Please Help me... someone... I am lost :(

B

blade52x

2[H]4U
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Sep 9, 2006
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What are the chances of getting 3 dead mobos in a row - all with the same exact problem - a missing bios?

So, today I opened up my new DS3 Rev3.3, nad happily set up my system. I power up the system, and I see the message:

Code: 
Boot Block Award Winning BIOS Recovery Tool 1.0
Scanning hard drive for bios image
Auto recovering from hard drive..................

And it reboots... wtf!! So I began to immediatly troubleshoot. Took out hard drive, booted it up in another computer, and it worked fine, so it's not the hard drive. Tried a different power supply, same result. Power supply worked perfectly fine for another computer. So it's not the power supply. One stick of RAM and two sticks... same message (I don't think I'd be recieving a message at all if my RAM was the problem). I couldn't test the RAM in another computer because my other computer is DDR and DDR2. Tried a x1900xt/7600gt just for the hell of it - no difference.

So.. I'm left with one thing - and that is the processor. Could my e6600 be... dead?!? Could a malfunctioning processor cause the exact message listed above to repeat over and over? I got some thermal paste on the pcb (didn't know for a long time), and I know AS5 is conductive... could that have done something, anything? Can I actually get into the mobo bios without having a computer chip in there? (I would like to know an exact answer and I am just sick of taking apart and putting back together the same thing over and over again).

Or did I somehow manage to become very very lucky and get 3 dead motherboards all with the same problem in a row.

I want to order a cheap LGA 775 Celeron but I would really love any input at all, as my system has been down now for over a month because of this problem :(
 
Are you able to get into the BIOS at all or does it post that message up immediately upon booting?
 
I would just go down to the nearest bestbuy and buy a cheap stick of ddr2. They will probably let you bring it back within 30 days, all you need it for is to test your current system to make sure your ram is not the source of your problems.

It's hard to imagine that you could have gotten 3 different boards with the same bios problem. But I guess it's possible, but very unlikely.
 
Check around on Gigabytes website about "Auto-Recovering" from a floppy or CD instead of the hard drive. Otherwise you might be able to put your hard drive in the other system, download the BIOS to the drive, then hook it back-up and it should do the recovery.
 
I would return the board and ask a refund because obviously after 3 lemons... Then buy one elsewhere. Wouldn't hurt to ditch Asus and buy something else too =)
 
What RAM are you using? Sometimes the P965 chipset has problems booting with premium RAM until you get the voltage in the BIOS correct. That could be a problem.

Also, it's a common misconception that AS5 is conductive. It is not. However, it is slightly capacitative. If you did get a little AS5 on the PCB of your CPU on the area around the IHS it shouldn't be a problem.

Like cpuman said, I would suggest buying some cheap ddr2 ram to try it just to make sure your RAM isn't causing the problem.
 
I'll go to BB tomorrow and see if I can get some cheap RAM just for the day.

Though the RAM I used worked fine for months. It is rated 1.8v default so it was never an issue.

Oh, and jb, I can't use any recovery options because as soon as I boot I get this message, and it cycles just saying the same message over and over.
 
Well you stated in your post that you got the message:

Scanning hard drive for bios image
Auto recovering from hard drive..................
Click to expand...

That is why I posted what I did.

jbmx4life said:
Check around on Gigabytes website about "Auto-Recovering" from a floppy or CD instead of the hard drive. Otherwise you might be able to put your hard drive in the other system, download the BIOS to the drive, then hook it back-up and it should do the recovery.
Click to expand...
 
Can you reset the bios via the jumper on the mobo? Remove the battery? That is the first thing I would do. If you can do that and get into bios your problem is solved. 3 bad boards in a row is not common.
 
drizzt81 said:
Pretty slim. Are you sure that your PSU is not the culprit?
Click to expand...

I've never seen a PSU cause a problem like that. On the other hand I've seen RAM and CPU issues cause that type of problem a few times.
 
Well, about the bios image on a hard drive... Gigabyte says it is stored on a hidden partition, and that is where it scans. If doesn't find one there, it should move onto the CD-ROM, yet this is *not* the case, as it just stalls at "scanning for bios on image hard drive". Going to stop by BB in a few and get some cheap ram.

Also, does anyone know if I can *post* without the cpu in the socket? Reason I'm asking is because I really do not feel like having to re-seat the heat sink.
 
It was actually my memory all along!

So I went to BB, and bought that Kingston PC5300 512MB for $30 - and put it in. My heart sank initially when I saw the message again, thinking my E6600 was dead - so I let it cycle off and on, and as it turns on - and I hear a beep - and see the computer post!

I sent an apology email to Newegg and customer rep who helped me out, because I just sent back a working motherboard (cross shipped because I thought the first time they sent me back my mobo DOA) which I was supposed to get a refund on.

Both of my sticks died! - Neither of them work :eek:

I just want to know... what exactly happened that night my computer was on IDLE before this whole mess happened! I am actually happier that it is my memory over the processor.
 
"Yep, Gremlins, sher 'nuff. Never get 'em wet. You broke the rules, you and yer AS5!" :p

Seriously, did you have a thunder/lightning storm the night it was idle? Were you wearing a cashmere sweater and stuck a hand in the case before all went loopy? Electricity from an unapproved source can be like a semi headed the wrong way on the highway.
 
Cyant said:
I would return the board and ask a refund because obviously after 3 lemons... Then buy one elsewhere. Wouldn't hurt to ditch Asus and buy something else too =)
Click to expand...

3 lemons in a row is pretty unlikely

The DS3 are Gigabyte's NOT Asus.

I reccommend taking out the CMOS battery to clear the bios and reinsert it. Then get a cheap stick of DDR2 1.8v memory to boot with.

EDIT: just read more of this thread. Glad you found the problem. Bad memory.... BAhhhhhhhhhh
 
Turns out it was just one stick that went bad. Did a little more testing just to be sure, and one of them worked (must have taken one out, placed it down next to other, looked away for a moment, and then re-inserted thinking it was the other stick).

Regardless, they both have to go.
 
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