EP45T-DS3R Weird GFX Problem

[tastytoast]

Hey Guys, I've got this problem which has absolutely got me STUMPED!!

The deal is, I just built a new computer for my mate, expecting it to all work like it should, but unfortunately, we have a weird issue...

The Hardware...

EP45T-DS3R
Intel Q9400 running Stock...
4gb Corsair PC3-10666 1333Mhz CAS9
Asus 8800GT Video card...
150gb WD 10k Raptor Hard Drive
600w Vantec ion2+ PSU..


The problem...

Random Lock ups, when ever requiring something graphical! The system, just does a complete Freeze...
This is when running XP x86, Vista x86, Or Ubuntu x86....with the Nvidia drivers installed....

So heres what I have narrowed down. At First we thought it was the PSU since it was only a 430w to begin with...We upgraded that, but no go...I put the 8800GT in my box which is a EP35-DS3P with a Intel Q9300, and it works a dream....I put my 8600GT in the Problematic box, and it runs like a dream also....this is what gets me...I take it to a friends house...Put his 9800GTX in, and once again...random lock ups...8800 works fine in his box also...so its not the card Obviously!
So just as another Test..I happen to have another 8600GTS sitting here, the one with the mamonth heatsink and pipe on it...its been on for the last couple hours running a 3D demo....no lock up....

So it seems like, there is no actual hardware fault, just something is not right when running a 8800GT or 9800GTX...

I must also add, that I have tested the Ram Modules individually and have tried another hard drive...just to rule out a couple things..

Can anyone lead me in the right direction, cause I have no idea where to turn to from here....

Cheers..

Nico

[tastytoast]

Re: EP45T-DS3R Weird GFX Problem

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: AUTO
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................: 8 X
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0
CPU Frequency ...........................: 2.66


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

C.I.A.2 .................................:[Disabled]


Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: 800mV<<<
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: 900mV<<<
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: 0<<<
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: 0<<<


DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [TURBO] was default
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............: AUTO
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 1066
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [auto]

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................7
tRCD .........................................7
tRP'...........................................7
tRAS..........................................20

Set all Suggested below to highest Values first. Then later you can lower, one at a time, testing as you go

Advanced Timing Control
tRRD...........................................4 Auto
tWTR..........................................4 Auto
tWR............................................8 Auto
tRFC...........................................60 Auto
tRTP...........................................4
Command Rate (CMD) ....................:0 Auto

Driving Strength Profiles
Driving Strength ............................

Channel A
Static tRead Value.........................:7 Auto
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:Auto <<< 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
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:Auto <<< 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 ControlCPU1.23750V AutoAUTO (not sure what its ment to be)0.760V*.......: <<< .64% Of Vtt (Termination above) Auto Will set this correctly

MCH/ICH0.760V750V1.500VDRAM1.5000.750............: <<< Leave
Channel A Reference 0.750V............: <<< Leave
Channel B Reference 0.750V............: <<< 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] Enabled if you use Vmware/Virtual PC

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect ..............[Disabled] *Note* Must be enabled to flash from USB</pre>

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45T-DS3R Weird GFX Problem

See if this helps, I see a few things that could cause issues above >>>

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: AUTO or fast
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................: 8 X
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0
CPU Frequency ...........................: 2.66


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

C.I.A.2 .................................:[Disabled]


Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: 800mV<<<
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: 900mV<<<
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: 0<<<
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: 0<<<


DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [TURBO] was default << Set to Standard, Huge Issue

Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............: 4.00B
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 1333
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [auto]

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................9
tRCD .........................................9
tRP'...........................................9
tRAS..........................................24

Set all Suggested below to highest Values first. Then later you can lower, one at a time, testing as you go

Advanced Timing Control
tRRD...........................................3-5
tWTR..........................................4-10
tWR............................................8-12
tRFC...........................................65-72
tRTP...........................................4-8
Command Rate (CMD) ....................2

Driving Strength Profiles
Driving Strength ............................OC-1200 or OC-1333

Channel A
Static tRead Value.........................:8-12
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:Auto <<< 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.........................:8-12
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:Auto <<< 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….……….........................:1.23750V Auto is fine for no overclock, if overclocking please set manually

CPU Termination…..... 1.200V*.......: <<< Auto is fine here for no overclock. If overclocking set 1.25-1.34

CPU PLL…………………....1.500V*.......: <<<< Auto is fine here for no overclock. If overclocking set 1.5-1.6

CPU Referen.…………....0.760V*.......: <<< .64% Of Vtt (Termination above) Auto Will set this correctly

MCH/ICH
MCH Core…………….....1.100V...........: << 1.2-1.3
MCH Reference….…….0.760V...........; <<< Leave
MCH/DRAM Ref.…......0.750V...........: <<< Leave
ICH I/O……………….....1.500V............: <<< 1.55-1.6
ICH Core…………...……1.100V............: <<< 1.14-1.2

DRAM
DRAM Voltage ……....1.500............: Need a link to your ram please. But likely it is 1.7-1.8V and 1.5/Auto is not going to work

DRAM Termination .…0.750............: <<< Leave
Channel A Reference 0.750V............: <<< Leave
Channel B Reference 0.750V............: <<< 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] Enabled if you use Vmware/Virtual PC

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect ..............[Disabled] *Note* Must be enabled to flash from USB

[tastytoast]

Re: EP45T-DS3R Weird GFX Problem

Thanks Mate...
link to the ram is this, so yeah I'll increase the voltage to 1.6 to at least...

http://www.corsair.com/_datasheets/TW3X4G1333C9DHX.pdf

Believe it or not, I totally forgot to upgrade the bios when I first installed the board(i know...you can shooot me now!), I thought I had, but yeah I hadn't...i did download it though!! Anyway so after upgrading the Bios, its been pretty rock solid....Was Originally running F1, now its running F3....

I did notice on the gigabyte website, that F2 said it fixed some VGA compatibility issues?? so whether thats related or not...

So yeah, thanks for your help mate, I'll give it those tweaks you've mentioned above, and hopefully, she should be all sweet...

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45T-DS3R Weird GFX Problem

Nice to see you found you needed to update the BIOS, I often forget to even ask about that as some people wont even think about it.

Good luck with your Tweaking and Testing, glad to hear you are getting somewhere!