EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

[redhead65]

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

Did you try clearing the CMOS for a long time? Sometimes it takes overnight leaving the jumper on and battery out.

If your new memory works then it is likely that your older memory has went faulty, at least some of it anyway, and may have not been compatible from the get go.

When will your new memory arrive?

[redhead65]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

Thanks LSDMEASAP for your quick reply. I have now removed the CMOS battery from the motherboard and will leave it out for 24 hours with the jumper in place to perform a long CMOS reset.

The new G.Skill RAM should arrive hopefully either later today or tomorrow (Australian time). A friend is also going to lend me a spare PCIE video card tomorrow so within about 36 hours I should have a status update on this problem.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

Great, let us know how all the testing goes! Nice to hear you will have a few spare items to test with, this always helps a lot!

[redhead65]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

I left the CMOS battery out of the motherboard for over 24 hours. After I put the CMOS battery back on the motherboard I switched the system on... same result as before. The system switched on for about 2 seconds and then switched off in a continuous loop until I switched the power off at the wall socket or power supply switch.

I then tried in turn replacing the single stick of RAM with 1 stick of known working Kingston DDR2-667 RAM (KTM4982/2G) as my new G.Skill DDR2-1066 RAM has not been delivered yet - same result as before. I then tried my friend's nVidia 7600GS PCIE Video Card... also with the same result as before.

This leaves the Seasonic M12 II 500W PSU and the motherboard as the cause of the problem. Unfortunately I don't have a spare PSU or access to one so I've going to have to purchase another one to prove whether the problem is in the PSU or motherboard. I'll try and source a new PSU over the weekend.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

Wait for your new memory before purchasing a new PSU as I have seen many issues with 533 and 667 memory, so that may not work to troubleshoot with. If you can, try to find or borrow a stick of 800Mhz 1.8V memory for testing

Seasonic makes good PSU's but that does not mean it is still ok. Anyway you can test this PSU on another system, instead of testing a new one with your system? Just wondered as this may be easier for you to do then borrowing a different PSU. Or test it with a PSU tester to be sure it still is ok?

[redhead65]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

Unfortunately I'm still waiting for my new RAM to be delivered. I'm also hoping to borrow a Corsair TX-650 PSU from an office colleague in the next day or so.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

Cool, well good luck and keep us posted on the progress of your testing

[redhead65]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

Well my new G.Skill RAM finally arrived yesterday. I've just tried the system with one stick of the new RAM in each RAM socket and unfortunately the result is the same as before. I've also tried overnight my friend's Corsair TX-620 PSU... also with the same result... i.e. when switched on the system switches itself off after two seconds... and does this in a loop until I switch off the power... either at the PSU or the wall socket. Now the only things I've got plugged in to the PSU are the motherboard, video card and CPU Fan.

Where to go from here? Is there anything else I should try before I RMA the motherboard or CPU? Or both?

[b33cux]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

I'd get rid of that MOBO - I had one of those, and it would BSOD at will with a different message/dump almost every time. I swapped everything out RAM, HDs, graphics cards, OSs (tried on on clean installs of both XP and 7) - the ONE variable associated in EVERY instance of BSOD was the EP45-UD3P. Quite simply, it's a MOFO board - at least mine is. I'm so disgusted with it, I'm not going to bother with RMA - once Gigabitten, twice shy.

[profJim]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

My 2 cents:
While his system "appeared" to be stable (no crashes or BSODs), his setup wasn't stable and file/data corruption could have eventually led to problems.

It's a PITA, but when I build a new system or upgrade components, I perform my extended stability/stress testing to ensure that everything is okie dokie.

[rbmorse]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

I'd get rid of that MOBO - I had one of those, and it would BSOD at will with a different message/dump almost every time. I swapped everything out RAM, HDs, graphics cards, OSs (tried on on clean installs of both XP and 7) - the ONE variable associated in EVERY instance of BSOD was the EP45-UD3P. Quite simply, it's a MOFO board - at least mine is. I'm so disgusted with it, I'm not going to bother with RMA - once Gigabitten, twice shy.

You're being silly.

Every motherboard vendor sells motherboards that experience random component failure, or even have entire production runs that use a weak or substandard component that was not identified until the warranty claims start pouring in. RMAs are a pain, but they're also a fact of life for every vendor.

If you want, you can go the American Megatrends route and buy a fully tested and baked-in motherboard ... It'll cost you about $375 for basic P-35 chipset unit.

Lets face it...QC costs money and the mass market demands relatively inexpensive motherboards with lots and lots of features and bling. It doesn't demand the kind of expensive testing and validation required to ensure reliability.

I've had Intel D975XBX, ASUS A8N-SLI32, ASUS P5D and a couple of Gigabyte boards (P-875 and AM2) motherboards either delivered DOA or suffer premature in-service failure. I've also had an expensive Sharp LCD HDTV die after a week, and that one went in the middle of a World Series game.

It's just the nature of the beast.

For the record, my EP45-UD3p is one of the most reliable and stable motherboards I've ever used.

[bobs1812]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

"It's just the nature of the beast."

Why make excuses for poor quality?
The fact that you have purchased plenty of defective products does not excuse the lack of effective Gigabyte Quality Control.

It is the tolerance of mediocrity that leads to just that, mediocrity.

My EP45-UD3R has been from first boot the most unstable build of 7 PC's I have built in the last 2 years.
To top it off Gigabyte support is easily the most unprofessional and least effective support I have ever experienced.
People should scream long and loud.
Only then will some of the managers at tech companies like Gigabyte change their ways.

[Conners]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

My 2 cents:
While his system "appeared" to be stable (no crashes or BSODs), his setup wasn't stable and file/data corruption could have eventually led to problems.

I am going to +1 on Jim's comment. Also sounds a little to me like a grounding issue.

[b33cux]

Re: EP45-UD3P - Downward Spiral - Now does not POST

Quoting rmorse: "You're being silly."

I don't believe I am. I think Gigabyte's reputation is making many overlook the possibility that the MOBO is the problem. For instance, this poor guy has trying to get this thing working since SEPTEMBER. How many more suggestions are people going to give him before someone finally suggests that just maybe it's the MOBO?

If that's not enough, just Google "ep45-ud3p bsod" and see what comes up.

I do realize that this is "Tweak Town", and I like to "tweak" as much as the next guy - but eventually, I'd want to actually use what I was tweaking...