GA-P67A-UD7-B3 - Boot Loop won't POST

[Argyll]

I just finished a build with this motherboard.  After putting the system together I performed an initial power test to leak test my water cooling loop (two EVGA GTX580 FTW Hydro's in SLI) and to check that all of my wiring was complete and functional.  I didn't have a monitor or keyboard hooked up as I was just checking to see that everything powered on, etc.  I got a lengthy boot and received code FF on the mobo code display which I understand was a good boot.  I let the system run for about an hour to bleed air out of the water cooling loop, etc.  Everything appeared great.

Turned off the system with the power switch on the mobo.  Went and got some dinner and came back, hooked up a monitor and keyboard and got ready to setup my drives, etc.  Upon power up I got 2-5 second power cycle and then a re-boot with no code posting to the mobo display.  I turned off the power supply removed the CMOS battery, pressed the power button on mobo to drain residual power and then held down the clear CMOS for 5 minutes.  Put battery back, returned power and attempted to cycle the board.  Same problem.  I have searched the internet and have tried various suggestions found for clearing and resetting BIOS but they seem to have no effect.  Additional things I have done in an attempt to get the system to POST:

1. Removed memory (except for one stick)
2. Removed graphic cards and used another air cooled one that I know works.
3. Used an alternate power supply that I know works.
4. Removed CMOS battery and let sit overnight with no power and pressing CMOS reset
5. Combinations of all of the above.

I did read and try some technique to flip to the backup BIOS but I am not sure what BIOS my board has as I didn't have the screen connected on the first boot, second I am not sure there is a second BIOS loaded to default to.  I assume there is, I just don't have anyway to know.

Results are the same.

PLEASE, tell me that there is some foolproof way to get the BIOS / CMOS reset back to factory stock.  I can only assume that the first successful boot somehow made some bad decisions about settings that are now preventing even a POST.  Or that in my attempt to correct the problem with the CMOS resets that I have somehow gotten the board in some state that it can't POST.

I am a little freaked out right now given my time invested and would really like some help and insight.  I feel good about the fact that the machine DID boot to an FF on first attempt and ran for over 2 hours so I just don't believe that there is a component problem but rather some kind of BIOS snafu.

Thanks in advance for your time and wisdom on this!

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome to the Gigabyte Forum.

You made a bad call from square one. You shouldn't have had the motherboard conected to the power supply at all. You should have tested the cooling loop without having anything else plugged in. After you finished the only way to stop it was a hard shutdown. This is not good for the hardware.

You have definitely got a Backup BIOS along with a Main BIOS on the motherboard. Try 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.

[Argyll]

Thanks for taking the time to respond, it is greatly appreciated.  Although to be honest, I am not sure how powering down the HW with the power button on the motherboard is 'bad for the hardware', but perhaps I am simply missing something.  This in fact is the procedure called for in the manual that comes with the motherboard for diagnostic testing and if deemed bad for the hardware it is a bit baffling to me.

Given that as it may, I will accept that I have somehow done something wrong from your perspective and attempt the solution you have provided.  I do believe that this was one of the many solutions suggested in various places about the web, but I will definitely give this a try (a few times if necessary).

Without getting to a post code and a boot screen is there anyway to know what BIOS is on the board and what is in the backup BIOS out of the box?  Presumably they are the same, but I just curious.  Hopefully, I will know soon enough if this solution works.

[Argyll]

OK.  Several attempts and still no joy.

I have read elsewhere that the timing of the PSU power switch off to the time the mobo starts to boot is critical in getting this to work.  I am not trying to be 'dull' but is the sequence very specifically this?:

1. Turn power supply power off
2. Depress the mono power switch until the lights go out (count to 10 slowly while holding button down)
3. Flip power supply button on
4. As soon as the fans begin to whirr turn off power supply switch.
5. Wait 15 seconds
6. Turn on power supply
7. Await lights on mobo
8. Press mono Power switch

If there is something specifically wrong with this sequence can you please let me know as it doesn't seem to be working for me.

[Dark Mantis]

There are times when doing  a hard shut down is inevitable but it is not the best idea. Hard drives etc especailly can be damaged by it.

As for the BIOS crossflash try following these instructions. It might take more than once.


1. Turn off PSU from wall
2. Hold case power button in and turn on at wall.
3. As soon as board shows signs of life turn off at wall.
4. Turn on at wall again and press power button.

[Argyll]

Good point about HDs.

I greatly appreciate your help and patience on this, but alas still no joy after 15 tries.  (btw disconnected power to HDs  )

I am sorry to be so specific but just want to make sure that there isn't something small and silly I am missing.

When waiting for the mobo to show signs of life I am still holding down the mobo power button, right?  Also, does it matter if I drain the mobo power by keeping the mobo power button depressed after killing the power with the Power Supply switch?

[Dark Mantis]

No I can't think that what you are doing would present a problem. I am just wondering if this technique will work with these newer BIOS chips. It always worked fine on the standard ones. How many pins have you got on your BIOS chip ?

[digitalforce]

I had the same kind of boot loop and nothing worked until I did this:

1 - Power off PC
2 - Unplug PSU from wall
3 - Press POWER button to dischargee
4 - Put a physical jumper on the CLEAR CMOS jumped on mobo -- I left it there for a least at hour
5 - Take off jumped and press POWER button again
6 - Plug in PSU
7 - Power up

It power cycles once.. then BAM, good to go!

[Argyll]

Dark Mantis, thanks again for your persistence on this one.  I will have to dismantle the two graphics cards to get to the actual BIOS chips.  Being that they are water cooled they are only single slot cards so I can see the top half of the BIOS chips just not all of the chips.

I will try Digitalforce's suggestions first, (assuming I can find the CMOS CLEAR jumper).  Is there such a thing on this mobo since it has a CMOS_Reset Button?  I hope so!

[Dark Mantis]

It really makes no difference. If you want to make sure that you clear the CMOS (which basically is all he has done) follow these instructions EXACTLY.

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 two hours 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.

[Argyll]

OK.  I just finished having the reset CMOS button down for an hour and still no joy.

I am now doing what you suggest to clear the CMOS by removing the batter and disconnecting power from wall for at least two hours.

Once I have completed this trial I will dismantle the video cards (I have to remove them simultaneously because of the water cooling) and tell you how many pins are on the bios chips.  Are you thinking that I might be able to short something on the bios chip to force a reset?

[Argyll]

One more question... if I can't get to POST can I do anything with the keyboard that would make a difference?

[Dark Mantis]

I will PM you regarding your BIOS chip tomorrow if you tell me how many pins it has here.

[Argyll]

I just took the video cards out... there are eight pins each on the two BIOS chips.

[Dark Mantis]

Obviously there is something drastically wrong with this board and my recommendation would be to return it to your retailer for an RMA as it is covered by the warranty for three years.