Wrong. The CPU itself is no more or less stable. I've been following this since the Athlon came out and the definitive answer is that stability problems with a properly cooled Athlon CPU are a result of VIA's MB chipset drivers. 99 times out of 100, installing the latest MB drivers and the latest VIA 4-in-1 drivers will solve whatever problems the person is having. The CPU has no effect on the stability of the MB.

Aaron

where do you get the drivers... can you be more specific on what type of drivers? i have all of the xp service packs installed as well as everything that is available from HP. I run a 2ghz intel in my computer. any help would be great.

Try here

http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=2

You should make sure you have via chips before you install it, not all mb's have them. good luck

how do I find out if I have a "via" chip?

Ah, I was thinking you had built the machine yourself. If you've got all the latest drivers from the company that built your computer, you're doing all you can. Using the generic drivers on a company-built computer can make things worse. Intel chips almost never use VIA chipsets in the MB anyway. I will say this, when HP and Compaq merged, the two worst computer companies became the single worst.

Aaron

I am also into NFS.. Should definately schedule some online gaming. Can anyone tell me where to find the 914-6?

Late,

BWB

I think I've seen a Fry's ad that had a 2.0gig intel with a via chipset, since I do watch their ads all the time.

I'm still running win98se, so these are specific to that OS
To find out if you have a via, fo to the device manager. near the bottom of the window is "system devices" double click it, and look for "via" in any of the names there, especially something like "Via to AGP " or some such (can't remember exactly". if it's there, click on it and look at the drivers folder to see who wrote the driver. If it's Microsoft, you'll need to install the via drivers

Often there's a program on the disk which came with the motherboard to install these drivers. look for a setup program in the root directory.

I wrestled this some on a 1 gig athlon and windows ME and the object is to get the OS installed, then the via 4in1 drivers, then the video card driver.

Heres a little info for ya guys.......'

On the alps map, when you get to the frozen lake there is a hole in the map in which if you get it right you can drive on the snow on the mountains. Heres how to do it.

on the far side of the lake there is a slope that projects onto the ice. Its near the center of the ice, Use your car to find the hole - push your car agianst the slope until it slips in (at low speeds you will eather drive through and fall through the map or it will lauch you into the air at incredible speeds ((900+ mph))) In order to get to the snow on the other side of the invisible wall, you have to get to about 40-60 mph, and then it will push you onto the snow. Now you can drive on the snow on the cliff, (drive to the right,..by the way the only way to get out is to drive threw the hole agian or reset the car)

Have fun

need help - whiteraven530@hotmail.com

Hey, I did the Cote d'azure track in 3:38 last night. Been trying to get under 3:40 for the longest. Took out my Raider frustrations and beat my time. 3:38 in the 914 2.0 manual tranny. I tried the 911, but the tail keeps comming around. I'll try the boxter next. I have a steering wheel and pedals. I can't imagine driving via keyboard.
Bee Jay
www.picturetrail.com/beejay7

3: 38 is pretty good for a 914 at Cote d'azur. I think I have done a 3:30 flat, which took me a long time. I just did it in my '00 Turbo in 2:16.7 yesterday. One of the most important turns is the 3rd gear right hander a half mile or so after the little village, as it leads onto the longest straight.
I got down to 24:05 for the entire Rally of Europe, and set new two course records, Pyrenees (2:16.2) and Normandie (2:25.9) doing it. No question about it now, the '00 Turbo is faster than any other street car supplied with the game. The car is now worth 668,000.
Still using the keyboard!

Correction: I just did the Cote d'Azur in 3:21 for ha-ha's.

You did Cote d'azure in 3:21 in a 914 2.0. Daaaaaaaamn!!!. Now I'll be up all night. Do you get airborne on that straight after the village. My fastest times are when I take out the speed limit sign just before the first tunnel. Do you brake at all? The 914 doesn't seem to get up fast enough. It took me a long time to figure out how not to lose it on that right hand kink just before the finish line. Some very spectacular crashes when you lose it into that brick fence. I bought a steering wheel/pedal set at Pomona for almost nothing. It's so cool cause you shift like F1, just pull on the padal on the right to upshift, the one on the left to downshift. After I get good at some of these other cars, I want the F1 game.
Bee Jay

Well, after reading the last posts, I had to dig out my game. I was too lazy to plug in my MOMO, so all cars were set up as Sportos and ran on keys. The first run at Cote d'azur was 3:38 in a very loose Ravenna 2.0. The next run was in a less radical 1.7 with a 2.0 swap (Gulf colors) and I managed 3:27. For my last runs, I unwrapped the 914/6 (red orange like mine) and ran 3:39. I need to work on that cars set up as it plows very badly. I perfer my cars like I perfer my women... loose and on the verge or out of control. :D

Bee Jay,
I usually miss the sign, but occasionally hit it - no biggie. I am flat out into the tunnel, then brake just before the left hander. Brake again going down through the right hander, then flat through the next two left hand turns. The next left hander is important, and I brake enough to drop into third as I enter the right just before, keeping the car close to the wall on the right. A late apex for the left hander is critical to keep it off the armco barrier as you exit, flat out accelerating up to fifth, through the tunnel. The fast right hander is flat in a 914, then uphill, often downshifting to fourth briefly to maintain enough torque. I am flat over the hill, then entering the village I brake, downshift to fourth, then hard around the sweeping lefthander, close to the buildings. If you go wide there you risk hitting the railing and losing speed. Brake before the next right, ease the car up against the right side, then a late apex left hander, but not too late or you miss the apex entirely. I am flat out over the little rise and through the left hand turn. The next right is critical - you need to drop down to third and keep it off the left edge of the road or you won't be able to hit the apex. From there I am flat out to the finish line, airborn over the jump as you go up the hill. The next few turns are tricky, but possible flat out in a 914. If you don't get that downhill right hand turn onto the bridge just right you will nail the stone bridge and wreck.
Another thing that is real important to good times with a 914 is to not slide the car. There just isn't enough HP to overcome the scrubbing when you get sideways even a little. I learned a lot trying to follow the expert computer drivers. I would run the knockout competition with 7 opponents, with a goal of not being eliminated, then winning the final round. I lost a lot of races before I got it right.

David,
I ran with auto shift for a while, but decided it was marginally quicker with a standard in the 914. The computer doesn't really make the optimum shifts for you. I use my left pinkie (A,Z keys) for shifting, left thumb on the Spacebar for braking. I moved the P Brake to the Ins key so it is out of the way.

Of course my cars have all the upgrades available, but I run the stock gearboxes. I move the brake bias toward the front, lowered and stiffened a bit too.
I love watching the replays when I have a spectacular crash. I have seen my fastest cars get 100ft airborn off the rocks, with multiple end-over-end flips, and barrel rolls.

Sammy, I had the same problem with XP pro. What I had to do was change the settings for the virtual memory to 125 minimum and 256 maximum. That seemed to take care of the problem. Otherwise you'll have to run it in compatability mode for win 98.
HTH

BTW: did Cote d'Azur in a stock 914/4 2.0 in 3:16.21 :)

Finally got to 3:22:and change at Cote d'azur. That was still automatic and on keyboard. I'll dig out the wheel again sometime, but I can't seem beat my own times. The wheel seems too slow, but the shifting is nicer and the over all feel is better.

That raises the bar a little higher! Guess I know what I'll be doing later. :)

Maybe I'm running the wrong color. I run red like my car. I guess I need to start braking too. 3:16????? Wow. I'll see if I can beat 3:38, I'll be happy with a 3:35.

OK. You guys made me dust off NFS and see what I could do against your times. After my third try on Cote d'Azur, I was able to get a 3:09.15 with a 1973 2.0. I'm only using the stock cars and components that came with the game. Here is how the 2.0 is outfitted different from stock:

Big Bore Throttle Body
Medium Performance Carbs
Low Restriction Exhaust System
Semi-Racing Brake Package
High-Speed Gearbox
Semi-Sport Springs
Slicks

Here is how I have the car setup:

I decided to try it with a 1970 1.7. The car is equipped the same as the 2.0. Some of the settings are slightly different though. After my 5th try, I came in at 3:12.71.

Here are the setting for the 1.7:

It's official! I hate you guys for getting me hooked on this game again. I went in and tweaked my 2.0 some more and came in with a 3:05.81.

Same equipment, here are the settings: