Please help, don't know what to do.

[santoro1]

I'm building my first computer. Have changed a lot of components but never from scratch. Anyway, put together amd64 3400+, 2 120gb WD HD's, DVD rw, and CD rw, floppy drive, 1.5gb 400 ddr ram. Neo platinum motherboard, 9800 pro video card and SB audigy ZS sound card.. Got it all together, plugged it in, hit del and got into CMOS. Starting checking things out, set time, date, etc. No problems. Was going over the MSI user manual over each setting. When got to Cool and Quiet. I enabled it as per user manual rx. Changed fan tolerances from auto to 40/122. No problems. Booted up again all was ok. Then I noticed the CPU FSB was only at 200, thought I read it should be at 400 so I changed it. Then I noticed CPU voltage was in the grey area (auto), and I changed it to 1.65 which was in the yellow, stating higher performance. Stayed away fromt he red levels which was 1.7 and above. When I went to boot up a few minutes later...nothing. For the first time I did NOT get the single beep. And, I could get nothing on the screen. So I swapped out to another screen that is working on my other computer. Still nothing. Tried. turning on and hitting Del, esc, F1, F2, etc. nothing. Went over wiring instead and connections. Did I set something wrong, and if I did, How do I get back in to change them back? Please help. I thought I was doing pretty good, but all of a sudden, not so sure. Thanks. ASAP please!

[i an not a nerd]

Well, santoro1, it sounds like the CPU voltage change did this. To reset the BIOS, take the CMOS battery out of the mobo, then put it back in. That will reset the BIOS back to factory settings. You will have to reset the time/date.

Also, when you did all of this, did you do it all at once? Or did you change one thing, restart, change another thing? It is best to change the settings one at a time so that it is easier to find out what the problem is!

[i an not a nerd]

Ha, i beat you all! (pop pop, jlreich)

[jlreich]

Try clearing CMOS per you mobo's manuals instructions, usually by removing the power connector from the motherboard, then setting the CMOS jumper to clear. Look at your manual. If it is a bad setting, this will put everything back to factory defaults.

I hope that helps. If not someone else will have to advise further.

EDIT - LOL I an not a nerd :D

[santoro1]

Well, Thanks for the quick response...But, if you will allow a newbie some pride here, I actually remembered reading something about a jumper and CMOS. So, I reset the CMOS and I am installing WIN XP as we speak. I was actually coming back onto the forum to say I figured it out! I am sure as I continue this install of OS, drivers etc, I may need some help. It is nice to know there are folks out there that respond, and do so quickly. Very much appreciated.

[santoro1]

I actually thought of another question...My user manual notes that my motherboard has a FSB of 400, yet in the CMOS it has 200. Is that something I would want to change to get better performance? Or does the computer literally put the value it wants for the most stable performance? Thanks.

[i an not a nerd]

Good Job! Anyways, if your mobo can support 400, then i'd say go for it. The computer just sets the FSB to the mobos default.

[jlreich]

I would wait for one of the experts to confirm, but I think if you set the FSB to 400 you are severely over clocking your CPU. Which would be why it would not post. Your CPU is either 200MHz with a multiplier of 11 = 2200MHz, or 200MHz with multiplier of 12 = 2400MHz, depending on what core you have.

I am still learning about this stuff, so wait for one of the experts to confirm. Also let us know what the model number of your mobo and CPU is.

[pop pop]

It is best to change the settings one at a time

I have become am absolute minimalist and incrementalist when it comes to making changes on my systems. It may take longer to get some things done, but making wholesale changes can and eventually will get you into a mess.

[alex666]

re. 400 vs 200, I could be in reference to the speed of your memory, which being ddr, or double data rate, you double the fsb (200) for an effective memory speed of 400 (2 X 200 = 400). If you later on try to overclock your system a bit and bump up your fsb, your memory speed will double, e.g., fsb 210, memory speed of 420, and so on. Good luck.

A disclaimer: given that you've got a 64 chip and mobo, everything may be different as you're talking hypertransport rather than fsb. What I would strongly suggest is going to a forum for your mobo; those folks will be better able to respond to your questions. BTW, what make mobo?

marty