Hello Dark Mantis,
Using BIOS F3, which I was reverted to due to a checksum error with F6, I disabled the On-Board 1394.
Booted up and Windows still went through the process of identifying and failing to start all 31 instances of the device.
I updated to the latest BIOS, now F7, and did the same. Same result, windows still ended up with 31 failed devices.
I've discovered an additional symptom, my Blu-ray drive no longer reads RAM-DISKs. It used to do so without problem. It still runs CDs and DVDs okay, I haven't tried a Blu-ray disc in there as yet as I don't have any handy. I used to use this DVD/Blu-ray drive heavily for RAM-DISKs and never had any problem. Now it just throws "internal error" messages to the screen in the OS. The only thing I can think of is that it is using one of the "potentially degradable" SATA2 ports as all the other (non affected) ports are already in use. Still, weird thing for it to do.
Also, since I swapped this SDD with the OS on it from my old HW to this new SB configuration I thought I'd do a clean OS install on a separate drive just in case something in Windows decided to go as mad as a March hare during the swap. Problem, I cannot install the OS from DVD. It fails 100% of the time. Not sure if its the BD-DVD problem as it gets past booting from the install DVD, then loads, copies its install files, and as the windows logo with the spinning multi-coloured balls comes up it locks. Give or take a second, it always locks. No way past it. Total consistent failure.
Hello Lsdmeasap,
I have tried all the memory combinations before, but I've removed the Kingston 2x2GB for now and will leave them out of the mix for the time being.
I am using only the 2x4GB GSkill set now, they are in slot 2/4 rather than 1/3, though that shouldn't matter.
I was of the understanding that RAM sizes were not supposed to affect dual channel operation as long as the channels were matched. The timings have been matched on the 2GB and 4GB pairs, which is what I thought was the important configuration to match. Having to match sizes as well is a requirement which I've not seen mentioned before. I can understand taking it out of the mix to try to resolve other problems, but realistically... theoretically... empirically... it should work.
Regardless, having just the 2x4GB GSkill ram in there, the RAM still does not allow dual channel mode to work.
BIOS is flashed to F7, booted okay (still OS problems with drivers), so I saved that BIOS version to the Backup BIOS using the ALT-F12 method you described. All seems to have gone well on that front. I was already using a PS2 Keyboard so no issue there, but thanks for the heads up.
Downloaded and ran the CPUZ version you linked to (thanks for the link), and ran it on the configuration above.
Here are the screens for CPU, Memory and SPID (Slot #2 and #4 are identical, so I only screenshot #2).
http://users.adam.com.au/niekell/ga-p67a-ud7/cpuz1564_CPU.pnghttp://users.adam.com.au/niekell/ga-p67a-ud7/cpuz1564_Mainboard.pnghttp://users.adam.com.au/niekell/ga-p67a-ud7/cpuz1564_Memory.pnghttp://users.adam.com.au/niekell/ga-p67a-ud7/cpuz1564_SPD2.pngI'm just a little concerned with the CPU tab where it lists Processor #1.
2 Cores?
WTF?!?!? That would explain why windows only sees 4 "effective" CPUs rather than the 8 which I expected.
Why would it show only 2 Cores?
Best wishes, Niekell.