Official GIGABYTE Forum
Questions about GIGABYTE products => Motherboards with AMD processors => Topic started by: Cyurunus on June 12, 2011, 12:52:18 am
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Whenever I try to boot my PC (a new build), it sometimes starts and sometimes doesn't. What I mean by this is that the computer displays the splash screen and then hangs (though the POST seems to be good), while it sometimes can boot fully. Someone advised me to check the memory and power supply, which I did. I changed the power supply and the same issue persisted.
I've also swapped the video cards, reseated everything, etc. I can also note that none of the devices such as keyboards work when the computer freezes at the splash screen, so I cannot get into the BIOS. Every time that the system boots successfully, it fails on the next boot. I would say that the computer is working 1/10 of the time.
System specs:
Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 rev. 3.1
Corsair GS600 PSU
8GB DDR3 1333 9-9-9-9-24 Corsair XMS3
Radeon 5830
Phenom II X4 955
750GB WD Caviar Black
ASUS DVD Burner
ASUS Xonar DX
I'm just wondering if the motherboard is defective or if something else is wrong. Is it best to RMA or are there other fixes?
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Hi
First thing is does you motherboard's BIOS version support your processor ?
Have you got the latest BIOS version loaded ?
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I'm not sure how I can check the BIOS version at this point. I think it's FA though, because I have rev 3.1 and that's just the stock version that ships with the motherboard. I'm not sure though.
And yes, the CPU I'm using is supported. I haven't touched the BIOS either, although I've managed to begin the installation of Windows 7 x64.
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The next thing to try is to clear 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 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.
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Would placing a jumper on the CMOS reset pins work? Or should I just remove the battery anyway?
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PLease do it exactly as explained. There is no short cut to do it properly.
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Well, it boots up to a CMOS checksum error screen [as usual when resetting the CMOS]. I select the "default" setting, then it proceeds to reboot where it hangs up again [no ability to select the BIOS, etc. even with the POST being alright]. This has happened before to me, so I think it's probably related to the motherboard/BIOS.
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Hello,
Many times a checksum error can be caused by a weak battery..Not always though..They are very low cost and can be picked up at either a drug store or walmarts..It's worth the try..Then reset it just as DM suggested..
Goodluck
jolphil
Edit: Try to handle the new battery so as to not leave fingerprints on it..You can use a little alcohol and a cotton swab to wipe it clean.
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If it is any help the battery you need as a replacement is a CR2032.
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I did pull the battery out for about three hours. Should I replace this battery still?
Also, if it doesn't work even after that, what should I do?
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Hi there,
this could be a BIOS issue and I have encountered similar symptoms with the new GA-990FXA-UD5 motherboard I am currently testing and reviewing.
If you can actually get into BIOS load Optimised Defaults save and reboot, go back into BIOS and then just set the SATA controllers for your HDD as appropriate. It is a good idea to use a different controller for your DVD drive and set that one to IDE. Also disable the Show Full Screen Logo option as this will allow you to see what is going on during POST.
I haven't got to the bottom of the problems I am encountering yet but, as I mentioned previously, I am thinking that the BIOS is at fault and as your board is one of the new Rev 3.1 AM3+ boards this could be why you are also having problems.
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Hi there,
this could be a BIOS issue and I have encountered similar symptoms with the new GA-990FXA-UD5 motherboard I am currently testing and reviewing.
If you can actually get into BIOS load Optimised Defaults save and reboot, go back into BIOS and then just set the SATA controllers for your HDD as appropriate. It is a good idea to use a different controller for your DVD drive and set that one to IDE. Also disable the Show Full Screen Logo option as this will allow you to see what is going on during POST.
I haven't got to the bottom of the problems I am encountering yet but, as I mentioned previously, I am thinking that the BIOS is at fault and as your board is one of the new Rev 3.1 AM3+ boards this could be why you are also having problems.
Ah thanks. I'll try to tinker around and see, because it does manage to work once in a while. Should I try to update the BIOS after I load the optimized settings? Or should I send it back to have it fixed if the problems persist?
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If you can get into BIOS then I would update it first (the latest version is FD) and can be downloaded from here: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3786&dl=1#bios
I would suggest that you flash BIOS using the FLASHSPI.EXE method rather than trying to use @BIOS. Hopefully the updated BIOS will solve your issues.
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The strange thing I've discovered is that when I move around the power cables [reseating them], the computer sometimes manages to boot alright. But on the next boot, it doesn't work again. And this goes for both the power supplies I've tried.
I've still yet to get in the qflash function to get the BIOS updating working...I'll update ASAP.
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Absic actually suggested using FLASHSPI as opposed to @BIOS or QFlash so I presume he has a reason for advising this.
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Yes, Gigabyte recommend using @BIOS or FLASHSPI on the download page check here: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3786&dl=1#bios which may be due to a similar issue faced on the Intel side when they released the newer motherboards and advised against using QFlash for some BIOS updates.
When faced with these 2 options I would always recommend using FLASHSPI rather than @BIOS as I have seen too many boards bricked by the latter method. :o
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I would certainly agree with that absic. The Intel issue as far as I understand it was a one off and basically to do with the initial BIOS code being wrongly written which made updating with QFlash impossible the first time. Once flashed it was business as usual and back to using QFlash again.
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The Intel issue as far as I understand it was a one off and basically to do with the initial BIOS code being wrongly written which made updating with QFlash impossible the first time. Once flashed it was business as usual and back to using QFlash again.
Yes, I wondered about that, especially as the new AM3+ boards are now using the larger BIOS chips and I thought it might be due to similar BIOS issue in the first instance but resolved after the first update.
EDIT: If you are not sure how to go about updating BIOS using the FLASHSPI method, Lsdmeasap has written a good BIOS flashing guide here: http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/27576-bios-flashing-how-qflash-guide.html that goes through the steps.
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The Intel issue as far as I understand it was a one off and basically to do with the initial BIOS code being wrongly written which made updating with QFlash impossible the first time. Once flashed it was business as usual and back to using QFlash again.
Yes, I wondered about that, especially as the new AM3+ boards are now using the larger BIOS chips and I thought it might be due to similar BIOS issue in the first instance but resolved after the first update.
EDIT: If you are not sure how to go about updating BIOS using the FLASHSPI method, Lsdmeasap has written a good BIOS flashing guide here: http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/27576-bios-flashing-how-qflash-guide.html that goes through the steps.
I'm not exactly sure how you use the FlashSPI.exe file in flashing. The guide only mentioned the "870AUD33.FD" or other BIOS update file that you would use in qflash or just the @BIOS method.
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If you are not confident in flashing BIOS using the FLASHSPI method and you can get into Windows then you should use @BIOS. It would probably be the safest method for you especially if you are new to flashing BIOS.
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Right now the issue still remains that I can't get past the first part of booting [the splash screen]. I'm also unable to get into Windows. Should I just try the QFLASH function anyway?
For example--if I try to use the FLASHSPI method, I need to set the BIOS to boot from the flash drive/device I'm using. To do that I need to be able to get in the BIOS and then reboot. Whenever I reset the CMOS, the computer only manages to work that one instance after I reset the CMOS. After that, the computer hangs at the splash screen, with me unable to use any keyboard/device to make it operate. Then I'd have to reset the CMOS again which would just make flashing the BIOS impossible.
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Right now the issue still remains that I can't get past the first part of booting [the splash screen]. I'm also unable to get into Windows. Should I just try the QFLASH function anyway?
Sorry, I thought you had managed to resolve this problem and were ready to move on.
OK, when faced with POST issues such as this we need to try and discover what is halting the process. If you have gone through these steps I apologise but......
Remove the motherboard from the PC case and place it onto a cardboard box. This will help eliminate the possibility of a short causing the problem.
Reattach the buzzer, power and reset connections from the PC case to the motherboard header. Also connect the power leads to the motherboard and also to your Graphic card if it needs them.
Leave only one stick of RAM in the motherboard in the slot nearest to the CPU.
Attach the monitor lead
Now try and start the PC.
I go into greater detail of this process in the first part of this review: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,5704.0.html which should clarify any points I have missed here and this is good first step in trouble shooting any build.
Sorry about making you go backwards but we need to try and find out why the system won't start. If it's any consolation I am having similar problems with one of my systems at the moment and it is very frustrating when you can find no logical reason for things not working.
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I'm sorry if I seem a bit frustrated. Your patience is also appreciated. :)
I'll do what you suggested as soon as I can--though I still can't figure out what might be causing the problems.
If this helps: There just seems to be a problem with the I/O function of the motherboard. Power is going through to devices like the HDD/disk drives, but there is no interaction between the motherboard and any of the other ports. Like I've said, it occasionally works [very inconsistently], and there's no way of guessing when it will work. Also, here's a picture of my motherboard installed in my case [I pulled out the video card temporarily].
(http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6369/img5249p.jpg)
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Another thing that yopu just might find helpful is that when booting if you want to boot from a diffferent device such as a USB drive or CD drive etc just press F12 whist finishing POST.
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So took the system apart and I put laid it out on a cardboard box. I plugged in one stick of RAM, the video card and set up the system in the most basic format I could.
After booting up, the same problem persisted, with the computer being stuck at the splash screen. It did not respond or power the keyboard or any other components. I've basically come to the conclusion that I should RMA the board as all the other parts seem to be working fine.
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Hi there,
I have sent you a PM please check your messages.
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Can you try a different keyboard preferably PS2 ?
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quote by absic
Leave only one stick of RAM in the motherboard in the slot nearest to the CPU.
Hello,
absic did mention about removing all ram except one stick next to the CPU..The picture shows two sticks..
I have no way of knowing when this picture was taken and if you now have one or two installed..
I just wanted to point that out..
Edit
Oh My, I just read where you removed all but one stick..My apologies...
jolphil
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Actually to follow on from jolphil's comment I did notice that you had the memory sticks in the Blue slots. I don't know how important this is on these motherboards but on the Intel ones you normally have to fill the White slots first.
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No, it's blue slots on this particular motherboard DM.
Gigabyte keep changing the Slots which doesn't help much and, for example, on the GA-990FXA-UD5 the slots are now numbered from the outside of the board in towards the CPU socket.
I double checked RAM position for this board and they are in the correct slots.
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Ok, thanks for the info there absic. Very stupid idea though as it just begs people to make mistakes. :-\
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Yes, it's very frustrating and has caught me out a couple of times.
They have even changed the slot configuration for Dual Channel mode between motherboard revisions which only confuses things further. Hence my usual admonishment to check the User's Manual.
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Trying to work out what, if anything, was going on in the designer's mind when they did things like that is impossible. Maybe a total breakdown! ???
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Yes, it's very frustrating and has caught me out a couple of times.
They have even changed the slot configuration for Dual Channel mode between motherboard revisions which only confuses things further. Hence my usual admonishment to check the User's Manual.
I got confused by the manual for rev 3.1 because there was a picture saying that the memory was supposed to go in 1/2 or 3/4 for dual channel. But a table below the picture showed the correct configurations.
In any case, I've been talking to the Gigabyte support and they haven't managed to respond yet. I'll update as soon as I can get a response.