GA-X79-UD3: Clean install of Windows, crashes after setup, fails to boot again

[kunf]

Hello.  This is my first Gigabyte purchase and I was really looking forward to it due to the ease of making it a Hackintosh.  However, I have run in to some fairly significant problems along the way.  After several extensive google searches I stumbled across a few people with similar problems (won't boot, keeps going in a loop until I hold the power button down) and their problem was fixed by returning the mother board and buying a different brand.  Needless to say, that was disheartening to read and it is the last thing I want to do. 

My problems began the first time I installed Windows 7 Ultimate.  Everything seemed to be going smoothly, the install was successful and it rebooted to the setup stage.  I typed in my username and password and such and it goes to the desktop.  After between 10-30 seconds it quickly pops up Logging Off... followed by Shutting Down... and then the computer proceeds to turn off.  Upon powering it on again it displays the Gigabyte logo and an underscore appears in the top left hand corner.  From here the fans whirl up a bit faster for .25 seconds and then it crashes and returns to the Gigabyte logo.  This sequence repeats itself until I power it down with the power button on my case.

I have run memtest86 and my memory seems to be fine as it went through one pass with no issues.  At this point I am suspecting that it is either my GPU or a problem with my motherboard.  Any insight towards this would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks for your time. 


System specs:

Gigabyte X79-UD3
Intel i7-3820
G skillz Ripjaws Z 32GB 2300 mhz
Asus GeForce GTX 670
Silverstone TD02 liquid cooler
2x WD 1TB 7200 RPM HDD
Samsung 250gb SSD
Corsair 750W

[dmdilks]

The memory is it 2300 or 2400. Don't use the XMP profile. I have had two of those boards and not had any problems with them.

The only thing you have to set on the memory is the speed and no timing, XMP & volts. Just let the MB set the timings & volts for you.

[kunf]

Thank you for the quick reply.  I now realize my mistake saying that they are 2300, in reality they are 2133 and it looks like that is the same memory listed in your signature.  At first I had only the memory speed set and whenever I would try to run memtest86 from my Linux DVD it would turn blue like the test was going to start but then immediately crash and restart.  After going into the BIOS and changing the timings to some I found on newegg (listed below) memtest86 would run successfully and had a successful pass.  That brings me to my other point.  I took out my GTX 670 and took it over to my brothers and it had the same problems I did trying to boot Linux and it was having problems with Windows as well.  So needless to say, I think I found the culprit.  I have submitted an RMA. 

Should I change my settings back to what you recommend or should I leave it in the working combination I have?
Is a faulty GPU likely to cause these kind of problems or could it be an issue with other hardware as well?


Memory timings:

XMP1
base -> 11-11-11-31
tRFC 255
tWR 14
tRRD 6
tWTR 7
tRTP 7

DRAM voltage 1.52
CPU VTT voltage 1.2

[dmdilks]

If it is the video card everything was fine till the card went south. You can try it with the setting you have.

But you really don't need to set the timings on a Intel board like would on a AMD board.

[kunf]

OK Thanks I will give that a try.  The thing is, I have never had this computer working.  I just got the parts in the mail the other day and have had these problems from the start.  I can't get any OS installed.  I just went and bought a cheap video card to see how it would work, but after formatting all of the hard drives and reinstalling windows (I have tried each one seperately with the same results) and it keeps installing ok, but then upon boot it will log off and shut down.  When I try and boot it up again to the desktop it will show the Gigabyte logo and the underscore in the console at the top with blink a few time and then it will shut down and loop this process (Logo -> console ->crash ~15-20sec) until I hold the power button and shut it down.  After having a completely new video card, I am certain that this isn't the problem.  Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am obviously very concerned now.  Thank you.

/edit ->  After reading, it looks like I am having the same issue as delphium (http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,13248.0.html) but this is a brand new build, with all new parts. 

[dmdilks]

What bios are you running. If you are running the F16 that could be the problem. People have had problems with the newest bios.

Tweak town has a newer one that might fix your problem - http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/28441-gigabyte-latest-beta-bios.html

[kunf]

I am running F16.  I tried the newest one from the link you sent me, F17a and I was still having the same problems.  I went and changed the speed of the ram to 2133 and I am still crashing on memtest86 as well.  Windows installs, logs off, shuts down and then it begins the reboot loop I was referring to earlier.  I am going to try to qflash to f15m (I can't get F15 because I am on a mac and can't run the .exe) hopefully I have some success with F15.

[kunf]

Sorry for the double post, but I reseated everything last night in a hopeful attempt to solve something and noticed pin 20 on my psu missing.  I looked it up, and that is how ATX 2.3 is supposed to be.  Though I can find other people online using the HX850 (I have a HX750) with success, could my power supply be the issue?  In the Gigabyte manual it looks like pin 20 is utilized for -5V. 

[dmdilks]

That one is missing on almost all PSU. I just check my board and PSU and it is the same way.

The only thing I can say is clear the cmos and pull the battery. The just set everything to the default settings.

Just make sure your drives are setup right and than try without changing ant thing else.

Do you have any other DDR3 memory to try?

[kunf]

I took the system over to my brothers house today and tried his ram and his power supply, both with no success.  I tried my ram in his computer and it booted up no problem and ran memtest so I think it is safe to say I have ruled out my gpu, ram, and power supply.  Having three new hard drives (two WD 1TB and one Samsung 250gb SSD) I think it it probably safe to say that the drives can be ruled out as well.  That doesn't leave much left to troubleshoot other than a problem with the mobo itself does it?   Thank you.

[kunf]

In case anyone is interested and can offer anymore help, I returned the MOBO and got a replacement and it is still doing the same thing.  If it were a CPU problem would I even be able to turn it on and install anything?  Or is it a case of a bad PSU or something.  I am really banging my head on this one and running out of time to return parts.  I want to smash everything. 


Thank you.

[dmdilks]

The only thing you haven't tested is the CPU right. My going to send you a PM.

[dmdilks]

I got the PM and sorry we are to far a part.

I use Kingston memory on my x79-ud3 board. I just tested some G-Skill on my board it ran with no problem.

I can't set it to the right speed because there is no setting for it. I'm using 2200 Ripjaws. The artifacts are all from the video card.

A bad video card will give you a lot of problems. Plus with this board it should run at any speed from 1333 to 2133.

You should be able to run the memory at the default settings of the board. That would be 1333.

I have never ever had to change timings on the memory on any of my Intel Gigabyte boards.

If the memory work fine in your brother's computer than it should in your's. Plus what PSU does your brother have?

I have seen a lot of stuff happen on computer. It Might be something the board doesn't like with that PSU.