GA-X58A-UD3R won't boot

[timskrastins]

I recently assembled a new system:

GA-X58A-UD3R (rev 2.0, FB BIOS)
GIGABYTE GV-R577UD-1GD Radeon HD 5770
CORSAIR TX Series CMPSU-950TX 950W PSU
Core i7-950 3.06GHz
CORSAIR DDR3 RAM: XMS3 12GB (6 x 2GB)
Scythe SCMG-2100 Sleeve CPU Cooler
Sony Optiarc CD/DVD SATA Model AD-7261S-0B
WD Raptor 74GB SATA

Everything assembled great and I have OS installed and running terrific for almost a week. Have run lots of Photoshop heavy use and running it 24/7 with no issues. Yesterday during a medium load of Photoshop work and no heavy background tasks, it suddenly powered off...no crash, just immediately lost power like someone yanked the plug.

When I hit the power button now, the fans spin for less than a second, and a bright red light above and to the right of the RAM blinks then just 2 lights immediately right of the RAM slots stay lit green & yellow. It doesn't POST, boot into BIOS, the drives don't even get spinning...the sign of life only lasts a second.
The CMOS blue button stays lit.

I've attempted removing all the memory and then starting with only 1 stick installed in DDR3_3 but that did not change anything. I tried all 6 sticks of RAM this way. I've disconnected all but the boot drive and nothing changes.

Based on my troubleshooting I don't think the PSU or RAM are the issue.

[Lsdmeasap]

Why did you rule out the PSU?

Try clearing the CMOS fully, hold in the Clear CMOS button hard for one minute.  Do that with the PSU unplugged from the wall, and after you have done that press and hold the case power button for one minute, then clear the CMOS.

Next step if that does not help try another PSU. 

Also, try your memory in the white slots only, it should boot with one stick in any white slot.   Just making sure you were using a white slot is all.

[timskrastins]

Thanks. Definitely using the white RAM slots.

Might have to backtrack and check out the PSU further.

[Dark Mantis]

Also check the heatsink and make sure that it isn't tightened down so far as to distort the board at all.

[timskrastins]

Thanks all!
No luck with CMOS reset. I saw a post on the Tomshardware forum where someone described the exact same issue and had to RMA the motherboard so I figured I was toast too

I tried a new PSU and that solved it for me!

Go figure-- a nice new Corsair would fail in 7 days. I was thrown off by the fact that there were still lights on the motherboard so I thought it was still working. I used the method described here to test it: http://www.google.com/m/search?oe=UTF-8&client=safari&q=how+to+test+psu&hl=en&tbs=vid:1&ei=VIHXTMmpFJn0qwOVq-dy&ved=0CBUQ7QkwAQ
There is actually a Corsair video advising the same thing too.

So bottom line is it's not the mobo and thanks for the advice- don't write off the PSU as a culprit without testing it.

[Dark Mantis]

It's good that you managed to find the problem without to much trouble and at least being a Corsair unit you won't have any problem with the RMA. That's the beauty of buying  a quality branded product, even if it does go wrong, as all components can, you will have the backup.

[Lsdmeasap]

Nice to see you found the issue and didn't have to send off your motherboard!

[timskrastins]

Thanks all! ...posting this from the resurrected system

[Dark Mantis]

That is good news because when a PSU goes down sometimes it can take other components with it but in your case this wasn't what happened.

[Lsdmeasap]

Yes, very lucky that nothing else was damaged!

[timskrastins]

Whew.
Been up and running almost 2 days straight now.

[Lsdmeasap]

Awesome! 

Now you can finally enjoy your great Gigabyte board, sorry you had all these hassles!

[mikeL]

Well, I was going to post a new topic, but this name is rather apt so I might as well reuse.
Looking through the forums there have been a LOT of people with issues with the  so right now I am rather disillusioned.

New build in an old case:

GA-X58A-UD3R (rev 1.0)
PALIT GTS250
Corsair TX850W PSU
Core i7-950 3.06GHz
OCZ DDR3 RAM:  (3 x 2GB)
Corsair H50 CPU water cooler
3 HDs of various kinds (one even IDE, but not yet plugged in)

PSU and Palit had been running in  my old pimped out Pentium D system for 6 months with no probs.

Initially the system booted to the splash screen, then shut down. This happened for a while until I got bored.
Followed the various advice in the forums, taking things back to basics - no different.
Swopped out the vid card for an old 2400 - no difference.
Tried 1 mem stick, no different. Unplugged all the drives. Got worse.
Cleared CMOS. no change.
Each time it boots it erratically move between no beeps, CMOS beep, memory beep, one short one long beep (not even described in the manual!) before rebooting.
Now it just reboots every 2 seconds, until  it warms up. Then boots to splash screen, then reboots. First time it does this I get 2 short beeps. Next Cycle one long beep. Then it either alternates between the two or starts cycling without beeping...

Pulled out the CPU to check for bent pins. None, put it back (carefully). No change.

I am pretty convinced its not the PSU, as I re-tried it on my old board without a problem. So this is a last ditch attempt really as I have seen some success stories on here.
Help!

[timskrastins]

just a guess but have you tried checking to see if anything is shorting out? maybe pull the components and boot outside of the case?

[mikeL]

well, good guess!

That was a painful extraction (water cooling), but indeed I just got to BIOS.

Have to ask the obvious question - what's the point of an MB that shorts in a case?

Got a CMOS checksup error but its now ready and looking for a HD.

So, how to deal with the short? Rubber washers under every screw?