Booting/ POST/ No Beep

[Pez]

Hi all.

Just to let you know, at first I tried writing to Gigabyte tech support on their web site by filling out a support "form". There was a reply, and then further clarifying questions by me, and then another reply by them..........

But sometimes (and I don't mean this in a disparaging or negative way), I think that the person on the other end (over at Gigabyte) doesn't have English as a first language. I ask clear, precise questions.....and they don't really answer the question(s) I ask.

Or....it's like if you were to ask somebody if they know what time it is......and they tell you how to make a watch/ clock.

So OK....here goes:

I have the Gigabyte motherboard EP35C-DS3R, BIOS version F3e. I've had it for over two and-a-half years. Recently (since about January of 2010), there have been approximately three times where I start the computer from a cold boot, and my system doesn't get to the POST screen (that Gigabyte "splash" screen).

When I press the power button on my system, my CPU and heatsink fan spin up, my many system fans spin up, HDD and DVD ROM drives spin up, my system "lights" come on (I've customized the inside of my computer case with blue lights). But....

There is nothing on my monitor (stays black).

There is silence in regard to "system beeps" (one short beep means successful system boot).

I try pressing the rest button, but that doesn't work.

I then shut down completely, wait a bit, press power again, and then POST, short system beep, and successful boot onto my desktop.

Up above where I said that this has happened three times, I did not mean three times in a row. These instances were spaced out over a period of months (since January 2010, to now, August 2010). When it first happened, and then didn't happen again right after that, I chalked it up to an "isolated incident". But now.....a total of three separate times.

What I asked Gigabyte support (but did not get a direct answer), was......what causes this?

What are the possible cause(s) of a system not booting to POST or "beep"?

I think Gigabyte in their replies to me must have thought that I couldn't get my computer to start at all, and they were giving me suggestions to try.

I already know about taking a system down to its "bare essentials" to troubleshoot it and narrow things down; things such as:

CPU
One stick of RAM
Graphics card

....then see if there's a successful boot.

But it's not like I don't have a working system (I'm typing this forum post from the computer I'm describing right now!!); there were just these three separate times that I described above.

Say, for instance, it was a failing PSU: Between January & August 2010, wouldn't it have "died" by now?!

Anyway, here's my specs:

Gigabyte motherboard EP35C-DS3R, BIOS version F3e
4GB Corsair RAM
Intel Q9450 Quad processor
Western Digital 320GB SATA HDD
Corsair 750 watt PSU
BFG nVidia 9800 GX2 GPU

So, everybody.....what do you think the possible cause/ causes are of a system not booting/ POSTing/ "beeping"?

Thanks for any help or info.
Pez

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Booting/ POST/ No Beep

Ya, sorry they couldn't help you, I think all of the support speaks Chinese as their native language.

What you are describing is referred to as a cold boot issue, sometimes this means physically cold or it can just mean not used for several hours.

These issues can be caused by incorrect settings, or failing memory.

Have you ran Memtest86+ on your memory for 5-10 full passes, if not please do that now so we can rule that out. Get the latest 4.15b2 ISO here

http://www.memtest.org/download/beta/415b2/mt415.rar

If that passes with no errors, or not, please give me your full settings in a template from my signature and I'll advise back. Please also provide a link to your specific memory


You may also want to try updating your BIOS to F4

http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/BIOS/motherboard_bios_ga-ep35-ds3r_f4.exe

If you do please use Qflash, DO NOT USE @BIOS, here is a guide

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

Ya, if it was the PSU it would be dead by now, so it's not that. I'd say either memory issues, or settings is all.

[Pez]

Re: Booting/ POST/ No Beep

Hi Lsdmeasap; thanks for the reply.

Yeah, what you said at the end of your post makes sense: If it was a "dying" PSU, it would've been dead by now!!

I downloaded memtest from that link you provided, but haven't run it yet. It's an ISO file, so before I burn it onto a CD and run it, I thought I'd first give you a link to my memory/ RAM that you asked for.

When you get to this web page that I'll provide, at about the middle of the page, there's these three tabs: Product Overview / Resources / Awards & Reviews. Click on the "Resources" tab; mine is the second one listed, the 4GB kit.:

Welcome to Corsair :: XMS3 DHX Product Information

A "cold boot issue", eh? Never heard of that one before. Some people leave their computer running round the clock, but usually at night I shut mine down completely. So, yes, the next day when I start it up, it's booting "cold".

Anyway, check out the link for my memory/ RAM, and let me know what you think of the tested latency settings. Let's go the easy, logical route. If it's something in the memory's settings, then that can be fixed easily enough in the BIOS set-up.

If not, I can then burn and run a copy of memtest.

And then, if needed, update to the latest F4 BIOS.

Thanks for your time in this.
Pez

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Booting/ POST/ No Beep

Give me your current BIOS settings in a template from my signature and I'll advise back optimal ones for you to test with.

It sounds like you might just need a tad more ram voltage or a minor change, but I normally suggest against auto so if you are using all Auto then be ready to see a lot of suggested changes.

I say it may only be a small change you need because you do not seem affected by this daily or every time you start your PC right? Most of the time people do have this all the time until they correct things, so you might be just on the edge of where things need to be

[Pez]

Re: Booting/ POST/ No Beep

Here's my BIOS settings from your template:

1. Robust Graphics Booster____Auto_______
2. CPU Clock Ratio ____8X________
3. Fine Clock Ratio _____+0.0_______
4. CPU Host Clock Control_ [Disabled]
5. CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [333]
6. PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [Auto
7. C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
8. System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [Auto]
9. DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Auto]
10.
11. Performance Enhance = [Standard]
12.
13. CAS Latency Time______7 9__________
14. Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay__7 9_______
15. Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_7 9______
16. Precharge Delay (tRAS)__20 24________
17.
18. ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)__4 Auto_______
19. Rank Write to READ Delay_4 Auto_______
20. Write to Precharge Delay__8 Auto_______
21. Refresh to ACT Delay___60 Auto___________
22. Read to Precharge Delay__4 Auto________
23. Static tRead Value___7 Auto____________
24. Static tRead Phase Adjust_0 Auto______
25.
26. CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control [800mV]
27. CPU Clock Skew Control [normal]
28. GMCH Clock Skew Control [Normal]
26, 27, 28: I don't have these showing at all in my BIOS
29.
30. System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
31. DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [Normal]
32. PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [Normal]
33. FSB OverVoltage Control___ [Normal]
34. (G)MCH OverVoltage Control [Normal]
35. CPU Voltage Control_______ [Normal]
36.
37. Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Disabled]
38. No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Enabled]
39. CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
40. C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
41. x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]

42. CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
43. CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]
44. Virtualization Technology................: [Enabled] Enabled if you use Vmware/Virtual PC
45.
46. Integrated Peripherals
47. Legacy USB Storage Detect___________________[Enabled] *Note* Must be enabled to flash from USB


Thanks! Let me know what you think.
Pez

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Booting/ POST/ No Beep

Try these and see if it helps

1. Robust Graphics Booster____Auto_______
2. CPU Clock Ratio ____8X________
3. Fine Clock Ratio _____+0.0_______
4. CPU Host Clock Control_ [Disabled]
5. CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [333]
6. PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [Auto
7. C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
8. System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [Auto] << Set manually to 4.00B or 4.00D
9. DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Auto] << manual
10.
11. Performance Enhance = [Standard]
12.
13. CAS Latency Time______ 9
14. Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay__ 9
15. Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_ 9
16. Precharge Delay (tRAS)__ 24
17.
18. ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)__4 Auto_______
19. Rank Write to READ Delay_4 Auto_______
20. Write to Precharge Delay__8 Auto_______
21. Refresh to ACT Delay___60 Auto___________ <<< Set 72-84
22. Read to Precharge Delay__4 Auto________
23. Static tRead Value___7 Auto____________ << Set to 8-9 for now, you want to lower later for better performance though
24. Static tRead Phase Adjust_0 Auto______
25.

29.
30. System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
31. DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [Normal] << Set 1.5-1.55 (Auto or 1.5 may actually be less than 1.5, check in PC health section for actual applied DDR voltage after you reboot)
32. PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [Normal]
33. FSB OverVoltage Control___ [Normal]
34. (G)MCH OverVoltage Control [Normal] << 4GB will need +0.2-0.3 most often
35. CPU Voltage Control_______ [Normal]
36.
37. Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Disabled]
38. No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Enabled]
39. CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
40. C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
41. x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]
40, 41: I don’t have these showing at all in my BIOS
42. CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
43. CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]
44. Virtualization Technology................: [Enabled] Enabled if you use Vmware/Virtual PC
45.
46. Integrated Peripherals
47. Legacy USB Storage Detect___________________[Enabled] *Note* Must be enabled to flash from USB << Disable for now for testing.