GA-P55A-UD3P booting problems

[defreel]

Hello there. I am having problems with a computer I built for a friend. The problem I am having is this: From a cold boot, the BIOS POSTS and then when it is finished posting (no problems seen) the screen goes blank as if it is ready to go the spot that says ...Loading OS.... or something like that, but it never does, there is just an underline cursor on the top left of the monitor that is blinking. If I hit the reset button on the case, the BIOS POSTS again, and this time it comes up with the ..Loading OS... message and Windows 7 then launches and everything works fine. This double boot scenario also happens if I am in Win 7 and Restart the computer....POST then blank screen with cursor in top left, hit reset button, all boots fine and runs fine. I have run Prime95 just to check some stability and I also ran Memtest86+ to check the memory and nothing is showing up as wrong. I am not sure why I have to "double boot" with the hard reset on the front of the case.

System:
GA-P55A-UD3P rev 1.0 using F14 Bios (Latest)
i7-870
OCZ DDR3 Gold OCZ3G1600LV4GK - 4 gigs of memory in a 2gb x2 config
Seasonic 620W p/s
EVGA GTS 250 1 GB video card
Samsung F3 Spinpoint 1 TB hdd
Win7 Ultimate x64 OS

To add more to the story, I live in the US and built it for a friend in the UK. The power supply is auto sensing (no switch needed to set to 220V) dual volt and 50-60 Hz. When I build the system in the US, I had it up and running fine with Prime95 burn in for 12 hours and Memtest86+ running with no errors. I did not have this double boot issue. I mailed the system to my friend and it needs to be "double booted". Memtest86 is clean and Prime95 run clean and while the OS is up and even if it goes to sleep it operates fine. But the second he reboots or powers off and cold starts overnight, he gets the double boot. I had my friend go into the BIOS and check the settings for the CPU and memory and all those setting are still the same. The memory is running at 1600 Mhz with a x12 multiplier and that keeps the bclk at 133 so no overclocking to the CPU. The voltage of the memory is set to 1.64V per memory spec. The Vcore voltage is at 1.275V. Again, these settings were stable when I built it with no double boots.

Thanks for any help/advice.

 

[will14]

Hello there. I am having problems with a computer I built for a friend. The problem I am having is this: From a cold boot, the BIOS POSTS and then when it is finished posting (no problems seen) the screen goes blank as if it is ready to go the spot that says ...Loading OS.... or something like that, but it never does, there is just an underline cursor on the top left of the monitor that is blinking. If I hit the reset button on the case, the BIOS POSTS again, and this time it comes up with the ..Loading OS... message and Windows 7 then launches and everything works fine. This double boot scenario also happens if I am in Win 7 and Restart the computer....POST then blank screen with cursor in top left, hit reset button, all boots fine and runs fine. I have run Prime95 just to check some stability and I also ran Memtest86+ to check the memory and nothing is showing up as wrong. I am not sure why I have to "double boot" with the hard reset on the front of the case.

System:
GA-P55A-UD3P rev 1.0 using F14 Bios (Latest)
i7-870
OCZ DDR3 Gold OCZ3G1600LV4GK - 4 gigs of memory in a 2gb x2 config
Seasonic 620W p/s
EVGA GTS 250 1 GB video card
Samsung F3 Spinpoint 1 TB hdd
Win7 Ultimate x64 OS

To add more to the story, I live in the US and built it for a friend in the UK. The power supply is auto sensing (no switch needed to set to 220V) dual volt and 50-60 Hz. When I build the system in the US, I had it up and running fine with Prime95 burn in for 12 hours and Memtest86+ running with no errors. I did not have this double boot issue. I mailed the system to my friend and it needs to be "double booted". Memtest86 is clean and Prime95 run clean and while the OS is up and even if it goes to sleep it operates fine. But the second he reboots or powers off and cold starts overnight, he gets the double boot. I had my friend go into the BIOS and check the settings for the CPU and memory and all those setting are still the same. The memory is running at 1600 Mhz with a x12 multiplier and that keeps the bclk at 133 so no overclocking to the CPU. The voltage of the memory is set to 1.64V per memory spec. The Vcore voltage is at 1.275V. Again, these settings were stable when I built it with no double boots.

Thanks for any help/advice.

I've had this issue before and actually never resolved it as the machine always booted on the second try. The only thing in common is a gigabyte motherboard, perhaps they sometimes have issues finding the sata drive to boot from or something. I'd also check if on the 220V if it's still providing proper power on the rails etc if you have him check that but if once it boots it's stable like mine was then it may be a screwy gigabyte thing as that is literally the only thing in common in our two cases every other component is totally different.

I always thought perhaps it was an issue of recognizing the right sata drive since I had 5-6 connected. Glad I'm not the only one who got the issue but feel bad I don't know what caused it.

 

[defreel]

Yeah, it is just weird to me is all. It worked fine at my house when I built it. If I remember right, the power supply only has a single 12V rail. The computer is running just 1 SATA II 1 TB drive, not being overtaxed at all and not much to search for. Well, there is the Sata Optical drive too...haha.

I just worry since his tech support is me and I am 6000 miles away, I just want to make sure this isn't a ticking time bomb.

 

[jaquith]

What happens if you ONLY Load Optimized??

 

[defreel]

When I load optimized, I am not sure. I do know that the memory gets downgraded to running at 1066 with memory timings not the same as nameplate on the memory (optimized is 1066 with 7-7-7-18, nameplate on memory is 8-8-8-24 at 1600 Mhz).

After I built the system, i put in the new bios, manually set the timings on memory and set the voltage to what is supposed to be (~1.65V, per memory direction). The system was fine and stable while I had it at my house running Memtest86+ and Prime 95 for 12 hours and I never got the double boot issue. I packed it up, shipped it off, and my friend gets this double boot thing. I am going to clear the CMOS load default and see what happens, and see if I have to double boot it and if not, start working my way up to putting the manual proper settings back in and seeing what happens. I just don't understand why it was fine at my house and now at his it is not with the same settings in both places. I do understand shipping it may have caused something to not be working...just not sure what yet. My friend pushed on the memory to make sure it was snug when he got it, but did not reseat it, he is going to do that as well. But last time I had a seating issue, Memtest86 found that for me instantly, but he runs Memtest86 clean. I will still have him reseat it though to be safe.

 

[jaquith]

I read your comments, and my 'best' + 'easiest' {Test} is to Load Optimized - now. Reduce the variables. Yes, while you are attempting to isolate the problem the RAM speed will be reduced, worry about that later.

More than likely, it feels like a BIOS and/or RAM issue. For example the Tested vs Untested {a/k/a not recommended}, and "IF" you are using XMP then turn-off immediately.

Tested RAM OCZ - http://memoryselector.cnetchannel.com/ocztech/result.asp?fk_class=6569&manufacturer_id=781&model_id=888634

The 'problem' is that OCZ3G1600LV4GK is NOT listed, but the OCZ3G16004GK is listed.

 

[defreel]

Yeah, I will redo the bios info. Takes a bit of time since the computer is not here and is 6000 miles away, so coordinating with my friend. I will let you know what I find. I also called Gigabyte and told them brand/model of memory I had and they said they can't list all the memory, they just give samples. They said it "should" work no problems (haha), as long as it wasn't EEC memory, which it isn't.

I am not sure if XMP is being used, I never set it so if it is by default off then it should be off.

Thanks for giving me more ideas and things to look at.

defreel

 

[jaquith]

My advice is always "Best Patrice" - I am not saying the RAM won't work, but it "may" be a problem. I have no a clue "what" changes you made, but I KNOW 9/10 XMP is not a good idea, so I'd walk you long-distance friend though the steps of checking if the XMP is indeed off; start there.

Sounds like "fun" to resolve. BTW the difference 1066 vs 1600 is 2-5+FPS, so to be simple - Load Optimized + Memory Multiplier and if that works -> later tweak the CAS and "if" needed the DRAM Voltage {Auto vs Manual}; most RAM has an operational range of ±0.3V. DRAM Voltage to {Manual} is best if the CPU is OC, and otherwise {Auto} should be fine.

 

[defreel]

Ok, I unplugged the power, toggled the on/off switch on the p/s, took the battery out for 20 mins, shorted the clear cmos pins, put the battery back in, shorted the pins again just because, hooked it back up and turned the computer on and went into the BIOS. I loaded optimized settings and hit F10 to save settings. The computer did the same thing...after the POST, and the POST does complete (at least visually), and then the screen goes blank like it wants to load the OS and a cursor (underline) pops up in the top left corner and just blinks and nothing happens. I hit the reset switch on the case and the computer POSTs, screen goes blank and the hand off to the OS works and Win 7 comes up clean, just like it is supposed to and everything runs fine and is stable. I hit restart from within Windows and the system does a restart and it POSTs, goes to blank screen with underline cursor blinking and does nothing...I hit reset button on the case and all boots fine.....

The default settings that came up from optimized had the memory running at 1066 (vice 1600), with timings of 7-7-7-16 (vice 8-8-8-24) and the memory voltage was 1.1'ish, can't remember the exact value (instead of the recommended 1.65V).

The memory doesn't support XMP I don't think, and I never saw an option for it, but I can't see his BIOS, but I told him to look for Extreme Memory Profile or X.M.P in a line and he did not see it to set it.

In the meantime, since that didn't work, I set it back to the values I had it before, which is setting the memory clock multiplier to x12 (instead of auto) which lets it go to 1600 Mhz, then I go to expert mode so I can manually change the timing, and I changed Channel A (which is what I am using) to 8-8-8-24 (and I set Channel B to those same values even though I do not have any memory in Channel B, just to be safe), and I set the memory voltage manually to 1.64V, and I put in the advanced memory setting area, I have performance enhance set to standard and DRAM timing is Expert so I can change the timings to the 8-8-8-24.

 

[jaquith]

In the meantime, since that didn't work, I set it back to the values I had it before, which is setting the memory clock multiplier to x12 (instead of auto) which lets it go to 1600 Mhz, then I go to expert mode so I can manually change the timing, and I changed Channel A (which is what I am using) to 8-8-8-24 (and I set Channel B to those same values even though I do not have any memory in Channel B, just to be safe), and I set the memory voltage manually to 1.64V, and I put in the advanced memory setting area, I have performance enhance set to standard and DRAM timing is Expert so I can change the timings to the 8-8-8-24.

Okay, I had/have no problems with manual settings.

Q - Did it work?

 

[defreel]

No, same results....cursor with blank screen on cold boot and restart, but once I hit the reset button on the case it will boot again and be fine. Tomorrow I will try to run Memtest86+ on each stick of ram individually, ran out of time today....

 

[spooky2th]

When I load optimized, I am not sure. I do know that the memory gets downgraded to running at 1066 with memory timings not the same as nameplate on the memory (optimized is 1066 with 7-7-7-18, nameplate on memory is 8-8-8-24 at 1600 Mhz).

quotemsg]

Have you tried to set the memory to it's advertised speed after you have loaded optimised?

 

[defreel]

Spooky2th,
Yes, after clearing the BIOS, loading optimized and it still not working, I set it up to the way everything is supposed to be, including the memory to 1600 Mhz and 8-8-8-24 timings per manufacturer.

 

[Guest]

SOLVED

For what is worth, i had the same issue with a p55a-ud3 rev 1.0. After upgrading from F9 to F11, the blank screen started appearing on the first cold boot. I tried downgrading to F10 and the same happened. Even loading optimized and safe defaults didn't help.

The issue dissapeared after downgrading again to F9. Still not sure why this happens. At least the changelog for the bios updates doesn't seem that imprtant but i don't like to be unable to upgrade to the latest bios (which seems is causing the problem).

hope this helps!