Kyro II Stability..

07-05-2001, 10:30 | posts: n/a

Hi folks..... <IMG SRC="smileys/smile.gif"> 
Having looked through the posts here, I don't see any complaints about stability issues with the Kyro II, unlike over at the NVidia section.. <IMG SRC="smileys/rolleyes.gif"> 
And that's the reason I'M here now.....I have a Geforce 2 GTS card that runs fine on a slower Athlon based VIA KX133 motherboard (that won't accept a TBird CPU), but it freezes/crashes like a motherfu**er on my MSI 6195/TBird 900 system. Looking at tests, and reviews, I don't think I'm going to suffer too much by way of loss of performance by changing to Kyro II, but I'd like to know if anyone has encountered any lock-ups type problems yet, before I try and swap-out my Prophet II GTS for the Prophet 4500. 
I use Win ME, with DX 8.0a, latest motherboard/AGP drivers for AMD chipset (4.80), and have 512mb Ram. The games are mostly U.T, Serious Sam, HomeWorld, F1-cs-2000, Colin Mcrea2, Undying..... 
Cheers <IMG SRC="smileys/biggrin.gif">

Dave · 07-05-2001, 12:34 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

I've discovered very few complaints. As you see by the number of posts. Let us know if you do have any problems.

07-05-2001, 23:39 | posts: n/a

<IMG SRC="smileys/biggrin.gif"> Cheers Bugsy.... 
That's what I'm starting to believe!! And tech help from Hercules (I currently have a crashing Prophet II GTS 64 Pro), so far has been next to useless...an automated 'help' sheet telling me to do stuff I already told them I'd done in my initial letter of inquiry regarding the freezes with my motherboard. I guess, if my retailer will take it back, I'm going to give Kyro II a good try!!

Dave · 07-06-2001, 02:06 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

Whats the issue with the Prophet?

07-06-2001, 03:25 | posts: n/a

The issue with the Prophet is one of constant crashing in 3D games, on an MSI 6195 motherboard (AMD 751/756 chipset) using AMD's latest AGP drivers, Win ME, Direct x 8.0A, any version of Detonators, or Hercules drivers, Bios settings of AGP 2x or 1x, SuperBypass on or off, AGP Aperture 64, 128, or 256. None of this makes a difference....it still crashes/freezes at random in games. <IMG SRC="smileys/mad.gif"> 
I've tried using NVTweak to no avail. The CPU is a 900 TBird slotA, and I have 512mb Ram. (which has recently been changed from PC100 to 133 - it's crashed with either type!!) The damn card just doesn't seem to like that motherboard!!!! I can use it just fine on a Biostar OEM M7MKE motherboard (VIA chipset), but that mobo doesn't support my TBird 900...only Athlon Classics, of which I only have a 700....there's a VERY noticable difference in benchmarks between the two!!! (Provided it doesn't freeze...... <IMG SRC="smileys/rolleyes.gif"> ). 
So..there you have it...the 'issues'...so I'm considering trying to return the Prophet and go with Kyro II instead. It doesn't seem like I'll lose much on performance, going from magazine, and web reviews. 
 
Cheers!!

Dave · 07-06-2001, 05:19 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

No you wont lose much, what is your case temp?

07-06-2001, 10:32 | posts: n/a

My brother got himself a KyroII. 
 
Actually I was to have that card, and trade it for my GTS. But after he had installed it into his system, he was so happy with it that he wouldn't want to give it to me anymore... That speaks of the quality! 
 
But it has got to be admitted that KyroII IS NOT as fast a card as the GTS is. The difference is not big, so it's ok card. And it's picture quality, especially with 32-bit is much better. With 32-bit it's clearly faster too... But GTS is really no performer in 32bit. 
 
So be warned: while you get something new, and something good, you also may notice some slower performance. Depending on games you play, again. For eg racing games (Nascar4 for me) doesn't benefit from KyroII much at all, the contrary. Games like SWAT3 benefit enormously. <IMG SRC="smileys/smile.gif"> 
 
However I would have taken the card if he would've given it to me! If nothing else, then at least to support new technology! <IMG SRC="smileys/biggrin.gif"> 
 
One good thing to notice: it seems to work for him even in Win2k, so the drivers are not too bad as they were reputed to be with Kyro1.

07-06-2001, 10:35 | posts: n/a

Oh, BTW: you might want to check your power source! If the power is not strong enough, it might cause just that kind of crashing you mention. 
 
GeForce cards (GTS included) are known to be power hungry. KyroII less so, but I still recommend you check the output.

07-06-2001, 12:13 | posts: n/a

Cheers for the info TKorho...my power supply is 300watt, and is happy to run the card on a different Athlon board - it's a KX133 and won't support the 900 TBird - so I'd rather try and get this stupid MSI board working properly if possible, for the extra horse power <IMG SRC="smileys/biggrin.gif"> 
This MSI board has successfully run with a 'Sparkle' brand GTS card, it just doesn't want to play with my Prophet GTS Pro <IMG SRC="smileys/rolleyes.gif"> 
If PC World will let me, I think I'm happy to trade it in and give the Kyro II a shot. 
Bugsy....temperatures are average 38-40c for case, and 45-49c for CPU. That seems fairly normal, so I don't think heat is an issue, besides, if I run with the case open or closed, it still crashes!! 
This board has run well in the past with that Sparkle (I was borrowing that so had to give it back <IMG SRC="smileys/mad.gif"> ), a Radeon 64 VIVO, and even a Voodoo 3...!! It just won't be friends with my Prophet..... 
So if I go Kyro II, should I steer clear of the Prophet 4500, going on past motherboard behaviour??!!! LOL!!

Dave · 07-06-2001, 13:31 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

hrmm, sounds like Kyro may be your easiest solution. 
 
Let me know what you think of it when you get it.

07-07-2001, 01:11 | posts: n/a

Cheers Bugsy <IMG SRC="smileys/smile.gif"> 
It all hinges now on whether my retailer, PC World, will allow me to exchange the card, on the grounds of being unsuitable!! 
I do feel that companies marketing NVidia based cards should give clear notification of known compatibility issues on the packaging. It would save SO many people the same problems that I have had - take a look at the NVidia forum here and it's full of people with these freeze/lock-up problems. <IMG SRC="smileys/mad.gif"> <IMG SRC="smileys/mad.gif"> 
 
If I get the Kyro II (hopefully <IMG SRC="smileys/biggrin.gif"> ), I'll be a regular here, I'm sure!! 
Thanks for your help....

07-07-2001, 01:43 | posts: n/a

I hope a regular just happy to have his video card.

07-08-2001, 00:49 | posts: n/a

<IMG SRC="smileys/wink.gif"> Here's hoping...!!!

07-09-2001, 02:02 | posts: n/a

I bought a Kyro II 64mb tv out on Friday for a LAN I went to. Fresh install, newest drivers, nothing but problems. It gets maybe 5 fps in 3D Mark 2k1. Does great in Quake III. Does okay in C/S. I dunno, maybe it's just me. It has amazing picture quality, but I'm still messing around with it. Hmmm....I still like my V5 5500 better as of this moment.

Glidefan · 07-14-2001, 15:18 | posts: 11,890 | Location: Solar System, Earth, Med, Cyprus

Well Hercules did say that the KyroII is best in a 600-700+Mhz system

HaVoC · 07-14-2001, 16:54 | posts: 1,642 | Location: MA, USA

yea it has the cpu munchies <IMG SRC="smileys/rolleyes.gif">

07-15-2001, 12:15 | posts: n/a

Well, Thanks for all the input folks.... 
I finaly solved my crashing Prophet problems on MSI motherboard <IMG SRC="smileys/rolleyes.gif"> . 
I bought a new board with KT133 chipset, and Duron 800 CPU. NO crashes <IMG SRC="smileys/biggrin.gif"> <IMG SRC="smileys/biggrin.gif"> It's fast, stable, and bloody good!!!!! I think for the timebeing I'll stick with the Prophet 2 GTS card, though I do want to 'play' with a Kyro II sometime soon, to see what it can do...I guess I'll just keep an eye on the prices <IMG SRC="smileys/smile.gif">

07-28-2001, 14:57 | posts: n/a

Does anyone out there have any suggestions 
Generally there is no probs until games. 
Eg Unreal, plays 5 to 10 seconds of the flyby, than the whole system goes off and reboots 
Diablo 11, plays the start up menu, then when wandering round the village, the machine dias 
 
This card was a replacement for an old agp ATI Rage 11 which was fine but slow 
 
No excessive temps seen 
 
Have tried 128 mb AGP aperture, and Fast Write enabled- no luck there 
 
Mainboard Tyan Tiger S1834 Bios latest 1.05 
VAI 4 in 1 drivers latest 
Have tried win 98 and ME, same results 
 
Diagnostic report 
-------------------------------------------------- 
CPU speed - 733 MHz 
System board - VIA 
Primary graphics card - SGS Thomson 0010h 
Silicon revision - 07h 
Graphics memory clock - n/a 
Graphics engine clock - n/a 
Graphics card BIOS version - n/a 
Graphics card IRQ - IRQ11, not shared 
Graphics card AGP revision - 2.00 
System board AGP aperture - 64 MB 
System board AGP transfer support - 1x 
Graphics card AGP transfer support - 1x, 2x 
AGP traffic currently enabled - 1x 
System board SBA - supported 
Graphics card SBA - supported 
AGP sideband currently enabled - yes 
Pipelined transactions - supported, queue depth of 32 
System board fast writes - n/a 
Graphics card fast writes - n/a 
Fast write protocal currently enabled - no 
Graphics card memory - 16 MB 
DirectX memory - 55 MB 
AGP mode - n/a 
Windows version - 4.90.3000 
DirectX version - 4.08.00.0400 
AGP driver - viagart.vxd - 4.04.0000 
GART manager - n/a 
Display driver name - pmx2.drv 
Display driver version - 4.12.01.3114-1.00.02.0205 
OpenGL driver - opengl32.dll 
OpenGL version - 4.00 
 
Device enumeration 
-------------------------------------------------- 
VIA CPU bridge (06911106h) 
VIA PCI bridge (85981106h) 
VIA ISA bridge (05961106h) 
VIA IDE controller (05711106h) 
VIA USB (30381106h) - using IRQ10 
VIA PM controller (30501106h) 
Creative Labs audio device (00021102h) - using IRQ10 
Creative Labs input controller (70021102h) 
SGS Thomson VGA controller (0010104Ah) - using IRQ11 
 
Thanks

07-30-2001, 00:41 | posts: n/a

seagull , wow thats some serious problem you've got there. The diagnostic report doesn't seem to detect the clock or mem speed, it thinks your Kyro (I'm guessing II right?) only has 16mb of ram and I don't think it should be recognised the Kyro as a SGS Thomson 0010h either (although SGS Thomson do actually make the chips from the PowerVR design). I advise you to post this problem at one of these PowerVR forums: <A HREF="http://www.paraknowya.com/discus" TARGET=_blank>www.paraknowya.com/discus</A> and the forum at <A HREF="http://pvr.gamestats.com." TARGET=_blank>http://pvr.gamestats.com.</A> Those forums have been dedicated to PowerVR cards for years so its more likely that you'll get someone that's had the same problem as you their and can help you sort it.

08-03-2001, 18:07 | posts: n/a

played through max payne - no problems :-)

09-30-2001, 19:15 | posts: n/a

Heres some advice for Hercules 3d prophet 2 owners mainly applying to 4xxx series: 
 
The 3d prophets are having some very bad problems with intel motherboard chipsets i have a 4000xt and my motherboard has an intel chipset, the graphics card seems to crash my machine when it decides to as yet there is no cure but theres been alot of talk of a new driver to try and make the hercules cards more intel chipset friendly or though there is no offical news on this as yet. For now all we can do is to get all the latest drivers and updates in wins and game programs to try and make our machines as stable as possible. 
I know its a real pain in the ass but as yet there is nothing else we can do. 
If anyone hears of any solutions then i would appreciate it if you let me know or though i have my ear to the cable line trying to find out all i can for a solution i could do with some help 
Guy Fraggin'em This message was edited by guy_fraggin_em on 30 Sep 2001 10:30 AM

Dave · 09-30-2001, 19:21 | posts: 8,447 | Location: Lost in boxes

the drivers were released last month, did you try them?

11-14-2001, 00:41 | posts: n/a

yeah the msi 6195 has windows millenium problems with some of the older versions of the bios. <A HREF="http://www.msi.com.tw" TARGET=_blank>www.msi.com.tw</A> has a bios flash update that takes care of that problem. i recommend upgrading to win2k though cause winme sucks