? on MB AMD 761 chipset?

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SkaarjMaster

enemy of time
Sep 1, 2000
4,870
8
38
Sarasota, FL
I'm thinking about getting an AMD-based motherboard soon, but I want to avoid the VIA chipset problems a lot of users are having with UT. It seems there are motherboards using the AMD 761 chipset and these motherboards have an AMD 761 north bridge and VIA 686B south bridge. I'm looking at the Asus A7M66, Biostar M7MIA Raid, Abit KG7 and Gigabyte GA-7DXR as options for my new MB. Just want any incites or opinions on this and if these MB's still have the VIA chipset problems.

Also, the newer AMD MB's that are XP-ready, can you run Windows 98SE on these no problems or do you have to run XP?
Thank you.

SkaarjMaster

P.S. - I know this may be a little off-topic, but any upgrade I make, UT must run!
 

qazix

Lost
Mar 31, 2001
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I think some (if not all) of the mobos you listed have a VIA North or South Bridge chipset in them. Tyan's Tiger and Thunder K7 boards have AMD chipsets for both North and South. I know someone who hasn't had any probs with it, but ymmv. I'm mostly happy with my K7S5A with the SiS735 chipset.

BTW, VIA's KT266A is out; supposed to fix the problems with the earlier revisions. Me, I'm avoiding VIA for the forseeable future.
 

Stillborn

PHEAR IS JUST ANOTHER 4 LETTER WORD...
Oct 14, 2000
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I have a ECS K7VZA MoBo that uses Via drivers... Bloody awful! Crashes on me at least 1-2 a day (only during UT gameplay...)

A friend of mine bought a ECS K7S5A SiS735 Chipset and it works like a charm! No problems whatsoever and no VIA!

It's got 5 PCI slots, 1 4X AGP slot, 1 AMR slot

Interested? Read more here...
 

qazix

Lost
Mar 31, 2001
661
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Ehm... If you get a K7S5A, you should know that ECS had some QA problems (as in, some people got bad boards). Mine was fine, but that doesn't mean everyone got a good board. I'd still suggest going with Tyan, personally. All the reviews of the Thunder K7 suggest it has rock-solid stability (even though the AMD NB/SB isn't the latest revision).
 

SkaarjMaster

enemy of time
Sep 1, 2000
4,870
8
38
Sarasota, FL
I'm probably going to get an AMD version of an Asus, Abit, Biostar or Gigabyte MB. The ones I'm looking at do, yes, have AMD 761 north bridge and Via south bridge. Would this require Via 4 in1 drivers and fall under the category of problem Via-based boards or is it an AMD 761-based board with some Via features that don't require the drivers?

Also, are there some AMD-based boards out that don't need Via drivers?

Can XP boards run Win98SE with no problem?
Thank you.

SkaarjMaster
 

Rooster

Local Legend
Jan 4, 2000
5,287
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www.legionoflions.com
My recommendations in this order (if buying right now):

Nice features / Best Performance: Epox EP-8KHA+ (VIA KT266A) or Microstar K7T266Pro2 (VIA KT266A) or nForce420 (MSI K7N420 PRO)
Budget board / Great Performance: ECS K7S5A (SiS 735 chipset) (only 2 DDR slots)
Unbeatable stability / Good Performance: EPoX 8K7A (AMD 761 chipset) (only 2DDR slots)

No such thing as an "XP" board, only an XP chip or OS. But.. boards like the KT266A & nForce420 do have a board architecture that lends itself well to the benefits an XP CPU will provide.
 

Rev Billy G

New Member
Aug 22, 1999
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I'm running on an Epox 8k7a+ which is an AMD/Via hybrid board. It's the most stable board I've ever used.

99% of the problems people have with Via chipsets is that they install the wrong drivers.
 

ViperXL

Great Car
Dec 9, 1999
586
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16
St. Louis, MO, USA
ok, im running a Asus A7M266, it does have the AMD 761 chipset...

I love it, it works great with UT, after i installed an AGP driver patch from AMD. Also, to answer your question on Win98, it runs perfectly with Win98, Win2k, and now WinXP (ive done all of them)

Only down side is it's a bit expensive compared to some other Mobos... but it's stable! very
 

SkaarjMaster

enemy of time
Sep 1, 2000
4,870
8
38
Sarasota, FL
Well, yeah, I guess I meant XP chip. Does Win98SE run fine with these chips?

Also, Thanks ViperXL for giving a thumbs up to that Asus MB.

SkaarjMaster
 

el Gato

Has-Been
Jan 19, 2000
3,524
0
36
51
outside Raleigh NC
What I have:

Win 98se
PIII 450 (slot 1)
8 MB voodoo3 AGP
10 g HD @ 5400
200 watt 3.3V power supply
Mid tower case.
ISA Diamond SupraExpress modem
PCI SoundBlaster 128D
3 168-pin DIMM SDRAM PC100 slots w/ 192 MB memory installed. (64 + 128)


What I'm looking at:

EPoX EP-8K7A AMD 761 PC2100 DDR (200/266)MHz AGPset ATX CPU AMD
Athlon XP 1600+ 1.4 GHz 266FSB
Thermaltake A1139 (Volcano 6 Cu) Heat Sink & Cooling Fan

$264, $277 shipped. Add $22 for a serial Diamond SupraExpress 56e modem, ~50 for a new power supply, and a stick of Crucial 256 DDR for $35. Maybe a new case (?). Total = $384 Now I need only $200 more dollars. :( I plan on upping the vid card at a later date.

Please add your two cents if you want. Anything input would be great as I'm a total n00b to this mobo upgrading stuff.
 

SkaarjMaster

enemy of time
Sep 1, 2000
4,870
8
38
Sarasota, FL
What's with EPox? I've never even considered them. Are they the cheapest MB's, but great quality/stability or what? Looking at the Asus now, but the local place that has it doesn't carry it anymore so I may have to order it.

Does Win98SE run fine with an Athlon XP chip?

SkaarjMaster
 

el Gato

Has-Been
Jan 19, 2000
3,524
0
36
51
outside Raleigh NC
Originally posted by SkaarjMaster
What's with EPox? I've never even considered them. Are they the cheapest MB's, but great quality/stability or what? Looking at the Asus now, but the local place that has it doesn't carry it anymore so I may have to order it.

Does Win98SE run fine with an Athlon XP chip?

SkaarjMaster

I'd go with an Asus if I could afford it.

As for the XP chips, I think the "XP" is just a designation as those chips aren't referenced with their clock speed.

ie the Athlon XP 1600 is actually clocked at 1.4 GHz, but runs as fast as a Pentium4 clocked at 1.6 GHz. So AMD labels it as a XP 1600. Marketing strategy, I guess.

Me thinks. Hope I'm right. :D
 

jmq

New Member
May 23, 2001
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Originally posted by ViperXL
ok, im running a Asus A7M266, it does have the AMD 761 chipset...

I love it, it works great with UT, after i installed an AGP driver patch from AMD. Also, to answer your question on Win98, it runs perfectly with Win98, Win2k, and now WinXP (ive done all of them)

Only down side is it's a bit expensive compared to some other Mobos... but it's stable! very

I built a system a few months ago based on the same AM7266 that ViperXL references. I REALLY like the board so far. I have been runnning Windows 2000 Professional with no problems running UT. I too installed the AGP driver patch, right after building the system.

I plan to upgrade to Windows XP Pro soon. I already upgraded my older, Pentium-based system to XP with good results, but I don't play UT on it. I used to have crashes occasionally in UT, but not lately. I **think** I may have fixed the problem by upgrading my Geforce3 drivers (not sure on this).

- Coherent_Force{MOK}
 

StarKilLer{MOK}

New Member
Nov 1, 2001
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www.web-illusions.net
MB

I just switched from my old Slot-A T-bird Athlon on the MSI-6167(AMD 751 Chipset) Rock Solid it was, slow though becaus eof 100mhz Mem. Bus. 2 X AGP.
Swithed to MSI-6330(K7Pro-2A), runs great, Not as stable as the AMD board but a lot faster.(the things we sacrifice for speed.)
If i could i would have a Tyan Board or a board the the 761 AGP component, or the N-Force chipset.