GA-870a-ud3 freezing on logo screen

[blackt12]

Hi

I have just put together my new build machine:

Spec:
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 (rev. 2.2)
Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 Black Edition
Graphics Card: Radeon HD 6870
Memory: Corsair 2x4GB
HHD: Western Digital 320GB
PSU: OCZ750FTY (Fatality 750W)
Case: Antec 900

Basically it powers up get to the logo screen and then freezes.

Tried most toubleshooting steps.  New processor (sempron 140) new power supply, 4 different keyboards usb and ps2 (no light on any of these) new graphics etc etc etc

At my wits end now HELP

Tom

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

Have you checked to see if your BIOS supports your CPU ? You may need to update it.

Failing that try clearing the CMOS.

Remove the power cable from the mains supply and then press the power switch on the case for a few seconds just to drain any residual energy in the PSU capacitors.

Once done remove the motherboard battery for at least one hour before replacing it.
 
Next plug back into the mains supply and boot.
 
You will now need to enter the BIOS by pressing DEL and load Opimised BIOS Defaults.

Make any other changes to the BIOS settings to suit your self like disabling the floppy drive, disabling the full screen logo and making the HDD the primary boot device and then press F10 to save and exit.

[blackt12]

How can I check the BIOS supports the CPU?  I was thinking of flashing it with an update BUT seeing as it freezes it would be hard to get into the Qflash and fairly risky.

We have tried clearing the CMOS yet no joy...

And I shall try drain the energy and leave the battery out for longer.

Thanks for the fast reply.

[Dark Mantis]

You can check here:

http://uk.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=3636

[blackt12]

In that case, it is supported

[Dark Mantis]

In that case I think the best thing you can do is follow these instructions:

The next thing is to remove the motherboard from the case and test it on the workbench.

Make sure that you observe anti-static precautions.

Lay some cardboard or use the motherboard box that is non-conductive on the worktop and remove the motherboard/CPU/heatsink/fan/buzzer/one stick of memory and PSU from the case and put it on the cardboard. Add the keyboard and now I know you haven't got any graphics but try and boot. The system should try and then fail emitting a series of beeps. Please post what sounds it makes.

[blackt12]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have a go at this soon, if you don't hear from me tonight please check back

[Dark Mantis]

I am always here so no problem. 

[blackt12]

Alright sorry for the wait, and I still haven't took it out of the case... but we tried booting it up with the weaker processor again and we managed to get into the BIOS setup.

We changed the boot priority to CDROM hoping that we could install windows - Pressed Save & Exit and it rebooted... now, it was sorta getting there - it went past the logo screen and was on the post screen, then it went to something about the Hard Drives... THEN it froze... that's the furthest we've ever gotten.

Also IIRC before this problem there was another one, we put the build together with the same spec but 1x4GB instead of 2x and it wouldnt even show anything on screen or get an response from a keyboard, the fans and the HDD and whatnot would all power up but we got nothing. My point is, when we removed the Memory (1x4GB) that time, we got 3 long beeps... but when we put it back in we go no beeps what so ever. These were the only beeps we've ever gotten (apart from now when we get the 1 short beep to mean all was successful).

This may or may not help

[Dark Mantis]

To be honest it sounds very much like a power problem. However if you can get it to boot ok then try running Memtest on your RAM.

Please follow these instructions exactly.

I would suggest that you download and run the latest version of  Memtest86+ to check your RAM first.

Memtest86+        http://www.memtest.org/

Insert one stick of memory in slot 1 and run Memtest on it for at least 10 complete loops/cycles and if there are no errors then swap it over with the next one and continue untill you have checked all  modules.
 
If you have any errors the module is faulty.

If you have any faulty modules you will have to return the whole kit as they are matched.

Post back when you have done that with the results.

[blackt12]

Okay thanks i'll take a look.

Side note, just whilst i was browsing the forums i found someone with the same mobo and were looking for compatible memory, I looked up on the list and my memory isn't on that list...

Also, I just managed to get into the POST screen whilst trying to get memtest working and it said that my memory is: DDR3 1066 Unganged Mode. My memory should be 1333

[Dark Mantis]

Are you sure that the memory was reported as 1066 and not 10666 ? Either way if it was going to work it wouldn't matter what speed it was at.

Just because your memory wasn't on the QVL doesn't mean that it won't work but just that it hasn't been tested to see if it will.

[blackt12]

Yes 1066.

Okay so I tried to run Memtest but I'm afraid I cannot get into the BIOS settings or any further than the splash screen, tried clearing the CMOS.

[blackt12]

Okay if I press TAB I can get to this:


Then some HDD stuff comes up and the PC goes to:


At this point the PC seems to freeze and I cannot go any further...

When I press DEL instead of TAB, all I get is a flashing "_" in the top left corner. I've tried clearing the CMOS.

[Dark Mantis]

From your screenshots it would seem to be a corrupt BIOS that is causing the problem. I have two things for you to try to correct it. First thing is  this :

You can kick in the backup BIOS by shutting down the PSU from the wall, then hold down your case power button in and then turn on the power supply button, a few seconds later the board will start, shut off the power supply then.   Then you can turn on the power supply again and power up the board normally and DualBIOS will kick in.

This may take several attempts to get right.