Problem with Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 Motherboards and Win 2003 Server

[GB1]

Hi,

We have 12 x Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 motherboards - VER 1.0 (Bios version 7) all 12 are having the same problem...

We load Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition 32 bit + SP2 + latest windows updates - nothing else is loaded - all works fine.

As soon as we run DCPROMO (even in a standalone environment) OR as soon as we run SysPrep for Windows 2003 Server (even without having previously run DCPROMO) the HDD performance drastically suffers and we repeatedly get Event ID 507, 508 ,509 and 510 Performance Warnings

Example of a 509 Event:-

NTDS (604) NTDSA: A request to read from the file "C:\WINDOWS\NTDS\ntds.dit" at offset 303104 (0x000000000004a000) for 8192 (0x00002000) bytes succeeded, but took an abnormally long time (420 seconds) to be serviced by the OS. In addition, 0 other I/O requests to this file have also taken an abnormally long time to be serviced since the last message regarding this problem was posted 0 seconds ago. This problem is likely due to faulty hardware. Please contact your hardware vendor for further assistance diagnosing the problem.

The delay is most noticeable when copying any file from 400MB+ to the HDD.

Whilst we always experience the delays, we don’t always get the warning events.

Whenever the delays happen the units hang then eventually, come back to life.

Re faulty hardware, we have tried swapping out graphic cards, memory and HDDs - still no joy.

(All swapped out hardware were then tested on non Gigabyte motherboards without any problems).

Any ideas would be very much appreciated.

[RuiPereira]

Hello GB1,

I have tested this issue with the following configuration:

MB:   X38-DQ6  (BIOS: F7)
CPU:   E6550
VGA:   8500GT
HDD:   Seagate 120GB
OS:   Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition 32 bit (SP2)

I first installed Server2003, after clean install I ran the HDtach tool which tests the HDD read/write speed.
After I got the results I installed syspred and ran the tool again, the results were similar no drop in performance was detected.
Can you please try to first install the intel INF drivers which can be download from the below link…

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/Driver_Model.aspx?ProductID=2760

Also, can you please explain how you setup and downloaded the sysprep from?

Thank you

[GB1]

Hi,

Many thanks for your response.

I too had similar HD Tach results.

Re the download - Sys Prep was downloaded from:-
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=93f20bb1-97aa-4356-8b43-9584b7e72556&DisplayLang=en

A standard factory re-seal was performed.

No benefit or change resulted from downloading the intel INF drivers from:-
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/Driver_Model.aspx?ProductID=2760

A few other things:-

We are using Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition 32 bit (SP2) not the Enterprise Edition.

We have also removed all drives except one - There is now drive 0 only, with 1 partition - The page file is of a fixed size 4,092 MB

We have 1 large file, which is 1GB on the C Drive, we copy it back to the C Drive - this takes approx 30 seconds

We then run Sys Prep - and run the same file copy test - it now takes approx 155 seconds

Regards

[runn3R]

Hello GB1

We got a windows hotfix file from the link you provided, however there is no option for any standard factory re-seal, please give more details on this (Exact setup procedure to get the re-seal tool). As you are using Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition 32 bit (SP2), can you kindly try if such issue occurs when switching to SP1? Just want to make sure it is not OS related, thanks. Can you also provide with Seagate hard disk model you are using ?

Best Regards
Andrew

[GB1]

Hi,

Many thanks for your response.

A few things.

1 - We have now also tested this with 2003 Server Enterprise as well as the Standard Edition. We have also tested without Service Pack, with Service Pack 1 and with Service Pack 2 - we still get the same problem in all 3 cases.


2 - Re your query "however there were no option for any standard factory re-seal" - You do not have to run a SysPrep to see this problem.  Simply do the following instead...

- Run cmd DCPROMO and set up PC as a Domain controller.


3 - If you do want to test the boards with SysPrep, you have 2 Options:-

(NB You cannot deploy preconfigured domain controllers by using image-based installation with Sysprep)


At SP1 stage...

- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a34edcf2-ebfd-4f99-bbc4-e93154c332d6&DisplayLang=en
- Download WindowsServer2003-KB892778-SP1-DeployTools-x86-ENU.cab
- Extract cab file
- Double click sysprep.exe
- Simply select Re-Seal (click the bottom button)


AT SP2 stage...

- http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=93f20bb1-97aa-4356-8b43-9584b7e72556&DisplayLang=en
- Download to the root of C: WindowsServer2003-KB926028-v2-x86-ENU.exe
- Run cmd - goto C drive and type WindowsServer2003-KB926028-v2-x86-ENU.exe /x
- Extract Files to C:\Temp
- Within C:\Temp\SP2QFE will be deploy.cab
- Extract cab file
- Double click sysprep.exe
- Simply select Re-Seal (click the bottom button)


Re drives:-

We have had this problem with all 3 of the following drives:-
Seagate 31000340AS
Seagate 3400832AS
Hitachi HDS722525VLSA80


As mentioned before - there is no other software on the PC.

Please note, the copying of the files merely illustrates the freezing of the PC - I do not beleive they are necessarily the cause of the freezing.

Regards

[GB1]

Hi,

4 updates pertaining to all the points on your 2 emails below ...


BIOS F8D has been installed but no improvement


We have tried with 1 physical drive, 2 physical drives and 3 physical drives - the problem only happens if the file is being copied to the same physical drive as the OS regardless of partition. ie...

Drive 0 - Partition 1 = C Drive (Operating System Drive)
Drive 0 - Partition 2 = D Drive
Drive 1 - Partition 1 = E Drive
Drive 2 - Partition 1 = F Drive

If a file is copied onto either Drive C or Drive D (or indeed any Partition which is on the same Physical drive as the OS) the problem occurs

Files copied on to any partition which is not on the same physical drive as the OS are not affected - ie no problem


We have installed all the necessary divers (LAN, chipset, VGA etc)


We do not use the Inter Matrix storage driver for ICH9R chip


Regards

=============================================

From: Gigabyte
Subject: UK, problem with GA-X38-DQ6 slows down
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:20:40 +0100

I just received newest bios for this mb (attached ver. F8D beta), kindly try
it and let us know the results.

1. Do you work with 1 HDD conneccted to the MB or 3 HDD's connected in the
same time ? I think that with only 1 HDD but pls confirm.

2. On our side, it seems we duplicated hanging problem of the big files even
without even having to configure the system as domain controller or using
Sysprep. Testing with setting system up as Domain Controller is still
undergoing, I will let you know when I have results or updates.

3. Do you use Inter Matrix storage driver for ICH9R chip ? If yes pls tell
me its version.

Best Regards
Gigabyte UK

=============================================

From: Gigabyte
Subject: FW: Forum question--X38 -DQ6
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:08:06 -0000

Hello

Please help to reply and try the BIOS.
 
regards,
 
 

Good day, can you kindly check below:

 

1.       If 3 HDD is connected to the system say drives A B and C, with A being the OS drive if the user copies the big files from drive B to drive C will the hanging symptoms occur? I tested this and no hanging seemed to occur, can you suggest the user to try this and kindly report the results?

2.       I tested with Asus X38 based motherboard model: Maximus Formula, the hanging also occurred when copying big files from Drive B to Drive A. Because Asus does not provide any drivers for 2003 Server therefore none was installed.

3.       Please ask user to install all necessary drivers (LAN, chipset, VGA) before testing, as because performance of motherboard will not be at best when not all drivers are installed.

4.       On my side, I seem to find hanging of the big files even without having to configure the system as domain controller or using Sysprep.

5.       Testing with setting system up as Domain Controller is still undergoing, I will let you know when I have results or updates.

6.       Attached is beta F8D bios, can you kindly let customer try it?

[GB1]

Hi,

The following link may provide some additional thoughts.

http://forums.storagereview.net/index.php?showtopic=26549

Snapshot below...

Regards

===================

QuadCore Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, 2400 MHz (9 x 267)
Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 (2 PCI, 3 PCI-E x1, 2 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Dual Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394)
2048 MB (DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM)
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT (256 MB)


"Here is the problem:

If I just do 2 copy operations or any other operation dealing with files... like 2 simultaneous md5 sums or zips... It takes almost a minute or more to open up any other program. Takes 3 mins to start 3dmark!

Now, the benchmarks and everything is fine. Transfer speeds, access times and all are good. Drive is not fragmented. CPU is never maxed out... In fact, max I see during any of these operations is 30% or something.

Why do I feel that this computer is much slower compared to previous one purchased in 2001"

[runn3R]

Hello

This will require a clean install of OS. Can you kindly try the following:
 
1. Firstly under bios in “Integrated Peripherals” set “SATA RAID/AHCI Mode” as “AHCI”

2. Then also set “Onboard SATA/IDE Ctrl Mode” as “AHCI” mode

3. After this is done, please download the ICH9R preinstall driver from website: http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/Driver_Model.aspx?ProductID=2665 and extract it to a floppy disk for preinstalling drivers

4. Please follow through with a clean installation of Server2003 and remember to press F6 when prompt at the beginning of installation.

5. Please then select “ICH9 SATA AHCIController (Desktop ICH9R)” from the menu to instal proper driver from floppy

6. After this please install Server2003 followed with chipset drivers

Rgds

[runn3R]

Hi

One week has passed and do you have any update from your side ? 

[GB1]

Hi,

After much testing, all boards are finally OK.

With thanks to

http://forums.storagereview.net/index.php?showtopic=26549

for the tipper / showing the way on AHCI as the resolution, and then to Gigabyte for confirming the bios amendments.

As it transpired, the problem was not happening due to DCPROMO or SysPrep - it was simply made considerably worse after thes events.

Key reading on this issue is at the following link

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imst/sb/cs-015988.htm

NB the bad news, is the OS has to be reloaded from scratch once the bios amendments have been made.

"WARNING: Switching SATA modes in the BIOS after installing the operating system is not recommended or supported when a SATA drive is the boot drive. Switching modes may cause an immediate blue screen with an 0x0000007b error code, followed by a reboot."

Regards

[runn3R]

Hi

Thanks for the info. I am glad we could help you