ASUS K8V BIOS problem

[Seth Bardash]

> -----Original Message-----
> Mike Cooper wrote:
> 
> > This isn't Linux specific at all, but ASUS Tech Support is
> > non-existent so I'm hoping someone might have seen this
before...
> >
> > I have an ASUS K8V with Athlon64 3000 CPU and a 512MB DIMM 
> (one that's
> > listed in the K8V manual as being approved).
> >
> > The problem is the BIOS never attempts to boot from any device
(DVD,
> > IDE disk, or floppy).  

SNIP

>
> > I've replaced the K8V and the replacement has the same
problem.
> >
> > Anybody seen anything like this?
> >
> >     mike
> >
> >
> I've had similar, odd problems with my Asus card.
> 
> Try unplugging the power connector for a few seconds - 10-20 
> then insert and retry.
> 
> The MB seems to hold a charge when it gets stuck like this and
this 
> crude but effective method does seem to flush out the gremlins.
> 

When and if you get this to boot - Be forewarned: We have not had
good luck with ASUS Athlon 64 boards + linux!! 

Tyan and Arima seem solid and they have a good staff that
understands linux.

If you are running the ASUS K8V with the Marvell chipset (there
are 2 versions - one with the Marvell 88E8001 and the other with
the 3com chipset - given a choice go for the 3com) for gigabit you
will find that ASUS missed some BIOS code to properly set up the
VPD area for the LAN controller. 

This causes linux to report a VPD key unreadable error to the log
file every time the driver accesses the 88E8001 gigabit lan chip.

ASUS's response was first to tell us to check their web site for
drivers. We actually found the latest drivers at syskonnect.de -
version 6.24 ----> The latest drivers still have the same problem
so we contacted syskonnect and they said that the bios and setup
code on the ASUS board is faulty ???? !!!!

After all the finger-pointing we have found:

1) The Gigabit LAN works fine but /var/log/messages fills up under
heavy ethernet traffic.

2) ASUS does not care if you have a problem with their boards
running linux 

	"It works fine under Windows XP Pro"  

	We did test this and its true, it runs Win XP Pro fine...

3) Contacting ASUS about anything out of the ordinary (read
windows) is like shouting down an abandoned mine shaft;
	You know you are shouting but the only response you get is
an echo......

The K8V's BIOS in general seems missing a few things and in some
cases just does not work correctly with linux. We have also tried
the Shuttle AN50R - another great leap into the abyss. This board
has problems with parallel IDE drives not being seen by the linux
install iso boot disk until you get to kernel rev 2.6 or better.

Let me know if you fix the problems you are seeing as I'm sure
everyone would be interested how you did it.

Best

Seth Bardash

Integrated Solutions and Systems
http://www.integratedsolutions.org

Supplier of AMD, Intel and SPARC Servers and Systems running
Windows, Linux, Solaris and VxWorks.

*Failure can not cope with perseverance*


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.657 / Virus Database: 422 - Release Date: 4/13/2004