GA-EP45-DS3L/S3L no video

[Severene42]

I just bought this board. Upon boot up it comes on for a few seconds then shuts down. Then it comes back on for a bit and then shuts down. It continues to loop in this fashion. I have no video and there is no speaker to this new case to give me a POST code. I tried another video card to make sure that wasnt it. My first thought is that it is the CPU or memory - more likely the memory. CPU is Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600. I have 2 sticks of 2 gig DDR2-800 corsair memory in it which it should be able to support. Can someone help me figure out what is going on here? Thanks.

[mxcrowe]

It's nice to hear the POST codes...might want to invest in a little speaker to attach to the header.
You should definitely try to boot with one stick of RAM to see if you can get to BIOS.
You should post your full specs, PSU, etc. so people can help you better.

[Severene42]

Oh sorry!

Here are the specs copied from the sites I ordered the parts:

-GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
-Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor
-CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
-XFX PVT98FYDBU GeForce 9800 GTX Black Edition 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card
-Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31000340AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
-Aerocool Horsepower 750W Power Supply

erm...

-LITE-ON Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner
-NZXT Nemesis Elite Gaming Case - Black
-HannsG 28" Widescreen LCD Monitor - 800:1, 3ms, 1920 x 1200 - Black - HG281DPB

[mxcrowe]

Your first goal is to get to BIOS. Use one stick of memory. It may cycle a few times on boot. Make sure you are hitting the delete key repeated so that when BIOS does start, you can get into the modification screens. If you still have problems, disconnect everything except the PSU, mobo, CPU, and one stick of memory, just to see if it will POST.

[Rezerected]

If your computer goes into an infinite reboot loop, try turning off the power switch on the back of your PSU. For awhile I was stumped and started wondering if I had a bad PSU, a bad videocard, or a bad mobo and based on other people's similar results I'm pretty sure it is the motherboard acting up.

My problems with this mobo always seems to stem from something having to do with energy savings, either Sleep/Standby/Hibernate mode or the DES Advance program that Gigabyte incorporates.

I know that on my system, when I turned on DES Advance with the previous 8/26/2008 beta bios (F10e I think?) it just completely froze up and consequent reboots took it into the infinite reboot loop.

Somehow turning off the PSU switch in the back lets the system boot back up with its default BIOS settings.

[Lsdmeasap]

Yes, please try the above mentioned PSU trick. And then start the system with one stick of ram in slot one and see if you can load the BIOS.

Also be sure to check ALL PSU connections and be sure your GFX card is plugged in as well if it needs to be. Make sure ATX 12 4Pin or8 pin is plugged in tight.

And I would also if you still have issues take it out of the case and try it on a cardboard box incase you have a short somewhere. Do this with only CPU, one stock of ram and GFX card. NO hard drive.

If still no luck, while out of the box remove the CPU and be SURE all pins are straight and touching the Properly. If they are reseat the CPU and try all suggestions again making SURE the Heatsink you are using is FULLY screwed/clamped down

Also, if you can, please test that ram on another system DOA happens with any company and you may have 2 sticks of dead ram. Best to know this now if so to save yourself a larger headache in the end.

Have you tried clearing the CMOS at all?

[mxcrowe]

And once you do get back in, get rid of DES. It is nothing but a source of problems.

[Severene42]

OK, I took a stick out and it now boots up. Somebody at work told me that I needed to change the voltage to make channel 2 work correctly. They also mentioned changing the latency/speed of the memory etc to make it more stable. Im not sure Im ready to goof with that unless I have some sort of instructions on how to do that or a better understanding of what those changes do. The first thing I am going to do when I get home is try the other stick of ram by itself instead. I was so excited that it booted up I didnt even think to try the stick I took out by itself.

If the second stick is good what should I change and what do you think I should change it to?

[Lsdmeasap]

If both sticks are good you will need to make some changes in the BIOS with one stick in slot one and then shut down and put in the other stick and then start the system again

And yes 2x2GB needs some voltage changes as well as some manual memory timings set.

Please when you get home/time post back your full settings you see in the MIT Section with one stick in and I will get you some suggested settings to get started with.

This is Just a template I use to ask people their settings, pay no attention to the numbers in it, replace with yours

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............:
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................:
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0
CPU Frequency ...........................:


Clock Chip Control
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control..................: [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............: Mhz
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........:Set to 100


Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: <<< Leave
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: <<< Leave
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: <<< Leave
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: <<< Leave


DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [STANDARD]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............:
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............:
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [Manual]

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................
tRCD .........................................
tRP'...........................................
tRAS..........................................

Advanced Timing Control
tRRD...........................................
tWTR..........................................
tWR............................................
tRFC...........................................
tRTP...........................................
Command Rate (CMD) ....................:2

Channel A
Static tRead Value.........................:7-10
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:<<< Leave for all below as well
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:Auto
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:Auto
tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:Auto
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:Auto
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:Auto
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:Auto
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:Auto
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control...............:Auto ps
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control...............:Auto ps

Channel B
Static tRead Value.........................:7-10
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:<<< Leave for all below as well
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:Auto
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:Auto
tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:Auto
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:Auto
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:Auto
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:Auto
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:Auto
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control...............:Auto ps
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control...............:Auto ps

Motherboard Voltage Control
Voltage Type.………... Manual
CPU
CPU Vcore….……….........................:
CPU Termination…..... 1.200V*.......: <<< Leave
CPU PLL…………………....1.500V*.......: <<< Leave
CPU Referen.…………....0.755V*.......: <<< Leave
CPU Reference2………,,0.800V*.......:<<< Leave

MCH/ICH
MCH Core…………….....1.100V...........: <<
MCH Reference….…….0.800V...........; <<< Leave
MCH/DRAM Ref.…......0.900V...........: <<< Leave
ICH I/O……………….....1.550V............: <<< Leave
ICH Core…………...……1.100V............: <<< Leave

DRAM
DRAM Voltage ……....1.800V............:
DRAM Termination .…0.900V............: <<< Leave
Channel A Reference 0.900V............: <<< Leave
Channel B Reference 0.900V............: <<< Leave

Advanced Settings
Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Disabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology................: [Disabled]

[Severene42]

I just cant seem to catch a break here! I had to RMA an ASUS board back to Egg and they were out of stock so I bought this board locally. This is the second install for this CPU and fan. Its overheating at like 68-70C so I got scared and turned it off. I was thinking 40C tops? Anyways I guess you have to renew the thermal grease and cant just re-use whats on it. And of course every place nearbye is out of it or doesnt stock it. Ironically I keep 20 tubes on my desk at work - but Im not taking the train into work for 4 more days. I will get back to you with the CMOS settings as soon as I fix this heat issue...