HELP! MOBO PROBLEMS! 1

[WalterFlanagan]

I recently purchased all of the "necessary" parts for a computer that I'm building from scratch. The specs are below. I don't really understand that problem that I might be having, and that problem is this: When I plug the motherboard in with merely the single RAM module mentioned below, the CPU and heat sink/fan, and the front panel (on/off) jumpers plugged in I have sporadic results when I power up. I've double checked to make sure everything is plugged in and plugged in correctly (however those jumpers from the front are ALWAYS questionable) and it's run... a FEW times. What it seems to like to do is run once and then not run again. I messed with the jumpers for the FSB speed and that worked once, but with the same results: turns on once and then won't turn on again. Can ANYONE help me with this problem? Remember that I only have the bare essentials plugged in and the power will only work once. If anyone can provide any help or suggestions I would be very thankful!

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Aspire X-Gear Case
Turbolink 350W PSU
AMD Athlon XP 2600+ Barton RETAIL
ECS elitegroup KT600-A (Via KT600 Chipset) RETAIL
ATI All-In-Wonder 9600 RETAIL
512 PC-3200 DDR400 (cheapo) RAM
60 GB SATA HDD
8 GB ATA HDD
DVD Drive (oldie)
Sony CD-RW Drive (oldie)

 

[tomaso11]

What it seems to like to do is run once and then not run again.
So what do you do to get it running again?
Wait for it to cool down? Reset CMOS or what?

 

[WalterFlanagan]

What I do to get it to "jump start" again (for the one time) is unplug the power cord from the back of the psu and make sure it's set to OFF. Then I plug it in again and turn the psu to ON and press the power button. That usually gives me the result of just quickly tunring on for about a split second, making some fans whir and lights blink, and then turns off again. I've actually only been able to sustain a "power on" for more than a split second twice. The first time I turned it on and it sustained I'm didn't do anything out of the ordinary (maybe I looked at it juuuuuussst right) and the second time it sustained I set the jumpers for the CPU Frequency to 133 MHz. But when I turned it off to see if it'd work AGAIN and not just once it didn't work. I was thinking that perhaps the problem revolved around the CPU Freq and the way the jumpers are set up, but I worked with all of the different configs for the cpu freq jumpers and came up with nothing after that second sustained run when I had set the jumpers to 133MHz. Any ideas?

 

[AckNack]

Plug in a hard drive also.

AckNack

http://www.diypctech.com

 

[tomaso11]

You altered fsb jumpers to get it to start or you like the idea of overclocking? Check mobo standard/basic settings are in place clear cmos (Battery or Jumper).
Your PSU has an ON/OFF switch? Most only have voltage setting switch or is that turn on and off at the socket?
Is the case new? because it could just be the switch on the front of the case.

 

[6wZa9]

Sounds like it might be a short. Make sure the m/b is clear of the case. make sure the cpu is mounted correctly (i know its hard to get wrong but it does happen)
I am having a similar problem.. see WEIRD AMD BEHAVIOUR

If worst comes to worst, try rebuilding it. Sometimes its worth using the little cardboard washers that come with the motherboard. put them either between the screws of the motherboard or the motherboard mounts and the case..

 

[paparazi]

WalterFlanagan
These FSB jumpers need to be set to 166 (333) matching the 333fsb of the Barton core XP2.6+

Things to try/check:

1) check that you have only placed the brass standoff mounts in the correct places on the motherboard (brite solder rings only) it is common after a motherboard swop to accidently leave an extra one which shorts the mainboard to ground.
2) check that you have put the heatsink on the correct way around (recess in the base of the heatsink needs to be fitted so it is over the raised cam box of the CPU socket.
3)That you have removed the platic protective tape that often comes attached to the base of the heatsink and applied a "small" amount of thermal paste to the raised core of the CPU.
4)Take back to bare minimum (CPU with heatsink/fan, 1 stick of memory, video card, PSU) remove all addon cards including hard drives, cdroms and front panel wires.
5) Clear the cmos (with the jumper or remove the button battery for a few mins)
6) Momentarily touch pwr (power) pins using a small flat blade screw driver
IT WILL POST NOW!!! he says
Add HDD, then roms then addon cards bit by bit.
Martin


We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[WalterFlanagan]

Well THANK YOU ALL very much for the information. It seems that I possible have a psu problem. If you look in my specs from the original post above you will see that the brand of the psu. Does anyone know of this brand to be problematic? Either way, I decided to try out a different psu (an old 180W from my old Pentium II) and IT WORKED! The only problem was that I didn't have a graphics card to plug the monitor into (mobo has no onboard graphics). So I turned it off, turned it back on and it ran again! Yay! Then it stopped. You see, originally when I tried this psu out I plugged it in only to the mobo and nothing else. Then I wanted to see if it had the juice to run a hard drive, one extra fan with and led, and the front "designer" LEDs on the case. Like I said, it ran... for a while. At the time I didn't have a graphics card so I couldn't plug in a monitor to see if there was any activity in that area. Then everything shut off and now it does the same trick with this older psu as it did with the 350W that came with the case -- turns on for a split second. I might have shorted out this older, less powerful psu, but it seems a bit odd to me that it's doing the same thing as my 350 psu. Any ideas anyone? Could it simply be that some hardware is faulty? Again, thank you for any suggestions.

PS I did take into consideration AND action all of your suggestions above to no prevail. Thank you very much though!

 

[BadBigBen]

I suggest that you take a close look at the DIE (the little square part of the CPU that your heatsink sits on) for cracks or chipping... sounds a lot like a cracked CPU to me... also if this is not the case, make sure that you have applied enough (about lintle/Matchhead size) Heatsink compound and that the CPU fan is connected to the correct header... then clear CMOS, put in a GFX-card and hook it up to the monitor... check that the RAM is correctly inserted and firmly in place aswell as read the manual on the mobo if the RAM is viable at the size of stick, as some boards do not like 512mb ram modules at all... as mentioned earlier, do not hook any peripherials up at this stage... you just want it to POST an be stable...

Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[WalterFlanagan]

Thanks Ben,

I just found out that the PSU WASN'T faulty as I was just able to use it on a different mobo and processor (and old pentium II). I think you may be right with the processor bit, although I MIGHT have a faulty mobo. I just wrote the manufacturer of the mobo to see if my warranty will allow me to get a new mobo from them. I'll see if that works and if not, work my CPU warranty. Well thanks you guys... I guess now it's my turn to give back to you for your help. See you on the boards!

 

[wantstolearncfm]

I just found out that the PSU WASN'T faulty as I was just able to use it on a different mobo and processor (and old pentium II)

That dosnt prove anything really, your powersupply may just not be powerful enough for the job on a high end system 350W by a brand i havent heard of could be really about 220W power.
An old system demands much less juice and dont most pentium 2 systems have AT powering them not atx?
Still i guess a cpu issue is possible, overheating could be an issue can you get to the bios to read a core temp?

 

[BadBigBen]

@wantstolearncfm - NO PII's use ATX power... PI's used AT... but that what you said about it not proving anything, I agree, the key is power consumption, but at a minimum install a 220w PSU should still get the mobo to POST if nothing else...

@WalterFlanagan - a cracked DIE is a common problem with Athlon CPU's, as most people (yes including me once) push too hard on the HS-FAN while installing it...

Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[WalterFlanagan]

Ahha, well I also tried another PSU on the "faulty" mobo/processor that was a much lower power rating (180 W) and that worked!... for a few seconds. Everytime I tried to power up the mobo and processor I didn't have anything else hooked up that required power. Then I hooked up a hdd to the psu and mobo but that didn't do anything different. I know that there was enough power to run just the HS-fan/processor/mobo even if the psu WASN'T what it claimed to be, which was 350W.

 

[Drew888]

I'm not ruling out a powersupply but I think we are barking up the wrong tree.
Earlier Compaq systems using Athlon m/b's come with anything from 135W-250W only.
So the PS could be faulty but not by not supplying enough current, especially with all peripherials removed.
I have been in this exact situation a couple of times but I am forgetting the remedy.
I worked as a tech repairing Compaq & HP PC's/laptops up until a month ago
I'll bet almost anything it's MB, Ram, CPU settings (in BIOS or is it solely jumpers), or lastly the motherboard.
Swap out with known good parts and you should quickly find out.
Oh, very unlikely but have you checked the cmos battery?

Drew,

P.S. Hmmmm...my stab in the dark = CPU/settings (this is why I prefer jumperless boards, you almost always get into the BIOS at least.

 

[cadaveca]

asus boards, and that one in particular(i have had 1 as well), sometimes come with dead cmos batteries. I have seen this on NUMEROUS asus boards bought from medium sized pc retailers. it's almost like they get old stock or something, lol. CR2302 lithium battery...abt $2...has always solved THAT problem for me with asus boards.
i currently have a a7v880, which is just like yours, albeit slightly faster, dual channel, and a lockable pci/agp frequency.

the only right answer to "why?" is: "why not?"