I HATE VIA

[Navaros]

can a Mod please move this thread to the Apocatheary? this is a technical discussion and i need all the techy-eyes on this


i am using a new Abit KV8-MAX3 mobo

thx to the POS VIA chipset, this mobo has given me nothing but problems. first the damn VIAGART driver would not install properly in Windows 98 SE - no matter what version/how many times i tried to install it - forcing me to install the loathsome and evil XP Pro OS; against all that is Holy

now my sound crackles at any time when i run a PC game. at first it was happening with my SB Live. so i disabled my SB Live and enabled my on-board RealTek AC97 Audio. after running games with the RealTek sound - the crackling errors occur in the exact same way that they did with the SB Live

i truly loathe this VIA chipset on my mobo. my questions are:

1. if you agree that VIA makes worthless insanity-inducing POS chipsets and can recommend me a GOOD motherboard that does not use a VIA chipset - please post links/model numbers in this thread. i don't know jack about the motherboard market - other than that VIA make 100% poo and should be avoided like the Bubonic Plague. note: i need a mobo that will take my AMD 64 3000+ CPU

2. will it be hard to remove my AMD 64 3000+ CPU/heatsink from this mobo? that's pretty much the only thing about building computers that i'm not too comfortable with. will i have to buy more thermal glue and/or other materials to move my CPU from my current mobo to a new mobo?

[insolent1]

I've always found VIA to be very good once you have the appropriatiate 4in1 drivers installed.

I can't really answer your first question as I have never had any problems with VIA. But I can answer your second question
Its no problem to take out the CPU & heatsink just take your time & be gentle. You should still have some thermal paste left from your first install so use that.

[Puzz3D]

Well, you have to do some research into these VIA chipsets for AMD processors because Intel, who makes the Pentium cpu and their own chipsets, is doing everything they can to drive them both out of business such as witholding important technical information. I don't use Intel because they intentionally cripple the performance their lower priced products. That's really why AMD can one-up them so often in price/performance. What I do is avoid the first generation stuff, and buy cpu/motherboard combos that have had the bugs worked out with bios upgrades. You also pay less for the older generation stuff, and can throw it away sooner. I use a final generation KT7 VIA board manufactured by MSI with AMD 2400+ which is very stable, but first generation KT7 boards weren't stable. When I upgrade my cpu I know I'll have to also upgrade the motherboard, but that was a conscious decision and the board only cost me $80 usd. Chances are even if you buy the latest and greatest motherboard you'll still have to change it if you upgrade your cpu if more than about 18 months has passed. Also, checkout Turtle Beach and Hercules soundcards next time you're looking to buy one because I find Creative Labs to be overpriced and driver support isn't the best. I'm using a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz which has excellent sound quality, and has never once crackled and only cost $60 usd. Onboard sound is junk as is onboard video. Those are placed on motherboards so that OEM companies can offer cheap computer systems, and it's a big success commercially if a motherboard manufacturer can get and OEM client so you see a lot of boards with this onboard stuff, but I look for boards without that stuff.

So far, I've been able to put off upgrading to WinXP, but I know that eventually I'll have to move away from Win98se. Upgrading from 98 to XP is a big change and requires all new drivers for your hardware. I would go to each hardware manufacture's website and get the latest XP driver they have rather than rely on the drivers that come with XP.

[Navaros]

i have individually installed the manufacturer's XP drivers for all my devices

the fact that my SB Live and on-board RealTek card both produce exactly the SAME crackling defect leads me to believe that the only logical culprit of this atrocity is VIA; since my VIA chipset is the common denominator between the two distinct sound cards

[Gregoshi]

Moving this to the Apothecary as requested. Good luck in sorting out your problems.