New build problems with Gigabyte EP43-S3L

[pfalcini]

Hi

I have just done a rebuild using a Gigabyte EP43-S3L with an E7400 C2D, 2Gb of Corsair Dominator 8500 and a Silver Power SP-SS500 PSU. I am re-using an HIS X1950 GPU. OS is XP Home

The machine is very unstable with graphics crashing frequently and on Steam games only software rendering will work.

On the Intelligent Tweaker page of the BIOS when the Robust Graphics Booster is selected there is a message in the Item Help window that reads as follows "Warning: VGA graphics card is not guaranteed to operate normally" This is in red. It is there regardless of the Robust Graphics Booster setting.

Are there any BIOS setting that would get things right and remove this message and hopefully sort out the machine.

Latest ATI drivers are installed and Direct X updated. I have tried an X800 instead and that works well and I have tested the X1950 in another machine and it seems fine. I have tested the voltage of the PCI-E power plug and that seems good too.

 

[pfalcini]

I have now tried a different PSU and a different harddrive with fresh Windows install and it still has the BIOS warning message and the problems are the same.

Anyone got any other ideas? I think it must be the mobo, possibly a fault on the PCI-E 16x slot. Any way of testing that you can think of?.

 

[FlorinR]

Have you tried to clear CMOS ?

 

[pfalcini]

Yes, I took the battery out, no change

 

[bilbat]

Are you overclocking at all? If so, you need to set your PCIe clock to 100, or 101, and not leave it at 'auto'; also, have you done a 'Load Optimized Defaults' prior to any other BIOS settings?

 

[pfalcini]

bilbat

There is no overclock on it as I did not get that far. I have tried both Optimised Defaults and Fail Safe Defaults

 

[bilbat]

The red BIOS warning is standard in all 'd' series MOBOs, remains there no matter what is selected, and, as far as I can tell, means nothing. (I'm working on learning to speak and read Mandarin, but I think one must be able to 'think in' Chinese to make sense of some of this stuff...) The 'auto' setting should work.

I have had no luck at GB searching for a GA-EP43-S3L; if it's functionally the same as the DS3L (one PCIe slot), obviously, swapping PCIe slots is out; I'd try three things: as I mentioned, set the "PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)" to 100 on the "MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)" page, rather than auto; try the "PCI Express Clock Drive" at 900Mv; and, on the "Advanced BIOS Features" page, ensure that "CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)", "C2/C2E State Support", "C4/C4E State Support", and "CPU EIST Function" are all disabled, and "Init Display First" is set to "PEG".

 

[pfalcini]

I think I have found the problem.

Following advice on another forum I tested the X1950 with Furmark on the other machine and it would not run more than 90secs. Also the fur doughnut displayed an artifact that made it look like it was on a stick. Sadly looks like I need a new card.

Valuable lesson learned use benchmarking tools rather than everyday use to test components

Thanks for all your input.

 

[bilbat]

Indeed, good diagnostic programs are a godsend - good place to find the latest list:
http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/latest-overclocking-programs-system-info-benchmarking-stability-tools-30530/

 

[ionman1394]

I have had no luck at GB searching for a GA-EP43-S3L; if it's functionally the same as the DS3L (one PCIe slot), obviously, swapping PCIe slots is out; I'd try three things: as I mentioned, set the "PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)" to 100 on the "MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)" page, rather than auto; try the "PCI Express Clock Drive" at 900Mv; and, on the "Advanced BIOS Features" page, ensure that "CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)", "C2/C2E State Support", "C4/C4E State Support", and "CPU EIST Function" are all disabled, and "Init Display First" is set to "PEG".

Wow thanks alot bilbat I was having the same issue and tried these settings you mentioned and it is now working. Great work thanks.