BIOS (UEFI) - blank screen and blocked (970A-DS3P)

[kele]

Hi,

First post on this forum, and it is problem already...

I have bought GA-970A-DS3P few weeks ago. When I compiled my PC everything worked fine, I was able to enter BIOS and setup just basic settings (boot order, AHCI, warnings for overheating and fan stop...). Yesterday I have tried to enter BIOS and all I got was BIOS background and my mouse & keyboard were blocked, there was no any content on the screen (please see attached picture).

I would like to add that my PC is running fine, no matter that BIOS is not working properly. When I turn on PC it loads Windows and everything works great... If I had no need to enter "Boot menu" with F11 (or F12, not sure), when I noticed that keyboard was blocked and I could not choose to boot from my external HDD, I would not know that BIOS is broken...

I tried with resetting BIOS, I tried to unplug everything external beside screen and keyboard, tried to use only one module of RAM, to change slots for RAM... I have more than 10 years of experience with PC hardware and software, I was employed as computer repairman, working on complaints and returns in retail for 5 years. i have seen a lot of problems, this is my first time that I see this one. It just had to happen to me 

My system:

• MB - Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P
• CPU - AMD AM3+ 6100
• RAM - 2 X 4GB Kingston 1866MHz Fury Black CL10
• GPU - PowerColor AMD Radeon HD 6850
• PSU - Thermaltake SE SPS-630M
• Two SATA 3 750GB hard drives
• SATA DVD/RW

I have Windows 7 64-bit. Keyboard and mouse, and all other external devices are 100% OK.

Only thing that I have not tried without consulting with retail service where I bought this MB is to flash BIOS... I called service and they told me that I will lose warranty on MB if I flash BIOS by myself, they have to do it... If this is some kind of permanent failure and it cannot be fixed by flashing BIOS, than I will send MB for replacing ASAP. If there is something that I can do to fix this, I am willing to try.

Thanks

[dmdilks]

I tried with resetting BIOS,

I called service and they told me that I will lose warranty on MB if I flash BIOS by myself, they have to do it... If this is some kind of permanent failure and it cannot be fixed by flashing BIOS, than I will send MB for replacing ASAP. If there is something that I can do to fix this, I am willing to try.

Thanks

When you said you reset the bios did you pull the battery and jump the cmos pins. I would do that for about 10 mins.

If you flash the bios how would they know if you did it without telling them you did. Plus if you call or email Gigabyte support that would be something they would tell you to do in the first place.

So how is that going lose your warranty. The warranty is with Gigabyte not with the store you got it from. If you do flash the bios you will have to do it with a boot-able USB flash drive. Doesn't look like you can do in the bios. I myself would not do it from windows.

[kele]

When you said you reset the bios did you pull the battery and jump the cmos pins. I would do that for about 10 mins.

If you flash the bios how would they know if you did it without telling them you did. Plus if you call or email Gigabyte support that would be something they would tell you to do in the first place.

So how is that going lose your warranty. The warranty is with Gigabyte not with the store you got it from. If you do flash the bios you will have to do it with a boot-able USB flash drive. Doesn't look like you can do in the bios. I myself would not do it from windows.

Thanks for swift reply.

I cannot do anything which is related to BIOS at this time. There is an option for reset, I believe that I need to press "End" key, but no mater how I try to approach to BIOS everything freeze... With F11 (or F12), with "Del", "End", nothing works.

About warranty, people are able to do all kind of things, in lots of cases people are those who are to blame when some hardware stop working because less experienced user will damage hardware physically, he will not follow instructions... It turns out that retail store can set their own rules and add terms to warranty as they wish... I know that, if I flash bios to another version, and for now there is just one newer version of BIOS for my MB (in "beta" stage), and the problem stays, people in service would say that I did something wrong and the warranty would be voided...

I know how to flash BIOS and I've done it lots of times, but it turns out that I have to send motherborad to service so they can do it "properly".

Can I try to flash BIOS to the same version of the BIOS that is currently installed? This I would try if it can be done. As I recall I believe that this was not possible before, or I never had to try to do this, I was always updating BIOS to newer version and it was done successfully every time.

[dmdilks]

That is why I said pull the battery and move the jump on the cmos pins. That will reset the cmos. But if that doesn't work or anything you do. Then you might not get back into windows if you can't get back into the bios. As they say you are between a rock and hard place.

[dmdilks]

Just looking at your board and there really no bios updates for the rev. 1.0 or 2.0 boards. So the only thing you could do is re-flashing the bios with that bios version. Or try to get the backup bios to kick in.

Turn the power switch off on the PSU. Then hold down the power button and than turn on the power on the PSU. When holding the power button till it starts and shuts down. Then turn off the power switch again wait about 1 min then turn it back on than start the computer.

[kele]

Turn the power switch off on the PSU. Then hold down the power button and than turn on the power on the PSU. When holding the power button till it starts and shuts down. Then turn off the power switch again wait about 1 min then turn it back on than start the computer.

I have done BIOS reset (battery, jumper) earlier, it did not help. I was able to load OS after BIOS reset.

I did just like you said and I got the window which said that BIOS is corrupted...". I left it to complete, and after successfully completed PC restarted. I left it to boot into Windows and then after restart I tried to enter BIOS, but no luck... Problem still exist and everything is same as it was, like nothing was restored...

I was so happy when I saw that message (screenshot) and I thought that this will fix my problems for good... Now I am ready to send MB to service, if they don't manage to fix it they will send me new MB. It is clear that something is very wrong with my MB.

Thank you very much for that guide, it should help in other cases for other people who have similar problem...

I also attached image where you can see that RAM is not in "dual-channel" mode, although it should be...

[dmdilks]

Years ago they might have been able to replace the bios chip. Yes they could do it today, but it is little harder to do. So you might get another board. If you are going to send it back write down the serial #.

That is on the side of the first PCi-e slot. That way you know if you get the same board back or another one.

[Medney]

Hi, not to be rude or anything, i have a F2A78M-HD2 and i keep getting that same screen over and over again, i just switched processors to a better AMD A10-7700K and after wiping my hard drive to get windows to work the motherboard started making this exact same error, i bought my MB from Newegg and im debating sending it back, any help would be apreciated. PS. i have tried the clear CMOS option, treid the backup BIOS and still the same error