[mythtv-users] Myth experiences with Zotac ION + ATOM mobo

[Tom Lichti]

On Sat, Jun 6, 2009 at 8:18 PM, Bill Williamson<bill at bbqninja.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 7, 2009 at 5:14 AM, Tom Lichti <redpepperracing at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> On Sat, Jun 6, 2009 at 1:47 PM, Brian Wood<beww at beww.org> wrote:
>> > On Saturday 06 June 2009 11:08:55 Tom Lichti wrote:
>> >> On Sat, Jun 6, 2009 at 12:31 PM, Tom Lichti<redpepperracing at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >> > On Sat, Jun 6, 2009 at 12:29 PM, Andrew Burgess<aab at cichlid.com>
>> >> > wrote:
>> >> >> On 06/06/2009 09:07:48 AM, Mike Perkins wrote:
>> >> >>> Tom Lichti wrote:
>> >> >>> > On Sat, Jun 6, 2009 at 9:14 AM, John
>> >> >>> > Drescher<drescherjm at gmail.com>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> wrote:
>> >> >>> >>> I got my board yesterday, but it doesn't seem to recognize the
>> >> >>> >>> Kingston RAM I have for it, any idea if it needs something
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> specific? I
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> >>> can't find any documentation that suggests there could be
>> >> >>> >>> issues
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> with
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> >>> RAM. I am going to return the RAM this morning and try
>> >> >>> >>> something
>> >> >>> >>> different.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I once had a mb that got the ram voltage wrong (it undervolted). Did
>> >> >> you try manual dimm BIOS settings that match the dimm specs?
>> >> >
>> >> > It doesn't come up to the BIOS, it shuts down before that.
>> >> >
>> >> > Tom
>> >>
>> >> Tried a different power supply, same problem.
>> >
>> > Well that would seem to eliminate one problem (though it's not unheard
>> > of to
>> > have 2 bad supplies). Have you checked the rating on the second supply
>> > to
>> > make sure you're not overloading it?
>> >
>> > So we have to look at what's different between running your board
>> > without RAM
>> > and with it.
>> >
>> > Obviously you will draw more current with the RAM installed. The board
>> > will
>> > have circuitry to determine what voltage the memory wants, and create
>> > that
>> > voltage from the main supply (in this case 19 volts).
>> >
>> > So the voltage regulating circuitry on your board might be bad, or the
>> > RAM
>> > itself might be defective. It's unlikely you have two bad DIMMs, since
>> > you
>> > tried them one at a time and they both caused the problem.
>> >
>> > This assumes you are using the correct RAM for the board.
>> >
>> > It boils down to bad RAM, or a bad board. The only relatively simply way
>> > to
>> > find out is by substitution, though that's certainly inconvenient.
>> >
>> > If you have a milliammeter you can put in series with the 19V supply you
>> > might
>> > be able to tell if the board is drawing excessive current, causing the
>> > shutdown of the supply, or of the on-board regulators.
>> >
>> > I guess your only other option at this point is to talk to the
>> > manufacturer/vendor.
>>
>> I've tried 4 different sticks of RAM with the same outcome, the first
>> pair was "Kingston ValueRAM 2GB (1GB x 2) 800MHz DDR2 Non-ECC CL5
>> Unbuffered DIMM (Kit of 2)", the second is "A-Data DDR2 800 240pin 2GB
>> Kit (2x1GB) Unbuffered-DIMM Non-ECC Memory (w/ Heatsink)", I can't
>> believe they are all bad, so it seems the only other issue could be
>> the power supply or the board itself. I've tried two different power
>> supplies with the same results as well, I can only point my finger at
>> the board itself. It's a shame, since I was really excited to try this
>> thing out!
>>
>> Thanks for all the suggestions. I have contacted both the vendor and
>> the manufacturer, I don't expect to hear anything before EOD Monday
>> from them, though.
>>
>
> Newegg is great with returns (I'm assuming you got it from them?), and it's
> likely just a bad board.

Nope, NCIX (I'm a Canuck). But I paid the extra $8 for the express RMA
option, which looks like it will come in handy...

Tom