Don't Buy Gigabyte GA-8PE667 Ultra!!

[TaiZi]

I got this board two weeks ago, and i updated it tp F2 bios, but what can i say about it? may be i should say, "This Motherboard Is SXXK!!!!!! Don't Buy It!!!!! Unless Gigabyte Giving A Good Explaination And Solution For This, Otherwise, I Will Never Buy Gigabyte Product Anymore, I Trusted The Brand Name Of Gigabyte, But What I Got After Paying About USD150??? Is a RUBBISH Product!!"

Ok, you may think I am a bit too much to speake like this? Want to know why, because this motherboard can never support more than two DIMM with DDR333 in any memory time setting, not even DDR270, anything that more than DDR270 with 2 DIMM, it will never boot into windows!! I am so piss of this, here you may think that this is my memory module problem, but the motherboard have no problem when working only 1 DIMM at DDR410(Kingston DDR400 256MB CL2.5 running at DDR410 2-2-2-5), it run perfect! but when you plug in another DIMM(same model), you will have trouble even running at ONLY DDR300!!!!! It really disapoint me.....

I tested 1 DIMM 1 Bank Kingmax TinyBGA DDR400 CL2.5, the maximun stable speed is running at DDR310 (because of two bank problem??? i don t know, but this board looks like cannot support anytime use of more than one bank!)

I tested 2 DIMM 1 Bank APACER DDR400 CL2.5(Samsung Chip), the maximun stable speed is running 2 DIMM at DDR275, and 1 DIMM at DDR400 CL2-2-2-5(Stable, but you have only 256MB, so slow...)

I tested 2 DIMM 1 Bank Kingston DDR400 CL2.5(Winbond Chip), the maximun stable speed is running 2 DIMM at DDR266, and 1 DIMM at DDR410 CL2-2-2-5(Stable, fast, but again, you have only 256MB...)

I tested all kind of configuration, try all different memory timing and voltage, taken out all unneccesary devices(only a MSI Geforce4 Ti4200), dasabled all the onboard feature like RAID, USB2.0, LAN, SOUND.... but useless....

I did send an email to Gigabyte last week, but until now, still no reply... everyone in Gigabyte having a Goldern Week now????

And yes, I saw a review this morning from Anandtech, looks like Anandtech also having problem to make this board running 2 DIMM at more than DDR266...

And I can tell you, I am so piss of it, i will try to contact the shop, i want to cash return this board, or at least change to other brand, because it is so expensive, it cost about 40% of my monthly salary(I am from Malaysia)!!!!

but honestly, one good thing is it can run 1 DIMM Kingstone DDR400 256MB at DDR410 CL2-2-2-5, at this speed, my P42.4b will run at 2.9G, cool.....!

My system configuration:

P4 2.4B (Volcano 7+ HSF)
Gigabyte GA-8PE667Ultra (I am so regret to choose this )
MSI Geforce4 Ti4200 64MB DDR
Sound Blaster Audigy
1 Quantum 20GB 7200RPM HDD
1 Maxtor 40GB 7200RPM HDD
1 SONY 16X DVD
1 Artec 241240 CD-RW

and final word, i really hope Gigabyte can solve this problem before i send this board to shop and ask for refund...at least some explaination....

p/s: just sent out another two email this week, still no reply...... damm!

 

[Pardus]

Next time, read a review before you rush out and buy a motherboard. This board is too new for most people to buy and too expensive.

 

[TaiZi]

Anyone tested this motherboard with Kingston DDR400 512MB CL2.5 before? I am wonder how is the stability, i just make a order for one 512MB, getting it next week.

 

[TaiZi]

Originally posted by: ActiveX
Next time, read a review before you rush out and buy a motherboard. This board is too new for most people to buy and too expensive.

i think this is not my problem! Gigabyte claim that the board can support DDR333, but the true is, cannot more than one slot! this really make me angry, and still no reply from them yet!

 

[VincentVega]

No stability issues here with a single 512mb PC2700 Samsung. Board is rockstable.
Have ordered one Corsair 512mb PC3500 CAS2. Will try for 430 MHz ram

 

[TaiZi]

VincentVega, can i know your board revision? the one i have is Rev 1.0, i am still waiting for my PC3200 Kingston 512MB, but i am worry that it can't run stable with more than one bank in use....

maybe is my m/b problem, but i will try to send the system to the shop later, and see what they can do for me!

actually, i tested so many different type of RAM, as I said at the begining, none of them can run stable if more than one bank in use and higher than DDR266!! but if only one stick and one bank in either slot, then i can have no problem to run it at DDR410 CL2-2-2-5, i am so piss of this, i dont know what is wrong, all slot looks like ok, all RAM looks like perfect, but just can't use more than one bank, even the same model of memory stick, but thing still sxxk!

and still, i didn't receive any reply from Gigabyte, it's already more than one week!! Gigabyte's engineer still in holiday?? nobody know, i wonder what they are doing in the office!

I just hope that i can get a new m/b later, and definately not Gigabyte anymore, i will print out the Anandtech review and threw to shop seller, and see what they can say...

Life still going on, and thing are changing.... hope my new m/b can run with no problem.

 

[VincentVega]

1.0
Tried only 1 dimm so far...and won`t try more than one

 

[pyrobecks17]

I have the GA-8PE667 and I am running it with a 2.53 Ghz P4, 1 Stick DDR 400 clocked at 333 512MB XMS512 3200C2 with a Geforce 4 Ti4600. It runs fine... I had a GA-8SG667 before this with the same ram and vid card and also a NIC and the thing always rebooted and lockedup. So far no problems with the PE board, how do you over clock your RAM to 400+ on the PE I looked through the BIOS features and the Advanced Chipset Features (accessible my Ctrl +F1) I could have sworn I didn't see them... can someone point me in the right dirrection.

 

[ronein]

Well to add my 2 cents here, i dont have this board but do have the GA8IEXP, which won the gold award on anands review last August...It has the 845e chipset and like Taizi, im having problems running two sticks of RAM, even at 266fsb. Like his same issue, the RAM runs fine by its lonesome, but cant run even on the slowest timings. Kinda strange since, on anands review, they were able to run it at 266, all RAM slots full on their most agressive timings.

Ive tried running the RAM on another board together and they run perfect.
RAM im using btw is a samsung-PC2700-ctl variety.

Hopefully someone has a solution for this, since its kind of a bummer running my PC below its claimed potential.

 

[metapy]

Well I had the Gigabyte 8IRXP which had LITTLE problem that when you changed the core voltage from default it would not reboot. Since it was such a minor issue I sent it to Amex on their return protection guarantee and bought a Abit IT7 and have never been happier. In short I HATE Gigabyte and will probably not ever buy their sh1t again and I always warn people away from them.

 

[ManojM]

Yes, Gigabyte 8PE667 Ultra has problems running to sticks of DDR memory. However, that is only if you enable turbo mode. Disable turbo mode and the problem is gone.

That is what I did.

I am now using the Asus P4PE as it has better memory performance (2.66x divider).

Regards,
Manoj Mahtani

 

[TaiZi]

I saw this review

http://www.amddiyoc.com/giga/8pe667/test1.htm

they got the board Rev 1.0 with BIOS F3B!!! looks like is a F3 Beta bios, i hope this new BIOS at least can fix some unforgiven problem!

BTW, I send back this board to the shop last week, and they refuse to change a new one for me, the reason is very simple, when they put in two Mushkin 256MB PC3200, the system run with no problem at DDR333, but when you try to overclock, even to DDR340, you will see a nice good Blue Screen on WinXP! But since running more than DDR333 is not supported by either party(although Albatron and Asus looks like no problem at this issues...), so i have no choice, i trade back the Kingston RAM to the shop and exchange for the Mushkin with 100 bucks extra, at least this one can run at DDR333 instead of Kingston which run at DDR266.

I have no more confident about Gigabyte, and still, the mail i sent to them two weeks back, still have no reply...

I learn one thing, Gigabyte = Low Reliability = Bad Service = Not Overclockable.... at least this apply to my current situation.

i will sell out this what so called "TITAN 667 ULTRA" whenever possible, and no more Gigabyte...

 

[ronein]

it probably is the samsung chip.

 

[TaiZi]

F3 BIOS is officially available at gigabyte web site, this new version claim to support Hyper Threading CPU????? I though it should be natively supported in the original release of BIOS since 845PE is natively support the HT!!

 

[JEFF68005]

There have been several posts on the net about multiple PC3200 sticks causing instability or reduced performance on a number of motherboards due to the high frequency. Pending further experience by the mass market, I am in a wait and see mode on this board.

Page 15 of the owner's manual which can be downloaded from the Gigabyte site shows that it can handle three sticks IF two of them are single sided. The same is true of the 8IEXP - page 11 of that manual.

I know that attempting to overclock mixed brand memory for me only worked for a few hours before locking up.

I do own a Gigabyte 8IEXP with retail P4 1.8a 400 with stock fan that I successfully ran with three sticks (double single single) until I pulled a stick for my sister. It is currently at stock speed but I have run it full boar with PC 2100 matched memory at 113 Percent for a few days at a time. I will soon know more as I have ordered a retail P4 2.4 533 for the 8IEXP because I am not that agressive about overclocking. I'll let you know my experince with that new setup as I have some PC3200 memory on order as well.

I looked at the Anandtech review - IMO, they underpowered the test rig. Notice the Vcore is a bit low.

To all who posted this thread ... thank you for your comments as I was considering this board or the GA-8SG667 with the DDR 400 support rating. If they had a board which offered the best of both boards fearure wise, I would strongly consider it.

GA-8SG667 DDR400 (PC3200) recommended memory modules list

 

[phsf98]

hi,
just brought the 8SG667 mobo and has continously on for 2 weeks... never had any problem...correctly recognised the kingston DDR400 ram. My mobo is still a verion 1 board but with a northbridge fan and green AGP slot....
Is really a nice, stable board but lack of features (is ok with me)
Highly recommended to everyone if want to stable system without overcolcking much.

Cheers!

with reagards,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My system spec:

Window XP Pro
P4 2.4B 533 FSB
Gigabyte 8SG667 (sis 648) version 1
Kingston DDR400 memory
Gigabyte Radeon 8500 Pro (LE versoion)
Western Digital 40GB (7200rpm)
Lite-ON 40x12x48
Samsung 765MB
Dlink network card
Onboard AC97 with Logitech Z340