EP45-DS3L w/ F8 BIOS installed
Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale
2x2GB G.SKILL DDRII800 CL5-5-5-15 1.8-1.9V
Radeon HD 4850
Corsair HX620W power supply
This is a new build and no BIOS setting have been changed from stock. I booted it up the first time with an XP install disk in the drive, and it gave me a bluescreen error while loading drivers (something about pci.sys if I recall correctly, but I don't think it matters). I restarted and decided to look through the BIOS (was still using the F3 it shipped with at this point) for anything amiss. The BIOS froze on me after about one minute.
I figure I'll start by checking the memory at this point. Unfortunately, Memtest86 freezes on me after 8 seconds. I try testing the individual modules in each slot and get the same freeze at about the same time.
A little internet research on my main machine reveals that the BIOS is unpopular, and an update is recommended. I cross my fingers and try QFlash from a thumb drive. Miraculously, it completes the F8 flash without a hitch, and I'm starting to feel lucky. The computer restarts, Memtest continues to freeze, BIOS continues to freeze, and Windows install continues to bluescreen.
I have no compatible spare parts to swap around for testing purposes, so I'm stuck asking for advice on BIOS tweaks I can try to stabilize this thing with.
Alternate question: Should I RMA the RAM or the mobo first?
Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale
2x2GB G.SKILL DDRII800 CL5-5-5-15 1.8-1.9V
Radeon HD 4850
Corsair HX620W power supply
This is a new build and no BIOS setting have been changed from stock. I booted it up the first time with an XP install disk in the drive, and it gave me a bluescreen error while loading drivers (something about pci.sys if I recall correctly, but I don't think it matters). I restarted and decided to look through the BIOS (was still using the F3 it shipped with at this point) for anything amiss. The BIOS froze on me after about one minute.
I figure I'll start by checking the memory at this point. Unfortunately, Memtest86 freezes on me after 8 seconds. I try testing the individual modules in each slot and get the same freeze at about the same time.
A little internet research on my main machine reveals that the BIOS is unpopular, and an update is recommended. I cross my fingers and try QFlash from a thumb drive. Miraculously, it completes the F8 flash without a hitch, and I'm starting to feel lucky. The computer restarts, Memtest continues to freeze, BIOS continues to freeze, and Windows install continues to bluescreen.
I have no compatible spare parts to swap around for testing purposes, so I'm stuck asking for advice on BIOS tweaks I can try to stabilize this thing with.
Alternate question: Should I RMA the RAM or the mobo first?
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