GA-EP43-DS3L Double Boot Issue...

[ALLTHATISMAN]

I recently bought this board to replace a very buggy 780i, which to my surprise has been awesome. Runs stable in Windows Vista 64, games well, seemed to overclock well... but I get this "double boot" where the computer will activate the monitor and I see the POST screen, but it stops where it would otherwise count the RAM and shuts down for about 2 seconds, then boots up like nothing happened...

Twice it has reverted back to stock settings and when I open up the MIT a message says something to the effect that it didnt like the voltage.

Overclocking aside it seems to do the double boot even with all the stock settings...

My Setup:

GA-EP43-DS3L motherboard...obviously
Intel E8400 3.0 ghz
4x1gb Crucial Ballistix DDR 800
Sapphire 4870x2
Creative X-FI ztremegamer
Corsair HX-1000 watt PSU

Oh and it has the original F04 bios... I noticed there is only a windows version of the update... no image to burn for DOS boot? Is this a RAM issue because once this thing boots up even with the overclock it runs superb... no crashes or hiccups.... help? For the record I am at stock settings and this issue still persists.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-EP43-DS3L Double Boot Issue...

Well it is likely some settings need adjusted is all. A double boot is normal when makign BIOS changes, but not if you aren't right then. A triple boot is not normal and this is when your system would revert back to default.

As for BIOS flashing DO NOT USE @BIOS

The BIOS file you download is a EXE which is made just to extract to the Floppy drive or A: drive.

Here is your BIOS download page, plenty of new ones for sure >>>
GIGABYTE - Support - Motherboard - BIOS - GA-EP43-DS3L (rev. 1.0)

You can get the BIOS .Fxx (xx Being BIOS number and how the actual BIOS file extension will look) File out of this to flash with Qflash or DOS (DOS Flash files are also inside the Exe. by using winrar to extract the files.

Download Winrar Trial here (Scroll down to Winrar 3.71 and download) and then install and right click the BIOS exe file and choose extract here >>>
WinRAR archiver, a powerful tool to process RAR and ZIP files

Then you can either run any CD you have to get DOS loaded and use the files extracted. Or you can put them on a FAT32 USB drive and use Qflash. You may also make a new 1GB FAT32 partition on your disk if you like and keep BIOS files there as well.

To use USB you need Legacy Storage Detect Enabled in the Integrated Peripherals oage of the BIOS. You also need to leave the USB drive plugged in when you reboot to Qflash (Select "END" at bootup, or F8 Within the BIOS to enter Qflash)

Once inside Qflash you will be presented with Disks or Drives depending on what you have available, look thru each until you find your BIOS file and then flash it

I would suggest you do a flash before we try to get your setting better as this may help alot. But AUTO or stock is likely not going to perform or run stable very well with 4x1GB of ram, you will need to make some changes.

I would suggest these below for 4x1GB of ram and your CPU @ 3.0GHz, if you need further help overclocking later I can try to help you out. Just posting some stock settings for you for now as I may be leaving soon >>>>

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................: 9
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0
CPU Frequency ...........................: 3.00Ghz (2.997 / 333 x 9)


Clock Chip Control
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control..................: [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............: 333Mhz
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........:Set to 100


Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: <<< 800
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: <<< 900
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] << 333 for now 400 when you start overclocking
System Memory Multiplier ..............: 2.40
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 799Mhz
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [Manual]

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................4
tRCD .........................................4
tRP'...........................................4
tRAS..........................................12


Set to high, lower later one at a time with testing after each move. If you know this then do not mind me! Bolded Item below Important for 4x1xGB (And MCH Voltage below as well). Or you can leave them all on Auto for now, just set trfc for sure, and the mch voltage

Advanced Timing Control
tRRD........................................... 3-4
tWTR.......................................... 4-6 (9-12
tWR............................................ 4-6 (9-14)
tRFC........................................... 52-62
tRTP........................................... 3-6
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….……….........................: Auto or normal for now, as I do not think this is part of your issue with no overclock
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...........: << Set to 1.2 or 1.3 For 2x2GB or 4x1GB
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............: 2.0-2.1V
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]

[THe Jackal]

Re: GA-EP43-DS3L Double Boot Issue...

I've updated mine with a pendrive...I think that using a floppy can be unsafe...use a pendrive with FAT format.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-EP43-DS3L Double Boot Issue...

Floppy is for sure Safe, @BIOS is not.