Computer Freezes navigating BIOS

Question

Computer started acting up, and this is where I am. I have only the CPU, RAM and video card plugged in, the main power line to the mobo, the CPU power line, and the PCI-E to the video card.

Specs:

• ASUS P5N72-T Premium
• Intel Core 2 Quad 9550
• Patriot Extreme Performance DDR2-8500 (2x2GB)
• Corsair HX1000W PSU
• EVGA NVIDIA GTX 295

With two sticks of the RAM in (in the yellow slots as per the manual), it locks up after a short while navigating the BIOS menu. If I use only 1 stick, it works. I tried swapping out other memory (Crucial Ballistix) and 2x512MB of that works. I figured it might some kind of power issue, so I swapped the video for a 7900GTO. Same issue. I swapped the PSU for a known good Corsair 400W of sorts (with the 7900), and same thing. The Crucial RAM works, the Patriot causes it to lock. I've tried each of the Patriot sticks individually and they all work. I currently have 2 of the Patriot sticks in another computer and they are functioning fine.

Other notes:

• The heatsink over the northbridge (and southbridge actually) get quite hot quite fast.
• These parts were all purchased in June.
• I originally had 4x2GB sticks of RAM in, and to get them running at close to what they are advertised to run at (1066), I had to do manual tuning in the BIOS, so I had the CPU and RAM unlinked, with the CPU running at 2.92GHz (from 2.83) and the RAM was at 1000. Voltage was automatic (supposed to be 2.1v for that RAM @ 1066).

All this and former experience tells me I'm looking at a new mobo since I've never had a CPU die, especially not with a mere 100MHz OC, but I wanted to get the community opinion. The only other CPU I have that is LGA775 is an old Prescott 3.2GHz, but it's not in the supported list for that mobo, so I don't really want to drop it in. So basically, unless you guys come up with something or point out something I've overlooked, I'm out of testing options and my next step is mobo warranty (and/or buy a new one).

If that's the case, feel free to suggest a replacement board. I'm a fan of the nvidia stuff, mainly due to the SLI support, and the one driver bundle to install (previous experience with Intel based boards wasn't good since you had to manually install 7 different driver packages for all the different bits), but I'm open to intel based boards if the experience nowadays is similar.

Links:

• RAM

• Motherboard

EDIT:

I did just consider the fact that that mobo might not like that RAM, but I've been running it like that since June when I built the thing, and I didn't update the BIOS recently or do anything that would change how the mobo felt about the RAM. In another computer with an ASUS mobo, I had to buy some Patriot RAM to replace some OCZ stuff after I updated the BIOS and the mobo wasn't happy with the OCZ anymore.

EDIT 2:

I should also point out that when it locks up while in the BIOS (or frankly whenever it locks up in a nasty way) even the reset button doesn't do anything, furthering the evidence for the mobo.

EDIT 3:

It occurred to me that the BIOS would lock up when a key was pressed. I grabbed a PS/2 keyboard (my normal one is USB) and it seems to work with no lockups. Am going to try running the USB keyboard on a different port.

EDIT 4:

Tried the USB keyboard in the other ports. Using it in the BIOS causes a lockup, while using the PS/2 doesn't. Bizarre.

EDIT 5:

Put it all back together, and it still gives me crap. I think it's the mobo so I will be RMA'ing it.

Answer 1

I have read quite a bit of what you have written - I deal a lot of with hardware and personally, if this is me I would just do the following if in the same situation:

1. Unplug everything but the bare essentials (cables and hardware). Plug just graphics if no internal, cpu, one stick of known working memory, power, keyboard and video.

2. Update BIOS

3. If still problems, send back as faulty / RMA.

Sorry - you wrote a lot, if I missed something, please say.... If you are sure your memory is not the problem, It may be worth just replacing it now.

Answer 2

Lockups while in BIOS makes me lean towards an overheating issue or motherboard issue. Typically ram issues would reset in a reboot more than a lockup.

IMHO:

1. Do a factory reset on all settings.
2. go into the bios settings and directly to the power monitoring section, move the arrows around until it locks up, is any voltage/temperature look odd?
3. Your link for the MB isnt working for me, but if there's more than 2 slots try different slots.
4. Try running both sticks of ram in single channel mode instead of dual as Im assuming

Answer 3

I'd be looking at the RAM suspiciously. If you can get any kind of stability in the machine, you can run a memory test using an Ubuntu installation CD, or downloading a Memtest86 boot CD.

Answer 4

i would go with the bios update...even with one stick..maybe the bios update will fix a issue that was previously reported for example a problem with the dual channel operation for 2x2GB chips and single works fine. After a new bios make it lock up...get back to us..

Answer 5

Try removing the HDD, then try to navigate BIOS. If you can, then that could be the culprit.