GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

[PC_Arcade]

I've been a long time fan of gigabyte boards, but this board has totally redefined my opinion, it's appalling :(

I had it working fine with my Q6600 @ 3.4 Ghz for weeks when all of a sudden it decided when rebooting it didn't like the overclock and reverted to 2.4 Ghz, and also now takes ~5 minutes to get past the "Memory runs dual channel interleaved" part of the post check.

It's not the first time this board has done this and it can be solved (although seemingly only temporarily) by removing the CMOS battery for a day.

It's worth mentioning that having reverted to stock, it's irrelevant what the FSB is set to as the board completely ignores it, it also won't up the FSB unter windows using the crappy easytune software either :(

Spec is as follows :

Q6600 G0
2Gb Corsair XMS2 ram (4-4-4-12)
8800GTX (stock)
Thermaltake Toughpower 750w PSU

Anyone got any suggestion before I just ditch this for a decent board, and if it can't be fixed, can anyone recommend a better board for the above hardware?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

Better choice of ram? That is on my ram incompatibility list

Have you tested this ram stick by stick at stock with memtest86+ lately? If not, please do so you may have some bad modules. Newest Version 2.01, older is not P35 Compatible >>>
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

Are you using the latest, or at least a newer BIOS? This could help

If you do want help, I can help you maybe you had improper settings. Thing do need adjusted after time

I wont be back until later today or tonight, but if you want me to try and help you please fill in what settings are failing for you and I will post back when I get back in. In the meantime, memtest86+ that ram

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

Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [8]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [450]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [2.00]
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]

Performance Enhance = [Standard]

CAS Latency Time________________ ?
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay_________ ?
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______?
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________ ?
ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_________ ?
Rank Write to READ Delay________ ?
Write to Precharge Delay_________ ?
Refresh to ACT Delay______________ ?
Read to Precharge Delay__________ ?
Static tRead Value_______________ 1-31
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ 1-31

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.300V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [+0.1V]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.1V]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.1V]
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.25]

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]

[PC_Arcade]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

Better choice of ram? That is on my ram incompatibility list

Well, it was working perfectly, until the board threw a wobbly and decided it didn't like the overclock any more, it didn't object to the memory beforehand

Have you tested this ram stick by stick at stock with memtest86+ lately? If not, please do so you may have some bad modules. Newest Version 2.01, older is not P35 Compatible >>>
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

I have and it's fine

Are you using the latest, or at least a newer BIOS? This could help

I'm using F11 now, although the same problems were present in F10 IIRC

If you do want help, I can help you maybe you had improper settings. Thing do need adjusted after time

I wont be back until later today or tonight, but if you want me to try and help you please fill in what settings are failing for you and I will post back when I get back in. In the meantime, memtest86+ that ram

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

The setting were working fine, and I cannot see why they would need changing after time, I'll fill this in based on the settings before the board decided it didn't like them anymore.

Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [9]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [387]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [2.00] (although I've also had it on auto) which also worked
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [SPD] (again, I've also had this on manual which worked)

Performance Enhance = [Auto]

CAS Latency Time________________ ?
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay_________ ?
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______?
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________ ?
ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_________ ?
Rank Write to READ Delay________ ?
Write to Precharge Delay_________ ?
Refresh to ACT Delay______________ ?
Read to Precharge Delay__________ ?
Static tRead Value_______________ 1-31
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ 1-31

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.300V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [Auto]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [Auto]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [Auto]
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.45]

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................: [Enabled][/quote]

Some of these settings have been at various settings, these are the ones that worked fine, before the board decided to mess up :(

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

Well this is what I suggest for 2x1GB 800Mhz ram >>>>

Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [9]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [387]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [2.00] (although I've also had it on auto) which also worked
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual] (again, I've also had this on manual which worked)

Performance Enhance = [Standard]

CAS Latency Time________________4
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay_________ 4
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______4
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________ 12

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)_________ 3-4
Rank Write to READ Delay________3-5
Write to Precharge Delay_________4-6
Refresh to ACT Delay______________ 38-42
Read to Precharge Delay__________ 3-6
Static tRead Value_______________ 7-10
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ 1-31

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.300V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [Auto]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.1] << For stability
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.1] << For stability
CPU Voltage Control_______ [1.45]

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................: [Enabled]

[PC_Arcade]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

I'll try this when I get home, I'm not expecting it to work however, as I stated, NO settings seem to make any difference to the board now.

The ONLY way to get this board running correctly (for a limited time) is to remove the cmos battery and wait a few hours, then just cross your fingers and hope that it doesn't decide to screw up again each time you reboot :(

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

How about older BIOS's then F10 ever try them? You do load optimized defaults after you flash and save apply/reboot right?

Well hope it works for you, only thing I could think would be to try different BIOS's if the above is no help

[PC_Arcade]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

Thanks for the help Lsdmeasap, I'm REALLY not optimistic about this, the board has been nothing but trouble, and I'm very close to just scrapping it and never touching Gigabyte again :(

Looks like other have suffered the same problem : http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/ga-p...ng-help-27796/

[VorLonUK]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

Thanks for the help Lsdmeasap, I'm REALLY not optimistic about this, the board has been nothing but trouble, and I'm very close to just scrapping it and never touching Gigabyte again :(

Looks like other have suffered the same problem : http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/ga-p...ng-help-27796/

You will find (as LsdMEasap has already pointed out) a major change in stability when you set Performance Enhance to Standard, especially with those tight timings and an overclock.

[PC_Arcade]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

OK, turns out Performance Enhance was set to standard anyway.

Those setting made no difference whatsoever to the board freezing for ~5-10 mins @ memory check.

Removed the CMOS battery overnight and re input all the correct settings, now I'm back to playing the fingers crossed games every time I reboot in the hope that for whwtever reason this POS board doesn't decide it doesn't like it's setting again and rever back to the same not working mode it has done before :(

I even reflashed (using Q-Flash) and cleared all settings and this wasn't enough to stop the freeze / FSB lock!

I'm at the end of my tether with this board, I'm beginning to think that Gigabyte just don't make good boards anymore :(

[VorLonUK]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

Just out of interest is your CPU staying fairly cool even after boot up, ie checking it in the bios.
Plus are the PSU voltages still within their general tolerances ie 5% +/-
?

[PC_Arcade]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

The hottest core is idling @ 36c and voltage is @ 1.38 (set to 1.4) haven't tested load, but I'd be surprised it they were particularly high.

In all honesty, as far as I can tell, the CPU setting has no bearing whatsoever, when the board was doing it's freezing on memory check, the CPU was set completely to stock and the motherboard would completely ignore ANY change to the FSB, even if it was just 1MHz increase, if it were speed / heat related it doesn't explain the behaviour at stock.

[VorLonUK]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

The hottest core is idling @ 36c and voltage is @ 1.38 (set to 1.4) haven't tested load, but I'd be surprised it they were particularly high.

In all honesty, as far as I can tell, the CPU setting has no bearing whatsoever, when the board was doing it's freezing on memory check, the CPU was set completely to stock and the motherboard would completely ignore ANY change to the FSB, even if it was just 1MHz increase, if it were speed / heat related it doesn't explain the behaviour at stock.

I was reffering to you Power Supply Unit (PSU):-

Plus are the PSU voltages still within their general tolerances ie 5% +/- ?

I was trying to learn whether anything else had changed, that was in affect preventing you from obtaining the stability you once had with the board.

If i were you i would return everything back to default, ie load up the Optimized Defaults and even relax timings from that base line (such as tRFC to 48-54 and the main values to 5-5-5-18 or 6-6-6-18)

There's no point in trying to find stability "out of base spec" if you haven't got a reference. Once you found complete stability, you can then if you wish then make any optimizations.

[PC_Arcade]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

The problem isn't so much stability, the board is 100% (i.e it NEVER crashes) stable when overclocking the 6600, however occasionally on reboot, for no reason I can ascertain, it suddenly decides to reset the CPU settings, completely disallow ANY change to the FSB speeds, and hang for 5-10 mins halfway through the line on the BIOS screen that reads "Memory runs Dual Channel Interleaved" the line reads "Memor" for a good 5-10 mins then continues as normal (excepting FSB changes)

BTW, Just checked hottest CPU core is 59c under full load, again completely stable though :)

Sorry, just re-read your post : PSU voltages are well within tolerances :)

[VorLonUK]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

The problem isn't so much stability, the board is 100% (i.e it NEVER crashes) stable when overclocking the 6600, however occasionally on reboot, for no reason I can ascertain, it suddenly decides to reset the CPU settings, completely disallow ANY change to the FSB speeds, and hang for 5-10 mins halfway through the line on the BIOS screen that reads "Memory runs Dual Channel Interleaved" the line reads "Memor" for a good 5-10 mins then continues as normal (excepting FSB changes)

BTW, Just checked hottest CPU core is 59c under full load, again completely stable though :)

Sorry, just re-read your post : PSU voltages are well within tolerances :)

The problem isn't so much stability, the board is 100% (i.e it NEVER crashes) stable when overclocking the 6600, however occasionally on reboot,

Yep, but what is it like ie "On Reboot" when everything is at Stock?

In fact this sounds more like the board being on the threshold of stability and every so often at a "stress point" ie reboot, especially cold boot as the current demand is higher, ie HD starting current and the 12volt line being stressed the most.

I think you are just finding "occassionally" your setups weak spot and at that point boot up "falls over".
I would think that if you back it off slightly (ie the overclock) or try it at stock that it will be fine.
You need to find that line between stability and max overclock, then wind back some towards stability and leave it there if you wish to have a permanent overclock.

[PC_Arcade]

Re: GA-P35-DS3P 1.0 Problems, utterly awful board :(

As I've said - it will hang for 5-10 mins halfway through the line on the BIOS screen that reads "Memory runs Dual Channel Interleaved" the line reads "Memor" for a good 5-10 mins then continues as normal.

NOTHING makes any difference, even reflashing the BIOS and not keeping settings doesn't change this, the ONLY way to make the board behave temporarily is to remove the CMOS battery and PSU lead for a while :(