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GA-EP45-UD3L Constantly Freezing

Forum Motherboards & Memory : Gigabyte - GA-EP45-UD3L Constantly Freezing

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Hello everyone,

My computer specs:
Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3L
Core2Quad Q9400 w/ a Sunbeam Core Contact Freezer
Seagate 640GB HDD
OCZ Reapers 2x2GB 800mhz DDR2 Ram
Corsair 550W Powersupply
Nvidia GTX 260
Windows 7 build 7068

So, after I moved my computer would not boot up at all, mobo got power, all fans spinning, just nothing on the screen. After much research I took a shot in the dark and ordered a new mobo, the UD3L. Once installed, eureka! my computer booted up normally. However, I am now experiencing lots of freezing. I first noticed it during Left 4 Dead - around 3 minutes into playing I would get a hard freeze and be forced to restart. I also got a freeze while loading into Oblivion as well as on my first turn around once I actually loaded into Oblivion. Games like Crysis, Fallout 3, Mirror's Edge all appeared to be crash-free.

I am now experiencing more and more general desktop freezes, however. I will get the little blue circle for a mouse cursor and everything will stop responding until it just locks up completely and I must reset.

Given my limited knowledge of computers, my first guess would be a power supply issue. This is corroborated by this interesting fact: when I was hooking everything up in the case, the 12v connector (the one right next to the CPU) on the UD3L was about 1/3 smaller than my Corsair PSU's 12v connector - resulting in some of the PSU's connector hanging off to the side when plugged into the mobo. When I hooked it up, before booting I was extremely pessimistic that it would POST given this very odd circumstance, but it did and appeared to be working fine for a while.

What are your thoughts? I am tearing my hair out here and I seriously don't want to have to return/order a new mobo from NewEgg.

Thanks in advance, let me know if you need more info.

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Your 12v ATX connector from the Power supply is 2x4 pin connector. Look close they come apart. Use just one, either, in the 4 pin socket on the motherboard.

Check the manufacture specs for the Ram voltage. Default for you motherboard is
1.8 volts. I just looked on Newegg several of the DDR2-800 reapers require 2.1 volts.
If that is the case with your ram you will have to set System voltage to Manual and increase DDR overvolt control to +3 (that is default of 1.8+.3=2.1) System Voltage Control foun in MIT

Reply to knotknut

Have you done the (mandatory) "Load Optimized Defaults" from the BIOS since installing the system? This causes a block of 'discovery' code in the BIOS to 'read' the hardware (especially the RAM) and set all its myriad 'auto' CMOS parameters correctly...

Reply to bilbat

I have indeed run the 'Load Optimized Defaults' in the Bios, as well as bumped my RAM voltage to 2.1, both result in the same type of freezing.

This morning I set my BIOS back to what I typically use for this system - an overclock to 3.4 (425x8) as well as a voltage bump to 1.3. It booted up and didn't give me any trouble in the 15-20mins I spent with it before school, but that is hardly conclusive.

When I get home later today, I will re-attach the 12v CPU connector from the power supply and examine it more closely.

Thanks for the replies, anyone have any other insight into this particular problem?

My previous motherboard, a Biostar T-Force (TP45), ran fine for a few months and then began freezing in much the same manner, although much, MUCH less frequently (hardly EVER on most tasks/the desktop - it would most notably freeze during Crysis, but even then the game was playable until a certain point and would freeze at the same spot from thereafter). This led me to believe it might have something to do with my hard drive, and swapping/reconfiguring SATA cables gave me brief relief from the problems.

Does this sound like something that could be the hard drive, or is it most certainly a mobo issue?

Reply to kershner25

Just as a side note regarding the RAM voltage...

The VERY last entry on the MIT section of the BIOS allows me to set the RAM voltage directly to 2.1, if I'm not mistaken. I did not have to set anything to 'manual' or do a +.3 overvolt - if you know what I'm talking about, will this bring about the same results, or do I need to 'manually' set that .3 overvolt?

Reply to kershner25

Either..whatever is easier.

Afterwards download "SpeedFan" http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php
Lower left corner you will see Vcore2. This is actual Memory voltage reading.

Message edited by knotknut on 10-07-2009 at 06:15:28 PM

Reply to knotknut

List your RAM's actual part number, and I work up a parameter set for your board...

Reply to bilbat

It appears that I have solved this issue. My hunch from a few posts ago has seemingly turned out to be correct....I believe the fault lay with a faulty SATA connector.

I popped in a new SATA connector running from my HDD to the mobo and I just completed a campaign of L4D (whereas I was getting about 3 minutes in with a freeze before).

So, it appears as if the problem is fixed. I will continue to post if my freezing returns, however.

Thanks for all the replies!

Reply to kershner25

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Forum Motherboards & Memory : Gigabyte - GA-EP45-UD3L Constantly Freezing