Phase LEDs not functioning after Bios post

[RedDwarf]

I have purchased a GA-X48-DS5 and it is not working properly.

No CD will boot correctly and no programs will run without hanging.

I have tried a windows xp CD and it gives a page fault when it boots and the CD does work fine on my other PC. I have tried utility CD's and usually it will not show any menu and when it does get that far no program will successfully load.

When it boots all the Phase LEDs on the motherboard are lit and I can go into the Bios and check everything is correct and that the cpu temperature is okay and it is fine, 25/26C using the retail cpu heatsink. When it leaves the Bios and begins the boot process it gets as far as Verifying DMI pool data and then all the Phase LEDs go out which does not seem correct. Surely there should always be at least one or two lit LEDs?

I have tried a very mininum build of just 1 stick of Ram and 1 IDE DVD-Rom set to master and I cannot get anything to run fully without errors or hanging. Memtest run from a floppy hung at test 4 which just shows how unstable the CPU is. I suspect that the power delivery to the CPU is not functioning correctly due to a defective DES system which is resulting in severe system instability when power is required.

What I need to know before RMAing the motherboard is what sequence the Phase LEDs go through when booting and running programs. Also do the LEDs ever go out completely? This would give me important information which would back up my case for a RMA and hopefully speed it up.

So if you own one of the motherboards listed below or any others which have Phase LEDs that I missed, then please have a look to see if yours are working and post a reply with the results.

GA-X48-DS4
GA-X48-DS5
GA-X48-DQ6
GA-X48T-DQ6

GA-EX38-DS4
GA-EX38-DS5
GA-EX38-DQ6
GA-EX38T-DQ6

GA-EP35-DS3
GA-EP35-DS3L
GA-EP35C-DS3R
GA-EP35-DS3P
GA-EP35-DS3R
GA-EP35-DS4

GA-EP31-DS3L
GA-EG31MF-S2
GA-EG31M-S2

System:

Gigabyte GA-X48-DS5
Q9450 CPU
4GB (2x2GB) OCZ Reaper HPC PC2-8500
Tagan TG480-U01 PSU
Gigabyte 512MB HD3850 PCI-e Graphics card

 

[Mondoman]

Power supplies slowly lose capacity over time. My guess is that your relatively ancient PS can't quite power your fairly power-hungry system.

 

[RedDwarf]

The voltages read fine and above their rated voltages and my power supply (ancient as you put it) has powered far more powerful systems than mine. I do not believe that the PSU's load is reached, the Q9450 draws 8A (13A peak) and the graphics card is also fairly low powered when idling at around 14watts. The graphics card has never done any 3d so power usage is minimal. So overall no where near my PSU's limit is being used.

I don't think that is what is causing the problems as the system never gets under any load as it never gets that far. The phase LEDs do not seems to be functioning correctly which indicates that the power regulation of the motherboard is where the problem lies and not with my PSU. I have seen similar problems with these motherboards posted by others using new PSU's. No one has confirmed the Phase LED state like I asked which would give more an indication of the problem.

 

[Mondoman]

Since your board is failing right when its power consumption increases substantially (as the various components are initialized), I think you're too quick to dismiss the PS, but I do agree it sounds like something to do with power, whether in the MB power circuitry or in the PS. Good luck!

 

[stoner133]

You already said it failed memtest, you haven't looked at the memory failing as a problem? You think memory failing memtest is a cpu problem? If your gonna RMA anything start with the memory.

 

[rgsaunders]

On my EP35-DS3R rev 2.1 the phase lights only come on during the boot sequence, after that they are out. They show 4 amber, 2 red briefly during the boot up, then after that they are out.

 

[bobbknight]

Say hi to Dave Lister for me.

 

[RedDwarf]

On my EP35-DS3R rev 2.1 the phase lights only come on during the boot sequence, after that they are out. They show 4 amber, 2 red briefly during the boot up, then after that they are out.

Thats interesting, they are meant to change to show the power phases being used by the board during usage. I have to question whether these motherboards work as they are meant to or whether there is a fault with a lot of them.

I did email Gigabyte support and they did not answer my question on this, they focused on the Verifying DMI Pool Data and gave a solution to why it would hang there (which it does not).


The memory did not fail memtest, it did not report any errors it simply hung at test 4 like all the rest of the stuff I have tried running. That does not mean a memory problem, if there was it would simply report an error. I used a floppy booted version of memtest running in DOS mode. A system hang is more likely to be a CPU problem such as insufficient voltage/power.

 

[Eierdopj3]

I got a similar problem with my Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3 motherboard who has phase LED's aswell. When I try to startup my PC all LED's are lit and stay lit the pc doesn't boot i dont here the "succesfull boot" toon from the case speaker and the screen stays out. Could this be my PSU (550W) my motherboard or BIOS?

this is my spec:

Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3
Intel core 2 quad Q9450
4GB G.E.I.L DDR2 RAM (2x2048mb)
Nvidia 8800GTS
LC power 550W
Fan controller
250GB HDD + 750GB HDD
Audigy soundblaster 4 7.1 pro
DVD/RW station

 

[GenKhan2]

On my EP35-DS3R rev 2.1 the phase lights only come on during the boot sequence, after that they are out. They show 4 amber, 2 red briefly during the boot up, then after that they are out.

My GA-EP45-DQ6 is identical with respect to the phase lights.

 

[Guest]

Hi I have EP45-DS3R rev 1.0. Phase LED was working all the time on Core 2 Duo E8200. As soon as I have change CPU to E8400 they working only when PC boot....Any idea?
Regards
Tom

 

[abc23023]

hey guys,

I have a Gigabyte G31 board, the phase LED's only work when you have the energy saver software turned on. there's a little unmarked button thats shaped like egg that turns on the phase leds.

-Balaji

 

[NomNom]

Say hi to Dave Lister for me.

 

[lghjope1980]

I got a similar problem with my Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3 motherboard who has phase LED's aswell. When I try to startup my PC all LED's are lit and stay lit the pc doesn't boot i dont here the "succesfull boot" toon from the case speaker and the screen stays out. Could this be my PSU (550W) my motherboard or BIOS?

this is my spec:

Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3
Intel core 2 quad Q9450
4GB G.E.I.L DDR2 RAM (2x2048mb)
Nvidia 8800GTS
LC power 550W
Fan controller
250GB HDD + 750GB HDD
Audigy soundblaster 4 7.1 pro
DVD/RW station

Hey, i'm getting the same problem as you, with the same mobo, did you get your problem sorted, and what was it? it's either the PSU or Mobo, but don't know for sure.

 

[VersHandel]

Hey, i'm getting the same problem as you, with the same mobo, did you get your problem sorted, and what was it? it's either the PSU or Mobo, but don't know for sure.

After rep[lacing the PSU on my EP35-DS3R rev 2.1 the phase lights come on. They show 4 amber, 2 red. Boot does not continue from there. I've recently asked GigaByte for an explanation of the phase LEDs as none is in the manual. I'm now waiting for a reply but, reading the above, start loosing hope a little.
To be continued ...