TA890FXE Problems

I just bought the following three parts:

Phenom II X2 555 BE
Biostar TA890FXE (open box)
4GB DDR3-1600 GeIL ValuePlus (2 x 2GB) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144436

I put everything together and got no POST - motherboard was throwing a lot of different errors on the little LCD screen on the board, but mostly C7 and A2. I tried many different configurations of the RAM in different slots on the board - some got it to POST to a different place than others and one - one stick in slot A1 - got it to boot to Windows. I wasn't able to replicate this after a reboot, however. So I took everything apart, did a CMOS reset and reseated the CPU, put all the RAM back in and it booted to Windows. I installed Win7 just fine, activated it and all was well. I downloaded CPU-Z, Prime95 and the TOverclock utility from Biostar and everything was fine. I started messing with unlocking and it looked like the system unlocked the other 2 cores on the 555. After a little tweaking, I booted to Windows with a 3.8GHz quad at 1.425 vCore. I ran wPrime 32m and got 10.5

I ran Prime95 and it wasn't stable so i started backing down... was BSOD'ing on everything... took it all the way down to 3.2GHz and still no stability. So I decided I was done tweaking for the night, reverted back to 2 cores and booted to windows. Fired up windows updates and went to bed. When I woke up, there was nothing on the screen but the system was still running. I haven't been able to get it to POST since. Right now all it does when I press power is show a C7 error on the MB and no video whatsoever.

Since dead CPU's are very rare and this was a NIB CPU, I doubt its that. The RAM I bought is a brand new line from GeIL and has no reviews on Newegg and the MB was open-box. I really feel like the MB just doesn't like this RAM very much but I don't have any other DDR3 to swap out. I'm kind of in a bind here - I've been very lucky with my builds so far and haven't ever had any kind of DOA or build problems. Any ideas? What does that C7 error usually mean?

I'm pretty sure your Geil Ram won't have any issues with that motherboard...unless you have a bad stick. What voltages are you running on everything? What are all the settings at? What slots do you have the Ram in?

Have you run memtest? (It's build into the motherboard and can be enabled via BIOS).

Well since I did a CMOS reset, all voltages should be default. I can't run anything because I'm getting no video at all now. All I get when I press power is a C7 error on the board, the DVD drive access light blinks a couple times and the drive makes a clicking sound and the right-most 2 of the CPU Power LED lights (PH3_D3 and PH3_D4) blink on and off.

Try booting it with one stick of Ram and see what it does. What slots do you have the Ram in?

I would definitely suggest contacting Biostar tech support as they are quite helpful and will usually get back to you quickly. You might have a motherboard issue but they will surely tell you what that C7 error is.

Just go to their site and fill out the tech support form.

Well right now the 2 sticks are in slots A1 and B1, but I've run in to problems no matter what slots I put the RAM in. Also I've tried each stick alone in different slots when I was having problems before I did the first CMOS reset - before I even started overclocking. I'll try swapping the RAM around again tonight when I get home.

Looks like there's a new BIOS on Biostar's website... If I can ever get it to POST, I'll try to do that update...

It's something Ram related I suspect. I'd clear the CMOS again and try and boot her up on one stick. Then Memtest that one stick, then the other, then both.

I think I'm going to see if I can borrow a stick of DDR3 from a work machine and try that - if all goes well, i'll know it was the RAM

Well, I put in a stick of DDR3 from work and it booted to Windows, but was still extremely unstable. I tried flashing the BIOS and it actually locked during the BIOS flash and now is dead as a doornail.

Anyone know Biostar's policy on BIOS updates gone horribly wrong?

Caviman2201 said:

Well, I put in a stick of DDR3 from work and it booted to Windows, but was still extremely unstable. I tried flashing the BIOS and it actually locked during the BIOS flash and now is dead as a doornail.

Anyone know Biostar's policy on BIOS updates gone horribly wrong?

Click to expand...

So you flashed the BIOS before running Memtest with either RAM or the board being unstable?

Biostar is pretty cool about things from my experiences with them. I'd just say that you have a dead board and start the RMA process. Or if you are within your 30 days return it to NewEgg maybe.

Although there is a high probability that this was your fault, so do what you feel is right.

In my defense, I have determined it isn't the CPU because I put the 555 in my old TF8200 A2+ and it works just fine and I put a known good stick of RAM from work in the board. So what other choices did I have to make the board stable but to try a BIOS flash?

Caviman2201 said:

In my defense, I have determined it isn't the CPU because I put the 555 in my old TF8200 A2+ and it works just fine and I put a known good stick of RAM from work in the board. So what other choices did I have to make the board stable but to try a BIOS flash?

Click to expand...

CPUs almost never die, that's a given. You had the option of running memtest on one stick, then the other, then both together. It might be RAM, it might be mobo...things break...but now you really don't know what the issue is. I'm not trying to pick on you...but for future reference, don't flash a mobo when it's acting silly.

Caviman2201 said:

In my defense, I have determined it isn't the CPU because I put the 555 in my old TF8200 A2+ and it works just fine and I put a known good stick of RAM from work in the board. So what other choices did I have to make the board stable but to try a BIOS flash?

Click to expand...

I can see that.

You knew the RAM stick was good because it came from a running machine at work, right? The CPU tested good in another board, right?

That pretty much leaves the board or the PSU maybe. Any chance of that ...?

xokeman said:

CPUs almost never die, that's a given. You had the option of running memtest on one stick, then the other, then both together. It might be RAM, it might be mobo...things break...but now you really don't know what the issue is. I'm not trying to pick on you...but for future reference, don't flash a mobo when it's acting silly.

Click to expand...

I couldn't even get the machine to POST half the time with that memory installed, however I see your point. I will go ahead and run memtest on those sticks of RAM in a machine at work just to protect myself. I'm not saying it wasn't necessarily the memory as well, however there was definitely something wrong with the board.

QuietIce said:

I can see that.

You knew the RAM stick was good because it came from a running machine at work, right? The CPU tested good in another board, right?

That pretty much leaves the board or the PSU maybe. Any chance of that ...?

Click to expand...

I can say its not the PSU right now because when I put the 555 back into my old TF8200 A2+, using the same PSU, everything was 100% stable. Prime95'ed it at all stock settings and it was stable for over an hour. Yes, the RAM was from a working, running machine at work.

Well probably a bad board I guess.

You could have saved yourself a lot of trouble by contacting Biostar tech support first. They have excellent tech support and would have probably recommended an RMA. Looks like you will be going that way now anyway.

If I were to decide between these two MB's, what would you all suggest?

GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128435
ASUS M4A89GTD PRO - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131633

That's a real coin-toss. Both boards are good. The Gigabyte has more/better I/O - more SATA ports and USB 3 but no eSATA that I saw. The ASUS RAM rating is higher and it has an eSATA port. I checked and both are rated for a 140W CPU even though the Gigabyte specs don't specifically say that (but the CPU support list includes the 140W 965BE). Same audio chip, same chipsets so same video. Tough call ...

The I/O options don't really matter to me - I only have one HDD and I'm not too worried about USB3. One thing that stood out to me was the ASUS's 8+2 phase power design while everything I can find on the Gigabyte says its a 4+1 phase.

I ordered the ASUS earlier today, so it doesn't really matter at this point. I have a feeling I would have been happy with either board.