GA-P35C-DS3R problems

[viper_880]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

delete this ..

[x2srj]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Managed to get my motherboard booting to the gigabyte load screen and am currently flashing the BIOS with F8....

What I did was remove all components and memory; took out the battery and used a screw driver to short... after a minute inserted the battery and booted the machine; seems to have cleared the CMOS (as per the instructions manual)

I'm half way through the BIOS update so will keep you informed..

[techman]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

The issue is with this board and it's craptastic Bios... I already took out the battery, swapped RAM positions... there is no way my other components is at fault when all I did was update bios using GigaByte's @Bios utility and reboot. All was working for 4-months until this bios update. If they don't want a certain version of bios to be updated then they should have eliminated so the utility can't pick it up.

You gotta love how mobo makers just slap a big warning on not updating bios when they should be more specific about what models can't and shouldn't update. Better yet, test your f'ing bios!!!

I'm not wasting any more time on this board... filed for RMA and ordered a new Abit mobo. I'm taking my business elsewhere. If they won't take this crap board back and replace it, I'll be glad to file a complaint with BBB here in the USA.

[x2srj]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I'm still having issues...

I can boot without the constant switching on and off that I had previously or crashing mid way through using the PC; I can load the BIOS and boot from any drive but the issue I'm having now is that I can't seem to put an OS on there... I put the XP disc in; press F12 to choose the boot drive... The XP disc kicks in and I follow all the on screen instructions... After the formatting of the C drive to NTFS it asks to reboot; the machine does so (I don't press F12) so the machine should kick in the OS installation. But however after the post screen I get the "Verifying DMI Pool Data" and then crash; back to rebooting...

Now I'm not sure whether either the motherboard has not messed up my HDD or the motherboard is still not functioning correctly..

I know this is a bit off the subject but I need help; I don't build PC's for a living.. this was built for me; I am a little technical but more with software...

Thanks in advance...

[x2srj]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

hmm.. I've got my PC running... just been sent F9.... what do I do?!?!?!?!

[neillyth]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Hi all,

I am another p35c-ds3r owner having the exact same problems as others have reported on these forums.
My specs:
GA-P35C-DS3R Rev 1.1 Bios F4
Q6700 @ 2.66 (stock)
4x1gb Crucial Ballistix P8500c 1066Mhz
BFG 8800gtx OC2
Initailly dual boot (xp and vista64) now Raid 0 2x320gb HDD Vista64 Home
Fatality SB pro sound card

My tale:


This was my first build and am far from being an 'expert'. I finished the build a couple of months ago. Stability has always been a problem especially in vista and with games. I initially put the instability down to issues with the GTX drivers, however although the nVidia drivers have been less than great, as the days ran into weeks the instability issues got worse.
3 days ago, my system failed to boot into vista or xp. I had major issues trying to recover with either Vista or XP discs with Master Boot errors and BSOD. I even tried fresh installs of the OS but it would always crash in vista or fail to copy files in xp. I was at this point ready to throw my precious pc out of the window. I googled all my issues, vistited these and many other forums an the common factor was RAM issues. I tested the RAM with Memtest86 and sure enough at about 20% test it threw up countless errors. I then tested all sticks of RAM individually and each test passed without a single error.
I put the 4 sticks back in, adjusted the DDR2 voltages to +0.3 and manually set the timmings to 5-5-5-15. There was no improvement at all. I got worried when I flashed to Bios F8 reset the DDR2 voltages to Auto and the DDR2 voltages were reading as high 2.41 in Bios, all 4 sticks were getting too hot to touch.
I reflashed the Bios to F4, removed 2 sticks of RAM and set up raid0 in the Bios. This time when I attempted a fresh install of Vista it worked! I got the OS setup, loaded all drivers and updated Vista. I rebooted set the DDR2 voltages to +0.2 and set timmings to 5-5-5-15 ( as I had learned from these forums). So far with 2x1gb RAM the system is as stable as I have ever had it and even enjoyed a couple of hours of Crysis in DX10 mode with only 1 crash which was video driver related. I have tested the system in Everest, again it is stable, the RAM doesn't get too hot and the reported average DDR2 voltage is 2.14v. Strangely my vista experience index has actually gone from 5.6 to 5.8 since removing the 2gb of RAM.
With 4x1gb RAM this system wont even boot and both windows memory test and Memtest86 throw up a load of errors. With 2gb RAM i dont get any errors. I have as yet to try the 800mhz trick of tuning down the DDR2 from 1066mhz, i guess I could but my point is I shouldn't have to, nor should I with voltages and timings...but still

I am currently communicating with Gigabyte as clearly there is an issue with this mobo and 4x1gb RAM I will post if I get any success. I only wanted to share my experience so others may save hours of pain trying to find the problem as I have done. Thanks to forums such as this one I saved some embarrasing calls to Vendors and manufacturers not to mention some valuable time.

Hope this helps.

[blargh23]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I had to underclock the RAM to 1000 to run 4 sticks. However, I could lower the timings to 4-4-4-12, so lower latency offsets the loss of speed.

This may be a P35 chip problem as I've read one of a competitor's forum and people are having similar problems with an equivalent board.

[neillyth]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Thank you Blargh23 I'll give it a go.
The tech people at Gigabyte today also suggested dropping the speed but they suggested 800. Anyway I'll try it and see what happens, with 2gb ram my system today is very stable, probably the best I have ever had it.

Keep up with the good info peeps :)

[techman]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

I tried under-voltage; tried reducing RAM speed... on 2 sticks of OCZ RAMs... still nothing works.

I'm glad some of you can find a working solution but this is still a workaround maker's poor quality control. I'll RMA my board this weekend and should received a new Abit mobo tomorrow. There is light at the end of a tunnel.


Edited: Below is is the official answer I received from their support after 3 days wait.... the same day, I found this forum and already confirmed it is this board that has a problem. I like how they blame it's corrupted due to "unsuccessful flash" of bios when their own utility clearly updated the new bios and instructed me to reboot.

"1) Please clear the CMOS by disconnecting the power cord from the power supply, the power connectors from the M/B and removing the CMOS battery for 2 minutes.
2) If the problem still persists, the BIOS chip might be corrupted/defective due to unsuccessful flash; please contact your vendor for checking out the M/B or the replacement, if under their warranty. If it's not, please contact our RMA department for reprogramming the BIOS chip."

[viper_880]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

ABIT IP35-PRO im getting this motherboard had i seen this motherboard before i got this gigabyte i would of bought it anyway

[x2srj]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

wow neillyth that's an excellent post...

As I've said before I'm not an expert in building PC's so I don't understand some of all this talk.. But after getting my PC to install an OS again the other day it seemed to run ok until I started to put programs that use a lot of memory on it.. I would get sudden reboots whilst opening a program; then maybe on reboot I'd (if I was lucky to get the OS to boot) CHKDSK which would find and fix some errors.

I've now run a Windows memory test on 1 GB memory and I see continued fails on the test.

Sorry but I don't know what they mean but this is what I see:

WINVC FAILED
MATS+ FAILED
INVC Succeeded
LRAND FAILED
Stride6 FAILED
WMATS+ FAILED

At the bottom of the screen I see some data where is says "expected" and "actual". On the FAILED ones above the address appears to be +1 on the "actual" to the "expected"

I'm running this test with only 1 memory stick in..

***ADDED***

Did the Memtest86 and the report is

Test/errors
0/56
1/24
2/40
3/56
4/72
5/88
6/104
7/120
8/136
9/152
10/168

Errors per Memory slot 84208028

If any one likes in the UK and fancies helping some one out I'd be much appreciated :)

My PC Spec:

GA-P35C-DS3R Rev 1.1 Bios F9
Q6600 @ 2.44
2x1gb Corsair TwinX CM2X1024-8500C5D
ATi Radeon X1950
Any OS I can get to work!!!

[x2srj]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Now I've test both memory modules together and separately and I always get errors..

Unfortunately I haven't got another machine I could test these in... do you think the memory is at fault or still down to the MOBO? The voltage for the DDR is 2.37; how does that sound?

[viper_880]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Reset the bios to optimized defualts and save and exit then run memory test ..

[mrfatboy]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Now I've test both memory modules together and separately and I always get errors..

Unfortunately I haven't got another machine I could test these in... do you think the memory is at fault or still down to the MOBO? The voltage for the DDR is 2.37; how does that sound?

2.37 volts is too high. What is the default voltage of your memory? 2.1? 2.2? Reset to correct voltage and check using CPUZ. Maybe you fried your ram already.

[mrfixit]

Re: GA-P35C-DS3R problems

Now that I'm a member, I'll join the fray...
I'm experiencing the same basic issues as well, in this case with a matched pair of the Mushkin PC-8500 performance ram. I killed one stick (although it may have been buggy when I initially acquired it - who knows), RMA'd the one stick, and then within days of getting it back, killed the pair...I now have a new pair and still am having all the similar issues everyone else is.
Based on this forum and the thread on the Anandtech forum as well, I see several common issues that seem to be a factor; MB overvoltage of the ram seems to be a culprit based on BIOS PC health displayed as well as via Speedfan, Everest etc.
If I leave everything set to Auto in BIOS, PC Health in BIOS was reporting 2.42v, Everest 2.37v for the dimms. TOO HIGH and they are running ~50c based on a temp sensor I attached.
If I "force" the SPD in BIOS to 800Hz (versus 1066) the voltage drops to 2.00 (in BIOS PC Health) and things appear to be much more stable (I'll post back in a day or so) and my temp dropped to 41c.
I'm using the F8 bios currently...
During the times my ram was at Mushkin, I had some generic Dell DDR2-800 sticks in place and the PC was totally stable.
My gut is telling me that we have overvoltage issues (at a minimum) relative to DDR2-1066 ram; is this worsened by ram w/EPP "profiles" (as mine has), and is this a BIOS issue or an issue with the P-35 chipset that "officially" doesn't support anything above 800MHz ram?
Obviously, other boards are pulling it off (1066 and higher) so I suppose it could also tie into voltage regulation as well as BIOS.
Thoughts?