Motherboard Options 2011-v3?

[StoneyCashew]

Hey everyone I'm currently in the search for a new 2011-v3 motherboard. My rig currently has a Asrock Extreme 6 and the thing is not great what-so-ever. I've noticed lately that in this platform that the motherboards are a hit or miss, their either DOA, not functioning correctly, or are completely fine. I'm considering getting the new MSI X99 Titanium Edition, or the ASUS Rampage V Edition. If you have a board that has great bios, and no issues let me know which one, and if you have either of the two that I mentioned please leave a comment.

 

[rhysiam]

What issues are you running in to and what makes you so sure it's the motherboard? ASRock are pretty solid boards and that Extreme 6 is a pretty high end model to boot. You'd have to pay a lot of money to do better. You're 100% sure it's the motherboard?

It'd be a real shame to lay down $300+ only to find out that your issues lay elsewhere.

 

[StoneyCashew]

Your telling me rhysiam! But when I purchased the board I think I got it cheaper than that amount but anyway. The BIOS is always glitchy and whenever I go to change anything in the settings I either have to clear the CMOS to be able to reboot or my computer has to shut down multiple times in order to reboot. Then I just found out that I can't use all the channels for memory on the board without freezing up the operating system. My boot times are like almost a minute with a Samsung SSD, and this is pathetic, another issue I'm having is that since I can't really access the BIOS to change anything really my Oracle VM Boxes are always failing on me and resorting me to switch back to a 32bit operating system selection.

 

[rhysiam]

Wow, okay. That's a pretty unstable system. It certainly could be the motherboard, but it could be dodgy RAM or a bad CPU too. It's not possible you bent any CPU pins is it? You haven't overclocked anything have you?

Have you run a low level memory scanner? Dodgy memory can cause all sorts of random system issues. Can you list your full specs?

Finally, even if the motherboard turns out to be the culprit, it should still be under warranty shouldn't it? I know when you have a bad experience with a brand it can tarnish their image, but ASRock are good, and like I said above, that X99 Extreme 6 board is actually pretty nice. I'd be putting in a warranty claim before pouring more money into a different board.

 

[StoneyCashew]

So here is my current build, link: http://pcpartpicker.com/user/PcHacker97/saved/#view=XdQnTW

The issue is I need my computer and being down without a board is really not pleasing to me. I don't believe that a pin is bent but have not checked neither. I will do a low level memory scanner, any software that comes to mind? I don't have my receipt, nor the box on hand so....?

 

[rhysiam]

Do you have all 8 sticks of RAM installed? Have you always? Sometimes separate sets don't play nicely with each other, even of the same brand. If the second set was a later upgrade, that doesn't line up with the start of your issues does it?

Memory check here: http://www.memtest86.com/

FYI, swapping to a different mobo may well require an OS reinstall, there will be loads of hardware changes that the OS probably won't cope with. If your system up-time is more important than the money, you might even be better off buying the identical mobo again. At least that way you could test it out without software issues. Your OS licence may also fail to activate, though worth calling MS on that one as you're fixing a component not upgrading to a new machine, they might allow that on the same license.

 

[StoneyCashew]

Hey Rhysaim thanks for the help, and yes I do have 8 sticks of RAM. I had four in the beginning and then added four more. When I started having all the issues, I did a clean install of Windows 10 with all eight at the time. Their the all the same brand and speed, and no it doesn't line up with the start date.

As for the motherboard I get free operating systems from school so I have no worries on doing a reinstall. I sent an email to support last night over the motherboard issues and have yet to hear anything from them. I will double check the memory tonight when I get home.