Delayed write failure

[Lsdmeasap]

Sorry to hear!   So how long was it working properly?   And this is using good cables with metal locking latches correct?

You may need to RMA the board, sorry but it does sound like something may be wrong with the hard drive controller in the PCH/ICH

[Wayne]

G'day,
Its been working ok since a day or so after my last post on Feb 3. Funny thing this board (if that's what it is). The game I tried to install arrived loose in the jacket with scratches on it, so consequently DWF's all over the place and not an entirely unexpected result. So I thought that I would try a copy (purely as a back up you understand) of the disk with my cloner software.  The copy disk is the one that worked fine on my old Intel mobo pc, but not on the giga.  Not only did I get DWF's, but also access denied messages, and just about every other sort of message under the sun lol. I'm going to try an install on my other half's pc with the original scratched disk and the copy disk out of curiosity. I'll let you know what it gets up to. I've tried various cables on the mobo, all seem to work ok. The cables in the pc at the moment are the supplied giga with locking latches. Oh, and after the trouble with the backup disk last night I installed AoEIII just fine. Go figure. I'll speak to you soon.
Cheers. 

[Lsdmeasap]

How about other disks, do they work OK?   If you are only seeing this now on game or software install disks, then it might just be the disks themselves or an issue with the CD/DVD burner.

[Wayne]

I'm hoping you might be on the money, but I installed the game on the scratched disk on my wife's pc and it installed ok whereas no way on the giga. I also installed an old total war game I have today as well and it installed ok. I'm getting a replacement for the scratched disk and I'll try it out when I receive it. I also bought a new DVD drive just in case but the DWF's still occurred so have ruled that out. I think I must have the most finicky mobo I've ever seen lol. Anyway, will let you know of my progress when the new disk arrives.
Cheers.

[Lsdmeasap]

Well if you are only getting this from disk installs then it could be the disks or the CD/DVD drive, even if one drive reads a disk OK that doesn't mean that all other drives will

Try out your new CD/DVD drive on the old disk too, then on the new one (Or just download ISO and install, then you'll know it's either the disk or the CD/DVD drive)

[Wayne]

Hi, again,
I've tried out the CD/DVD drives on the scratched disks. I get DWF's on both. So I tried out the copy of the scratched disk on both CD/DVD drives, same result. I'm waiting for the new disk to arrive but I don't hold out much hope for not getting any DWF's. The reason I'm not optomistic is that I've been downloading updates from Steam for the past couple of days ok, until today. During today's updates I started getting DWF's again, this on the new HDD. Also while trying to install some other update material to one of my flight sims more DFW's while downloading from the internet. Also DWF's after downloading to my wife's pc and transferring it across our network to my pc. The same DWF's while trying to install from a usb stick. I'm thinking  of trying to RMA this board now as the problems with it are just too erratic. Good idea do you think.
Cheers. 
 

[Lsdmeasap]

What port do you have your hard drive connected to? 

Be sure you have your OS disk connected to the Intel 6Gb/s port (SATA3_0 White), not the Marvell ports

[Wayne]

It is connected to the Intel 6Gb/s SATA 3_0 port, not the Marvell. It's not the end of the world, but this would have to be the most frustrating build I've ever done lol. 
Cheers.

[Lsdmeasap]

Great to hear!!   I was just checking to be sure

Sorry a bout all these hassles!   So you're sure it's not the hard drive itself?  Have you tested with another hard drive, or tested that drive with testing tools?  And you're sure it has nothing to do with memory, tested with Memtest86+ for extended period?  Sorry if you've answered this, I'm short on time and in a hurry so I can't go back and look right now.

[Wayne]

I can't test the drive with the testing tools I have as the pc will not let me install hdtune either over our local network or from a usb stick (DWF's). I also received a new perfect copy of the original scratched game disk, but no go, just DWF's all over again. I do think I should see if I can RMA this mobo, it's just not worth the time it has taken to get nowhere. Your thoughts?
Cheers.

[Wayne]

Just a little more info. I tried to install hd tune again from the net as i couldn't it install any other way, but all I got were DWF's again while using my browser. I have RestoreIT, so was able to go back to a restore point and download hdtune. I ran an error scan, the results were all green, no damaged sectors. Benchmark test showed transfer rate minimum 49.4Mb/sec, maximum 139.5Mb/sec, average 105.9Mb/sec, access time 16.4ms, burst rate 130.5Mb/sec. 
Cheers.   

[Wayne]

More to digest,
I tried reloading MW Call of Duty 4, which was on the pc earlier and working fine. Besides the fact that it took over an hour to install!, right at the end I get DWF's, Stream errors and goodness knows what. This is the most confusing cpu/mobo combo i've ever run across.
Cheers.

[Dark Mantis]

I think that I would have to advise RMAing the motherboard and if it isn't that at least you will be sure one way or the other then. It all seems to be pointing that way anyway.

[Lsdmeasap]

But, did you test with another hard drive yet?  It may be that drive still, even though it's not showing any errors.

I would test with another hard drive, either as a spare / secondary drive, or install windows on another drive for testing and see what happens.  I'd actually do that anyway, just in case your current windows install is messed up or some driver is messed up causing this.  If you do not have another drive you can test with, I would find one for sure before you send anything off.   Testing a clean install on your current disk might be good as well, but I'd definitely test a clean install on a completely different drive as well.

Then if no luck I'd RMA, but I wouldn't do it without doing the above mentioned testing first just to be sure you are not wasting your time RMA'n a working board.

[Dark Mantis]

Good point Lsdmeasap but I was under the impression that he had tested the drive previously. Maybe I was wrong there. Certainly should be done before anything else.