Author Topic: ArcadeVGA is VERY touchy... (Read 2512 times)

bluevolume · « **on:** August 26, 2007, 10:49:10 pm »

I'm running my ArcadeVGA 2 PCI-E card on an MSI board, and I'm concerned by how loosely the card seems to fit on the board and how easily it will lock up. I had the board installed in an Antec case temporarily while I setup my cabinet, but I'd find every other day or so the machine wouldn't boot, and the card was the cause. I would have to unscrew and remove the card, then replace it and it would be fine.

I decided to take the motherboard out of the case and just set it on a flat surface (as it will be when cabinet is ready) and plug the card back in. It will work, but the slightest movement of the monitor cable and it will lock up. Then on reboot I sometimes have to remove the card, power the computer on without it, shut down, reinstall. Anyone else having this problem? I know the PCI-E version of this card is farily new, maybe there are some bugs to work out.

rockin_rick · « **Reply #1 on:** August 27, 2007, 01:35:19 am »

It sounds like the connection between the mobo socket and card is loose. Sounds more like your mobo's socket... There are no parts on the card's 'connector' to wear out or loosen to cause issues. OTH, the mobo socket can loosen and not make good contact. IOW- it has the moving parts.

Did you have a different card in the mobo before?

Rick

bluevolume · « **Reply #2 on:** August 27, 2007, 06:48:24 am »

This board has an ATI x300 on-board, and that is what I was using prior to getting the ArcadeVGA. It hasn't had any other boards in the PCI-E slot.

I've had this problem with AGP boards in the past. One integrator I worked with even went as far as drilling 2 holes in the motherboard and using a pull-tie to hold the card secure to the motherboard.

xmenxmen · « **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2007, 12:52:33 pm »

I have built more than 200+ pcs in the past and never had this kind of problem. Are you sure your motherboard is mounted correct? If the angle is right and you have tighten the screw in, it should hold the card in there nicely.

RayB · « **Reply #4 on:** August 27, 2007, 12:57:19 pm »

Only time I have had a problem like this, it turned out the slot was tighter than I thought, and the card was not actually inserted all the way. It took alot of force to pop it in and THEN it was in there right.

bluevolume · « **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2007, 01:15:45 pm »

Quote from: RayB on August 27, 2007, 12:57:19 pm

Only time I have had a problem like this, it turned out the slot was tighter than I thought, and the card was not actually inserted all the way. It took alot of force to pop it in and THEN it was in there right.

That's possible. I'll have to take a closer look at it, but I'm pretty sure it is in there all the way.

shardian · « **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2007, 01:22:50 pm »

Quote from: RayB on August 27, 2007, 12:57:19 pm

Only time I have had a problem like this, it turned out the slot was tighter than I thought, and the card was not actually inserted all the way. It took alot of force to pop it in and THEN it was in there right.

I've had that happen before. I thought I was gonna break the mobo by pressing, then all of the sudden it fully popped into place.

mcfreak · « **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2007, 02:07:36 pm »

Quote from: RayB on August 27, 2007, 12:57:19 pm

Only time I have had a problem like this, it turned out the slot was tighter than I thought, It took alot of force to pop it in and THEN it was in there right.

If I had a nickel...

SavannahLion · « **Reply #8 on:** August 27, 2007, 02:15:21 pm »

Quote from: mcfreak on August 27, 2007, 02:07:36 pm

Quote from: RayB on August 27, 2007, 12:57:19 pm
Only time I have had a problem like this, it turned out the slot was tighter than I thought, It took alot of force to pop it in and THEN it was in there right.

If I had a nickel...

If I only had the opportunity.

mcfreak · « **Reply #9 on:** August 27, 2007, 02:23:12 pm »

Quote from: SavannahLion on August 27, 2007, 02:15:21 pm

Quote from: mcfreak on August 27, 2007, 02:07:36 pm
Quote from: RayB on August 27, 2007, 12:57:19 pm
Only time I have had a problem like this, it turned out the slot was tighter than I thought, It took alot of force to pop it in and THEN it was in there right.

If I had a nickel...

If I only had the opportunity.

That's alright, the continuation of that is that I would ONLY have a nickel!

ratzz · « **Reply #10 on:** August 27, 2007, 03:02:59 pm »

Hi,

There can be a common problem called 'thermal creep' which is where lack of ventilation causes heat buildup and thus causes cards to 'creep' out of their slots (expansion when hot (switched on), contraction when switching off and cooling down) .

Although I'm sure this may not be an issue, its worth investigating and eliminating as a cause.

HTH
Ratzz ...

AndyWarne · « **Reply #11 on:** August 27, 2007, 03:43:46 pm »

PCIe cards should not be as sensitive to this as AGP as they only have one row of contacts whereas AGP has two.
I would think maybe something else is wrong and it just manifests itself as a slot problem. If the card looks like being a suspect I can of course exchange it.
Andy

bluevolume · « **Reply #12 on:** August 27, 2007, 09:58:18 pm »

I checked the card, and it is definitely seated correctly in the slot. It is secure, it requires a fair amount of force to remove it from the slot.

Here's the problem, the card needs to sit up completely straight or leaning a little bit down (heat sink toward the motherboard). If it is tilted in the other direction at all, the computer either won't boot, or it if is running it locks up.

I'm going to be mounting the motherboard horizontally once I'm finished, so I'm going to need to come up with something to keep that card from moving.

rockin_rick · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2007, 10:38:11 pm »

I find it difficult to believe that the AGVA card is the problem. Your problem is clearly the contact between the AVGA and the mobo's socket. The odds of the AVGA being the problem is extremely low as it comes down to the AVGA being accidently mfg'ed on a thinner PCB, which is next to impossible as I'm sure that Ultimarc had them mfg'ed in bulk... What are the odds of that?!?! I think that you should try another VGA card in the mobo before blaming the AVGA...

Regardless, if the AVGA is the problem, it's nice to know that Ultimarc will make it right... That says a lot!

Rick

genesim · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2007, 11:26:52 pm »

I am going through a revamp right now, and I have some booting problems, but it doesn't seem to be the PCI-E Arcade VGA.

Before lately, I had no problems whatsoever. We had a storm recently and I think my surge tripped something and that is what caused my new pc to to go into error mode.

Still, you can't get away from the fact that I played multiple times with no problems.

I will report back when I have more news. My arcade is going through an overhaul right now, and I will anxiously want to share when I got everything going good. So stay tuned....

RayB · « **Reply #15 on:** August 28, 2007, 12:51:20 am »

Well, your board shoudlnt just be left to the whims of gravity. If it were in a case, you'd have it screwed to the case frame, right? So build a frame to keep it from moving! That's what I did.

Look at this page, about 2/3rds the way down there are 2 pics of the frame I built to secure cards to: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=21381.40

bluevolume · « **Reply #16 on:** August 28, 2007, 09:06:01 am »

Quote from: RayB on August 28, 2007, 12:51:20 am

Well, your board shoudlnt just be left to the whims of gravity. If it were in a case, you'd have it screwed to the case frame, right? So build a frame to keep it from moving! That's what I did.

Look at this page, about 2/3rds the way down there are 2 pics of the frame I built to secure cards to: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=21381.40

Check out the beginning of the thread -- it was the Antec case that I had it mounted in that was pushing it out of alignment.

northerngames · « **Reply #17 on:** August 28, 2007, 09:30:30 am »

my mother board lays flat on a shelf with the AVGA just plugged in no case no screw to hold it in and I never had a problem at all.

sounds to me your motherboard slot pins are bent in to much I would try the card in another pc.

unless you can grab the card and wiggle the contacts then it's your motherboard that is the problem and not the vga as stated above there ran off as a standard size that fits all but not your motherboard for some reason???

RayB · « **Reply #18 on:** August 29, 2007, 08:55:16 pm »

Quote from: bluevolume on August 28, 2007, 09:06:01 am

Check out the beginning of the thread -- it was the Antec case that I had it mounted in that was pushing it out of alignment.

AH yes, I've had cases where I had to BEND the card's metal tab in order to secure it properly. I understand now.

esaelectrionics · « **Reply #19 on:** August 30, 2007, 10:17:03 am »

I have had the same kind of problems with AGP slots,
sometimes you have to move your card about a bit ,usually if your
mother board is oldish, ive not used the newer e-pci cards,its normally
the socket that gets a bit loose over time.

I mount my motherboard upright, where the jamma board should be ,with a base from an old pc case and slots to sit the bottom of the card in, then use screw in metal hooks to go through the screw hole's to hold the base in place, it works really well and is solid.

Take the board out of its case if you suspect your card wont fit properly and then try it, its most likely the socket,try it in a different motherboard if you still have problems.


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Author Topic: ArcadeVGA is VERY touchy... (Read 2512 times)

ratzz