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 C0deZer0Oc'D To Rhythm And PolicePremium
join:2001-10-03
Davenport, FL | reply to z28kindaguy
Re: Do Via chipsets have comp issues with Audigy? Well, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to repeat myself, but here goes.
In my experiences, VIA has shown that it is a company that shows complete and utter disregard for its users. Not only do they make some extremely horrid, unstable chipsets, but they can't even support their own stuff or keep up to date the drivers they put out. 
First, long, drawn-out and overly painful example: Epox 8KHA (VIA KT266 chipset).
This is the board that will live in infamy for me, and nearly scared me away completely from ever building my own computer, it was so bad.
First day I got it, and finally was able to set it all up, it wouldn't recognize the processor correctly, so it wouldn't finish POST.
The BIOS updating was also a nightmare on that machine compared to every other motherboard I've worked with. It apparently didn't like it the first time, and it in the end needed to be flashed three times in order for the processor to be recognized correctly, and for the thing to work.
Secondly, the overall stability of the thing to begin with was terrible. Its IRQ assignments were all farked, and even with freeing up about 5 by disabling most (if not all) of my legacy ports, there was IRQ sharing galore. It wouldn't even run the memory at stock. I had to scale it down to using PC1600/DDR200 spec in order to get it to let me finish POST and move on to booting the OS.
Finally, when I could get into the OS Setup and actually booting up into it, my problems were far from over. First, i was told that I shouldn't need to install the 4-in-1 drivers, because "XP Pro has them built in." WRONG. Tried to install Audigy without the 4-in-1's, and I get this lovely message showing up on my screen only a mere two reboots later: said by system w/o 4-in-1 drivers:
Registry Hive:
/Software/**
is either corrupt or missing,
or its backup or alternate.
This is where the real fun began, for I could never have the machine up and running more than a week, all because of all the millions of other conflicts.
The 4-in-1 drivers installation was a horrid routine, and would hang constantly. The only thing they ever did was keep that registry meltdown from happening when I installed my Audigy. It caused many other conflicts beyond that.
•Instability running games•still couldn't run memory even @ stock•Conflicts With Roxio's GoBack (this was the first and only time I've ever seen GoBack complain about anything
The list went on. Epox's support was absolutely non-existent, and I had tried everything recommended to me in the MS help forum and here, and still no luck. I couldn't even find a single driver revision at the time that would let the Ti200 work right on that motherboard. Then it had to go let my system overheat when running Jedi Knight II demo.
In its glorious finale, the board decided to kill itself, and take the hard drive with it (60GB WD Caviar HDD, bought @ Circuit City). Needless to say, after the long problems I had with both WD and this board, I was sure I wouldn't be giving either anymore business. The HDD was returned, so I could get my $$$ back and get a fresh new Maxtor. The only thing left of the motherboard is the northbridge fan. 
Second, now very glaring annoyance: VIA VT6202 USB2.0 chip
I was glad to finally have a working board when I got my NV7-133R. At first, I was very weary to see the "VIA" chip on there, being there to handle USB2.0. But then I thought to myself, "Surely, they could at least make a proper chip for one function, right?"
Big mistake. Driver that came with the cd doesn't work. Had to go online to find a working one for it. Its last revision was almost 2 years old.
Went to VIA's many different sites for any sort of updated driver, but alas, VIA in its infinite wisdom decided to drop support and quit making anymore updated drivers for their own chip. Nice move there.
Even now, I still can't use the USB2.0 ports right, because the only thing that can work with them right now is my HP Printer.
I plug in my Logitech Gamepad on them, and it prompts a reinstall of the drivers everytime. Also, the apps and such that I would put it to use with don't recognize it when it's on those ports. It's fine on the 1.1 ports, but not these.
I plug in my Intel PC-cam on the USB2.0 ports... I get a hard lockup (requiring a power-off), and at worst cases, a BSOD.
VIA is the most worthless company I've seen. Their driver support is horrid, their chips are absolute garbage and even their newest crap still has compatibility problems out the yin-yang.
If I have to choose between VIA and Intel for my next machine, I'm buying a Mac. I love AMD for their CPU's, but I refuse to put another VIA product in my machines again.
Does this explain my POV for you?
--
Free SAT review: VIA is to chipsets as AOL is to ISPs. | |
 ARPremium,ExMod 2001-04
join:2000-09-21
Toronto, ON | said by C0deZer0:
in my machines again.
Does this explain my POV for you?
Sure. But when you make general statements like "Audigy + VIA chipset = registry meltdown ", that is not spelt out as a PoV, it is mentioned as a fact which is misleading to someone who has no knowledge of the issue.
Nitpicky, probably.
--
What? Me worry? | |
 CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County | reply to C0deZer0
said by C0deZer0:
Well, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to repeat myself, but here goes.
Nope - you did not have to repeat yourself - but it does show people that you really have problems with the company that made the motherboard - not VIA....
--
Brian
CylonRed in the AOLL
"Just on the border of your waking mind........" | |
C0deZer0Oc'D To Rhythm And PolicePremium
join:2001-10-03
Davenport, FL
| said by CylonRed:
Nope - you did not have to repeat yourself - but it does show people that you really have problems with the company that made the motherboard - not VIA....
Did you even read the whole post, Cylon?
It's not Just the motherboard I have had problems with, but also the VT6202 chip that is on my current board. the latest driver (which hasn't been updated in more than a YEAR) still doesn't work right, even on a clean installation. And VIA in its infinite wisdom decides to flat-out deny any form of support for the chip, in either technical form or drivers.
If this doesn't show an overall lack of respect towards supporting hardware (considering a simple chip that is there for only ONE function), I don't know what is.
--
Free SAT review: VIA is to chipsets as AOL is to ISPs.
[text was edited by author 2003-02-14 16:20:47] | |
 dbmavenThere's no shortagePremium,Mod
join:1999-10-26
Sty in Sky
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Computer Hardware ..
| said by C0deZer0:
...the VT6202 chip that is on my current board. the latest driver (which hasn't been updated in more than a YEAR) still doesn't work right, even on a clean installation. And VIA in its infinite wisdom decides to flat-out deny any form of support for the chip, in either technical form or drivers.
You still seem to be missing the point. Once again, you should be blaming the motherboard manufacturer for doing a poor job in integrating the USB 2.0 chip into their PCB/BIOS, and/or MICROSOFT (since your profile shows you're running XP PRO).
From the VIA Page for the USB 2.0 drivers:
said by VIAARENA.COM:
USB 2.0 Drivers
WinXP - Due to licensing agreements, USB 2.0 drivers are not available for download. USB 2.0 drivers are supplied on CD with new mainboards. If you have misplaced the driver CD or have questions about the USB 2.0 driver, please contact your motherboard manufacturer or Microsoft.
It doesn't mean I don't sympathize with you for any or all of the problems - I do. But a sample of 2 does not make a statistically strong argument for VIA being the bane of civilized existence everywhere througout the galaxy - especially when many others here prefer VIA over some other solutions - and have tens or hundreds of successful builds to support their stance.
I'm sorry if I took this thread WAY off-topic. The direct question was about AUDIGY cards and VIA chipsets. There is no significant body of evidence that points to a pervasive problem between those specific items.
--
"Q: When will it be done? A: When pigs fly! " | | |
|
CylonRedPremium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County
| reply to C0deZer0
said by C0deZer0:
said by CylonRed:
Nope - you did not have to repeat yourself - but it does show people that you really have problems with the company that made the motherboard - not VIA....
Did you even read the whole post, Cylon?
It's not Just the motherboard I have had problems with, but also the VT6202 chip that is on my current board. the latest driver (which hasn't been updated in more than a YEAR) still doesn't work right, even on a clean installation. And VIA in its infinite wisdom decides to flat-out deny any form of support for the chip, in either technical form or drivers.
If this doesn't show an overall lack of respect towards supporting hardware (considering a simple chip that is there for only ONE function), I don't know what is.
--
Free SAT review: VIA is to chipsets as AOL is to ISPs.
[text was edited by author 2003-02-14 16:20:47]
Read it and as maven pointed out the real reason for the problem has been pointed out ot you several times already - you refuse to believe what is printed/known...
--
Brian
CylonRed in the AOLL
"Just on the border of your waking mind........" | |
 DestBoloPremium
join:2000-03-21
Naperville, IL
 ·Sprint Broadband..
| reply to C0deZer0
said by C0deZer0:
Well, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to repeat myself, but here goes.
In my experiences, VIA has shown that it is a company that shows complete and utter disregard for its users. Not only do they make some extremely horrid, unstable chipsets, but they can't even support their own stuff or keep up to date the drivers they put out.
First, long, drawn-out and overly painful example: Epox 8KHA (VIA KT266 chipset).
This is the board that will live in infamy for me, and nearly scared me away completely from ever building my own computer, it was so bad.
First day I got it, and finally was able to set it all up, it wouldn't recognize the processor correctly, so it wouldn't finish POST.
The BIOS updating was also a nightmare on that machine compared to every other motherboard I've worked with. It apparently didn't like it the first time, and it in the end needed to be flashed three times in order for the processor to be recognized correctly, and for the thing to work.
Secondly, the overall stability of the thing to begin with was terrible. Its IRQ assignments were all farked, and even with freeing up about 5 by disabling most (if not all) of my legacy ports, there was IRQ sharing galore. It wouldn't even run the memory at stock. I had to scale it down to using PC1600/DDR200 spec in order to get it to let me finish POST and move on to booting the OS.
Finally, when I could get into the OS Setup and actually booting up into it, my problems were far from over. First, i was told that I shouldn't need to install the 4-in-1 drivers, because "XP Pro has them built in." WRONG. Tried to install Audigy without the 4-in-1's, and I get this lovely message showing up on my screen only a mere two reboots later: said by system w/o 4-in-1 drivers:
Registry Hive:
/Software/**
is either corrupt or missing,
or its backup or alternate.
This is where the real fun began, for I could never have the machine up and running more than a week, all because of all the millions of other conflicts.
The 4-in-1 drivers installation was a horrid routine, and would hang constantly. The only thing they ever did was keep that registry meltdown from happening when I installed my Audigy. It caused many other conflicts beyond that.
•Instability running games•still couldn't run memory even @ stock•Conflicts With Roxio's GoBack (this was the first and only time I've ever seen GoBack complain about anything
The list went on. Epox's support was absolutely non-existent, and I had tried everything recommended to me in the MS help forum and here, and still no luck. I couldn't even find a single driver revision at the time that would let the Ti200 work right on that motherboard. Then it had to go let my system overheat when running Jedi Knight II demo.
In its glorious finale, the board decided to kill itself, and take the hard drive with it (60GB WD Caviar HDD, bought @ Circuit City). Needless to say, after the long problems I had with both WD and this board, I was sure I wouldn't be giving either anymore business. The HDD was returned, so I could get my $$$ back and get a fresh new Maxtor. The only thing left of the motherboard is the northbridge fan.
Second, now very glaring annoyance: VIA VT6202 USB2.0 chip
I was glad to finally have a working board when I got my NV7-133R. At first, I was very weary to see the "VIA" chip on there, being there to handle USB2.0. But then I thought to myself, "Surely, they could at least make a proper chip for one function, right?"
Big mistake. Driver that came with the cd doesn't work. Had to go online to find a working one for it. Its last revision was almost 2 years old.
Went to VIA's many different sites for any sort of updated driver, but alas, VIA in its infinite wisdom decided to drop support and quit making anymore updated drivers for their own chip. Nice move there.
Even now, I still can't use the USB2.0 ports right, because the only thing that can work with them right now is my HP Printer.
I plug in my Logitech Gamepad on them, and it prompts a reinstall of the drivers everytime. Also, the apps and such that I would put it to use with don't recognize it when it's on those ports. It's fine on the 1.1 ports, but not these.
I plug in my Intel PC-cam on the USB2.0 ports... I get a hard lockup (requiring a power-off), and at worst cases, a BSOD.
VIA is the most worthless company I've seen. Their driver support is horrid, their chips are absolute garbage and even their newest crap still has compatibility problems out the yin-yang.
If I have to choose between VIA and Intel for my next machine, I'm buying a Mac. I love AMD for their CPU's, but I refuse to put another VIA product in my machines again.
Does this explain my POV for you?
BIOS got nothing to do with VIA but is responsibility of Epox, so is board stability
all your trouble with memory and stability seem to indicate a faulty Mobo from the begining anyway
IRQ sharing is an issue of Window XP/2k ACPI implementation nothing to do with VIA OR Epox, if you install XP as a standard PC rather than a ACPI compatible PC you can get rid of the IRQ sharing
no expereince with USB2.0 so i won't touch the issue.
I have expereience with 3 Intel chipset Mobo, VX, TX, BX, 1 Sis Mobo duno what model, and 3 VIA mobo, Apollo133, Apollo133a, and KT133a. Never had any major problem with any of them. | |
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