Major Asus P5Q-Pro issues

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Chromatik

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Aug 22, 2007
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I built the below for my wife recently and it has been a nightmare ever since. Multiple BSOD's, Windows update refusing to update, software Installs getting read errors off of new CD's/ DVD's etc. Flashed to latest BIOS and have not had any BSOD's since, but it randomly chooses what it does and does not want to install or use. For example it will not have anything to do with MS dot net framework Service packs, Sims 2 expansion packs (Sims 2 itself was fine). It also has decided it will not access any jump drives as the drivers are not installed (device manager disagrees, USB drivers are there and working).

Suggestions?

Asus P5Q-Pro 775 - BIOS 2002 - currently default settings
Intel E8400 Wolfdale 45nm
4GB (2 x 2GB) Corsair Dominator TWIN2X4096-8500C5D 5-5-5-15-2T (on the QVL)
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad
BFG GeForce 8800GTX OC2
Antec P-182
 
It could be a mobo issue, but it could also be a number of other things. I suggest that you run memtest to check your RAM. Also, download the hard drive diagnostic tool from your drive manufacturer's website and run that to check for any bad sectors and data corruption. One last thing you should do is check your PSU's voltages with a digital multimeter if you have access to one.
 
Another possibility is you've managed to corrupt your windows install due to the earlier instability. I'd recommend an OS reinstall. I know it's a pain but it might fix your problems if you don't narrow it down to ram or hd.
 
I'd recommend an OS reinstall.
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I'd be trying a repair install. It's much less tramatic.....for you and the machine. :D

I'm assuming you started with a clean install.

With all those errors, you should have some alerts in the event viewer.
 
Yeah, what these guys said. It sounds like a FUBAR install. It could be a RAM or hard drive issue.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys,

The OS has been reinstalled and drive formatted 3 times at this point (before and after bios flash etc).
We have tried 1 stick of ram at a time with no change either way.
The hard drive is brand new (WD RE 320GB) and we have not tried a different one yet.
Drivers are at base for chipset, audio, and LAN.
I played around with the memory speed a bit at 800, 1066, but no change there, so set bios back to defaults.

Based on the fact that it seems io related either via network or just across removable media (CD, jump drive etc) I'm suspecting the motherboard as the issue. A friend has a spare gigabyte 775 board (P35 if think but not sure) so we may give that a shot to see what happens. Need to verify what he has though to make sure it will be ok with Wolfdale and DDR2 1066
 
memtest at stock speed - manually set the timings and voltages, ect. Low level format the hd.
 
By "at base" do you mean the drivers included with the os? Have you tried installing intel's inf drivers from here?

For whatever reason the default drivers from the os might not be working as intended.

I have had no end of problems by installing the "microsoft recommended" update to drivers off of windows update.
 
Mega666 said:
memtest at stock speed - manually set the timings and voltages, ect. Low level format the hd.
Click to expand...

I'll manually set RAM timings/ voltages tonight to corsair spec and see what happens.

Logan321 said:
By "at base" do you mean the drivers included with the os?
Click to expand...

I grabbed the latest Chipset, audio and LAN drivers from Asus's site (it worked that day) and the rest are what came with Windows. After the last format and reload I didn't install anything else (SATA or USB for instance) as I was trying to reduce suspects.

My wife has gone back to her previous PC in the meantime. So I'll probably wipe it out again and try the Intel install you linked. I may try to load everything back on Asus driver wise other than chipset and see what happens. With the myriad of issues we are having something on the board either doesn't work right or isn't configured right either due to driver or my own noobishness.

Again, thanks all for the feedback
 
Could be a bios issue. Have you had the same issues with the older bioses? I'm running the 1613 and haven't had any issues.
 
The exact error messages would be helpful. Wipe it out, install window - comb the windows logs and report the errors.
 
I plan on having a go at it this weekend starting Friday.

The BIOS are current and that seems to have resolved the blue screens for now so I'm hesitant to go back to a previous version. I plan on clearing cmos and starting from scratch though. I'm also wondering if mixing an IDE DVDRW and SATA HD's are causing issues too. I know it shouldn't but my last rig acted flakey until I went 100% SATA.
I'll likely be posting errors starting Friday depending on what happens.

Its driving me crazy that by Wife just moved from this system to her old one which consists of a 2.6ghz 400fsb socket 478 P4 2GB of RDRAM and a 6800 Ultra :(
 
Did you install the Marvell drivers for the IDE controller in Windows instead of just letting Windows use it's own drivers? I had an issue like that with an older Abit AB9. I needed to use F6 with WinXP just to recognize the IDE DVD drive properly even though my HDD's were SATA.
 
kirbyrj said:
Did you install the Marvell drivers for the IDE controller in Windows instead of just letting Windows use it's own drivers? I had an issue like that with an older Abit AB9. I needed to use F6 with WinXP just to recognize the IDE DVD drive properly even though my HDD's were SATA.
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No I didn't. Right now chipset, audio, video, and lan drivers are the only thing not running off of Windows default drivers. IDE and SATA are Windows as well since I thought that mught be part of the issue. One more thing to try :)

Also what is the consensus these days on using the CD that shipped with the MB vs going online to get drivers from various sources? (Intel site, Asus site, etc)? Do you guys ever mess with the disc that comes with the board?
 
Personally, I find downloading drivers from the chipset manufacturer more reliable and more current than from the motherboard manufacturer. If intel, then intel.com, if nvidia, then nvidia.com. Makes sense, right?

The drivers on the CD are good for only one thing, imo... installing network drivers if the OS doesn't recognise your nic, just long enough to go online and replace them.
 
I usually install the drivers from the CD first, and then go back and install the updated ones for the chipset and video (sometimes sound also).
 
Ok so question about Memtest.

How many errors/ In which tests is considered unacceptable for 4GB kit (2 x 2GB) of DD2 1066? Should I worry that there are errors. Opinions?

Note. Prior to doing anything I set dram manually to 1066 with timings of 5-5-5-15 per Corsair spec
 
More than one. If you are getting errors at stock speed, which it seems - start the rma process.
 
Mega666 said:
More than one. If you are getting errors at stock speed, which it seems - start the rma process.
Click to expand...

I'm a complete noob when it comes to Memtest. Dual channel enabled or not? (its currently enabled)

Also if 1 = bad
Um... 5120 = fukt?
 
Anything dual - whatever - mem errors at stock speed and voltage are a no. RMA it.
 
Oh well. At least the board is ok then I guess. Easier to swap RAM then tear this thing apart again anyway. Other then Memtest this time out its acting ok. It survived a SiSandra 3 pass burn test at least. Will RMA the ram tomorrow and see how Memtest does with a new kit. I'll post updates.

Ironic that my i7 build went off without a hitch being new tech, but tried and true 775 has been a pain.
 
In addition to the above, if you're running WD RE drives in a single drive configuration, you might want to disable TLER.
 
Well here's the final report. The memory is fine no RMA needed. And the system is solid as can be now.
I went 100% SATA (new DVD-RW) and disabled the IDE channel. Also tossed in my X-Fi Platinum PCI that I can no longer use to take on-board audio out of the equation (better audio that way anyway).

The true root of my issues though, per usual had to do with me overlooking something, ie forgetting to up voltage again after clearing CMOS and changing speed and timings.
Changed to 1066, 5-5-5-15 timings, and then changed voltage from 1.80 to 2.10 per corsair testing spec. Yeah I know, noob. That's fine, I deserved it this time. :)

6 Passes in Memtest with no errors at this point.

Once again thanks for all of the suggestions and guidance guys, I really appreciate it. I'll ask for help the next time I screw something up.

Cheers,
 
Update: The issues have returned in full force. Yay.

Blue screens related to memory addresses or memory management.
The keyboard drivers decided to uninstall themselves and overall lack of stability.

This machine will blue screen repeatedly then be fine for a few days. Seriously wtf? Memtest runs through 6 passes with no errors either using each stick individually or a pair so Corsair seems to be off the hook. I would RMA the board if it were not for the fact that Asus's website sucks my ass and has not been functional enough to submit one for the last 3 days.

The Asus P5Q-Pro seems to be the issue. Does anyone have any decent mobo recommendations other than this POS?
 
Could it be a power issue? Have you ever tried a different (brand) PSU? Ever tried a different brand of memory?
 
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