KVM, Memory, DNS issues and solutions

[mvejvoda]

I am a software dev and usually update my system once every 5 years. This past december I got a new system and selected a LanParty UT nF4 Ultra-D Mobo with AMD 3800+ dual core 64 bit chip, e-geForce 6600 GT video card, SATA 200 Gig drive, 1 GIG Ocz memory, Antec Truepower II P/S 550W. *Note: No overclocking... I don't care to overclock my system... why get a DFI??? It had good reviews around the web. Now after MANY RMA scenarios and wasted time... here are the things I learned and will share with others to watch out for:

 

1. For some reason IOGear USB KVM switch (GCS632U) DOES NOT WORK with this MOBO. The switch works with my other HP system but not the DFI. Yes I changed the USB power settings on my DFI and nothing changed. I got spuradic choppy behaviour from the DFI, while flawless execution from the HP. The ONLY solution was to BUY a PCI usb card (which I gather has sufficient power to make my KVM work).

 

2. I had random reboots, Blue screens etc... ultimately running a program called Prime95 found that my hardware was failing... turned out to be the Ocz RAM which when replaced solved that problem. (no more crashing and BSOD)

 

3. DNS errors randomly occuring (at this point I was very annoyed with my DFI). But fortunately this wasn't a DFI issue... the store I paid money to assemble, install and test my new system had installed IPv6 on the NIC's. This one took a while to figure out... the store was ready to RMA AGAIN... a final attempt to avert RMA was successful... uninstalling ipv6 (which no-one uses anyways) solved my random DNS errors (page not found while browsing). Not sure if IPv6 comes by default when installing the drivers for the dual NIC's under Win XP SP2?

 

I now sit here happily working 100%... and hope to not experience such a hastle after another 5 years pass. Hope this helps someone out there... would have saved me 20 days of grief if my googling had found these answers (and yes I had looked here early in the process).