Boot issues with F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK on ASRock 760GM-GS3

[Statik2083]

I'm using following motherboard

ASRock 760GM-GS3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157215

With a AMD Phenom II x2 CPU (HDZ555WFGMBOX)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103846

and
GSkill 4gb (2x2gb) F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231189

everything posts great, I can boot from my UBCD and do CPU burn in and I've done Memtest 86+ with no errors after 24 hours.

However, I cannot boot to anything other than UBCD. If I try to install Windows 7 I either get lockups or screen freezes.

Ideally I'd like to unlock all the cores on the CPU and even overclock it by 5 to 10% - which I've done and have had no issues in burn-in.

However I'm still not able to load any OS. I've tried Win7 64, WinXP and Ubuntu 10.

I've tried this memory with manual settings of
1.5v on 9-9-9-24 as well as 8-8-8-21

I've tried various combinations of tweaks including upping the voltage to 1.5 and 1.6
I've tried turning off all OC options and leaving everything at auto

memory is detected at
DRAM Voltage - 1.5v

Memory controller Model - unganged
Power down enable - disabled
Bank Interleaving - auto
channel Interleaving - hash 2

CAS latency - 9
TRCD - 9
TRP - 9
TRAS - 24
TRTP - 5
TRRD - 4
TWTR - 5
TWR - 10
TRC - 33
TRWTWB - 8
TRWTTO - 7
TWRRD - 2
TWRWR - 3
TRDRD - 3
TRFC0 - 110
MA Timing - 1

CHA ADDR/CMD Delay - 22/64
CHA ADDR/CMD Setup - 1
ChA CS/ODT Delay - 0
CHA CS/ODT Setup - 1/2
CHB ADDR/CMD Delay 22/64
CHB ADDR/CMD Setup 1
CHB CS/ODT Delay 0
CHB CS/ODT Setup 1/2

CHA CKE Drive - 1.50x
CHA CS/ODT Drive - 1.50x
CHA ADDR/CMD Drive - 1.5x
CHA CLK Drive - 1.50x
CHA DATA Drive - 1.00x
CHA DQS Drive - 1.00x
CHA Processor ODT - 60 Ohms
CHB CKE Drive - 1.50x
CHB CS/ODT Drive - 1.50x
CHB ADDR/CMD Drive - 1.50x
CHB CLK Drive - 1.50x
CHB DATA Drive - 1.00x
CHB DQS DRIVE - 1.00x
CHB Processor ODT - 60 ohms

So... boot issues persist with the auto settings and so far with the minor tweaking I've tried so far. Given the random nature of the errors (different BS errors, general memory exceptions or just locking up during the setup process depending on the setting) I'm pretty certain if I can just find the right settings it will all be good.

RAM and CPU test and burn in great, tried 3 different hard drives, tried multiple different versions of each install disk and USB installers for Win7 and Ubuntu.

Reading over this forum, Gskill Tech really knows his stuff (this is coming from a 15 year IT help Desk operations guru) so I have high hopes I'll get some good answers here.

So... doing a bad imitation of a Princess Leia recording on an astromech Droid... "Help me Gskill Tech, your my only hope!"

[Statik2083]

Update

I've gotten a little further after trying some ideas inspired by
http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=2977

Even though this is a C3 revision processor I went ahead and tweaked as followed:

Memory clock - 533 mhz DDR3...1066
DRAM Voltage - 1.65v

Memory controller Model - unganged
Power down enable - disabled
Bank Interleaving - auto
channel Interleaving - hash 2

CAS latency - 7*
TRCD - 8*
TRP - 8*
TRAS - 19*
TRTP - 4
TRRD - 4
TWTR - 4
TWR - 8
TRC - 27
TRWTWB - 7
TRWTTO - 6
TWRRD - 2
TWRWR - 3
TRDRD - 3
TRFC0 - 110
MA Timing - 1 (1T)*

CHA ADDR/CMD Delay - 22/64
CHA ADDR/CMD Setup - 1
CHA CS/ODT Delay - 0
CHA CS/ODT Setup - 1/2
CHB ADDR/CMD Delay 22/64
CHB ADDR/CMD Setup 1
CHB CS/ODT Delay 0
CHB CS/ODT Setup 1/2

CHA CKE Drive - 1.50x
CHA CS/ODT Drive - 1.50x
CHA ADDR/CMD Drive - 1.50x
CHA CLK Drive - 1.50x
CHA DATA Drive - 1.00x
CHA DQS Drive - 1.00x
CHA Processor ODT - 60 Ohms
CHB CKE Drive - 1.50x
CHB CS/ODT Drive - 1.50x
CHB ADDR/CMD Drive - 1.50x
CHB CLK Drive - 1.50x
CHB DATA Drive - 1.00x
CHB DQS DRIVE - 1.00x
CHB Processor ODT - 60 ohms

* are settings that are manually changed by me, the others where changed by the bios automatically when I switched the memory clock setting.

With this change I was able to install windows7 ultimate x64 from DVD.
However it will still will not load windows

Just reboots each time while trying to load
safe mode stops on the \Windows\System32\Disk.sys driver load.

Disabling the CPU tweaks did not change the results (CPU is tweaked to unlock to 4 cores and 10% speed increase)


So I got some movement forward... at least I got it tweaked enough to load the installer from DVD and install the OS, but still not booting up normally, so I don't think these are the magic settings.

Figured I'd add this in as one more thing I've tried.

[Tradesman]

Do you have the latest BIOS?

[Statik2083]

Bios Version: 760GM-GS3 P1.10

looking at ASRock's site on this, 1.10 is the latest

here's the page on the mobo
http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=760GM-GS3

did my research and the processor and the memory are both listed as compatible

Bios downloads
http://www.asrock.com/mb/download.as...0GM-GS3&o=BIOS

Unless someone's got something stashed away lol

[Tradesman]

At 1066, as a test might try with 7-7-7-21, CR (Command Rate) at 2N, DRAM voltage at 1.55, CPU/NB at 1.27 and see how that goes

[Statik2083]

7-7-7-21 @ 1.55v

I listed all the values I have under memory timing - I don't see one for CPU / NB
Given most people list command rate at 1T or 2T I think that's listed on this bios as "MA timing"

I have options to adjust the processor voltage and options for the NB Frequency multplier

Current Processor voltage is 1.4000 V
Current Nb Frequency Multplier is x8.0 1600MHz

if possible please use the options given, I'm an experienced computer builder, but I've not really dabbled into OC work before and this is the first time I've had to uber-tweak the settings just to get the blasted thing to boot, while I'm familiar with the standard 7-7-7-21 timing settings all the rest of them listed are greek to me. Any and all illumination into their meanings and suggested values is welcome.

That being said, here's my current configuration trying to duplicate your recommendations -

Memory clock - 533 mhz DDR3...1066
DRAM Voltage - 1.55v

Memory controller Model - unganged
Power down enable - disabled
Bank Interleaving - auto
channel Interleaving - hash 2

CAS latency - 7*
TRCD - 7*
TRP - 7*
TRAS - 21*
TRTP - 4
TRRD - 4
TWTR - 4
TWR - 8
TRC - 27
TRWTWB - 7
TRWTTO - 6
TWRRD - 2
TWRWR - 3
TRDRD - 3
TRFC0 - 110
MA Timing - 2 (2T)*

CHA ADDR/CMD Delay - 22/64
CHA ADDR/CMD Setup - 1
CHA CS/ODT Delay - 0
CHA CS/ODT Setup - 1/2
CHB ADDR/CMD Delay 24/64
CHB ADDR/CMD Setup 1
CHB CS/ODT Delay 0
CHB CS/ODT Setup 1/2

CHA CKE Drive - 1.50x
CHA CS/ODT Drive - 1.50x
CHA ADDR/CMD Drive - 1.50x
CHA CLK Drive - 1.50x
CHA DATA Drive - 1.00x
CHA DQS Drive - 1.00x
CHA Processor ODT - 60 Ohms
CHB CKE Drive - 1.50x
CHB CS/ODT Drive - 1.50x
CHB ADDR/CMD Drive - 1.50x
CHB CLK Drive - 1.50x
CHB DATA Drive - 1.00x
CHB DQS DRIVE - 1.00x
CHB Processor ODT - 60 ohms

* are settings that are manually changed by me, the others where changed by the bios automatically when I switched the memory clock setting.

Results:
Normal boot
gets to "Starting Windows" and reboots automatically before going into Win76 x64 Ultimate

Safe mode - stops on loaded: \windows\system32\Drivers\disk.sys then reboots automatically after about 90 seconds.

Net change - none.

[GSKILL TECH]

Have you ever attempted one module at a time?

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Statik2083]

yep,

Tried one and two separately and got identical results
Multiple different ISOs, burns and flash installs of Windows 7

Given I'm now consistently stopping at the same spot, I've tried a few other options including a different power supply I'm running. i'm thinking I may have underestimated the mobo/processor's power hunger... even though it's only 95 watt...

The current power supply is 420, i've got a 530 on hand giving similar results.
I'm debating going up to a 730
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817152036

to see if this powers it through

http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-d...-disk-sys.html

Same issue i'm having with windows now that I've tweaked the memory, so I'm debating if that's what's causing it.

[GSKILL TECH]

Have you tried reinstalling Windows?

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Statik2083]

multiple times, it either goes through then bombs the same way, or it gets various exception and other oddball errors when trying to load windows7

[GSKILL TECH]

I'd suggest trying different hardware to narrow down the problem. Maybe you can borrow memory or a CPU to test with.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Statik2083]

Well,

so far I've pretty much eliminated down everything but the power supply,
I've duplicated or gotten very similar issues with two different processors
Two different sets of ram (ADATA) 4 different hard drives. 4 different OSs

But neither powersupply is over 530 watts, and most builds I see other people posting are 700 watts and up for quad core.

one forum specifically mentioned the issue with windows as being under and it does seem to be the one remaining common factor in the two builds that are failing.

[GSKILL TECH]

Geez, just an unlucky build. :/

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Statik2083]

This is my first foray into AM3, haven't built any major power house computers in a while, so I'm hoping I just underestimated the required power...

Either that or I'm cursed lol

[Statik2083]

not the power supply...

so, I picked up a 730 watt power supply to try giving this thing a boost...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817152036

same results - I cannot boot off the one install I managed to get through (Via Dvd) and I've been thus far unable to do a re-install via USB

Re-install Freezes at "Setup is Starting..." in windows7 startup.
Normal boot freezes at the same exact spot it did before.

At this point I'm going to put this motherboard up and go to the other build which wasn't working either - the biostar,

I've done changed out everything except the processor... different Hard drives, Install media, Power Supplies, RAM... all go to the same lockup and this is on the RMA'd board (first board did the same thing)

I'm thoroughly frustrated ... I have *never* had this sort of issue on any prior build... and I've done a decent number of builds over the years...

if this is AMD's new pickiness with RAM... I'm just about ready to pony up for Intel processors and mobos.