VIA 686B?

[VaCreeper]

I just ordered a ABIT KG7 MOBO and it has a VIA 686B chipset. I have been reading good and bad things about this chipset, but the board gets glowing reports. Is it possible to ask to have the chipset changed? Or is it realy not going to be an issue with a light gamer like me?

Thanx
195th_Creeper

[missiveusa]

Nothing wrong with the 686B South Bridge. Just load VIA's 4 in 1 drivers.

[VaCreeper]

Thanx, I guess I would get them at VIA's site. Also will the bios ask for them at the first boot? If so, should I have them ready on a floppy or CD?

195th_Creeper

[wallie_x]

There has been issues with the above southbridge. These where early on however and later revisions have since been improved. The real problem is that Via never reallly owned up to it saying that the data corruption problem was solved. (It first cropped up with Sound Blaster sound cards.) One must consider however, that with computerdom traveling at warp speed, they really don't have a lot of time to test before full production begins. And really we are talking about global companies who speak different languages trying to harmonize and speak in one: computers

[araaraara]

The drivers are only needed under windows. They allow you to use the advanced features of the chipset and help to make the system more stable.

[Bovon]

Originally posted by VaCreeper
Thanx, I guess I would get them at VIA's site. Also will the bios ask for them at the first boot? If so, should I have them ready on a floppy or CD?


Go to VIA @ http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=2#4in1 download and save the 4 in 1 chipset drivers, currentyl version 4.37. If they will fit on a diskette, put them on one.

When you load Windows for the first time, and on reboot.. Windows will start finding all of your stuff...only have a video card plugged in at this time..nothing else. When Windows wants your video drivers, cancel out and load the 4 in 1 drivers then...reboot and then start loading video drivers, ect.

[Peter M]

... and it wasn't the south bridge's fault AT ALL.

The original problem: SB!Live would hang on VIA chipsets. This was identified as a PCI problem of the _SB!Live_, the Live 5.1 fixes it. Anyway, board makers tried to implement a quick workaround, and _that_ screwed up IDE operation. Later VIA defined a working workaround - however this slows the system down a bit because it has to account for the SB!Live's PCI bug.

The ultimate solution: Don't reuse this sound card on your new system. (It has recently been found to hang SiS chipsets as well occasionally ...)

To the original poster: No inherent problem here. Just install VIA's latest drivers, including that "RAID performance" patch, for best overall system performance. Not all board BIOSes currently contain VIA's latest configuration optimizations yet.

regards, Peter

[VaCreeper]

Thank you all for all the responses, is this a great site or what?:D
I got the 4in1 drivers(would not load on a floppy unzipped) but I also have an AMD(761) chipset on this mobo, and on the via site it says not to use the 4in1 drivers with this config? Will I have trouble with the on board drivers? I was looking forward to the extras the 4in1 drivers offer. Please advise.

[Bovon]

Uhhhohhh, don't think you want to use VIA 4 in 1s on a board with AMD 761 chip set.

[VaCreeper]

I thougt not, and am glad someone reafirmed that thought. Thanx for keeping me out of alot of trouble.:p
I'm glad I,ve found this forum. Great research tool.

[Peter M]

Well you have AMD 761 north bridge and VIA 686B south bridge. Use the AMD drivers for everything north bridge related (AGP) and VIA's for south bridge stuff (sound, IDE, USB).

regards, Peter

[VaCreeper]

So you are saying that I should go ahead and install the 4in1, as well as the AMD drivers offered on the ALBIT site for the KG7? When I recieve the MOBO will it come with a manual telling me what drivers to use? It will be installed in a bundle with a ATHLON T-Bird in a new case, and will have been burned for 24 Hrs. running Windows 2000, and have been tested. Shouldn't the most current drivers be installed? I should be recieving the bare bones system this week. I have all the AMD, and VIA drivers stored on CD,s just in case. I'm obviosly new at this and really do appriciate yor input. Thanx!
195th_Creeper

[elleon30033]

VaCreeper, you're buying paper towels before you spill the coffee. You got a great system on the way dude...enjoy it for a month or so as is, get to know it, give her a little loving attention... maybe a new fan configuration or some hard drive coolers....then think about the chipset drivers if and only if you are having some type performance problem...ie agp at 2x instead of 4x. Otherwise, with new drivers, you won't be able to tell if you got a performance increase or a performance hit. You are obviously like me and like to tinker....temper that impulse Luke, don't go over to the dark side just yet...LOL
Congrats on the new rig......

[VaCreeper]

Thanks for calming me down!:D I guess I am getting a little antsy. I have a squadmate or two who have gone down the upgrade road and have had some problems. I'm tyring to head problems off at the pass so I can be back up and flying online with my pals.
I will try and practice a little more patience.;)

195th_Creeper

[Lycia]

Originally posted by elleon30033
VaCreeper, you're buying paper towels before you spill the coffee.


I love that saying!!!