CPU Fan error

[DigitalBoB12]

Hello I have recently decided to build my first computer and have ran into some trouble. I purchased all my parts from tigerdirect, all the parts where shown compatible with each other on the website, and most were taken straight from a list of items they sold with a barebones kit. I installed everything and booted up but my computer immediately says there is a "CPU Fan Error!" and starts beeping. It then proceeds to shutdown about 15-20 seconds later. I read another thread saying how i might be able to turn up the fan speed, but how can i do this when my computer shuts down so quickly? The fans run when the computer is turned on. The only problem i could think of is that on my motherboard there are two fan "hook-ups", one says CPU Fan and the other say Chasis Fan or something like that. The problem is that my CPU fan has a 3 pin connector and the one labeled CPU Fan on the mobo has 4 pins. To counter this i just hooked it up to where it says Chasis Fan as that is a 3 pin connection, is this a problem? I then hooked the chasis fan up through a power cable, which seemed to be the proper thing to do given the cables provided with the mobo. Any suggestions, im new to building a computer though so just take it kinda slow lol.

Here are the links to all the items i bought, might help everyone see the problem. Thanks for the help.

Motherboard: Asus M2N-MX SE Plus

Case: Ultra Black Defender ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB Ports and 400 Watt XVS Modular Power Supply

CPU Fan: Thermaltake TR2-R1 / AMD Socket AM2/939/754 / Aluminum / 92mm Fan / CPU Cooler

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Processor ADO4400IAA5DO - 2.30GHz, 1MB Cache, 1000MHz (2000 MT/s) FSB, Brisbane, Dual-Core, OEM, Socket AM2, Processor

RAM: Kingston Dual Channel 1024MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz Memory (2 x 512MB)

Like i said all these items are available to view at tigerdirect.com

[Heartborne]

Hello and welcome. I have never installed a socket AM2 cpu and fan, so I can't speak from personal experience... but I strongly suggest you go to youtube and look up some instructional videos on how to install it properly. You may find that you had gone wrong somewhere.

As for the power cable, you will definitely have a problem if it is plugged into the wrong pins on the motherboard. The motherboard sees a case fan, but no cpu fan, so it shuts down to prevent damage to the cpu. In order for your computer to run properly your cpu fan MUST be plugged into the cpu fan connectors on the motherboard.

It is possible that the after-market CPU cooler you purchased does not have the correct connection, like if it was made for older CPU models. Do you still have the fan that came with the cpu? check and see if that one has the correct connector and install it. You don't need the aftermarket fan unless you're overclocking anyway.

I have had loads of trouble with aftermarket heatsink/fans before... mainly because they're not necessarily built to the cpu and motherboard manufacturers specifications and therefore often cause trouble.

Finally, if your connector is 3-pin and the connection on the motherboard is 4-pin there's no reason you can't connect it anyway. Just line up the 3 pins on the fan cable to the correct pins on the motherboard, excluding the unused one (which you may be able to cover with a jumper.) This may present voltage issues, but it isn't likely.

[Sun-Tzu]

The CPU fan HAS to go into the CPU fan pins on the motherboard. If your fan is 3 pin and the motherboard is 4 then do as Heartborne says and install it anyways.

If you know the make and model of your motherboard then I would suggest downloading the manual as it should have directions on how to connect a 3 pin to a 4 pin.

[DigitalBoB12]

Ok I have read your replies, thanks btw, and am ready to try to hook up the 3 prong fan to the 4 prong spot on the motherboard. I am just curious as to what pin i should leave out, my set up on the motherboard looks like this:

[CPU Fan PWM]
[CPU Fan IN]
[CPU Fan PWR]
[GND]

So i either have to leave out the Ground or the PWM (not sure what it stands for), which one should i leave out? My motherboard documentation does not say, and my fan has no documentation. Thanks.

[DigitalBoB12]

I have been reading and I believe PWM is power management and if anything this should be the one not to plug in. I'm anticipating the loss of some extra fan options, am i correct?

[Heartborne]

without the power management pin your fan will run at 100% speed all the time. Many aftermarket coolers run at 100% all the time anyway. Your motherboard might not like it, but you won't know until you try.

[DigitalBoB12]

Ok so i hooked up the CPU fan as described, ignoring the POWM input and it seemed to work. It no longer gives me the CPU Fan Error, however now i get a msg like this :

"USB Device Over Current Status Detected!!"
"System will shut down after 15 seconds"

I am at a loss here, there were two places to hook up the front usb ports and i tried both, and both give me the same msg. Any ideas?

[Heartborne]

oops, I goofed.

[Heartborne]

I found this forum (http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?board_id=1&model=P5WD2+Premium&id=20060616210350970&page=2&SLanguage=en-us) which brings up some possibilities. It's a very vague error message.

One forum says that it comes with bios revision 1150 and that rolling back to 1050 solved that individual's problem, so that is something worth considering before you try anything else. A bad firmware update would be easier to fix than a real hardware issue. Failing that, read on...

A simple beginning step would be to disconnect all usb devices and boot up again to see what happens. Also try booting without the front panel usb ports and see if you still get the same message.
Is your motherboard properly connected to the case with grommets? Is your case elevated off the floor?

Over at Tom's hardware (http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/247419-30-wifi-device-current-status) someone suggested resetting the CMOS, which would be as simple as removing the CMOS battery from the motherboard for a few seconds, reinstalling it and setting up your bios a second time.

I hate vague messages like that. What the heck is "over current status" supposed to mean? The current status is what it is. If a device were over it, that overage would be part of the current status... sometimes it doesn't pay to translate it into english. My guess would be a voltage thing. Is your power supply adequate for your system? A defective or underpowered psu could be a culprit, also some fsb overclocking gone awry could be responsible if you do that sort of thing.

Try those suggestions, have a look at those links and let me know if any of these things work for you. If not we'll have to dig a little deeper, and in a worst case scenario you might have to RMA the motherboard. I have noticed that it's not uncommon for motherboards to suddenly become defective after a third party cooler is installed. My 780i got pretty wacky on me after I installed (and uninstalled) one. Crazy coincidence, huh? Or maybe just a bunch of clumsy computer geeks knocking their hardware around a bit too much.

[YODA74]

Try putting some tape on the standoffs Mobo may be shorting to the case.Also check the USBPWR jumpers make sure they are set correctly

[DigitalBoB12]

So far I have tried reconnecting the front usb cable, connecting to another usb plug on the motherboard, and tried leaving it disconnected, all resulting in the same error. I disconnected the mobo and reinstalled it. This lead me to ask two questions:

1) The first time i installed it i did not put the plastic shield on the back of the computer where all the connections to the motherboard stick out of the case. Does this cause a problem? I installed it this time either way.

2) I do not have a screw in every part of the motherboard, the lower left screw will not reach the case for some reason, all others are in. Does this cause any problems?

I am going to try to update the BIOS if i can but i need to find a floppy disk first.

[mjc]

2) I do not have a screw in every part of the motherboard, the lower left screw will not reach the case for some reason, all others are in. Does this cause any problems?

I am going to try to update the BIOS if i can but i need to find a floppy disk first.

This could indicate that the board is not properly seated...or it could just require an 'extender'...

[DigitalBoB12]

So i went to the ASUS site and found the updated bios. Do i need the DOS or WINXP file? I am guessing DOS but I would like to make sure as I am a beginner. To jc I have looked for longer screws and such but i can not find any in my house, the case came with extenders but they are two wide ti fit through the hole on the mobo.

[risk_reversal]

If your mobo is still shuting down 15-20 secs after boot how are you going to be able to flash the bios.

I guess your only option is to get a new bios chip programmed with the bios version already and change it on your mobo. Is this what you are planning on doing?

Have you checked what YODA74 asked ie the jumper on the USBPWR. wouldn't hurt to check the others also.

Failing that and before you doing anything else, go for a barebones configuration ie mobo, ram, cpu+hsf and vga with the mobo out of the case and see if the problem still manifests itself.

Good Luck

[bestguy]

hello all

The USB over current Bug seems to be an unsolved Problem as it seems.

Here my Specs :

Asus A8V with 0229 newest Bios
AMD Opteron 180 with 2 x 2.4 GHZ
PSU : Coolermaster I-Green 600 W
Memory : G-Skill F1 CL 2.0 2 x 1GB
GFX : ATI HD3850 512 MB DDR3

These Setup runs fine and stable.

Because of my work i bought another pair of the G-Skill memory, same type and speed to upgrade my memory up to 4 GB

since them i get " USB over current Status detected "

No chance to get into OS or Bios. After CLR the Cmos i can jump into the Bios with F1. But after that reboot same message.

First of all.. i didnt solve this Problem but here its what i tried to fix it.

1. removing one 1GB Ram works.. but no Dual Channel !
2. set very low timings in the Bios -->> shutdown --> plug second pair in -->> no luck
3. unplug all Devices -- USB LAN -- no luck
4. Jumpers USBPWR are all at default pos.
5. unmount mainboard complete and try to run with 4GB --->>no luck
6. change PSU
7. change GFX Card
8. try differend ram
9. tried all bios from 0221 to 229 (under 0221 theres no support for opteron)

all that dont solve the trouble.

How can a board run rock solid with 2 pair of rams and when adding two more this problem apear ?

Is anyone here who is running a A8V or A8V Deluxe with 4 GB Ram ? If this is only a Mainboard defekt which belongs only to my Board then i could easy get another one at ebay .. but when this is a bug that apears on all this Series when inserted 4 GB than good night Asus.

best regards...

excuse my bad english ..its not my native Language

[risk_reversal]

You should really start your own thread.

Not sure which version of this board you are running but with 4 sticks of ram then the ram setting on this board should be lowered to run at 333 instead of 400 and in addition the 1T Command (in bios) should be set to Disabled ie you want it to run at 2T