GA-P67A-UD4-B3 Post loop when adding sound card to PCI x1 slot

[Shatmusket]

No matter what I do, if I add my new (PCI-E x1) HT Omega eClaro sound card to any of the PCI-E x1 slots, the machine will do nothing but post loop. When I put it in the 2nd PCI x16 (referring this as x8 from here) slot, it works just fine. If I add a USB 3.0 host card to those PCI-E x1 slots, they work fine.

This probably isn't a HUGE deal, but I wanted to use the sound card in a x1 slot with the option to run SLI down the road if I decide. While the sound card is in x8 slot, my vid card goes down to 8x. Again probably not a big deal, its a GTX460. Performance difference is nearly nothing.

I am running F3 bios. Clearing the CMOS doesn't help. Even with cleared cmos, it still goes into post loop hell. Then I move to the x8 slot, and it boots fine, I can then get into BIOS and make my changes.

On one hand I think it may be the sound card, but the post loop thing always brings me back to faulty motherboard bios. I struggled with the original bios and post loop.
The ASUS versions of this sound card (same chip, C-Media) have power connectors. Could this be a power issue?

Any thoughts?

Let me know if I need to list system specs.... and thanks in advance!

Edit: This sound card is amazing btw

Edit2: I wanna love this motherboard and sound card but post loop is REALLY annoying.

i5 2500K (@stock for now)
Corsair Vengeance PC1600 (PC1333) (1.5v)
Corsair HX850

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

There seems to be a fair few issues with these PCIE x1 sound cards. Have you tried installing the drivers before inserting the card into the slot ? Sometimes this works better for soundcards.

As you say the reality of using your grahics card in an x8 slot it not problematic but that isn't the point. I can't think of any reason why the card shouldn't work in the x1 slot as opposed to the faster slot. 

[Shatmusket]

Hi

There seems to be a fair few issues with these PCIE x1 sound cards. Have you tried installing the drivers before inserting the card into the slot ? Sometimes this works better for soundcards.

Ya, I was able to load the drivers while it was in the x8 slot, never removed them. Didn't help, motherboard won't post while in any of the x1 slots. It wants to fire up, but just shuts down then automatically fires up again in an endless loop. No BIOS screen or anything.

As you say the reality of using your grahics card in an x8 slot it not problematic but that isn't the point. I can't think of any reason why the card shouldn't work in the x1 slot as opposed to the faster slot.  

Yes, it's quite a bummer, the onboard sound on this motherboard is QUITE good but still not quite up to dedicated standards. I'm close to returning this sound card to newegg but it really is fantastic.

[Dark Mantis]

The only thing I can think is that it is down to the BIOS code. I would suggest that you contact GGTS and tell them and maybe they can come up with something.

Just enter your email address and click on the language of choice.
GGTS   http://ggts.gigabyte.com/

[Shatmusket]

I'm getting ready to call them now, I have an open ticket from when I first got this motherboard and had post loop on factory BIOS.

I don't want anything ASUS, they let me down recently. So I really want this setup to work. Post loop doesn't seem exclusive to GB.

[Shatmusket]

Reported. Hopefully they can find the answer. They're going to do some testing with my model sound card, so that's good. So far I'm really pleased with GB tech support. Much better than ASUS

[Dark Mantis]

Agreed! That is one of Asus's biggest let downs.

[Shatmusket]

Anyone know what the latest revision is for this board? I have 1.1

[Dark Mantis]

1.1 is the only revision for this board so far.

[Shatmusket]

A reviewer at Newegg says that there are B3 boards that have this post loop problem and some don't at all. Says his loop problem was fixed by RMAing the board.

[Dark Mantis]

Sorry not something I have come across over here. There have always been boards with looping problems usually when overclocked but I haven't seen any more with the new boards.

[Shatmusket]

Ya, the only thing I'm overclocking is my memory, using XMP profile from 1333 to 1600. I guess I didn't really load fail safe bios profile before trying x1 slots. Maybe I'll give that a shot.

[Shatmusket]

Thanks for your help BTW.

[Dark Mantis]

You are welcome but I wouldn't load Fail Safe Defaults as they are very basic. I would sugggest Optimised BIOS Defaults would be more likely to work.

[Shatmusket]

Ya, that's what I did after thinking about it. Didn't help.