GA-X79-UP4 mobo, no boot, possible incompatiable ram.

[mitosan]

Hi all,

I have purchased a ga-x79-up4 motherboard , Intel Core i7-3930K C2 Stepping (SR0KY) 3.20GHz (Sandy Bridge-E) Socket LGA2011 Processor,  Corsair CMD32GX3M4A2133C9 32GB (4*8GB) 1.65v 2133MHz RAM, Radeon HD 7970 GPU.

It doesn't boot, at all. The fans spin up but there is no image on the output from the graphics card, hence I can't get to BIOS. Annoyingly I don't have access to an internal speaker to listen for beep codes. I actually bought two of the graphics cards but decided to get the system to boot with just one as an initial test to make sure that everything was ok before I put the second one in, I can be pretty confident this is not a problem with the graphics card as when I replace the first one with the second one I get the same issue.

So this leads me to think maybe its a RAM or CPU issue. Noteably the RAM I chose does not appear on the qualified vendors list for this motherboard. I also notice only now that the ram is rated at 1.65v, will the motherboard realise this and supply it or will it panic and do nothing like I am observing?

I have tried using just two sticks and using just one stick of ram but with the same results.

Perhaps someone can also help me with this, if I boot the system with no ram at all, what should happen? In my case I get the same thing, no output from the GPU, but really I think I would expect a message like 'No RAM' or something.

Is it the case that this motherboard runs at vdimm 1.5 by default, if so, do you think the ram should work anyway just at a lower rate than the advertised 2133MHz, because I am not seeing that.

Is there a way to get the vdimm to 1.65 without going through the BIOS (a jumper setting or something). Am I even wise to try? I have read elsewhere that the CPU would not like that.

Thank you for your time.

Kindest regards,

M

[absic]

Hi there,

Usually RAM will default to the JDEC standard of 1.5V @ 1333 MHz until you manually alter the settings.

For troubleshooting, do you have a lower spec'd GPU to try? I have found that this can be helpfu,l as some of the higher end cards may need newer BIOS on the motherboard to work properly.

[mitosan]

Hi,

Thanks for that tip. Unfortunately I do not have another compatible graphics card and there is no on board graphics output!

If I were to get hold of an internal speaker do you think the beep codes would be different for invalid ram and unsupported GPU?

[absic]

Yes, POST beeps should be different for GPU and Memory errors. 1 long, 1 short: Memory or motherboard error; 1 long, 2 short: Monitor or graphics card error.

Another thing to try, if you can, is the method of connecting your monitor if you are using DVI or HDMI try VGA or vice versa.

At this stage it is a process of elimination and trying to do what you can without spending out too much money. 
 

[dmdilks]

I have two x79 boards x79-ud3 & x79up4. You have to have the memory in the right slots for it to boot.

I was doing something for somebody the other day on my x79-ud3 board. I was trying to run with one stick and it wouldn't boot.

Till I really look at the slots to make sure I had it in the right slots. Plus it didn't really like just one stick too. I had to use two for it to boot.

It has to be in slots 1 & 3 on one and 2 & 4 on the other side. If you are only using 2 sticks slot 1 on one side and slot 2 on the other side.

[mitosan]

Hi there,

Usually RAM will default to the JDEC standard of 1.5V @ 1333 MHz until you manually alter the settings.

For troubleshooting, do you have a lower spec'd GPU to try? I have found that this can be helpfu,l as some of the higher end cards may need newer BIOS on the motherboard to work properly.

You were completely right. I was able to get a PC speaker from maplins today, with no RAM I get lots of beeping (actually a repeating short beep that doesn't seem to stop), with my RAM added I get no beeps. I have been able to borrow a much older graphics card and I have that installed at the moment. The machine boots with it, I get video output, I have been able to install OS, etc, and I'm using it to make this post at the moment.

As for BIOS version, I already seem to have the latest version, F2.

Any thoughts on how I might proceed so that I can use the graphics card I intended? (GIGABYTE Radeon HD 7970)

Kind regards.

M

[absic]

You could try the F3p Beta BIOS available from here: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4288#bios and see if that helps. I would recommend using the QFlash utility to update the BIOS rather than the @BIOS program, as it is safer.

If you still can't use your GPU after updating the BIOS then I would contact Tech Support as it is more likely to be a BIOS issue and they may have a newer version available that addresses the issue.

[mitosan]

Another thing to try, if you can, is the method of connecting your monitor if you are using DVI or HDMI try VGA or vice versa.

So the graphics card has four sockets. DVI, HDMI and 2xDisplayPort. I am not currently able to try the display port sockets but the HDMI and DVI have no output. Regardless, with the alternative older graphics card I get a POST beep, but with the newer card no beep which suggests to me a more major problem than just being plugged into the wrong output socket.

[mitosan]

You could try the F3p Beta BIOS available from here: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4288#bios and see if that helps. I would recommend using the QFlash utility to update the BIOS rather than the @BIOS program, as it is safer.

If you still can't use your GPU after updating the BIOS then I would contact Tech Support as it is more likely to be a BIOS issue and they may have a newer version available that addresses the issue.

Will try and then report back!

[mitosan]

Updated to latest beta bios, success! Amazing! Thank you

[absic]

Pleased you managed to sort it out. Happy computing!