Cold boot failures x58A-ud3r Rev2 bios FB

[hello people]

Ok...all's well then. So far so good....not counting my chickens though

Yes....because I researched the specs for this PC for a while before I got my initial list. I showed it to my friend...who works in computers...and he got it wrong on the ram. And that was the kicker right there.

I didn't know enough to question him and I didn't really bother to look into that ram he specified. On top of that...he never wrote down a specific ram...he just wrote down ADATA 1600 2gx3. It was when I went to buy it that the clerk came back with whatever module set he came back with...and there you have it.

Careless I suppose

[notshy]

Right ..... so the answer is XMP Corsair 1600 i7 RAM?

What would anyone suggest doing with the fact that the reason I bought the RAM was because it WAS on the suuported memory list and has now been removed .....

[hello people]

Well if it was on the supported list...maybe it's faulty...or maybe there is still more tweaking you have to do.

Does XMP show in your BIOS?

[Dark Mantis]

Right ..... so the answer is XMP Corsair 1600 i7 RAM?

What would anyone suggest doing with the fact that the reason I bought the RAM was because it WAS on the suuported memory list and has now been removed .....

Yes I have had that happen to me in the past. I sent it back to the retailer and exchanged it for some that was. I am using the Corsair Dominator 1600 with XMP and had no problems whatsoever on my board GA-X58A-UD7. I do think that it is bad form on the behalf of the manufacturer though as people make purchasing decisions on the QVL listing recommendations.

[notshy]

Hmmmmmm

Worth an email to Gigabyte at all? This is a tad frustrating !!!

I will also contact the retailer today ...

[Dark Mantis]

How long have you had the memory and when did they remove it from the QVL?

[FunkyErn]

Hi "Hello People", I suggest you do not celebrate too early... I have been battling with the same issues you have for the last 3 weeks with no joy 

Like yourself I am a Cakewalk Sonar user and was intending to use this mother board for audio processing. I was also planning on NOT overclocking and running the memory at the default 1066 (as specified for the i7 950).

My system setup is as follows:
CPU - Intel i7 950
Mobo - Gigabyte GA-X58A-UDR3 rev2
RAM - Corsair 6 GB kit TR3X6G1600C9 (which is 3x CM3X2G1600C9)
System Hard Disk - Western Digital WD3000HLFS Veloraptor 300 GB
Data Hard Disk - 2x Western Digitial WD50000AAKS Caviar Blue 500 GB (configured as RAID 1 mirror to store audio data)
Graphics - 2x Gigabyte GV-R455D3-512I (ATI HD 4550 Silent)
Cooler - Noctua NH-U9B SE2
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Here is the history of what I have done:
1. Built the system with shipped bios FA and default bios settings. This appeared to run fine for a week while I was sorting out the device drivers and installing all my software and testing out windows compatibility issues doing a dress rehearsal build. Did not have a single BSOD during this phase.

2. Started a completely new installation with all the right drivers and software apps. It was at this point in time I noticed that the use-able memory varied between 2, 4 or 6 GB. I then flashed the bios to FB. This is when my cold boot BSOD issues started.

I have tried all the things you have:
a. Ran Memtest86 on each DIMM separately and all together - have never had a single error reported. Last run of all three DIMMs in for 4 passes running for 3.5 hours - still no errors. The memory is on Corsair's recommended list for this motherboard.

b. Checked for bent pins on the LG1366 and found one. In the process of photographing it the fabric strap of my camera feel onto the socket and got snared on it. In the process of freeing it I bent another pin! WORD OF WARNING - if photographing the CPU socket make sure you remove your camera strap first and keep everything clear of the pins. I have managed to straighten both pins. There appear to be no issues with this now.

c. Tried using XMP profile1 - no success

d. manual settings at 1066 MHz, DRAM 1.65 v and QT/VTT voltages of 1.315v - no success

e. I have tried both optimised and fail-safe bios settings.

The symptoms are the same as yours: I always get a memory related BSOD on cold booting (if PC has been switched off for several hours/overnight). Once it has been running for about 15-30 mins the BSODs stop and the system stabilises and then runs fine for several hours OK. No manner of BIOS settings seems to make any difference.

3. I then tried flashing to the FC1 beta bios. This resulted in the graphics card in PCI-Express x16-2 going either blank or completely blue! Also the OS starting grinding to a halt and was useable. There were the odd BSODs.

4. I flashed the BIOS back to FA and retested. No BSODs, but useable RAM varies.

5. I then flashed the BIOS to FB and retested. The BSODs came back!! Tried all manner of settings with no joy.

I submitted a ticket to Gigabyte support on Thursday, but they have not even read the message yet!

I have been using Gigabyte products for over 15 years and am very disappointed by the quality of this motherboard.

I am convinced that this is an issue with the BIOS and not the memory. How can all three bios FA, FB and FC1 all behave so differently?

Dark Mantis do you have any further suggestions?

[notshy]

Right so back to square one?

I bought the board + ram over 1 month ago which is over the RMA with the store and have a minor issue that it was bought for me as a present so I might have difficulty getting in touch with the store direct.

I'll maybe hold tight for the moment and keep my machine in sleep mode when I'm not using it?

[Dark Mantis]

FunkyErn

Dark Mantis do you have any further suggestions?

I agree with you in that I think it is down to a badly written BIOS routine

I submitted a ticket to Gigabyte support on Thursday, but they have not even read the message yet!

I am afraid that from past experience you will be lucky to get an answer before the middle of next week at the earliest. When you do it probably won't be anything to do with your question so you will need to follow it up with another question and hopefully you will get a proper answer in the end.

[Dark Mantis]

notshy

What would anyone suggest doing with the fact that the reason I bought the RAM was because it WAS on the suuported memory list and has now been removed .....Worth an email to Gigabyte at all? This is a tad frustrating !!!

I that case I would certainly complain about the fact that the QVL was changed, whether it will get you far is another matter, but it is worth making a noise about otherwise nothing ever gets done.

[Gary123]

ram with no XMP feature is dangerous to configure for x58/ i7 rigs.

Sometimes, though, it does work ok. In my case there was little difficulty getting GA-X58A-UD3R rev2 (FB) working with i7-950 (no OC) and 6GB of OCZ3G1600LV6GK (on the QVL), even though that RAM has no XMP.

The system has worked perfectly with memory speed of 1066 (default) and 1600. The only glitch with the latter was that after I configured the BIOS RAM settings to  x12(1600) 8-8-8-24/88 1.64v, I found that the yellow CPU-voltage LED turned on (not just the green). At Lsdmeasap's suggestion here, I then installed EasyTune and examined the QPI/Vtt target, which was 1.435v (normal is 1.175v; it was still set to Auto in the BIOS). The Intel i7-950 spec warns of possible permanent damage if Vtt exceeds the absolute max of 1.35v. So I set Vtt in the BIOS to 1.335v, which turned off the yellow LED, and everything still works great.

Anyway, congratulations on sorting things out!

[Gary123]

Mobo - Gigabyte GA-X58A-UDR3 rev2
RAM - Corsair 6 GB kit TR3X6G1600C9 (which is 3x CM3X2G1600C9)

That RAM isn't on Gigabyte's QVL for the GA-X58A-UD3R (I assume you meant UD3R, unless there's a UDR3 I don't know about). If the motherboard were advertised to support DDR3-1600 memory, then any decent brand should suffice. But since DDR3-1600 is not a supported category, particular brands may have quirks that are incompatible with the board, even though those brands may meet the DDR3-1600 spec. So it may help to play it safe and stick to Gigabyte's QVL.

b. Checked for bent pins on the LG1366 and found one. In the process of photographing it the fabric strap of my camera feel onto the socket and got snared on it. In the process of freeing it I bent another pin!

Is is possible that the first bent pin caused damage to the CPU while the system was running?

[Dark Mantis]

But since DDR3-1600 is not a supported category, particular brands may have quirks that are incompatible with the board, even though those brands may meet the DDR3-1600 spec. So it may help to play it safe and stick to Gigabyte's QVL.

My thoughts exactly and that is why I am always trying to drum into people the importance of using memory on the QVL ( whether Gigabyte's or the memory manufacturer's).

[hello people]

Hi "Hello People", I suggest you do not celebrate too early... I have been battling with the same issues you have for the last 3 weeks with no joy  

Like yourself I am a Cakewalk Sonar user and was intending to use this mother board for audio processing. I was also planning on NOT overclocking and running the memory at the default 1066 (as specified for the i7 950).

My system setup is as follows:
CPU - Intel i7 950
Mobo - Gigabyte GA-X58A-UDR3 rev2
RAM - Corsair 6 GB kit TR3X6G1600C9 (which is 3x CM3X2G1600C9)
System Hard Disk - Western Digital WD3000HLFS Veloraptor 300 GB
Data Hard Disk - 2x Western Digitial WD50000AAKS Caviar Blue 500 GB (configured as RAID 1 mirror to store audio data)
Graphics - 2x Gigabyte GV-R455D3-512I (ATI HD 4550 Silent)
Cooler - Noctua NH-U9B SE2
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Here is the history of what I have done:
1. Built the system with shipped bios FA and default bios settings. This appeared to run fine for a week while I was sorting out the device drivers and installing all my software and testing out windows compatibility issues doing a dress rehearsal build. Did not have a single BSOD during this phase.

2. Started a completely new installation with all the right drivers and software apps. It was at this point in time I noticed that the use-able memory varied between 2, 4 or 6 GB. I then flashed the bios to FB. This is when my cold boot BSOD issues started.

I have tried all the things you have:
a. Ran Memtest86 on each DIMM separately and all together - have never had a single error reported. Last run of all three DIMMs in for 4 passes running for 3.5 hours - still no errors. The memory is on Corsair's recommended list for this motherboard.

b. Checked for bent pins on the LG1366 and found one. In the process of photographing it the fabric strap of my camera feel onto the socket and got snared on it. In the process of freeing it I bent another pin! WORD OF WARNING - if photographing the CPU socket make sure you remove your camera strap first and keep everything clear of the pins. I have managed to straighten both pins. There appear to be no issues with this now.

c. Tried using XMP profile1 - no success

d. manual settings at 1066 MHz, DRAM 1.65 v and QT/VTT voltages of 1.315v - no success

e. I have tried both optimised and fail-safe bios settings.

The symptoms are the same as yours: I always get a memory related BSOD on cold booting (if PC has been switched off for several hours/overnight). Once it has been running for about 15-30 mins the BSODs stop and the system stabilises and then runs fine for several hours OK. No manner of BIOS settings seems to make any difference.

3. I then tried flashing to the FC1 beta bios. This resulted in the graphics card in PCI-Express x16-2 going either blank or completely blue! Also the OS starting grinding to a halt and was useable. There were the odd BSODs.

4. I flashed the BIOS back to FA and retested. No BSODs, but useable RAM varies.

5. I then flashed the BIOS to FB and retested. The BSODs came back!! Tried all manner of settings with no joy.

I submitted a ticket to Gigabyte support on Thursday, but they have not even read the message yet!

I have been using Gigabyte products for over 15 years and am very disappointed by the quality of this motherboard.

I am convinced that this is an issue with the BIOS and not the memory. How can all three bios FA, FB and FC1 all behave so differently?

Dark Mantis do you have any further suggestions?

With all due respect...your history is slightly different from mine.

Where you state that XMP Profile 1 did not work...it did and is working for me....with the new ram I put in.

I never had any bent pins either

If there's another reason you think I shold not celebrate too early please let me know (btw...I am NOT celebrating too early)...

But my system has successfully cold booted 2 times now with FB BIOS...all values are on spec...everything is fine

Haha...a Sonar user too huh...it's a long way to the top if you wanna ram and roll

[FunkyErn]

Gary123 - Apologies a typo - it is UD3R. Also I am trying to run it at 1066 and not the full 1600. This does not make a difference. The question to ask is how come when running Memtest86 at either 1066 or 1600 the memory runs fine without any errors? It is only when Windows 7 is running does the system start to fail, but then only for the first 15-30 mins - after that it is stable. I really do not think it is the memory.

Re: bent pins - the CPU seems fine. When I switched back to bios FA - the system is stable with no BSODs so I do not think the issue is bent pins. If the CPU was damaged or pins still bent/damaged I would not expect changing bios to make any difference but it does. This leads me to think that it is a problem with the bios.

One other thing to maybe consider is the Noctua NH-9UB cooler - some other forum postings suggested reverting to the stock Intel cooler fixed similar problems. This did not make sense to me so I have not yet tried that. What does everyone think? Worth a try or not?

I have flashed to bios FC1 since the last post for one more try and using the XMP (set to 1600 just out of curiosity) - will let everyone know the results later on once the pc is completely cold. I think I had originally used @bios to try out FC1 - this was due to my 4GB Verbatim USB flash drive not being visible to QFlash. I have since bought a 2 GB SanDisk Cruzer blade and have now been using QFlash. I believe there have been some issues with @bios flashes in the past - maybe this was causing the graphics card problem when trying FC1?


Dark Mantis - the TR3X6G1600C9 is on the Corsair list for the GA-X58A-UD3R - I did check that before ordering the parts. http://www.corsair.com/configurator/product_results.aspx?id=1362102


Hello People - while our histories/experiences are not identical, there are strong similarities. The XMP profile 1 would kind of work for me, but only once the PC had been running for 15-30 mins. The cold boot issue tends to manifest itself overnight. I would suggest you see how it behaves over the next few days before cracking open the champagne. The BSODs did corrupt one of my hard disks and I am sure you do not want to lose any of your music compositions - hence why I recommend caution before you start using the machine for recording.