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Via 686B - Small Grey Kitten Compatibility Issue

Reflex
Member

I am experiencing this problem on a Abit KG7-RAID motherboard, running Windows XP Pro. The kitten is a standard model, straight from the Humane Society, about 13 weeks old. It seems that whenever I try to get any work done the kitten either takes a seat on my keyboard, scratches the hell out of my leg, chases the mouse pointer around my screen, or simply licks various peripherals.

This problem did not occur before I acquired my current motherboard, and having heard of the infamous Via 686B compatibility issues, I was wondering if perhaps I am on to something here. The only reason I am not able to verify this is that I did not have the kitten before my current motherboard, so I was not able to observe its behaviour in the past, and even if I did, my previous motherboard was the Abit KT7A, which also had the Via 686B southbridge.

I am wondering if Via has done any compatibility or stability testing with 13 week old grey kittens? One bug I have noticed is that he frequently steps on the 'sleep' button on my keyboard, sending my PC into standby mode(S1). I would have thought that such a problem would have been found by the Via engineers in the lab. Is there a FAQ pertaining to these problems? Is this a Via issue, or could it be AMD's 761 northbridge that is to blame? Any help would be appreciated...

WiNC
Pain in the butt member

Reflex

I'm sorry to say I have had the same problem - however mine has been with the upgraded version of grey kitten, the Tabby Adult Cat. The sleep problem is the worse, especially when in the middle of doing something important like replying to your comments.

I would believe that it could possible be Mother Natures fault (or Gods) for creating the Kitten and Cat peripherals so unsupportive of modern hardware.

The problem is - this problem happens on Intel, SIS, AMD, and even the new Nvidia motherboards. I have noticed however when in Dos Mode the sleep button/kitten(cat) issue doesn't happen - so maybe this is a operating system problem with the Windows - thus Microsoft have stuffed up again.

I have tried to alter registers to prevent the issues between the motherboard and Cat but I have yet to find anything that works. Disabling STPGNT doesn't do anything - and the CAT system doesn't seem to like me testing its temperature anyway, usually causing screeching, and damaging the user (namely me).

I have come to the conclusion that VIA probably are ignoring this bug with Cat and Kitten hardware and we will probably not get in fixed until Mother Nature (or God) releases an update bios for the product in question.

I know it wasn't much help - but for now that is the best I can do.

VooDoo
Hardware Guru

OMFG... you have the same issues as me. im using 2 small white puppys here. (i called them geforce2 and 3 BTW) ever since i got this Shuttle P4X266 board the puppys has been chasing their tail and gets this weird infinate loop error. Ive tried a patch, changing its food and even taking it for different drives. when it does work i get wierd screen curruptions and i seem to be wiping the screen more. using just one puppy seems to help but now my friend is getting the same problems when he uses the puppy too and he has a 854-D chipset..

Is this related to the geforce 2/3 ?

i only seem to get the keyboard problems when the puppy is on my lap not on the floor so maybe try that as a temp solution.

VIA i want to know why you havent fixed this. you obviously dont care enough to test your products with small grey kittens and white puppy's.

Maybe someone should recall the boards as its now a known BUG in the chipset.

WiNC
Pain in the butt member

Excuse me - why should VIA recall their product - has anyone got any comment from Mother Nature (or God) yet? I mean - come on... Via can't be held reasonable for all creation can they? (well maybe they can)

But this does make be wonder if peripherals like Gold-Fish, Budgie, and Bunny Rabbit have the same problem, though I know those peripherals usually have protective measures like cage and glass.

In regards to the white puppy bug - are you sure you have "Lock in Kennel" fix? I have been told that when you do this the bug does stop, but usually instantly comes back after they are "released from Kennel". Maybe this is a Kennel.dll error?

Well - I will continue playing around with Cat and my new AMD AD11 motherboard - and see if I can find a fix.

VooDoo
Hardware Guru

i rebuilt the Kennel.dll but it made no differance. im still getting these infinate loop errors. could it be a virus? i never has these problems before the P4X266. now my mates PC is acting wierd and somehow got this smelly yellow liquid in the bottom corner. Its not coming from his water cooler. can a chipset leak? my puppy never had any problems b4. there is an obvious incompatability and nothing in the manual tells me how to fix it. i even got that sleep error reflex talked about the other day. I wish VIA would test there products better as i wouldnt have got the P4X266 if i had known about its bugs. i even found parts of the bugs wing and a leg on the puppy so dont BS me and tell me the bugs dont exit.

Ive seen it

WilliamG
New Member

Well I'm also suffering from pretty much the same bug as Reflex is, on my KG7-RAID. It hasn't yet affected the sleep button on my keyboard, but I'm scared it might get there. I have noticed however a strange molting affect...hair on my Logitech keyboard. Now considering my keyboard is plugged into my motherboard, it HAS to be a VIA bug surely?. There is no doubt here in my mind. Perhaps this 'defect' in the chipset might allow scientists to manipulate it and utilize it as a cure for baldness? I don't know...but it's getting worrying. This definitely happened on my old Microsoft keyboard, so I know it's not Logitech's fault, and as such, I'm looking for some new VIA drivers to cure it...perhaps the next 4in1 v4.37 will be CAT Supported?

WiNC
Pain in the butt member

Again I don't see how this is just a VIA problem - when I had my Pentium 4 test system we had the same problem. There isn't any VIA chipsets in a Intel motherboard.

I was just thinking about the problems I'm having with my CAT system however - maybe the screeching I get when doing temperature checks on the CAT are related to a Creative Labs SBLive bug?!

And it could be a virus - I have noticed that since getting my AD11 that the CAT has been sneezing on and off, I at first thought it was just a driver problem - but I haven't found any new release of Mother Nature (or God) driver updates for CAT. I might run Norton’s Antivirus over the computer system and maybe that will tell me if there is a CAT virus.

You know you Puppy people are lucky - at least you have a Kennel... usually when you us the "Lock in Kennel" system with Kitten or Cat there is a hell of a noise, and usually it escapes thus causing the problems all over again.

Reflex - maybe you have just scraped the bottom of the barrel with this problem - maybe there is a bigger problem then first appears... maybe the whole Pet(tm) System needs revisiting and thus reinventing to be more compatible with modern systems and users?

I'm going to call the local Pet(tm) store tomorrow and ask them advice about possible virus's which can effect my CAT, and if they have any suggestions regarding the incompatibility with my AD11.

WiNC
Pain in the butt member

With some updated information to this - I have been playing on the idea all evening, even dreaming about it (I know I'm strange).

Anyway - when the 686b issues came out I found the disabling the "STPGNT" (Stop Grant) would prevent a lot of problems - thus stopping the AMD chips from taking a breather when Idling. I have noticed that there is a way to prevent the Pet(tm) system like Kitten and Cat from using the Computer Desktop Interface, which usually ends up in hair on Keyboard problem, or the probmatic "Sleep Button Press" issue.

If you go into the bios Register look for a setting which has "STPPAT" - this function is called "Stop Patting" and is usually disabled by the manufactors. It appears that when this option is disabled, the Hand interface continues to pat the Kitten or Cat peripherals while on the Desktop which seems to cause 1) The Kitten/Cat peripherals to fall and lay on the keyboard 2) cause interesting reactions where the kitten/cat appears to go loopy and interact with anything that moves.

If you turn on the "STPPAT" register, the hand interface doesn't pat the kitten/cat peripherals and usually the kitten/cat peripherals gets bored and leave the desktop.

I haven't seen any negative effects of this yet - I will continue doing testing and let you know how it progresses.

John Gatt
VIA ARENA TEAM

WinC is on the right track here. If you disable the "STPGNT" (Stop Grant) it does indeed disable the hand to kitten/puppy interface. But in addition you also need to disconnect the peripheral device from their power supply. Unfortunetly this can cause the device to become permamently disabled or it will act like a virus and connect it self to another PC users environment. This is definatley the fault of the kitten/CAT/puppy perihperal manufacturer. These devices hog system user resources and decrease productivity due to the distractive nature of the hand stroke function.

Fiona Gatt
VIA ARENA TEAM

I would just like to further clarify my colleagues assertion that this is the fault of the kitten/CAT/puppy peripheral manufacturer. I mean as the recent product launch of the Eden platform by VIA proves, we've been around since the dawn of time. Just look at those VIA employees in the movie. Here's a screenshot.

WinC refers to the Mother Nature (or God) driver updates for CAT. I hope they come out soon as well. I don't get this issue on my own PC but on my laptop, when I travel to certain friends houses, if they have a CAT peripheral I start to sneeze. This is terribly worrying as WinC said that her CAT has been sneezing lately. Clearly these devices are crawling with bugs.

Fiona Gatt
VIA ARENA TEAM

Actually something Voodoo reported about the positioning of the device led me to do another test. I have a puppy model name Beagle. It came with an optional extra - a microchip that was inserted at the top of the device under the casing behind the powers supply entry port between the front components that allow for easy mobility. The microchip is for easy identifcation of the owner of the device in case it gets lost and ends up at an RMA centre. Anyway, with this device, if it is on my lap I get the get same error as Voodo with his white puppy model but if it is on the floor as Voodoo suggests then it seems OK but it seems to casue the occassional disconnection of other cords, such as my network cable. Anyway, just thought I'd report that in case it helps someone.

SilverWerewolf
Member

You think you have it bad with your Kittens and Puppies...

You should try dealing with WerePuppies. I mean, with those peripherals, you get all kinds of weird errors occuring around your computer.

For example, your mouse gets all dirty for no apparent reason. The connectors on your sub-woofer gets disconnected by some weird unknown force in the universe, having no direct connection to the fact that the sub is being used as a foot-rest.

And if your WerePup is older, but not yet adult, and has discovered the Internet, then you get all kinds of programs that simply appear to have installed themselves on your drives, not to mention mpegs from unmentionable sources...

And the WerePup will growl at you if you try to gain control of your computer back. And if you have two, then they get all territorial on each other.

I thank God they do not mark their territories !!!

Magic Mushroom
New Member

I have a similar problem with my Aopen AX63 Pro so it obviously affects older VIA systems too. The CAT is a large white moggy and I have noticed that the keyboard problem has become much worse sinse istalling XP and the fish screen saver from the Plus Pack. Whenever the screen saver kicks in the keyboard suffers a severe CAT error. This always causes the screen saver to dissapear and other odd problems then follow.

Any help would be appreciated.

WiNC
Pain in the butt member

Magic Mushroom

I would suggest that while we are waiting for a fix from either VIA or MotherNature (god) that you uninstall the Fishy screen saver... I was informed that bird, fish, mice and pieces of string screensavers where incompatable with the Cat/Kitten systems.

I have been thinking of adding a bell warning system to my Cat System's collar unit - this will mean I should hear a ringing before the Cat System invades the desktop, giving me enough time to protect citical systems.

Any thoughts?

Deity
New Member

God can take no responsibility for products that have already passed beyond the heavenly production line and through the cells of animal anatomy, thus changing the product and adding componants that we can take no responsibility for.

Our policy on returns is:

We do not give refunds and I am sure you understand that sending such items as kitten and puppy back would cause extreme pain for the chip known as 'parent'.

We apologise if this causes any disappointment but advise that you should always read the small print before acquiring one of our products particularly those marked 'pet' or 'children'.

WiNC
Pain in the butt member

Now you see the problem is my Cat system was a part of the house, thus we didn't have much of a choice in having the Cat system around... but either way - I don't remember anyone anywhere stating that there was incompatablities with VIA motherboards and the 686b chipset.

I find it really bad workmenship that you guys would release a product without warning consumers of this possible issue, I do believe that maybe you should refund all those people who have got a Puppy, Dog, Kitten or Cat unit and at least make a better manual from now on.

Your manuals are worse then FIC's

Deity
New Member

We do realise that the manuel 'Bible' could use some updating but you must appreciate that running all life as we know it is a very time consuming task and we just don't have the resources to burn bushes and set Our word in stone anymore.

xeosdd
New Member

If you're having problems with something, why not just RTM -- Return to Manufacturer.

SilverWerewolf
Member

Well, we have a god among us, how cool.

I hope everyone realizes that the Ultimate answer to Life, the Universe and Everything (and this includes CAT/DOG/WerePups accessories) has been calculated by Deep Thought (in a 7 and a half million year program) as being 42.

Thank you, that's all for now..

DJD20
New Member

I have found the fix!!!

I've encountered the same problem as you guyz. I also have a CAT (serial n°66532355) and had some compatibility issues. When the CAT is being touched it emits a 'rrrrrr' noise, possibly because I have a Creative Sound Blaster Live! installed.

I applied VIA's 686B Bug Fix to no avail. Now, connecting the CAT to my 400 Watt PSU resulted in some strange noises, followed by a burning smell, though my problem went away!

I advise you to try this fix and confirm if this works with you too. Good luck!

NOTE: Any D.O.G. apparatus may need more time to get the same effect.

DJD20
New Member

Just received a message from Mother Nature stating that I've lost my warranty on the CAT with that fix, so I wouldn't try it again.

I'm open for any other suggestions!

SilverWerewolf
Member

Hmmm... I wonder if I could not use a variation of this technique on my WerePups, you know, like mild elecroshocks. Reminds me of Pavlov's dog. Experimentation on conditionning, that might do the trick !

I wonder which registers control the shocks: GVSHCK ? Is the electroshocks power controlled by the V_Core setting ?

Of course, I'd have to worry about the WerePups mother, which will void MY warranty faster than Mother Nature would...

Pagan
New Member

The above *fix* has proven to leave undesireable residue on the power supply unit, the following "Official" patch has come directly from Microsoft HO in Redmond (which is the home of GOD according to microsoft).

Cisco Guy
Member

That pic of the cavemen actually coincides with my mental image of the VIA engineering dept.

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