Ex58-Extreme Stability Issues

[Norm@Home]

Hey All,

I'd previously posted regarding this board, you can see the thread here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261089-30-gigabyte-ex58-extreme-posting

I did rma the board to Gigabyte and they sent me back the exact same board (they did not include any paperwork to tell me what if anything they found wrong).

I just put the system together, it consists of a Gigabyte Ex58-Extreme, an Intel Boxed Core I7 950, an OCZ triple channel 6 GB memory kit (OCZ3X1600LV6GK), a GeForce 9800GT, an OCZ 850watt PSU (OCZ850GXSSLI), a Pioneer SATA DVD burner, a Segate 7200.12 500gb SATA hard drive in a Lian-Li PC-A6010 case. Btw, I did run the "Load Optimized Defaults" in the bios and I've made no changes to any of the default Bios settings.

Over a three day period I was able to load Vista Ultimate x64, the Gigabyte drivers and applications CD, plus pretty much all the applications that I usually use on most of my systems all without any noticeable problems. The system did hang and become unresponsive once when I was running Microsoft Update but after a cold boot I was able to rerun Microsoft Update and it finished without any further problems. However, all of a sudden I noticed if I ran more than a couple applications or tried to copy any significant amount of data to or from the system it would stall and become unresponsive.

To try and narrow down the problem I started by running Memtest86+ 3.5 but it only got 7% of the way through the first pass when Memtest apparently hung without reporting any bad memory.

Would the memory I'm using have problems using the default bios timings etc? Any ideas?

- Norm

 

[r_manic]

I don't think so, since the memory is set to default. What you can do though is test another set of memory on your returned motherboard. I'd also suggest contacting Gigabyte and demanding for additional info.

 

[Norm@Home]

I'm embarrassed to say that I'd written a whole first message and then accidentally clicked on a link at the bottom of the page and was redirected to some Verizon website and when I clicked back I lost the whole text of the message so I had to rewrite it and I'm afraid at midnight I was tired and left a couple things out the second time around:

When I reassembled the system I went back to using the Coolermaster heatsink instead of the stock Intel heatsink and when I looked at the EasyTune software the system seemed to be running at normal temperatures, only a few degrees warmer than my Core2Duo E6750 so I don't think this is any type of overheating problem.

- Norm

 

[Norm@Home]

I decided to try and test the system with MemTest86 3.5 and the test got about 7% done and then the system locked, no bad memory reported, no blue screen just locked. I called OCZ and talked to tech support and they first recommended switching from the bios default to XMP profile 1 (8-8-8-24) but MemTest86 did exactly the same thing.

Their next suggestion was to try a single stick at a time and see if there was a bad stick and this turned up something rather disturbing. The first bank of memory (the white slots) are labeled in the manual slots 1, 3 and 5. For the sake of this explanation lets call the sticks of memory A, B and C. At first I removed the sticks of memory from slots 3 and 5 and then tried MemTest86 and the test completed with no errors and without locking. However when I tried adding either stick B or C to slot 3 and running MemTest86 and the test started to run but then the system rebooted itself.

Next I tried stick B in slot 1 and again MemTest86 ran and completed without locking and without any errors. Then whenever I add stick A or C to slot 3 the same thing happens where the system reboots when MemTest86 is run.

What conclusions would you draw from this? Is the socket bad or is is some other problem?

As I'd mentioned, due to what I thought were problems with this board I've already RMA'd it to Gigabyte and they returned the same board to me. (I know because it's got the same serial number) If the socket is bad why didn't Gigabyte turn this up during testing of the board when they had it in their possession? What guarantee do I have if I RMA this again that they won't just send it back to me again?

How would you deal with Gigabyte on this issue?

- Norm

 

[GhislainG]

Would the motherboard work with modules in slots 1 and 5 (3 being empty) or a single module in slot 3?

 

[Norm@Home]

As per your idea, I just tried sticks A and B in slots 1 and 5 (remember that stick B has tested good all by itself in slot 1) and I have the same problem where Memtest86 starts and gets a very few percent done and the system reboots.

I then removed stick A from slot 1, leaving stick B in slot 5 and tried MemTest86 again and the test passed that stick without any problems in that slot.

I've never in my life seen this confusing a problem: Any single stick is good in any single slot but add another stick (that tests fine by itself in any single slot) in any of the other two slots and the system crashes during the memory test?

Can anyone make anything out of this insanity?

- Norm

 

[GhislainG]

It looks like you are using memory modules that are not fully compatible with that motherboard. Are they on the QVL or certified by OCZ to work properly with the Gigabyte Ex58-Extreme? Can you try modules from another vendor (preferably modules on the QVL)? Gigabyte tested your motherboard with memory modules that are known to work fine (and they probably were 1333 MHz, not 1600 MHz). You could certainly ask them what modules were used to test it.

 

[Norm@Home]

This is the only computer that I have that uses DDR3, all my other systems use DDR2.

I spoke to OCZ and gave them the part number of the kit that I'm using as well as the model number of the Gigabyte motherboard and the support technician didn't say anything about any know compatibility issues so I'll have to call them again on Monday to check.

- Norm

 

[ion_tribe]

Try your memory in 2-4-6 slots, as it is intended to be

Anyway, do not use windows update or be extremely selective about updates, because their driver selection is awful, messed my system twice...

 

[Norm@Home]

Sorry but that was partially what my initial thread was about, with the memory in slots 2, 4 and 6 I got no video and the system wouldn't post. (there's a link in my first message in this thread to it) There was some disagreement among the people responding but one person said that slots 2, 4 and 6 were not the proper slots for the memory and pointed to the diagram in the manual saying that the white colored slots (what I'm using now) was bank one and where the memory should be installed. On the other hand BillBat (who I gather is a frequent poster here) indicated that he thought it shouldn't matter and the vague response I got from Gigabyte technical support could be taken to support that view.

I usually never allow Microsoft Update to install drivers on any of my systems as I've seen exactly the problem that you are referring to. Usually when I see that MS is suggesting any type of hardware update I then go to the manufacturers web site and get their latest and install that, if there is an update available.

- Norm

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

Im acually having the same problem. I just got my system and put it together, same Mobo/CPU. When i hit the power button it turns on fans and led's. the phase led's go from a green to yellow to red. And the system just sits there with nothing on the monitor. im not even getting signal to the monitor. so same problem. Im thinking about having newegg replace my mobo. would it be worth the time to send it back, or should i just wait to see whats wrong with norms' system. sounds like we got the same problem.

 

[GhislainG]

Your problem seems to be different; Norm's system works fine with a single memory module. Does your system POST with a single memory module?

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

What do you mean post? im trying it with 1, 2gb card in slot 1. i can hear the hard drive start and my fans/led's come on but my monitor doesnt get anything and it doesnt send power to my keyboard. could it be the fact that the keyboard is a usb input?

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

I also have 2 lights right next to my power button the top is green and the bottom is red. i dont know if that helps. This is my first build and im getting a bit of help from my buddy who does this for a living. i have tried taking out the proccessor, nothing. tried no ram, nothing. then tried no hard drive, nothing. after that i tried just motherboard with video card. nothing. this is just weird.

 

[GhislainG]

Your problem might be a defective motherboard, a power cable isn't connected (people sometimes fail to connect the CPU ATX cable) or the motherboard shorts out to the case. If the motherboard doesn't have an onboard piezo, is a speaker connected?

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

its got one of those little speakers that plugs in right next to the power switch/hd led/all that stuff. and when i start it it doesnt post.

 

[GhislainG]

You didn't forget to connect the 8-pin ATX CPU cable? At a minimum the motherboard should beep if the video card or memory are not installed.

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

there is no 8 pin on my psu. it has a 24 pin socket. thats ok right? it also has a 4 pin thats a square and a ton of molex 4 pins. does it need an 8 pin.

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

I forgot to tell you that the psu is 550w. Im getting a new one its a corsair and its 1000 watts.

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

alright. i just took it out of the case to see if it was shorted out and put it on the box and set it up. it blinked all the led's on and then shut off in like 1/2 second. so i thought i must have put the wires in wrong so i took them all off and took extra special care not to forget any or not to put them in like 1/2 way. it did it again. am i going to have to get a new mobo?

 

[GhislainG]

What's installed? The CPU and HSF, one memory module and the video card only? The CPU fan is connected to the CPU Fan header?

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

yep and it dont work

 

[GhislainG]

If the power supply is good, then you most likely have a defective motherboard.

 

[KILLERLLAMA]

yea the power supply is fine. brand new. i will send back the motherboard and get a new one. thanks for the help. another question. do i need power going into my video card or can it pull power off the motherboard. i have a radeon 4830. it has a power input but my power supply doesnt have the 6 pin input for it. could that be the problem?

 

[GhislainG]

i have a radeon 4830. it has a power input but my power supply doesnt have the 6 pin input for it. could that be the problem?

Use an adaptor (one might have been supplied with the video card and apply power to it. They look like http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999018&Tpk=pcie%206-pin%20power%20cable.