a hold of Asus tech support by phone?? IMPOSSIBLE

[KJY9]

Just got off the phone with support..finally got a hold of them. They are aware of no known issues with not being able to burn CDs on this board. The only reason I'm posting this, is that I noticed one other person was having this problem.
They said to send full system specs to their support email address on the U.S. site so the engineers can look into it.

Also, they said that running unregistered crucial ram can cause problems.

I have 512Mb Registered Corsair on the way and I'll post with results after it gets here and is installed later today.

[KJY9]

Ok the 512Mb stick of Registered ECC Ram is in the rig.
I can now run at "Turbo" instead of "Normal" settings whereas it was flaky on turbo before, and I can run my ram settings at 2-2-2, whereas with the 2 X 256Mb Crucial I had to run at 2.5-3-3.
It's rock solid now with no quirks at all.
Will work on the CDRW issue either later tonight or tomorrow afternoon. Until then......

[hassan2121]

Originally posted by KJY9

One VERY strange thing. There is one Video conferencing program that now refuses to install on this board (SeeSaw). I get an error while installing;
"description: Dll function cal crashed: cpuspeed.INTEL_CPU Speed.
Setup will now terminate"

On another VideoConferencing proggie (ISPQ) I can send messages but not receive them. They don't even show up in my out box. Both proggies work fine on my Epox 8K7A+ with a 1900+@1850 on the same network with the same network settings.

This may sound silly, but, could it be that this rig is just too fast for these proggies?

Its probably because you have two XP processors. I recently ran a test using this board with same procs and got all kinds of stupid errors, switched it to dual MP 1800 and no problems at all. This board for some reason does not like the XP processor at all

[KJY9]

Originally posted by hassan2121


Its probably because you have two XP processors. I recently ran a test using this board with same procs and got all kinds of stupid errors, switched it to dual MP 1800 and no problems at all. This board for some reason does not like the XP processor at all

Well I KNOW it doesn't like XPs and unregistered ram...it was cheaper to get registered ram and run two XP 2000+'s than it was to run out and buy two more MP procs