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Hello. and thank you for viewing this thread with the intention of helping someone like me.
Keep in mind this is a long post as I feel like I should tell the entire story in order to finally figure out my problem. I apologize in advance for the length of my post. Atleast I used paragraphs! Also keep in mind that neither Intel Tech Support, Gigabyte Tech Support, Toms Hardware, nor Overclock.net was able to solve this problem. No one is able to figure it out.
Now I decided to upgrade this old rig of mine with a new motherboard, cpu, and RAM. So essentially an entire new machine. I purchased the i7 950 processor, the Gigabyte x58a-ud3r motherboard, and 6GB Mushkin Blackline RAM. I kept my Radeon HD 4850, my OCZ gamextream 850w power supply, my 500GB hard drive, and a DVD drive.
Thus begins my troubles. I powered on the machine with no trouble, and I installed Windows 7. It installed with no trouble, but when I attempted to power it on it would reach the Windows is starting... screen and then it would restart altogether. I tried to use a different power supply and a different hard drive to no avail. My memory passed Memtest three or four times. I tried using a bare bone system with a much more light weight graphics card. This did not work so I thought I narrowed it down to that. I deduced it was a bad motherboard and had it RMA'd and when I received my new one I rebuilt the entire computer over again and it had worked! For a while. The next day I was experiencing the same issues. I decided the hard drive would be the next logical problem.
I ordered a new 1.5TB hard drive and installed windows 7 on it and it would do the exact same thing. I tried using a different Windows 7 install CD, this too had no effect. I decided to RMA my Mushkin RAM this time, along with my motherboard and Hard drive AGAIN in case I was just extremely unlucky. I asked the Toms Hardware Forums, Gigabyte Tech Support, and Intel Tech Support and nobody was able to figure out the issue.
I get all my parts back and assemble my computer for the third time and everything works perfectly! again, that only lasted for about 3 days. On the third day the computer randomly restarted and I would get stuck in a booting loop again. It would reach the windows is starting... screen and then restart, continuing the cycle.
I did my research and found out that my motherboard is known to have some odd compatibility problems with certain RAM modules. So I got my Mushkin Blackline RAM modules refunded and got a triple channel set of A-Data RAM that was off of Gigabyte's approved memory list. This time I knew it could not be a memory compatibility issue.
I received these new modules last Wednesday, replaced them in the computer and everything worked absolutely perfectly. It worked wonderfully for the past several days, I saw some signs that my computer was restarting again, however, as my programs were sometimes gone after I had left for awhile and came back. I confirmed my suspicions when I started using a program to monitor my computer's uptime. I discovered my computer was randomly restarting on me every couple hours or so, though I never saw it for myself. I decided that in case it was a BSOD error I turned off the "automatic restart upon system failure" option in order to see if I was getting such errors. Well the answer was evidently no as my computer continued restarting when I was not looking. Keep in mind that I had not seen my computer restart for myself yet. Until tonight.
I heard my computer turn back on while I was in the kitchen, so I knew that my computer had just restarted. I rushed upstairs, checked my uptime and sure enough, I didn't even have a minute of uptime yet. I decided I would run an HD Tune test to make sure it wasn't a hard drive issue. So I started HD Tune, then came back 5 minutes later to find my computer had restarted. But this time it did not just restart, it was stuck in the same fateful loop I had been seeing the entire time. The only difference is that it made it to the welcome screen this time. I tried restarting it myself, but it would make it to the welcome screen then restart.
I still have not been able to fix this computer. The overvoltage LEDs for the DDR or NB (maybe both, Gigabyte's manual shows them in the exact same place) show 4 lights that are green, orange, green, orange. The LEDs turn off as soon as the computer attempts to boot. I tried a different power supply and the same lights show up. My temperatures seem to be fine, the CPU is at 41 C and my MCH is at about 50 C.
So now this is where I plead you for help. I feel quite helpless for the first time in many many builds. I have never had so many problems with a computer build. Keep in mind I have asked many people, including professionals, if they could help. So far no one has been able to figure this out.
If you have any suspicion AT ALL as to what may be the problem, I would greatly appreciate the assistance. Believe me, I am open to try anything. If you actually read through this entire post you have shown you care a lot more about helping than the average person ever would. So I thank you for that at the very least.
This is what has happened since then (What I have done since posting on Overclock.net)
UPDATE: I plugged my old PSU back in to the computer and turned it on. There was a CHECKSUM error and asked me to boot from CD. I press F1 and continued to boot. The same thing happened when I attempted to boot.
I am going to try to flash the BIOS a second time, though I'm not quite sure if that will do anything. RMA'ing the processor is probably something I will try if this doesn't work. I appreciate all the help everyone has given.
Any more ideas would be very much appreciated, though most of them I have probably already tried.
UPDATE 2: I flashed the BIOS and restored optimized defaults. It FINALLY started up again and I am currently able to get on my desktop. I am still very skeptical as this is not the first time I have reached this point only to fall back in to the same problem. I checked the event viewer and there were two error ID 41's and two error ID 6008's. Does this mean that I will see these errors again in the future? How can i be assured that I will not fall back in to the same problem?
UPDATE 3: My suspicions were correct; the computer restarted on it's own 2 hours after I turned it on. It turned back on, however, and still booted. I noticed a number of errors in my event log:
One that said: Audit events have been dropped by the transport. Event 1101
Another said: The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly. Event 41
And the last said: The previous system shutdown at 5:19:50 PM on 11/9/2010 was unexpected. Event 6008
I'm assuming this means that the computer doesn't understand why it is turning off either. Does that make the problem any more clear?
UPDATE 4: I am currently downloading Ubuntu and have changed the RAM timings and speed to suggested settings. The RAM timings doesn't seem to have made any difference.
UPDATE 5: My computer again refuses to boot, this time it stops at the Starting Windows... screen again. I am currently running off Ubuntu using a CD, I have not yet installed the OS, however. If Ubuntu restarts I am stumped.
UPDATE 6: Ubuntu has been running off a CD for the past eight hours without a single restart. I may be wrong here but it seems that this has to mean something about either my hard drive, OS, or sata controllers.
UPDATE 7: Windows has been running for the past 12 hours without any restarts after I changed my board's vdroop to standard. I am hoping this means my problem has finally been solved.
UPDATE 8: Windows started restarting again. Now it won't last 15 minutes before restarting.... 5 page long thread and still no solution. My uptime continues to get shorter and shorter everytime I turn it on.
Keep in mind this is a long post as I feel like I should tell the entire story in order to finally figure out my problem. I apologize in advance for the length of my post. Atleast I used paragraphs! Also keep in mind that neither Intel Tech Support, Gigabyte Tech Support, Toms Hardware, nor Overclock.net was able to solve this problem. No one is able to figure it out.
Now I decided to upgrade this old rig of mine with a new motherboard, cpu, and RAM. So essentially an entire new machine. I purchased the i7 950 processor, the Gigabyte x58a-ud3r motherboard, and 6GB Mushkin Blackline RAM. I kept my Radeon HD 4850, my OCZ gamextream 850w power supply, my 500GB hard drive, and a DVD drive.
Thus begins my troubles. I powered on the machine with no trouble, and I installed Windows 7. It installed with no trouble, but when I attempted to power it on it would reach the Windows is starting... screen and then it would restart altogether. I tried to use a different power supply and a different hard drive to no avail. My memory passed Memtest three or four times. I tried using a bare bone system with a much more light weight graphics card. This did not work so I thought I narrowed it down to that. I deduced it was a bad motherboard and had it RMA'd and when I received my new one I rebuilt the entire computer over again and it had worked! For a while. The next day I was experiencing the same issues. I decided the hard drive would be the next logical problem.
I ordered a new 1.5TB hard drive and installed windows 7 on it and it would do the exact same thing. I tried using a different Windows 7 install CD, this too had no effect. I decided to RMA my Mushkin RAM this time, along with my motherboard and Hard drive AGAIN in case I was just extremely unlucky. I asked the Toms Hardware Forums, Gigabyte Tech Support, and Intel Tech Support and nobody was able to figure out the issue.
I get all my parts back and assemble my computer for the third time and everything works perfectly! again, that only lasted for about 3 days. On the third day the computer randomly restarted and I would get stuck in a booting loop again. It would reach the windows is starting... screen and then restart, continuing the cycle.
I did my research and found out that my motherboard is known to have some odd compatibility problems with certain RAM modules. So I got my Mushkin Blackline RAM modules refunded and got a triple channel set of A-Data RAM that was off of Gigabyte's approved memory list. This time I knew it could not be a memory compatibility issue.
I received these new modules last Wednesday, replaced them in the computer and everything worked absolutely perfectly. It worked wonderfully for the past several days, I saw some signs that my computer was restarting again, however, as my programs were sometimes gone after I had left for awhile and came back. I confirmed my suspicions when I started using a program to monitor my computer's uptime. I discovered my computer was randomly restarting on me every couple hours or so, though I never saw it for myself. I decided that in case it was a BSOD error I turned off the "automatic restart upon system failure" option in order to see if I was getting such errors. Well the answer was evidently no as my computer continued restarting when I was not looking. Keep in mind that I had not seen my computer restart for myself yet. Until tonight.
I heard my computer turn back on while I was in the kitchen, so I knew that my computer had just restarted. I rushed upstairs, checked my uptime and sure enough, I didn't even have a minute of uptime yet. I decided I would run an HD Tune test to make sure it wasn't a hard drive issue. So I started HD Tune, then came back 5 minutes later to find my computer had restarted. But this time it did not just restart, it was stuck in the same fateful loop I had been seeing the entire time. The only difference is that it made it to the welcome screen this time. I tried restarting it myself, but it would make it to the welcome screen then restart.
I still have not been able to fix this computer. The overvoltage LEDs for the DDR or NB (maybe both, Gigabyte's manual shows them in the exact same place) show 4 lights that are green, orange, green, orange. The LEDs turn off as soon as the computer attempts to boot. I tried a different power supply and the same lights show up. My temperatures seem to be fine, the CPU is at 41 C and my MCH is at about 50 C.
So now this is where I plead you for help. I feel quite helpless for the first time in many many builds. I have never had so many problems with a computer build. Keep in mind I have asked many people, including professionals, if they could help. So far no one has been able to figure this out.
If you have any suspicion AT ALL as to what may be the problem, I would greatly appreciate the assistance. Believe me, I am open to try anything. If you actually read through this entire post you have shown you care a lot more about helping than the average person ever would. So I thank you for that at the very least.
This is what has happened since then (What I have done since posting on Overclock.net)
UPDATE: I plugged my old PSU back in to the computer and turned it on. There was a CHECKSUM error and asked me to boot from CD. I press F1 and continued to boot. The same thing happened when I attempted to boot.
I am going to try to flash the BIOS a second time, though I'm not quite sure if that will do anything. RMA'ing the processor is probably something I will try if this doesn't work. I appreciate all the help everyone has given.
Any more ideas would be very much appreciated, though most of them I have probably already tried.
UPDATE 2: I flashed the BIOS and restored optimized defaults. It FINALLY started up again and I am currently able to get on my desktop. I am still very skeptical as this is not the first time I have reached this point only to fall back in to the same problem. I checked the event viewer and there were two error ID 41's and two error ID 6008's. Does this mean that I will see these errors again in the future? How can i be assured that I will not fall back in to the same problem?
UPDATE 3: My suspicions were correct; the computer restarted on it's own 2 hours after I turned it on. It turned back on, however, and still booted. I noticed a number of errors in my event log:
One that said: Audit events have been dropped by the transport. Event 1101
Another said: The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly. Event 41
And the last said: The previous system shutdown at 5:19:50 PM on 11/9/2010 was unexpected. Event 6008
I'm assuming this means that the computer doesn't understand why it is turning off either. Does that make the problem any more clear?
UPDATE 4: I am currently downloading Ubuntu and have changed the RAM timings and speed to suggested settings. The RAM timings doesn't seem to have made any difference.
UPDATE 5: My computer again refuses to boot, this time it stops at the Starting Windows... screen again. I am currently running off Ubuntu using a CD, I have not yet installed the OS, however. If Ubuntu restarts I am stumped.
UPDATE 6: Ubuntu has been running off a CD for the past eight hours without a single restart. I may be wrong here but it seems that this has to mean something about either my hard drive, OS, or sata controllers.
UPDATE 7: Windows has been running for the past 12 hours without any restarts after I changed my board's vdroop to standard. I am hoping this means my problem has finally been solved.
UPDATE 8: Windows started restarting again. Now it won't last 15 minutes before restarting.... 5 page long thread and still no solution. My uptime continues to get shorter and shorter everytime I turn it on.
So i guess I will email Intel. 
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