Official GIGABYTE Forum
Questions about GIGABYTE products => Motherboards with Intel processors => Topic started by: timskrastins on November 06, 2010, 03:50:31 pm
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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.
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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.
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Thanks. Definitely using the white RAM slots.
Might have to backtrack and check out the PSU further.
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Also check the heatsink and make sure that it isn't tightened down so far as to distort the board at all.
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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.
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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.
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Nice to see you found the issue and didn't have to send off your motherboard!
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Thanks all! ...posting this from the resurrected system ;)
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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.
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Yes, very lucky that nothing else was damaged!
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Whew.
Been up and running almost 2 days straight now.
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Awesome!
Now you can finally enjoy your great Gigabyte board, sorry you had all these hassles!
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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!
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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?
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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?
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If it is shorting to the case via the motherboard screws then it is a faulty motherboard. The screws are supposed to make a ground contact in fact some boards rely on it.
BTW the one short followed by one long beep is a graphics card error.
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This is my first build ever so dealing with the challenges of putting things together, learning where everything plugs in, trying not to destroy components, etc was part of it...hahah.
I used the risers that came with my case and routed the cables very carefully and did a lot of work to keep things as neat as possible...it would have been very easy for some of the PSU cables to touch surfaces that I didn't want them to!
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Cables touching surfaces shouldnt make any difference as they are insulated. As long as the bare contacts didn't short to earth it would be fine. Are you sure that there wasn't any extra motherboard stands or something like that causing the short as that is the most common problem.
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Oh great. I finally get it 'working' to prove its broken?
So no choice but to RMA? Not happy!
According to the manual 1 long and 2 short is graphics card.
But thanks are due I guess.
And the water cooling heatsink is quite loosly tightened - they say no more than half a turn once you get resistance so that's what I did.
If it is shorting to the case via the motherboard screws then it is a faulty motherboard. The screws are supposed to make a ground contact in fact some boards rely on it.
BTW the one short followed by one long beep is a graphics card error.
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interestingly there are 4 punched screw stands behind the CPU area that are not used. I guess these COULD be the source of the short? worth a try I suppose. What would be a good, rasonably heat proof insulator?
Cables touching surfaces shouldnt make any difference as they are insulated. As long as the bare contacts didn't short to earth it would be fine. Are you sure that there wasn't any extra motherboard stands or something like that causing the short as that is the most common problem.
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According to the manual 1 long and 2 short is graphics card.
One short and one long is also a graphics card error code but you won't find it in the manual.
As I said in my previous post check the motherboard stands and make sure they are all in the correct position with no extra ones.
Any thin rubber or plastic sheeting should do to insulate especially to test.
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All checked, no extras that remotely touch.
put the board back in, boot loop. took it out - BIOS.
I suppose nothing left to do but return it and request a replacement.
Would be interested to know what sort of 'QA' these boards pass....
According to the manual 1 long and 2 short is graphics card.
One short and one long is also a graphics card error code but you won't find it in the manual.
As I said in my previous post check the motherboard stands and make sure they are all in the correct position with no extra ones.
Any thin rubber or plastic sheeting should do to insulate especially to test.
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All checked, no extras that remotely touch.
put the board back in, boot loop. took it out - BIOS.
So is this saying with the board in the case, it boot loops, but with the board outside of the case it does not loop and you can enter the BIOS?
If so you have a short somewhere. There should only be 9 standoffs on the motherboard tray, and they should line up exactly with the holes in the board and you need a screw in each one. If you have anymore than that remove them.
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As a confirmation you do have standoffs attached to the mounting plate that the motherboard sits on don't you. I remember another situation like this where the OP was trying to mount the motherboard directly onto the baseplate. ::)
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Yes, there are standoffs and they match up.
Any contact with the standoffs causes the problem - even laying the board in the case with no screws. I almost tested each standoff individually using bits of platic sheet, but thought that might be a little excessive/obsessive.
Have RMA'd and already got my ticket, so I'm packing it off tonight unless there's any other possible solution.
As a confirmation you do have standoffs attached to the mounting plate that the motherboard sits on don't you. I remember another situation like this where the OP was trying to mount the motherboard directly onto the baseplate. ::)
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No I would agree if what you have said is accurate then there must be something wrong with the board. Just to put my mind at rest though can you take a picture of the stands on the backplate please and post them.
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lol ok tonight whne I get home.
The stands are raised (punched) parts of the base, NOT the screw in ones. So they are a teeny bit wider in diameter - say 1mm all round. I suppose I could use non con washers on those, so only the screw head is guaranteed to earth, but it seems a bit of a hack for a board that should just work...
No I would agree if what you have said is accurate then there must be something wrong with the board. Just to put my mind at rest though can you take a picture of the stands on the backplate please and post them.
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It just sounds a bit unusual to me that there are inbuilt stands with no extra mounts to be attached first. I would just be interested to see them. ;)
What is the make and model of the case anyway?
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I would test with those Red plastic washers between the board and the case if you have any before sending off the board, as it sounds like the tray is maybe touching the board somewhere it shouldn't
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Well, your request is a little odd/sad, but then so am i :P
I have no idea what the case is - it was build for me by PCSpecialist and my order is er, on one of the hard disks currently waiting for a mobo.
So here is a piccy of it and the punched stands.
Now off to the shed to look for the right sort of washer :-\
It just sounds a bit unusual to me that there are inbuilt stands with no extra mounts to be attached first. I would just be interested to see them. ;)
What is the make and model of the case anyway?
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I don't recognise the case but that is not important anyway. The pre-pressed motherboard stands do look to be about the right height off the backplate as far as I can tell.
How many of them are there?
I know you said the system was built for you by PCSpecialist but why do you not get them to sort this problem now?
I mean if you paid them for a working system and it isn't they should sort it out for you. If it required some sort of insulation washers it should have been supplied with the case as per all the other accessories.
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PC Specialist built the original P4D system nearly 5 years ago.
My 'upgrade' is rather extreme.
Anyway I could not find any washers but instead cut double thickness strips of electrical insulation tape over each riser and punched the screws through.
Put everything back together, and it POSTed first time.
So, I guess those fat stands must have touched something they shouldn't have. Only worry I now have is that the tape can cope with the motherboard temp when OCed. Will have to keep an eye on that.
So, have rather enjoyed going through the BIOS options and am now attempting to instal W7 Pro.
I am trying to do this via a new HDD attached to the 6Gb SATA and there's another bug that apparently can make Win7 install hang this way. We shall see.
So, will monitor it and not RMA just now...
Thanks for all the help so far. Here she is, running.
I don't recognise the case but that is not important anyway. The pre-pressed motherboard stands do look to be about the right height off the backplate as far as I can tell.
How many of them are there?
I know you said the system was built for you by PCSpecialist but why do you not get them to sort this problem now?
I mean if you paid them for a working system and it isn't they should sort it out for you. If it required some sort of insulation washers it should have been supplied with the case as per all the other accessories.
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Do you still have the old motherboard? If so check on the back of it maybe there are some washers or something glued to the back of it. Failing that you can always buy some fibre washers or even make some out of an old plastic carton of kitchen waste.
All we need now is some sticky back plasic and one I made earlier and we would be set for "Blue Peter" ;D
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No, nothing on the back of the old board.
Coming to you live from the new, very fast and uncannily quiet desktop.
Thanks for all the help. Hopefully it'll be fine from now on in.
cheers
Mike
Do you still have the old motherboard? If so check on the back of it maybe there are some washers or something glued to the back of it. Failing that you can always buy some fibre washers or even make some out of an old plastic carton of kitchen waste.
All we need now is some sticky back plasic and one I made earlier and we would be set for "Blue Peter" ;D
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Yes, basically it was down to the old no name case then. Often these types of problems are the result of bad design in the first place. Still at least we managed to work our way round the problem and it's all running happily now. ;)
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Nice to hear you got this sorted out, and it was only a simple short that didn't cause any damage!