GA-P55A-UD3P rev 1.0 double boot issues

[defreel]

Hello there. I am having problems with a computer I built for a friend.  The problem I am having is this: From a cold boot, the BIOS POSTS and then when it is finished posting (no problems seen) the screen goes blank as if it is ready to go the spot that says ...Loading OS.... or something like that, but it never does, there is just an underline cursor on the top left of the monitor that is blinking.  If I hit the reset button on the case, the BIOS POSTS again, and this time it comes up with the ..Loading OS... message and Windows 7 then launches and everything works fine.  This double boot scenario also happens if I am in Win 7 and Restart the computer....POST then blank screen with cursor in top left, hit reset button, all boots fine and runs fine.  I have run Prime95 just to check some stability and I also ran Memtest86+ to check the memory and nothing is showing up as wrong.  I am not sure why I have to "double boot" the system to get it to work, any ideas?

System:
GA-P55A-UD3P rev 1.0 using F14 Bios (Latest)
i7-870
OCZ DDR3 Gold OCZ3G1600LV4GK - 4 gigs of memory in a 2gb x2 config (in the proper slots in M/B per manual)
Seasonic 620W p/s
EVGA GTS 250 1 GB video card
Samsung F3 Spinpoint 1 TB hdd
Win7 Ultimate x64 OS

To add more to the story, I live in the US and built it for a friend in the UK.  The power supply is auto sensing (no switch needed to set to 220V) dual volt and 50-60 Hz.  When I build the system in the US, I had it up and running fine with Prime95 burn in for 12 hours and Memtest86+ running with no errors.  I did not have this double boot issue.  I mailed the system to my friend and it double boots.  Memtest86 is clean and Prime95 run clean and while the OS is up and even if it goes to sleep it operates fine.  But the second he reboots or powers off and cold starts overnight, he gets the double boot.  I had my friend go into the BIOS and check the settings for the CPU and memory and all those setting are still the same.  The memory is running at 1600 Mhz with a x12 multiplier and that keeps the bclk at 133 so no overclocking to the CPU.  The voltage of the memory is set to 1.64V per memory spec.  The Vcore voltage is at 1.275V.  Again, these settings were stable when I built it with no double boots.

Thanks for any help/advice.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome to the Gigabyte Forum.

Well of course with the shipping it is possible that something has come a bit loose and could be causing a problem. I don't really feel it is that though as once booted everything works fine you say. I take it that you are going to be relaying these instructions to your friend.

I would advise you to clear the CMOS (thoroughly not just with the button) and then  load optimised BIOS defaults. That should clear any problems with BIOS settings and reset the memory to JEDEC standards.

I have just checked the Gigabyte QVL and the installed memory isn't on it. Is it on the OCZ QVL for this board?

Post again when that has been done and we will take it from there.

[defreel]

You are correct, I am going to have to relay this info to my friend.  May take a few days with time difference and work schedules.  I will try the clearing of the CMOS and loading the optimized BIOS defaults.  Does this mean not to load the F14 after that is done?  Also, if I let the board configure the memory, it configures it for 1066 Mhz with 7-7-7-18 (I think 18) timings and the memory manufacturer has the settings at 8-8-8-24, though those timings are for 1600 Mhz and not the 1066 the system tries to set it to.  I may have made the mistake, but looking at the QVL, it lists the OCZ3G1600LV6GK and I just assumed the 4G or 6G just referenced how many gigs so figured the memory was the same.  The LV is low voltage.  This is where I could be wrong.  (I'm going to call and confirm with Gigabyte after I send this message).

In clearing the CMOS, do you suggest I just short the pins or do I need to remove the battery as well?  And I want to make sure I have it straight.  After loading the optimized defaults, I do NOT want to load the most current BIOS, nor do I want to set the memory timings to their proper values per the memory manufacturer?  Or, after the clearing of BIOS and optimizing, can I configure the things like they should be?

Thanks again.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

I am a little confused because you have flashed the BIOS to F14 but now you are saying you don't want to use that one? If you don't want to you will have to carry out another flash of the BIOS to install a different version. Please advise.

The 4G and 6G are not the sizes of the memory.

When clearing the CMOS I mean unplug, drain residue from PSU by hitting power button, and then removing battery for at least ten minutes.

After loading optimised setup defaults I want to run the memory at default settings to check.

[defreel]

Sorry for the confusion.  Yes I do want to use the F14 Bios that I already have installed.  I have never cleared a CMOS before (thankfully never had to) so wasn't sure if it would take the BIOS back to how it came from the factory, which was not F14.

I will perform the CMOS clearing as advised and load optimized settings and run the memory at what comes up default and let you know.  It may be a few days, hopefully not 

I did call Gigabyte about my memory and told them what I had and they said as long as the OCZ that I am using is not EEC (which it is not), then it should work fine in the motherboard.

Thanks again....will get back to you soon.

[Dark Mantis]

I did call Gigabyte about my memory and told them what I had and they said as long as the OCZ that I am using is not EEC (which it is not), then it should work fine in the motherboard.

A bit of a simplistic way to view the problem but that's not an uncommon response from GGTS.

When you clear the CMOS you are really just deleting all the settings and memory of what you have in your computer as far as the BIOS is concerned.

When you are in the BIOS afterwards check the two BIOSes and make sure they are syncronised. You can check that by pressing F9 when you are on hte  BIOS main screen. If they are not you will need to press ALT+ F12 when you are booting to sync them. You may well get a warning box  but ignore that.

[defreel]

Ok, I unplugged the power, toggled the on/off switch on the p/s, took the battery out for 20 mins, shorted the clear cmos pins, put the battery back in, shorted the pins again just because, hooked it back up and turned the computer on and went into the BIOS.  I loaded optimized settings and hit F10 to save settings.  The computer did the same thing...after the POST, and the POST does complete (at least visually), and then the screen goes blank like it wants to load the OS and a cursor (underline) pops up in the top left corner and just blinks and nothing happens.  I hit the reset switch on the case and the computer POSTs, screen goes blank and the hand off to the OS works and Win 7 comes up clean, just like it is supposed to and everything runs fine and is stable.  I hit restart from within Windows and the system does a restart and it POSTs, goes to blank screen with underline cursor blinking and does nothing...I hit reset button on the case and all boots fine.....

The default settings that came up from optimized had the memory running at 1066 (vice 1600), with timings of 7-7-7-16 (vice 8-8-8-24) and the memory voltage was 1.1'ish, can't remember the exact value (instead of the recommended 1.65V)

In the meantime, since that didn't work, I set it back to the values I had it before, which is setting the memory clock multiplier to x12 (instead of auto) which lets it go to 1600 Mhz, then I go to expert mode so I can manually change the timing, and I changed Channel A (which is what I am using) to 8-8-8-24 (and I set Channel B to those same values even though I do not have any memory in Channel B, just to be safe), and I set the memory voltage manually to 1.64V, and I put in the advanced memory setting area, I have performance enhance set to standard and DRAM timing is Expert so I can change the timings to the 8-8-8-24.

[Dark Mantis]

And what was the outcome after manually entering the memory timings? If it's still not playing properly I would try running Memtest86+ on the modules one at a time for at least 10 loops each. If you have any failures the module is faulty.

[defreel]

With the manual settings, no change...double boot, but once in Windows, everything runs fine.  I will suggest tomorrow to my friend to run the Memttest86+ 1 at a time.

[Dark Mantis]

If nothing else it will prove the memory and we can then remove it from the equation.

[defreel]

I haven't forgotten this, still trying to coordinate with my friend to do this and I am on vacation now.....

[Dark Mantis]

No problem just post again when you are ready. We will still be here.