Random NO video output

[iliya77]

Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5 rev. 2
i7-950 cpu
Noctua NH-D14 cpu cooler
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 12GB (3 x 4GB) memory
EVGA GTX-580 video card - using two monitors simultaneously at different resolutions
Seasonic X750 Gold power supply
Ocz Vertex SSD 90GB C: drive
HAF 932 case
Win7 pro 64 bit

This new system ran fine for several days. Then suddenly the computer BSOD'd followed a few seconds later by no video at all. Immeadiately after this, the computer would NOT POST or enter BIOS setup. Resetting CMOS made NO difference.

During the time it would not enter BIOS setup, the two digit hex display on the MB would show: C1, C3, 02, 18, 25, 26. Then it repeats this same sequence, over and over.

After shutting it off for an hour, you can then enter BIOS setup.

This has happened twice in the last 48 hours. The first time it happened, after letting it set for a long period of time, it would finally POST, but it would crash right after the Windows logo appeared. Loading "fail safe defaults" or "optimized defaults" made NO difference. Windows was then re-installed and that seemed to fix it - UNTIL today, when the exact same thing happened - EXCEPT this time, after waiting an hour, it WOULD boot into Windows and now acts as if nothing was wrong.

I did check cpu temps using Prime95 when I first built it, and as I recall 68-69 degrees C. was the hottest it ever got. The GPU never got hot either, BUT it was never tested with both monitors running at the same time (because I didn't have both of them together in the same place).

Here is what we have done so far: The video card was removed and re-installed in the same slot and different slots. ALL of the power supply connections were checked and re-done, on both ends of the (modular) connectors, including both the CPU and the ATX power connections on the MB. The 8-pin and the 6-pin power connections on the GTX-580 were double checked. All the SATA cables were checked. The memory sticks were tried one at a time in the DDR3_1 slot. Basically EVERY connector and ANYTHING that could be moved/removed was checked and re-done.

Because it won't POST when it's acting up, I think it's the Motherboard, although I suppose it could be a power supply issue. I've sent a support request to Gigabyte, but I have no idea how long they will take to respond. This machine is being used as a workstation by a student facing serious deadlines and it is VERY, VERY important that if be fixed ASAP.

It seems to me having that nifty little Motherboard POST hex display should make diagnosis pretty easy. It always ends on 26, which is:

26h
1. If Early_Init_Onboard_Generator is not defined Onboard clock generator initializa- tion. Disable respective clock resource to empty PCI & DIMM slots.
2. Init onboard PWM.
3. Init onboard H/W monitor devices.

Please help! I'm in REALLY big trouble until this gets fixed!

 

[graemevermeulen]

This happened to me once, but I was using an AMD Phenom 9950 black edition processor, same kind of errors. In my case it was definitely the CPU, but to try swap out the processor and try it with another one isn't really practical.

You could try using a known old graphics card and different power supply and RAM, but try to only change one thing at a time and see if it still happens.

Good luck!

If the error persists, try a different motherboard - then try boot up into the copy of Windows already on your SSD. If it still persists, it's the CPU.

 

[scout_03]

try each monitor alone see if you still have bsod,then try another gpu card also there is a visible temperature reminder for cpu and nothbridge and use easy tune for other readings

 

[iliya77]

try each monitor alone see if you still have bsod,then try another gpu card also there is a visible temperature reminder for cpu and nothbridge and use easy tune for other readings

We're trying it with only one monitor now. But are you recommending this because of the POST error code 26. or because of the symptoms?

 

[iliya77]

Apparently, what she thought was POST error code 26 was in fact actually code 2B. POST error code 2B indicates a video problem. These codes are shown on two 7-segment hexadecimal displays. The "B" is displayed in lower case, and on a 7-segment display "6" and "b" are very similar.

See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven-segment_display

The problem on this particular computer has still not been resolved, but it is almost certain to be caused by the video card which is either defective, or over-heating when two monitors and two different resolutions are being used.

 

[scout_03]

try rma card if you could

 

[iliya77]

Best answer selected by iliya77.