POST issue on GA-P55-UD3R?

[theta]

Using a GA-P55-UD3R board here.

When I turn on my computer after an extended period of being off (e.g., turning it off for the night), when I turn it on nothing is right. What I mean by that is Windows 7 won't boot (restarts/BSOD ; same with startup repair utility) and Ubuntu has loads of application errors.

However, if I turn it on and then power it down during POST, and then reboot it, it can boot to these OSes fine and runs flawlessly. I used to think it was a power issue because when I first found that rebooting it did the trick I thought I needed it on for like 15 minutes; I know now that the "procedure" can be done seconds after the POST screen shows, and so I'm rather stumped.

Additionally, my motherboard does not beep as it should; when I first built this computer, it gave a short beep indicating it had booted correctly; it stopped doing this, though, so I'm suspecting the motherboard is suspect.

Any insights or tips on what I can do is appreciated. If I am to RMA this board I need to do it ASAP (RMA window closes in a few days) but I really hope it's not a serious of any issue. I can answer any other questions if needed.

 

[fatsauce]

I wonder if could be something wrong with the system files in windows 7 getting mixed up after restarts and boot ups? But you said that Ubuntu has a bunch of app errors as well, and your restore or repair utility is giving u problems. You could try a different hard drive and install a new OS on it see your motherboard keeps doing what its doing. You use a trick of power up..power down during post and that gets you back your OS's, its really hard to tell whats going on, your BSOD could give you a error code to look up...but like you said if the RMA window is coming up, why not get another one.

 

[theta]

Well, I've been running system diagnostics and have confirmed that:

memtest86 checks out
HDTunes detects nothing, and I've been using this system enough to know that nothing glitches... No graphics glitches in games, no I/O errors, or anything
Prime95 can run without error

BSODs lead nowhere, they are assorted issues that I believe are only caused because of the reboots at boot time in the first time.

Additionally, before turning off my system tonight I'm going to reset the BIOS and see if things are different in the morning. It is a bother to know if anything is different because a "warm boot" (i.e., the computer's been on for hours already) has no problems. Only a cold boot yields errors. If I boot it up tomorrow and it boots fine, I'll assume it's the BIOS' problem; otherwise, I'll be triple checking my wiring again and looking into an RMA (if it isn't too late)

 

[Fatbird]

Try disabling C3/C6 in BIOS~~~

 

[bilbat]

What BIOS rev are you running? I just posted this elsewhere: these are effectively 'beta' boards (several second generation 'rev A' boards, with USB 3.0 have already been released...), and the BIOS revisions are a nearly continuous stream... Current (I think) for your board is F3m (they went through 'g', 'h', and 'k' nearly instantaneously!), available here:
http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Support/Motherboard/BIOS_DownloadFile.aspx?FileType=BIOS&FileID=15069
Don't use @BIOS; stick with the BIOS' own flasher, or the flasher included with the BIOS file...

I can't stress enough, for the people running the 1156/1366 platforms, to keep up with the BIOS revs continuously - there won't be anything you can consider 'final' for another several months, and each rev makes yet another bizarre symptom vanish...

 

[theta]

I'll disable it if it isn't disabled from a reset. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait till tomorrow in order to fully make sure it works (or doesn't).

 

[theta]

Resetting didn't work and I updated the BIOS to F3m... I'll be trying to contact GIGABYTE, I guess, unless I can think of anything else.

 

[Fatbird]

Disable the C3/C6 on BIOS F3m still no work? Have you changed anything in BIOS such as voltages?

 

[theta]

No voltages have been changed and disabling that does nothing :\

 

[Fatbird]

Is your Quick Boot option set to "Enable"? How about test the system with optimized defaults and change nothing?

 

[theta]

Yep, disabled everything including the aforementioned and loaded optimized defaults. I'll be re-seating memory and processor today and see if that helps anything.

 

[Mars1]

Hi Theta,
I have the exact same problem on my brand new UD3R+I7 860+8Go+1To+HD 5770.
I thought I had an insufficient power suply (Corsair 400W) and I just bought a (Corsair TX650W), and the problem repeat exactly the same way as before, and exactly how you describe it.
However, my solution to turn the computer on is to access the bios config at start and leave it on for 5mn/10mn, then restart and windows 7 starts normally.
all my bios parameter are on default.
After reading this post I have desactivated the BIOS QUICKBOOT and OS QUICKBOOT.
I will let you know what hapends.

Mars1

 

[theta]

Well, I'm not sure if it is a relief or omen that someone else has this problem. I have a similar "solution" (in fact, yours was my previous one), where I simply boot it up and turn it back off, then start it up again and Windows 7 starts normally.

I've contacted GIGABYTE over this issue. I'm fairly sure it is not my PSU. I'm currently trying to find any beep code reference for AWARD BIOS F3m (since the motherboard manual lists beep codes for "Award BIOS" rather than motherboard, I'm assuming it is the BIOS that determines these? Also, those codes are for reference only and I want to make sure they are accurate to the newest BIOS revision).

 

[theta]

Bumping this in hopes of any insight. RMA window ran out so I'm just getting to used to powering this up twice, and leaving it on often. Hopefully the problem doesn't worse (e.g., something breaks) and I can eventually fix it...

 

[Fatbird]

Another new BIOS! F3n
Have a try???
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/BIOS_Model.aspx?ProductID=3162

 

[Mars1]

Ok... I had big troubles last days.

The problem with reboot was appearing every day after the installation of the full system, making the system completely blocked without any successfull boot after 2 days.
I had to reinstall win 7 64 ultimate twice this week end (and phone call to Microsoft to allow me to reactive my windows 7!!!).
I have done also all test you suggested here in this thread except latest bios upgrade (I am not a big fan of using beta Bios except if it says that it will solve my very specific issue...).
All bios feature EIST/ Cx... are all off.
I gain apparent stability those last 2 days by not installing any of the Gigabyte drivers included on the CDROM or on internet. (mobo sata latest driver issue?).

This morning after 7hrs off, the computer restarted without any problem at the first boot, but toonight after again 10 hrs off, the computer boot and finish with BSOD, several reboot, etc... same pain.
Then I applyed theta's method, while rebooting windows 7, right after the windows 7 logo apearing, I turned off then on (reset was not successful previously).

I am very nervous about this brand new system that I run with premium quality hardware, while I am also using only clean 64 bit software... weird...

I am runing off idea to fix this.

any help would be very helpful.

 

[ekoostik]

Mars1,
What RAM are you using? Have you run memtest86+ to make sure it is in good shape?

I would recommend upgrading the BIOS, using the Qflash 'application' within the BIOS. Do NOT upgrade with the @BIOS software from within the OS. Gigabyte has been making changes to adjust for issues with memory (among other things) since the initial BIOS. If you are still running the BIOS that came with the board you do not have the benefit of these changes. I am running the latest, posted just two days ago, and have not yet found any issues.

If you need any help running memtest86+ or updating your BIOS reply back and we'll get you more detailed instructions.

 

[Mars1]

Hi Ekoostik,

I have G.skill Ripjaws F3-10666CL9D (4x2Go 1333 @1.5v).
I have downloaded and flashed the latest bios F3 (thru @Bios without Hyperthreading, and with the file downloaded already: I have not encountered any problem, then reboot/load default/save to Cmos/reboot/Cmos config/activate HT/save to Cmos/win 7 start).
This morning, again, boot/BSOD/reboot/ theta's method to turn off after logo, then turn on, and i am now using my config that have started...

I have now downloaded Memtest86+ and will now do some test.

I will keep you informed about my test.

Thank you for the help!

 

[bilbat]

thru @Bios without Hyperthreading, and with file downloades already: I have not encountered any problem

take ekoostik's advice (which echos mine, earlier in the thread), avoid @BIOS like the plague! It is the number one killer of GB boards!

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/bios-flashing-how-qflash-guide-27576/

This cannot be stressed enough. I cannot recommend using it AT ALL with all other available options

I have seen many Boards killed (IE: Bricked, that is your motherboard is now a brick and you will have to RMA your board) by using @BIOS. I would guess that more then 90% of RMA's due to a bad flash, were because of @BIOS alone.

Yes it may work for you once or twice but if you keep using it you will find out the hard way it is not a good idea. Windows based flashing has always been looked down on and likely will never be a accepted or recommended method to flash a BIOS

I often liken this to playing Russian Roulette... You might get away with pulling that trigger once, and only hear a 'click'... You might get away with it a second time, too... But by the third pull, the odds are starting to catch up with you - you keep on pulling that trigger, you WILL blow your brains out!

The underlying problem would appear to be that, unlike the other BIOS flashing methods, an @BIOS flash gone awry can overwrite the BIOS' boot block, which is the piece of the BIOS that, among other things, is responsible for the 'dual BIOS recovery' function; i.e., if your BIOS gets trashed, but the boot block remains intact, the boot block 'checksums' the 'working copy' of the BIOS (in EEROM, that you can flash), finds out it's bad, 'reverts' to the 'backup copy' (in ROM, that you can't 'futz' with, short of a soldering iron!) and loads it, with a couple of 'flags' set, to remind it to tell you about the BIOS' problem, and offer you options to fix it... Once @BIOS trashes that boot block, your board is a brick - you can only use it to prop open a door (and a real, actual brick does a better job of that, too...)!!

 

[Mars1]

I was not successful booting on USB key with qflash (I tried many bootable option and programs to format and include system on a bootable usb key) , so that is why I used @bios.
I will not redo it, I read all the thread!!!
your info about the bootblock dial boot convince me!

in future I will use bootable dvd/cd with qflash!!!

 

[ekoostik]

As always, bilbat gives good counsel.

I went looking for a good warning about @BIOS, but I could've guessed he'd be in to share his wisdom before I found anything! bilbat, I hope you don't mind me referencing your quote in the future. Your analogy is right on.

Mars,
What steps did you take when trying to update from USB? The first time I did it I made some very simple mistakes and spent too long trying to figure out what's wrong. It should be as easy as:
1. Download the latest BIOS from Gigabyte's website (this BIOS file is basically a zipped file containing the BIOS updates)
2. Extract the contents of the downloaded BIOS file onto a USB stick by, for example, double clicking the BIOS file and choosing the USB drive as the target location for unpacking the files
3. With the USB stick still in the USB drive, restart your PC
4. During restart, enter BIOS
5. From within BIOS, enter the QFlash utility
6. From within Qflash, select the location of your BIOS files (the USB drive will likely be labeled HDD), and then the BIOS files

The mistake I made? I skipped step 2. Apparently I was in a hurry and then it took me far too long to figure out what I'd done wrong (or hadn't done as the case turned out to be). I would try with any new-ish, typical USB drive you have. I found that the drive itself doesn't have to be bootable. Just the right file system format, which it may be already anyway. Easiest thing is to test it first and if it recognizes the drive it's in the right format.

 

[bilbat]

I was not successful booting on USB key with qflash (I tried many bootable option and programs to format and include system on a bootable usb key) , so that is why I used @bios.

ekoostik, again, has it right. I see this over and over - no floppy, and problems getting a USB stick to be bootable... Why go through the trouble of making a bootable drive, adding the proper autoexec to 'lauch' the flasher - when the flasher built in to every BIOS is perfectly serviceable? It's just <end> from either the Logo (if you've still got that waste of space POS turned on!), or the POST screen; or <F8> from the main BIOS screen...

There is a good reason (actually, several...), on the other hand, to have a floppy, and to make a bootable 'BIOS flasher' diskette - if your systems gets really trashed, there is a procedure called a 'blind flash' that will sometimes recover; BUT, you must have your floppy first in the boot order before the crash, as, after the crash, you won't be able to enter your BIOS to 'make it so'! Another 'recovery' procedure worth pursuing is the fact that the <F11>"Save CMOS to BIOS"/<F12>"Load CMOS from BIOS" mechanism will store to other media besides the 'spare' CMOS 'slots', which means you can have your carefully 'tweaked', working set of CMOS parameters on disk, ready to recover if you are forced to flash your BIOS (which erases the 'stored' parameter sets...) to get your machine back in working order. And, of course, the default for cranking in the <F6> RAID/AHCI 'pre-load' drivers is floppy - a small investment in hardware (and of course, the 'waste' of a drive mounting slot) makes life so much simpler (and more secure)!

While I'm on the general topic, there's another point to be made - backups! If you value your years' of accumulated data - photos, MP3s, etc., as worthless - don't bother with backing up. If you do backup, do a restore! If you've never used your backup method to test an actual restore, that pile of DVDs that you consider a backup is nothing but a fond hope! This goes, too, for any major revision or version upgrade to your backup software; an upgrade may 'break' the software, or render your existing backups unrestorable - and you'll never know (unless you test meticulously) until the *** is in the fan - and that's the textbook definition of 'too late'!

 

[Mars1]

This morning, again, boot/BSOD/reboot/ theta's method to turn off after logo, then turn on...

I continued my serie of test...
MEMTEST86+ (on a bootable CDROM/thru the iso version available):
- after completing all standard test in about 30 mn... no errors

but I will redo this test tomorrow morning when the computer will be cold.

 

[buildingnewpc]

I am having some similar troubles, I will be trying the above methods tomorrow. The problem started after installing the drivers on the disk that came with the mobo. If I format my computer and reinstall the OS but not the mobo driver cd, and then update bios, will I lose anything that my mobo needs to operate properly?

 

[Mars1]

BINGO!!!

I boot up my system this morning after a very long time the computer was off.
I boot up on my cdrom memtest86+
- for 42mn of test, memtest86+ reports tons of errors everywhere in the Ram
- then reboot/ theta's method to turn off after logo, then turn on/boot on memtest86+ and this is now the test is running without any errors (while 2mn before memtest was still finding errors in the ram)...

it seems to me that gigabyte bios is buggy...

on g.skills site they explicitely wrote that they tested my model of ram with the Ga-P55-UDR3... is it a bios bug with 8gb of memory?


i need to contact gigabyte on this subject.

theta, do you have any feedback from them?

ps: bilbat, I like your avatar!!!! ;-)

ps2: in my previous messages, I have edited some typo errors... sorry for having forgotten to aware you.