GA-Z77X-UD5H rev 1.0 problems with second HD and SDD

[predatorftp]

Hi all,

About my Rig:
i7 3770k
16gb 1600mhz ram
ATI HD 5700 GFX
water cooling
850w tough power
Patriot wildfire 128gb & Samsung 840 pro 256GB SDD
2.5TB WD Green
F15r BIOS

History of the problem:
My system worked just fine (I had some issues with the IGFX not playing nice with Win 8 but I gave up on that), it all began when I installed the new Samsung 840 pro SDD drive, (by simply replacing the Patriot SDD with the Samsung) installed windows 8 64bit - everything worked just great. (With BIOS F15q)

I then wanted to enable the IGFX (internal on-board Intel HD 4000 Graphics card), up until now, it was set to "auto" and I changed it to "enabled" along with other settings such as "Virtualization" "Intel rapid start" and "smart connect".
The system turned off (Rebooted) and back on and simply hanged there (black screen, NO POST sound). Nothing I did could change that. I then cleared the CMOS (button on the motherboard). System was back and I could get into the BIOS, to make a long story short I found out that every time I turn the IGFX on with 512-1024 mb of memory dedicated to it, the system gets stuck. From all the playing and testing I lost my UEFI windows installation and had to erase the MBR of the SDD, or my windows 8 installation won't start.
I then flashed the F15r BIOS and it kinnda helped, the system would turn on with IGFX and memory dedicated to it on and system looked fine. But now I have a new problem.

The problem:
Every time I install windows 8 64bit with the SDD and HDD connected (both connected to the Intel SATA3 controller) windows installation won't start, if I simply disconnect the HDD windows installation loads just fine.
I'm speechless; I never encounter such a problem. I have all my data on the HDD so I can't experiment on it and use killdisk or something of the sort.
What I tried:
1. Re-flashing the BIOS with F15r again.
2. Switching the HDD to the Marvell controller.
3. Using "optimized" settings in the BIOS
4. Clearing the CMOS multi times.
I load my windows installation using a USB 3 Key in UEFI mode. It works very fast and very good never had a problem with it. And it works just great if I remove the HDD. So I know it's not in the windows installation media.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[boondocks]

If the SSD is the target for the Windows install, I would disconnect the HDD until after Windows is installed. Put the SSD on the SATA_0 header and install Windows.
Then connect the HDD, boot and go into the bios and set the BBS priorities so the SSD is first and the HDD second, then hit escape to the boot menu and make sure the SSD is first in the boot order.

If you have done all this then it puzzles me.

[predatorftp]

done that already. it puzzles me too ;(

anyone ?

[boondocks]

Just to clarify:
So you can install Windows on the SSD, and as far as that goes everything is fine. But when you plug in the HDD you can not see it in Windows at all?

Can you put the HDD in another rig and it works fine?

[predatorftp]

Regarding my first issue. It was solved only by an extreme measure – flashing a beta BIOS from this forum (F15r). The motherboard is defective since day one.

Regarding the second issue, all the playing installing turning on and off the computer damaged the first partition of my second hard drive (HDD – WD Green). I had to delete the partition and rebuild my hard drive. It's a shame because all my data was on that partition and I didn't have back up!
So all and all I spent more than 18 hours to resolve the problem, Caused by the mother board to begin with. (I remind you that everything was ok until I decided to enable the IGFX – Internal Intel on-board HD 4000 graphics card supplied by Gigabyte, this caused a general crash that was only solved when I flashed beta BIOS F15r).

NEW PROBLEM:
Running windows 8 64bit, same hardware.
Fresh install of windows 8 64but doesn't detect the IGFX although it is enabled in BIOS.
I placed a backup hard drive that I have and re-installed windows 8 again to see maybe it's a driver issue, but NO, the IGFX refuses to get detected – I don't have anything in the device manager, not under the display tab and as an unknown device it's as if the device doesn't exist.
I always had problems with the IGFX, the audio playback device HDMI, never worked. in my honest opinion there is something defective with my board.
To resume – I am not able to use the on-board IGFX, I had enough with Gigabyte's motherboards...

[predatorftp]

Hey Guys,

I have been storytelling with this MB for more than a week now, I officially hate Gigabyte and their support sucks big time - very disappointed.

NEW ISSUE:
the bios settings won't save. it's as if the settings were saved but not actually. i think this is why the IGFX is not activated in windows 8.

I still don't have any answer from Gigabyte. i wish they would just take respectability and replaced the damn MB.

did any of you guys had this problem ? the BIOS is not actually saving the settings ?? strange.

for example, i have Intel Rapid Start Enabled in the BIOS and save and exit. now when i wan't to install the assisted driver it tells me it doesn't exist. i go back to the BIOS and it's still enabled but still not showing or working in real life or in windows, after a while the BIOS get's rested to defaults all over.
now i understand why my IGFX is not showing in windows despite the fact i Enabled it.

[Vinster]

i have Intel Rapid Start Enabled in the BIOS and save and exit. now when i wan't to install the assisted driver it tells me it doesn't exist. i go back to the BIOS and it's still enabled but still not showing or working in real life or in windows, after a while the BIOS get's rested to defaults all over.
now i understand why my IGFX is not showing in windows despite the fact i Enabled it.

I have had similar issues on other motherboards (Asrock, Gigabyte, EVGA) normally it was caused by a bad Bios flash. Looked like it worked but didn't.

for that issue I'd re-do the flash on the Bios, but this time Format the drive (Fat32, not a quick format) and try flashing the board again with the clean stick. unfortunately I don't have any comments or suggestion on your other issues and I see that you have flashed the bios multiple times already. but all the issues you are having could be because of a bad flash.

One question, where did you get that version of the Bios? I don't see F15r listed for your board. I only see F15o, and F15q...

Have you tried F15o or F15q? I would try one of those and see if you can replicate the issue with those revisions... if you can then that leads me to think it's an issue with the board. last resort would be to flash the F14 bios and see again if you still have an issue.

Vin

EDIT: I re-read the thread again and I see where you got the F15r bios... but my questions still remain..

[predatorftp]

Hi Vin,

Like you said, I flashed my BIOS lots of times. I originally came from F15q (that's where I started). regarding the flashing quality, I wouldn't think it's that, I switched to the secondary BIOS F7 and still had all the issues (different issues nut none of the less)...

anyway, I am almost convinced that my MB is defective. the amount of hours i spent on this is ridicule.

I will though, Re-Flash the BIOS to make sure it's not that.

Thanks

[Vinster]

If you are within the return policy from the vendor that you bought the board from, see if they'll exchange it...

Here is the problem, if you can't get it to work and RMA it to Gigabyte, they'll test it, if they can't replicate the exact issue (regardless if there are other issues) they'll send the board back to you as is.

example; the board in my sig noted as dead... it's not dead, but I had to underclock my CPU for it to boot... at gigabyte they had no issues.. so I got my blundered board back... I don't feel right selling it because I know the history... CPU is fine, OC'd it to 4.2Ghz in an EVGA board recently...

So make sure they will be able to replicate the issue before RMA'ing it... Even try leaving the battery out of the board for a weekend (extended reset). if the problem is still there... then you should get a resolution.

it's a bummer but that's how it works. and we the customers are left with it

Vin

[predatorftp]

so.....gets points for that......

Dude, your post is not understandable ! the images doesn't show.