GA-P35C-DS3R problems

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Well if that was the case, there would be far less bricked motherboards! I sure wish I could get a copy of the backup to hard drive BIOS app. Xpress BIOS recovery.

Yeah I seen in some threads people trying to ask gigabyte abotu that app and getting nowhere fast

[ramancars]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

However, after reading this forum, I am thinking the memory controller on the P35 chipset sucks at supporting PC2-8500 2.1volt DDR2 RAM. Firstly, the motherboard has a Vdimm default of 1.8 volts, and DDR2 @ 1066 is only supported with 2 sticks of RAM from their recommended list.

ALL:

I agree with breaker: The common factor in the most problems with the P35C-DS3R board is the PC2-8500 2.x volt DDR2 RAM. It is NOT whether people use crucial, corsair, OCZ or whatever brand.

I assembled one computer with this mainboard in July-07 and another one in August-07, how stupid can one be,

I started out with a crucial 2 gb pair, PC2-8500 2.2 volt. RIGHT from the beginning I had trouble just getting it to run stable. When I built the second machine, I moved the crucial sticks to this one. The 2nd machine behaves the exact same way: it is impossible to obtain stability at 1066 MHz. Sure, it might run a few days without errors, but all too often something weird happens; worst of all I've even had a few BSOD. I have now sent the crucial RAM in RMA, even though I've been able to run memtest86 for 30 hours WITHOUT errors.

In August-07, I put 2x2x1GB (two pairs) GEIL PC2-6400 2.1 volt sticks in the first machine. This machine has been running at stock speed rock stable (I havent had a single hardware-caused crash) since, with ram at 4-4-4-12 and voltage +0.1 (this looks like almost 2.0 volt in bios pc-health).

Yesterday I upgraded my bios from F4g to F10, and so far it hasn't had any negative effects (actually, pc-health didn't show the ram voltage before, it only said 'OK').

Conclusion: I think this gigabyte crap mainboard CANNOT run stable with ram at 1066 MHz. A quick and good stability test on my two computers is S3 standby. My box with GEIL ram has no problems with it..., using crucial PC2-8500 ram, it is unusable: almost every time I resume from standby, it restarts.

ANYBODY running a P35C-DS3R with ram at 1066 MHz STABLE ???

All for now,
Ramancars

[tcfrey]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I've had all of the problems described in this thread. Even posted my experiences back in the september 2007 time frame. I'm running my 4 gig of corsair dominator 1066 ram at 800. System is not stable otherwise. However, I have seen other posts regarding other p35 boards and the newer x38 boards with similar problems. It is always seen when trying to run 4 gig of ddr2 ram higher than 800? My system is stable and fast. Been that way since I got the board back from Gigabyte when I RMA'd it because of the infamous boot problem. I'm leaving it alone.

q6600 GO
EVGA 8800GTS KO
4 GIG Corsair DOMINATOR 8500
P35C-DS3R Rev. 1.1 BIOS Rev 10

[breaker]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I got my PC-8500 Corsair RAM back from RMA that died. I have been running it at +0.2 volts with only 2 sticks instead of 4. Now, the PC Health actually says I am running at 2.1xx volts when +0.2 should = 2.0v. However, I have read on XtremeSystems that this board has really bad Vdroop under load, which I have yet to test. So if PC Health is correct it also overvolts by .1 volt. I have read here and there this can be a big problem with these boards. I am trying for now DDR2-1066 with 5-5-5-15 and a fan on top of the Dominators. This revision of Dominators is supposedly Micron D9s.

So, Memtest 86+ v1.70 ran fine at these settings, but I am waiting a week or so before going for the Prime 95 / Orthos. I am NOT going to overclock.

If the RAM dies again I will RMA the mobo and RAM, sell it off and buy something else!

P.S. My mobo is rev1.1 and BIOS F10

[breaker]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Well if that was the case, there would be far less bricked motherboards! I sure wish I could get a copy of the backup to hard drive BIOS app. Xpress BIOS recovery.

Yeah I seen in some threads people trying to ask gigabyte abotu that app and getting nowhere fast

I asked Gigabyte about "Virtual Dual BIOS" which is listed as one feature in the spec chart of your mobo:

Answer : It only has single bios chip on the board, the other bios is written to the hdd as an backup

Question : What is Virtual DualBIOS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Model Name : GA-P35-DS4(rev. 2.1)
--------------------------
M/B Rev : 2.1
BIOS Ver : F12

I now have asked if this means it is automatic and if it = Xpress BIOS Rescue.


Again, hopefully what is written here is automatic as far as the hidden HDD partition: http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/..._explained.htm

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I see in my manual and on my actual board 2 bios chips so they are just telling you that so you will quit asking.

There is no hidden partition or backup bios file on my drive or I would be able to see it in several DOS utility's

[breaker]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Just a note about memory for the GA-P35C-DS3R, Gigabyte tech support has recommended I try one of the kits on this page:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=GA-P35C-DS3R

Note none of the kits go over 1.8v.

[breaker]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I see in my manual and on my actual board 2 bios chips so they are just telling you that so you will quit asking.

There is no hidden partition or backup bios file on my drive or I would be able to see it in several DOS utility's

Too bad. For the record here's what Gigabyte says:

Answer : Virtual dual bios uses this method to recover it

Question: Is this GIGABYTE Xpress BIOS Rescue™ = Virtual DualBIOS ?

Answer : It is automatic which will write to the primary hdd
GIGABYTE Xpress BIOS Rescue™ is a tool that automatically recovers damaged BIOSes (plural for BIOS) to their original state. How it works is that an ISO file or image file of the BIOS is stored in a hidden file on the hard drive automatically each time your system boots. This copy is able to replace a corrupted BIOS automatically due to software applications or viruses without the need for CD or Floppy support. As the process is fully automated, there is no need to fix or change the BIOS through a command prompt. This helps to ensure your BIOS are functioning correctly at all times.

Question : Does this happen automatically?

Which hard drive does it pick?

Does Xpress BIOS Recover = Virtual DualBIOS?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I believe if that were true there would be far less customers getting bricked boards. They could be correct, but I highly dont think so, and if they are....They need to better fix this feature so less boards die and explain this to users better so they can ensure that they have activated/installed this option.

Because all in all, I dont see it on my board AT ALL, and when choosing a BIOS location on my HDD to flash I can only see the BIOS's That I stick on a USB disk and not my actual HD. I believe if the above were true you should be able to choose a disk to flash from while in qflash. And actually having said that, the bios backup that they refer to as being made automatically would surely have to be on a FAT or FAT32 partition, which is for sure not on any of my disks, and therefore not a automatic thing done by the bios.

Now I cant say for sure if it would actually do it on its own provided I did have a FAT/FAT32 partition on one of my disks, but I can assure you I am about to find out

[breaker]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

And actually having said that, the bios backup that they refer to as being made automatically would surely have to be on a FAT or FAT32 partition, which is for sure not on any of my disks, and therefore not a automatic thing done by the bios.

So your BIOS has not created a tiny hidden partition somewhere? I think it is possible it could create it independently of whatever partition types you set up. Which utilities do you use to check? I have only tried GParted Live CD (this looks really good too http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page). There was some unallocated space behind my system drive, but I don't think it was anything. But, I read maybe some rootkits can hide in those spaces, so why not BIOS? However, without a disk sector viewer, one can't be sure. But I don't think BIOS would be limited to FAT32 or even need to use disk formatting, just a partition block. Interesting anyway.


More Q&A with me and Gigabyte, I love to query them (start to read from bottom going up):

Answer: We are uncertain which 3rd party utility can view it, you can try it
Do not make any changes or modification if you are able to locate it.

Question : Should I be able to see the hidden partition with the Gparted Live CD?

Previously on the ggts channel:

Question : Please name a few that will do this.

Answer : You will not be able to locate it unless you use some sort of 3rd party software which can locate hidden partition

Question : Sometimes I repartition, change partitions to work with BSD or Linux.

Where EXACTLY is it stored?

I would like to use a DISK SECTOR VIEWER to look at it.

I am curious. What is it's signature, where is it?

Answer : It is automated where it will auto back up to an hdden partiton on your hdd. You do not need to do anything or make any chances.

Question : What is a software tool I can use to see where this BIOS image is on HDD?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I have used Everytool on Hirens bootcd, which is a ton of tools, also Have used DigiWIZ MiniPE which has a ton more!

Nothing is there, at all. Other then the FULL partitions I have made. I bet that small area your are seeing is the 8MB XP leaves and sometimes sticks in MBR. I have none of that on my disks as I deleted it and installed MBR on my main disk. All I can see is my FULL partitions I made with no space before or after remaining or used.

And since It would need to be a FAT type I would for sure see it. I bet the next time you tell them this they tell you well in that case (My case) that users "Hidden" backup is somehow mysteriously stored in my NFTS partitions.

If any of that were true there would not be so many dead boards due to incorrect overclocks and bad flashes. I do think the DQ6 boards may have this feature though, I seen someone talking about using ExpressBIOS backup app we talked about before

[breaker]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I still don't see why the partition would have to be FAT32 or any other type, it could be proprietary with just the BIOS image.

But I believe you that there is nothing there.

Check out "Quad BIOS" http://www.giga-byte.com/FileList/Ne...s_work_dq6.htm

It actually uses the CD-ROM, which is cool.

This line from that page is funny:

"Backup BIOS also find himself being destroyed"

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Ohh, well I just assumed it needed to be FAT or FAT32 because of the way it must be for a USB and such.

Well either way, no hidden partitions on my disks, and no Bios files other then a folder I have with several I put in there.

I think you need to tell the GA reps you are speaking with to just stop playing around, and send you a link to the BIOS application we want to use! You know they have it and could easily give us a link anytime

[breaker]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

OK, they said Winhex.

[Krakn3Dfx]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I went ahead and pulled my rev. 1.1 board today and replaced it with an ABit IP35-E I got from Newegg for $60 after rebate. Going to RMA the Gigabte board, see what I get back, but I'm pretty happy with the ABit board so far, OC'd my e8400 to 3.8Ghz so far, and it doesn't loose all my bios settings when I reboot when the FSB is over 400Mhz like the Gigabyte board did.

Hopefully Gigabyte can release a bios update that resolves a lot of these problems, it would be a great board if it wasn't for the issues that plague it, at least the rev. 1.1 version.