GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

[Shambler]

Specs: Can't remember what bios I had installed, F11, F13 or something; updated to latest within last 6 months. Q9650 OC'd to 3.6ghz. Gigabyte Geforce 8800GT. OCZ Gold or Platinum, PC6400 DDR2 2x2.0gb; don't know precise specs. Corsair 520w power supply. My computer has been running fine for months, with no software/hardware changes happening recently; last night, a faulty electric device in the house caused the power to trip out 3 times, in quick succession (almost instantly after turning power back on). This was nothing to do with the computer, as this happened after unplugging the computer as well. Today, after trying to turn on my computer for the first time since this, the keyboard gets power/lights up when I plug the power in, but pressing the power button does nothing; no fans, no video output, nothing. Sofar I have tried removing the CMOS battery (for >20 minutes) and shorting the CMOS reset pins, but with no different results; it doesn't enter any kind of bootup cycle, no fans/hard-drives/dvd-drive spin up etc., no speaker output, nothing. What is the problem here? Is the motherboard dead? Would resetting the CMOS mean I lose latest firmware, which could be needed for my CPU? (If so, what do I do then? I don't need to put an older CPU in do I?) I need to fix this as soon as possible, as this is my work computer.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

Do you have another power supply to test with?

Have you tested anything else on that outlet, just to be sure that outlet or breaker is still working for that room?

[Shambler]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

Yes there are several other things connected to the same outlet, and they all work fine. I have another power supply (not 100% sure if it's compatible), and I will test that out.

[Shambler]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

I've tried the other power supply (connected to just the motherboard), and nothing. Speaker is connected, and no sound comes from it, and keyboard lights up as before etc. on plugging in (the keyboard light does not turn off after a few seconds either, as it normally would after just plugging in). Same thing as before really.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

If the other PSU does not work, you may need to find one that does for sure so you can tell if the PSU is bad or the board.

Sounds like something in it fried though, you just need to narrow down what it is.

[Shambler]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

The PSU is fine (the second one I tested with); this is likely a motherboard problem though yes? Seeing as it gives no speaker output or any indication of attempting to boot (interchanging components will not change this, right?). If so, I will see if I can just get another motherboard today, before RMA'ing this one.

[Shambler]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

I read in other threads, that the power going on/off like that can corrupt the bios, and that a number of people had similar problems like this; one suggested solution was resetting CMOS with the battery/jumper like I tried, which worked for some people, but hasn't worked here.

[Shambler]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

Okey, have gone ahead and ordered an Asus P5Q Turbo; from what I can read, this problem may be specific to Gigabyte boards. Thanks for the help in any case.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

Well if it's dead ram or CPU, then a new board wont matter and would act the same. But if it's the board only, then yes a new one would let you know.

Since you ordered a new board, do you have any other CPU or memory (DDR2 or DDR3) to test with, in case it is one of those instead of the board?

There is no problem specific to Gigabyte boards, and your issue was initiated by a power surge, so we are not even sure what the problem is right now but I think something was fried (Which would happen with any board you were using at the time).

Hope you can get this sorted, let us know how it all works out.

[Shambler]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

Hmm, I actually got it working now, and I really am not sure how. I took out two of the hard drives to grab work stuff off of them, and in the process had to take out the graphics card and 1 memory stick. I put the graphics card and memory stick back in (everything in same slot, same SATA connection etc.), and it's suddenly working, even getting a beep out of the speaker. I put both of the hard drives back in then (the exact same configuration as when it was not working), and started it up, and now it's working fine. This is very odd. In reading up on this problem, I read somewhere that Gigabyte motherboards reserve about 1mb of space on one of the hard drives, to store a backup image of the bios or something. If the bios got corrupted, and a corrupted version written to disk, would this be what has caused my computer to consistently not work? That seems like very poor programming, especially when you consider that it overrides directly resetting the CMOS :/ Bit crap that I spent the money on the extra motherboard, but can't hurt to have one spare in any case.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

Nice to hear!

That is an option, that you must enabled in the BIOS for the BIOS to be written to disk. And even if you did it in the past without knowing (Some BIOS had enabled by default, is now Disabled by default), and the BIOS was corrupt and it was activated, first your second BIOS chip would have to fail as well, and either way you would see a BIOS Recovering message on the screen.

It is ONLY used when 3 things happen:
1. Your MAIN BIOS fails.
2. Secondary BIOS fails.
3. BIOS not found on CD

Then the board will search the HPA Section of the hard drive for a BIOS backup.

Sounds like something was just loose and you fixed it, nothing BIOS related at all that I hear. If you can cancel your order in time that would be nice, otherwise you can sell it or keep as a spare.

Nice to see it all worked out for you, thanks for the update!

[Shambler]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

Don't believe anything was lose nah, seems to have been directly related to the power problem; nice to have it worked out in the end in any case. Yea can't cancel the mobo order, as it's already in dispatch; got enough spare components around to put together a new computer in any case, so may as well upgrade our downstairs TV/Film one to do games as well. Thanks for the help.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-EP35C-DS3R-v2.1: Will not boot

Well at least it's working now!!

Post back anytime if you ever need help with anything