GA-MA790GPT-UD3H is giving me a CMOS checksum error

[ebyers]

This system ran great for months.  Then the video card was removed and the on-board video was connected to.  Seemed to work OK.  A few times when first booted, there would be no video, but a quick reboot would solve it.  Then, one day - it just shut down while my kids were playing Civilization IV.  After that, I could sometimes get to a post, but then if I tried to go into the BIOS it would just give me a screen that said CMOS Checksum error on the top and then a blue box giving me options for default or last known good.  Neither of which do anything when selected other than go to a black screen or to the Gigabyte splash screen.  Sometimes, it posts - sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes it starts to post, but just leaves the little blue logo up in the upper left hand corner.  

The sad part is that I gave my story to the techs, they said there is a BIOS problem and so I rma'd it.  Just got it back today - and the SAME GARBAGE IS GOING ON!

The board is installed in its case with ONLY the processor(amd Phenom 955) and two sticks of RAM (4 gb of Adata DDR3 1600, 9-9-9-24, 1.55~1.75v).  Nothing else is connected.  If it were the processor I wouldn't even be getting this far.  I have tried other RAM and it does not alter the behavior.  In 16 years of building computers I have never had this happen.  So, in theory, the RMA folks "repaired" my board - right.  

So, now I am stumped.  I just relayed my experience to the techs and am awaiting their reply.  So, now I ask anyone out on the boards - has anyone else run into this???

[Gloup_Gloup]

Hi ebyers

Have you check, if your batterie in motherboard is powerfull? Maybe change for a new.

Sometimes a cable is used or damaged or is not inserted in connection properly.

Have you make a clear cmos ?

I cited Dark Mantis's instructions :

Hi

The first thing to try is to clear the CMOS. Please 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 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 Optimised 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.

Maybe try with just a one stick of Ram.

Set Disable in Bios at QuickBoot if you have it.
Set Disabled in Bios at Full Screen Logo Show.
Check if Init Display Firs is in Onboard setting. If you do use Onboard video. Not a Graphics card on PCI slot.
Check in Bios a setting for First, Second an Third Boot Device and Hard Disk Boot Priority.

Describe entirely your hardware please :
Like PSU, Hard disk for OS, Windows or other OS and type (Ex Win7 64bit x64),

Hope to help you...

Gloup_Gloup

[kosobai]

My feeling is that if it were the battery, the system would boot properly once the BIOS defaults have been loaded...

If you're running the memory at 1600MHz, it could be that the memory controller has failed, as per absic's sticky.

[ebyers]

Just to be clear - I can't even enter the BIOS setup.  If I could - then there wouldn't be any problem. 

Battery was replaced before I RMA'd it with fresh new - so they better not have sent me the board back with something that didn't work - right?  Have cleared CMOS several times.  PSU is 750 watt Diablotek.  As noted RAM is A Data 1600 CL 9-9-9-24  1.55~1.75 v  2gb x 2.   Processor is Phenom 955 X4  

NOTHING else is attached to the mobo.    My objective to to simply enter the BIOS.  That's it!  If I can get to the BIOS, then I can make any necessary changes.  

I have not had time to go through Dark Mantis' instructions - I might be able to tonight.  So, I'll try that tonight - it's been about 6 years since I built anything with a Gigabyte board  - are his instructions unique to Gigabyte boards?  Never had to go through such a gyration to get into a BIOS before.  Yes, I'm not a very happy camper right now having been w/o my computer for weeks and now this. 

So, any suggestions that I make BIOS changes are not quite relevant - let's try to just get into the BIOS!  Then we'll talk BIOS settings.....

Kosobai, very interesting suggestion on the memory controller failing.  Is there anything within my power to deal with that?  Other than RMA again?  To my knowledge there isn't, but then I would consider myself new to these boards at this point thus the question. 

Thank you two for responding to my post so quickly!

[absic]

Hi ebyers,

you say you are running a Phenom ii 955 which version of the processor is this (there are 3 different ones)?

If you have the 95 Watt version and the BIOS was reset to the F3 version it maybe that it isn't being recognised properly as this CPU needs the F4J BIOS and it could be why you can't get into the BIOS to make any changes.

Not sure if you have access to another AMD processor that is supported by an earlier version of BIOS but this would be by first step in trying to solve the issue. For supported CPU's check here: http://uk.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=3143

[ebyers]

I'll check the detail on the proc version.   I had "assumed" that when the board was returned to me it would come back with the most recent BIOS loaded, so the proc version didn't even register in my thoughts.  More fun tonight.......

Thanks again for the responses.  

you say you are running a Phenom ii 955 which version of the processor is this (there are 3 different ones)?

If you have the 95 Watt version and the BIOS was reset to the F3 version it maybe that it isn't being recognised properly as this CPU needs the F4J BIOS and it could be why you can't get into the BIOS to make any changes.

Not sure if you have access to another AMD processor that is supported by an earlier version of BIOS but this would be by first step in trying to solve the issue. For supported CPU's check here: http://uk.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=3143

[absic]

Just another thought, are you getting any POST beeps from the motherboard speaker when you try to power up the PC?
Do you have a motherboard speaker attached?

If the problem is due to the memory controller on the CPU, as kosobai suggested, then there is nothing that you will be able to do about that short of RMA'ing the CPU.

[ebyers]

I got on the phone with the RMA dept and found out that the repair on my board was an PCIE slot that was damaged.  They say that the BIOS and board was just fine.

To answer your question - no, I don't have a speaker.  There isn't one in the case.  I have to admit I didn't realize that until last night as I was reinstalling the board and noticed that I had no speaker wire......    So, if they are right and nothing is wrong with my board, that leaves my ram and processor.

So let me throw this question out.  Would a bad processor do this?  From my experience, if the proc was bad then I wouldn't be getting Gigabyte splash screen or post.  If Ram was was bad, then changing to different ram would change behavior.  So far, when I switch from the ADATA to my Gskill, there isn't a change in behavior.  Am I in a state of denial that my proc or memory aren't the culprits?? 

[absic]

Well at least you now know what was repaired.

If the CPU's memory controller is playing up then yes, it could be exhibiting this kind of behaviour. Also, just to be difficult, it could also do it if the CPU is overheating.

When you replaced the cooler did you add some thermal paste and make sure everything is seated properly?
It would really help if you could get a motherboard speaker as the POST beeps might prove helpful in tracing the problem.

[ebyers]

Ya, I use Antec Formula 5 right now.   I have been working on computers off and on since 1995 and learned a few things the hard way early on.......

As for a speaker, I don't have one unless I steal one from another one of my boxes.  I'll work on that one.  May be able to borrow one tonight.  As for those suggesting use of just one memory stick and try different memory, I did do that with no change in behavior.  I am now in the process of submitting an RMA request for the Processor. 

[ebyers]

OH, this is great.  I got the post to stay on the screen long enough to pause it - and then saw that the BIOS is at F3.  So, I got the board back from Gigabyte last week saying it was good (other than a repair to a broken PCIE slot), with a BIOS flash of F3.  Well, yours truly pulled the processor in order to RMA it and actually read the info off the processor and lo and behold, I don't have a 955 (which is what I have the paperwork for) but rather a 1090 T.  OK, it's a bit of a story why that has happened and I won't take 4 paragraphs to tell it.  So, the board is good according to Gigabyte. But I have the wrong BIOS flashed as the board requires the F4J bios to play with the 1090T.  I don't know of any way to get it re-flashed without an EEPROM programmer. The processor may be just fine if I could just get the right bios flashed on it.  So, does anyone else have any ideas on this?  I don't have any other processors that fit the board.  (and yes, I am hanging my head in some shame for being careless in knowing what I actually was running......)

[kosobai]

You might have to grab the cheapest processor your board supports from ebay or some such place, and flash it with that. That is, if you don't want to send the board back again.

[absic]

An alternative to kosobai's advice is to take it to a local PC store and get them to flash the BIOS for you. They will make a small charge for this but it makes things much easier in the long run and quicker too.

[ebyers]

I'll check with a couple computer places on Monday to see what they will charge to flash my BIOS.

Thanks all for the thoughts on this.