X_C Posted October 8, 2004 Share Posted October 8, 2004 (edited) Hi Guys, I have been visiting my favorite websites and found so many people having problems with thier NF3 systems that I began to investigate, this is what I have found. No matter what make, many were complaining of I/O problems, video problems and blue screens. So I began to ask how they installed everything after installing windows. I was amazed as to how many did the install improperly, so I decided to list a proper install, many of you may have done this correctly but this is for those that did not. Please check the list and see if you followed this list to the letter: Installing support software on your NF3 250 system: 1) Install windows and RAID drivers using F6 command, you need to install both raid driver and storage controller driver for raid to work and be reconized properly 2) After windows instal, place in motherboard CD and install DX9 b or c (if your cd does not include it, then follow instauctions 2a) 2a) (If you installed DX9, disreguard this part) Click install chipset drivers, select to only install network driver and nothing else, then a firewall and plug in inetrnet connection, once installed, download and install DX9 b or c 3) Install chipset drivers for NF3 including IDE 4) Now format remaining partitions that windows has not formatted for you 5) begin to install all other drivers as needed. The DX9 is essential for the NF3 drivers to operate properly, if you have not done this first, you may harm your hardware even if you installed DX9 after the NF3 drivers. DX9 must be first. NEW UPDATE Asus, MSI and many other manufactures that use the same NVidia RAID configuration are finding problems with the NVidia RAID continually enabling the SMART function on your HDDS! After 12 hours after first instrall of windows, the controller will enable SMART, this will drastically reduce your HDD's Write Speeds to almost 60% of READ. I am discussing this with Asus now but they do not know when a BIOS update will be available to correct this issue. They are trying to talk me into running the SIL RAID instead. E-Mail From ASUS: Dear Friend : Thank you for contacting ASUS Customer Service. My name is ZYC, and I would be assisting you today. You know K8N-E has onboard nVIDIA RAID and Silicon Image 3114r raid system , which one you used to create RAID ? if i were you ,i will like to use SI3114 chip . Thank you for using ASUS products and services! If you have any problem about our products, you can visit our support site below to search the solution at the first time! I hope this helps you all, let me know if it does. X_C Edited October 10, 2004 by Xtreme_Computing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 8, 2004 Author Share Posted October 8, 2004 (edited) Bump I have a feeling that several of you have run off to redo your systems with this info Edited October 8, 2004 by Xtreme_Computing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossfire Posted October 8, 2004 Share Posted October 8, 2004 thats not exactly how i did mine, i installed dx9 after i installed all the drivers... i wonder if that has anythig to do with my hard drive scores going to hell.. how you liking that ASUS board i recomended? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 8, 2004 Author Share Posted October 8, 2004 (edited) Its very good, one thing I like the most is the BIOS reminds me of my P4P800 E P4 BIOS, so Im more familur with it. One bad, only gives my an option of 2.7 DRAM so I have to wait for the BIOS update coming to get up to 2.9+ And yes, if you loaded DX9 after the chip software, this would explain your I/O problems. Everyone I have told this to has seen thier system get rock solid and some have broke the 230fsb barrier using the SATA 1 & 2 ports in RAID. Edited October 8, 2004 by Xtreme_Computing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunce Posted October 8, 2004 Share Posted October 8, 2004 good info x_C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronniecoleman Posted October 8, 2004 Share Posted October 8, 2004 Everything I have read also says to install DX9c before installing chipset drivers, not too long ago I posted an excellent raid install guide for the DFI board that I found at dfi-street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie Posted October 8, 2004 Share Posted October 8, 2004 hm i dident do it in this order and my raid screws up at 310fsb lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneCool Posted October 8, 2004 Share Posted October 8, 2004 1) Install windows and RAID drivers using F6 command Should add to that ..you need to install both raid driver and storage controller driver for raid to work and be reconized properly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 8, 2004 Author Share Posted October 8, 2004 Should add to that ..you need to install both raid driver and storage controller driver for raid to work and be reconized properly Done, thanks onecool. :beer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 8, 2004 Author Share Posted October 8, 2004 Bump One more time just to make sure all have a chance to see this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdm Posted October 9, 2004 Share Posted October 9, 2004 Great info there XC. I'm looking to get a gigabyte K8ns pro NF3 250GB mobo soon W/A64 3000+ proc. and I'll be very happy knowing how to set it up right the first time thanks to you :beer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 10, 2004 Author Share Posted October 10, 2004 Hi Guys, Have a look at my first post (above), I have added a new interesting update that helps explain the I/O drops on some NF3 boards. X_C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossfire Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 My name is ZYC, and I would be assisting you today. he would be assisting you? so WTH.. we gotta install raid every 12 hours to keep the pit score up?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 10, 2004 Author Share Posted October 10, 2004 (edited) I have a quick fix for you: Go into MOBO BIOS and on the first page, scroll down to your first SATA Master and press enter, then change it to say "Auto", this will allow you to disable SMART Do this to each of your SATAs and reboot, enter BIOS again and scoll down to SATA master again and disable "Auto" and reboot. After rebooting, run the Pit Test, you will only have about 5 minutes then NVidia will enable Smart again. Short term solution, BIOS updates will get rid of this later. X_C Edited October 10, 2004 by Xtreme_Computing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneCool Posted October 10, 2004 Share Posted October 10, 2004 I wonder if theres a work around in the driver that can fix it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 10, 2004 Author Share Posted October 10, 2004 I wonder if theres a work around in the driver that can fix it? I've been looking for days now and can't find a way to turn it off. Let me know if anyone else can. X_C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 13, 2004 Author Share Posted October 13, 2004 (edited) Just so you all know, I'm in talks with NVidia today, I spent about an hour on the phone yesturday, with thier tech support about these issues. They seem very interested in what has been happening with our systems and they have viewed this thread (I sent them the link) and the thread from the DFI site. I will keep you posted, they are right now setting up a system as close to mine as they can and testing the I/O problems. Hopefully, this will result in a BIOS update or controller update to fix our problems. I hope so, I get my fourth drive today. X_C Edited October 13, 2004 by Xtreme_Computing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Downing Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 (edited) I'm rather confused what DX9 has to do with the drives anyway? Oh well I have a NF3 Ultra coming Friday. I also wrote an unattended install with the drivers included using service pack 2 as well. (THAT INCLUDES dx9C as well) Should be interesting to see how it works. Ed Edited October 13, 2004 by Ed Downing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 13, 2004 Author Share Posted October 13, 2004 Let me know how it works out for you Ed. X_C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vranichou Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 I know when I install the NF 2 ultra 400 drivers it wants DX 9 installed. I just install it with out, install the vid drivers, then DX 9 and reinstall the NF drivers. Seems to work OK for me. -=Vran=- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Downing Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 (edited) Let me know how it works out for you Ed. X_C I definately willI'm getting the Epox nFORCE3-Ultra EP-9NDA3+ I understand it's a good board with working locks, but doesn't have a lot of voltage options for the cpu, an updated BIOS is supposed to fix that issue. Just checked FedEx it should be here today... To bad I work the next 4 days.. I should have replaced the A8V earlier, it hosed one of my Raptors last night. I'll be RMA'ing it as well. sigh Edited October 14, 2004 by Ed Downing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 14, 2004 Author Share Posted October 14, 2004 Thanks ED, I'd sure like to know how that board works out for you, it was one I was looking at too but went with the Asus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 Loaded windows then DX9 and had no problems except temps reading wrong... XC... I'll pin this for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_C Posted October 14, 2004 Author Share Posted October 14, 2004 Loaded windows then DX9 and had no problems except temps reading wrong... XC... I'll pin this for you Thanks Raymo, about your temps, a bios update will take care of that. Oh, by the way, welcome to the AMD side It's different and a little tricky to get use to once you've been using a P4 system for so long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 Tell me about it I need to be schooled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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