Confused BIOS icon and nonfunctioning RAM ports
Confused BIOS icon and nonfunctioning RAM ports
I own an older PC purchased from a friend for gaming and basic 3D tasks. It features a Gigabyte x58a-UD3R Rev 1.0 i7-970 (LGA1366) with 12GB RAM (three 4GB modules). I recently swapped my 6GB RAM setup for the Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz DDR3 sticks, which initially functioned temporarily. I attempted to run Crossfire on two Radeon 5870 graphics cards, but after reseating them, I failed to boot. Since there’s no display output, I suspected a GPU problem. I removed and reinserted all RAM modules, then tried using just two sticks in slots 3+5 or 4+6. Placing a stick in slots 1 or 2 still prevented POST. It seems the issue isn’t with the RAM sticks themselves, as swapping them in working slots works. I’m puzzled by why reseating the GPU could cause two DIMM slots on different channels to malfunction. Additionally, after installing the RX590, everything worked until a garbled BIOS logo appeared—sometimes flashing even though it usually shows a static image. The logo appears during POST but doesn’t stop it from starting. Could this be a display or firmware issue? I’m also concerned about whether my board is still functional, especially since I’ve ordered a replacement beep speaker that won’t arrive until tomorrow.
Your computer setup is nearly identical to the one described. I haven’t seen any problems like this before. All six slots are filled with Corsair 2GB DIMMs, and the manual on page 16 seems relevant. For your curiosity, have you tried using the old graphics card or reinitializing your BIOS?
I removed the CMOS with the button and battery method, but neither worked for either problem. The RAM issue appeared before upgrading the GPU, but I haven’t reinstalled the 5870 yet because the BIOS problem started, so I’ll try that and update you on the outcome.
You've tried flashing the BIOS from F8A to F7, but the problems persist. The videos you watched about RAM issues mentioned bad bins on the CPU, which doesn't seem likely since your cooler was still working and you didn’t replace it right away. You’re concerned about spending more money on a new board if things don’t improve. Consider other options or check if there are any hidden settings affecting performance.