New build stopped working

[TheViking]

Ok, so I built a new pc, let me list the parts.

Gigabyte P43 DS3L motherboard, flashed to latest bios.
Pentium dual core E2180
A data ddr2 800 ram
ati 4850
antec 650w power supply

So, I overclocked the processor to 3.00ghz and it ran fine a couple days, but a few weird things happened such as the pc would freeze up and then reboot or just suddenly lose video and reboot. Sometimes when starting up it would take a longer than normal time to go through the post screens, and sometimes there would be a very long wait on a black screen before the vista login in screen would come up.

Then today I noticed my processor had reverted to stock speed again after a failed boot, (pc shut off and restarted a few times on it's own trying to boot) and so I went ahead and booted to vista, shut the pc down and upon starting it back up, it now gives the normal post beep, gives me the bios splash screen, and then video signal cuts out and it reboots to repeat the process.

It really seems to take longer than it should to give video from the time it posts as well, compared to other builds I've had. I just am wondering if this means the cpu is damaged, or if I need to rma the motherboard? What things should I try to do? I don't have a jumper for the cmos pins, can I short them out with a screwdriver to reset?

Help please.

 

[rabidbunny]

you can always pull the battery out of the motherboard. Leave it out for a few mins and then pop it back in. That'll clear the bios.

 

[TheViking]

I did that, and was able to get the computer to boot, but now I still have an issue. After the post and bios screens, there is over a 1 minute wait before the vista logo screen comes up. It just takes forever and I've built two other pcs recently that were not anywhere near this long. I notice the hdd light flashes once every second or two during this time. I have not run a full hard drive test but it runs fast and smooth once it boots up, any ideas on what could be causing this?

It also seems to hang for a second in the bios screen when it says "verifying dmi data" but it always says success on that and moves on. Other pcs just go right past this quickly.

 

[random_2]

viking
I'm not 100% sure what your default RAM voltage is on the DS3L but I think it might be 1.8v. Depending on the exact model of Adata DDR2-800 memory you have it may require 2-2.1v to run properly.
Since you can at least boot, getting into the BIOS shouldn't be a problem
Not saying this is it for sure, but sounds like it might be.
Good luck

 

[ZootyGray]

If it clears post

Check HDD. I don't know Whishta - but in XP I had a similar issue with long delays even tho things worked - and post etc was ok - the problem occurred in windoze.

I ran CHECKDISK w Full SURFACE SCAN which occurs on reboot. In XP chkdsk command can be run in F8 choose /safemode, if that will boot. Command "chkdsk /?" will give syntax to force full srfc scan - this is the economical fix.

Try that - if no fix - format and install Wishta. Maybe not - is it your windoze that runs "fast and smooth" ?

Other possibles re BIOS - if you don't know much about bios settings that can be awkward. Deliberately set what you know is true - stay out of oclox until you resolve this.

It's also possible you blew it up. But the crashes may have disturbed windoze or boot sector etc. try chkdsk first.

Also you bios reset might default to hardware u don't have - init problems, resources. irq's - if you have some other pci-card installed, move to different pci-slot. or remove it for now.

 

[rabidbunny]

viking
I'm not 100% sure what your default RAM voltage is on the DS3L but I think it might be 1.8v. Depending on the exact model of Adata DDR2-800 memory you have it may require 2-2.1v to run properly.
Since you can at least boot, getting into the BIOS shouldn't be a problem
Not saying this is it for sure, but sounds like it might be.
Good luck

Double check your ram voltage. I had to bump up my ram from 1.8v to 2.0v in order to install windows when I built my rig. You might need to do that too. I have the older, DS3 rev. 1.0 so give that a try first.

 

[TheViking]

Thank you all for your replies thus far!

Ok so, I found out that the reason it wouldn't boot is that my usb hard drive was plugged in, strangely enough it boots up with that unplugged. I did make sure it's not even set as a boot up choice so I don't really get that.. But no big deal on that I don't care.

The "verifying dmi data" issue has went away it seems and that was that it was looking for a floppy drive which I don't have, so I disabled that in the bios.

The one remaining problem I have is the long delay in getting the vista login prompt from a black screen before it, and also that my processor overclocks will not hold. It will run maybe half a day and then reboot and go back to stock speed.

For the people suggesting upping the ram voltage. Here is a newegg link to my ram http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211188, and it states that it should be 1.8v, which is my board's default and its running at that. I did disable all the "throttle down cpu" power saving features in the bios. What I am noticing is that on antoher build which was the p35 ds3l, it lists the overclocking options a little different.

If anyone can help me with the exact overclocking settings I would appreciate it. Here's the thing, I have up to a 10x multiplier on my cpu, and I don't know whether I should use 8 or 10 if I want a 3.0gz overclock? I've tried both ways, getting the fsb to where it runs at 3.00 and then the only other change I make is the memory SPD setting. I have been just setting that to where it makes the ram run at 800 mhz, which depending on which multiplier I am using is either like 2.00 or 2.4

To ZootyGray, I will run a chkdsk right now with full scan and reboot, and check back here for more replies.

I have also tried smaller overclocks like 2.66ghz and it still does not hold it for more than a day.

Any other suggestions are welcomed and all replies appreciated, thanks!