robnar Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 I have a just built a system with F60 - initially it went as normal and I had the OS running fine without any issues. The system was rebooted a number of times to install drivers, Windows updates etc and then taken to a new site. It worked fine at the new site and was up for maybe 6 hours before turning off. The next morning it was fine for a few hours before the system froze - cursor wouldn't move and not responsive. I reset and Windows wouldn't boot. Since then, I've been unable to reinstall Win7. I have tried: - all combinations of IDE/AHCI/XHD in BIOS - all combinations of SATA ports on motherboard - format the drive with gparted as NTFS before installing - unplugging all drives or connections (ESATA) as well as Ethernet I've probably tried 20 times with different combinations and after going through the install menu and rebooting it just hangs at a black screen with flashing _ cursor in top left. Finally I've arrived at these forums to find that there might be a problem with the firmware of the SSD but I don't have quite the same symptoms as others. Can anyone help? Is this my SSD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synbios Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 What do you mean by Windows wouldn't boot? Does the computer POST? Are you getting BOOT MGR errors? When you try to install Windows do you have any unnecessary expansion cards in the PCI slots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Wow, mine did the same thing on both of my new F40's, Its a mystery indeed, It hasnt done it again though :confused: First F40 It froze on a web page mouse wouldnt move etc. Second time with my second F40 it froze on the Win7 2nd install screen Since were both Gigabyte and we have to use the BETA BIOS for our drives im thinking its the BIOS I would really like to know what the techs think about this one :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synbios Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 But is it also a coincidence that both of you guys have practically the same motherboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Yeah I think its the new BETA BIOS, for me its F11c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 I put mine in RAID0 since then and its been fine so far. "knocking on fake wood, lol" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 What do you mean by Windows wouldn't boot? Does the computer POST? Are you getting BOOT MGR errors? When you try to install Windows do you have any unnecessary expansion cards in the PCI slots? -- Windows won't boot - During the last stages of the Win7 install it completes the last item on the list and then reboots. The reboot runs through BIOS and then hangs at a flashing _ cursor (white text on black screen). If I leave it it reboots and goes to a "Windows did not start properly screen" offering "safe mode" or "start Windows normally options". "Safe mode" says that Windows did not complete installation and must restart and "start Windows normally" returns to the hangin cursor. -- Does the computer POST? Yes. Obviously if I can go through the Windows setup process it POSTs. -- Are you getting BOOT MGR errors? I have had a couple after one attempted install that I couldn't get by, so then I used gparted to format the SSD and tried again. -- Do I have any unnecessary expansion cards in PCI slots? No, only the graphics card as the mobo doesn't have onboard, otherwise this would have been removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 Wow, mine did the same thing on both of my new F40's, Its a mystery indeed, It hasnt done it again though :confused: How did you sort it out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 You need to SecureErase it with PartedMagic, Then just start over installing Windows7, This is what I did after my Freeze incident Make sure you also have the latest BETA BIOS for that board also, It fixes the SMART error with these drives FYI - Of course make sure your using AHCI/Native SATA mode in BIOS and also Disable SMART in BIOS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 But is it also a coincidence that both of you guys have practically the same motherboard? Actually - garikfox has a GA-EP45-UD3P v1.1 and I have a GA-P55A-UD3P so there are some notable differences: P45 vs P55 chipsets 775 vs 1156 sockets DDR2 vs DDR3 RAM etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 When in PartedMagic youll click "System tools etc" then choose the Red Icon Erase Utility Then click Internal Erase at the bottom, Then secure erase the drive, It will go very fast about 2 seconds If the drive says its Frozen just turn off the computer for 2 min then turn it on again and boot back into PartedMagic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Actually - garikfox has a GA-EP45-UD3P v1.1 and I have a GA-P55A-UD3P so there are some notable differences: We use the same Southbridge which is ICH10R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 PartedMagic - Burn the ISO to a DVD+R etc https://sourceforge.net/projects/partedmagic/files/partedmagic/Parted%20Magic%205.5/pmagic-5.5.iso.zip/download BETA BIOS F14a - Not sure if you need this or not it doesnt say like all the other baords it fixes the SMART issue with the board like other boards do, So if your getting SMART command fail errors when it boots up then you might want to try this below http://www.station-drivers.com/page/gigabyte/ga-p55a-ud3p.htm FYI - When you install Win7 make sure to use the Intel RST driver 9.6.0.1014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 8, 2010 Author Share Posted October 8, 2010 Thanks for the replies and info - I'm working on it... Qflash wouldn't recognise a couple of flash drives, so I'm loading Windows on the data drive (Samsung 1TB F3) as a temp measure to flash the BIOS with @BIOS. Then I'll remove everything from the SSD with Parted Magic before reinstalling and reporting back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 8, 2010 Author Share Posted October 8, 2010 Oh great! Win 7 install failed at the same place with the mechanical drive as with the SSD... Just checked BIOS (F10 BTW) and PCH SATA mode is set to IDE (as I've been trying everything). Surely this is the failsafe setting? Any thougths? I'm changing PCH SATA mode to AHCI and reinstalling now on the 1TB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 FYI - To use a USB flash drive for Qflash it needs to be formatted FAT32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 8, 2010 Author Share Posted October 8, 2010 OK, no change. The same crash after install. I've been reading about halt states etc and will try with C1E, C3, C6, C7 and EIST disabled in BIOS, although this seems more a fix for my initial freeze problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 8, 2010 Author Share Posted October 8, 2010 FYI - To use a USB flash drive for Qflash it needs to be formatted FAT32 Thanks - I formatted and tried both FAT32 and FAT(default) without luck. Tried different USB ports (mobo and case), 2 flash drives, nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 8, 2010 Author Share Posted October 8, 2010 Reinstalled with halt states disabled - same failed result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Can you post some BIOS pics so I can see what settings you got Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Here ill post mine so you can see what I use FYI - Make sure your using the Intel SATA Yellow ports 0-3 etc. Dont use the purple ports http://members.cox.net/garikfox/FoxBIOS_1.JPG http://members.cox.net/garikfox/FoxBIOS_2.JPG http://members.cox.net/garikfox/FoxBIOS_3.JPG http://members.cox.net/garikfox/FoxBIOS_4.JPG http://members.cox.net/garikfox/FoxBIOS_5.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 LOL, Sorry there so HUGE and horrible, jeesh lol :o: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 FYI -Disable SMART, BTW Also you can Disable "Onboard H/W 1394" if you dont use Firewire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garikfox Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 Also make sure the Drive is Un-Allocated before the drive goes into the Win7 install So youll secure erase it then boot from the Win7 DVD, to the install screen Once at the Custon Drive properties screen youll see your SSD drive only (make sure no other drive is connected) The SSD will say Unallocated, Plug in the USB thumbdrive drive with the RST drivers for x64 on it let the drive read up then click "Load Driver", Install the RST driver then continue to install Win7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robnar Posted October 8, 2010 Author Share Posted October 8, 2010 Running memtest86 at the mo to check RAM, but also went to the memory configurator (as it is also Corsair) and discovered that my RAM isn't listed. I've ordered some more (another 4GB kit - CMX4GX3M2A1600C9 4GB ) which I will plug in tomorrow when it arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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