Need Help Getting New Parts To Work

[FloatingBrick]

Looking for ideas on what to check. I bought the following components and installed them in my case. The MB light comes on when I flip the power supply switch and the CPU and case fans power up when I hit the case PS. That's all that happens.

I get no memory beep (no beeps at all) and no video output to the monitor. I have tried the memory in each of the four slots - no difference. I have reseated the CPU. I have removed both the video card and the RAM - no difference - no beeps.

I thought that maybe I needed two sticks of RAM, but wouldn't I at least get a beep?

The brand new components are:

ASUS M2A-MVP AM2 AMD 480X CrossFire ATX AMD Motherboard

ASUS EN7600GS SILENT/HTD/256M GeForce 7600GS 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Brisbane 2.2GHz Socket AM2 65W Processor Model ADO4200DDBOX

G.SKILL 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5S-2GBPQ

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[mfisher1967]

BIOS chip's contents may be corrupted. Power supply may not be adequate for the load. CPU or MB may be bad order.

Do you have any spare components that you can use to help test out your new parts?

 

[refuse2]

I had one one time that wouldn't fire up either and it finally ended up being the power supply because the old one didn't have enough umph to fire the new set. I changed it out and all was good.

 

[FloatingBrick]

The case is older, but I did get a new 450W power supply - I thought that it would be adequate.

I have no other compatible parts that I can swap in to test. My old system is an Athlon 2000 - hence the upgrade.

 

[simple_gifts]

Some motherboards have 2 p.s. connections; make sure both are hooked up.

edit:checked the owners manual, there are 2 p.s. hookups; a large bundle of wires and a smaller 2 or 4 conductor cab.e.

 

[FloatingBrick]

Checked the cables - all connectors (20 + 4) are on, and on securely.

New information: I removed the heat sink and hit the power (quick on and off) and touched the side of the CPU - cool. I turned it on for a bit longer - cool. Turned it on and let it on - never even got warm.

Does this narrow it down to the CPU, or could it still be the MB?

 

[07MKX]

In 2 weeks, I've had a stick of Ram fail and then a SATA Hard Drive. First, you get a POST I hope, then have you told the BIOS the type's of hard drives you've configured. Such as a Strip or JOBD's. IF it can't find something to boot from, it will wait. Asus, uses the DEL key to access the BIOS, the TAB key to see POST, F4, F10 for setup of hard drives. See what these do.

 

[CivicFan]

Sounds like a MoBo problem. Where did you get the components? Maybe you can take it back to troubleshoot.

Does the new PS power up the old mobo?

 

[FloatingBrick]

Can't get a post - no video signal.

Parts are from NewEgg - will call Monday.

I will try another MB to see if I have any better luck.

 

[refuse2]

I've had 2 bad motherboards come from them and they were pretty good to work with and get fixed but I have learned not to buy the cheapest or the most expensive but sometimes you still get a bad one. Good luck with the out come.

 

[Volvohead]

Quote:

---

Can't get a post - no video signal.

Parts are from NewEgg - will call Monday.

I will try another MB to see if I have any better luck.

---

Sounds like a DOA MB, but you are cutting it bone close on the PS. You didn't post the rail currents, but a 450 spec is very light. Unless it's a heavyweight PCP&C design with some serious headroom, it may haunt the system with underpower events. I've seen bad PSes take out hardware . . . like MBs.

I'd bump up to at least 600w, with stiffer 12v rails.

 

[Volvohead]

Newegg is generally very good to deal with. But their HDD shipping is terrible. Bare OEM drives come in bubble wrap and PEANUTS, bouncing around in the box. Completely unapproved shipping according to the manufacturers. But they keep on doing it despite the complaints. I have almost a 50% HDD DOA rate with them, so they better have generous RMA and price policies.

 

[ekw0]

Originally Posted By: FloatingBrick
Looking for ideas on what to check. I bought the following components and installed them in my case. The MB light comes on when I flip the power supply switch and the CPU and case fans power up when I hit the case PS. That's all that happens.

I get no memory beep (no beeps at all) and no video output to the monitor. I have tried the memory in each of the four slots - no difference. I have reseated the CPU. I have removed both the video card and the RAM - no difference - no beeps.

I thought that maybe I needed two sticks of RAM, but wouldn't I at least get a beep?

The brand new components are:

ASUS M2A-MVP AM2 AMD 480X CrossFire ATX AMD Motherboard

ASUS EN7600GS SILENT/HTD/256M GeForce 7600GS 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 SLI Supported Video Card

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Brisbane 2.2GHz Socket AM2 65W Processor Model ADO4200DDBOX

G.SKILL 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5S-2GBPQ

Any help is greatly appreciated.



IMO the BIOS of this motherboard is too old to recognize the newer CPU, thus the computer does not boot.

According to ASUS, this Motherboard has to have at least BIOS version 0507(which is beta??) to boot with this CPU:
Athlon 64 X2 4200+ (DD),512Kx2,rev.G1,65W,SocketAM2 ALL 0507 beta


Getting another M2A-MVP may not work if it has the older BIOS.

1) Get another motherboard which supports this CPU (compatible BIOS)
2) Find older CPU to boot M2A-MVP, flash Bios to version 0507, swap to 4200+ cpu.

Hope this helps,
ekw0

 

[Mamala Bay]

Motherboard is not reading the video card. Are you sure the video card is installed properly. Some motherboards you kind of got to play with connection.

 

[sxg6]

had the same problem myself. tried a new pci-e video card, tried a pci video card, tried a new motherboard.. it ended up being the ram. So id replace the ram.

 

[FloatingBrick]

I contacted NewEgg and they RMAed the CPU and MB. I explained that my best guess was one of these two parts, but had no way to verify or to further narrow it down. The rep said to RMA both and sent me a shipping label and instructions.

NewEgg should get my shipment today or Monday - so I hope to get the new parts by next weekend.

If I have the same problem, I will keep in mind both the BIOS update (hard to flash without booting) and the possibility of the RAM being bad. I do have an older PCI card I can use to confirm /eliminate video as the problem.

Actually the RAM was my first thought (I've bought several sticks over the years that were DOA) but I get no beep codes. I hope that the new MB and CPU combo fire right up.

Thanks for all of the ideas.

 

[Volvohead]

No beep codes whatsoever on an Asus board is usually troubling. Defective video cards, bad ram, even the wrong cpu will all result in a corresponding beep code on post . . . unless the Crossfire board is a major departure for them. Video usually posts first. So if he is not getting to a video image, he may not even be reaching the cpu portion of the post routine.

Sure test for a MB: pull everything and drop a simple PCI video card in it (if it has a PCI slot). If it doesn't at least post to video (check the monitor), the MB has a problem. And be sure to hard reset the CMOS first (pull the battery and short the specified "switch"). If it posts to a video output, then you insert the cpu next, and then the ram, rebooting for each step, until the culprit area is identified.

Remember that a fully loaded MB draws a lot of juice, such that it may not be able to post at all if the PS can't deliver the surge current required. I still think 450 watts nominal is very underweight for a system like this.

 

[Volvohead]

BTW, I've never heard of G.Skill memory.

Why didn't you go with a known quantity such as Crucial or Corsair?

 

[FloatingBrick]

I'll see what the new cpmponents do and upgrade the PS soon.

I think that with just MB/CPU/RAM/Video/Fans 450w should be enough juice to get it going, so I doubt the PS is my current problem. Once I add/utilize HD/DVD/USB/Sound I'm in trouble - should've thought of this before. Oh well.

VVHead - I know what you mean about the HD shipping. I hope it works when I finally get a boot. As for the G.Skill, it was a good price and had decent reviews.

 

[Volvohead]

You'd be surprised. Do you have a power draw spec on the Nvidia card? Higher end cards loaded with memory can draw well over 100w all by themselves, although boot up draw should be closer to idle rates. While a 256mb card is usually mid-range nowadays, it's no power sipper, either.

There are some good PS calculators on the Internet. Run your intended configuration through one and see what it gives you. High end MBs, with all the on-board stuff they stuff them with, suck a lot more juice all by themselves anymore. Dual core CPUs, 2 gigs ram, massive, hot running VPUs with their own huge memory . . . all stuff that wasn't around when 450 watt supplies were "big". Toss a couple Raptors in there and it's suddenly a stiff load.