[silverj]

Greetings all...

My new 1150 board seems okay, it starts and loads Windows and appears to run stable (although it's not been stressed yet). However, when I try to Restart, it hangs at the BIOS screen.

The setup is as follows:
Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H rev 1.0 board - updated to F7 BIOS
Corsair Vengeance 2x8GB DDR3 - CMZ16GX3M2A1866C9.
(This memory is on both the Gigabyte and Corsair compatibility lists.)
Intel Core i3-4130 microprocessor
Samsung 840 Evo 250GB SSD boot disk
Western Digital Red 3TB
Samsung SH-S183L DVD Writer
onboard graphics for the moment.
Seasonic X-series SS-650KM 80 plus Gold power supply
Windows 7 64 bit

That's it for the moment, haven't got any further. So the PC will not restart and gets stuck at the BIOS screen. I must switch off, then on and everything works again.

I've been going through the BIOS (can't think of anything else) and firstly the processor wasn't detected correctly (I've read this happens sometimes with this board on other forums) and that the memory was not detected properly, both the timings and frequency were wrong on the board, so I have corrected both to the Intel and Corsair values.
There has been NO overclocking attempts on this board.

I've also tried upping the voltage for the RAM a little (from 1.5V to a max of 1.65V, no effect).

I've had the board some ten days now, so running out of time to send it backto Amazon (already an international postage, so I'm not keen) and I have no idea if the memory or the board is at fault.

I've been searching around and found very little, so after years of this I find myself beaten twice in as many weeks. Damned annoying!

If anyone has any ideas they would be welcome! Thank you in advance for your assistance...

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Hello silverj

Have you tried restoring the MBs default factory settings in the BIOS, it may also be listed as "most stable settings"

Have you checked that you have the latest drivers for the MB (the chipset and/or SMBus are very important here).

An added thought, check your power plan set up, please seeHere

Edited by phillpower2, 13 November 2013 - 12:44 PM.
Link added.

[phillpower2]

Hello silverj

Have you tried restoring the MBs default factory settings in the BIOS, it may also be listed as "most stable settings"

Have you checked that you have the latest drivers for the MB (the chipset and/or SMBus are very important here).

An added thought, check your power plan set up, please seeHere

Edited by phillpower2, 13 November 2013 - 12:44 PM.
Link added.

[Brazened]

I would check the SSD out first before blaming the mobo as you got some good parts including the SSD.

[iammykyl]

Gday.
Downloaded your MB manual, hope the one you got in the box is better.
After resetting the bios, (button is on the MB).
If the BIOS still hangs, please note the number on the debug LED display and post in your next reply.
When installing the OS, did you have both the SSD and the HDD, connect?
After installing the OS, did you use the MB CD to install all drivers and utilities?

[silverj]

Hi Guys

Great, thanks for all the suggestions... alas I think I've just about gone through them all already...

phillpower2, yes, the BIOS values have been reset to the stable settings and then I've gone from there. Also, all the drivers from the mboard have been installed and updated to the latest. I had missed one, as it happens when I checked your remark, but it made no difference.

Brazened, the SSD... Yes, it crossed my mind, but not sure how to test it directly. I could do an install on an old disk I guess. Ah, now there's an idea, I'll try a live DVD and restart from that. Should achieve the same effect, wouldn't you say?

Finally, iammykyl, pressing the button. No, I didn't do that explicitly. I'll try it, what the [bleep]. As for the number, it is AE most of the time ("boot to legacy OS" - Win7, so believable), although sometimes it stops at A2 (it's trying to install the IDE devices (!!). Must be using an old BIOS as a base there...). Yes, both the SSD and the HDD were there on the initial install. Nothing else has been added yet though, just those items on the first post. As mentioned, all drivers were installed and then updated for the mboard.

Thanks for the ideas again - I'll try the live DVD and the fancy button on the board.

silverj

[phillpower2]

Hello silverj

Don`t forger to check/set your power settings

[Brazened]

You did this?

1.Boot from the Windows installation media (DVD/Bootable USB Drive).
Note: Refer to your system’s user manual on how to access the BIOS and boot from the selected media. Pressing keys such as Del, Esc, F1, F2, F10 or F12 will allow you to access the BIOS setup (BIOS access keys will vary by system).
2.Follow the on-screen instructions > Click “Install Now”.
3.Select the “Custom (advanced)” installation option.
4.Select your SSD with the unallocated space > Click “Next”
5.Follow the on-screen instructions to complete OS installation.
6.Restart your system > Access the BIOS > Set the SSD to the top of the boot priority list > Save changes and exit the BIOS.
7.Your system should now boot from your SSD when you power on your system.

[iammykyl]

Thanks for the info.
What answer please to post #7??
Did you alter the BIOS or SB switch? Make sure they are in the default positions.

As for the number, it is AE most of the time ("boot to legacy OS"

AE can mean part of the OS has been placed on the HDD, like the boot loader/MBR. Windows installer is stupid and sometime when a second HDD is seen, things go wrong.
The A2 code can mean many thing, so will try a few things first and see if it reapers
Connect to the monitor using DVI-D to DVI. If the monitor does not have a DVI in, connect from the D-sub to D-sub. Do not use the DVI-D out with a adaptor going to a D-sub in plug
Connect the SSD to SATA #0
Disconnect the HDD. and optical drive
Clear the CMOS using the jumper pins.
Restart the computer
Result please.

[silverj]

Hi All, thanks for the continuing support. Am getting somewhere now I think, thanks to your varied suggestions!

The Live Linux install didn't work - same problem, wouldn't restart. (Burnt onto a USB key, not a DVD).

phillpower2, the power settings are all reasonable, in line with your link.

Brazened, I had been wanting to avoid a re-install (yes, I know, with a virgin system and an SSD it doesn't take long, but I'm a lazy so-and-so), but I put the SSD to the top of the boot list and still had no restart... Not sure what exactly you were getting at (either the re-install part or the SSD as first boot) but Windows was of course insatlled on the SSD for speed. An initial boot has always worked, just the restart fails.

iammykyl, Windows can get confused when two disks are inside? Really? I've never seen that! However, desperate times and all that, so I tried your suggestion... and it worked! The [bleep] thing rebooted.
So, it wasn't the monitor cable (usually HDMI) but the DVI changed nothing. SSD was already SATA #0 but the removal of the hdd and the DVD writer enabled reboots...

When I do my builds, I always put the page file on another disk. Had been reading up in the case of SSDs and didn't see anything that said to the contrary so I kept the practice this time (I know it is important to have one, even with loads of memory, as I am fortunate enough to have). The page file is on the disk (it'll almost never be used and if it is used, I save the SSD). Yes, perhaps the logic is a bit questionable, but I saw several references suggesting it, so tried it.
So that's my theory for the minute. With the other disks disconnected and the page file on C:, I have a PC that restarts. Now to figure out why exactly.

Thanks again for your ideas. I'll come back tomorrow with the next steps.

[Brazened]

No, I mean is this how you installed your OS? I don't mean to reinstall it.

[iammykyl]

Hi All, thanks for the continuing support. Am getting somewhere now I think, thanks to your varied suggestions!

iammykyl, Windows can get confused when two disks are inside? Really? I've never seen that! However, desperate times and all that, so I tried your suggestion... and it worked! The [bleep] thing rebooted.
A. Happens most often when a OS is already on the ixisting HDD and installing a new OS drive, but does happen in other instances.
So, it wasn't the monitor cable (usually HDMI) but the DVI changed nothing. SSD was already SATA #0 but the removal of the hdd and the DVD writer enabled reboots...
A. Got it.

When I do my builds, I always put the page file on another disk. Had been reading up in the case of SSDs and didn't see anything that said to the contrary so I kept the practice this time (I know it is important to have one, even with loads of memory, as I am fortunate enough to have). The page file is on the disk (it'll almost never be used and if it is used, I save the SSD). Yes, perhaps the logic is a bit questionable, but I saw several references suggesting it, so tried it.
So that's my theory for the minute.
A. Yes I think it best to keep the Page File on the SSD but make it the min size.

With the other disks disconnected and the page file on C:, I have a PC that restarts. Now to figure out why exactly.
A. Long shot, just to check no problem with the Optical drive. Connect to SATA #7,probable does not matter but will separate it from the Intel controller. Test.
If OK, connect the HDD to SATA #3, test.
If the issue returns, I think a Clean install is needed, with the HDD disconnected. install the MB drivers and utilities, (check the bloat-ware, I would not install the Trial Firewall/anti Virus)
Install a free Anti Virus, update drivers, update window, Create a drive image and recovery media.
Connect the HDD to SATA #3, Boot, windows should detect the new drive.
Been A while since I installed a 3+TB drive, so you will have to find out what File System to Format it with.

Thanks again for your ideas. I'll come back tomorrow with the next steps.

Your welcome.

[silverj]

Ah! Yes, it was, like that.

[silverj]

Problem solved...

Hi iammykyl, I have just seen your embedded comments in your last post actually. Apologies, I hadn't ignored them.

Your suggestion is actually the right one. The DVD writer was installed in one of the Marvell 88SE9172 SATA slots and this is the problem! (I must read up on how the SATA slots work, I wasn't sure if a slower drive would slow the whole thing down. Like plugging a USB1 peripheral into a USB 2 slot, for example. Is it like this, anyone know? Hence I put the DVD in the other controller, to be sure.)

The existence of the page file on the mechanical drive was not a problem, it works fine with and without, as long as the DVD writer is not present.

However, the DVD writer being in one of the Marvell SATA slots is the problem. It doesn't matter if it is one of the first boot items or if it is completely removed from the boot list. Just being in one of the slots provokes the following:
a) the system starts normally
b) the system will not restart

I moved it to one of the other Z87 controller slots and no problem. The system restarts as it should.

So... there is either a bug in the Marvell controller or in this Samsung DVD writer. I might try another writer (they are not expensive, less than £20 it seems now) to test. At least I don't have to return the board or memory or SSD.

Brazened, it was how I installed the system, yes. I'll reinstall anyway now, after all this messing around.

Thank you one and all. Good forum this, clearly. I only found it last week, have to stick around.

[Brazened]

That was an interesting problem so it was the controller.

Who would've thunk?

[iammykyl]

Gday.
Not a problem, been busy this weekend so have only just got t you last reply.

So... there is either a bug in the Marvell controller or in this Samsung DVD writer. I might try another writer (they are not expensive, less than £20 it seems now) to test. At least I don't have to return the board or memory or SSD.

That was an interesting problem so it was the controller.

Without a lot of testing, I don't think you can positively blame the Controller or DVD, my bet would be on the Windows install, possible saw the drives in the same group, stuffed up some configurations, first boot, goes to the OS drive, second, tries to boot from the optical drive, but really, all guesswork.
hope it stays fixed.
Good luck.