GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

[Kreed]

I have the GA-X58A-UD3R in a new build with an i7 920 and 12GB of Corsair RAM. everything worked great for a few days then I rebooted the computer and I got a 'Voltage error' at the 1st CMOS screen.
I restarted and it locks at the 1st CMOS screen (But no error message). I was able to reset the CMOS by taking out the battery (Pushing the clear CMOS button wouldn't do it) and get into BIOS setup.

I've tried flashing to the F4 BIOS and back to F3, and removing all the RAM except one stick but I can't get rid of this freeze at the 1st screen.

Now here is the weird part, I accidentally discovered (Leaving the USB stick in from a BIOS flash) that the computer will boot fine if there is a USB stick connected during boot! I get into windows 7 x64 fine and everything is running great but without the USB stick it freezes at the 1st CMOS screen!

Very strange behavior indeed.

Perhaps someone has an idea of whats going on?

Thanks,

[SolidBladez]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

Did you reload Optimized Defaults after flashing?

[Kreed]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

Yes, as well as tried 'Failsafe'.

[JureZ]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

Suggestions:

you may try to change the boot device list and the device boot order.

Also, remove the USB devices from the lists, until you actually need to boot using the USB storage device.

Jure Z.

[Kreed]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

Thanks, however the freeze is happening before it gets to harddrive detection in fact before the memory test.

[karateQQ]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

I've got exactly the same problem with my EP45 UD3R.

I was flashing my video card bios and afterwards I removed the usbstick and the computer crashed.

I tried everything, reseting the cmos and alike, I'm not able to post without the USB-Stick.

If I disable the USB-Controllers altogether it works, but if I just disable USB Storage it hangs during post :(.

Did you find a solution?

[wazza300]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

when you flashed the bios did you untick the keep dmi pool data?? if not try unticking it so that it wipes the pool data before it flashes the bios,it seemslike its searching for the usb stick and if its not there it freezes the pc

[karateQQ]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

I've tried it all.
Somehow the USB-Controller fails to initialize correctly without the stick, regadless of any cmos or dmi settings.

[wazza300]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

was or did u make the usb stick bootable when you flashed? its a very weird problem

[karateQQ]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

Yes it's a pretty old 64MB USB Stick I have been using for bios and other dos stuff for ages.

There must be some eeprom or nvflash on the board besides the cmos which got screwed up -.-.

[sygnus21]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

Just to be sure, did/was the stick removed when you cleared the CMOS? Try this, do a BIOS update without that USB stick. Load Optimized Setup, setup your BIOS and reboot. If that doesn't work. I'm guessing that somehow you got your boot loader stuck on the USB stick and Windows is looking for it when the stick is removed. If that the case, Install the Windows DVD and do system repair. Should fix your problem. In fact, I'd try the system repair anyway. MAKE SURE THE USB STICK ISN'T INSTALLED!!!

You can visit us at Windows Seven forums and check this tutorial - Startup Repair - Windows 7 Forums

Let me know. Good luck.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

I would try what is mentioned above, or just clear the CMOS and then load optimized and start again (Without the USB Stick installed of course)

If you are using RAID, be sure you read this guide for flashing, so you can safely clear your CMOS and load optimized defaults without messing up your array

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/bios-flashing-how-qflash-guide-27576/

If you do go ahead and update the BIOS again, use Qflash and disable "Keep DMI Data" before you flash, you will need to use the PgUp/PgDn keys to change this setting

[karateQQ]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

It cannot post without the USB-Stick. It hangs just before it would say "dual channel ram bla".
And after 20 seconds it reboots. On and on and on. Unless I plug in the USB Stick.

I cannot enter the bios without the USB Stick, it never gets to where it would look for me pressing DEL.

And it never gets to load from my hard drive.

Disabling USB2 in Bios seems to be a workaround, too... but no solution.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

Have you tried clearing the cmos by removing the battery, with the PSU unpluged from the wall, for 20 minutes? If not try that now, and also press and hold the case power button for a minute once you start the process.

If none of that helps, go ahead and leave in the USB Stick, then flash the BIOS as I mentioned above disabling Keep DMI Data, remove the USB Stick, then load optimized defaults and save/apply/reboot.

Also, once the stick is removed check in Advanced BIOS features and make sure your OS hard drive is at the top of the hard disk boot priority list.

[karateQQ]

Re: GA-X58A-UD3R - won't boot without USB stick

I've removed the battery and the power for an hour.

Putting back the battery and turning on the pc imediately leads to the reboot loop I described. As soon as I plug in the USB stick (and it always has to be the same USB Port) the computer POSTs and I can enter the bios.

I guess I'll check my warranty -.-