Golden FX-57 dead - another DFI Expert victim?

[Dumo]

which psu are you guys using?? maybe is a problem with dfi+psu.

For RDX200 I use Zippy 700 (no problem with >3.2Vdimm)which won't work with Ultra-D with 4V jumper enabled. Enermax 660 is the other way around.

[Flox]

Martin, in DFI manual it's very clear and i know this for sure...

4 red leds up: System startup
3 red leds up: CPU Detected
2 red leds up: DRAM Detected
1 red leds up: VGA Detected
zero leds: System boot-up

This means each test sucessfull, one red led goes off. If 3 red leds are up and the system holds, that means that there's a problem with the CPU, didnt pass the test diagnost.

Can´t follow this logic...

...your friend´s got 3 LEDs up and manual says "3 red LEDs up: CPU Detected", so I´d say: CPU´s been detected, but no DRAM.

Greetz, Flox

[Fr3ak]

Of course you have to keep in mind that you can damage your hardware while overclocking, but I'd say OPB and Pedro know how to swap cpus from one mainboard to another..

There are too many dead cpus already with this board for my liking..
Might be the board or anything else. Who knows. I guess only DFI can tell wether there is something wrong or not.

[Atomez]

I just toasted an Opteron 148 on DFI Expert the other day, but that was my fault. I made a wrong calculation for the "CPU VID Special Control" % volt increase and I later figured the CPU was getting more than 2 V ... so it delivered its soul to the creator ...

Anyway DFI guys should arrange for a more clear way of showing the actual Vcore instead of damn percentages

And just stating in the manual:

CPU VID Control

Important: Although this function is supported, we do not recommend that you use a higher voltage because unstable current may be supplied to the system board causing damage.

is definitely not enough!

Why then should we buy this more expensive mobo???

Pedro, ganda azarito, meu!

[Raptor]

This sittuations is simply not acceptable.


Me, Pedro, Ricky and Daniel are extremly angry about this situation, since this CPU was a great find from all the FX-57 we search, because of the cold-bug situation.


The life of a Extreme Overclocker is not an easy one, and with these "manufacturer mistakes", not a cheap one.

[uOpt]

Martin, in DFI manual it's very clear and i know this for sure...

4 red leds up: System startup
3 red leds up: CPU Detected
2 red leds up: DRAM Detected
1 red leds up: VGA Detected
zero leds: System boot-up

This means each test sucessfull, one red led goes off. If 3 red leds are up and the system holds, that means that there's a problem with the CPU, didnt pass the test diagnost.

Sorry you are wrong here. 3 LEDS staying on means the memory hasn't been detected. I know for sure from "various" memory expriments.

My friend did several CMOS Clear on both boards, almost every time before a system startup, he even changed his ram setup with another similar kit, he basicly change almost all the hardware.

In every diferent system setup he tried, where he puts that FX55, the problem was the same. He put the Opty back again in the DFI-SLI DR, made a CMOS Clear and the system powerup nicely and smooth as it was before.

All points out to the FX55 death....On a DFI Expert!

Ok, just wanted to make sure a full clear was done.

[JohnMike]

Sorry you are wrong here. 3 LEDS staying on means the memory hasn't been detected. I know for sure from "various" memory expriments.

Well, i could say the same, but i read it in another way. DFI manual says:

Led 2 to Led 5 are diagnostic leds. These Leds will indicate the current condition of the system.

System Condition: 4 Led - System Start-up
3 Led - CPU detected
2 Led - DRAM detected
1 Led - VGA detected
0 Led - System Boot-up

I understand that 4 led means system is up, one led goes off at 3 we are at CPU detection, another goes off at 2 we are at DRAM detection, another goes off at 1 we are at VGA detection, and the last goes off at 0 we have passed all tests and the system boots.

This is my read, each time a led goes off, it means the detection was sucessfull and pass to the next item diagnostic.

I could be wrong even with my experiments of the past, but my friend case is the FX55 for sure, that CPU doesn't work anymore even on a different board, the RAM is fine and works has before, actually everything works fine except for the FX55 and maybe the Expert also, he doesn't wants to risk another CPU on that board.

By tomorrow or during the weekend DFI Portugal will have the Expert with the FX55 and than we just have to wait and see what DFI has to say.

this is a bfp, the cpu was exelent, rare, expensive...

just working normaly, reboot, no work, 3 leds.
get cpu out, get cpu in again, boot, ok,
enter the bios, load normal config we have used before, reboot to safe bios configs, puff, no more cpu, this is not normal, cpu fisicaly is perfect, but didnt work, shut down all boards 1s after turn on

Looks like Pedro Rocha&Ricky case is a bit similar to my friends FX55, they also had the 3 leds, but they could get once to the bios, my friend case couldn't pass the 3 leds with that FX55 even in a different board, and i say again....The RAM is FINE!

Regards

[mike]

I had a similar 3LED problem yesterday with the expert - but didn't have any hardware failure.

I was running 3DMark05 on an OPTY overclocked to 3.05GHZ on air and had a crash during the run.

After the crash I decided to put in another Videocard and test that card.
When rebooting the Expert would get stuck on 3LEDs. I could not get the system to boot again. I let the system rest with PSU off several times, but nothing would kick it on again. At first I had assumed that the CPU bit the dust.

I took out the Videocard and powered up the system without any Videocard installed and it would still hang with 3 LEDs.
When I put in the original Videocard ( both were 7800GTXs) - the system booted again. After that I switched back to the Videocard again that may or may not have caused the system not to boot, but now the videocard did work perfectly fine.

I have no idea right now if there might be any correlation to any of the above problems - I just wanted to share this experience, maybe any kind of parralel could be found.

[s7e9h3n]

I had a similar 3LED problem yesterday with the expert - but didn't have any hardware failure.

I was running 3DMark05 on an OPTY overclocked to 3.05GHZ on air and had a crash during the run.

After the crash I decided to put in another Videocard and test that card.
When rebooting the Expert would get stuck on 3LEDs. I could not get the system to boot again. I let the system rest with PSU off several times, but nothing would kick it on again. At first I had assumed that the CPU bit the dust.

I took out the Videocard and powered up the system without any Videocard installed and it would still hang with 3 LEDs.
When I put in the original Videocard ( both were 7800GTXs) - the system booted again. After that I switched back to the Videocard again that may or may not have caused the system not to boot, but now the videocard did work perfectly fine.

I have no idea right now if there might be any correlation to any of the above problems - I just wanted to share this experience, maybe any kind of parralel could be found.

Here's the solution:

Stop switching the cards around. Pack up the extra 7800 and then ship it to me

[CrashOv3r1De]

Crap I hate hearing this. Makes me scared to use my eXpert. FX57 is running @ 3ghz on air so far. LS is comming back soon from mods. Maybe I will have get the ASUS A8N32 SLI for peace of mind after all. :/

Let me know what DFI says. I hope you can get the CPU RMA'ed

Mike I dont think its about being spoiled. When the CPU is working great without any problems on another mb and you change the boards keeping identical conditions and the cpu dies something here is seriously wrong.

As we have noticed the eXpert/rdx killed a few cpus. But their is a chain, all of the guys who lost cpus were running them way out of spec. Dumo and pedro are running their cpus at much higher frequencies than everyone else on XS with an expert/rdx. Most of us are probably safe because we havent pushed our cpus so damn far on the expert. If all of us got a cascade for our expert i think we would be seeing more deaths.

[JohnMike]

As we have noticed the eXpert/rdx killed a few cpus. But their is a chain, all of the guys who lost cpus were running them way out of spec. Dumo and pedro are running their cpus at much higher frequencies than everyone else on XS with an expert/rdx. Most of us are probably safe because we havent pushed our cpus so damn far on the expert. If all of us got a cascade for our expert i think we would be seeing more deaths.

Crash, i fill that you may not read my first post here with attention, take a look at this quote that i wrote, 1º paragraph:

Hi all, this is my first post and sorry to start with bad news. A friend of my has a FX55 that died today on DFI Expert....and without any OC!!

That's right...It's true and it's well written, my friend FX55 and his Expert whore without any OC!!

Regards

[ozzimark]

System Condition: 4 Led - System Start-up
3 Led - CPU detected
2 Led - DRAM detected
1 Led - VGA detected
0 Led - System Boot-up

that last led doesn't go off until the board gets past the POST, so it would be as follows:
all 4 on: cpu dectecting
3 on: ram detecting
2 on: video card bios detecting
1 on: working on finishing POST

[Supreme_Evil]

Really bad news, my golden FX-57 (that do more than 3.900mhz benchable) just die after a few hours on the new DFI Expert...

There are any physical damage, but the cpu is really dead test it on another 3 boards, just don't boot and turns board down.

I don't think I ever get such great overclocker/non codbuged CPU like this ..this is really frustrating

It is not the first time that happend (remember OPB's.) my previous FX-57 run on the SLI-DR for many months on phase without any issue..

So may advise is : for now stay way from the DFI Expert if do serious overclocker ..or at least do not put valuable and precious CPU's on it..

I hope DFI can give a convincing explanation about this ..

Hi, Pedro:
Sorry to hear your story. You certainly drew our attention here. We had already conducted simulation tests, so far we could not duplicate the situation mentioned on your post.

To be able to look into this issue further, we need more details of what circumstance could cause this type of damage. For instance, details of programs you were running, a detail list of hardware connected to you motherboard, and BIOS setting you were using at that time. All those information will help us to narrow down the test range of our simulation tests.

Please assist us with more detail information. Thank you!

[MFM]

Hi,

The FX-55 JohnMike mentioned was mine!! The FX-55 was running perfectly without any kind of OC. One day, at night, i turn off the PC after playing BF2 and the next day, when i turn on the computer i could only hear a long "beeepppp" and 3 led's red.

3 days before, i've recived a message from the nvidia on my desktop, after i turn on the pc, telling me that the graphic card doesn't recived suficient power and if i choose the button "troubleshooting", says me to connect the power suply for the GPU. The GPU was a 6600GT and doesn't need extra power suply(I've a Enermax NoiseTaker 600W SLI Ready). I've got 2 more messages like this before the FX55 dies. I turn off the PC, wait a few minutes and then turn on PC again...and no problem with the power on GPU!!! I think probably this mobo had some kind of problem with the electric circuit , and doesn't give the correct voltage for PCIe, CPU, etc! It's very very strange!!! Today the 6600GT is working fine in the other computer i've (DFI SLI-DR), and never had some kind of message like i had in the DFI Expert!!! First i think GPU dies, but no.... it was the FX-55!!!

I think its time to DFI starting to do something, because many processors are to die in these motherboards and i'm losing the trust on this mobo's!! I am not the first one and certainly also not the last.....unhappily!!!!

Regards,

Pic of the Nvidia message:

[slow'puter]

Anybody taking count of what revision these boards are? It might be a bad batch.

BTW, hello all. First post here in XS, long time guest.

[mdzcpa]

To All:

Below is a post from a DFI representative. I post it here again because some of you may not have recognized that this is DFI asking for more information on Pedro's situation.

Until more information is gathered, I urge that we stay calm and not jump to conclusions. Threads like this tend to attract every user with a problem from around the globe. I see that 4 new members have registered only to report thier problems on this thread. Its easy to see how things can snowball.

I am not only speaking from my own positive personal experience with multiple DFI Expert motherboards, but from a common sense approach to issues such as this. Until DFI can duplicate the problem and verify an issue, I think we should reserve judgement. That's just my 2 cents.

I appreciate DFI looking into this matter.

Hi, Pedro:
Sorry to hear your story. You certainly drew our attention here. We had already conducted simulation tests, so far we could not duplicate the situation mentioned on your post.

To be able to look into this issue further, we need more details of what circumstance could cause this type of damage. For instance, details of programs you were running, a detail list of hardware connected to you motherboard, and BIOS setting you were using at that time. All those information will help us to narrow down the test range of our simulation tests.

Please assist us with more detail information. Thank you!

[MFM]

I'm not judging DFI ....Since my SLI-DR, i'm an DFI addicted ... I've already 2 mobo's from DFI (SLI-DR and SLI-DR Expert) and after this FX dies i had 0 problems with DFI mobo's. I'm just reporting my problem. I've regitered here in XS because i saw the Pedro's post and after that, my FX-55 dies too and i wanna tell him (and to others unlucky guys) that isn't the only one with this kind of situation with this mobo, and in my case, without any type of OC!!!

Regards,

[xgman]

To All:


Until more information is gathered, I urge that we stay calm and not jump to conclusions. Threads like this tend to attract every user with a problem from around the globe. I see that 4 new members have registered only to report thier problems on this thread. Its easy to see how things can snowball.

I am not only speaking from my own positive personal experience with multiple DFI Expert motherboards, but from a common sense approach to issues such as this. Until DFI can duplicate the problem and verify an issue, I think we should reserve judgement. That's just my 2 cents.

I appreciate DFI looking into this matter.

well said.

[MFM]

Hi, Pedro:
Sorry to hear your story. You certainly drew our attention here. We had already conducted simulation tests, so far we could not duplicate the situation mentioned on your post.

To be able to look into this issue further, we need more details of what circumstance could cause this type of damage. For instance, details of programs you were running, a detail list of hardware connected to you motherboard, and BIOS setting you were using at that time. All those information will help us to narrow down the test range of our simulation tests.

Please assist us with more detail information. Thank you!

In my case,

List of Hardware:

Enermax Noisetaker 600W SLI Ready power suply
DFI SLI-DR Expert
Patriot 2GB PC-3200 (PDC2G3200LLK)
WD Raptor 74GB
2x Hitachi Sata2 80GB
Creative Audigy X-Fi XtremeMusic
XFX 6600GT PCIe
LG Combo
Nec DVD-RW
LIS2 Premuim VFD
TT Hardcano 13

List of programs:

WinXP Pro SP2
Some games (BF2, COD2, Steam)
Smartguardian
Openoffice2
Creative X-FI software and drivers
Other programs like winrar, etc
Latest ForceWare Release 80 - Windows XP/2000 32-bit Version: 81.95 and nForce4 AMD Edition - Windows XP/2000 (32-Bit) chipset drivers Version: 6.70
Multimedia Control Centre for LIS2 Premium VFD v2.2.2.2

Bios Configuration (default BIOS that cames with mobo):

Dificult to report because i can't access to bios now, but as i remember i've changed the values from "auto" to the correct settings on the CPU voltage, multiplier, etc to run the CPU default values (200x13 -> 2600MHz), and the mem setings. On the mems menu i only changed the tCAS-tRCD-tRP-tRAS to 2-3-2-5, and choose 200MHz at frequency and the vDimm to 2.6v. The others changes in other BIOS menus was less important (i think), like onboard audio off, IEE off, etc. One other thing i changed was the primary display to PCIe, because it was PCI. Nothing more....

I hope this info usefull to try to understand what happened.

Regards,

[uOpt]

I still think it would improve the situation a lot if we would send around some of the "killing" boards so that a few of us can have a look before they go to DFI.

Because no matter what DFI says or does, zealots from either side will cry foul. Even if DFI would start hading out CPUs for free, then some people would take that as confirmation that their board was at fault.

It is a lose-lose situation for DFI - and for those of us who saved countless hours of our free time because of DFI's work.

[man called (E)]

@ MFM..Why did you buy a DFi board if you werent overclocking? Why does anyone buy DFi boards if theyre not going for world records? There are much better stable alternatives then DFi for stability and price.

[hipro5]

Shi(f)t.....I can understand your pain in your heart caused by this burned CPU.....It's BETTER lossing 10 motherboards, than 1 killer CPU......I fill sorry for you Pedro.....

I hate when a good CPUs passes away just like that......It doesn't cost money, it costs in our heart......

[mdzcpa]

I'm not judgement DFI ....Since my SLI-DR, i'm an DFI addicted ... I've already 2 mobo's from DFI (SLI-DR and SLI-DR Expert) and after this FX dies i had 0 problems with DFI mobo's. I'm just reporting my problem. I've regitered here in XS because i saw the Pedro's post and after that, my FX-55 dies too and i wanna tell him (and to others unlucky guys) that isn't the only one with this kind of situation with this mobo, and in my case, without any type of OC!!!

Regards,

I want to make it perfectly clear that i have absolutely no problems with folks reporting their success of failure with certain hardware. My comment was not directed at you. I was pointing out how threads like this can lead to distorted data when it attracts people with problems from around the globe without attracting the happy satisfied users as well.

I am happy that you registered here at XS and hope you stay around and enjoy the forums!

[MFM]

@ MFM..Why did you buy a DFi board if you werent overclocking? Why does anyone buy DFi boards if theyre not going for world records? There are much better stable alternatives then DFi for stability and price.

Simple...i had my FX-55 overcloked on the SLI-DR with the patriot mems, and it OC good. When i put the FX on the Expert with this mems, i can't OC very well, so i was waiting to "change" my mems or waiting for a new Official BIOS release that improve mem performance. Until then i was waiting. I wouldn't like to make the OC with divisors on the mems or pull the multi too high. I'm using air cooling for now....waiting to buy perhaps a promy. It was good not having done oc with this mobo, because we now can presume thats not the OC that kills the FX!!!

Why does anyone buy DFi boards if theyre not going for world records?

It's your point of view.......

Regards,

[alpha0ne]

@ MFM..Why did you buy a DFi board if you werent overclocking? Why does anyone buy DFi boards if theyre not going for world records? There are much better stable alternatives then DFi for stability and price.

Maybe because it has the best layout by far + design + 4 phase power reg + abundant feature set + superiour stability + the abundence of ram bios settings enabling the user to gain the most from there components

EDIT: provoking comment removed
-saaya