Gigabyte DS4 problems (maybe) with new build

evapor8

evapor8

evapor8

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30 Oct 2002
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Guernsey, Channel Islands
I built up the following pc about 3 weeks ago:

NEW BITS
C2D 6600 with stock cooler
Gigabyte DS4
2Gb Geil 6400 DDR2
Sapphire X1950 Pro 256Mb
Corsair HX 520W power supply
WD Caviar RE 160GB 1600YS SATA-II 16MB cache OEM
WD Caviar RE 250GB 2500YS SATA-II 16MB cache OEM

OLD BITS

Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS
Pioneer 109 DVDRW IDE
Sony 52/52/32 CDRW IDE
Coolermaster Cavalier case
Samsung 205BW lcd

All good so far!

Eveything was set up with the new Gigabyte cables that were included with the mobo, including the yellow/orange SATA cables.

Split the 160GB drive into two and installed Windows XP Pro on one half.

Installed all the drivers off the Gigabyte cd, all the Windows updates, the latest ATI and Creative drivers and then all my usual bits and pieces (Symantec Corporate antivirus, WinRAR, WinZip, MSN Messenger Live, Skype, MS Office, eMule, BitTorrent .....)

Things were ok for a day or two. Then I was getting random slowdowns (had checked for virus's and spyware) and hard disk errors.

Things got worse. Windows sometimes wouldn't boot. It would tell me system files were missing. I'd go into recovery mode, copy the files into the right place and re-boot successfully. Then the problem would come back later .....

I was getting increasingly sick of this, and re-installed Windows. This time I got a file error before it fully installed. I skipped this file and it carried on installing, but Windows was unsurprisingly unstable and my problems returned.

One final try ..... Windows wouldn't even install this time, as I the hard drive format hung at 0% ......

Tried the 250GB drive next. Was meant to be my data drive, but I was keen to get this pc up and running, so I unplugged the 160GB completely and put the 250GB in it's place. Partition, format, Windows install ...... file errors continue!!!

Several Windows installs later, I had a relatively stable build for about 3 days (just long enough to get everything as I like it, restore my Outlook profile and messages, get some wallpaper in place .... ) when I get more serious data problems and Windows refuses to boot!

I now have a 4-year-old Maxtor IDE drive temporarily hanging out the open side of my case with a very stable windows build on it, but have had to disconnect my DVDRW to install it.

I have never used SATA hard drives before but I assumed they'd be plug and play?!?!?!?!?

I had tried plugging the drives into pretty much all the SATA sockets (both the Gigabyte and Intel(??) ones) on the mobo and nothing made any difference. I had tried all the yellow/orange SATA data cables and none of these made a difference.

I can only think:

1. The SATA controllers on the mobo are borked;
2. The Gigabyte SATA data cables don't offer a secure enough connection and this has caused the corruption problems;
3. Something else?????????

Ideas please guys as this is definitely testing my mental health.

Would the WD Secure-connect data cables make a difference?
Should I be using only certain SATA sockets on the mobo?
Surely I didn't get two dodgy WD hard drives?

HELP!!!!!

Chris
 
I used the standard sata cables, changed to right angled plugs to tidy up the case, but they are fine, as they are shielded. Im guessing the majority of people use these cables too. If you have tried different cables (even if they are the same type) and its made no difference, its unlikely to be that. The WD secure digital ones are the same cables, but have an extended 'holder' that plug in across the whole drive to supposedly stop them from falling out (Which has never happened and is unlikely to happen).

Ive heard of faulty memory causing unstable installs, i dont know if this is the case, but you can give memtest a try.
 
Hi, chris ...

This might help ... i had same corrupt data problems ...

Go into Your Bios setup and Disable Sata Raid/AHCI .. Then Disable Sata Port0-3 Native Mode ....

Connext Your sata drives .. to SATA110 AND SATA113 only ...

dont use the Gigabyte ones ....

hope this will help ... ;)

.
 
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Does the DS4 put the RAM at 1.8v (instead of 2.1v)? Perhaps he's getting corruption there if the RAM isn't getting enough juice if its not the RAID thing. . .
 
I'd go with checking the voltages on the RAM, if the RAM is rated to run at 2.1v then you'll need +0.3 in the BIOS, also check the RAM, a single stick at a time with memtest.
 
I had a awful lot of problems with my first attempt with building my system around a DS4, the same sort of problems you are describing.

My own conclusions were that the problem was due to me trying to leave one of the controllers without anything connected to it so i could set it to ACHI in the bios and then hot plug SATA drives on that controller, therfore i had to use the other controller chip for 2 ide drives and 2 sata drives hd's, once i connected the hd's to the other controller all was OK.

The board has a Gigabyte & Intel controller but i can't remember which one the ide connector was allocated to.
 
Lots of things to look at there guys .... thanks.

Will report back this evening/tomorrow (depending how I get on!)

Chris
 
The GigaSATA2 is actually a jmicron controller providing 2 SATAII and an IDE connection.

I actually installed my OS via the GigaSATA2 running in native mode so that I didn't need to install any additional drivers as I don't have a floppy drive. Once everything was installed I installed the Intel Matrix RAID drivers and then moved the drive over onto the Intel ICH8 controller and my system has been running fine ever since.

The fact that you get errors during the install would lead me to suspect the RAM so get it memtested first to make sure it's fine.
 
IAmATeaf said:
The fact that you get errors during the install would lead me to suspect the RAM so get it memtested first to make sure it's fine.
Click to expand...

All the errors I'm getting are corrupt data type errors I think, but will definitely check the memory out.

Thanks!
 
evapor8 said:
All the errors I'm getting are corrupt data type errors I think, but will definitely check the memory out.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
another vote for checking the memory voltage/timings & running memtest.
 
I'm having (or hopefully had, touch wood) the same problems with my DS4.

My Corsair TwinX is rated at 2.1v but the DS4 by default only gives 1.8v. So I've set it to +0.3v. I also up'd the northbridge voltage by a tad just to make sure (as I'm running 4 sticks, 4GB total).

If you upload some crash dumps from c:\windows\minidump I will load them up in a debugger and make sure it's memory corruption and not some driver issue.
 
NathanE said:
I'm having (or hopefully had, touch wood) the same problems with my DS4.

My Corsair TwinX is rated at 2.1v but the DS4 by default only gives 1.8v. So I've set it to +0.3v. I also up'd the northbridge voltage by a tad just to make sure (as I'm running 4 sticks, 4GB total).

If you upload some crash dumps from c:\windows\minidump I will load them up in a debugger and make sure it's memory corruption and not some driver issue.
Click to expand...

I'll see if I can access that directory ..... having to employ some data recovery software to try and rescue bits and pieces from the (now accidentally) formatted drive!

Chris
 
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