Is My Gigabyte P35-DS3R Mobo Dead?

[gigahertz20]

For the last 6 months or so when I have booted my computer it has frozen on the BIOS Post screen where it says press F8 to enter the BIOS and so on. I never bothered with trying to figure out why it was doing that, because after I let it stay frozen on the BIOS post screen for a few minutes I would restart the computer and then it would boot up fine. I never had any problems once it booted into Windows 7.

Well, 2 weeks ago I was getting blue screens constantly so I burned a copy of memtest to a CD and booted into that. I got thousands of errors right away so I knew one or more of the four 1GB memory sticks I had in my computer were bad. By removing the sticks and trying different combination's I found out only one of the sticks was bad, the other 3 sticks each passed a full pass of memtest with no errors. Since I want to run dual channel mode on my Gigabyte P35-DS3R mobo I can only put in two of the three 1GB sticks in.

After I did that my computer no longer boots now, it powers on, but no signal is outputted to my display. Also, after 5 minutes or so the computer automatically shuts off. I've tried putting the 2 stick of memory into different slots so they remain in dual channel mode, nothing happens. The power supply can't be a problem since when I push the power button all the fans still come on and it lights up, also my kill-a-watt PS tester shows around 130 Watts draw from the outlet. I installed a spare video card as well just to see if that was the problem, and still nothing. I also grabbed a Case/Mobo Speaker and plugged it into the mobo to see if it would beep at all when I powered it on, nothing.....

Not sure if the problem is my mobo either, because the processor fan still turns on and that is connected to the mobo. If my mobo was dead, the CPU fan should not be powered then I would think. Also the power and reset buttons wouldn't work either if my mobo was dead right?

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you remove the video card and all of the RAM, does it beep when you try to power it on? It should. If it doesn't beep, it's probably dead. If it does beep, then the CPU is powering up OK and executing the mobo BIOS, which gives hope.

 

[BoomerD]

Make sure you have RAM in the right slots. If not, the board won't POST. In this case, your motherboard manual doesn't specify which slot is the preferred one for a single DIMM...

IMO, the next thing to try is to clear the CMOS. Unplug the PSU and remove the battery for at lease one minute.

Here's the manual. Maybe it will help.

http://download.gigabyte.ru/manual/motherboard_manual_ga-ep35-ds3r%28ds3)_e.pdf

 

[gigahertz20]

If you remove the video card and all of the RAM, does it beep when you try to power it on? It should. If it doesn't beep, it's probably dead. If it does beep, then the CPU is powering up OK and executing the mobo BIOS, which gives hope.

I will give this a try and report back in a little while.

Make sure you have RAM in the right slots. If not, the board won't POST. In this case, your motherboard manual doesn't specify which slot is the preferred one for a single DIMM...

IMO, the next thing to try is to clear the CMOS. Unplug the PSU and remove the battery for at lease one minute.

Here's the manual. Maybe it will help.

http://download.gigabyte.ru/manual/motherboard_manual_ga-ep35-ds3r(ds3)_e.pdf

I am 100% sure I have the RAM in the right slots (they are color coded as well), I also installed all 4 memory DIMMs back into like it was before just to see if it would work, and still nothing.

I already cleared the CMOS, I took the battery out and put it back in but still nothing.


My computer was booting up fine until I took out the 2 DIMM's of memory and now, nothing. So weird. I was careful removing the memory DIMMs and installing them back in so I don't think I damaged anything. The power supply button on the back of the computer was turned to off, and everything was unplugged from the computer including the PS cord. I made sure I grounded myself as well before touching the memory DIMMs while they were still installed.

Argh, I hate computers sometimes.

 

[BoomerD]

Is it possible that you bumped the CPU cooler and loosened the CPU in the socket? How about the 4 pin ATX power plug?
The problems you're describing fit a CPU failure or power issue.

 

[gigahertz20]

Is it possible that you bumped the CPU cooler and loosened the CPU in the socket? How about the 4 pin ATX power plug?
The problems you're describing fit a CPU failure or power issue.

Nope, I checked those.

The Case/Mobo Speaker I am using is an old one and I saw that one of the wires got pulled out, so I'm going to buy a better one to hook to my motherboard and see if I can't get any beeps out of it after I pull my video card and memory like VirtualLarry suggested. I'll update this thread once I do that.

EDIT* Anyone know where I can buy a mobo speaker? I searched the Best Buy website but can't find any using various search terms, couldn't find anything at radio shack either but maybe I'm using the wrong terms.

 

[BoomerD]

Newegg sells a cheap Apevia mobo speaker and they're available at most of the on-line places.

 

[mlc]

so basically.. all you've done is take out 2 sticks of ram and it stopped posting?

If that's the case, and you're certain the slots weren't damaged.....but it happened immediately after makeing this change, then that would suggest you either inadvertendly hit something loose, or the force you exerted removing/inserting the sticks of ram, triggerred something...

I would remove the board.. and try posting it with just a stick of ram, graphics card, and cpue attached.. You may have to try a few sticks.. as it sounds like you may have issues with the RAM as well.....

If still no post.. then I would see if you can get your hands on a spare psu.. I know you said you tested it. but to be honest..those testers aren't flawless...so you may have enough voltage to spin up the fans, but your 12v rail could be failing...

 

[gigahertz20]

If you remove the video card and all of the RAM, does it beep when you try to power it on? It should. If it doesn't beep, it's probably dead. If it does beep, then the CPU is powering up OK and executing the mobo BIOS, which gives hope.

I managed to fix my motherboard speaker today by soldering it since the black - and red + cables were pulled out and just needed to be soldered back on.

I connected the speaker to the motherboard after removing the memory and the video card, when I power the computer on it makes long continuous beeps.

From my motherboard manual:

Q: What do the beeps emitted during the POST mean?
A: The following Award BIOS beep code descriptions may help you identify possible computer problems.
(For reference only.)
1 short: System boots successfully
2 short: CMOS setting error
1 long, 1 short: Memory or motherboard error
1 long, 2 short: Monitor or graphics card error
1 long, 3 short: Keyboard error
1 long, 9 short: BIOS ROM error
Continuous long beeps: Graphics card not inserted properly
Continuous short beeps: Power error

So naturally it's detecting no video card since I pulled it out, I guess the next step is to install the video card and see what happens. *EDIT* I installed the video card back into it and it still does the long continuous beeps. I also installed the memory back into it and still the same.

So it's not detecting my video card I guess? It can't be a faulty video card since I already exchanged my original Radeon 5870 with an older video card of mine that I know works. Is my PCI Express slot damaged then or something? Can't think of how that could have happened, the video card I had in it was the Radeon 5870 which is a big one but it was secured in there.


Thanks guys for the help along the way, appreciate it. I figured I would post this and no one would bother reading it. Glad some people out there don't mind helping random internet strangers without getting paid.


BTW my power supply is a Corsair HX520W modular power supply and the video card I stuck in there for now to replace my Radeon 5870 is just some old Radeon 4670 PCI Express video card that only draws power from the PCI express slot, there are no external power connectors for it.

I'm keeping the 4670 in there for now because the 5870 takes up to much room and is not needed until I get my computer fixed.

 

[BoomerD]

OK, only one Pci-E slot...I'd test the video cards again in another computer...just to be positive that they're both good...if they test good, I'd say it's time for a new motherboard.

 

[gigahertz20]

OK, only one Pci-E slot...I'd test the video cards again in another computer...just to be positive that they're both good...if they test good, I'd say it's time for a new motherboard.

Alright, they should be good, I've never had problems with any of my video cards. I still don't understand how taking out bad memory from my computer resulted in my motherboard not detecting my video card anymore. Crazy.

 

[BoomerD]

Alright, they should be good, I've never had problems with any of my video cards. I still don't understand how taking out bad memory from my computer resulted in my motherboard not detecting my video card anymore. Crazy.

I don't get it either. One shouldn't affect the other.


I still go back to my recommendation of "build & boot.

Take the motherboard out of the case, try booting to bios with ONLY the CPU, HSF, video card, and ONE stick of RAM. The manual doesn't specify which slot is the one to use for a single DIMM...so you might have to try different ones.
Also, at this time, try clearing the CMOS. Personally, with your board, I'd first jumper the two pins...then remove the battery for a couple of minutes. (remember to unplug the chassis before doing this...but since you're pulling the board, that SHOULD be a given)

 

[denis280]

Same problem apend to me with my son mobo (gigabyte) did all the test and everything whas fine. but i had doubt about the hdd (western digital 500gb caviar green) took it out and put it in my p.c. and voila.the hard drive whas no good.now everything works fine with new hdd in.

 

[gigahertz20]

Same problem apend to me with my son mobo (gigabyte) did all the test and everything whas fine. but i had doubt about the hdd (western digital 500gb caviar green) took it out and put it in my p.c. and voila.the hard drive whas no good.now everything works fine with new hdd in.

Yeah, but the motherboard posted still right? My motherboard doesn't even post, no video output to the LCD screen.

 

[mlc]

do as BoomerD suggests, with the build and boot...

there a chance your board or something on it may be shorting out, and the force you exerted to take the memory out was enough to trigger the problem..... So if you try removing the board as he suggests.. and start adding components outside the case, you may be able to narrow it down.

 

[gigahertz20]

do as BoomerD suggests, with the build and boot...

there a chance your board or something on it may be shorting out, and the force you exerted to take the memory out was enough to trigger the problem..... So if you try removing the board as he suggests.. and start adding components outside the case, you may be able to narrow it down.

Alright, I'll have to try this I guess when I get time. I'll post the result back here sometime in the next few days.

 

[gigahertz20]

Alright I took out the motherboard from the case, set it up and even put in a 3rd different video card and it still does the constant long beeps. Tried 1 stick of memory as well to see if anything would happen, no change.

I took the HSF off my Q6600 processor and the processor is still seated fine, so I guess it's time to buy a new motherboard. I can't think of anything to troubleshoot this more, can't be my power supply since my kill-a-watt shows around 110 Watts when I turn the computer on, so it's getting power but for whatever reason it does the constant long beeps which means it can't detect a video card for whatever reason.