GA-P55A-UD3 GIGABYTE Mobo Booting Problem

[shiboopi]

Just finished building my first ever computer, and only have one problem that I can't seem to pinpoint.

Here is my setup:

Case: Antec 300
CPU: i5 750
CPU Cooler: ZALMAN CNPS 10X Quiet
PSU: Corsair 650TX 650W PSU
MOBO: Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3
GPU: GTX 470 1280MB
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaw Series 4GB - Great Price
Optical Drive: Light-on Litescribe 24x Dual Layer DVD RW
HDD: Spinpoint f3 1TB 7200RPM HDD
Monitor: Viewsonic 24" 1080p HDMI LCD
Keyboard: Ci73 Slim Keyboard
OS: Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium for System Builders
Thermal Paste: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste

Here is exactly what happens:
1) I turn the computer on, everything starts up fine, all of the fans, computer, etc...
2) The mobo LOGO screen comes up, with the couple of hotkeys i.e. TAB = POST Screen, Del = BIOS/Q Flash
3) The screen then goes black, with the words "Loading Operating System ..." on the top left of that black screen (not the colorful banner "Starting up Windows" screen.
4) The small blinking cursor goes beneath the "Loading Operating System ..." words then races across the screen from left to right, then the computer shuts itself down.
5) 5 seconds later the computer boots itself up, follows the same pattern, except this time the cursor goes underneath the "Loading Operating System ..." words and stays there. The Starting up Windows screen, with the colorful windows banner shows up, and everything is fine.

The computer runs great after the second boot, no problems whatsoever that I can find. This happens every single time I restart my computer, or shut it down and turn it back on.

Someone told me it was a fail safe to make sure everything would boot fine, and that I should turn Quick Boot on. I did and that didn't solve the problem.

When I installed windows, I changed the BIOS to boot from CD first, but changed it back when the installation of Windows 7 was complete.

I've rechecked the connections on all the cables, unplugging and replugging them in, making sure they are firm.

There is no POST beep at all. Not sure if that's a huge issue or not.

 

[shiboopi]

I just removed one stick of RAM. When I restarted the computer, all phase LED lights were on, and the computer stayed on for quite some time, although there was no video this time. The monitor didn't show the usual mobo logo or anything, but the computer did stay on and didn't shut off like normal.

What does this mean?

 

[mosox]

Press "Del" and enter the BIOS. Set the boot order CD/DVD first save and exit. Insert the Windows CD. Hit the format button at the screen and install the OS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgMNRt11ybU&feature=related

 

[shiboopi]

Press "Del" and enter the BIOS. Set the boot order CD/DVD first save and exit. Insert the Windows CD. Hit the format button at the screen and install the OS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgMNRt11ybU&feature=related

so you think it's a Windows installation error?

 

[mosox]

From the steps you posted you are trying to boot from an empty non formatted HDD and that's impossible. You need to go ahead and install the OS first.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7
Fix the links, none works, what RAM exactly do you have?

 

[shiboopi]

From the steps you posted you are trying to boot from an empty non formatted HDD and that's impossible. You need to go ahead and install the OS first.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7
Fix the links, none works, what RAM exactly do you have?

All but the last 3 or 4 links I've fixed, didn't think the rest mattered.

I've already installed the OS, but not like in the video. I never did New - Format or any of that, I just clicked next and installed the OS, that was probably a no-no right?

I'm using this ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

I have them in the correct slots per the motherboard manual.

I will await a response before reinstalling windows. I also have the HDD set up for AHCI instead of IDE.

 

[mosox]

"Click the partition that you want to change, click the formatting option you want to perform, and then follow the instructions."

Well, I suppose the installation did a format more or less but to be safe do it again and format the entire drive NTFS. Set to IDE. The RAM voltage is OK, it's standard, no need to tweak that in your BIOS.

 

[shiboopi]

"Click the partition that you want to change, click the formatting option you want to perform, and then follow the instructions."

Well, I suppose the installation did a format more or less but to be safe do it again and format the entire drive NTFS. Set to IDE. The RAM voltage is OK, it's standard, no need to tweak that in your BIOS.

Alright, will do that and report back, hopefully this works.

 

[shiboopi]

During installation, the same exact thing was happening. When, during the installation, the computer had to reboot, it kept happening, the same thing that's been happening over and over again.

My biggest question is why does it do it only every first time it boots up, and not every single time, I can't think of a logical hardware reason, only something in BIOS or something. Then again I'm a newbie at this.

 

[mosox]

There's something wrong in there and at the second boot the BIOS loads some different settings in order to make the machine work.

In BIOS load the default settings, save and exit, see if this helps.

If it doesn't, check the memory voltage in the BIOS and set it to 1.5V if it's a different voltage in there, save and exit.

If that doesn't work try with only one stick of RAM at a time, try both sticks.

 

[RetiredChief]

Have a very simular set-up. A couple of thinks.
Try to eiliminate Ram and PSU problems.
(1) Never, on a new build install operating system until you have verified your RAM is good. (a) Down load ISO image of Memtest 86 and put the ISO on a CD (Note you can not just copy onto CD, must use ISO function of CD write program) (b) In bios do two thinks - 1st verify your voltages are normal and not low +/- 5% and 2nd, change your Memory XMP selection to use Profile 1. Boot to CD, Memtest 86. Let Memtest run for a Min of 2 Hours, many prefer to run 8 Hrs).

(2) If memtest passes and PSU voltages look nominal. Reload your operating system. - Make sure Bios still show AHCI, Select custom install, Delete all partitions (should be two), then let windows recreate partitions and procede with installation.

(3) Once installation is completed, You want to (a) verify voltages, both at idle and under load, so download CPUID HWMonitor (while down loading also down load Prime 95). Instal and run HWMonitor ( monitor voltages and temps while doing the next step). Rerun memory test, but this time use prime 95 (I find this program better at finding mem errors.

Come back either way, Yea I found the problem, or PSU/RAM checked out, whats next.

Added: When you do the custom instal and get to the page on where to install and you delete all partitions. Then create a small partition for your operating system say about 200 Gigs (more than enough). windows will create two partitions, a small 100 MB system partition and your 200 gig partition. (you can leave the remainder of the drive UNpartitioned and set it up later). Make sure you select the 200 gig partition to install windows and not the little 100 MB one).

 

[shiboopi]

There's something wrong in there and at the second boot the BIOS loads some different settings in order to make the machine work.

In BIOS load the default settings, save and exit, see if this helps.

If it doesn't, check the memory voltage in the BIOS and set it to 1.5V if it's a different voltage in there, save and exit.

If that doesn't work try with only one stick of RAM at a time, try both sticks.

I loaded Optimized Settings, and it didn't change. The voltage showed DDR15V at 1.584V, all of that stuff is greyed out and I can't select it.

I swapped the RAMs. I put them into the same sockets, just switched the location of each. The problem with testing every single one, is my CPU cooler hangs over one of the sticks of RAM, so I can't pull it out without removing the CPU cooler, such a hassle.

 

[shiboopi]

Have a very simular set-up. A couple of thinks.
Try to eiliminate Ram and PSU problems.
(1) Never, on a new build install operating system until you have verified your RAM is good. (a) Down load ISO image of Memtest 86 and put the ISO on a CD (Note you can not just copy onto CD, must use ISO function of CD write program) (b) In bios do two thinks - 1st verify your voltages are normal and not low +/- 5% and 2nd, change your Memory XMP selection to use Profile 1. Boot to CD, Memtest 86. Let Memtest run for a Min of 2 Hours, many prefer to run 8 Hrs).

(2) If memtest passes and PSU voltages look nominal. Reload your operating system. - Make sure Bios still show AHCI, Select custom install, Delete all partitions (should be two), then let windows recreate partitions and procede with installation.

(3) Once installation is completed, You want to (a) verify voltages, both at idle and under load, so download CPUID HWMonitor (while down loading also down load Prime 95). Instal and run HWMonitor ( monitor voltages and temps while doing the next step). Rerun memory test, but this time use prime 95 (I find this program better at finding mem errors.

Come back either way, Yea I found the problem, or PSU/RAM checked out, whats next.

Added: When you do the custom instal and get to the page on where to install and you delete all partitions. Then create a small partition for your operating system say about 200 Gigs (more than enough). windows will create two partitions, a small 100 MB system partition and your 200 gig partition. (you can leave the remainder of the drive UNpartitioned and set it up later). Make sure you select the 200 gig partition to install windows and not the little 100 MB one).

I don't know how to do the whole ISO thing :/ with memtest, so that sucks pretty much... lol

I don't have any CDs to write it to also...

 

[gigabyter64]

Have u got optical drive on same sata chipset as hard drive? If so try optical drive on the white sata connections & not the blue where the hard drive is connected, sometimes when using ahci, it doesn't like optical drives set on same headers & may be rebooting to kill optical drive setting to fire up harddrive.Also make sure optical is set to ide. cheers

 

[shiboopi]

Here, I made this to show where everything is plugged into. I don't see any white SATA connections there.

http://i53.tinypic.com/120qeqd.jpg

 

[mosox]

I loaded Optimized Settings, and it didn't change. The voltage showed DDR15V at 1.584V, all of that stuff is greyed out and I can't select it.

There's an option to unlock that in the BIOS, set them to 1.5.

 

[RetiredChief]

(1) CDR disk are cheap, generally $5 for a small pack. Walmart/Biglots
(2) Iso image -> CD is easy. Not sure what software you use to write DVDs/CDs. Here is a free program that I use (link below). Instructions on top of page, just cleck on Bold "write".
http://www.imgburn.com/
Method is simular for other programs.

On your ddr Voltage - Your Ram is 1.5 so a bios seting of 1.584 should not be a problem, ie sort that out after testing ram.
Don't think need a key stroke to Unlock (ie in my P965 Gigabyte it was a Cntr F1 to unlock, but in my P55-UD4P it is just a mater of changing auto -> manual to UNgrey and change.

Try moving your ODD to last sata port (lower Rigth)

 

[shiboopi]

My ODD came with Nero 9 Essentials. I'll look for some CDs. Here is another picture I took showing my RAM and how it's being read by the computer: http://i55.tinypic.com/j9solj.jpg

Also, in my bios, it says "Total Memory: 2048".

 

[gigabyter64]

Here, I made this to show where everything is plugged into. I don't see any white SATA connections there.

http://i53.tinypic.com/120qeqd.jpg

Its the white header x 2 above the blue headers but they are stacked sideways (not pointing up but to the side of the board) plug in optical to the white side sata header then make sure bios has this as ide for optical.

cheers

 

[gigabyter64]

Here, I made this to show where everything is plugged into. I don't see any white SATA connections there.

http://i53.tinypic.com/120qeqd.jpg

If that doesn't make any difference as that header I think is the marvel sata connection, try swapping your harddrive & optical around on blue headers.

 

[shiboopi]

Its the white header x 2 above the blue headers but they are stacked sideways (not pointing up but to the side of the board) plug in optical to the white side sata header then make sure bios has this as ide for optical.

cheers

Downloading Hiren's Boot CD 12.0 right now, and will run the memtest86 within it tonight so I'll hold up until it's downloaded to try the white connectors

If that doesn't make any difference as that header I think is the marvel sata connection, try swapping your harddrive & optical around on blue headers.

What's the difference between the marvel sata connection and the blue ones? Sorry for all the questions, I'm into learning and I like to know stuff, lol.

 

[shiboopi]

Switched the connectors, no change.
Switched ODD to white SATA, no change.
Changed voltage manually, no change.
I'll start running the Hirens now, and I'll get back to you guys.

I really appreciate all the help so far, probably feel like you're dealing with a tard, lol.

 

[mosox]

Can you borrow a PSU and test with it?

 

[RetiredChief]

Your Bios shoud show 4096, not 2048.
Remove one pair, and recheck bios should be 2048, then replace that pair with the pair that you pulled out, still should be 2048.

If above ok then put the pair you have out in for a total of 4096.

I had that problem when I went to 8 gigs, bios only showed 4 gigs, removed and re-inserted memory fixed that problem on mine.

 

[shiboopi]

Can you borrow a PSU and test with it?

Not sure if I can find one powerful enough, unless it doesn't take much power. Other than that, no. My friends have some computers from companies like HP and stuff, not gaming computers.

Your Bios shoud show 4096, not 2048.
Remove one pair, and recheck bios should be 2048, then replace that pair with the pair that you pulled out, still should be 2048.

If above ok then put the pair you have out in for a total of 4096.

I had that problem when I went to 8 gigs, bios only showed 4 gigs, removed and re-inserted memory fixed that problem on mine.

When I take out the RAM in the slot DDR3_3 (both are supposed to be in DDR3_1 and DDR3_3 according to the motherboard manual, which they are currently) there is no longer any video. The computer doesn't shut off like it usually does, but no picture.

I hate having to take out the RAM in slot 1, because the CPU cooler is so big that it sits overhead of the RAM stick, and I have to take all that out, reapply the thermal paste, and all that.

If need be, I will do it, but I hope it's not a huge deal.

I couldn't upload the picture via digital camera, so I drew it in paint... lol.

Here are the results of 5 hours of the memtest86+: http://i56.tinypic.com/214qebt.jpg