P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

[07JetBlack675]

Hi -

I have built and been using a Gigabyte P35-DS4 for over a year now and have not really had the time to tune the system correctly.

Earlier this week I decided to go into the BIOS and check out my settings to see if it matches what the memory should run at. Well, the settings were a bit off, so I matched the timings according to the recommended 5-5-5-15 specs and left the rest to auto.

The problem came in when I was not sure if I should manually adjust the voltage or leave it on Auto. I decided to leave it on auto since I did not know exactly what the base voltage was so I could choose the incremental increase.

I restarted my computer, and the thing goes into constant reboot loop. Never shows anything on the monitor, just starts up, all fans/lights go on for about 1-2 seconds, then the computer shuts down and restarts again.

I researched on this forum as well as other forums to find out exactly why this is happening, at it seems like it's because the voltage is too low (should have done +.3 instead of auto). This is because this specific motherboard does not adjust the voltage properly if you leave it as auto (IDK why they call it auto if it's not properly adjusting, but that's another topic).

I tried pulling everything off the motherboard, but kept on doing infinite loop.

I tried holding Insert pressed when starting to see if it would reset to original, nothing.

I tried pulling battery out, over night - nothing.

I tried booting it without the battery, nothing.

I tried jumping the reset mobo for over a min, nothing.

I then took a low voltage 512k RAM from another desktop and put in in mine (this is rated at 1.8V). The reboot loop stopped!!!!! The next problem here is, however, that it goes to the splash screen (I guess when BIOS is reading the memory) and does not move from there! It says I can press del to go to BIOS settings, but the keyboard is not responsive (with any other option on the screen either).

I tried changing between different keyboards and using USB and PS/2 (with the USB-PS/2 converter supplied with the MB), but nothing is working.

I did notice one thing, however - when I first used the new memory, I was hearing a high beep-low beep when I pressed the power button to turn the computer on. I then tried to hold Insert (read somehwere that it should reset BIOS settings to last known working) while turning the computer on, and never heard the beeping again. Now it just boots to the splash screen and nothing from there.

If I switch from the cheap memory to the OCZ memory, I get the reboot loop. If I try to mix, I get reboot loop. If I try running 2 of the cheap low volt memory in dual channel, get the freeze screen - same thing if I don't do it in dual channel mode.

I was using this guide to initally help me set my BIOS settings: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/24...ds-duals-guide

Although it's not for my mobo, I figured it'll be similar.

I changed the following settings:
FSB - 333
Multiplier - 9
Memory Timings - 5-5-5-15

I believe I left the other options to Auto. I can't quite remember what I did with the FSB:RAM ratios, but I might have moved them to 5:8 so I can get 1066 MHz as it was previously running at I believe 4:5, or 833 MHz (not 100% sure, wasn't paying much attention to this when I originally did it).

I'm starting to run out of options here. Not sure how else to get this thing to get me back into BIOS so I can increase the memory voltage.

I really do not want to go through the RMA process because I think it might be something really stupid that I'm missing. The cheap memory got me to the splash screen, so it's definetly something with the motherboard not liking the memory speed, tighter timings and lower voltage when using the OCZ memory.

I'm thinking maybe this memory I put into it cannot do 1066 MHz, so it locks up on me.

The cheap memory that I used to replace the OCZ are: Samsung M378T6553CZ3-CD5 PC2-4200 recommended to be timed at 4-4-4-12-D3.

Hopefully someone can help me with this.

Current System:

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 Conroe 3.0GHz 775, 1333MHz, 32+32kb L1, 4M Shared L2 @ 65W
• Gigabyte GA-P35-DS4, 1333MHz FSB, 1066MHz Mem, 2 PCI Slots, 2 PCIe 16x, 3 PCIe 1x
• OCZ OCZ2N1066SR2GK SLI-Ready Edition 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 1066
• EVGA nVidia 8800GT Superclocked
• Hitachi Deskstar 7k160 HDS721616PLA380 160GB 7200 RPM
• HITACHI Deskstar 7K250 250GB 7200 RPM ATA150
• Samsung 18x DVDR SH-S182M
• Antec TruePower Quattro 850W Power Supply
• Logitech Cordless Desktop LX700

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[Lsdmeasap]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

Can you please try again to clear the CMOS with one stick of the cheaper memory installed, use the method I outline in post #2 here >>

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

If you do not have any luck you may need to short the MAIN BIOS chip, otherwise you will have to RMA. If it comes to this PM me and I will send you the info

Ohh, one other thing. Can you enter the BIOS or Qflash when you are able to get the splash screen to come up? Just checking, if so you may be able to reflash the BIOS.

Do you have a floppy? If so follow the blind flash directions in the above post and see if you can get it to flash that way as well.

[07JetBlack675]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

Sorry I did not get back to you sooner, been crazy busy lately and these next couple of weeks are going to be the same, so I appologize in advance if my replies are not as fast.

I tried what you told me to clear the BIOS, but nothing changed.

How do I short the main BIOS chip?

EDIT:
I cannot enter the BIOS because it freezes on the BIOS "Splash Screen" where it tells you to press whatever button to go to where (ex. End to go to BIOS settings). It also has the setting there for QFlash, but I cannot seem to enter.

I do have a floppy disk drive, but it is not installed in the system (took it out when I needed to install flash card drive). According to the post above, you needed to have the floppy disk drive already installed before going into the reboot loop, otherwise it's pointless. I'll try to do it anyway.

Lastly, I would like to point out that I am using a USB keyboard with the little converter to convert it to a PS/2. Do you think that the keyboard is not getting any power because the computer has not cleared the memory yet? If I get a regular PS/2 keyboard, would that work?

I am about to order a PS/2 Keyboard and some 1.8V 1066 memory to give it one last try. If not, then either short main BIOS chip like you said, or RMA it.

Would something like what's written on here work for me: http://forums.mydigitallife.info/showthread.php?t=2105 (check Award BIOS section on Page 1).

Last thing - OCZ Platinum Low Voltage, do they run at 1.8V 1066, or no? They're rated for it, but I have a feeling it doesn't run that low. Maybe I should go with the blade low voltage series to get the 1066 1.8~1.9V.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

No need to apologize, I get busy and behind often myself so I know exactly what you mean

Sounds like your BIOS may be ok and no need to flash. I'd try a PS/2 one and see if you can then enter the BIOS, but I think a adapter you have should be fine as I use one myself. Of course I have not ran into issues so you may be right about it needing power, try a normal PS/2 and see if you can.

As long as the floppy drive is connected again, and you did not disable it in the BIOS when you removed it you can reconnect it and try that

I am not sure about your ram question, sorry. If they are rated to that then yes I am sure they will run it

See here if you feel you have no other options except RMA. This is the info I mentioned I would PM you (In my post of this thread anyway)

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/how-fix-dead-dual-bios-motherboard-if-flashing-failed-33904/

[07JetBlack675]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

okay, I finally had some time and got it to work...

>I purchased a PS/2 keyboard, didn't work... was just locked in post screen and couldn't do anything.

>Tried resetting the mobo by shorting the bios chip like you said... did not work, same as before.

>Purchased a set of OCZ Platinum 1066 Low Voltage memory and it worked right away! The computer turned on and right after the POST screen, it said that there was an error in the BIOS and needed to reset to defaults.

I appreciate all the help! I am going to make a floppy disk backup now, update the BIOS and then try this overclocking thing again.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

Nice to see you got it going!

So was the other memory faulty or have you had a chance to set the proper voltage for it and try again? Could just be that particular samsung memory is not compatible or mixing them just is not going to work out

[07JetBlack675]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

I actually have not experimented to see why it went wrong (mainly because I'm sooo happy it went right in the end), but I'll check it out and post back to let you know.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

I know what you mean!

Ya, anytime you test let us know, if you never do that is fine too! Just thought I would ask.

Glad to hear all it still working smoothly!

[07JetBlack675]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

Okay... this is really starting to get annoying.

I swapped the memory to see if the old memory would now work - it didn't and the computer went into boot loop.

I put the new, working memory back in and the computer still stayed in boot loop!

Since I changed the POST splash screen this time to show the actual memory check and all that stuff, I saw that the computer would go up to "recovering BIOS from HD" then would reset. I tried different HDs, tried downloading the F14 bios and putting it into another HD and plugging that in, nothing. I also tried putting in the original motherboard CD and nothing!

I'm really upset now because I had a working computer and now it no longer works because I tried to put in the old memory.

How can I fix this? You think if I RMA the memory it might fix the problem? My theory is that the old memory is messed up. Once I put that in, it messed something up in the MB, and once I put the new memory in, the new memory got messed up too.

I tried pulling the battery, doing a reset, shorting the BIOS chip... nothing works.

The other thing I want to point out is that the computer reacts differently with the different memory in it, and how many slots I fill. For instance, one of the combinations just freezes the computer before it even goes to the "checking HD" part, and it never resets (I believe if I put both new ones in, can't remember which combination exactly). The old set just does a reboot without even showing anything on the monitor (I believe that's the combination that does that). Having only 1 of the new sets of memory actually goes up to "checking HD" part before resetting (again, I can't remember exact details of which combination does what, but can find out when I test if this is important).

Any suggestions?

PS - this is what I wanna do to this computer now...

[wazza300]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

will it get to bios screen???? where you can select bios?

[07JetBlack675]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

No, it will not let you get that far.

[wazza300]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

try clearing cmos by holding screwdriver on the two pins near the battery,hold it on for atleast 4hours best to rest it across do it while the board is off it can take up2 four hours to completely clear the cmos then try

[07JetBlack675]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

I put a jumper on the reset, took out the battery, and unplugged the system.

I'll give it like 8 hours and see what happens later tonight.

[07JetBlack675]

Re: P35-DS4 Reboot Loop After Changing Memory Specs

Fired it up last night and same crap...

I'm a bit confused... when I put 1 memory card in, it goes to checking HD and then reboots... when I put 2 memory cards in, it freezes before going to checking HD and never reboots.