I need some help new MB no post...

[edsinger]

OK I got the motherboard today a NForce2 and a Athlon xp 2400.

First I put the motherboard together tied everything in and booted up. I was able to get into the bios and the memory and cpu and geforce 5200 were fine. I apparently had hooked up the hard disk and CD wrong. I had the CD at the end of the IDE cable but apparently the end is for the master so I guess I goofed. I shut down.

I then added another IDE cable for the CD which is jumpered CS (cable select) and added it at the end.

The NIghtmare starts.......


I can no longer recieve a video signal, so I tried a different video card, nothing. I took the pc to a "working pc and tried to boot it there, nothing no video. Rules out the video card right?

keep in mind the CPU and MB seem fine?


SO then I notice that the reset switch doesnt work, so I take all the HD LED , PWR Switch & LED, speaker off. I look and notice that the reset switch is broken. I do not have a solder gun so I take a reset switch from and old computer and run it alongside the one in this case. It still doesnt work. I notice in the manual that the pin numbers are "goofy" RST (P) and RST (N) are listed so I assume that P = power and N = neutral, so some according to the mb manual will have the "colored wire on the left and others on the right. I have never used a MSI motherboard before but this seems strange to me.


While doing this I get the MB to give me one beep, pause beep, so the one beep says memory issues, but niether will the mb beep anymore but the monitor still says check the signal.SO I have unhooked all drives, one memory module then the other.

While putting the motherboard in I noticed that the existing 300W didnt have the extra power connector for the XP Processor. So off to Best Buy I go, wife pissed becuase now I ahve spent $180 on a video card for me, $70 on a motherboard for my son, $75 for a processor for my son, and now $65 for a damn AthlonXP comaptable power supply.

I hve built at least 5 computers in my time from scratch and have never had these issues. I do not think the MB is bad hell it is brand new and worked when I first hooked it up.

SO I am lost, my son has no puter,the wife's pissed at me for spending $$$ we dont have.

I think a MB should run without the reset, PowerLED, HDD LED, and Speaker switches hooked up, I can ot figure this booger out!


What started the whole thing was DOOM3, I needed a better video card and I tried to get it to run on my sons athlon t-bird1400. Well after some tweaks , his Shuttle MB quit working all together. No nothing.
Can my case be possessed?

I have told my son that I can try taking my daughter's Celeron 800 on a BE-6 apart and transfer his stuff to that enlight case. I really do not think this will work but at this point I am out of ideas...


Please, if you have any idea of what to check next, let me know becuase if I have to go and buy more stuff I will be in the damn doghouse for a LONG time.

[deddard]

Welcome aboard!

A few more details would be helpful - motherboard model would be good. Is the case new? Are any of the parts in this build being reused from older systems?

Has the CMOS battery been inserted correctly (some motherboards come with them reversed, or with plastic tags to protect them)

When you say the reset switch doesn't work, do you mean there is a problem with the physical switch? or that pressing it whils the system is booting doesn't have any effect?

I know there's more questions than answers, but the more info we get, the better we can help.

The simplest thing to do with systems is a barebones start - if the system has onboard video, then use this - remove any extra graphics card you have, or any other PCI card. Of course, if it doesn't have onboard video, then make sure the AGP card is securely seated, and it has any extra power-supply leads it needs connected correctly. (Some of hte newer cards require one of the Molex connectors hooked up to them)
You just want the mobo, some RAM (make sure it's in the right DIMM socket (number 0) a HDD, that is jumpered to 'cable select' and nothing else.
Make sure the hdd is correctly plugged in, and that it is on the correct IDE channel (usually a blue connector on the MOBO) - when things are set to cable select, it doesn't really matter where on the cable the drive is placed.

Check the CMOS battery isn't reversed or protected, and ensure that no extra cables are connected (such as front-panel sound, USB etc) and that the20 pin connector, ATX connector (that new one!) and the CPU FAN connectors are all snugly in place.
Then boot, and see where it goes. With a bit of luck, you should at least now get to the bios, where you can check to see if things appear to be ok.

Your assumption about the P and N are spot on - positive and neutral.

This is just an outline of course, and there are other options, but if you give us a few more details about your equipment, we can take things further.

[edsinger]

Originally posted by deddard
Welcome aboard!


Thanks! Glad to be here.

A few more details would be helpful - motherboard model would be good. Is the case new? Are any of the parts in this build being reused from older systems?

MSI K7N2 Socket A, using AthlonXP2400 (first bootup I saw the CPU was correctly identified in the bios. I was able to get in first shot? The case is not new, about 2.5 years old. Well there is one used part now, the reset switch. The leads broke in my looking for the issue and I just swiped one from the parts PC. As for hooking these up, I have never had any issues doing till now. When you look at one of these wires the ends usually have marked on them what it is example RST for reset switch. Once you plug that in the correct slot, the others should line up "text facing you or opposite" not a combination of both. I was reading the manual and it has errors in it, as to the ID of these connection points, one page it is labeled correct, the other they are reversed. I think that the PIN assignment page is the one I should use but then I get the facing differnet directions



[i]Has the CMOS battery been inserted correctly (some motherboards come with them reversed, or with plastic tags to protect them)

Not in this case, it did boot the first time.

[i]When you say the reset switch doesn't work, do you mean there is a problem with the physical switch? or that pressing it whils the system is booting doesn't have any effect?

Well both, I have replaced teh switch and it still doesnt work, I know the MB is powered cause the fans etc work.

[i]I know there's more questions than answers, but the more info we get, the better we can help.

No Problem m8, I am trying to get it running and the wife is ready to kill me for going $150 over budget. I have a P4 2.4@3.0 with an ASUS board and it ran first shot and never looked back, most of the PC's I ahve built have worked spot on, ecept for minor stuff. This case just sucks!

[i]The simplest thing to do with systems is a barebones start - if the system has onboard video, then use this - remove any extra graphics card you have, or any other PCI card. Of course, if it doesn't have onboard video, then make sure the AGP card is securely seated, and it has any extra power-supply leads it needs connected correctly. (Some of hte newer cards require one of the Molex connectors hooked up to them)

I have tried this approach..even used a 2nd video card

[i]You just want the mobo, some RAM (make sure it's in the right DIMM socket (number 0) a HDD, that is jumpered to 'cable select' and nothing else.Make sure the hdd is correctly plugged in, and that it is on the correct IDE channel (usually a blue connector on the MOBO) - when things are set to cable select, it doesn't really matter where on the cable the drive is placed.

Love the CS!I ahve also done this...

[i]Check the CMOS battery isn't reversed or protected, and ensure that no extra cables are connected (such as front-panel sound, USB etc) and that the20 pin connector, ATX connector (that new one!) and the CPU FAN connectors are all snugly in place.
Then boot, and see where it goes. With a bit of luck, you should at least now get to the bios, where you can check to see if things appear to be ok.

Tried this also. At this point I think I will removed teh motherboard and set it up to run outside the case, to rule out a short or something.

[i]Your assumption about the P and N are spot on - positive and neutral.

Being a EE, It is the only thing that made sense, but "+" and "-" would be better for the manual I would think.

[i] This is just an outline of course, and there are other options, but if you give us a few more details about your equipment, we can take things further.

OK replies are in the thread....Thanks!

[edsinger]

UPDATE: OK well the MSI motherboard has a add in module that diagnoses computer problems, kind of like a motherboard beeP. I plugged in in and it says memory problem. ****, so I unplug my P3 and get some PC3500 DDR and plug it to the new motherboard, same problem. So I ahve ruled out the video, and now have localized it to memory. I tried a known good stick and have the same problem. I replugged the 256MB back into my other machine and it works fine.

Diagnoses = Motherboard bad.........Brand new too. WTF? Should I get the MSI as a replacement?

[VT_Hokie]

i just bought a new motherboard today and tried to install it, with the same problem as you. no post, no video, and no HDD and power lights. all the fans are running, but nothing else. i would also appreciate some advice on this problem.

[edsinger]

Seem like we got a hosed product. I ahve ruled out memory also. I read that some boards have bad CAPS and maybe these are someof those. Mine is actually a 2 year old board so that puts it in the right timeframe...YOurs?

[VT_Hokie]

i got it in the mail today. so it's been out of the box for a few hours. i think the problem is my incompetence in installing the thing correctly...

[edsinger]

Try to just install mem, vid card, and CPU and see if it will post! I just got mine in the mail yesterday and I think it is hosed.

[deddard]

Originally posted by edsinger
UPDATE: OK well the MSI motherboard has a add in module that diagnoses computer problems, kind of like a motherboard beeP. I plugged in in and it says memory problem. ****, so I unplug my P3 and get some PC3500 DDR and plug it to the new motherboard, same problem. So I ahve ruled out the video, and now have localized it to memory. I tried a known good stick and have the same problem. I replugged the 256MB back into my other machine and it works fine.

Diagnoses = Motherboard bad.........Brand new too. WTF? Should I get the MSI as a replacement?

Bad Mobos out of the box do occur - sometimes even in large batches.
I'd hazard a guess at a bad memory controller on the mobo, but one thing to try first is (if you can get to bios) check to see if there are any settings for the memory that can be changed. Many motherboards allow you to change configurations for memory in bios, but I haven't checked out the manual for yours yet.

If there is no obvious solution in bios (if you can even reach it) then you need to return the mobo for a replacement - if you got it from a local store, this should be fairly easy. If you get the same model and it fails, then you obviously need to look elsewhere, but it would probably also be a good idea to notify MSI - if they have shipped a bad batch they would probably want to know about it.


VT Hokie - it's always best to start a new thread, then we can avoid confusion when replying (don't want two different people with two different problems trying each others solutions in the wrong order - could cause mayhem:D )


...........edit
yep - there's a section in the bios under 'Advanced Chipset Features' which allows you to play havoc with the memory - this could be where the problem is, but you need to be able to get to the bios of course! assuming you still can't get there, you could try removing the cmos battery and waiting a few minutes before re-inserting it, to clear the bios settings - see if you can get past post then.

[edsinger]

Originally posted by deddard

yep - there's a section in the bios under 'Advanced Chipset Features' which allows you to play havoc with the memory - this could be where the problem is, but you need to be able to get to the bios of course! assuming you still can't get there, you could try removing the cmos battery and waiting a few minutes before re-inserting it, to clear the bios settings - see if you can get past post then.

Cant get into the BIOS at all.....I am returning it to allstarshop, they ahve been decent in the past

[edsinger]

Yes it was the motherboard, got another just like it and it booted fine the first shot.

Allstar says they will refund my $$$ when they recieve tha bad board in the mail.

[deddard]

Glad to hear it's resolved - the experience of troubleshooting is always worthwhile though, even if it didn't actually solve the problem.

[edsinger]

Yes but it still is a pain when they are a bugger like this one....Cheers folks