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Old pc can't post/won't post
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Allo-ha, friendlies!
This was a custom-built job completed at the end of last year. It had been working absolutely fine, booted up with no probs at all at least three times already today. No internal changes. The only change made was to plug a dvi-vga cable into the extra monitor-out slot on my gfx card. After that, nothing. Ka-putsville. The fans start. The power led comes on, but that's it. No hard-drive light comes on. No beeps. No bios screen. No activity. Nada.
Nothing happens. It doesn't post, doesn't boot.
What i've tried: No brainer - opened the sucker up, checked connections on hd, mobo, etc. Seems fine.
Took the ram chips out. Put one back in on it's own. No improvement. Put the other one back. Still no change. Interestingly, i took BOTH out and tried switching it on with no ram in at all, and got exactly the same outcome as before. Hmm . . .
Also, i've noticed that it powers up as soon as it is switched on at the plug. Before, you had to switch it on using the power button on the front of the case. Not so any more.
I'm not sure whether that's a clue or not.
The case was the cheapest bit of the whole build, but i have no idea whether a glitch with a measly little power button could cause this specific set of symptoms.
Moreover, i don't have a spare psu, mobo, ram chips, cpu, or case to use to conduct further experiments. As i understand it, the problem could lie with any or all of these seperate components, so to start buying replacements without any clear idea beforehand which one is faulty is going to be tantamount to starting a new build from scratch. I figure it'll work out cheaper to take it into to a shop to have a boffin look at it . . . unless anyone here has any better ideas.
Thanks in advance for any and all replies.
monkfish
This was a custom-built job completed at the end of last year. It had been working absolutely fine, booted up with no probs at all at least three times already today. No internal changes. The only change made was to plug a dvi-vga cable into the extra monitor-out slot on my gfx card. After that, nothing. Ka-putsville. The fans start. The power led comes on, but that's it. No hard-drive light comes on. No beeps. No bios screen. No activity. Nada.
Nothing happens. It doesn't post, doesn't boot.
What i've tried: No brainer - opened the sucker up, checked connections on hd, mobo, etc. Seems fine.
Took the ram chips out. Put one back in on it's own. No improvement. Put the other one back. Still no change. Interestingly, i took BOTH out and tried switching it on with no ram in at all, and got exactly the same outcome as before. Hmm . . .
Also, i've noticed that it powers up as soon as it is switched on at the plug. Before, you had to switch it on using the power button on the front of the case. Not so any more.
I'm not sure whether that's a clue or not.
The case was the cheapest bit of the whole build, but i have no idea whether a glitch with a measly little power button could cause this specific set of symptoms.
Moreover, i don't have a spare psu, mobo, ram chips, cpu, or case to use to conduct further experiments. As i understand it, the problem could lie with any or all of these seperate components, so to start buying replacements without any clear idea beforehand which one is faulty is going to be tantamount to starting a new build from scratch. I figure it'll work out cheaper to take it into to a shop to have a boffin look at it . . . unless anyone here has any better ideas.
Thanks in advance for any and all replies.
monkfish
Have you tried taking out the gfx card and trying to switch it on, may be the card is creating problems. Nothing definite here man, just gonna have to keep shooting in the dark here until we hit the right spot.
Raj
Raj
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Originally Posted by coolraj003 
Have you tried taking out the gfx card and trying to switch it on, may be the card is creating problems. Nothing definite here man, just gonna have to keep shooting in the dark here until we hit the right spot.
Raj
The plot thickens . . .
monkfish
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 251
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Solved Threads: 20
Posting Whiz in Training
what i can see here is that you mobo might be with some problem. From what your saying. but not really very sure.
Well what does the hard driver motor starts up when you boot your machine?
Check all other componets from your this machine with the different machine and see if it work and then come to a conclusion wheter it as mobo problem.
ssharish
Well what does the hard driver motor starts up when you boot your machine?
Check all other componets from your this machine with the different machine and see if it work and then come to a conclusion wheter it as mobo problem.
ssharish
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Originally Posted by ssharish2005
what i can see here is that you mobo might be with some problem. From what your saying. but not really very sure.
Well what does the hard driver motor starts up when you boot your machine?
Check all other componets from your this machine with the different machine and see if it work and then come to a conclusion wheter it as mobo problem.
ssharish
monkfish
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 82
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Junior Poster in Training
If you think it still may be the case, you can try "dry posting the board."
See if you have a speaker on the board if so you can: remove power, remove memory, remove jumpers for reset switch and front panel power switch, re-attach power, using a small flathead screwdriver touch it to the pins for the front panel switch and hold it 2-5 seconds. Doing this you should simulate the button being pressed and then hear the MB tones for bad / missing memory. No tones = bad MB 7 of 10 times I'd say. The only way to be 100% is to remove everything from the MB (even video and KB / Mouse) and try this but it does give fairly solid indications on the initial test.
See if you have a speaker on the board if so you can: remove power, remove memory, remove jumpers for reset switch and front panel power switch, re-attach power, using a small flathead screwdriver touch it to the pins for the front panel switch and hold it 2-5 seconds. Doing this you should simulate the button being pressed and then hear the MB tones for bad / missing memory. No tones = bad MB 7 of 10 times I'd say. The only way to be 100% is to remove everything from the MB (even video and KB / Mouse) and try this but it does give fairly solid indications on the initial test.
Yeah but without the heatsink it could ruin it if you keep it on for longer than say about 30 secs. So make sure you make this real quick...Good luck man
Raj
Raj
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Originally Posted by monkfish
Allo-ha, friendlies!
This was a custom-built job completed at the end of last year. It had been working absolutely fine, booted up with no probs at all at least three times already today. No internal changes. The only change made was to plug a dvi-vga cable into the extra monitor-out slot on my gfx card. After that, nothing. Ka-putsville. The fans start. The power led comes on, but that's it. No hard-drive light comes on. No beeps. No bios screen. No activity. Nada.
Nothing happens. It doesn't post, doesn't boot.
What i've tried: No brainer - opened the sucker up, checked connections on hd, mobo, etc. Seems fine.
Took the ram chips out. Put one back in on it's own. No improvement. Put the other one back. Still no change. Interestingly, i took BOTH out and tried switching it on with no ram in at all, and got exactly the same outcome as before. Hmm . . .
Also, i've noticed that it powers up as soon as it is switched on at the plug. Before, you had to switch it on using the power button on the front of the case. Not so any more.
I'm not sure whether that's a clue or not.
The case was the cheapest bit of the whole build, but i have no idea whether a glitch with a measly little power button could cause this specific set of symptoms.
Moreover, i don't have a spare psu, mobo, ram chips, cpu, or case to use to conduct further experiments. As i understand it, the problem could lie with any or all of these seperate components, so to start buying replacements without any clear idea beforehand which one is faulty is going to be tantamount to starting a new build from scratch. I figure it'll work out cheaper to take it into to a shop to have a boffin look at it . . . unless anyone here has any better ideas.
Thanks in advance for any and all replies.
monkfish
HOWEVER. I'm now having problems with the new mobo. It's like this. Before, the power would come on when the psu was plugged in, without anyone touching the power button on the front of the case. Faulty mobo. Now, with the new mobo in place, it waits until you press the little button before, perhaps 50% of the time, posting/booting perfectly.
One problem solved. Another presents itself.
Hmmm . . .
I looked at the RAM first of all. Taking the second stick out of DIMM2 seemed to solve the problem. Putting the second stick into DIMM1 also worked. And putting both sticks in DIMMs 3 and 4 also did the trick. The answer was obvious - DIMM2 on my lovely new mobo is dodgy. The solution was equally obvious - only use DIMMs 3 and 4, and everything will be all right. Sorted.
Or so i thought.
Sometimes, when you switch it on, it doesn't boot. De-ja vous all over again. I've found that, if it doesn't boot first time, turning the power off and turning it back on does the trick (or at least has done thus far).
This is what the manufacturer says in their FAQ on their website about this sort of problem:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/M...aspx?FAQID=359
My question for you guys: "Does this sound BIOS-y to you?"
I'm using a GA-MA770-DS3, with 2 sticks of 1bg 6400 OCZ ram
Thanx
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Join Date: Jun 2008
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Junior Poster in Training
I had a similar issue with my personal computer using OCZ 6400 memory, I was able to resolve it 100% by manually setting memory timings in BIOS, I recommend trying that, if the full timings aren't listed you can go on their website and get them.
Last edited by EMCCleveland; Jul 8th, 2008 at 10:25 am.
I have never learned so many things as in those times I have been wrong.
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Originally Posted by EMCCleveland
I had a similar issue with my personal computer using OCZ 6400 memory, I was able to resolve it 100% by manually setting memory timings in BIOS, I recommend trying that, if the full timings aren't listed you can go on their website and get them.
In fact, since i first installed the new mobo and encountered this problem, it's been steadily been getting worse and worse and worse. To begin with, when it didn't boot the first time, i only had to turn it off and then back on and it would work straight away. Now, you have to turn it off and on at least a dozen times before it will boot.
I tried switching it on when i just got in, and gave up after the umpteemth unsuccesful attempt.
I've had enough. I'm going to try it with a different brand of ram - i've just ordered a couple of sticks of corsair. I just hope they do the trick
monkfish
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