ASUS P5E3 Deluxe, HD 4870 x2, system locks up, USB goes down

[RealSnaD]

Hi guys,

I have a problem with my system. It is a brand new installation of Windows Vista Ultimate x64. BIOS version is 1405.

CPU: Intel Q9550 C1
MB: ASUS P5E3 Deluxe WiFi-AP @n
RAM: 2x 2GB CORSAIR XMS3 DDR3 1333 TW3X4G1333C9DHX 9-9-9-24 @1.60v 2N
Video: VisionTek HD 4870 x2
HDD: 2x Seagate 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB in ICH9 Raid 1. Also Seagate 7200.10 750GB and WD 1TB.
PSU: Rosewill RX950-S-B 950W
Case: CoolerMaster HAF 932
Monitor: ViewSonic VX2235WM

I have the latest drivers installed. All Windows updates are in place as well. The PC locks up at random times (I haven't even tried any games because I can't get to them) and all usb devices stop working. Lights on my usb keyboard and mouse go out. The first time it happened, Vista problems solution tool showed that I need to install chipset driver in compatibility mode and gave link to an old driver. I did install the latest Intel x38 chipset driver, version 9.1.0.1012. I didn't get any errors or anything during the installation. It also locks up when I start FIFA 09 and when I click Format of one of my HDDs. Moreover, the same thing happens when Windows Update tries to install Extras and Optional Updates.

I don't have any overclock. The only thing I changed in BIOS is I set memory frequency, timings, command rate, and voltage as specified on DIMMS: DDR3-1333 / 9-9-9-24 / 1.60v / 2N.

Some people on Corsair's forum have reported the same issue with the same memory type and P5E3 Deluxe. The fix was to increase DRAM voltage to 1.70 even though the DIMM says 1.60.

After increasing DRAM voltage to 1.70 I got a blue screen in Vista right after loading. I then booted off my Memtest86+ 2.01 CD, and it found a lot of errors. Then I put DRAM voltage back to 1.60 as showed on DIMM and ran Memtest again. After 13 passes there were no errors. No more blue screens. So raising RAM voltage didn't help.

What I noticed was that when I uninstalled video driver everything started working perfectly fine. No lockups at all. I can install updates, format hard drives, etc. First I tried the latest drivers from ATI website. Then I tried the drivers provided by VisionTek. The same thing keeps happening with both.

I have also read that people have problem trusting Rosewill PSUs. Even though techs at ASUS and at VisionTek told me that my PSU is more than enough for my system, I went to Fry's and picked up Antec TPQ-1000W. That one is on the ATI's certified PSU list for 4870 x2. I installed it, and the system locked up again and USB went down right after Vista loaded. The little speaker inside kept on beeping just like during the previous lockups. Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not.

VisionTek did replace my video card just to rule it out. I also sent my MB to ASUS for repairs. According to the records they have, it has been fixed and the BIOS was flashed. I had to update the BIOS though since the one that they put on was old and didn't even support my CPU.

One last thing. After the system locks up I have to reset the PC by pressing the button on the case. Sometimes I just turn it off. When I do, something really odd is happening. The Internet goes down in my apartment. When I look at my router, the light that shows my desktop activity flashes really fast. I can't ping anything from any of my laptops. As soon as I unplug the network cable from my desktop or just simply turn the PSU off, the Internet comes back right away

I am using the same version of Vista from the same DVD on my laptop. No problems whatsoever.

ASUS confirmed that my memory is supported by the motherboard.

I have tried my video card in both PCIe slots. It didn't help. The card doesn't get hot. Sometimes PC freezes right after Vista loads (after being off all night). So I don't think it is overheating problem. No warning lights come up on the video card.

I bought all my parts in September of 2008. I still can't get the system stable...

I think it is either that some of the drivers don't get along or that I have to change something in BIOS like PCIe frequency and all that stuff.

Has anybody experienced the same problem? Please advise.

Thanks in advance.

[viccan]

Man sound strikingly similar to a problem I was having with my Maximus Formula Board .. I sent it back to them almost a month ago and still have yet to get it back... They tried telling me it was being rejected because the CPU pins were bent and they changed they're minds when I offered to send them pics I took of the socket before it was mailed off and not a one single bent pin... I'll be honest I will not purchase another ASUS board again after this experience.. To try and charge me to fix a bogus problem is pretty lame, when they're board is clearly messed up somewhere else... To top it off they then stated they do not replace the sockets on these boards and would simply send me a new one instead .. That was 3 weeks ago and they still havent sent a new board off??? Im done with asus. I imagine they tried to boot the board it froze just as it was doing for me, and tried to get me for a buck
They are in my opinion deceptive even trying to scam me for a small but quick $40 Guess I've been looking for an excuse to go to DFI anyways... :)

[RealSnaD]

Thanks for your reply, viccan! Four years ago I purchased another ASUS board for my old desktop. It was a P4P800-E Deluxe if I remember correctly. It took a lot of time to set up that one too. When it finally seemed to be working like it was supposed too, something happened, and it refused to boot again. I had to rule out every single device like I am doing now. Then I RMAed the board. It has been working very well since I got it back. It is still doing fine. But all that time I spent figuring out what the problem was and RMAing this thing... When I was buying this new P5E3 Deluxe, I thought ASUS has become better. Now I am stuck again... :(

[nick2crete]

With the 1405 i had the same issues with beeping etc ..There is new bios 1409 ( Enhance compatibility with certain memory modules.)
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socket775/P5E3_DELUXE/P5E3_Deluxe_1409.zip
Try it first and let us know..

[RealSnaD]

Thanks again! I've been trying different things here. I decided to play with the RAM. I got 2 sticks. 2Gb each. I tried my memory in both channels with the same outcome: system locked up. Then I took out one stick. The system has been up for 2 hours now! I can play FIFA 09. I ran 3DMark06 on the best settings with a result of 15K. Everything works perfectly. As I mentioned earlier, I did run Memtest86+ v2.01 with both sticks installed for 13 passes with no errors. Now I am going to run Memtest with only one stick installed and see if any errors come up. If both sticks don't show any errors, then as Corsair techs mentioned, the issue might be with memory controller on the motherboard...

[Falkentyne]

Definitely test each stick separately in the system and try games, etc. If both sticks work by themselves but the system dies with both sticks installed in dual channel, then it's time to try another RAM type (or another board).

Is Gigabyte better when it comes to support? My next board will NOT be an Asus for sure (even though my P5W has been quite stable, at least as stable as my old Abit BH6 1.1 and my IC7 max3 was). Since I live less than 10 miles from Gigabyte anyway, I can just go right to their offices....

(I went there once to RMA a video card and they determined the problem was ironically, something with the windows installation...for some reason, with my HDD, even with a clean driver install, XP failed to boot up (black screen) with any ati drivers on an X800xt-pe, while an X850xt-pe booted perfectly. And the X800 booted perfectly with a fresh driver install...go figure....(even drivercleaner didn't fix this...was clearly some registry problem somewhere...)

That was probably the weirdest problem I ever saw....

[patrickgerry]

Have you tried using different ram slots?

[nick2crete]

You tried a lot...the bios update ?