What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID?

Just looked at Abit's corporate site. BIOS revision "7N" broke the 137 GB
barrier for IDE drives.

http://www2.abit.com.tw/page/en/download/download_detail.php?pFILE_TYP...ios&pMA

Jef
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

And... one more thought.

The KT7 boards are from the era when Abit (and every other motherboard
manufacturer) was having problems with the electrolyte in their capacitors,
resulting in failed caps on their boards.

Look at the capacitors carefully. Check that none are domed on the top or
are leaking brownish crud.

If any are failing, they will need to be replaced.

If you have failing capacitors and you're in the United States, Homie at
http://www.motherboardrepair.com can help with the repair.

BigBadger in the U.K. can help (look for posts by him in this forum to get
his e-mail address).

Jef
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 22:10:00 GMT, "Jef Norton"
<jefn_REMOVE_YOUR_SHORTS_.RemoveThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

 >And... one more thought.
 >
 >The KT7 boards are from the era when Abit (and every other motherboard
 >manufacturer) was having problems with the electrolyte in their capacitors,
 >resulting in failed caps on their boards.
 >
 >Look at the capacitors carefully. Check that none are domed on the top or
 >are leaking brownish crud.
 >
 >If any are failing, they will need to be replaced.
 >
 >If you have failing capacitors and you're in the United States, Homie at
 >http://www.motherboardrepair.com can help with the repair.
 >
 >BigBadger in the U.K. can help (look for posts by him in this forum to get
 >his e-mail address).
 >
 >Jef
 >


Thanks!

Don't know the BIOS rev., but I'll check first boot. I looked at the
board, and it's clean. Nothing domed or cruddy. Most of the caps are
green with "A4" printed on them. Maybe it's so old that it missed the
first batch of low grade caps?

Bob M.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 17:59:11 -0400,
removespamandslimermilnespam.RemoveThis@slimemagma.ca wrote:

 >Hello, folks:

 >I've been planning to put together another PC for a while now, and
 >I've gotten my hands on an old Abit KT7-RAID, some SDR, and an old
 >Athlon 1 GHz processor. I checked the VIA Web site, and have
 >downloaded the recommended 4.43 drivers for the VIA KT133 chipset.
 >I'll be installing XP. Are there any other bits of software I should
 >have in there? Also, should it be:

 >1. Install OS
 >2. Install chipset drivers
 >3. Vid drivers
 >3. Sound card drivers?

 >Thanks all,

 >Bob M.

KT133 chipset, assuming you are not going to use ' raid ' your above
list is pretty much correct.

The ' ABIT FlashMenu v1.35 ' works fine in windows and the A9 BIOS
should be used.

You need the chipset drivers first to install a ' gart ' etc for the
VID, the 4 in 1's as they were known can still be had from here :

I can verify that all the above works with SP1, but have no idea about
SP2.

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/drivers.php?categories=1&model=91" target="_blank">http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/drivers.php?categories=1&model=91</a>

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if you can get hold of an old
AMDXP 2100 'B' [ code 680 - not to be confused with a Barton ] you can
get this old scrap board to run as a 2GiG.

Best of luck
BoroLad<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

borolad DeleteThis @myowseintheboro.org wrote in message news:<7b5sm0pqorbgq5rdvjaj2qklragjdjls01 DeleteThis @4ax.com>...

 > Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if you can get hold of an old
 > AMDXP 2100 'B' [ code 680 - not to be confused with a Barton ] you can
 > get this old scrap board to run as a 2GiG.
 >
 > Best of luck
 > BoroLad

I'm running a KT7A-RAID, v1.0 (!) with an AMD Athlon XP 2400
Thoroughbred, 266Mhz FSB. It's running at 2 GHz, which I think is the
actual processor speed. I'm not familiar with the differences between
the KT7 and the KT7A, so I'm not sure whether it would work with the
KT7 board. I was surprised I got it working on my revision 1.0 board,
so it's worth a try.

Here are my CPU settings. I was just flashing my BIOS today with the
modified A9 Bios with the updated Highpoint RAID drivers. I made a
quick note of the BIOS settings. It took me a while to figure these
out. I don't do a lot of overclocking, but I think the key was
changing the CPU Drive Strength from the default of 2 to 3, which is
where I have it now. My system wasn't stable until I did that.

SoftMenu settings:

Operating Speed - User Define
Multiplier Factor - x10.5
CPU FSB/PCI Clock - 133/33 Mhz
CPU FSB Plus (Mhz) - 0
Speed Error Hold - Disabled
CPU Power Supply - Default
Fast CPU Command Decode - Normal
CPU Drive Strength - 3
Enhance Chip Performance - Disabled
Force 4-Way Interleave - Disabled
Enable Dram 4K-Page Mode - Disabled
DRAM Clock - Host CLK


Hope this helps somebody.

--Mark<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

<borolad.RemoveThis@myowseintheboro.org> wrote in message
news:7b5sm0pqorbgq5rdvjaj2qklragjdjls01@4ax.com...

<snip>
| The ' ABIT FlashMenu v1.35 ' works fine in windows and the A9 BIOS
| should be used.
<snip>


Hi BoroLad -

All good stuff except Flashmenu doesn't support the KT7/KT7-RAID boards.

The only member of the family supported by Flashmenu is the KT7A revision
1.3 (and extreme caution should be taken not to flash BIOS revisions for
this board on other members of the KT7/KT7A family).

See http://fae.abit.com.tw/eng/download/dl_flashmenu.htm


To Bob M. -

The only method available for flashing the BIOS on the KT7/KT7-RAID is by
using a clean DOS boot disk and the Awdflash.exe program. The downloads I
gave at the earlier links have self-extracting .exe files, containing the
BIOS .bin file, along with a copy of the appropriate version of Awdflash.exe
and a couple of .bat files for flashing.

The easiest method to flash would be to create a DOS boot diskette with no
Autoexec.bat or Config.sys. Run the self-extracting .exe file (KT7A9.exe)
to extract it's contents and copy Awdflash.exe, KT7_A9.bin, Runme.bat and
Abitfae.bat to the diskette. Then boot with the diskette and type "runme"
at the A:\> prompt.

Jef
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 06:10:21 GMT, borolad.TakeThisOut@myowseintheboro.org wrote:

 >On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 17:59:11 -0400,
 >removespamandslimermilnespam@slimemagma.ca wrote:
 >
  >>Hello, folks:
 >
  >>I've been planning to put together another PC for a while now, and
  >>I've gotten my hands on an old Abit KT7-RAID, some SDR, and an old
  >>Athlon 1 GHz processor. I checked the VIA Web site, and have
  >>downloaded the recommended 4.43 drivers for the VIA KT133 chipset.
  >>I'll be installing XP. Are there any other bits of software I should
  >>have in there? Also, should it be:
 >
  >>1. Install OS
  >>2. Install chipset drivers
  >>3. Vid drivers
  >>3. Sound card drivers?
 >
  >>Thanks all,
 >
  >>Bob M.
 >
 >KT133 chipset, assuming you are not going to use ' raid ' your above
 >list is pretty much correct.
 >
 >The ' ABIT FlashMenu v1.35 ' works fine in windows and the A9 BIOS
 >should be used.
 >
 >You need the chipset drivers first to install a ' gart ' etc for the
 >VID, the 4 in 1's as they were known can still be had from here :
 >
 >I can verify that all the above works with SP1, but have no idea about
 >SP2.
 >
 >http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/drivers.php?categories=1&model=91
 >
 >Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if you can get hold of an old
 >AMDXP 2100 'B' [ code 680 - not to be confused with a Barton ] you can
 >get this old scrap board to run as a 2GiG.
 >
 >Best of luck
 >BoroLad

Actually, at the same time I'm sticking a 3000+Barton into my current
board, leaving a 2200+ Tbred (?) - not Barton, anyway, looking for a
home. The KT7 will take a 2200+? It's NOT multiplier locked, came that
way right out of the box. The machine I'm building doesn't have to
squeeze every drop of performance out, stability is more important,
but I think the Tbred at stock speed will be a bit cooler than the old
1 GHZ Tbird (isn't the Tbred a die shrink?). If I can get it working
on the KT7 (I know, BIOS flash will be needed almost for sure) I could
make a quieter and maybe more stable machine. I know there are a lot
of posts about this from last year (and before), so I'll give them a
browse.

Thanks,

Bob M.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

 >«snip»«snip»«snip»«snip»«snip»«snip»«snip»«snip»«snip»«snip»

 >Hi BoroLad -

Hi Jef M8, I stand corrected, you were doing BIOS flash before I was
born and I've x2 greatgrandkids - so you will be right !
 >Jef

Best Wishes, BoroLad<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

<borolad.TakeThisOut@myowseintheboro.org> wrote in message
news:a5rtm018n303f5gsj67hpn9a973ajvo8ij@4ax.com...
|
| Hi Jef M8, I stand corrected, you were doing BIOS flash before I was
| born and I've x2 greatgrandkids - so you will be right !
|
| Best Wishes, BoroLad


Hi BoroLad -

Shhh... Qed will get the idea that I'm not a young buck anymore and will
want to make an "issue" of it.

I was just fitted for bi-focals yesterday (¡YIKES!). And the saleslady at
the Optometrist says the frame I picked out "really brings out the gray" in
my hair.

Jef
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 17:13:51 -0400, removespamandslimermilnespam wrote:

 > Actually, at the same time I'm sticking a 3000+Barton into my current
 > board, leaving a 2200+ Tbred (?) - not Barton, anyway, looking for a
 > home. The KT7 will take a 2200+? It's NOT multiplier locked, came that
 > way right out of the box.

Since it's unlocked, it wil default to 2000MHz (20x100) when dropped into
the KT7. If it's a B core (681) then it will run fine at that speed. If
it's an original A core (680), it won't boot because that core won't run
that fast. The A core will still work, but you have to get the default
multiplier changed and lock it.

 > The machine I'm building doesn't have to squeeze every drop of
 > performance out, stability is more important, but I think the Tbred at
 > stock speed will be a bit cooler than the old 1 GHZ Tbird (isn't the
 > Tbred a die shrink?). If I can get it working on the KT7 (I know, BIOS
 > flash will be needed almost for sure) I could make a quieter and maybe
 > more stable machine. I know there are a lot of posts about this from
 > last year (and before), so I'll give them a browse.
 >
There's enough difference between the Tbred A and B cores that they should
have given the B core a new name. The B core had 2 extra layers added to
it and it runs a lot cooler than the A core, and a lot faster. Either one
can be made to work, but a B core would be plug and play, and you'll have
to do some work to get the A core to work. See link below.

--
Abit KT7-Raid (KT133) Tbred B core CPU @2400MHz (24x100FSB)
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://mysite.verizon.net/res0exft/cpu.htm" target="_blank">http://mysite.verizon.net/res0exft/cpu.htm</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 23:35:46 GMT, "Jef Norton"
<jefn_REMOVE_YOUR_SHORTS_.RemoveThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

 ><borolad.RemoveThis@myowseintheboro.org> wrote in message
 >news:a5rtm018n303f5gsj67hpn9a973ajvo8ij@4ax.com...
 >|
 >| Hi Jef M8, I stand corrected, you were doing BIOS flash before I was
 >| born and I've x2 greatgrandkids - so you will be right !
 >|
 >| Best Wishes, BoroLad

 >Hi BoroLad -

 >Shhh... Qed will get the idea that I'm not a young buck anymore and will
 >want to make an "issue" of it.

 >I was just fitted for bi-focals yesterday (¡YIKES!). And the saleslady at
 >the Optometrist says the frame I picked out "really brings out the gray" in
 >my hair.

There you go again, bragging, just cos you've still got hair. Anyone
with hair left is a . . . . ' young buck '.

For myself I have not owned a comb for about ten years.

 >Jef

Re-Gards, BoroLad<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

 > Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if you can get hold of an old
 > AMDXP 2100 'B' [ code 680 - not to be confused with a Barton ] you can
 > get this old scrap board to run as a 2GiG.
 >
 > Best of luck
 > BoroLad

You're right but any Tbred B is pretty easy. Back in Feb'03 I mod'd a
XP1700+'s default multiplier. When I dropped it into my KT7 as a test
it worked fine at 2000 Mhz (20 x 100).

Still, as Wes Newell indicated, just drop Tbreds B XP2100+, XP2200+,
or XP2400+ into the KT7 and they work without mods. Or find a Tbred B
XP1700+, cut bridges L3-3 and L3-5, and you can accomplish the same
thing.

The mobile XP's should work equally well (but I haven't seen any
confirmation of this).

Phsstpok<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID? 

On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 04:05:40 GMT, Wes Newell
<w.newell.DeleteThis@TAKEOUTverizon.net> wrote:

 >On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 17:13:51 -0400, removespamandslimermilnespam wrote:
 >
  >> Actually, at the same time I'm sticking a 3000+Barton into my current
  >> board, leaving a 2200+ Tbred (?) - not Barton, anyway, looking for a
  >> home. The KT7 will take a 2200+? It's NOT multiplier locked, came that
  >> way right out of the box.
 >
 >Since it's unlocked, it wil default to 2000MHz (20x100) when dropped into
 >the KT7. If it's a B core (681) then it will run fine at that speed. If
 >it's an original A core (680), it won't boot because that core won't run
 >that fast. The A core will still work, but you have to get the default
 >multiplier changed and lock it.
 >
  >> The machine I'm building doesn't have to squeeze every drop of
  >> performance out, stability is more important, but I think the Tbred at
  >> stock speed will be a bit cooler than the old 1 GHZ Tbird (isn't the
  >> Tbred a die shrink?). If I can get it working on the KT7 (I know, BIOS
  >> flash will be needed almost for sure) I could make a quieter and maybe
  >> more stable machine. I know there are a lot of posts about this from
  >> last year (and before), so I'll give them a browse.
  >>
 >There's enough difference between the Tbred A and B cores that they should
 >have given the B core a new name. The B core had 2 extra layers added to
 >it and it runs a lot cooler than the A core, and a lot faster. Either one
 >can be made to work, but a B core would be plug and play, and you'll have
 >to do some work to get the A core to work. See link below.



Thanks!

It'll be a few days before I attempt this, but I'll report back.

Regards,

Bob M.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: What to do to resurrect an old KT7-RAID?