computer No Post: CPU, Mobo, PSU,..?

[SuRGV]

Hi guys,

I'm having a very frustrated problem that has driven me crazy for a whole week without solution. Sorry for rather long story.

I was running AMD Athlon 64 3200+ on MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum with 4 sticks of RAM (2xKingston, 2xCorsair to the total of 1 GB) but only when running 1 pair would make my computer stable. So I decided to sell them all and get a pair of 512MB and bought 2x512MB PC3200 OCZ Premium 2.5-3-3-7 (I need 1 GB). My computer worked right away without any glitches to Windows. However, whenever I tried to unrar the multiple RAR files, my computer would just reboot.

After few times, I decided to manually set the RAM timings to match the specification and that's it, my computer would never post again! All fans were working, HDD and DVD drives have power ( I heard vibration and I could open/close the DVD tray) but nothing on the screen.

I put those sticks on another HP computer and they work like a charm So RAM should not be an issue. Used the sticks pulled from the HP computer (Pentium 4 based) but did not seem to help much. Sometimes if the power cable is unplugged for a long time (like 15 minutes or more), I can't turn on at all. I have to leave the power cable plugged in and wait for about 15 minutes then I can turn on. But still no signal on the screen.

- I bought the ASUS A8N hoping things would work smoothly. Same similar sympton: all components seem working but no signal on the screen

- Since my Antec 420W PSU has 20-pin connector, I use the 24-pin connector 300W generic PSU from the HP desktop to meet the Asus A8N-SLI requirements and it seems to help. I though still have to leave the Power Cable plugged in for sometimes before I can get it working; otherwise, the problem would just repeat: all seem working but nothing to the monitor.

My questions:
- Do you think the PSU is the source of the problem? The 300W generic seems to help but can't completely solve the problem because I still have to leave the power cable plugged in for about 15 minutes. I don't want to rush out and buy another PSU until I'm quite certain it would fix the problem.
- Is there any chance the CPU might be defective to make my computer behave like that? I've never overclocked it at all.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Fat Tone]

I've never heard of having to leave a PC plugged in and not switched on for 15 minutes before boot before!

5 spindles is a lot of spindles. Perhaps you have a particularly big draw on one rail. Try testing with just the boot drive.

[SuRGV]

Fat Tone,
It is indeed very weird. With the MSI mainboard, it will automatically power on after plugging power for about that much of time. Before that, don't even think about it.

I've been testing with minimum number of components attached to the mainboard: RAM, videocard, 1 Hard drive, CPU and of course the PSU.

I'm bringing my CPU to my work to test on another machine. If it is ok, then the PSU has to be the source of problem.

[Wombat]

Having to leave the computer plugged in....I wonder if your fall outlets aren't providing enough power?

[SuRGV]

Wombat, I don't know because the HP desktop (Pentium 4 3.2 GHz) is working fine with the same outlet. Will try another outlet anyway when I get home

I'm at work but can't test the CPU since none of the AMD 64 machines are using 939 socket. I wish I brought the mainboards.

[Wombat]

Wombat, I don't know because the HP desktop (Pentium 4 3.2 GHz) is working fine with the same outlet.

Is that computer running constantly? You may be trying to pull too much current off of one circuit.

[Mikko]

Hi,

Do you have Antec TruePower or Antec SmartPower?
I have seen many people having troubles with SmartPower..

[Tjalfe]

Is that computer running constantly? You may be trying to pull too much current off of one circuit.

that would trip the breaker.. seems unlikely

[Dr Mordrid]

Sometimes if the flashable portion of the BIOS gets trashed the system will not be able to access AGP, so the graphics card won't work and any warnings or prompts will be invisible.

With some BIOS's when this happens what's left will send messages to a PCI grahpics card if it has VESA support. This is why I keep an old PCI display card in my toolkit.

I've had this happen several times. When it does and the BIOS is the problem the PCI cards output often displays a prompt to insert a floppy containing a BIOS image and to press RETURN. When if finishes a reboot restores the system to its default state.

That said I'd probably test the power supply first. If you're not handy with a VOM and/or don't know how to apply artifical loads you can get a go/no-go tester from CompUSA for about $15 or so.

You could also try clearing the boards BIOS by shorting the appropriate jumpers first (check the manual). That could reset things back to normal without all the dramatics.

Dr. Mordrid

[SuRGV]

Is that computer running constantly? You may be trying to pull too much current off of one circuit.

Wombat, it is not. Only turn it on for testing purpose. Otherwise it's sitting in another room.

Do you have Antec TruePower or Antec SmartPower?
I have seen many people having troubles with SmartPower..

Mikko, it's TruePower 430W.

Dr Mordrid,

I already changed motherboard to A8N-SLI which requires PCI-E vid card, which I took from the HP desktop but nothing changed.

Normally when my computer can't boot, I would try to clear the BIOS and I already did so with both of my mainboards, the old MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum and the new Asus A8N-SLI (removing battery and set clear BIOS jumpers).

I will see if testing the PSU is possible for me. But maybe I will buy another PSU as I just borrowed one generic 300W PSU with 24-pin power connector from my work ( was working fine on the machine at work) but didn't help at all.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[spadnos]

Interesting
I have a similar problem, in that I get artifacting if I don't have the machine plugged in for a few minutes before powering on.

I have a dual Opteron system:
Supermicro H8DCE motherboard
4G RAM
300G SATA HD
PX-716SA/SW DVD +-R/RW/etc. drive
Single 7800GT video card (though the MB can handle SLI)

The case is a SuperMicro SC-743T-645, with a 650W power supply. The supply doesn't have PCIe power connectors, so I use an adapter.

I'd love to know what the deal is also.

- Steve

[SuRGV]

Here is my update. I think I've found the culprit. Just got a new Antec Neopower 480W PSU and my computer works normally (the first boot still had the problem but all subsequence boots have been smooth). This is with my old setup (MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum with AGP graphic card)

I still have the problem with my new motherboard ASUS A8N-SLI with a PCI-E graphic card pulled from the working HP P4 3.2 desktop. Maybe the videocard is not compatible with the mainboard? My computer just gives a long beep and nothing on the screen.

new Nvidia 6600GT is on its way to here. I will let you all know how it will go.

spadnos,

Maybe you should try another PSU like I did.

[degrub]

Hmmmm. HP bought Compaq.....Compaq loved to pull that kind of trick so that you had to buy video cards through them.....maybe so.

[SuRGV]

Here is another update of the problem.

Apparently the new PSU has fixed the problem with having to leave the computer plugged in for around 15 minutes. I can now turn it on immediately. Time to call Antec I guess.

as I posted, my computer worked normally with the new PSU. I was happy too soon. Actually I enjoyed my working desktop for many hours last night when it was working well. I used Internet, burned a DVD, played some games and turned if off to put back to my computer case (all were laid out on the floor) and darn it wouldn't post again. Nothing on the screen, only multiple long beeps and everything seems working. Such endless loop of long beeps is suggested to be RAM problem but my OCZ are tested working well on the P4 based HP system.

- the OCZ memory Not compatible with the maiboard? I don't think so cause it was working nicely last night before I put everything back in my comp case. Now everything is on the floor again but still not posting. (only worked with the MSI mainboard. No Luck at all on the ASUS one)

- Mainboard memory controller is bad? I doubt it too because this exactly same problem (all seem working + No Post on the screen + endless loop of long beeps) with my old MSI and also the new ASUS A8N-SLI. (the ASUS mainboard's user manual states that this mainboard does not work with double-sided x16 chips memory modules and I see 8 chips on each side of each module. Could this be problem?)

- Processor's memory controller is bad? I have AMD Athlon 64 3200+ with Winchester core. CPU is the only thing I have not had another unit to test.

Any more suggestion about this problem? Is the CPU highly the culprit?

Damn my plan was only to change from 4 sticks of 256MB memory to 2 sticks of 512MB now turned in to an overall computer upgrade! Way beyond my planned budget

[degrub]

"mainboard does not work with double-sided x16 chips memory modules". i'd go to the memory manufacturer's website and the mobos website and confirm. Many times the memory manufacturer's website will have a configuration tool to match modules to mobos.

could easily be so.


"with having to leave the computer plugged in for around 15 minutes." Probably was a bad capacitor.