New build won't boot

[Gustavus]

Barebones: EVGA Z68 FTW MB, Intel i5 2500K CPU, 2x4 GB Ripjaw 1600 RAM, Seasonics Platinum 660 w PS, Cooler Master V6GT, Seagate 1.5 GB SATA HD

On bench on insulated pad where I always do system assemblies before transferring to a case

Many problems. EVGA has RMA'ed the MB. New power supply bought to replace a new Silverstone that was probably OK since the problems were not fixed by replacing it with the Seasonic.

1. The system powers up as soon as the PS is turned on without waiting for the power switch to be pressed. If I have done a reset with the MB reset switch I get the setup screen. If not I get the error message no harddrive detected.

2. I can substitute a hard drive with window XP on it and it gets to the flash Windows screen and then a BSOD. So the MB is certainly seeing the harddrive even though it says it isnt.

Feel like a dog chasing it's tail since I have gone around and around through these same steps for months.

The diagnostic LEDS alternately flash 54 and 55 -- no memory detected, unknown memory fault. The memory tests good on Memtest on another machine for as long as I care to run it. I have let it run overnight. Memory is in slots 1 and 3 as it should be and has been reseated several times.

This was to be my last build. I hope someone can help me make it the last build and not the one I did last year

Added info
The setup screen shows Total memory as 8192MB (DDR3) which is correct, so it is seeing the memory in spite of the code 55 which is "Memory not installed"

The BIOS is version 689 0.16 x 64 build date 12/07/2012

With just the setup screen on the CPU temp is 50 C which seems a bit high to me. Temperature on the bench is 66 F

A HP USB keyboard is detected and fully operational

 

[Steltek]

Did EVGA do an advance RMA, or did they simply return the same motherboard back to you? If they returned your board back to you, I wonder if they actually did anything to it or just returned your defective board to you without any testing?

The power coming on may be related to a setting in most BIOSes related to system behavior after a power loss (you usually can tell it to stay shut off or to attempt to restart). Have you tried resetting the CMOS memory? Also, have you tried to post the system using only one memory module in slot 1?

Also, since the memory modules you are using aren't on EVGA's published memory compatibility list for the motherboard (there aren't any 4GB DDR3 1600 modules at all on the published list), have you tried one that is? It is possible there could be some kind of technical glitch there which is causing an issue. The memory compatibility list is the only memory the motherboard manufacturer guarantees will actually work with their system. It is also possible a BIOS upgrade, if one is available, could fix the issue but you actually have to get the system stable enough to do one to find out (which can be difficult, as you are finding).

 

[Gustavus]

Steltek

Thanks for the reply. No I sent the board back under RMA and they later returned a board. The BIOS EVGA uses is not documented and unfamiliar to me. Not a single word about the BIOS in the manual. That is precisely true -- not a word about the BIOS. But then there is not even a layout drawing of the motherboard in the manual either. Without question the worse manual I have ever seen. I have searched on net and the only manual I have been able to find is the one I have.

For example I am used to the BIOS giving you a choice for the sequence od boot devices -- Hard disk, CD Rom etc. In spite of diligent searching I have never been able to find a place in Setup where you can choose the boot sequence. The point of that comment is that I also have never been able to find a place at which to choose the action to be taken after a power failure.

I will swap memory and see if that makes a difference.

I bought the components for this system a little over a year ago and periodically come back to trying to get it to boot. Have reset the BIOS to the default settings -- they have an onboard switch to allow you to do that -- numerous times.

 

[Steltek]

Steltek

Thanks for the reply. No I sent the board back under RMA and they later returned a board. The BIOS EVGA uses is not documented and unfamiliar to me. Not a single word about the BIOS in the manual. That is precisely true -- not a word about the BIOS. But then there is not even a layout drawing of the motherboard in the manual either. Without question the worse manual I have ever seen. I have searched on net and the only manual I have been able to find is the one I have.

For example I am used to the BIOS giving you a choice for the sequence od boot devices -- Hard disk, CD Rom etc. In spite of diligent searching I have never been able to find a place in Setup where you can choose the boot sequence. The point of that comment is that I also have never been able to find a place at which to choose the action to be taken after a power failure.

I will swap memory and see if that makes a difference.

I bought the components for this system a little over a year ago and periodically come back to trying to get it to boot. Have reset the BIOS to the default settings -- they have an onboard switch to allow you to do that -- numerous times.

EVGA has one of the worst product support websites on the web, so I'm not shocked. It is one reason I usually tend to avoid their products.

There is a 03/13/2013 BIOS update on the EVGA website for Z68 boards (version R22, download link). However, you obviously need to get a stable system before you can update it. The release notes don't mention anything about additional memory compatibility (though in my experience that often doesn't mean anything). When you get in to the BIOS, can you manually set the memory timings? Also, have you replaced the CMOS battery on the motherboard?

 

[Gustavus]

Steltek

The R22 BIOS update is so the motherboard can use Intel Ivy Bridge CPUs. The i5 2500K is a Sandy Bridge and doesn't benefit in any way from the R22 BIOS. I have followed the discussion of R22 in the EVGA forums over the past year.

No, it hadn't occurred to me to replace the CMOS battery on a new mtherboard, but I keep several new ones here in the lab, so will do that this morning.

 

[Steltek]

Steltek

The R22 BIOS update is so the motherboard can use Intel Ivy Bridge CPUs. The i5 2500K is a Sandy Bridge and doesn't benefit in any way from the R22 BIOS. I have followed the discussion of R22 in the EVGA forums over the past year.

No, it hadn't occurred to me to replace the CMOS battery on a new mtherboard, but I keep several new ones here in the lab, so will do that this morning.

The R22 BIOS release notes mentions improvements related to 2400MHz memory compatibility, so that is not to say it didn't do something else related to memory detection/compatibility. Though, that is neither here nor now as you don't have a stable system.

Out of curiosity, what specific gskill module are you running and have you tried to manually set the module timings in the BIOS? I wonder if the board isn't properly detecting the XMP profile of the memory.

 

[Gustavus]

G Skill Ripjaws

F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
DDR3-1600 PC3-12800 4GBx2
XMP CL9-9-9-24 1.5v