GA-EP45-DS3P - Unstable

Spike_UK

Spike_UK

Spike_UK

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GA-EP45-DS3P - Unstable - Crashes in BIOS!

I'm putting together two machines for the office. Both are meant to be fairly beefy development machines.




The specs are...
  • Module size and kit size:-4 x 2gb (8gb) (OCZ2P10664GK)
  • CPU model and rated speed:-Intel Q8300 2.5ghz
  • Motherboard:-GA-EP45-DS3P
  • Video card:-GeForce 9600 GT 1024MB
  • Power supply:-OCZ StealthXStream 700w
  • Operating System:-Vista 64
  • Storage:-2 x 750gb Samsung F1
I've got one built and it's posting fine, but it's very unstable. I'm talking "crashing in BIOS" unstable. Through tweaking the RAM timings using just one stick in the first slot, I have been able to get it fairly settled, but as soon as I put in another stick of RAM it starts to play up again.

I haven't even got as far as putting Vista on yet. This is just memtest86+.

I'm not really used to Gigabyte boards so this M.I.T is a little alien to me (I'm a Abit user, I miss them...).

Here are the settings I'm using (with help from OCZ Forum members...)
Code: 
Robust Graphics Booster ...................: Auto
CPU Clock Ratio ...........................: 7 X
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.......................: +0.5
CPU Frequency .............................: 2.50Ghz (333x7.5)
 
 
** Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control.....................: [Disabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ..................: 333
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) ...............: [Auto]
C.I.A.2 ...................................: [Disabled]
 
** Advanced Clock Control..................: [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive............................: Default (700mV)
PCI Express Clock Drive....................: Default (700mV)
CPU Clock Skew (ps)........................: 0ps
MCH Clock Skew (ps)........................: 0ps
 
** DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance........................: Standard
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.)............: Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch.....................: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier .....(SPD)........: [Auto]
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ....................: 1066
DRAM Timing Selectable .......(SPD)........: Manual
 
** Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time...........................: 5
tRCD ......................................: 6
tRP........................................: 6
tRAS.......................................: 24
 
** Advanced Timing Control.................: [Press Enter] (All on Auto)
tRRD.......................................: 4
tWTR.......................................: 4
tWR........................................: 8
tRFC.......................................: 72
tRTP.......................................: 4
Command Rate (CMD) ........................: 2
 
** Channel A Timing Settings...............: [Press Enter] (All Auto)
Static tRead Value.........................: 8
tRD Phase0 Adjustment......................: Auto
tRD Phase1 Adjustment......................: Auto
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .....................: Auto
tRD Phase3 Adjustment......................: Auto
Trd2rd(Different Rank).....................: 8
Twr2wr(Different Rank).....................: 8
Twr2rd(Different Rank).....................: 7
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank).....................: 9
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control (ps)..............: Auto
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control (ps)..............: Auto
DDR Write Training.........................: Auto
 
** Channel A Driving Settings..............: [Press Enter]
Driving Strength Profile...................: Auto
Data Driving Pull-Up Level.................: Auto
Cmd Driving Pull-Up level..................: Auto
Ctrl Driving Pull-Up Level.................: Auto
Clk Driving Pull-Up Level..................: Auto
Data Driving Pull-Down Level...............: Auto
Cmd Driving Pull-Down level................: Auto
Ctrl Driving Pull-Down Level...............: Auto
Clk Driving Pull-Down Level................: Auto
 
** Channel B Timing Settings...............: [Press Enter] (All Auto)
Static tRead Value.........................: 8
tRD Phase0 Adjustment......................: Auto
tRD Phase1 Adjustment......................: Auto
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .....................: Auto
tRD Phase3 Adjustment......................: Auto
Trd2rd(Different Rank).....................: 8
Twr2wr(Different Rank).....................: 8
Twr2rd(Different Rank).....................: 7
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank).....................: 9
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control (ps)..............: Auto
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control (ps)..............: Auto
DDR Write Training.........................: Auto
 
** Channel B Driving Settings..............: [Press Enter]
Driving Strength Profile...................: Auto
Data Driving Pull-Up Level.................: Auto
Cmd Driving Pull-Up level..................: Auto
Ctrl Driving Pull-Up Level.................: Auto
Clk Driving Pull-Up Level..................: Auto
Data Driving Pull-Down Level...............: Auto
Cmd Driving Pull-Down level................: Auto
Ctrl Driving Pull-Down Level...............: Auto
Clk Driving Pull-Down Level................: Auto
 
********* Motherboard Voltage Control *********
Voltage Types...........Normal..........Current
-----------------------------------------------
** CPU
CPU Vcore................1.25000v..........: [Auto]
CPU Termination..........1.200v............: [Auto]
CPU PLL..................1.500v............: [Auto]
CPU Reference............0.760v............: [Auto]
CPU Reference2..........0.800v.............: [Auto]
 
** MCH/ICH
MCH Core.................1.100v............: 1.200v
MCH Reference............0.760v............: [Auto]
MCH/DRAM Ref.............0.900v............: [Auto]
ICH I/O..................1.500v............: [Auto]
ICH Core.................1.100v............: [Auto]
 
** DRAM
DRAM Voltage.............1.800v............: 1.960v
DRAM Termination.........0.900v............: [Auto]
Channel A Reference......0.900v............: [Auto]
Channel B Reference......0.900v............: [Auto]

The second machine, using the same hardware is in a worse state (I didn't build it! A workmate did, honest!). It wont even get as far as the BIOS.

When you start the machine it powers is up then it powers down for a few seconds then powers up again. It then displays the ugly Fullscreen Logo page but resets before you get to do anything. I've tried different sticks of RAM and even different GFX Cards. Still the same. I've even cleared CMOS and removed the CMOS battery, just to make sure. Still the same.

Any ideas?
 
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Is the ram on the recommended Gigabyte (ram) list for that motherboard?

G)MCH Frequency Latch
Click to expand...

Try 333MHz...

Standard Timing Control: 5-5-5-15/18

If above has no effect, also try:

CPU Termination: 1.27

CPU PLL: 1.58
 
No it's not :(

I've got two stick running stable on one machine using pretty low settings. It's running at DDR666 atm :P

Crap I know, but it's stable at least. I'll ramp it up a bit later.
I'll play with the settings you've given.

The second machine is still a no-go though.
 
that pc8500 memory looks to need 2.1-2.2v at 8500 speeds, i've had problems whereby it has problems with it to boot/unstable, got any 1.8v pc6400 memory to check in the machines.
 
I have. I managed to "borrow" a stick from a Dell 755 we have in the office. :p

Got both machines booting now and one of them is testing all 4 sticks with memtest86+ :D

It's running the RAM way under 1066mhz though. They're only running at 333mhz (DDR666). But at least I can make sure the RAM is OK before I start trying to near the 1066mhz.
 
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This System Memory Multiplier that Gigabyte use for Memory Divider is a bit odd.
At the moment I'm running it at 2.0B which I think is 1:1. I'm not expecting to get up to 1066, but I would like to get nearer 800. I'm a little confused how though. All these settings seem alien to me compaired to abit boards.
 
Although I can't offer any advice, I can offer lots of sympathy :)

I've got a GA-EP43-DS3 and it doesn't like my 2 x 2GB Corsair DDR2 8500 C5

I can get it to run with a single stick but if I put both sticks in I get lots of random errors and inconsistent booting in vista64.
 
It's all going nicely now. Going to leave it running memtest overnight, but atm all four sticks are in and running at 400mhz (DDR800). I fiddled and found that 2.40B was the right divider to use (B = FSB so 2.40B is 2.4 x 333 = 799.2 = DDR800). It looked odd at first, but it actually makes a bit more sense to me than the old 1:1, 5:4 did.
 
I left memtest running overnight and it's not done too bad.

It ran for 15 hours, completed 4 passes and there was only 1 error.
I'm assuming that might be lack of voltage still, I haven't gone up to the full 2.1-2.2v yet.
They're only at 1.96v running at 800mhz with 2.40B Divider.

Compaired to how it was this time yesterday morning, it's looking pretty stable.
 
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