Hangs on "Intel Raid for Serial ATA - Raid BIOS v3.5.0.

[Bill Stickers]

I have just put together the system as listed below, but am having trouble with the thing just crashing right out- No BSoD - just bang!, black screen, power off - zilch. I have to actually unplug from mains to re-boot. This usually happens with mouse movement.

I have removed specific mouse drivers and gone for simple generic drivers, but it still happens

It is not heat, at least I don't think it is, I have got fans everywhere and monitoring cpu temp - it rarely exceeds 45 deg C.

So I thought I would try flashing to latest BIOS. I have followed the gigabyte "Q Flash" procedure to the letter but when it gets to re-booting it speeds right past the point where you can get into CMOS by "del" key and goes straight to "Intel Raid for Serial ATA - Raid BIOS v3.5.0.2568" where it just hangs. I have tried with FC, FD & FF BIOS releases.

Any helpful suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

Bill


Operating System - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
OS Service Pack - Service Pack 4

Motherboard:
CPU Type - Intel Pentium 4HT, 2800 MHz (3.5 x 800)
Motherboard Name - Gigabyte GA-8IK1100 v2.0
Motherboard Chipset - Intel Canterwood i875P
System Memory - 1024 MB [2x512] (DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type - Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG (08/13/03)
BIOS Message - Intel i875P AGPSet BIOS for 8IK1100 FA

Display:
Video Adapter - nVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X (64 MB)
3D Accelerator - nVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter - SoundMax Integrated Digital Audio (Gigabyte)

Storage:
Floppy Drive - Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive - ST360021A (60 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/100) [SYSTEM BOOT ON IDE 1]
Disk Drive - ST380011A (80 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/100) [DATA 1 ON SATA 0 - NON RAID]
Disk Drive - ST380013AS (80 GB, 7200 RPM, Serial-ATA/150) [DATA 2 ON SATA 1 - NON RAID]
Optical Drive SONY CD-RW CRX160E [IDE 2 - MASTER]
Optical Drive - Memorex DVD-MAXX 1648 AJ [IDE 2 - SLAVE ]

[Denniss]

Overloaded PSU ?

What's your PSU and their rated specs on the voltage lines including TCO ?
MBM5 should monitor voltages,too - please post High/Low values (recorded with 1-Sek intervall) .
Make sure you have no Virus OnBoard !

[Bill Stickers]

Dennis -Thank you for your suggestion re - PSU.
The one I have is Q-TEC 400w Dual Fan Gold
According to label on the side, the specs are:

O/P PEAK MAX PEAK WATT
+3.3 20A 14A) 180w
+5 30A 25A )
+12 16A 12A 192W
-5 1A 0.5A 5W
-12 1A 0.5A 12W

I was doing some work yesterday with some serious number crunching something like 4 hours continuous at 100% CPU loading and using 900Mb of RAM - no problems at all- CPU temp did creep up to 60 at one time but it was stable and OK.

I got online, browsed a couple of pages, went to scroll with the mouse and bang-----------it fell over------instant power off. I had to unplug from mains and allow a couple of seconds for recovery and booted back up.

Ran a couple of apps no problem, again quite a lot of number crunching, but worked fine.

Thought it was time for a bit of leisure, started MS Flight Simulator and it crashed- (pc that is- not the plane) almost immediately. This always happens with Flight Sim since the re-build.


I got MBM5 as you suggestion and log is shown below, the one thing that looks very inconsistent is the -12v it fluctuates widely. I don't know if this is a problem or to be expected.

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Total number of readouts: 9655 CPU Speed: 2811 MHz |
|Running from: 22/02/2004 09:39:27 until: 22/02/2004 12:25:31 |
+-----------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Sensor | Current | Low | High | Average |
+-----------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Case | 25° C | 25° C | 25° C | 25° C |
|CPU | 42° C | 36° C | 56° C | 47° C |
|CPU Core | 1.57 V | 1.54 V | 1.58 V | 1.57 V |
|+2.5 Line | 2.57 V | 2.55 V | 2.60 V | 2.57 V |
|+3.3 | 3.18 V | 3.14 V | 3.20 V | 3.18 V |
|+5.00 | 5.09 V | 5.09 V | 5.12 V | 5.10 V |
|+12.00 | 11.71 V | 11.65 V | 11.84 V | 11.72 V |
|-12.00 | -6.13 V | -16.93 V | -1.10 V | -8.01 V |
|-5.00 | -5.37 V | -5.41 V | -5.33 V | -5.37 V |
|Fan 1 | 3443 RPM | 3409 RPM | 3479 RPM | 3453 RPM |
|Fan 3 | 2766 RPM | 2636 RPM | 2860 RPM | 2740 RPM |
+-----------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Oh and I still haven't been able to get BIOS flashed succesfully with the updates.

Cheers

Billy

[Bill Stickers]

Ooopsss

I forgot to mention that I did full virus scan all was clear.

Billy

[Denniss]

TIP : Avoid buying cheap big wattage PSU in general and in special every PSU that comes with a peak section in voltage line ratings
Your 3.3V line is a little low and barely on spec
Your non-Peak Amperages on your 3.3V/5V/12V is very low - more at 250/300W level

What about intensive gaming - any problems there ?

Please try a Spybot and Ad-Aware check - www.safer-networking.org and www.lavasoftusa.com
-> Install + Update + Full Scan

What's your memory and what are the timings used ?
-> maybe a little too "hot" timings used

[edwin]

Code: Select all

O/P    PEAK  MAX   PEAK WATT
+3.3   20A   14A    180w
+5     30A   25A
+12    16A   12A    192W
-5     1A    0.5A   5W
-12    1A    0.5A   12W

12A on the +12V line is too low. Get a decent branded 350W PSU with a decent rated +12V line, it will most likely solve your troubles.

[KachiWachi]

I'd put a DVM on that -12V line and see what it really reads. The software reading seems way to inconsistent to be true. Do the same with the 3.3V line too.

[Bill Stickers]

Ok Thanks for your assistance guys.

The more I think about it the more likely it is the PSU.

In answer to Denniss' sugestions/questions,

1. I already run ad-aware and the systems is clean,

2. Memory is matched pair (2x512) of Corvair VS PCI3200. Rated at CAS3, but Gigiabyte MoBo BIOS doesnt allow any DRAM "tweaking" per-se except voltage which is set at 2.6v and frequency which is set at 400Mhz, ( both being the defaults). I d'ld memtest86 and ran that through a couple of times without problems.

3. I am not a "gamer" except for Flight Sim, so I cannot give any sensible answer to this. But Flight Sim crashes every time.

I am gonna get a new PSU as soon as I get paid, and will post outcome.

Thanks again guys

Cheers

Billy

[Denniss]

Try memory voltage at 2.7V

Please install MBM5 to monitor voltages/temps on your motherboard/PSU
-> make sure High/Low sensor interval is set to 1 sec

Please let it run in the background and post high/Low values

[Bill Stickers]

Well Guys , thanks a lot for your helpful advice.

Got and fitted a Thermaltake 360w PSU today, and guess what...no problems at all. No crashes ... it just runs.

Just come out of Flight Sim, all works bootifully.

I am gonna leave everything at the default values for now. Will get around to trying to update the BIOS maybe in a coupla weeks. Gonna just leave alone while its running well.

So once again thanks for your good advice.

Best regard

Bill

[Bill Stickers]

Update on BIOS flashing.

Giga-byte have answered that it I should return the MoBo for further inspection.

Bill

[KachiWachi]

Just out of curiosity, what are your voltage measurements/telemetry reading now??

[Bill Stickers]

Ok Kachi, here is typical of latest readouts.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|Total number of readouts: 2330 CPU Speed: 2815 MHz |
|Running from: 28/02/2004 12:36:23 until: 28/02/2004 15:49:10|
+---------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Sensor | Current | Low | High | Average |
+---------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Case | 25° C | 25° C | 25° C | 25° C |
|CPU | 51° C | 42° C | 54° C | 49° C |
|Sensor 3 | 0° C | 0° C | 0° C | 0° C |
|CPU Core | 1.57 V | 1.55 V | 1.58 V | 1.57 V |
|+2.5 Line | 2.57 V | 2.55 V | 2.57 V | 2.57 V |
|+3.3 | 3.34 V | 3.30 V | 3.38 V | 3.35 V |
|+5.00 | 5.09 V | 5.06 V | 5.15 V | 5.09 V |
|+12.00 | 11.90 V | 11.84 V | 12.03 V | 11.90 V |
|-12.00 | -7.14 V | -16.75 V | -0.27 V | -8.92 V |
|-5.00 | -5.37 V | -5.41 V | -5.33 V | -5.37 V |
|Fan 1 | 3590 RPM | 3552 RPM | 3629 RPM | 3607 RPM |
|Fan 2 | 3040 RPM | 2789 RPM | 3068 RPM | 2987 RPM |
|Fan 3 | 2812 RPM | 2678 RPM | 2860 RPM | 2786 RPM |
+---------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
The -12v is still appears weird , but all seems to work ok.

Cheers

Bill

[edwin]

I think the -12V sensor has failed as an open circuit, that would explain these massive jumps in the readings.

[KachiWachi]

The +3.3V and +12V look much better though...