Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

[Lobster]

Hello!

I'm building a new computer and it's been a while since I built my last so I was hoping I could get a little guidance, especially since I hear this motherboard can be finicky. I'm buying all the components separately so everything's going to be at factory default when I get started. Here are the important bits:

GA-EP45-DS3L
Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz
SAPPHIRE 100245L Radeon HD 4850 512MB
4GB Corsair DDR2 800 (2x 2GB)
Western Digital Caviar SE16 640GB HD


I've read that it might not like the RAM on first boot but I have some old OCZ 1GB DDR2 400 DIMMs from my last computer just in case.

Would someone be so kind as to tell me what my BIOS settings will need to be, and how to get them set that way if it's going to be more complicated than just plugging everything in and turning it on? Could I also get a step-by-step for getting the BIOS up to date?

I'm going to be using XP though unless I'm mistaken I'll need to have all of the BIOS stuff squared away before I even put in the Windows disc.

Thanks for your help!

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

What you should do is install your System with only one 2GB stick and then you can get into your BIOS and mess around with things. Yes, you will need to manually set some things for stable 2x2GB of ram.

Depending on where you plan to run your CPU at you would likely need to set many things manually as Auto is often wrong, and can give to little or too much of any one settings and cause you to fail to boot or be stable and you wont know what is causing that without manually setting things.

Your board will likely boot for sure with the BIOS it ships with, but yes you should update it.

Here is a Qflash Guide I wrote so you can easily update your BIOS >>>

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/bios-flashing-how-qflash-guide-27576/

And here is your BIOS download page >>>
GIGABYTE - Support - Motherboard - BIOS - GA-EP45-DS3L (rev. 1.0)


Once you get setup and running I can help you with settings once you decide where you plan to run things at.

I can say, Please do take the time to read your manual. It will help alot if you are new to SATA and newer boards. P45 has TONS of BIOS options so you will want to read all that first.


Once you get everything put together let me know and I can for sure help you

[Lobster]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

Thanks for the advice. I am indeed new to SATA and as noted my main drive will be a SATA drive, though I do intend to install my old 160GB IDE drive as a secondary (makes it a lot easier to transfer all my files!).

When you ask where I plan to run my CPU at, you mean in terms of overclocking, right? I've never really had much interest in that level of tweaking so I won't be overclocking. At least, not until something comes along to compel me to do so. :)

Some of my components are arriving today and the rest will be tomorrow so today is still going to be a research day. If the motherboard arrives I'll get cracking on that manual.

Thanks again!

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

Ya, I just wondered if you planned to overclock an such.

Post back once you get started if you need some help, hopefully someone will chime in if I am not around.

Otherwise good luck and I will see you when I get in

[Lobster]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

Will do. Looks like the mobo is going to arrive tomorrow. I'll be sure to post about my epic failures then. :)

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

Let us know how you get along

[Lobster]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

OK, I have a question! I only just started because I came down with the flu on Wednesday and have been kind of loopy since (still am, wooo!). I noticed on the motherboard the screw holes are surrounded by metal contact points. Grounds, maybe? Or perhaps just shiny things to help me find the holes? Either way, my case lacks a screw hole for one of the two right by the lower end of the RAM sockets (front, mid-board). I figured if those little metallic petals are indeed grounds, this could be a problem. Is it?

[Lobster]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

Oh, and also, the case came with screws that are threaded all the way up to the head and some that are only threaded up to within a few mm of the head. Which should I use? I've already put in the spacers. Sorry, neither the mobo nor the case had very detailed instructions on how to screw the damn thing in.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

If your tray is missing a standoff or standoff screw hole you will be fine with leaving that screw out if you like. Just be sure there is no extra standoff's under the board that do not line up and have a screw you plan to put in them as they will short your board out. So remove those if you do see any

You can use whichever screws you want, it does not matter. Just be sure you dont need a certain one for something else or you will have to redo it all later.

Hope you get well soon, and good luck with this build

[Lobster]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

OK, the build was more successful than I'd hoped. In fact, I put in the three hard drives I intended to use (including the two from my previous build) and since the SATA wasn't formatted yet it actually successfully booted off my old drive on the very first power cycle! Needless to say, the computer is very confused about what happened between its last shutdown and now and is giving me 3 days to reactivate Windows before it locks me out. :(

Now I need to figure out how to format that SATA drive since as tempting as it is to be lazy and stick with the old IDE, I think I'd be better off with the new hardware. Windows XP Setup should take care of that, right? I don't know how stable the system is since I'm not about to start putting it through is paces through a five-year-old OS install on a totally different machine.

So I guess these are my questions:

1) How do I go about formatting and partitioning the SATA drive that will be my main hard drive? It's the Western Digital 640GB noted in OP.
2) It booted up just fine with only 1 2GB DIMM. What do I need to change to get it to handle 2?
3) What's my next step? BIOS update? I've already downloaded the new version and installed a floppy drive on the new machine to do it that way but I wasn't sure if I ought to format the new HD first.

Thanks for all your help!

[AlpacaHerder]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

1) How do I go about formatting and partitioning the SATA drive that will be my main hard drive? It's the Western Digital 640GB noted in OP.

Here are Microsoft's instructions: How to partition and format a hard disk by using Windows XP Setup program. I don't believe that it will be a problem unless you have a XP install disc from before Service Pack 1. If I recall correctly, it could only see 137GB. Before you start, I would remove the other drives completely so they are not accidentally overwritten.

Another option for partitioning is Partition Magic ($$) or a free one like GParted.

I don't have this motherboard yet, but I'm sure someone will jump in if the XP installer has a problem recognizing SATA drives. This might be a reason to do the BIOS update first.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

Ya, once you start the XP install hit F6 to load your drivers (You may not have to, try once without them and see if you see your drive once you get to the drive selection screen) Then you can quick format the disk and partition it there as well if you like.

For 2x2GB you need to set performance Enhance to standard, set your ram voltages and set MCH voltage to 1.2-1.3 (1.24-1.28 would likely be best)

To update your BIOS, use Qflash and your floppy. Here is a Guide I wrote about that >>>

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/bios-flashing-how-qflash-guide-27576/

HD formating does not matter, but you will need to load and apply optimized defaults after you flash and set your SATA and other disk settings all ove ragain keep that in mind

I do advise you do a clean install for sure

If XP does not see your drive you will need to load a driver. First be sure you have no jumpers on the back of your drive, some ship with one. Then start your XP install and you will see at the bottom of the screen "Press F6 to load Drivers" Press that and a few minutes later it will ask for your driver, put it on a floppy and load it. This would be the driver you want for XP (it may not be needed at all as Gigabyte does not offer it on your download page) >>>
Confirm Download

Once you load it, scroll up or down and choose this driver >>>
ICH10D/DO SATA AHCI Controller

And yes, you could set AHCI in the BIOS and use that as well if you wanted

And again your formatting will be done as you install XP. Here is what you would set your BIOS Options to in Integrated Peripherals page >>>>

SATA AHCI Mode (Intel ICH10 Southbridge) .............Disabled or AHCI

SATA Port0-3 Native Mode........... Enabled

Again, please try first without loading a Driver as you may not need to at all.

What you may need to do though is Either on a different system or yours with old OS install or DOS is setup your disk for first use, some disks have to have this done before the Formatting can even be done. This sets up the disk for first use (Sets active and formats it for a Bootable OS). Here would be the tool you need to use if your drive has to have this done >>>


Here is the PDF for setting up a disk and using those tools >>>

Quick Guide

http://www.wdc.com/en/library/sata/2079-001042.pdf?wdc_lang=en

Full Guide

http://www.wdc.com/en/library/sata/2779-001006.pdf?wdc_lang=en

And here is the tools >>>

Data Lifeguard Tools 11.2 for Windows

Windows Version

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=606&sid=1&lang=en

DOS CD ISO >>

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=606&sid=53&lang=en

Floppy >>>

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=606&sid=23&lang=en

[Lobster]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

Thanks again for all your help. I'm at work so I don't have my build in front of me, but when you say:

For 2x2GB you need to set performance Enhance to standard, set your ram voltages and set MCH voltage to 1.2-1.3 (1.24-1.28 would likely be best)

To what do I set my RAM voltages? Voltages are scary and I don't want to get them wrong! :(

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

You set your ram voltage to what you see on the sticker 1.9V

You set MCH voltage to 1.28 and then try lower later when you get time. Stock may work but not likely

Dont be scared, only pumping LARGE amounts into things will break them

[Lobster]

Re: Building a new GA-EP45-DS3L machine

You set MCH voltage to 1.28 and then try lower later when you get time. Stock may work but not likely

How will I know that I should try lower, and how will I know when I've hit the sweet spot? Stability?