Newbie installs Gigabyte SINXP-1394... a few questions for the smart ones tho....

[interzone]

:t Hi all!

I just installed this pretty board (Gigabyte SINXP-1394 motherboard) in a Lian Li case (whoo-ha! Dats-purdee!)... and all was well with the installation except that I am now crosseyed from those **** USB header connections and thought I would break the board with the insertion force necessary to plug the 12V square dohickey in. ... Other than that, I gotz me a couple of questions:

My motherboard is reporting 11.70V on the 12V lines. Should I return the power supply or is this undervoltage insignificant?
Due to the size of my heatsink (SK-900U from Thermaltake), I was unable to install the DPVRM power addon card from Gigabyte. Is this a supported configuration? Is it ok to leave this card uninstalled?
I have 2xPC2700 512K DDR RAM Chips in slot 0 and 2 (both orange) on my motherboard. The motherboard detects this as 333 MHz RAM and sets the bus appropriately in single 128-bit mode. Why isn't Dual Channel DDR Mode being activated?
My fan RPM speeds do not appear to be reporting through the motherboard properly. I used 3-pin tails on the fans, and they are properly connected to the motherboard. What would cause my fans to not report RPMs and how can I get them to?
Anyone have any thoughts they care to share?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!
Terry

PS - Oh ... a TIP to anyone buying the Addonics Memory Card reader device (one of them funky new memcard reader devices that sits in your drive bays): Install the hardware AFTER you install Windows, or you might just end up being forced to install Windows on Drive H instead of C. Gads, that sucked.

[BipolarBill]

1. Probably insignificant. I would still plan on a real PSU in the future.

2. It's optional for current processors. I wouldn't sweat it.

3. Update your BIOS and place the DIMMs in the same color slot.

http://www.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Support/BIOS/BIOS_GA-SINXP1394(GA-8SQ800%20Ultra2).htm

4. The fan may be bad. I had a Vantec Aeroflow do that. I returned it. Double check the fan header and readings in BIOS.

[interzone]

1. Probably insignificant. I would still plan on a real PSU in the future.

What's a "real PSU?" I'm using a Sparkle 400W currently. I thought I did my homework fairly well as I researched the hell out of this machine before I pieced it together.

2. Cool.... it seems to be ok.

3. Update your BIOS and place the DIMMs in the same color slot.

DIMMs are in the same color slot (orange) - 0 and 2. The BIOS version is "F5" which appears to be the most current on the web site. Still, the MB will not switch into dual channel mode.

The fan may be bad. I had a Vantec Aeroflow do that. I returned it.

I have switched out the CPU fan (92mm Ventec) with a Coolermaster 80mm - and other than being MUCH louder (something like a vacuum cleaner), there's no difference in the BIOS. Both are flatlined on the RPMs. There is a "CPU Fan" and "Chip Fan" RPM value coming off the motherboard - and while all of the fans in my case are whirring away off of motherboard power (cept the front two, they are on the power supply), they are both flatlined.

Thanks for the advice ... but no workey yet. :r

Terry

[BipolarBill]

The Sparkle should be fine.

Have you tried clearing CMOS? Also try the blue slots. Understand that thew SiS 655 motherboards are new. There may be bugs. Add the fact that Gigabyte isn't always "on the ball".

My Epox 8RDA+ didn't display D-DDR status until I updated the BIOS. Even then, it only showed quickly during RAM countup. What does Gigabyte say about showing D-DDR status?

Considering the three problems, my guess is that you have a buggy motherboard. :(

[interzone]

I'll try the blue slots tonight and give you an update...

[interzone]

Dual Channel DDR Still not working....

I swapped the memory from the orange slots (0 & 2) to the blue slots (1 & 3). Then swapped the memory to 0 & 1 (orange & blue), and then tried 2 & 3 (orange & blue).

Under no configuration of memory using my current 2 nearly identical memory chips was I able to get the motherboard to slip into dual channel DDR mode.

The package both memory chips came in claims they are: crucial 512MB 184-pin DIMM 64x64 DDR PC2700. Both have identical chip markings and an identical sticker indicating same.

I'm completely stumped and despite the message I sent to Gigabyte, have heard no response.

Terry :mad:

[BipolarBill]

How would you know if it was working? What does the manual say?

[interzone]

Upon bootup, the BIOS reports what MHz the memory was detected at, as well as the memory mode. Mine says "333" for the MHz, and "Single Channel 128-bit" as the mode. These are both printed in BOLD. The manual shows that the mode should read "Dual Channel" when DC DDR is active. There is no BIOS switch. The manual -- written in translated pidgin English (natch) -- claims that:

"Dual channel can't operate when only one DDR memory RAM module installed" - I got two, so this isn't the problem.

"Dual Channel will operate when two mrmory modules are inserte individually into channel a and b." - They are... each channel is designated by location on the board.

"On the other hand, the memory module must be inserted into any sockets." Not sure what they are getting at with this, but memory is inserted.

I think I'm going to buy some new memory chips. The ones I have are not the same ones recommended by the motherboard manufacturer (there are only 4 that they recommend), and that info is actually hidden in the "old" version of the website. (The certifications portion of the Gigabyte website isn't yet complete. It's "under construction" and "coming soon.")

Argh

Terry

[BipolarBill]

I'm really starting to dislike Gigabyte....

[maje87c]

Have you had problems in the past? Cause I thought they did a really good job w/ the 7VAXP.