Could use some opinions on upgrades

pop the battery, leave the jumper on clear, and make sure its unplugged... leave it that way for 10mins. ... you're using only one stick of RAM, right?
 
No it's a kit of two of the PC2-8500 Reaper.

Have to remove video card to remove battery. :rolleyes:

Batter is testing at 3.7 - 3.8v.

Funeral? Sorry to hear about that.
 
No good. Same results. Just reboots. Followed your instructions at post # 282 to the letter.

This started right after I moved the case into the cubbyhole (dedicated space for case) on the desk.

Okay, what if this thing is shorting on a screw and moving it cause the case to twist slightly?

:mad::mad:
 
SBMongoos said:
I'm thinking I need to take my brothers advice with the washers. Too odd that it's fixed his issues several times and again with a new build yesterday for his media center.
Click to expand...

Worth a try.
SBMongoos said:
Batter is testing at 3.7 - 3.8v.
Click to expand...

What is this Batter you speak of?

SBMongoos said:
No good. Same results. Just reboots. Followed your instructions at post # 282 to the letter.

This started right after I moved the case into the cubbyhole (dedicated space for case) on the desk.

Okay, what if this thing is shorting on a screw and moving it cause the case to twist slightly?
Click to expand...

Wait so can you get into the BIOs now or still can't? Try booting with just one stick of RAM.
 
Danny Bui said:
What is this Batter you speak of?

Wait so can you get into the BIOs now or still can't? Try booting with just one stick of RAM.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant the CMOS battery. I wanted to test the voltage to be sure the BIOS wasn't losing setting due to a weak battery.

I cannot get into the BIOS with either one or two sticks. The CMOS clear function worked as the Gigabyte boot image screen comes up again instead of the usual post screen I set it to. But it doesn't go past that screen now.
 
Even with one stick of RAM?

I'm guessing the actual paper washers didn't really solve his problem, but rather a side effect of installing them did (reseated something that was previously getting shorted out). However, if you're doing this all atop a cardboard box, you should have no shorting issues -- so try that.

/*------------- <cut n paste> -------------*/
If you have both the 20/24 pin main ATX connector plugged in, AND the 4-Pin ATX12V P4 CPU (OR 8-pin EPS) connector plugged in, then the board should boot fine.

You could test the PSU: Jump start it (on the main atx connector, short the green wire with any black wire, using a paperclip), and see if it stays on. If not, then its probably a faulty PSU. If it works then proceed (though, in rare cases, it may still be the PSU at fault).

Setup everything outside of the case, with the mobo on top of its cardboard box. Plug in only the essentials:
- PSU (namely: main 20/24-pin ATX connector and 4-pin ATX12V P4 CPU Connector (OR 8-pin EPS))
- CPU w/ HSF (don't forget to plug in the fan)
- Single stick of ram
- Videocard if there is no onboard video (and PCI-E power, if needed)
- Monitor
- Keyboard
- System speaker/buzzer (if no onboard one is present)

* Use a screwdriver if your board doesnt have an onboard power switch. Jump (connect) the two power switch leads to turn the power on (hold connected for a few seconds).

If it won't POST, try different RAM slots. If it still won't POST, pull out the ram (so no ram in the system) and listen for error beeps. If none, pull the vidcard and listen for error beeps. If none, re-seat the CPU/HSF and try again. Report back with results if you're still having issues.
/*------------- </cut n paste> -------------*/
 
Do the benchtest... if you can't get it to POST and can't get into the BIOS, RMA the RAM. If you get into the BIOS, set the RAM voltage and speed. Reinstall windows. etc.

After you pull the mobo from the case, leave the system unplugged, with the ClearCMOS jumper in the clear position, and the battery popped out for 10 minutes again.
 
I find it interesting that this problem came up again after I physically moved the case a tiny distance.
 
SBMongoos said:
I find it interesting that this problem came up again after I physically moved the case a tiny distance.
Click to expand...

Then something is probably shorting out your system. Thats what the cardboard box test rules out.
 
enginurd said:
Setup everything outside of the case, with the mobo on top of its cardboard box. Plug in only the essentials:
- PSU (namely: main 20/24-pin ATX connector and 4-pin ATX12V P4 CPU Connector (OR 8-pin EPS))
- CPU w/ HSF (don't forget to plug in the fan)
- Single stick of ram
- Videocard if there is no onboard video (and PCI-E power, if needed)
- Monitor
- Keyboard
- System speaker/buzzer (if no onboard one is present)

* Use a screwdriver if your board doesnt have an onboard power switch. Jump (connect) the two power switch leads to turn the power on (hold connected for a few seconds).
Click to expand...

PSU passed the paperclip test.

I followed your steps above exactly. Results:

Booted up and got back into the BIOS. So, I installed the other stick of RAM, connected an optical drive and a HDD. Rebooted and went into Windows just fine. Also, while in the BIOS I set the RAM to default of 1066Mhz, 2.1v (again) and 5-5-5-15. Put in the Memtest CD and rebooted. Now in the past 1066 didn't fly at all. NEVER! Always produced errors.

Now, all works fine with no issues again. This time of course it's working fine at 1066 running Memtest. A first!

***
Edit: now that I said if was finally running without errors for the first time in Memtest at 1066 I just checked again and it's now getting tons of errors. Started Memtest over to see where it craps out. Test 1-6 passed, working on test 7 now.
 
Hmmm....second test is still running along fine without errors. Wonder why it started to error a little while ago and now it's fine. Nothing changed. Everything outside the case as mentioned. Just have HDDs and optical connected. One full pass with no errors.
 
Now I'm getting errors again. Haven't been anywhere near this system. Going to upload a pic of the memtest.
 
RMA those sticks. Ask for some 1.8v - 1.9v sticks. Or better yet, buy some G.Skill DDR2-1000 sticks and sell whatever OCZ sends to you for the RMA.
 
I may do just that. I'm taking the time to do a shitload of memory testing with variables. At this point it looks like one of the sticks is bad.

But, we knew the before. So am I dealing with two things here? Or can this kind of psychotic behavior happen with RAM?

Oh....you can get high speed RAM with those voltages?
 
We already knew that the RAM wouldn't work well at 1066 so I moved it down to 800. Seemed to work fine but then occasionally something flakey would happen and then it would get worse. Thnigs seemed fine until I moved the PC case and then the BIOS wouldn't function. So what is really going on? A short and RAM issue?

RAM: I thought you were saying to get 1.8-1,.9v Gskill high performance RAM.
 
SBMongoos said:
But, we knew the before. So am I dealing with two things here? Or can this kind of psychotic behavior happen with RAM?

Oh....you can get high speed RAM with those voltages?
Click to expand...

This kind of thing can happen with RAM: one stick can be bad or the errors will show up later on. Thats why I always recommend testing Memtest for at least 3 hours to be partially sure or a max of 24 hours to be 98% sure.

And no you generally cannot get high speed DDR2 RAM at 1.8V to 1.9V. The DDR2 1000 RAM G.Skill RAM that Enginurd recommend has a minimum rating of 2.0V.
 
I realize more time should pass but when I found the "fails" it was always in less time. I wonder if Bank 3 (the 0/3 banks using a stick each) is bad on the mb. I see the manual calls the banks ddr1, ddr2, ddr3 and ddr4. I would have been using ddr1 and ddr3 for dual channel.
 
Well, to find that out for sure, run memtest on a single stick in that bank and see if you get errors, and if you do, try the same stick in a different bank and run memtest again. If you don't get errors, then the bank may be faulty. If you still get errors, chances are it's the RAM.
 
Zero82z said:
Well, to find that out for sure, run memtest on a single stick in that bank and see if you get errors, and if you do, try the same stick in a different bank and run memtest again. If you don't get errors, then the bank may be faulty. If you still get errors, chances are it's the RAM.
Click to expand...

Doing that actually.
 
OMG! I'd been testing for about an half hour each. When testing two of them together it never seemed to take long to get the errors (say..inside 10 minutes). I started testing the sticks individually in bank ddr1, next to the CPU, and no errors for an half hour or longer. I just moved one of the sticks to bank ddr3 and after about 4 minutes all kinds of errors.

So bank 3 is bad on the mb.
 
No shit. Funny though. Why does one stick fail at about 5 minutes in that bank the other fail immediately. This is why it's been tricky finding this problem. That and issues would still come up at lower Mhz for the RAM setting.
 
Shit...I cut out the UPC for the rebate and mailed it. I read so much about these being the latest Rock Star I thought it would be save.
 
That doesn't matter. You can still RMA a board even if the UPC is removed. All you need is proof of purchase.
 
NewEgg recommended just doing a return and then buying a new one. She said it would be quicker and it was within the 30 days anyway. Makes sense to me. Otherwise there's almost another week involved for the RMA process. Not including my shipping it back first, the RMA process and then they ship a replacement.
 
Well, you can't return it if you've removed the UPC, at least not to my knowledge. You'd best work it out directly with a Newegg rep though, to make sure you really know what you can or can't do.
 
I sent an email to someone I spoke to last week actually. Kept a log of the chat for what they offered to do on the mb as it was thought there may be an issue.. I dont' see anything at the NE site about UPC codes being removed, etc. That I can find.
 
I'd try new RAM first, before RMA'ing the board. I've had bad RAM cause me to return a non-defective motherboard, and they just sent the same mobo back to me (same test you did led me to such a conclusion). :p
 
I've always heard no upc means rma to manufacturer. If they let you return it and order a new board, you could just file for the rebate again. All I'm saying is be careful. Found this on the Newegg RMA policy:

RMA processing time may vary depending on the product and reason for the return but generally processing time is 2-5 business days once the RMA is received and meet all following criteria:
1. Return with RMA number clearly identified in shipping label or on package.
2. Return with all original equipment, components, manuals, cables, documents, packaging.
3. UPC code along with retail package.
4. No physical damage caused by customer or by carrier.
5. Item is NOT out of warranty when it is received.
 
genester said:
I've always heard no upc means rma to manufacturer. If they let you return it and order a new board, you could just file for the rebate again. All I'm saying is be careful. Found this on the Newegg RMA policy:

RMA processing time may vary depending on the product and reason for the return but generally processing time is 2-5 business days once the RMA is received and meet all following criteria:
1. Return with RMA number clearly identified in shipping label or on package.
2. Return with all original equipment, components, manuals, cables, documents, packaging.
3. UPC code along with retail package.
4. No physical damage caused by customer or by carrier.
5. Item is NOT out of warranty when it is received.
Click to expand...

Ya, I think it may be on the invoice. I found the info after I posted. I may have to call in. We'll see. Sucks as there is a time limit that the rebate has to be post marked by.
 
enginurd said:
I'd try new RAM first, before RMA'ing the board. I've had bad RAM cause me to return a non-defective motherboard, and they just sent the same mobo back to me (same test you did led me to such a conclusion). :p
Click to expand...

Are you serious? :confused:

After all that testing and with these results it could still only be the RAM? How is that possible? If it tests fine in one bank and both sticks fail in the same different bank.

Just curious here. Don't get me wrong.
 
My girlfriend has to remember to turn her alarm off when she gets up at 5am!! She hits snooze and then jumps in the shower and then I'm up 10 minutes later. Argh...

Since I'm up I called Newegg. I asked for them to send me an email on what they said they would do so I have record. I was told (and I clarified):

  1. They will refund the motherboard to my CC
  2. There will be no restocking fee
  3. They will provide a prepaid shipping label via email to send back the defective mb
  4. They gave me $10 off a new mb for the hassle (order placed this a.m.)
  5. They will honor the MIR on the return mb (that went to Gigabyte anyway...hmm)

I assume they stand by their word at Newegg. If this goes through as they stated I would certainly say that Newegg does rock.
 
Wow... now how'd you get 'em to do that? cuz when I ask for shit like that, they just keep quoting policy to me, lol.

SBMongoos said:
Are you serious? :confused:

After all that testing and with these results it could still only be the RAM? How is that possible? If it tests fine in one bank and both sticks fail in the same different bank.

Just curious here. Don't get me wrong.
Click to expand...

Yup... confused me, too. But when I got the "replacement" board from Asus, I already had another board to test the RAM with -- in which it still failed. So, I RMA'd the RAM, and tried the replacement sticks in the supposed problem free Asus board, and there were no errors. Go figure. I'm not saying it'll happen to you... I'm just sayin its possible, cuz its happened to me, lol.
 
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