GA-7N400S

[Bolt]

Hi, this is an old motherboard, I know - but I just happened to get my hands on it to replace my crappy Intel D815EFV board. (About time, I was getting sick and tired of that Celeron and FX5500 that was with it when I custom built it....it was running Windows ME, btw.)

Yeah, um; the question is that the motherboard drivers doesn't seem to work under Windows ME....when I execute it, the installer starts, you see the nVidia logo load screen and then after that nothing happens.... if you could explain to me the cause/problem and a solution to it, I shall be appreciated! 

It states that it officially supports Windows ME as well and has drivers available to download from; so I am fine, but why isn't the drivers working to install? Is something wrong with the driver installer or is it Windows ME?

Cheers

Bolt.

[Bolt]

Happy New Year for anyone who resides in Australia!

Uh, so either no one's got this problem before and or no one's going to reply...?

Not even the employers/employees of Gigabyte has come accrose this problem before? Wow.....hm, well it can't be window's side coz mine's a legit Windows OS... So then it must be hardware....mmmm.....

[Bolt]

*Update*

Okay, since you guys aren't going to help, I've gone off and had already tried to do something about it....See? - I do my part too to help my own out....but I'm just limited by resources and knowledge.....

Timeline:
- Clean install Windows ME (again...to make sure it's not OS problem): result, still the same...(The other drivers work as plan: audio, nic, etc.)
- Clean install Windows 98SE: result; still the same...(The other drivers work as plan: audio, nic, etc.)
- Clean install Windows 2000: result, gave me some ikernel.exe (0x20) error

This is the exact error: The InstallShield engine (iKernel.exe) could not be installed. iKernel.exe could not be copied to C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Engine\6\Intel 32. Make sure that you have the appropriate privileges to copy files to this folder. (0x20)

.....researched a bit up and found this link: http://consumerdocs.installshield.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=Q108247&sliceId=1, alas, the possible solutions there failed. (The other drivers work as plan: audio, nic, etc.)
- Flash BIOS to the latest(that was available) both using the BIOS flash utility and externally using my floppy diskette....
- Clean install Windows XP: result; same as win2k...tried the same solution as above and still the same outcome....(The other drivers work as plan: audio, nic, etc.)

Now, I know that all these OS I have *do* work no problem, so that means the problem is caused by buggy chipset drivers....

Of course manufacturers tend to not bother reviewing/updating their older, *legacy* products, but some people like me, who happen to get their hands on a working *legacy* product *assumes* that all drivers to date (provided that they're still up, and these ones are...just haven't been updated in a whilel) are still in *good* working order.

What I consider good working order is:

- The driver's from the manufacturer's at least has to be up ready to be downloaded by end-users,
- The download goes smoothly with no hiccups,
- Installation of the drivers run smoothly with no error, and if there is any, at least provide a reason as to why it didn't work(like the errors received on Win2k and XP as I've experienced - which is good because then I know what's causing it but even going for some solutions, they don't work.... )! Instead of just loading and yep - nothing happens after that(like what happened in Windows 98 SE and Windows ME)...
- If installation runs smoothly, then the driver's intended purpose is fulfilled which will make end-users happy. 

Hm, I guess you guys wanna know what was on that board with it? Well, here they are(...sorry for the delay...):

CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2800+
GPU: Asus V8420 TD
RAM: One stick of 512MB DDR SDRAM, brand name sticky is gone, I believe....along with the model too I guess...
HDD: 20GB PATA HDD -  Seagate ST320413A and a 40GB PATA HDD - ST340014A
FDD: Sony brand and I can't remember the model....
PSU: Some Macron 300Watt PSU....I think it was MPT 301 something something something ....
ODD: Sony DW-Q120A

There we go, anything else you guys wanna know before helping me out...? ...or am I looking like an idiot here...?

[Vezina]

I have had the L version of that mobo somewhere in 2006 as a second hand ,i was using it for some gaming server along my main rig.
I have used it with XP just fine ,the only thing that was bad was the audio quality as the nforce 2 sandstorm was unavailable and the ALC was badly implemented.Nevertheless the board worked and still works with a Barton 2600+.The sound was completed with Audigy.

The drivers were 5.11 if i am not mistaking or a lower version made by some guy that was on the Nvidia forums ( Lion the Squa ... can t remember exactly ) and i can tell you that you should install the minimum.The memory controller driver would be the most important to install ,but it s not mandatory.
The IDE driver should be left alone .

If i were you i would use XP and the build in XP drivers for the chipset as it s compatible out of the box.

[rebbae]

http://drp.su/ Tryout these driverpacks.
May have the result you're aiming at. And I have tried Windows ME, and all I can say about it, is that I had it for a DAY exactly, counting when I reinstalled back to WIN 98 SE. You can find sorts of 'editions' of XP to tryout, from clean to dirt-dirty packedup with tweaks and resolving driver issues you have. I'd suggest an WINDOWS XP BLACK EDITION or INDIGO EDITION.

But what is the main reason for this old machine? You can play old games and run old progs - so why not change to Kubuntu or some Linux that can turn your machine into a beast, all though an old one? Google around. I'd forget about Windows completely if on such beast. And if you really have to run a Win based app - there's always Wine.

***Qui bene bibit, bene dormit.***

[Vezina]

http://drp.su/ Tryout these driverpacks.
May have the result you're aiming at. And I have tried Windows ME, and all I can say about it, is that I had it for a DAY exactly, counting when I reinstalled back to WIN 98 SE. You can find sorts of 'editions' of XP to tryout, from clean to dirt-dirty packedup with tweaks and resolving driver issues you have. I'd suggest an WINDOWS XP BLACK EDITION or INDIGO EDITION.



***Qui bene bibit, bene dormit.***

I see you are suggesting cracked software and strange driver packs links This is not good mate ,not good at all.

 Bolt ,use only driver packs from know good sites like softpedia ,cnet ,file horse and so on ,if you can t find them on the Gigabyte site product page.

[rebbae]

http://drp.su/ Tryout these driverpacks.
May have the result you're aiming at. And I have tried Windows ME, and all I can say about it, is that I had it for a DAY exactly, counting when I reinstalled back to WIN 98 SE. You can find sorts of 'editions' of XP to tryout, from clean to dirt-dirty packedup with tweaks and resolving driver issues you have. I'd suggest an WINDOWS XP BLACK EDITION or INDIGO EDITION.



***Qui bene bibit, bene dormit.***

I see you are suggesting cracked software and strange driver packs links This is not good mate ,not good at all.

 Bolt ,use only driver packs from know good sites like softpedia ,cnet ,file horse and so on ,if you can t find them on the Gigabyte site product page.

And you took my quote way out of proportions and deleted when I suggest the man forgetting about Windows completely and install any linux distro he wants. Which are FREE, and with my experience only driver that is not installed by linux - is the original GPU Card driver... And Driver Pack Solution is in no way strange cuz of the fact it also - despite all the drivers it installs that work great - it installs & ASKS you if you want freeware apps like Foxit Reader and 7-zip, as well as come codecs.
The only thing that is cracked are the XP versions I told him to get just because people have spent days on updating them with drivers which, by the way if Microsoft got itself together and finally make a decent OS, after DOS - have the needed drivers. I own Windows 8, and it's a big buggy OS I hate being spent 40 bucks on. AND NOW IT DOESN'T WOK, ONLY IF I INSTALL IT ON A PATA DRIVE.

So, go figure.

[Bolt]

Sorry, been busy; and sort of forgotten to check this...

Whoa.....I would take that link of yours but the other guy sounded like something bad will happen.....so I won't do that......

How about this link: http://driverpacks.net/ ? Or is this the same as the one that guy gave, at least in all that *bad* stuff? hmmm, I don't see any ME driver packs anywhere.....maybe this site doesn't do it anymore or deleted the link to it as they think it's pointless to have around as no one's going to download that and or that it's taking up website space....hello? - I believe I am still using such an operating system!

[Vezina]

Have you tried this one : http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_udp_win9x_2.41.html
Or this one : http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/MOTHERBOARD/Others/Gigabyte-7NF-RZ-NVIDIA-nForce2-system-driver-2-41.shtml