Does the DS3 need a BIOS update to POST with a Core 2 Duo?

Emp.Man · 20 Sep 2006 at 15:43

Hi all, my newly bought DS3 is giving me nothing whatsoever at startup, no beeps, no POST, no nothing except the fans. Having seen similar problems with Gigabytes on here I'm 90% sure it's dead, but OC support have said they think the BIOS needs updating and that's where my problem lies. Trouble is, I've got no other socket 775 cpu to try with it, and apparently neither does any PC repair place near me that I can find.

So my question is, does this sound likely or would I be wasting my time trying to track down another cpu from somewhere? It seems like it's going to be a big hassle to do and obviously I'd rather just RMA it now if it's most likely going to be fruitless in the end.

Cheers

wizardmaxx · 20 Sep 2006 at 15:45

I think it depends on the stepping of your processor. There have been a couple of threads on this issue.

Rab · 20 Sep 2006 at 15:53

but OC support have said they think the BIOS needs updating

u board supports c2d from date it was made, was only asus boards that where like that, needed update 2 run conroe.

what ram u using, the ds3/4 haves a non boot issue with certain gkill ram

if any other kinda ram, may need volts increased, but as u say either way u dont have another chip

g/l

u could try this, remove board from case, then add psu, g gard & 1 stick of memory( try diff slots). NOTHING ELSE, c if it boots from there, if it can enter bois & set whatever changes need 2 b made 2 make it work, if works , install everything bak into case

Emp.Man · 20 Sep 2006 at 15:59

I'm got the Geil PC6400, full setup is here in my general cry for help thread

It's frustrating as I'm sure you can imagine, looked forward to getting this PC built for ages and now it seems I'm a bit stuck, don't have other DDR2 memory I can try either.

Edit: Yeah, I've had a go stripping it to the bare essentials and trying with a single stick as per someone's advice in the other thread. No luck I'm afraid.

Buffalo2102 · 21 Sep 2006 at 07:29

I had exactly the same symptoms as you.
It's worth trying a different stick of memory - a 256MB PC4200 stick will do. Mine cost less than £12 from a local major retailer. The board booted first time with it and after I upped the dimm voltage in the BIOS it now runs with the PC6400 that I originally bought.

Emp.Man · 21 Sep 2006 at 09:42

Thanks a lot, just bought the cheapest pc4200 I could find on eBay. Hopefully it will do the trick!

Lashout_UK · 21 Sep 2006 at 12:14

my newly bought DS3

According to the Gigabyte website, the DS3 only supports Core 2 Duos from bios version F1 (If I remember correctly). Maybe you got an early one, that needs flashing

wizardmaxx · 21 Sep 2006 at 12:19

Check thread on new bios. Seems many fixes for conroe

silversurfer · 21 Sep 2006 at 12:48

The DS3 chipset is Intel 965, unlike the 975 it was designed for conroe. Any board which has 965 should work out of the box.
The problem ds3 had/has is with memory I think. Some memory requires more voltage to boot then it supplies

Emp.Man · 21 Sep 2006 at 14:26

Lashout_UK said:
According to the Gigabyte website, the DS3 only supports Core 2 Duos from bios version F1 (If I remember correctly). Maybe you got an early one, that needs flashing

Isn't the F1 the original BIOS though? On their site every processor is listed as only being supported from F1.

wizardmaxx said:
Check thread on new bios. Seems many fixes for conroe

Sounds like good stuff, but going to have a hard time updating it until I get it working at all

clone · 21 Sep 2006 at 15:22

My DS 3 with F1 bios booted up right away no trouble with my x6800,mind you it is a crappy verison F5 installled now everything is ok now.

booka · 21 Sep 2006 at 18:15

Is this DS3 suppose to beep on startup? I can see no signs of a speaker on the board! Ive just recieved my order, e6300, DS3, GeIL 1GB Low Latency PC6400 and i'm having the same issues as everyone else, no POST screen!

RMA'ed it a few minutes ago but something tells me this board could work, i'm just missing something. Surely Gigabyte didn't issue so many faulty boards!

So does htis board actually beep on startup??

clone · 21 Sep 2006 at 18:37

Mine dont beep on startup but from what ive been reading there have been some faulty board going around.

booka · 21 Sep 2006 at 18:55

Well if they dont beep then maybe my ds3 isnt gone. I dont want OC telling me that there isn't anything wrong with it, havn't got the cash for all returning and shipping mumbojumbo lol.

Gotta be a way i can get this up and going.

Buffalo2102 · 22 Sep 2006 at 00:56

The board won't beep unless you attach a case speaker to the speaker header on the board.

As has already been said, the main issue with the DS3 is compatibility with RAM, not the CPU or GPU. The default RAM voltage of the DS3 is 1.8V but most performance DDR2 will need more than that. Therefore the board may not post if your RAM isn't getting enough juice. The solution is to boot into BIOS using a cheapo stick of PC4300 or something and raise the VDIMM setting. Then put your PC6400 in and it should POST.

That's the theory but it still may not work in practice. I have some G-Skill PC6400 NR that is rated at 1.9V-2.0V and supposedly tested and approved with the DS3 at stock voltages. It will not work in the DS3 unless I set the VDIMM to +0.4 (2.2V). Even then, I can't get the system stable for any great length of time.

I am currently running on 1G of value PC4300 RAM and things are stable as hell. I guess I will have to see if Gigabyte can improve things for my G-Skill with a new BIOS or maybe I'll just sell it on.

Emp.Man · 22 Sep 2006 at 13:34

OK, got the new RAM this morning and tried it.. Still nothing at all apart from the fans, which keep spinning at a uniform speed.

Time to RMA the board?

booka · 22 Sep 2006 at 15:37

I reckon so pal, bought mine this week and i'm in the same boat. You could try the proposed memory switch where you use a 1.8v ram to get it to POST but i've tried this and it still doesn't work.

Where do i go from here, do i get an exact replacement or go for something different. If so can anyone recommend a mainboard for overclocking the e6300?

carpmaster · 22 Sep 2006 at 16:06

Damn this. I'm in the same boat. Everything connected up fine, pc turns on and spins up nicely but nothing on the monitor at all.

Monitor has been tested and is fine.

Tempted to just RMA the motherboard as I shouldn't have to buy an extra stick of ram to try and get the thing to post.

Ridiculous.

Emp.Man · 22 Sep 2006 at 16:35

carpmaster said:
Tempted to just RMA the motherboard as I shouldn't have to buy an extra stick of ram to try and get the thing to post.

Ridiculous.

Probably the best thing to do mate, that's two of us in this thread that's shelled out for more RAM only for it to make no difference. Since I've sent it now and have to wait for the verdict from OC I'd be happy to lend you the stick that I bought if you like.

It's such a stupid situation though, if the board's tested as OK then I'm completely flummoxed and if it's not there's a good possibility the same thing's going to happen with the replacement.

booka · 23 Sep 2006 at 11:40

Emp.Man said:
It's such a stupid situation though, if the board's tested as OK then I'm completely flummoxed and if it's not there's a good possibility the same thing's going to happen with the replacement.

Thats my worry too pal, i can't be folking out a shipping fee each time which then begs the question which board is an equal or yet better replacement for a similar price?