New Motherboard Same Problem Back To Square 1 HELP :(

harris1986 · 3 May 2006 at 15:14

Hi guys a while back i had a problem with my motherboard not booting in dual channel memory mode (slots 2+4) after a lot of fiddling and playing around i managed to get it working in slots 1+2 (single channel), after threads on here i came to the conclusion that it was my motherboard that was faulty. Today i received a new DFI Lanparty Ultra-D put my comp together put the ram in slots 2+4 and it wouldn't boot (i just get 3 Diagnostic lights on the motherboard) i changed to slots 1+2 and wouldn't you know it, the mobo booted up first time to windows!
ok so now i have a few things that it could be:

1) i may have to re-formatt my comp first with the new motherboard
2) My cpu could be on the blink
3) My ram could be shot
4) my power supply might be dodgy

thoughts guys? I will be taking my comp to a friends to test with some other components at the weekend

trojan698 · 3 May 2006 at 15:35

I'd imagine a clean install wouldnt make any difference, and I can't see the power supply being an issue either. My money would be on the ram, is it a matched kit? either that or the memory controller.

harris1986 · 3 May 2006 at 16:11

yeah the memory is dual channel, chatting to Welshtom he seems to think it could be the memory controller on my cpu

not good news if it is that! hope it's the ram lol was due some ram anyways. I tried some really old pc2700 2x256mb stuff in the board with no luck! will try clearing cmos and installing a new bios see if that makes a diff

trojan698 · 3 May 2006 at 17:36

Have you tried getting rid of your overclock?

harris1986 · 3 May 2006 at 18:34

yes have reset cmos a few times, i have just read and posted on dfi forums and loads of people are having this problem and 9 out of 10 times it's with opteron cpu's! i think there is something in the latest bios revision that conflicts with the memory controller! so tonite i am going to reset cmos then install a older bios to see if this makes a difference. failing that i will take it to my friends house at the weekend and test his 3200+ in my motherboard and have a play around!

Delvis · 3 May 2006 at 22:50

Your memory could be generally on the way out? Not sure if memory works differently in "itself" whenever it works single channel over dual channel?...

One thing you could do, and i think you've tried from what you told me is make your ram work in another board running dual channel?

Or if not another DFI board of the same model (DFI Lanparty Ultra-D) thats working in dual channel, and if your memory works in that board in dual channel with theyre CPU, put your CPU with YOUR ram in that Board, then that'll surely rule out if the memory controller on your CPU is borked or not. ?

Theres a lot of things to try i think, its just having the spares to try it :S

harris1986 · 3 May 2006 at 22:56

true that delvis, well tonite i tried changeing bios, clearing cmos, to no avail! got to wait till sunday when i take the comp to a friends to play around with some parts

DAMN COMPUTERS

Delvis · 3 May 2006 at 23:02

What board does your friend have btw? You tried your memory in his board before orrrrrrrrrr? Canny remember

subxero · 3 May 2006 at 23:02

Is there any way you can get hold of another CPU to test your board?
I also think it could be a faulty memory controller.

Have you had both modules in dual channel before on any other board or is it new memory?

harris1986 · 4 May 2006 at 00:55

nope the memory was in my old sli-dr (which is the board i originally had the problem with) and it worked in dual channel then! my friend has a 3200+

Timber · 4 May 2006 at 19:13

I've got this problem too. About week and a half ago, noticed my PC had 3 red lights after coming out of standby. So flashed to the new BIOS. Thought my 2GB Patriot Ram was the culprit, so RMA'ed it. Bought some cheap 2x512mb in the mean time.

Got the new RAM back, same problem PC won't boot correctly. Have tried a CMOS clear, reverting back to old BIOS, swaping sticks around. No joy.

PC was stable for aorund one year in similar configuration. Didn't change anything but now find that I can't get the motherboard to dual channel. All set to buy a new motherboard but then I read this and think; what to do now?

Have read the thread on DFI Street as well.

harris1986 · 5 May 2006 at 12:40

hi there timber allow me to be the guinea pig in this problem, i wouldn't buy a new motherboard as i have done this with no luck, i have a sneak feeling it's the memory controller on the cpu! this sunday i am going to my friends house to test some parts so i'd hold of any purchases until then

i'l post in this thread from his house with a answer

or maybe even start a new one!

subxero · 5 May 2006 at 12:58

Have you tried any of the non official bioss or put any extreme voltage through your cpus?

Delvis · 5 May 2006 at 13:08

Well...i wouldnt recommend "extreme" voltages

But i take it you meant higher voltage than normal...But i believe Harris(

) clocked his cpu anyway? Not sure what you had your voltages on tho.

Worth a try tho?

subxero · 5 May 2006 at 13:15

No no I wasn't recommending it hehe! :eek:

I was asking because it is something that could contribute to a memory controller death, some of the DFI boards have bugs in the bioss where 3V gets pushed through your cpu at post for a brief moment, but I would certainly try upping your CPU and DDR voltage a bit, it couldn't hurt

Try 1.45 / 1.5V for your CPU
and 2.8V / 2.9V for your DDR

Delvis · 5 May 2006 at 13:33

Was going to say

...Wee bit dangerous doing that

lol

harris1986 · 5 May 2006 at 14:40

lol i'l try that thing is i'l have to boot up in single chan to bios set the volts the power off and change to dual chan, the most i pushed through my opty was 1.55v that was a 1 off bench to see if i could get 3ghz, then dropped back to 1.35v for the cpu and kept the clock at 2.8ghz (prime stable) but ram was at 3.2v and timings 2-2-2-6 1T and because of running in single channel i dropped the ram back to 2-3-3-6 2T and 2.6v

So in short i'l try what you say and see if that makes a difference

i'l let you guys know

Timber · 5 May 2006 at 22:04

harris1986 said:
hi there timber allow me to be the guinea pig in this problem, i wouldn't buy a new motherboard as i have done this with no luck, i have a sneak feeling it's the memory controller on the cpu! this sunday i am going to my friends house to test some parts so i'd hold of any purchases until then i'l post in this thread from his house with a answer or maybe even start a new one!

Cheers for the advice. Not going to do anything just yet, tempted to wait the month or so for AM2 given that Tom's has that down for a June 6 launch.

Just worth stating that I run everything at default and don't overclock.

On the DFI Street thread about the same issue, the guy said it was a faulty motherboard, but this obviously doesn't fit with this.

harris1986 · 6 May 2006 at 03:08

nope, like i say i'm going to my friends on sunday so i'l sort it out then post back with the update should i resolve the issue!

harris1986 · 7 May 2006 at 16:05

Ok guys, problem has been found but not solved as of yet!

Basically it is my cpu that's shot, the memorycontroller on the chip is borked :mad:

i tried my friends cpu in both of my dfi boards and dual channel worked fine, my cpu in his asus a8n sli-premium wouldn't allow his ram to work in dual channel so it looks like it's a new x3800 for me! and sell the new ultra-d i bought and stick with my oem Sli-DR

Just thought i'd let you guys know incase you have this problem as it's more than likely your cpu