New Build A7M266 Will not post

[DougV]

I've taken a bunch of previuosly working components with some new parts and tried to build a "spare" computer. Hardware is as follows:

A7M266 Motherboard (used)
Athlon 1 G processor (used)
PC2100 Memory 512M (new)
Antec PP303XP Power supply 300W (new)
Teac Floppy drive (new)
WD 40G HD ultra ATA100 (new)
Radeon 7000 VC 32M


I read a thread that was posted earlier about a post problem on a A7M266-D and have tried the suggestions presented there.

Removed battery and grounded terminals
removed memory and tried to post
Checked ground on mobo
removed all the IDE cables and tried to post

All these things have been tried with no results other than the computer will power up, the power test will commence, but nothing ever shows up on the monitor. (yes, I did hook the monitor to another computer and it works fine)

The power light on the motherboard will light.
The processor gets hot.
The 3 fans all run.
When I had the CD Burner, HD, Floppy cable hooked up the light would light, but the computer would just sit. No boot No Bios No nothing.

I have removed the memory and hoped that the beeps would start, but that did not work either.

Any suggestions on where to go from here would be appreciated!

PS: I'd be interested in knowing what processor options are available for this mobo if I get it working. Does anyone have experience with the 2.4G thouroughbred and this mobo?

 

[gargouille]

Click on this link to get some good advice from a newly created FAQ on just your problem:
faq602-2731

 

[DougV]

Looks like the power supply may be the culprit. All the 5V sources check at 4.8 and the 12V do not register at all.

Thanks for the tip, as I would have never suspected the PS with everything seeming to "work".

 

[gargouille]

You're quite welcome

Thanks, tho, go to mudd...er, 'scuse me, mudskipper!

 

[DougV]

Well, it seems as though I was able to solve the power supply problem, Then found the processor was bad. I now can get the system to POST, and access the BIOS. The new problem is I am not able to get anything to boot. The system just hangs at the end of the PCI device listing. I have tried to boot to DOS and Windows from floppy and CD with no luck.

Any advice on where to look next would be appreciated!

 

[gargouille]

These parts came from dumpster diving or is there some history known on them?
The NEW power supply "seems as though" failed and you left out telling us how you discovered the CPU failed. Perhaps by trying in another machine?
Surely you can think of some other things to try?
What will you do if no one answers?

 

[DougV]

The parts were as listed in the first post. The power supply was new and did not measure proper voltage under load, so I bought another one and it checked OK. When I tried to start the computer with the new PS, It still did nothing. I borrowed another processor (800Mhz) and put it in and everything worked, so bought a new processor and put it in and now I have this problem.

I'm thinking that my next step will be putting the 800 processor back in and seeing if I can get the system to boot with it. I only left it in to POST the first time and did not try to boot. (thinking that I had discovered the issue)

The MB and processor were used, but supposedly in good working order. Other than that, I do not know much else about them. Since I have already replaced everything but the MB, I'll probably try that next unless I can find some reason, somewhere, why the system will not boot.
I'm at the limit of my knowledge on this one... As always, any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[gargouille]

Something fishy goin' on here:
You said in the 1st case, the new Antec PS was bad (no 12V reading)...but
THE (12V) FANS ran.
Howzat?

 

[DougV]

The mystery has been solved.!*&#@&$%!!!

Your last comment about the PS was right on. Both now run the machine with no problems... I'm not sure what my issue was the first time, I was probably not being careful enough with my mesurements... (so now I have an extra PS)

The thought about putting the other processor back in is what turned the tide. The machine booted and ran fine with it. Turns out the BIOS on the MoBo was 1004 and it would work with the older (slower) processors, but not the 1.73G. When the 1.73 ws installed with the 1004 BIOS, it would post, and run the startup sequence, but it would not boot.

SO..., I was able to boot with the old one, then flash the new BIOS (1007) and subsequently install the new processor. Everything went well from there.

My guess at this point is the issue all along was the "original" bad processor. (the one from the dumpster) It was a 1000Mhz. The 1004 BIOS that was loaded on the board whe I got it was able to run the 1000Mhz (when it was working...I did check with the guy I got the stuf from and he did admit to overclocking by 30% and said it was not too stable when he pulled it out), but not the 1.73G. Once that was figured out, the rest went according to plan.

Thanks for the pointers and the comments that provoked the thinking.

 

[killowhat]

DougV I think gargouille said it best; something fishy goin' on here. you bought a used mobo and cpu that had been overclocked by 30%, and the guy didnt tell you when you purchased it did he.LOL
sounds like one of our computer guys here in smallville,usa.

 

[gargouille]

Thanks for posting back...and glad you got it worked out!