Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

[mtxmiller]

About 6 months ago I purchased and built a new machine parts included:

Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1066
BFG Tech BFGEGTX260896OCE GeForce GTX 260
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 Yorkfield 2.5GHz
Antec Basiq BP500U 500W PSU
and Gigabye GA-EP43-UD3L

The system has been great for the past few months then all of a sudden last week I woke up to the machine continually restarting. Now when I turn it on, it will post and sometimes start up windows. After less than 5 minutes it will automatically restart and continually restart without posting. (the fans will stop, the "phase leds" will turn off, then everything turns back on and the process repeats)

I have played with removing the memory and re inserting it. I have dusted and cleaned the system. I have also reset the BIOS and removed the CPU and videocard just to see if reinserting hardware would fix it.

It will sometimes post and let me get into the BIOS for a few seconds if I let it sit for approx. 30 mins.

I am pretty sure there must be something wrong with the motherboard, but I wanted to see what you guys though before I tried to RMA it.

[RoscoP]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

Have you tried each stick of RAM individually in any of the slots? If not, I would try out each stick individually.

/edit

This is kinda out there, but maybe try a different video card (one that doesn't require as many amps on the 12v rail). That PSU may not be adequate enough for your GTX 260. I'm unsure how many amps are required on a 12v rail for a GTX 260, but you might look into that.

[profJim]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

It's possible that your psu is failing or that there is a loose 24-pin or 4-pin ATX_12v connector. More on this in a bit.

Your symptoms are similar to a setup with incorrect bios settings.
Use this bios template to post your current settings.
Follow the instructions in step #3 in this post to properly fill out your bios settings using a plain text editor (e.g. Notepad) and then copy the complete bios template and post your settings in your next post.
Follow steps 1, 2 and 4 to provide additional detailed hardware information in your forum signature, don't worry if you can't provide the requested screen-shot described in step 4.

After you have posted your current bios settings:
1) Load optimized bios settings from the main bios screen.
2) Follow the recommended bios settings in the beginning of the post and see if your system will boot with only one memory module in slot #1.
3) With your 2x2GB of Crucial 1066 DDR3 memory, MCH Core = 1.20 - 1.24 should work OK.
4) Save your new bios settings as a saved bios profile (F11 from the main bios screen) and give it a meaningful name.
5) Save settings and exit.
6) Boot into windows using only one memory module and see if your system is stable. If it isn't, describe in detail what problems occur.

Your psu is borderline adequate with your 260 video card.
From the BFG website for your card:
Your psu has two 12 volt rails, with each rail rated at 18 amps each, and the video power cables are both connected to the same rail.
If your psu is functioning properly, this is powerful enough for basic computer use, but probably not powerful enough for running demanding games or programs.

Right now I'm assuming that you don't have your system overclocked.

RoscoP's suggestions are good.
If the modified bios settings don't help, I suggest that you beg, borrow or steal a somewhat higher powered psu (at least 600 watts) and test your system with the borrowed psu.
You might need to borrow a set of similar memory to test with.

Did you ever do any extended stability testing using Memtest86+ (v4.x), Prime95 or other similar programs?

**edit** Let us know if you get a red warning box when you enter the M.I.T. section of the bios.

[mtxmiller]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

Thanks for the help guys. I have taken one stick of ram out and tried it in another slot. Then switched it with the other stick and tried another slot. I saw no change in the systems behavior or stability. Basically it doesn't seem like a memory issue.

Keep in mind that this system was working for over 6 months. People had been playing all kinds of demanding pc games on the system as well.

I can't stay in the BIOS long enough to get all the BIOS settings. I have "Restored to Fail Safe Defaults" and "Restored to Optimized Defaults" and the system still is gets into the restart loop. I even managed to change some memory settings to slow everything down. I mean I'm not pushing the limits of any of the hardware as far as I can tell.

I will say the reason I was leaning toward the motherboard is because of how erratic the system is behaving. By erratic I mean that the system will start, fans will spin up, the bios will post, then restart. Then it will not post and restart. Next it could almost get into windows then restart.

Another weird thing that I noticed was even after I pulled the PSU power cable the mobo tried to pull power and start again. (leds on the board lit up)

So the question is: Do I run to best buy and grab a PSU to try, or RMA the board?

[Chike]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

Another weird thing that I noticed was even after I pulled the PSU power cable the mobo tried to pull power and start again. (leds on the board lit up)

This is normal when the system is in a reboot loop.

If you can borrow another PSU and video card it would be best, not to throw money for nothing.

[gasan]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

first of all update bios to f7 then if that doesnt solved the problem try to look at northbridge temp and cpu just put your Hand ceased and see if there is a high temp then replace the graphic card or psu and disable the auto restart (in safe mode ) (see if there is some programs or viruses in registry or some where) and see if there is a blue screen and disable all overclock and give the manifacture settings

[mtxmiller]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

OK guys. I jumped the PSU and hooked up some case fans. The PSU ran just fine for over 2 hrs. Pretty sure that is not the problem.

I unhooked and reattached everything one more time. Some other weird things started happening.

Started the machine up and the case fans started spinning as well as the vid card fans (they were full speed too). No post or anything. Unplugged the mainboard and reset it. Plugged everything back in and then it just turns on and only the case fans spin (no cpu fan or vid card fan.) Stays on now, but no post again. Messed around some more and I was back in the restart loop and still no post.

It could be just me, but all this weird restarting, no cpu fan spinning, vid card fan spinning full speed one time then not spinning the next, makes me feel like it's almost definately the motherboard.

Thoughts?

[ryan200]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

it still can by your psu. i would not say running some fans is a good test to say that it is reliable and still providing enough juice.

[mtxmiller]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

The PSU is operating correctly. It is being told to turn on and off and on again. The BIOS and pre windows operation would never stress that PSU enough to cause it to turn off and on. You aren't pulling much current prior to windows operation. That PSU test was more than enough to establish it is stable and in working condition.

Like I said before, the PC has been running just fine for a while.

I'm just wondering if it could be anything else, like the CPU maybe.

[RoscoP]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

I also still think it can be your PSU... I'm not saying it is, but I would try out a different PSU with more wattage and a stronger 12v rail(s). Honestly, I have seen similar problems you are experiencing as a result of a faulty PSU.

If you can't try a different PSU, try a video card that does not require near as much power as your GTX 260.

One time I had a bad Socket 478 Pentium 4 CPU, and damnit, I ended up trying out every different component in the system that was possbile until I popped in a different Socket 478 CPU and realized I had a bad CPU.

If possible, try dropping another LGA 775 CPU in your system and see if it resolves your problems...

Also, this is kinda out there, but if you have any other expansion cards (besides GPU), remove them and try to get it to POST.

[ryan200]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

well i say its unlikely the cpu unless one of the pegs is not actually through the motherboard ie if you lightly pull up on all corners of the heatsink no corners should move it should be solid.

i usually try to eliminate all possibilities.

i as much as you would like to say its not the psu and prove all those people wrong who always say you need a stronger psu to run a computer like that, but knowing that so many people say you should can you really deny the possibility that it could run your system before but is no longer providing the juice?

do you have a different video card to try just for the heck of it?

out of curiosity what are the specs of the rest of your system.

i had similar problems with a bad power supply once.

[Reyes]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

[I did not read the all the article but in case this might help it is also possible the the motherboard only uses DD2 and not DD3 I think the maximum it supports is pc-9600 1200 MHZ. Try changing the Memory.]About 6 months ago I purchased and built a new machine parts included:

Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1066
BFG Tech BFGEGTX260896OCE GeForce GTX 260
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 Yorkfield 2.5GHz
Antec Basiq BP500U 500W PSU
and Gigabye GA-EP43-UD3L

The system has been great for the past few months then all of a sudden last week I woke up to the machine continually restarting. Now when I turn it on, it will post and sometimes start up windows. After less than 5 minutes it will automatically restart and continually restart without posting. (the fans will stop, the "phase leds" will turn off, then everything turns back on and the process repeats)

I have played with removing the memory and re inserting it. I have dusted and cleaned the system. I have also reset the BIOS and removed the CPU and videocard just to see if reinserting hardware would fix it.

It will sometimes post and let me get into the BIOS for a few seconds if I let it sit for approx. 30 mins.

I am pretty sure there must be something wrong with the motherboard, but I wanted to see what you guys though before I tried to RMA it.[/QUOTE]

[Reyes]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

I did not read the all the article but in case this might help it is also possible the the motherboard only uses DD2 and not DD3 I think the maximum it supports is pc-9600 1200 MHZ. Try changing the Memory.]About 6 months ago I purchased and built a new machine parts included:

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

Do you have any other memory to test with, to be sure memory is not the issue?

Have you updated the BIOS to the latest, if not please do. And be sure you load and apply optimized defaults, then save/reboot F10 before coming back to the BIOS and making your needed changes such as disk settings or memory voltages.

If you still have issues, please post me your current full BIOS settings and I will see if I can help you figure out what is wrong, template in my signature for your settings.

Do you have a case speaker connected, if not please connect one and let us know of any error beeps you are receiving also.

[JJrocket]

Re: Weird GA-EP43-UD3L Issues

Make sure your connections are correct. Try unplugging all connections then plugging them back in also when testing for problems only plug in the hard drive memory gpu and keyboard no need for anything else that might cause more complication. Also have you tried taking out the battery on the mobo putting it back in maybe its about to die. If possible its best to have a second system available so you can test out individual parts.