GA-P55-USB3 Windows 7 64-bit crashes on startup.

[Elrin]

Posting for my girlfriend as she just got herself a nice new rig...unfortunately we can't get it working.

Specs and what we've tried...

Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor
BX80605I5750
 
G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual
Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK
 
GIGABYTE GA-P55-USB3 LGA 1156 Intel P55 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
 
CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80
PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
 
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5"
Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
 
EVGA GeForce GT 240 PCI-E 2.0 1GB DDR5 Graphics card


Basically, we go through a fresh install of Windows 7, and it hangs up at the "splash" screen after finishing the install and restarting for the last time.  It just won't start windows.

We've tried putting drivers on pre-windows, resetting the CMOS, removing USB devices and RAM.  I put my HD (with Windows 7 32 bit) in her machine, and it seemed to work fine.  I put her HD (with her Windows 7 64 bit) in my machine and it ran fine. 

We tried installing my Win 7 32 bit on her HD, but that didn't work either.  Her old HD with Win XP works fine though.

Starting to get a little frustrating...lemme know if you need more info.

[Elrin]

A couple new attempts...

Disabled the USB from bios and tried installing and running with the HD in AHCI mode.  Same crash while starting windows.

[Peteruk]

What gets me is you say windows 7 32 bit and XP both work fine but not windows 7 64bit?

Is the HDD in one of the blue SATA ports? Reinstall may be needed.

Also try these setting in the BIOS.

Standard CMOS Features
Drive A > None
Some have posted that if you don't have a floppy windows will not run right unless you set this to none.

Power Management Setup
HPET Mode > 64-bit mode
The Default: 32-bit mode but I  installed windows 7 64 bit fine but you never know.  

[Dark Mantis]

Try setting the ports to IDE mode. Have you checked to see if the memory is on the QVL for Gigabyte or GSkill for this motherboard?
Have you made sure that all the power plugs are fully connected on the motherboard?
What beeps do you get on POSTing?

[Elrin]

Windows 7 32 bit worked fine, but it was from my harddrive.  Already installed, updated, etc.  We just threw my hd in hers (on her mobo) to see if it'd work.

Haven't tried POSTing.  Will try other stuff first.

Missus just tried disabling drive A, it looks like it may be working, but still too early to say for sure.

Will update on all these suggestions later.  Early class tomorrow so early bed.  Thanks for the help so far

[Elrin]

Quick update.

Disabling Drive A gets us to Windows.  But cd-drive and USBs don't work.  They're enabled in bios.

[melanierw]

As an update, (I'm Elrin's "missus") nothing seemed to work.  I'm getting a replacement for the motherboard after talking with someone on the Gigabyte hot line.  And now, I wait...

[Dark Mantis]

Hi melanie and welcome to the forum.
While you wait or when you get the replacement motherboard try building it up on the desktop before putting it in the machine it can save a lot of time and trouble. Just connect up the motherboard, cpu, heatsink, fan, buzzer and power supply and try and POST. If you get a series of beeps then all is ok and you can turn it off and try adding some memory and restarting. Carry on like this until you are sure everything is working. If when you come to rebuild it in the case there is s problem you will find it much easier to troubleshoot.   Sometimes it is just a misplaced motherboard post or some other short to ground that is causing the trouble.

[Bill le Chien]

May I add something here Dark Mantis.
Don't put the motherboard on the anti-static bag that is is packed in, a piece of cardboard or some other material that you know is not electrically condutive.

Bill.

[Dark Mantis]

Yes Bill you are quite correct and I should have emphasised that point. Make sure that whatever you place the components on is not conductive. As Bill said cardboard is fine.

[ABully]

These guys had th same problem as mine............ hang at bios splash screen.......... wonder what was their solution?

[melanierw]

I don't know the solution yet-- I'm waiting for a replacement.

[Dark Mantis]

I don't know the solution yet-- I'm waiting for a replacement.

You will probably find that the board will be returned without any documentation on what has been done to it. You will have to request the information. 

[melanierw]

These guys had th same problem as mine............ hang at bios splash screen.......... wonder what was their solution?

Do you have your hard drive plugged into one of the *white* GSATA ports?  Because that's where I have it plugged in now, and it hasn't had a problem so far.  (Starts up a lot faster too!) 
EDIT: I accidentally labeled it blue earlier.

[Peteruk]

Do you have your hard drive plugged into one of the blue GSATA ports?  Because that's where I have it plugged in now, and it hasn't had a problem so far.  (Starts up a lot faster too!)

That will be the Intel ports the blue ones as a posted from the start saying that...by me...