xfx 8200 motherboard erratic posting and crashes...

[me_go_fast]

Hello all, this is my first post on this forum, I am quite frustrated with the xfx products I have purchased. I purchased an xfx 8200 motherboard, however I am having major issues getting it to post. I have gotten several different error codes on the LED and none of them are particularly helpful. (not when I don't know what they mean exactly) Nor is tech support, I made a help ticket and they are quite slow to respond.

Heres what I have...

AMD Phenom 8450 X3 2.1ghz
6gb Ram, 2gb x2 ddr2 800, 1gb x2 ddr2 800. Both sets are dual channel
1 500gb sata drive
1 1tb sata drive
xfx 8800gt alpha dog edition (obnoxiously loud fan :(...) but good performance when works
Ultra 750 watt power supply
Windows 7 32 bit, I don't think pertinent to the problem however

Here is the problem...
Ever since I got the board I have had occasional problems getting the motherboard to post. I thought it was from power at first, so I upgraded from a 500watt ultra to an ultra 750 watt. I just recently upgraded the memory, but I have not been able to get the system to post to even get to configure it... Sometimes I can get the system to boot but the screen goes black a couple minutes after I do so.

What I have tried...
I tried all the memory chips in every slot, similar issues, time frame of crash varies. I tested memory in other pcs and with a memory testing utility, the memory test ok, not faulty. I have tried resetting the bios, no change. I have tried a basic system, removed video card and used on board, the system posted, but crashed a few minutes after. So I am at a complete loss...

Tech support (the one message I got) said it could be the memory controller of the board or cpu... However, when I can get the system to post and boot into windows everything runs fine!? I have had the system running under heavy load in windows and no crashes with all the memory installed as well. (windows only recognize 3.5, planned on upgrading to 64 bit, except can't get pc running well...)

I have gotten error code d5 or sp, something like that, depending on which direction you consider to read from. I have also gotten 3c and 2c, unless they are read a different way.

I am at a complete loss, to ideas...

Some things I noticed are that, no matter what I set the voltage of cpu at in bios, the pc health section of the bios never shows it dropping below 1.28v, which is bad, my cpu is only recommended or rated up to 1.25v, however auto sets it higher than 1.3v and manually setting it under 1.25v does not actually change it below 1.28...

Any ideas, suggestions, or comments would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[Blacksmith1]

sounds like you need to get them to rma the baord. I had to send my first 750a back. the new one has run fine since.
2C = Initializes different devices. Detects and initializes the video adapter installed in the system that have optional ROMs
3C= Mid POST initialization of chipset registers.
D5= Bootblock code is copied from ROM to lower system memory and control is given to it. BIOS now
executes out of RAM.
if the system locks at these points then most likely this is the last thing it successfully executed.
being as support has flagged the cpu as a possible culprit, you should (if at all possible) test it in another system. if everything else, including video, tests ok in another sys, that leaves the M/B as the problem. RMA time. it took me about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks to get everything checked out, and get my rma from them. once I sent the board, they had it about 1 day before they put the new one out to me. keep in mind they are a buisness, and have to make sure before thy can send you anything.

[me_go_fast]

Thanks for your response, it is nice knowing the codes! That is quite helpful.

Here is what was happening, now sure why however. My external video card, xfx 8800gt alpha dog was actually what was causing the problem. I removed that for testing, didn't have any problems once I reset the bios to default settings. It seems there was a compatibility issue with my video card and motherboard with bios version 1.1. I upgraded my bios to versions 1.4 and I have not had a problem since! Oddly none of the codes I got on the debug LED pointed in that direction.

So if you are having the d5 no boot error, it could be something as stupid as upgrading your bios... That was my original thought when the problems started arising (very sparsely after getting the new video card with increasing frequency lately), however xfx support is kind of disappointing because I asked for a bios update and the tech didn't mention how to find it. I asked again, they're supposed to be on their site... Well, they're not!? I had to google and find somewhere else the file was hosted, a pain the the you know what!

The important part is the problem is fixed! Thanks again for the response and troubleshooting codes, you provided me with more insight on those than xfx support even when I directly asked about them!

[Blacksmith1]

the 1.7 bios update is hosted on their site, but you have to be logged in as the owner of the board to be able to get it. I used to be a HUGH fan of XFX, but latley I'm not pleased with the direction the company has taken.

[plipz]

Sorry for reviving an old thread but I have the same problem as well. When I tried your suggestions I couldn't find the BIOS at XFX's support even after registering the mobo. Can someone email me the BIOS file? I really do need it :(

[Blacksmith1]

I have thje 1.3 and 1.7 for the 750a SLI. if you have this board i can help you. if you have the 8200 then you need a different bios.
Login and goto this page,http://xfxforce.com/en-us/Help/Support/SupportFiles.aspx, enter your serial # and sort by file type bios.

[plipz]

Thanks for replying but sadly I own the 8200 board and I cannot find a bIOS update for it. Not even a manual (not listed on their site). XFX support is by far the worse I've ever seen, you cant download the drivers without registering and worse of all they dont have BIOS support. I scoured the internet for a BIOS update and confirmed it does exist but XFX may have pulled it because they think nobody uses this board by now. I contacted support regarding this and frankly I'm not surprised they haven't replied. This is the link that hosts that important BIOS file but i think its dead: http://www.xfxsupportb.co.uk/MI-A78S-8209_V17.zip

[plipz]

Huh, weird thing was that I changed the url to match the format of their current links and IT WORKED! Somehow their techs forgot to put the file for linking but it exists on their servers. I tried this link http://driver.xfxsupport.com/public/BIOS/MI-A78S-8209_V17.zip from the old one http://www.xfxsupportb.co.uk/MI-A78S-8209_V17.zip

[Blacksmith1]

glad you found it. I noticed that there is no link on my support page either. They also made it almost impossible to find any info on their M/Bs from their site unless you are the registered owner of one. Guess they want to forget that fiasco.