Hi everyone...I have been hesitant to post my cry for help. Just got back online and noticed another thread that had similar inconsistencies with a new install.George, from Athens, Greece, had problems with a Gigabyte K8N Ultra mobo and his ATI card. I have the same mobo and an nVidia 6800Ultra video with 256MB RAM. My mobo also has SLI and RAID capability.I set up 2 (new) 120MB Maxtor drives in RAID(0) and have an AMD 4000+ CPU with 1GB (512x2) RAM. Running XPPro w/SP2, all updates and latest BIOS and video drivers. New PCPwr&Cooling 470 Quiet.On several occasions over the past 10 days the system simply refuses to boot at all. Out of frustration I turned the system off and left it. An hour or so later I tried it again and it booted normally. However, every so often (no consistency on time) it just freezes. No mouse, keyboard, just a frozen screen. In about 30 seconds it returns to normal. Happens in FS9 and while surfing the web with nothing else running.ZAPro and AVG a/v run at startup. Dr Watson running indicates "no faults detected" after each freeze.My initial thought was the RAID setup was bad. I took the system back to the place where I purchased the parts. They worked for more than 3 hours trying to find the problem. (That time it would not boot at all). Replaced both sticks of RAM, both hard drives, BIOS defaults, etc. Suddenly, it booted and installed XP (CD was in the tray).When running RAID, system will not see non-raid hard drives. System temps all appear normal, no notices or warnings given after setting request for warning upon reaching 60 degrees C.The screen freeze has happened twice today, neither time have I been doing anything other than surfing this (AVSIM) web site.George had posted:"And as I like consirancy theories, I think nVidia has done something to their chipset drivers to prevent usage of non-nVidia VGAs on those systems!!!! :LOL"I have an nVidia nForce chipset, SLI (not active), and an nVidia video and I still have problems. My nVidia 6800 is also a Gigabyte board.Any further ideas? I have tried most of what was suggested on the other thread, all without success. At least the system is booting regularly now but the screen freezes are annoying to say the least. Multiple reinstalls demonstrate no differences.I've been building systems for more years than I care to remember and have never encountered anything such as this.donmac

Hi Donmac, sorry to hear. AFAIK, Gigabyte released a couple of bios updates a few days ago. Maybe your's is in for one too? Another thing could be the RAM timings or the modules themselves. Did they replace them with identical ones or try totally different sticks? Perhaps also verify the voltages in the bios (specially the +12V). Hope this adds to thoughts, good luck and kind regards Jaap

>Hi Donmac, sorry to hear. AFAIK, Gigabyte released a couple>of bios updates a few days ago. Maybe your's is in for one>too? Another thing could be the RAM timings or the modules>themselves. Did they replace them with identical ones or try>totally different sticks? Perhaps also verify the voltages in>the bios (specially the +12V). Hope this adds to thoughts,>good luck and kind regards >>Jaap Thank you for those tips, I'll check into them. I did get the BIOS that was released just a few days ago (late June). They replaced the RAM with different sticks (Kingston this time).I'll check the voltages as you mention.One thing that puzzles me... and I've never been an overclocker... but on boot it indicates "CPU frequency 200MHz". But the BIOS allows one to change that frequency in a broad range (200-400MHz).Anyone have thoughts on the CPU frequency?Thanks again. At 75, this stuff is getting to be a bit too much for me.donmac

If you want my advise... Take the Gigabyte back and replace it with an MSI or any other trade motherboard.It's the second Gigabyte I had problems with. The first one being a P4 with the i845PE chipset that would not boot after installing a 2nd stick of RAM to increase to 1GB (I had 512Mb). BIOS recognized the RAM correctly but OS wouldn't boot. It would just hang.And the second one, the problems I had with the K8N Ultra 939.I replaced it with the MSI K8NS NEO2 Platinum and had no problems since.I just finished reformating yesterday night, installing all drivers, programs, browsers etc and I'm up and running at last!Now I have to take care of the licences from Flight1 and then I'll "ghost" the partition for future quick installs.I've heard RAID problems with the Gigabyte from a few people.Try searching the www.motherboards.org/forum to see if there is any solution.As for the CPU freq, yes 200Mhz is correct, and you can overclock it up to a limit. But, the Athlon 64s use the so called HyperTransport. They communicate with the chipset at 1Ghz.George DorkofikisAthens, Greecehttp://online.vatsimindicators.net/811520/1704.pnghttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/betaimg.jpg

You might want to try and reformat again,but just load the OS,nothing else.After the chipset drivers and video drivers,connect to the net.Try surfing along for awhile and see if it freezes.If it does you have other issues,could be anything. I have had alot of trouble with ZA. My computer would randomly freeze while on the net also.Took me forever to figure out what it was.Do you really need a RAID configuration? If not,try using just the one hard disk,and setup windows normally.Then take it from there.RAID is usually difficult (my experience)and with hard drives as big as 300 gigs,why bother? Let us know how it goes......Stan

George and Stan...Thanks for the input, I'm totally out of ideas and there is little improvement.I'll unload ZAPro and run the MS firewall for a while. See if that makes a difference.As much as I dislike reformatting and reinstalling again I am beginning to think that is the only way I am going to figure this thing out.I ran SiSandra (free edition) this afternoon and the only thing it indicated was a recommendation for ecc/parity RAM and a warning that the temp was too high (70deg C). That must be the video card because the CPU (Zalman cooler) was only 37deg C.My inclination is to believe that the problems revolve around the video card. Am considering removing it and replacing it with the FX5700 in my other system and seeing if I get the same results (problems). Running FS9 tonight (Boeing 707 from HJG) and nothing else running, the screen froze after about 45 minutes (KIAD-KMIA), the freezes last almost exactly 30 seconds. It repeated the freeze twice, ten minutes apart, then no more freezes.I have searched the web for possible hints on the combinations I have but found nothing I could implement.Many thanks for your kindness. There are so many people on this forum who share their knowledge willingly and for that I am most thankful.donmac

donmac...........also have you tried different video drivers? To add even more confusion to your problem,there are ALOT of recent drivers to try at Guru 3D site. I know I had to try at least 5 different drivers to get my 6800GT to work good. http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=10 Changing out your Ultra to go back to the 5700 may be worth a shot. If you get the same symptoms,you can rule out your video card as the problem.It might be that motherboard after all,,,,,,let us know.....Stan

Hi donmac.It seems you've tried everything but the most fundamental... replace the motherboard. I would bet the problem will then go away.You can only blame the components and drivers for so long. It's not that unusual to get a bad motherboard.Dick

>Hi donmac.>>It seems you've tried everything but the most fundamental...>replace the motherboard. I would bet the problem will then go>away.>>You can only blame the components and drivers for so long.>It's not that unusual to get a bad motherboard.>>DickWell you may be right! Talked with the supplier today and I suppose they are hesitant because they really don't know what the problem is. Their statement today was along the lines of "we think there are probably timing problems with the video card." It does seem to be video related. All the problem areas have to do with black screens, freezes, or CTD.I had a freeze today (about 30 seconds as usual) while running, of all things, Notepad!... and little or nothing else. Did make a 2 hour flight today and when I "quit the flight" there was a black screen, a long pause, then the notice from XP that MSFS (I just had another screen freeze while typing this) had caused an error and had to be shut down. It wouldn't even let me look at the "details". But no freeze while flying. On a previous flight the view out the cockpit window went black. No way could I get it back. Other views were fine but in this case I was really flying blind.Too late tonight to be trying more stuff. About to give up!Thanks for all the hints and suggestions.donmac

Hi donmac.Swapping out the video card would pinpoint the problem if it exists there. Couldn't your local shop just loan you/install a cheap video card? If you use it a week without problem, then maybe the videocard is the problem.But, I would suspect issues with the motherboard would be more likely. This is why: You have problems with the 2d Windows display as well as the 3d flight simulator. If it were one mode of the card or the other, it would indicate the video. Just a guess.I don't believe this is a "timing" problem. I think some component has a bad capacitor that is discharging, hence the 30 second wait time... in other words a defective board.Either way, no one needs to make any excuses for a bad part ( blaming drivers or timing ). The components either work or they don't. And in this case either the MB or video card doesn't work correctly, and needs replacing. This is just an opinion, but I don't think there is any software/driver solution.Have the shop give you a cheap videocard loaner... or buy one. It's actually not a bad idea to have a cheap backup video card anyways. It would only cost afew bucks.Dick

Thank you Dick... I plan to do these things, perhaps today. At my age I have days when I am not able to get things done as quickly as I would like... and today is one of those days. Just not feeling up to par.I very much appreciate the detailed thoughts you have spelled out here. Actually, over many years I have come across very few bad parts in new equipment. More often in hard drives and modems I guess.I'll try to give them a call, and just might get another video card in the meantime.Thank you again.donmac

Well... I can't say for sure cause it's only been a few hours, but I may have found the problem. I'd never have guessed it.In checking throught the Event Viewer log there is no mention of an error or info notice concerning anything that might resemble the screen lock ups I have been experiencing. But there are notices of mouse buffer overflows, each of which occurred at the time I had noted for the lock up.That didn't surprise me as when the lock up happened I would click the mouse button(s) lots of times in a vain attempt to awaken the system. Thinking about that this afternoon I thought there might be a connection between the locking of the screen and my KVM switch. When I thought about the fact that it locked up in Notepad, and when I was posting on the forum, it became more clear that there might be something to it.Disconnected the KVM switch and plugged the cables directly into the machine. Rebooted and haven't had a lock up since early this afternoon.That may not prove to be the source but it appears that it is. I flew for almost two hours, ran several progams, and no hesitation of any kind.I have had the KVM switch for about 3 years with 3 systems hooked to one keyboard, video and mouse. Guess it just wore out... or something.Anyway, I want to thank each of you who gave your thoughts and recommendations. I have updated the BIOS and all the drivers so that's done for a time.Thanks again.donmac

Hi donmac.I hope that's it! Who would have guessed? :)Dick