ASUS A7N8X - PCI Master overflow-there it is... :(

An area for people to discuss Scope related problems, issues, etc.

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Morphium
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Post by Morphium »

I´ll go for this one as a next step! Right you are my friend.
Only thing is that the opinions on ACPI and Standard PC related to this Mobo are quite different (see aMO)

Thanx
Willybomb
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Post by Willybomb »

Actually in modern motherboards PCI slot1 tends to share irq with its nearest neighbor...AGP slot.
This is true. I'd stick it in the next slot down or something...
Morphium
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Post by Morphium »

Update:
Had some time inbetween to make the suggested things. Reinstalled XP, moved XTC card from Slot 1 to 4. I in 5. Installed the new nforce 3.13 drivers.

Result: NO success!

Its simply the old Pulsar I which doesnt like to act in my system. I´ll wipe it away in the next days and it will eventually be replaced with a PII or "reactivated" when I switch to Intel (for sure with the next ugrade). Simply as that.

Just wanted to let the ones know who kindly helped me in this case :wink:
scoobidoo
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Post by scoobidoo »

Asus a7n8x2.0 deluxe bios 1006
win xp pro fresh install ACPI mode
Pulsar I
Pci overflow in all pci slots
disable all extra stuff doesn't change anything

scoobidoo
King of Snake
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Post by King of Snake »

I've got the same problem. Seems to something that is specific to the Pulsar I/Asus A7N8X combination. It's rather unpredictable because sometimes I will get the overflow message and sometimes I don't. And often I can just continue normally after the warning anyway.
Morphium
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Post by Morphium »

Finally some of you guys out there who share these problems with me.
It simply must be some technical design of the board which doesnt get along with the old cards. With the new ones there is no limit.

Good to know it´s not only me.

Hey Creamware...how about an exchange :grin:
bodiddly
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Post by bodiddly »

If I'm not mistaken, the latest BIOS for that board is 1007, available here:
http://www.asus.com/support/download/it ... X%20Deluxe
Morphium
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Post by Morphium »

Thank you. Just did an install of this one but it certainly wont solve the Problem.

But I know that hopefully my new P4C800-E Deluxe, which will arrive by tomorrow will make an end to this AMD disaster. Generally said I somehow never was really a good friend of the Athlon side. Back to the roots (music making) now. Period.
theone
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Post by theone »

This advice is from my experience with PCI overflow problems. On the ASUS P4C800e Deluxe, Make sure you do NOT use the SATA raid slots as an audio drive or else you will have the same PCI overflow problem.

The problem of PCI bus overflow stems from the offending PCI device running through the Master bus which Pulsar/Scope cards want complete control over.

Therefore the sure fire way to prevent the PCI buss overflow is to find get a modern motherboard that has built in SATA support. Then get a SATA drive like the WD raptor and use one of the the primary SATA slots (which does not route through the PCI buss master).
lucky13
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Post by lucky13 »

Maybe this may help maybe not. I just have been researching AMD. I believe im going to AMD opteron. This info is from RME soundcards site.

http://www.rme-audio.com/english/techin ... aks_01.htm
Morphium
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Post by Morphium »

Hi,

if you have old architecture Pulsar Cards then do yourself a favour an stay away from AMD. If you own only new ones then its ok.

I have my Intel system now for nearly a month or so and nothing can achieve this performance thats is named "AMD".

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Morphium on 2004-01-07 12:42 ]</font>
Bill Doughty
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Post by Bill Doughty »

I don't think you can draw the conclusion that a particular motherboard has great PCI performance when loading MasterVerbs on a PowerPulsar board. Here's why:

I too have a PowerPulsar board now. And I too can now load over 10 MVs with no PCI overflow. In fact, I have yet to see a PCI overflow since I replaced my old Pulsar I. But before I got the PowerPulsar board I got PCI overflow errors all the time - 2 MVs max, and I cursed the obvious architectural limitation in Creamware's design.

Since I did not change motherboards or any other hardware, I can only assume that the improved PCI performance is due to the PPS board. But I don't think it's because the PPS is more efficient. I think it's because it has onboard memory, like Creamware used to advertise the Scope boards did a few years ago. Since a PPS is the same as a "Scope" board, this stands to reason. I was actually counting on this when I bought the PPS, although I could not verify it in Creamware's current literature or with my sales rep. In any case, I can only reason that it must be so - the PowerPulsar has its own memory onboard and doesn't need to use system memory for delay buffers - a thoughtful design on Creamware's part considering the number of devices 15 sharcs can support.

With onboard memory, there is no need for the MV or other delay-oriented devices to go over the PCI bus to access their memory delay buffers, thus no additional strain on the PCI bus. Thus fewer, if any, PCI overflows.

cheers,
Bill
AndreD
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Post by AndreD »

On 2004-01-06 16:07, Joker wrote:
With onboard memory, there is no need for the MV or other delay-oriented devices to go over the PCI bus to access their memory delay buffers, thus no additional strain on the PCI bus. Thus fewer, if any, PCI overflows.

cheers,
Bill
Thats not true..
If CW used pc-ram atoms/algorythms, they cannot be used on sharc-memory...
Maybe there is another pci-conflict with other pci-(onboard?!)devices...


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Andre Dupke on 2004-01-07 06:13 ]</font>
Bill Doughty
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Post by Bill Doughty »

Ahhh, I see. So you are saying the devices have to be specially designed for Scope boards to take advantage of onboard memory. Do you know which devices, if any, are designed this way? I was thinking they would all default to onboard memory if available, then use system otherwise.

You are right. My PPS board has a different IRQ. Perhaps that explains it then.

Thanks for the clarification. Wishful thinking on my part!

Bill
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braincell
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Post by braincell »

I've had the overflow problem in the past. Try switiching slots and forcing the irq settings in the bios. Pulsar cards should shair the same IRQ with each other but not with nonpulsar cards as I understand it. Maybe you have tried all this alread, I am sorry. Try using just the Pulsar card and no other card. If this works then you have a conflict between cards. If all else fails I would get an ASUS/Intel combo.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: braincell on 2004-01-07 10:59 ]</font>
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garyb
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Post by garyb »

On 2004-01-07 06:10, Andre Dupke wrote:
On 2004-01-06 16:07, Joker wrote:
With onboard memory, there is no need for the MV or other delay-oriented devices to go over the PCI bus to access their memory delay buffers, thus no additional strain on the PCI bus. Thus fewer, if any, PCI overflows.

cheers,
Bill
Thats not true..
If CW used pc-ram atoms/algorythms, they cannot be used on sharc-memory...
Maybe there is another pci-conflict with other pci-(onboard?!)devices...


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Andre Dupke on 2004-01-07 06:13 ]</font>
of course what andre said is true.this has been discussed many times in the past.
janila
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Post by janila »

On 2003-11-10 08:44, King of Snake wrote:
I've got the same problem. Seems to something that is specific to the Pulsar I/Asus A7N8X combination.
Do any of you guys use other Creamware cards beside your Pulsar 1? I have P1 + Elektra. Could the second generation card (Elektra) make the Pulsar 1 work with the A7N8X?
Morphium
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Post by Morphium »

My advise again:Keep away from the A7N8X DLX 2.0 if you have an old card. The elektra can but must´nt help you in this case.
janila
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Post by janila »

In your opinion, do you think this particular motherboard causes the problems, or is it the chipset? I really wouldn't like to buy Intel, because I use my DAW for all sorts of editing, so I need a stable system for DSP cards AND a fast CPU for a reasonable price.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: janila on 2004-01-30 05:58 ]</font>
Morphium
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Post by Morphium »

I can only speak for the Asus side of view. Other brand may do not have such a behaviour due to the BIOS programming or the general board layout.

Well, try it and if it doesnt work > Ebay :smile:
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