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Questions about GIGABYTE products => Motherboards with Intel processors => Topic started by: versatile on February 10, 2014, 09:46:49 am

Title: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: versatile on February 10, 2014, 09:46:49 am
Hello

I own H61M S2PV rev 2.1 with G2020 on it.

In every 20-25  turnings on I experience one reset that resets all bios settings. I suppose Dual Bios function causes this because all settings are restored to defaults - even the password to Bios is removed.

I don't know why Dual Bios function initiate ???

- I scanned my computer with anti-virus.
- scanned my RAM
- checked the voltage on my PSU

My PSU is quite good, chieftec 350W.

My question is: is it possible, however, that PSU (power supply unit) malfunction causes Dual Bios to iniciate/start up?

Please help me with this issue.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: shadowsports on February 10, 2014, 03:29:50 pm
A BIOS reset does not necessarily occur because of the dual BIOS feature,  I'd replace the MB battery first and see if this helps. 

Other cause might include incorrect or aggressive BIOS settings, or faulty PSU.  Try the battery first.

Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: versatile on February 10, 2014, 03:53:05 pm
A BIOS reset does not necessarily occur because of the dual BIOS feature,  I'd replace the MB battery first and see if this helps.  

Other cause might include incorrect or aggressive BIOS settings, or faulty PSU.  Try the battery first.



The battery is OK, I have checked it. Bios settings are not aggressive, but normal. I only turn on board VGA off, that's all.

As I have mentioned, I set the password to the BIOS, and when the reset comes up there is no password protecting BIOS any more and everything is set back to its default values.

1. Can broken PSU cause it? But how ???

I think that Dual Bios feature causes the resets, if not what causes that?


1. I scanned RAM,
2. checked the battery
3. checked the voltage on the PSU
4. checked for viruses


PS
DualBios works automatically, so you don't know what is responsible for the resets? Correct? If the dualBios didn't work automatically, but displayed info, I would know what is going on. DualBios sucks. What am I supposed to do?
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 10, 2014, 04:35:22 pm
I could be wrong the only way you can get the backup bios to work. You have to do it yourself.

That is by doing step to make the backup bios to reset. It will not do it on it's own.

When you reset the computer are you just restarting or shutting it down and turning off the power?

Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: versatile on February 10, 2014, 04:56:40 pm


When you reset the computer are you just restarting or shutting it down and turning off the power?



I don't reset my computer on my own. The problem is the computer resets itself at any moment. I could be writing an email or surfing the Internet... It resets randomly. For most of the time the computer works fine, but in a week or two it resets itself without reason and after every reset BIOS has its default values (it restores default values as if DualBios came in).

Don't know why. I don't know what is behind the resets.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 10, 2014, 07:52:32 pm
It sounds like something is over heating or you could have a bad cap. At this point it could almost be anything even the PSU.

The computer is crashing and for some reason it is crashing hard enough to cause the bios to reset.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: shadowsports on February 11, 2014, 07:14:05 am
versatile,
Help us out here.  Your original post states your BIOS settings are not being retained every 20-25 times when you start your PC.

Later you say. " The problem is the computer resets itself at any moment. I could be writing an email or surfing the Internet... " which says to me the system is crashing and restarting.

Which is it?

If your system is crashing and restarting, I'd look at the system event log first, my memory, then at my power supply<<<

If no event is recorded chances are the problem is not related to software or drivers.  To be thorough, I would MemTest the memory...  but in the end....  crashes with restart are usually the PSU or a thermal event.  

If you haven't load tested the PSU...  you haven't truly tested it.  I have to be completely honest.  Chieftec would not be my first choice for a PSU.  None of their current <500w models are 80+ certified.  None of the lower end models are Active PFC.  Stick with Corsair, EVGA, Seasonic, OCZ, Antec.... but this is a matter of preference and your mileage may vary.

If your system is randomly restarting...  consider what I said above.  This type of event can and will cause the behavior you describe.

Dual BIOS is great.  I'm switching from Asus to Gigabyte after 13yrs...  just for the dual BIOS function.  The dual BIOS feature is manually controlled with switches on the motherboard...  and partially with BIOS settings.  Very practical and worth while.   Good Luck!
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 11, 2014, 02:12:37 pm
I'm having problem with a Evga board and I was over there on their forum. There somebody that was having almost the same problem.

It turn out to be his battery that was causing the problem. Not saying that is it, but that would be the cheapest thing to start with.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: shadowsports on February 11, 2014, 05:27:09 pm
Hi Dave,
I mentioned the battery in my first post above.  He said its good?  If it is, and his system is indeed crashing and restarting, I strongly suspect the PSU isn't up to the task.  :)  Guess we'll have to wait for his response.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 11, 2014, 06:02:20 pm
This sound just like what he going through: http://forums.evga.com/tm.aspx?m=2111085
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: versatile on February 12, 2014, 06:44:50 pm
Sorry if I misled ... you're right, it wasn't clear ...


In about every 20 turns on at least there is one time when the computer RESETS and all BIOS settings are restored to its default values.

Most of the time I can use my machine as normal, but sometimes it resets without a reason (with every reset the bios settings are sestored to default).

The resets come up at any time: surfing the net, writing a message, etc.

If it was RAM, it wouldn't reset BIOS settings. RAM has nothing to do with BIOS.

1.
Quote
The dual BIOS feature is manually controlled with switches on the motherboard...
well what do you mean? My motherboard doesn't have any jumpers or ANYTHING to control DualBIos. I don't like this func. because I don't know if this func. is responsible for the resets and loading the default values. If something happens automatically it sucks - there should be a message informing you what is going on on your computer. DualBios doesn't provide any info.

2.
Is it possible that PSU malfunction causes BIOS settings to reset?





Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 14, 2014, 01:32:50 am
I still think it something is overheating on the board. Video card, memory, CPU, hard drive, & maybe even the PSU will not cause the board to reset the bios.

But with the PSU that could maybe cause it. I have seen PSU go bad and lockup the motherboard. When this happens does the computer shut down or just restart?
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: versatile on February 20, 2014, 05:32:24 pm
Nothing is overheating. The computer is new and everything is clean. Plus, I am using Internal Graphics now, to make sure what is going on. I have replaced the PSU. Thus the PSU is not to be blame.

Now I have noticed sth new!!

When I push the power button and I keep it pushed, after a few seconds the comp. turns off. That is the CORRECT behaviour. Every computer does it.

But after that, when I turn the power on to turn the computer on,  the computer in question says:

Quote
Dual BIOS.
The main BIOS is corrupted. The system will be recovered from the backup BIOS. [...]

Why the heck the bios is corrupt after pushing and keeping he power on button ??? No such problem on other computers. See for yourself on your machines... ;)



thanks for you interest folks

Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 21, 2014, 12:00:14 am
When you hold in the power button that is one step you use to reset the bios. Just push the button and let go.

Don't hold it in, it will do the reset every time when you do that.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: Coral on February 21, 2014, 11:16:33 am
When you hold in the power button that is one step you use to reset the bios. Just push the button and let go.

Is this a Gigabyte MOBO feature ?  I have never came across this before.
Holding the power button more than 4 seconds (if set in the bios) shoud just turn off your machine. You normally do this when you are locked and have no other option to turn your machine off.
It could be that doing a forced reset causes the dualbios to "think" that the primary bios has been corupted. Please consider this as a thought not a diagnosis.
I would suggest to turn off the PC in the normal way. If you experince this behaviour for no apparent reason, it is likely that the board is defective.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: versatile on February 21, 2014, 01:20:06 pm
Quote
Just push the button and let go

I know to push the button and let it go  :D. I did that as a test, didn't know what would happen...

Quote
When you hold in the power button that is one step you use to reset the bios.

Never heard of ...
How do you know that? Where from?
I have looked through the BIOS settings and found no info on that.

What is more, I have another computer with GigaByte MOBO from 2009 and it just turns off when holding the power button. So, how do you know that? How do you know that a number of GigaByte's motherboards use DualBios after holding the power buttom?

 ???

To be precise, I take the following steps
1. The computer is off
2. I push and hold the power button
3. The diodes blink and comp. shuts down after a few seconds (4 or 5)
4. I push the power button to start the comp.
5. The diodes blink for a few seconds and comp. shuts down
6. I push the power button to start the comp. again
7. The dualbios message comes up: The main bios is corrupted. The system will be recovered from the back up bios [...]



This only happens while using the computer in question. The other one that I have with GigaByte motherboard just turns off and do not recover the bios.


Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 21, 2014, 03:16:32 pm
That was put up here many times that if push in the power button. Hold the button in at start up.

Till the computer started & shut down it could reset the bios. Now what you said that you are doing to shut down the computer.

That is something different. I have shut down many computers that way and never have that happen.

I have to laugh at what you said about the book. Years ago the book would tell you everything. Today it is a joke what is in the book.

If it is doing it when you trying to shut it down. Then you have something wrong with the bios. I would be talking to the people where I got or Gigabyte support. 
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: Coral on February 21, 2014, 05:38:26 pm
If you are not getting any beeps at all, then it is very much probable that the BOBO is faulty. A common fault could be a capacitor that is produceing an intermittent spike. Whaever it is, I am shure that the board is difctive.

If you havn't done it; remove all the additional boards which you have installed. Just leave 1 stick of RAM to test and try again. If it happens again change the stick and try again. Untill you have tested all the RAM individually. If it happens again, take the MOBO back.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: versatile on February 21, 2014, 08:46:14 pm
That was put up here many times that if push in the power button. Hold the button in at start up.

Till the computer started & shut down it could reset the bios. 

never heard of. Would you mind showing one?
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 21, 2014, 09:04:44 pm
Here is links to what I'm talking about: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,12165.0.html

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=697533
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: versatile on February 22, 2014, 10:01:37 pm
@dmdilks

seems you are right. But it is not a clever solution. If the button gets stuck the bios loads the backup version! Weird. I have an old case and If push the button strongly forward it may get stuck.

What is more, it says 'The main bios is corrupted. The system will be recovered from ...'. It is not true because the main bios is not corrupted, it is fine, I just kept the power button too long and it is loading the backup bios.

Lousy solution, correct?

Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 22, 2014, 10:42:07 pm
If you are having problems with the power button does it have reset button on the case too.

Just use the reset button for the power button if you can. They both work the same.
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: shadowsports on February 23, 2014, 05:36:35 pm
When you hold in the power button that is one step you use to reset the bios. Just push the button and let go.

Is this a Gigabyte MOBO feature ?  I have never came across this before.
Holding the power button more than 4 seconds (if set in the bios) shoud just turn off your machine. You normally do this when you are locked and have no other option to turn your machine off.
It could be that doing a forced reset causes the dualbios to "think" that the primary bios has been corupted. Please consider this as a thought not a diagnosis.
I would suggest to turn off the PC in the normal way. If you experince this behaviour for no apparent reason, it is likely that the board is defective.



Coral,
I tend to agree with your statements.  

In my experience I have seen 2 options for Power Button Operation in the majority of BIOS'

1. Power Off After 4 sec
2. Power Off Immediately

However, Since I don't have a Gigabyte based board yet, I'm not certain of their implementation.

The board I'm considering has switches to control which BIOS the board will start from.  I assumed all of them worked this way, but later found that earlier models with 67, 61, 58 series chipsets for example have dual BIOS, but no switches to designate which BIOS the board will use to start.  

I'm deferring to you and dmdilks in this case as I have no way to verify operation.  I assume this is documented somewhere?  dmdilks has a great deal of experience with these boards for sure.    
Title: Re: Dual Bios iniciate without a reason
Post by: dmdilks on February 23, 2014, 10:57:01 pm

The board I'm considering has switches to control which BIOS the board will start from.  I assumed all of them worked this way, but later found that earlier models with 67, 61, 58 series chipsets for example have dual BIOS, but no switches to designate which BIOS the board will use to start.  
   

Yes not all the board have a bios switch. I wish they did because I have a Evga board that does. It has 3 bios and the #1 was corrupt.

I Had to load windows on the 2nd bios to fix it. Once I got into windows I switch the bios from 2 to 1 and then updated the bios.

Now all 3 bios on this Evga board are working again. That is a really nice feature too. I don't think that is written in stone about the power button.

I think it is a 50 / 50 chance to get the backup bios to think the main bios is corrupt. There is some people that can't get it work.