PCI-PCI Bridge re-install on every cold boot

[andy2510]

http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=107394.0
The topic on MSI's forum

[Pitr52]

Interesting... I tried the "Startup graphics priority" option in the latest ASUS BIOS too (set it to PCI and PCI-E instead of AGP, which is what I have) and the first cold boot went normally, but not the second, the drivers just reinstalled as usual.

This might sound stupid, but lets say Vista or the BIOS is reassigning IRQs/resources at startup for each addon card. I wonder, if all PCI slots in the motherboard were to be used, would the same happen to us? Andy2510, how many PCI add in cards are you using from your total capacity of PCI slots?

I'd give anything for this problem to sort itself out! I have a lovely Vista box which I no longer can use properly because of this issue. I love Vista and I love my system, but now I'm without and it's not nice! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

[andy2510]

I only have 2 normal PCI slots, one of the being filled with a Creative Audigy soundcard. I also have 1 PCI-E 1x slot (unfilled) and a 16x PCI-E slot (filled with an ATI Radeon X1650).

I have noticed on occasions where I have had to cold boot, Vista keeps the same drivers and doesn't re-install. At other times it goes back to a previous installation (ie from installation 3 to installation 1!) which isn't ideal as volume levels go back to the default 100%! And the rest of the time .... re-installing drivers!

Next time you speak to your Microsoft contact, ask whether this has anything to do with 'Multi-Level Rebalance' which they introduced with the release version of Vista (and not the beta versions!). https://www.microsoft.com/whdc.../multilevel-rebal.mspx

[Pitr52]

Latest gem from ASUSTeK is to try booting with no PCI add in cards to see if that cures it... I haven't tried it yet but I doubt it would due to the other internal devices (i.e., integrated sound) which also use the PCI bus, albeit not a physical slot. Anyone else want to try this along with me?

[andy2510]

I've already tried it. The PCI-to-PCI bridge still gets reinstalled every time, though the onboard sound chip remained unaffected.

[Pitr52]

Yep, I can confirm that... re-emailed ASUSTeK to announce that it doesn't work. I also emailed my Microsoft contact to explain about the link you found before with regards to multi-level handling of the PCI bridges. Waiting for response from both!

[andy2510]

OK.

Thanks for your help with this so far.

[Pitr52]

Hey everyone,
Please find below the latest "fix" suggested by ASUSTeK. Worked for me on only one occasion but since then, the integrated audio and PCI-to-PCIE Bridge hasn't reinstalled, so that's at least something! <b>Disclaimer:</b> This is a command prompt excercise and therefore I don't accept any responsibility for any damage your operating system might incurr! If in doubt, back up beforehand!

##
1 - Open an elevated command prompt [Basically, click "Run" under Accessories in the Start menu, and type cmd.exe]

2 - Type

bcdedit /set CONFIGACCESSPOLICY DISALLOWMMCONFIG

And then press ENTER, and close the window if cmd.exe returns "The operation completed successfully"

3 - Reboot
##

Hopefully this might work for some of you!

Peter

[boyblue]

1 - Open an elevated command prompt [Basically, click "Run" under Accessories in the Start menu, and type cmd.exe]

To run CMD elevated it needs to have admin rights so right click CMD and choose "Run as administrator"

[Pitr52]

boyblue, I think it's safe to assume two things :
- Most people here are running under an administrative user account in Vista
- Any programs such as cmd.exe launched by the "Run" applet are already created with adminstrative priveleges, as the applet window states.

So, actually, right-clicking cmd.exe and choosing "Run as administrator" doesn't do anything different from launching it from Run, which is actually an easier thing to do [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Edit : Good news!
My ASUSTeK product supporter has now referred this problem to the "board designer" for assessment. Hopefully we'll get a more solid answer from them, instead of being fobbed off to Microsoft. I'm going to suggest that they contact VIA directly as this problem is occurring accross exactly the same southbridges accross different processor architectures and such, so hopefully we'll get a solution produced for all.

In the meantime, I'm looking to actually submit this story, together with this forum link, to Engadget.com as a news story to try and flag this up... are there any objections if I do this to raise awareness?

Thanks!

Peter