I've had some issues with my booting a while, and come to the conclusion that is probably is the motherboard. 
(The screen is black at coldboot - have to restart and everything is fine. I've seen some few other people on the Gigabyte forum having the same issue)

I have the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R v2.0.
The problem is, there seems to be a problem to source x58 (LGA1366 socket) motherboards. At least in Norway.

So, I have to either get a new MB or to change a lot of components. 

The DAW consists of:

Gigabyte UD3R MB
Intel i7 920 CPU D0 Bloomfield
OCZ Gold 12GB 1600mhz RAM
Nvidia NVS450 GPU
Corsair AX950 PSU
Noctua NH-D14 CPU cooler


It is in a Fractal Design R3 case, so it has some space. No need for a miniATX or anything like that :)
An other "must have" is to have a Texas Instrument Firewire chip. Not a 100% must have, as I can buy this separately. But I like to have it tight integrated. 

So, what do you say, should I: 
a) try to aquire a new 1366 MB 
b) change to another MB and CPU (might also need to change the ram?)

if I go for option a) - anyone have a good alternative? I've heard good things of the Intel DX50SO MB.

if option b)
what should I go for? 

I don't know what ASUS has, but maybe look at them.  I have my main system, built last summer, using a Gigabyte GAZ77 UD5H motherboard (see my sig).  I have another system that had an ASRock Z77 motherboard that would not run UEFI/GPT drives but would run with MBR formatted drives (it is out of warranty due to a previous replacement) and I just rebuilt it with an ASUS Z77 motherboard (and an i5 3550) and I like the ASUS board over the ASRock.  

kristoffer

I've heard good things of the Intel DX50SO MB.

This MB was on my list when I was putting my PC together, until I heard that it is incompatible with UAD cards.  But maybe that is not an issue for you.

Thanks Kev, nice to know. 
I don't have UAD cards - and havent really seen the need for it yet (but who knows) 

Do you know why it is incompatible? 

Thanks fireberd.
Checked Asus - they actually have a few 1366 (x58) MB's listed on their website, basicly several revisions of the P6T7 motherboard.

Thinking to check a bit furter though, it seems those MB's were produced in 2009 :)

They also seem to have VIA FW chips and dont have USB 3.0 either. (not a must - but I hope to have this DAW a couple of years)

kristoffer

Thanks Kev, nice to know. 
I don't have UAD cards - and havent really seen the need for it yet (but who knows) 

Do you know why it is incompatible? 

This is quoted from the UAD website:

Intel DX58SO motherboard is incompatible with UAD-2 PCIe


Symptom: Opening the UAD Meter & Control panel application, or attempting to open a UAD plug-in while a UAD-2 is installed, will completely freeze the system or cause a BSOD.


The UAD-2 is incompatible with the Intel DX58SO motherboard. We recommend choosing a different motherboard for use with UAD-2, as there are currently no workarounds.

Or is DX50SO entirely different from DX58SO?

ya ive had good luck with gigabyte, but theres always a few bad mobo's in a bundle, not as in QC but as in a series, once in a while theres a bad series.
I have an HP laptop like that the DV1000 series, the mobo's were a recall even (the largest in HP history.)
sorry to hear man. best of luck in the future, just don't get turned off by gigabyte, there still good mobo's  :0

Before you swap out the motherboard, make sure you test the RAM.
A bad stick of RAM can cause the exact symptom you describe.   
Put a single stick of RAM in the slot furthest from the CPU (closest to the outside edge of the motherboard).
If you can get the machine to boot/post with a single stick of RAM... and it won't with another... you know which stick is defective.

kristoffer


I've had some issues with my booting a while, and come to the conclusion that is probably is the motherboard. 
(The screen is black at coldboot - have to restart and everything is fine. I've seen some few other people on the Gigabyte forum having the same issue)

I have the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R v2.0.
The problem is, there seems to be a problem to source x58 (LGA1366 socket) motherboards. At least in Norway.

I switched from Gigabyte to Asus Sabertooth. Works fine. My problem is I sank lot of money in I7 950's. Then more in ssd's. No X58 board will run ssd's at more than 50-60% of their top speed. I feel kinds cheated but on the other hand the system is plenty fast enough to run everything I do. 

John

Jim Roseberry


Before you swap out the motherboard, make sure you test the RAM.
A bad stick of RAM can cause the exact symptom you describe.   
Put a single stick of RAM in the slot furthest from the CPU (closest to the outside edge of the motherboard).
If you can get the machine to boot/post with a single stick of RAM... and it won't with another... you know which stick is defective.

Thank Jim, but the mobo did the same with my prior  RAM configuration also. I thought the RAM was bad and bought a 12GB OCZ set (2xtriple channel) and the same behavior. Then I changed my PSU - but it did not improve either. 


It is not the worst issue to have - but I've had the mobo for 2 years and the retailer has accepted to exchange/give me a refund.