Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

[Anpheus]

I have recently built an i7 rig with the UD4P, and I have discovered the source of my reboot issue, but would like further confirmation from anyone more technically inclined or knowledgeable to determine if this is an RMA requiring issue, or if this will be fixed by a future BIOS update.

My motherboard will power cycle upon booting, repeatedly restarting until at some point it'll stay off, or it'll stay on and warn me about overclocking voltages. However, this is a red herring, as I have discovered that the cause of my rebooting is the front panel header circuitry. If I remove the front header connectors after the system boots, the system will not reboot or continue power cycling. It boots, and it stays booted. If I plug the switch connector back in (either reset or power switch, into either location on the header) I can expect the system to reboot shortly.

I tested my power switches with a multimeter, and there is no circuit unless they are depressed. As soon as they are depressed, I get a small amount of resistance on each. The case is an Antec Nine Hundred Two, and I have already submitted a spare part request for a power switch, however I highly suspect, given the multimeter results, that this problem is inherent to something the motherboard is doing with the front panel header.

Occam's Razor asks me whether the simplest explanation is that both the power and reset switches on my case are bad, despite a multimeter determining they are wired correctly, or if the front panel or the bios is incorrectly reading a circuit when there is none.

The issue perplexes me. The multimeter correctly determines the resistance along the line when the switch is depressed, and shows no connection when not. I don't understand, personally, how connecting the switches to the motherboard could cause the motherboard to "read" anything different. But there's no question whatsoever: plug the power switch or reset switch into either the power or rest pins on the header... and I encounter boot issues. Immediately.

Edit: I should add that I do not think it is an issue with grounding, as the system will do a cold boot if I plug a switch into the power header.

[Skratch]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

You know, this sounds a lot like my problems with the same board.

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/help...restart-30697/

However, I am using a Cooler Master CM Sniper case. I ended up RMA'ing the board. The best advice I got was to test it with my memory when I get it back in case that was the problem. Never occurred to me to check the front headers.

I do know that the same thing happens if the front headers are attached and you use the power switch on the board itself.

[Anpheus]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

You know, this sounds a lot like my problems with the same board.

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/help...restart-30697/

However, I am using a Cooler Master CM Sniper case. I ended up RMA'ing the board. The best advice I got was to test it with my memory when I get it back in case that was the problem. Never occurred to me to check the front headers.

I do know that the same thing happens if the front headers are attached and you use the power switch on the board itself.

Memtest ran 100% through with no errors, I didn't run it overnight, but I did run the complete suite once through.

Is your replacement on its way?

Edit: I should add that I RMA'd my board once and this is the 2nd GA-EX58-UD4P that's had this problem on my computer, though the RMA was for a different reason. I figured the RMA would fix this problem too and it did not.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

Do you have any external devices connected to the front or rear such as a USB Device? I ask mainly since you seem to have discovered it is connected to that front panel header

Is it ok if you do not use the front panel header?

Can you test with Legacy USB Storage Detect Disabled in the Integrated Peripherals BIOS page to see if this has any effect on things?

Do have to to advise you about something you mentioned... Please do not add or remove power cables while the system is running

Have you tested things outside of the case, off the motherboard tray?

Now, there is some issues with cold False Double or triple reboots at certain Overclocks and certain QPI/Vtt voltages. But those are only false startups, the system always does a double/triple dance and then always boots up. So I am not sure you mean this as you mention it sometimes does not boot at all after doing this, right?

Is this at stock or overclocked? Should be fine at stock, for the above mentioned QPI issue

[Anpheus]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

(1) Do you have any external devices connected to the front or rear such as a USB Device? I ask mainly since you seem to have discovered it is connected to that front panel header

(2) Is it ok if you do not use the front panel header?

(3) Can you test with Legacy USB Storage Detect Disabled in the Integrated Peripherals BIOS page to see if this has any effect on things?

(4) Do have to to advise you about something you mentioned... Please do not add or remove power cables while the system is running

(5) Have you tested things outside of the case, off the motherboard tray?

1. System will power cycle with no connections, no USB devices connected to the front header or back header.
2. I'd like to not have to open up my case to turn on my computer every time I need to do a full shutdown!
3. No effect (problem has nothing to do with USB connection to front header.)
4. The only cable I added or removed is the switch cable. From everything I can tell, there is no circuit so there should be no effect from connecting it to the front panel header pins. Regardless, if I do a full system shutdown, I can make my computer power on by MERELY connecting the power switch to the pins. That's all I have to do! This works with either the reset or the power switch connectors. (Only the motherboard's "POWER SWITCH" pins will make the system spontaneously start up, though.)
5. No I haven't.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

I asked #2 for testing purposes to rule out your switch/switches as a issue not for normal usage

Did you test Legacy USB Detect disabled or not? I did not ask because I thought the issue was USB Directly, but the setting itself. It can cause many random issues, so that is why I asked you to test this setting disabled

You are correct there is no circuit with those 2 connections but it is not wise to get into the habit of doing that with anything electrical is why I advised that

Regardless, if I do a full system shutdown, I can make my computer power on by MERELY connecting the power switch to the pins. That's all I have to do! This works with either the reset or the power switch connectors. (Only the motherboard's "POWER SWITCH" pins will make the system spontaneously start up, though.)

That for sure sounds to me like there is a short in the wire, or switch, or behind the board as there should be no connection present until you press the switch in. Apparently there is it sounds like to me

I would get it all out of the case and off the tray and if all is still the same, do you have another old PC you could take the switch out of to try with? You could short the pins to start the PC and see if it stays running normally, then you will know the switch or wiring is faulty in some manner

[Skratch]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

Is your replacement on its way?

I haven't got it back yet. Newegg says they're shipping it soon. I'm waiting for the tracking number.

When I was having my problems from before, I had nothing plugged into the front panel USB or Firewire ports. I also did no tweaking to the BIOS. Didn't even upgrade it to the newest version.

When I started having the powercycling problem I couldn't even LOAD the BIOS.

Will see what I can tell you when the replacement arrives.

[Anpheus]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

I asked #2 for testing purposes to rule out your switch/switches as a issue not for normal usage

Did you test Legacy USB Detect disabled or not? I did not ask because I thought the issue was USB Directly, but the setting itself. It can cause many random issues, so that is why I asked you to test this setting disabled

You are correct there is no circuit with those 2 connections but it is not wise to get into the habit of doing that with anything electrical is why I advised that



That for sure sounds to me like there is a short in the wire, or switch, or behind the board as there should be no connection present until you press the switch in. Apparently there is it sounds like to me

I would get it all out of the case and off the tray and if all is still the same, do you have another old PC you could take the switch out of to try with? You could short the pins to start the PC and see if it stays running normally, then you will know the switch or wiring is faulty in some manner

The legacy USB settings (all of them) do not affect the issue.

I have not yet had time to remove the motherboard from the case but I may do so this weekend and update you. You said doing a test with another PC's power switch should be sufficiently similar? I have an old PC I can just set next to mine with the door open and use the switch.

Given the multimeter reading I'm inclined to believe that the new case's switches are not the problem. Also, I've read much about Gigabyte EX58 boards having a "triple boot" issue. I haven't read anyone's post yet elaborating on what that is, but if by "triple boot" they mean their computer will power cycle several times before either turning on or staying off, then that is what problem I have had.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

There is only one Legacy USB Setting, are you sure you are disabling the one I mean? It is in Integrated Peripherals BIOS page (Sorry, just checked out my X58 manual and they have renamed it) it is now called "USB Storage Function" That is the one I wanted you to disable

Yes, you can use another PC's switch like that, or you can short the power on pins with a screwdriver and it should start right up.

Triple boot is a false startup during overclocks, that partially power cycles some things on the board while all settings are stable. This is a overclock issue regarding QPI Voltage. If this is simply all you are experiencing then it is normal until they fix our BIOS's. But I am not so sure you are experiencing this at all since you mentioned overclock failure warnings and or it cycling until it just fails to start, or cycles more then three times, and or also happens at shut down.

It is a "Three Times Only" for surething at startup then and no warning is associated with it regarding overclocking. But since you are seeing this warning you may have overclocking issues making this happen, only worse then we all normally see?

Do you get the same issues when you are running stock speeds?

[Anpheus]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

There is only one Legacy USB Setting, are you sure you are disabling the one I mean? It is in Integrated Peripherals BIOS page (Sorry, just checked out my X58 manual and they have renamed it) it is now called "USB Storage Function" That is the one I wanted you to disable

Yes, you can use another PC's switch like that, or you can short the power on pins with a screwdriver and it should start right up.

Triple boot is a false startup during overclocks, that partially power cycles some things on the board while all settings are stable. This is a overclock issue regarding QPI Voltage. If this is simply all you are experiencing then it is normal until they fix our BIOS's. But I am not so sure you are experiencing this at all since you mentioned overclock failure warnings and or it cycling until it just fails to start, or cycles more then three times, and or also happens at shut down.

It is a "Three Times Only" for surething at startup then and no warning is associated with it regarding overclocking. But since you are seeing this warning you may have overclocking issues making this happen, only worse then we all normally see?

Do you get the same issues when you are running stock speeds?

The USB settings have no effect on the issue.

BCLK/voltages/etc have no effect on the issue. With optimized defaults or fail safe defaults, the issue occurs. I installed the latest BIOS (F7e) for the UD4P and I'm going to see if the power switch acts up still.

I'm experiencing a rather more complex issue related to the memory multiplier which I have not yet diagnosed. I've heard that when overclocking installing Dynamic Energy Saver is not advised, is there any lasting effect after uninstalling it? I noticed some instability issues that got a lot worse after installing it, and now I can't run with a BCLK of 160, or even a BCLK of 133 and my RAM at its rated speed (1600MHz) without linpack crashing.

Edit with further clarification: still haven't nailed down what the instability is. It definitely isn't the CPU core's clock speed, though for all I know it could be one of the uncore elements dealing poorly with high speed RAM. Memtest86+ reveals no problems at 1600MHz, and IntelBurnTest reveals no problems below 1500MHz, but will crash if I get close to or exceed that number.

As a compromise I'm now using stock voltages, BCLK 175, memory multiplier 8 (RAM at 1400MHz). All other settings are stock except under CPU properties I enabled the C3/C6/C7 idle mode. I tried the F7e BIOS for the GA-EX85-UD4P and found it can sleep/wake satisfactorily, so I won't be toying with it any longer.

I've decided simply to not mess with it. In the event my mobo dies, I may not go with Gigabyte. :/ I'm probably just unlucky though. As for rebooting the computer, I set it to boot upon toggling the AC switch in the back.

[ElijahAO]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

That for sure sounds to me like there is a short in the wire, or switch, or behind the board as there should be no connection present until you press the switch in. Apparently there is it sounds like to me

Thank you in particular for your comment about "behind the board". I just installed my new GA-EP45-UD3L and it was just power cycling as the original poster described. In my situation, I installed an additional metal standoff on the case in a place that didn't end up accepting a screw. This was the very corner of the board right beneath the power switch connectors. I stuck a business card between the standoff and the motherboard and now I boot right up. I don't really want to take everything out just to remove that standoff, because I worked so hard to route the cables and everything.

Thanks again!

[Anpheus]

Re: Constant Reboot/Power Cycling with GA EX58-UD4P

Thank you in particular for your comment about "behind the board". I just installed my new GA-EP45-UD3L and it was just power cycling as the original poster described. In my situation, I installed an additional metal standoff on the case in a place that didn't end up accepting a screw. This was the very corner of the board right beneath the power switch connectors. I stuck a business card between the standoff and the motherboard and now I boot right up. I don't really want to take everything out just to remove that standoff, because I worked so hard to route the cables and everything.

Thanks again!

Well I definitely do not have a short anywhere behind the board, there are precisely 9 metal standoff screws and all 9 are screwed in. (The Antec 900-2 actually requires the user to put in several standoff screws according to the type of board they are putting in.)