My OperaOn going battle w/ MSI and lack of Engrish skills...
Thursday, August 21, 2008 8:34:51 PM
MSI Tech. 08/21/2008 Dear Customer, We have done as well as our HQ testing regaridng this board and various configurations and have only had one issue with the Promise controller. And that was under a Vista 64 OS with both the ATI and Promise in use. Thank you,
End User 08/21/2008 Attached is system information. PLEASE verify that you have actual hardware in similar config for test machine before you claim that MSI motherboard is working fine.
End User 08/21/2008 Ok, tried new ATI Southbridge driver (not sure why as the boot loader for XP never even starts loading the kernal from the RAID) - this did not change the issue. Next tried updating to bios .150 - reboot nothing improved. Windows logo appears then reboots. Windows is never allowed access to RAID. Access returns IMMEDIATELY after downgrading to bios .130 What are the differences between BIOS.130 and BIAS.150? something changed and causes the promise controller to not boot. This is a VERY reproducible problem on 3 identical machines. I don't want MSI to give excuses just fix it. What will it take on my side to get you to troubleshoot and test this setup? Do you need logs? Screen shots? (proof that it really frickin happens) Hardware profile dump? BIOS setting dump? WHAT? -jh
MSI Tech. 08/19/2008 Dear Customer, ATI Catalyts version 8.5 please make sure that you do have you can download off the AMD/ATI web site. Also we have not encoutered such an issue under XP only under Vista 64 that is it we have supply tested under XP without issue. Thank you,
End User 08/19/2008 Which ATI system driver?
MSI Tech. 08/19/2008 Dear Customer, You need to update the bios to the latest 1.5 version you can download it off our web site. Also you will need to have the latest ATI system driver off the the AMD/ATI web site. Thank you,
End User 08/19/2008 Any further developments on this defect? I have 3 motherboards, all same setup, all XP, all use promise RAID controller, all refuse to boot after upgrade. Has this issue been fixed? Or will ASUS be the next purchase.
End User 06/16/2008 Try this exact setup: MSI K9A2 motherboard AMD Phenom 9850 Use Promise Controller RAID striped install windows XP As soon as I update BIOS XP refuses to boot. Exact same setup and configuration on 3 - YES THREE - systems all exhibit same behaviors with XP. ------------------------------------- But I guess you guys can believe what ever the heck you want. The thing is I have stopped purchasing MSI motherboards for this company's upgrade. Yes you got 3 purchases but those were tech stations and we may jump to Asus on those too. I will wait for your supposed Vista only patch and try it on XP.
MSI Tech. 06/16/2008 Dear Customer, We have not seen the issue under XP at all we have tested and verified that it only occurs under Vista 64bit that is the only OS we have seen this issue. Thank you,
End User 06/16/2008 That is what I told you earlier. But at least now you have to believe me. BTW this issue effects Windows XP also. I repeat: This is not just a Vista 64 issue.
MSI Tech. 06/13/2008 Dear Customer, We do not have any update as of yet we working with Promise since the issue is related to the controller under Vista 64 once we do have something back we will update. Thank you,
End User 05/20/2008 No updates yet from MSI... LAME I have 3 systems all the exact same issue. I need the other controller and as such have it setup as a standard controller CD/Rom only and 2 drives as Raid 0 on the promise controller. As soon as I upgrade to 1.4+ no boot.
End User 04/22/2008 "make sure that you disabled the extra raid controller in bios" - As I use the Promise controller to boot windows I do not think this would be a valid test, however, MSI evidently has an issue with the firmware for this controller. Maybe MSI needs to test a machine in their office with XP installed on the promise controller with a Phenom 9850 using a RAID set and BIOS ver 1.5.1. Let me know when it is fixes as I currently have a unit with stability issues. Thanks.
MSI Tech. 04/21/2008 Dear Customer, Please make sure that you disabled the extra raid controller in bios if have not then save and exit and see if issue persists. Thank you,
End User 04/21/2008 new bios version 1.5.1 - still not booting winXP. I tried both optimized and failsafe defaults, both freeze at the windows logo and then restarts. Version 1.3.0 does not do this. I reflashed to 1.3.0 and now have a computer again. Do you have same hardware to test this bios with motherboard and cpu Phenom 9850?
MSI Tech. 04/17/2008 Dear Customer, Please try the attached bios version 1.51 it is the latest just be sure to clear the CMOS right after the bios has been updated. Then enter bios load the Optimized Defaults set up boot sequence then save and exit. Thank you,
End User 04/17/2008 BIOS version 1.3 work fine, except not official support for cpu at 125tdw. Bios version 1.4 causes WinXP to fail on BOOT. I get the XP loading screen and then reboot to bios loading. Next time XP asks if I want to load windows in safe mode. conclusion 1.4 BIOS = junk Using the exact same fail safe default settings and flashed back to version 1.3 XP boots fine. Please fix this as 1.3 is not official support for Phenom.
End User 08/21/2008 Attached is system information. PLEASE verify that you have actual hardware in similar config for test machine before you claim that MSI motherboard is working fine.
End User 08/21/2008 Ok, tried new ATI Southbridge driver (not sure why as the boot loader for XP never even starts loading the kernal from the RAID) - this did not change the issue. Next tried updating to bios .150 - reboot nothing improved. Windows logo appears then reboots. Windows is never allowed access to RAID. Access returns IMMEDIATELY after downgrading to bios .130 What are the differences between BIOS.130 and BIAS.150? something changed and causes the promise controller to not boot. This is a VERY reproducible problem on 3 identical machines. I don't want MSI to give excuses just fix it. What will it take on my side to get you to troubleshoot and test this setup? Do you need logs? Screen shots? (proof that it really frickin happens) Hardware profile dump? BIOS setting dump? WHAT? -jh
MSI Tech. 08/19/2008 Dear Customer, ATI Catalyts version 8.5 please make sure that you do have you can download off the AMD/ATI web site. Also we have not encoutered such an issue under XP only under Vista 64 that is it we have supply tested under XP without issue. Thank you,
End User 08/19/2008 Which ATI system driver?
MSI Tech. 08/19/2008 Dear Customer, You need to update the bios to the latest 1.5 version you can download it off our web site. Also you will need to have the latest ATI system driver off the the AMD/ATI web site. Thank you,
End User 08/19/2008 Any further developments on this defect? I have 3 motherboards, all same setup, all XP, all use promise RAID controller, all refuse to boot after upgrade. Has this issue been fixed? Or will ASUS be the next purchase.
End User 06/16/2008 Try this exact setup: MSI K9A2 motherboard AMD Phenom 9850 Use Promise Controller RAID striped install windows XP As soon as I update BIOS XP refuses to boot. Exact same setup and configuration on 3 - YES THREE - systems all exhibit same behaviors with XP. ------------------------------------- But I guess you guys can believe what ever the heck you want. The thing is I have stopped purchasing MSI motherboards for this company's upgrade. Yes you got 3 purchases but those were tech stations and we may jump to Asus on those too. I will wait for your supposed Vista only patch and try it on XP.
MSI Tech. 06/16/2008 Dear Customer, We have not seen the issue under XP at all we have tested and verified that it only occurs under Vista 64bit that is the only OS we have seen this issue. Thank you,
End User 06/16/2008 That is what I told you earlier. But at least now you have to believe me. BTW this issue effects Windows XP also. I repeat: This is not just a Vista 64 issue.
MSI Tech. 06/13/2008 Dear Customer, We do not have any update as of yet we working with Promise since the issue is related to the controller under Vista 64 once we do have something back we will update. Thank you,
End User 05/20/2008 No updates yet from MSI... LAME I have 3 systems all the exact same issue. I need the other controller and as such have it setup as a standard controller CD/Rom only and 2 drives as Raid 0 on the promise controller. As soon as I upgrade to 1.4+ no boot.
End User 04/22/2008 "make sure that you disabled the extra raid controller in bios" - As I use the Promise controller to boot windows I do not think this would be a valid test, however, MSI evidently has an issue with the firmware for this controller. Maybe MSI needs to test a machine in their office with XP installed on the promise controller with a Phenom 9850 using a RAID set and BIOS ver 1.5.1. Let me know when it is fixes as I currently have a unit with stability issues. Thanks.
MSI Tech. 04/21/2008 Dear Customer, Please make sure that you disabled the extra raid controller in bios if have not then save and exit and see if issue persists. Thank you,
End User 04/21/2008 new bios version 1.5.1 - still not booting winXP. I tried both optimized and failsafe defaults, both freeze at the windows logo and then restarts. Version 1.3.0 does not do this. I reflashed to 1.3.0 and now have a computer again. Do you have same hardware to test this bios with motherboard and cpu Phenom 9850?
MSI Tech. 04/17/2008 Dear Customer, Please try the attached bios version 1.51 it is the latest just be sure to clear the CMOS right after the bios has been updated. Then enter bios load the Optimized Defaults set up boot sequence then save and exit. Thank you,
End User 04/17/2008 BIOS version 1.3 work fine, except not official support for cpu at 125tdw. Bios version 1.4 causes WinXP to fail on BOOT. I get the XP loading screen and then reboot to bios loading. Next time XP asks if I want to load windows in safe mode. conclusion 1.4 BIOS = junk Using the exact same fail safe default settings and flashed back to version 1.3 XP boots fine. Please fix this as 1.3 is not official support for Phenom.
Jon Harrelljharrell # Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:06:07 PM