Calling All DS4 owners - who've had problems!

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 19:18

Right, I need help....

Got the rig that's spec'd in my sig.....

Built it, turned it on.....Fans spin up and a couple of seconds later it re-starts, no post, no beeps absolutely nothing.

Here's what I tried....

1. Re-set bios - no difference
2. Disconnecting anything unnessesary - no difference
3. Tried with just 1 stick of ram, Mobo, PSU & CPU - no difference
4. Swapped different stick of ram around - no difference
5. Finally RMA'd the board - OcUK tested it and said it works fine. However they didn't say what chip they tested it with and what version of bios it was running. (which I have just asked them via webnote - won't hear back till tomorrow)

Anybody else had this happen?

Anyone managed to solve the problem?

Things I think it could be:
1. I'm guessing it's probably the bios that is out of date for my CPU as I doubt that OcUK used a Conroe chip to test it with.
2. PSU Borked? - Unlikely I think as it powers up all the fans including the one of the gfx card so the power is definitely getting through.
3. Ram - I know there are no compatibility issues with my ram & this Mobo, but I spose there is a small chance of the ram being fragged...... I would say it's unlikely to be both sticks especially considering it's corsair ram.
4. Last but not least .... Is it the CPU?

killer_uk · 17 Aug 2006 at 19:38

I don't think it will be the BIOS that needs updating. All DS4 boards shipped support Conroe out of the box.

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 19:41

killer_uk said:
I don't think it will be the BIOS that needs updating. All DS4 boards shipped support Conroe out of the box.

Yes, they support Conroe, but as OcUK Tech told me just because a mobo supoports a chip doesn't mean it will without flashing the bios..... They actually asked me if I tried flashing the bios!

According to OcUK tech, you are wrong.... They told me that the boards are designed with Conroe in mind but that didn't necessarily mean out of the box!

killer_uk · 17 Aug 2006 at 19:48

Strange......I thought ALL P965 chipset based boards (and this means their BIOSes as well) support conroe out of the box due to them being designed for that cpu.

EDIT: I am by no means saying I am right, its just what I thought - I suppose I could easily be wrong

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:06

killer_uk said:
Strange......I thought ALL P965 chipset based boards (and this means their BIOSes as well) support conroe out of the box due to them being designed for that cpu.

EDIT: I am by no means saying I am right, its just what I thought - I suppose I could easily be wrong

You're not alone..... That's exactly what I thought as well, and one of the reasons for buying the board!

But apparently they are classed as out of the box Compliant/compatible for Conroe..... Which does't apparently mean it'll work without a bios flash..... A little misleading I think!

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:12

TBH I think it's doubtful to be anything except the Bios!

MGP · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:27

Must say I'm well confused. If it needs a BIOS flash, to be compatible, it's not compatible, as to do a flash you'd need to get the CPU working with the board.

If that is the case, the board would thus but unfit for purpose, and you'd be entitled to a refund under consumer legislation. Of course, if you are in time, you could reject the board anyway under distance selling rules.

I'm concerned because I am getting very close to ordering one of these boards. Do or do they not work, out of the box, with conroe?

R3323 · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:29

my ds4 worked out the box with my e6300, if your geting the fan on fan off this it will probly be the ram. iv got some cheap 256mb kingston ram in and its working, its just very very slow.
there is a F3 bios out that might fix the ram problem.

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:32

MGP said:
Must say I'm well confused. If it needs a BIOS flash, to be compatible, it's not compatible, as to do a flash you'd need to get the CPU working with the board.

That's what I said to OcUK tech, but they told me that they're always selling boards that need flashing and they can't refund on that basis.... I either need to flash it or get a new bios chip from Gigabyte!

MGP said:
If that is the case, the board would thus but unfit for purpose, and you'd be entitled to a refund under consumer legislation. Of course, if you are in time, you could reject the board anyway under distance selling rules.

Only had it just over a week and they said as it had been opened and used I was not allowed to return it for a refund!

MGP said:
I'm concerned because I am getting very close to ordering one of these boards. Do or do they not work, out of the box, with conroe?

I wouldn't........ get the Asus P5WDH what now comes with the updated bios apparently or so OcUK tech told me!

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:36

R3323 said:
my ds4 worked out the box with my e6300, if your geting the fan on fan off this it will probly be the ram. iv got some cheap 256mb kingston ram in and its working, its just very very slow.
there is a F3 bios out that might fix the ram problem.

The ram I have is listed as being compatible on the Gigabyte website!

SOSAGES2 · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:37

as u may know i had issues.

i purchased 2gb of new ram (geil 667mhz) installed ram - system worked fine -
installed windows did driver installs
installed new bios (f3) took out 667 ram put in original 800mhz geil ram all works fine!!!

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:43

SOSAGES2 said:
as u may know i had issues.

i purchased 2gb of new ram (geil 667mhz) installed ram - system worked fine -
installed windows did driver installs
installed new bios (f3) took out 667 ram put in original 800mhz geil ram all works fine!!!

As I already mentioned the ram is listed as compatible on the Gigabyte website..... & I don't have any spare funds to buy more ram just to test!

MGP · 17 Aug 2006 at 20:51

Monstermunch said:
That's what I said to OcUK tech, but they told me that they're always selling boards that need flashing and they can't refund on that basis.... I either need to flash it or get a new bios chip from Gigabyte!

I'd look at the description posted on the OcUK website for the board. In legal language I'd say a description of "supports" means that it works. If a flash or something is needed then I'd expect that to be very clearly stated. As that isn't stated and it seems to be the recomendation of a way out, then the goods supplied are not, as supplied, fit for purpose.

killer_uk · 17 Aug 2006 at 21:00

The first ever bios made by gigabyte for the DS4 (F1) supports conroe, so I can't see the BIOS being the issue here.

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 21:53

MGP said:
I'd look at the description posted on the OcUK website for the board. In legal language I'd say a description of "supports" means that it works. If a flash or something is needed then I'd expect that to be very clearly stated. As that isn't stated and it seems to be the recomendation of a way out, then the goods supplied are not, as supplied, fit for purpose.

I argued those exact terms and I was basically told tough! That just because something is listed as being compatible doesn't mean it will work straight from the box!

Also bearing in mind that a lot of people have theirs working, so they obviously mean that not all the boards have the same bios version...

SiriusB · 17 Aug 2006 at 22:06

Seems the only way you're gonna know if it is the BIOS or not is if you can flash it to the latest version, or as you said get a new BIOS chip from Gigabyte.

Seems somewhat strange, however, that it doesn't work because the F1 BIOS should work with a Conroe chip. Perhaps your particular chip is fubar? Without another board to test you wont know that either.

SiriusB

Monstermunch · 17 Aug 2006 at 22:07

SiriusB said:
Seems the only way you're gonna know if it is the BIOS or not is if you can flash it to the latest version, or as you said get a new BIOS chip from Gigabyte.

Seems somewhat strange, however, that it doesn't work because the F1 BIOS should work with a Conroe chip. Perhaps your particular chip is fubar? Without another board to test you wont know that either.

SiriusB

Nah.... Thats the problem! Could be the CPU, Ram or Bios really!

Monstermunch · 18 Aug 2006 at 01:14

Right just read that the Gigabyte DS3 & DS4 have a stock VDIMM of 1.8V :eek:

My XMS2 PC6400 C4 requires 2.1V..... I think this is prolly the problem

Monstermunch · 18 Aug 2006 at 12:09

Ideas Anyone?

stoofa · 18 Aug 2006 at 12:19

I can confirm that all DS4's are Conroe compatible "out of the box".
When I was looking to buy my current Conroe system I actually bought my DS4 as soon as they were available - I had it for about 3 weeks before I got the CPU.
On Gigabytes website it listed all of the CPU's that the DS3, DS4 etc were compatible with and along side the Exxxx series it said "In testing".

I e-mailed Gigabyte support and told them that I'd bought the DS4 specifically with Conroe in mind and had I made a bad choice.
They e-mailed back and confirmed that the F1 BIOS was compatible with Conroe - although they were already shipping new boards with F2.
When I eventually got my Conroe system up and running my board had the F1 BIOS and it saw my E6600 and booted just fine.

I was running Crucial DDR667 memory to start with and everything at stock.
I'm now running my E6600 @ 3.2Ghz and I'm running the Geil PC800 (This week only) RAM, again with no problem (not touched any of the voltage settings in the BIOS at all).