GA-X58A-UD3R - Unable to boot, get into BIOS. [ Wash. Rinse. Repeat. ]

[TimGrz]

System:

• GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R LGA ATX Intel Motherboard, v2.0
• Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 Quad-Core Processor - BX80601950
• COOLER MASTER Silent Pro RS850-AMBAJ3-US 850W Power Supply
• OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - SET A - Chosen because it is on Gigabytes Recommended Memory List.

• OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - SET B - Chosen because it is on Gigabytes Recommended Memory List.

• EVGA 012-P3-1475-AR GeForce GTX 470
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
• Thermaltake Frio, Intel Core i7 Intel CPU Cooler, CLP0564
• BIOS Version FA (would be happy to upgrade to FB once it works again

This was build for a friend by me and is a scaled down version of an exact system I build for myself a couple months ago that I am having no issues with and am extremely happy with.  I sure hope you can help me/us!!!

I built the second system and it worked fine.  Installed OS, many reboots, software install, et al.  Let it run 24/7 for a few days and powered it off.  Turned it on/off for the next couple days to install/check things.  All 100%.

Friend calls and says they is going to come pick it up.  I power it on for a last checkout and the problems start...

Fist the system just reboots continously.  Gets the splash screen, reboots.  Get to the splash screen, reboots, ., ., ., Get to the splash screen, reboots (all with one short 'beep').

In addition I am now unable to get into the BIOS via the [DEL] key.  In fact, none of the keys: [TAB], [F9], [F12], [END], and of course [DEL] as mentioned prior, function.


Unable to get into BIOS and will not boot.  Tried several keyboards.  Both USB and PS2.  No change.  Keyboards work on other systems including the other GA-X58A-UD3R system without issue.

Pulled everything apart.  Meticulously checked everything.  Pulled all parts.  Installed one stick of memory.  Same issue-- Unable to get into BIOS.  Splash screen.  One short beep.  Reboots.

Other things we have tried:

• Only Set-A of memory
• Only Set-B of memory
• Only one stick from either Set-A or Set-B of memory
• W/ and w/o video card
• Disconnected all drives (and stayed disconnected)
• Pulled, check, and reconnected power cables to mother board.  
• Various, almost endless, variations of the above.
• Disconnected power.  Pulled the battery.  Pressed on several times.  Waited ~30 minutes.  Pressed on several more times.  Re-inserted battery.

Sorry for the long post, but being a System Administrator and work with all kinds of other computer hardware, including "PC's", I wanted to list everything I have tried in order to (help) diagnosis it prior to turning to Gigabyte Tech People for help.


THANKS!
/tg

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome to the Gigabyte Forum.

Thanks for the meticulous rundown. At least it saves us going over old ground. If I were to guess I would say it sounds like some sort of short.

So I think the best thing is to remove everything from the case and start building on the worktop. I am sure that none of this is new to you but please bear with me. Place some anti static non conductive material ( cardboard works well ) on the worktop and then build up just the motherboard/CPU/HSF/one stick of memory in slot0/buzzer and switch and attach the PSU. Try to boot and see what beep codes you get returned. If it is continuous long beeps then that is fine and just means the GPU isn't installed. So go ahead and install the graphics card and retry. Then post again.

[TimGrz]

Life got in the way... took me a bit to get back to this.


All right, pulled everything and diag'd it ouotside the case.  Only thing attached was power, on switch, and one stick of memory.

When I turn it on I get one longish beep, pause and reboots.  Tried other memory with the same results.

Installed video card and, as above, when I turn it on I get one longish beep, pause and reboots.  Again, tried other memory.


For kicks I tried...

1) a different P/S. 
2) a different video card.

Neither resulted in anything different happening.


I had guessed, and not strongly feel, that it is a bad motherboard.

/tg

[Dark Mantis]

All right, pulled everything and diag'd it ouotside the case.  Only thing attached was power, on switch, and one stick of memory.

When I turn it on I get one longish beep, pause and reboots.  Tried other memory with the same results.

Just to make sure, you have installed the CPU/heatsink/fan, switch, beeper, one stick memory and PSU.
Which slot have you installed the memory in?

[elminstersage]

Timgrz,

I had exactly the same thing.  New system with X58 UDR3 mboard.  Coolmaster silent PSU.  Corsair Dominator Ram, Core i7 950.

System would boot, beep, start post then shutoff, then restart, then repeat.....but then some times would run for an entire day on soaktest and stress testing.  Even enough to install Win7 completely.  All heat stats were checked within Windows and found to be nominal so that eliminated an overheat issue.

Whole scenario was starting to make me crazy, especially not being a newbie to system builds.

In the end I found that the CPU cooler (Akasa Nero S) seemed to be applying to much weight to the CPU socket and causing a short.
Removed the CPU cooler, cleaned CPU of paste and replaced with the intel stock cooler and now system is perfect. 

[Dark Mantis]

This is true, there have been several instances of the motherboard being contorted by excessive pressure from heatsink location fittings. It can end up with broken tracks, connections and all sorts of weird problems.

[TimGrz]

Yep, the CPU and heatsink/fan were installed.  Of course the switch and buzzer were attached.  How else could I have turned it on and heard the buzzer! 

Because of building it out of the case, I have allowed the weight of the heatskin/fan sitting on the CPU to do its job.  During the "hardware shuffling"  I have turned it on without the heatsink/fan on top of the CPU and the <long beep><reboot> continued.

/tg

[Dark Mantis]

I would suggest the next thing to check then is the CPU socket for any bent pins. If you are at all unsure take a couple of macro photos and post them her for us to check for you.

[TimGrz]

CPU/Pins are 100%

What do I have to do to go about getting an RMA number to get a replacement motherboard?

/tg

[Dark Mantis]

You will need to ask your retailer how you go about it. As you are not from the UK we can do nothing from here I'm afraid.