Problem with Gigabyte GA-P35-DS4 (RMA sucks!)

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KevinG

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
348
So, the other day by Gigabyte GA-P35-DS4's onboard gigE died. Computer just fell off the network. In fact, even if I went into the BIOS screen, there was no entry for "onboard lan".

Died, kaput, gone.

The system has been running fine for just over a year with a q6600 running at 3.2.

I tried a bunch of things, including reseting the bios to safe defaults...upgrading the bios, reverting back to the bios that I was on...nothing.

No big deal, as I was looking for an excuse to put intel gigE pci-e cards in this box and my WHS for better throughput. Purchased them on ebay, installed them, and all was good...back on the network.

Oh, in the meantime, the onboard nic shows up in bios again...but it still can't connect to my network...I think it is legitimately fried.

However, I think something is still wrong with the MB. When I went back into BIOS to restore my O/C things started getting strange. The O/C worked fine, I could boot into windows, do whatever I wanted, etc...I always place the computer in standby when I'm done with it...but now it can't wake from standby. It tries...the fans come on, the lights come on, it tries for a few moments, then stops...and then starts trying again...over and over. The only thing I can do is turn off the power supply at that point.

This works FINE without the O/C, but can't wake from standby as soon as I try to O/C it...but it worked fine forever before this problem.

Gigabyte's RMA policy absolutely sucks. I will never buy another Gigabyte board for this simple fact. I've had to RMA an ABIT board before and they happily cross-ship...You buy a new MB from them, receive it, move your parts to it, ship them yours, and when they receive it and confirm a problem, they refund the purchase price of the replacement. Wonderful. Gigabyte won't cross ship under any circumstances, and the turnaround time is measured in multiple weeks, not days.

So, here's the question.

Does this sound like a MB problem (the OC issue, not the network issue). I have an easy RMA due to the network issue. Or, do you think I'm missing something in my OC settings that could cause this behavior?

Thanks in advance.
-Kevin
 
If it works fine when at factory settings, my guess is unstable O/C. Sometimes after a while things need tweaking again.
 
the fact that its restarting over and over again is that it doesnt like one of your settings its the gigabyte restore thingy. I had your board and hated it the p35ds3r was better in my opinion. The Lan prob I had as well I corrected it by unistalling all lan drivers and reinstalling.
 
Ah, interesting that the restarting over and over is the gigabyte restore thing...that would explain why the box is back to stock settings (no OC) after I finally power it down and restart.

Any clues on how to diagnose this? It seems to even work fine at 3.6 on air...higher than I ever ran it before...but it still can't wake from standby.

As far as tweaking...I don't really do much...I leave all of the voltages on "auto" which I always thought ended up having them higher than necessary (safe, but wasteful).

Thanks again.
-Kevin
 
try manually installing your voltages. My e8400 went to 3.6 stock but anything else I had to fud with the voltages. Look at your memory as being the culprit the gig board are very tempermental about the memory you use.
 
I guess I'll try playing with the voltages...

Again, this was all working fine before the onboad nic died, so I don't know how this is related.

Also, the memory hasn't changed, and I try my best to NOT OC the memory (using divisors to come as close to stock as possible). Are there any diagnostic lights or anything that might point out where the problem is?
 
Well, now the computer is even acting strange at normal settings...

BIOS checksum failed, etc...

So, I guess it goes through RMA hell. :-(
 
Just to update this thread...

Gigabyte RMA really is the worst imaginable.

There is absolutely no feedback from them what-so-ever. I filled out the online RMA request, got an RMA # and shipped off the motherboard.

Because of the tracking #, I knew that they received it. I didn't get any confirmation of receipt from them via email, and their on-line system didn't update to indicate that they received it. I called them and after waiting on hold forever was finally told that it was received. I asked for the turn around time and was quoted (much like their website) 4 weeks.

I didn't hear anything from them during that time, and really didn't expect to based on my experience up to that point. So, I gave them a call just to get an update. I was told that it would be ready to ship in the next day or so. I was happy with that since only about 2 weeks had passed. A few days go by, including the July 4th weekend, and I give them a call to see if I can get a tracking number. I do.

I track it, and find that it was delivered TWO DAYS AGO, and was sitting on my front stoop the entire time. Luckily, it was still there...and it hasn't rained since then. A simple email communication from them would have had me expecting the package...

Oh well...this will be my last gigabyte motherboard anyway...

Thanks for listening. :)
 
Well, it gets worse, but it may have a happy ending.

I put the computer back together (after checking the serial # and recognizing that they sent me back the same MB that I sent it). Same problem. No difference from when I sent it in.

I called and asked if they actually did anything to it...they claim that they installed a new bios, and assigned a new MAC to the onboard LAN. Wonderful...did they even read the reason for the RMA? After extensive complaining, they sent me a pre-paid shipping label, and said they would swap out the motherboard this time. We'll see what I get back in return...
 
Just to update this thread...

They received the board 8 days ago. (I had to call to confirm this, they don't send *any* communication via email)

7 days ago, when I called to confirm that they had received it, I was told that

"A replacement is being processed, and it will ship in the 'next couple of days'."

I assumed that they meant business days, and since that was on a Friday, I wait until Tuesday to call. (Normally, I wouldn't bother, but since they shipped it and it ended up sitting outside overnight last time, I'm trying to actively acquire a tracking number before that happens again.) On Tuesday, I'm told that

"A replacement is being processed, and it will ship in the 'next couple of days'."

I called today (2 days later). Can you guess what I was told?

"A replacement is being processed, and it will ship either Tomorrow or Monday."

*sigh*

Pathetic.
 
Bringing some closure to this issue:

The replacement did finally ship on Monday. It arrived on Friday and is, in fact, a working replacement.

One more problem with their support to mention though...Although they promised to send an email with a tracking number when it finally shipped, I never received one.

Anyway, I'll likely be upgrading to an i7 MB in the next month or two, and Gigabyte is off of my list.
 
Wow. I recently became a big fan of Gigabyte boards but if this is how their RMA services are I might reconsider my next board purchase. Can't have family and friends waiting a month for a replacement or worse nearly two months.

ASUS usually has the board back to me in 15 days top. MSI I only done one RMA with a p45 board it arrive within 13 days.

P.S. And I just bought a GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R from a member here this morning. lol.
 
DTN107 said:
Wow. I recently became a big fan of Gigabyte boards but if this is how their RMA services are I might reconsider my next board purchase. Can't have family and friends waiting a month for a replacement or worse nearly two months.

ASUS usually has the board back to me in 15 days top. MSI I only done one RMA with a p45 board it arrive within 13 days.

P.S. And I just bought a GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3R from a member here this morning. lol.
Click to expand...

once my rma process for P35-DQ6 took almost 3 months, first "repaired" unit they sent to me has the same problem, and 2nd rma they actually gave me a brand new board, but yes their rma took some time.

just dont break your GB board ;)
 
KevinG said:
Well, it gets worse, but it may have a happy ending.

I put the computer back together (after checking the serial # and recognizing that they sent me back the same MB that I sent it). Same problem. No difference from when I sent it in.

I called and asked if they actually did anything to it...they claim that they installed a new bios, and assigned a new MAC to the onboard LAN. Wonderful...did they even read the reason for the RMA? After extensive complaining, they sent me a pre-paid shipping label, and said they would swap out the motherboard this time. We'll see what I get back in return...
Click to expand...

This is the nightmare that I want to avoid.

By the way, it says the turn around time is about 3 weeks. Is this true for your case? I currently have the same motherboard in the RMA process.
 
dynkin said:
This is the nightmare that I want to avoid.

By the way, it says the turn around time is about 3 weeks. Is this true for your case? I currently have the same motherboard in the RMA process.
Click to expand...
Yes, I think 3 to 4 weeks is about right. You might be able to save some time (although it will cost a bunch more) by shipping it faster. It seems that (for me, on the east coast) shipping each way takes about 1 week (5 business days). And Gigabyte seems to hold onto the board for a minimum of two weeks, even when they are expecting it, and have already told you that they are swapping it out for a new one...

So, they probably think they are doing great when they claim 3 weeks, but really only take 2 weeks before shipping it out again. :)

Of course, the complete lack of communication makes it all that much worse.

-Kevin
 
KevinG said:
Yes, I think 3 to 4 weeks is about right. You might be able to save some time (although it will cost a bunch more) by shipping it faster. It seems that (for me, on the east coast) shipping each way takes about 1 week (5 business days). And Gigabyte seems to hold onto the board for a minimum of two weeks, even when they are expecting it, and have already told you that they are swapping it out for a new one...

So, they probably think they are doing great when they claim 3 weeks, but really only take 2 weeks before shipping it out again. :)

Of course, the complete lack of communication makes it all that much worse.

-Kevin
Click to expand...

Thank you for the info. Mine has already been there for about a week. Do you think calling them will help expedite the repair process? Or can they tell you which part of the mobo is wrong on the phone?
 
It probably won't help at all. In my case, it just served to frustrate me more since they were entirely clueless, and anything that they did tell me ended up not being true... ("It'll ship tomorrow or the next day.")
 
Well I was going to RMA my EP45-DS3R board. I may junk this board & purchase another non Gigabyte board.
 
Well, may as well RMA it if it is still under warranty - you only pay for shipping one way. Just purchase something else in the meantime, and keep the Gigabyte as a backup when it returns?
 
KevinG said:
Well, may as well RMA it if it is still under warranty - you only pay for shipping one way. Just purchase something else in the meantime, and keep the Gigabyte as a backup when it returns?
Click to expand...

The bad thing is, you don't know if the returned mobo is working, right?
 
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