EX58-UD5 not starting up (new build)

peterh337

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May 5, 2016
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I posted this elsewhere but it is more appropriate in this section.

I am building a new machine. This MB is being used because I need a winXP/win7 dual boot and this MB is the last "good" one which came with XP drivers. I bought it on Ebay, original packaging, unopened, never used. I also bought the CPU and RAM on Ebay, supposedly "fully tested". Yes... I know, but this is where I am right now.

Memory is G.Skill RipjawsX 8GB 2X4GB Dual Channel DDR3 2133MHz PC3-17000 DIMM XMP.

CPU is i7 970 3.20GHz 6 Core Socket 1366 i7-970.

With all 8GB memory (both sticks) it sequences through various codes (on the 2 digit LED display) and ends with b8.

With the memory removed it just does 88 C1 quickly and then settles on b2.

I took a video of it with the memory in place (a 4GB module in each of DDR0 and 1) and it is here
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4n3uazqm8ajxdrk/AADRYFyxMTgq4uIYuVQFdu8-a?dl=0
along with a couple of pics of the LEDs.

I did a google on the error codes and found various forums e.g. here
http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/39229-gigabyte-award-x58-bios-led-debug-codes.html
but nothing makes much sense to me. The code "b8" (showing at the end of the video) is listed in some places as suggesting the BIOS is the wrong version...

With just one stick installed (in DDR1 - in DDR0 I get a continuous beep) it shows the same error code sequence.

No video comes out, out of either of two video cards I have tried, and on either of the two video outputs of each. No beeps on the speaker unless I put the single stick on DDR0.

The PSU is a brand new 750W FSP AURUM CM.

I am using a PS/2 connected keyboard, not a USB one, to give myself a better chance of getting into the BIOS. But there is no indication that the keyboard does anything. Pressing End in particular (supposed to enter the flash utility) does nothing.

I have also used the Reset BIOS button. And put in a fresh battery.

I am also doing this with a 4GB USB flash stick in a USB port, with the BIOS update on it, because the BIOS needs flashing for the CPU I have there.

In the other thread (CPU section) it was suggested that these motherboards can flash an BIOS update even if the CPU is not fitted. That would amaze me (hardware/software developer since the 1970s) because it would imply there is another CPU somewhere. And some CPU must be running to generate the error codes above...

I would really appreciate any help...
 
That error code looks like a 6B.

x58 related debug codes, b8 is unused it seems. http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?218840-BloodRage-AWARD-amp-Intel-X58-POST-Code-Debug-LED-Guide

Try these steps, just check you haven't missed something simple. http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems

http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/49045-ga-ex58-ud5-wont-post-stops-code-b8.html

At least if it is 6B, it would lead you in another direction i guess hopefully more helpful.

 
That xtremesystems URL doesn't load but a similar list appears here
http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/39229-gigabyte-award-x58-bios-led-debug-codes.html
and 6b doesn't point to anything I can think of.

What would

6B - CPU Detect and IO init Detect CPU speed and display CPU vendor specific version string and turn on all necessary CPU features Display PnP logo and PnP early init Setup virus protect according to Setup. If required, will auto load Awdflash.exe in POST Initializing onboard superIO

or

6b Program chipset registers according to items described in Setup & Auto-configuration table

mean?

The strange thing is there is no video output, so no way to update the BIOS.

I went through those debug steps.

Is there a reference for the motherboard LEDs? The MB manual is useless - just a few pages. This is very unusual. I have built many PCs and normally you get a detailed manual with e.g. detailed instructions on which slots to put the memory into.
 
When you have the memory in normally the pc remains on fans spinning etc, just no display?

Maybe try a different video cable. Was going to say a different video output but remembered you've tried multiple gpus.

If something was wrong with the cpu, pcie slot, or if gpu was affecting the motherboard boot, it would give a beep code all the same as you'd be well aware. When it did beep on you using dimm 0 was probably letting you know it was the incorrect slot for single channel.

Besides the video cable, i'd look at your psu next. Just making sure the gpu's were getting power properly.
 
I tried two monitors and two video cables.

The psu is brand new.

The speaker clearly does work.

The CPU fan runs, at a low speed, always. Never changed.

Sadly I have just the one MB, CPU, RAM, PSU. Also have no other CPU which would work in that MB.
 
I just find it strange the speaker not giving beeps to indicate something is wrong consistently, only the once which i assume was for single channel dimm placement. The rest of it is beyond the speaker's detection which is the odd part which makes you want to think its video related somehow.
 
If I put the single RAM in (presumably) the wrong slot I get a continuous beep, which goes on until I turn the power off.
No other action produces any sound.
With no video card I get the same sequence, ending with the b8/68/6b/ whatever it is. So it looks like whatever it doesn't like is happening before the video card is identified.

One trouble I have seen with video cards is that if you have a dual connector one, digital and analog, the video might come out of either as a default, so you need to try both connectors. I have done this, but the monitor is analog (1024x768) so for the digital output I am using the standard adaptor. That adaptor has however been tested by myself.

However as I suggest above I don't think it is getting as far as doing any video.

No HDMI used. What is DP?

I can't believe the PSU is duff.... yes I know it happens but this is a top end £150 one. But as I admit above I have several bits involved which I can't swap out. Unless someone can think of something which solves it, I will have to take it to a computer shop which has a pile of bits they can swap in/out. In particular the RAM was from a private seller...

With no RAM, and with/without a video card, I get 62/b2 and also no sound and no video. Also the sequence of codes before the final one is much shorter than with the RAM. So the presence of the RAM is doing "something".
 
Dp i meant displayport sorry. Your adapter i assume would be vga using dvi-i? Just check the outputs on both gpus you tried that the output support DVI-I - i can only imagine you using DVI at this point with the adapter. If so, make sure it was DVI-I you used and not DVI-D as gpus can have both. DVI-D (Digital only) plug would fit into a DVI-I so it can get confusing.

 
Both video cards have 3 connectors.
One is 2xDVI plus HDMI. The other is 1xDVI,1xDB15,HDMI.
I have not checked the HDMI outputs.

I've been googling all over the place and my take on this saga is this:

The MB is basically working, and so is the CPU, otherwise it would not be running the self test. I don't really believe there is another CPU hidden in the chipset which has access to the PCI, PCIex, USB and memory buses. That would be an awesome piece of design! Are there really motherboards which can flash an updated BIOS with a missing CPU and RAM?

I deffo need to update the BIOS for the CPU I have, which is a 970, based on this list
http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=2958

The next Q is how much will the CPU do if there is no memory? Probably not much. I doubt it will run any user-visible part of the BIOS.

So the most likely thing is that my memory is duff / wrong type. I did check but perhaps I got it wrong. It is G-Skill F3-17000CL11D-8GBXL with DDR3-2133 CL11-11-11-30 1.50-1.60V an PC3-17000 4Gx2 Intel XMP ready
written on it. Dated May 2014. Does that look right? The original listing is here, FWIW
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/G-Skill-RipjawsX-8GB-2X4GB-Dual-Channel-DDR3-2133MHz-PC3-17000-DIMM-XMP-GAMING-/131793330365?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=9yP0YcXB53p42btq0qjO7gBh1%252Fg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

The MB is here

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2958#ov

If the memory is in doubt, I can buy some "cheap" on Ebay to eliminate this.
 
I found a full printed manual, but it doesn't help.

Firstly here are the memory installation pages, which only say that DDR3 must be used and that two modules are allowed

http://peter-ftp.co.uk/screenshots/2016-05-16-210147.jpg
http://peter-ftp.co.uk/screenshots/2016-05-16-210215.jpg

And here are the error codes

http://peter-ftp.co.uk/screenshots/2016-05-16-210247.jpg
http://peter-ftp.co.uk/screenshots/2016-05-16-210309.jpg
http://peter-ftp.co.uk/screenshots/2016-05-16-210328.jpg
http://peter-ftp.co.uk/screenshots/2016-05-16-210348.jpg

Unfortunately they don't relate to anything the 2-digit display is showing, not least because one cannot tell whether b=6 etc.

Here is a fresh video
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wsr2nldzwygy0m2/g58-2.mp4?dl=0
The MB goes through a load of codes, then pauses, then beeps continuously. The manual describes continuous short beeps as a "power error".

Going through the video one frame at a time I see these codes

88 11 C1 62 6F 11 C1 88 62 6F 62 6F C1 62 68 6F 62 68 ... 6F

If I remove the RAM, it stops on 62 and no beeps. So the "power error" stuff is rubbish.

Based on this thread
http://techreport.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=64691&hilit=ga+ex58+ud5+boot+error+code+62
I have ordered the Corsair XMS3 1333 (2x4GB) and will try that.
 
I've been looking around, have seen people with boot problems (EX58-UD5 i7 920 not booting for example) some being the cause of memory/cpu compatibility with the early bios revision F1. Getting another set of lower frequency memory as you have done might get you through this.

If using single stick of memory use the 2nd closest slot to the cpu.

 
I did use that location; it does eliminate the continuous beep, so even if my G-Skill modules are incompatible, "something" happens in the 2nd slot which doesn't happen in the 1st slot (just get the cont. beep there).

But taking a look at the wider picture, I wonder how the h*ell Gigabyte could have sold this product when most installations didn't work? Or do most MB purchases go to volume OEMs who work it out?
 
I put in one stick of the above Corsair memory (in 3-1) and it makes no difference - regardless of whether there is a video card present. The error code is still 68 (or 6b).

If I put in threesticks (in 3-1 and 3-3 and 3-5) it makes no difference to the error code but after about 30 secs it goes to 6F and I get fast beeps for about 10 secs, and then it goes back to 68 and stays there. But the last of those sticks is the G-Skill RAM.

If I put in two sticks (Corsair) (in 3-1 and 3-3) it makes no difference to the error code but there are no beeps.

Ordinarily one would throw the whole lot in the bin but this stuff cost a few hundred of your favourite currency... what might be the next step? The 920 processor? They don't cost all that much.