GA-P55A-UD3, Core i5-750 - Problems with GSATA

[deukalion]

Hello.
MY RIG:
Intel Core i5-750 2,67ghz
Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 rev1.0 (Bios latest, not the BETA)
Corsair XMP 1600mhz CL8 (it is supported by the motherboard according to Corsair)
HDD 0: 1 Western Digital Black 640 GB 64mb SATA 600
HDD 1: 1 Western Digital Black 1TB 32mb SATA 300
Samsung Spinpoint 24x
Asus Geforce 9500 GT 512 DDR3
Cooler Master 520Watt Real Power Modular PSU
Cooler Master 921 Chassi
OS 1: Arch Linux 64-bit
OS 2: Windows 7 64-bit

MY PROBLEM:
I've recently bought a new system, one which included a gigabyte motherboard.
The problem is, when I start up my computer having my first hdd in GSATA port 6 or 7 it shuts down immediately and then starts by itself a couple seconds afterwards.

It works fine this way, except my PCI-Express x16 2.0 turns into a x8 and there's no performance difference if I start it in the GSATA port or a normal SATA port.

Right now my SATA 600 is in the SATA port, not the GSATA port and it starts just fine and my PCI-E works the way it should.

STUFF I'VE TRIED:
1) Changed cables, use the one from my SATA 600 in the SATA 300 (no problem the other way around)
I've also changed it from an orange one to a red one (no change)

So I guess I can outrule cable problem.

2) Unplugged everything except the necessary (HDDs, DVDs) and it still results in the same result. So no PSU failure (and it's brand new and I've already tried a different one)

Is there simply something wrong with my GSATA ports or am I simply missing something that I don't know? Anyone with suggestions on what I should try to make it work as it should? Because I don't think my computer is suppose to HALF-START and then START again?

Also, this occurs only when I unplug the computer and plug in the power again.
If I turn it off afterwards without unplugging, then turning it on it starts fine.

(EDIT: Either way, my PCI-e still shows x8 instead of x16 if I haven't unplugged during startups)

Any suggestions?!

[Dark Mantis]

Well you get +1 karma just for the layout and clear way you have detailed your problem It a shame more posters don't do the same!
The problem you are experiencing is usually down to either the PSU or memory. As your PSU seems to be a decent power and quality one we shall go onto the RAM. You don't actually list the details but I guess that it's the Dominator series. Again good quality memory. I would recommend that you try removing all the sticks and then running Memtest86 on them one at a time. If none fail try booting with them individually. Post back afterwards and also give the exact memory details.

[deukalion]

So, why does this have to be RAM related when it happens when I have my SATA 600 drive in the GSATA port?
This happens when I put that drive in that port (GSATA 6/7) - not otherwise.

So, how can this be RAM related when RAM is supported by the Motherboard?
Just want to know how this relates if I'm going to try this.

RAM:
CORSAIR 4GB DDR3 XMS3 INTEL I5/I7 PC12800 1600MHZ CL8  (CMX4GX3M2A1600C8)

http://www.corsair.com/configurator/product_results.aspx?id=1330346

[Dark Mantis]

Right, well first the Corsair website simply states that this ram is compatible with the i5 chip NOT this motherboard and the Gigabyte website doesn't list this memory on their QVL for this motherboard. Now that doesn't mean that the memory won't work just that it isn't certified for use. Do you want to test the memory or not?

[Peteruk]

Lets keep things simple.

Do not use the white SATA ports your Western Digital Black 640 GB is not a SSD it will not break SATA 3Gbs speeds.

If for what ever reason your PCI-e is running at x8 speed go into the BIOS and set “Turbo SATA3 / USB3.0” to disable.
Note: software tools for reading PCI-e speed are unreliable.

[deukalion]

The white sata ports on my motheboard is GSATA according to my manual, that I should put my SATA-600 drivers in there.

Can I get SATA-600 speed on the red SATA ports, while Turbo SATA3 / USB3 is disabled?

If the white SATA ports are used for SSD and not normal drives?

Are there any other setting I should activate to get SATA-600 speed, or at least check if nothings wrong with my current speed? I ran hdtach and such software from Windows (I usually don't use Windows) and I don't know what kind of results I should expect. Not 600mbps that's for sure.

So, any further suggestions to what I should do? If this pans out to be the case, then it might've been a misconfiguration on my part - something I want to be sure of BEFORE i test the memory.

[Dark Mantis]

So, any further suggestions to what I should do? If this pans out to be the case, then it might've been a misconfiguration on my part - something I want to be sure of BEFORE i test the memory.

Fair enough! I was a bit stressed earlier. The SATA3 ports are run by the Marvel 9128 chip and it is fairly crap. Hopefully they will release a firmware upgrade for it shortly. Maybe as part of a BIOS update. It is even slower running RAID than the SATA2 ICH10 chip.
 
 

[Peteruk]

Can I get SATA-600 speed on the red SATA ports, while Turbo SATA3 / USB3 is disabled?

Sorry what red SATA ports?

As said your Western Digital Black 640 GB which is SATA-600 will NEVER, never, never...ever break SATA 3Gbs speeds so use the BLUE SATA ports.