Motherboard died.... or did it?

[Mr Bean]

Going on SD.net for a second opinion my own belief is that it's quite dead but best to double check.

I have one old Asus A8N-SLI Premium running a AMD 4600x2 with two gigs of ram on Windows XP with a 9600 GT. I also have a know good 6200 and 7800 GT sitting around.

Here's the story.
My old Headphones(Which were USB) died a messy death after being dropped on the floor and one of the earpieces promptly tore off (Four year old headphones) so I chucked them and switched to an older non-usb set of headphones. Well the onboard sound was not cutting it so I dug through my spares and grabbed out a Creative Audigy 1 card and installed that. Only the card would not fit in the case for some reason the motherboard was to close to the case edge. So I de-installed everything, move the motherboard out half an inch and put everything back.

Yes I was static guarded.

However on reinstallation the computer refused to boot even display. Thinking I might have a shorted connection I removed the motherboard checked all the plastic spacers, reinstalled everything and.... beep code... great looked it up, Award BIOS One long beep two short beeps. Ok Video card is not seated correct? Fine re-seat, be carefull... no beeps again. Ok dead video card? Swap for the PCI 6200... and nothing beep code. Fine switch for 7800 GT PCI-E... and beep code.

One long beep, two short quick beeps and no boot, no display no nothing.
This says to me, dead motherboard
What does it say to you?

[General Zod]

. . .how can the motherboard be too close to the case edge? This sounds to me like an instance of trying to fit a component somewhere it's not supposed to go.

[Mr Bean]

. . .how can the motherboard be too close to the case edge? This sounds to me like an instance of trying to fit a component somewhere it's not supposed to go.

Each screw hole on the motherboard has about a millimeter of play. I did not try to force it in and even if I managed to snap a PCI slot off the board... that would be noticeable and not necessary result in a dead MB (I've seen worse at work). No the board was installed just a half a millmeter to close to the edge of the case so while my longer PCI-e card could fit, the PCI slot did not.

[Kitsune]

Have you tried swapping out the memory?

[Mr Bean]

Have you tried swapping out the memory?

I'll try booting with just a gig and let you know

*Edit, Negative, tried three pairs of RAM sticks one of which is a know good off a working computer and no-go.

One long beep two quick beeps. No boot no display. Any other ideas? I'm suffering of a damn old computer right now, it's not fun.

[Kitsune]

Could you try all of the other hardware on another machine?
Memory is just the first idea I usually consider...My third to the last computer dead was memory.
After that it was a power supply and then a hard drive boot sector problem

[Mr Bean]

I have lots of spares off non-critical equipment. Example six hard-drives ranging from 40 gig IDE drives to 250 gig SATA.

The problem is with most other issues is the fact the computer will not boot. It powers on, nothing is display then the single beep, double quick beep which per Award's own site means video or memory error. I switched both the memory and the video card for know good parts and there was no change.

What I'm asking for is possible screwball reasons why this could happen.
Keep in mind the details, computer powers on, nothing is display to the monitor(Any of the three I have sitting around, an old CRT via VGA, or the two flatscreen's via DVI. I have a know good video card which works in the computer I'm posting from right now(It's a franken computer) and in the dead computer it will not boot. Agian, beep code, switch memory, switch video card, switch monitor.

I don't have a spare power supply but the one I was using is in the computer I built and am posting from now, so good power supply. I suppose I could borrow a voltmeter but I keep coming back to dead motherboard.

[Kitsune]

I am not anything like an expert. I just have had certain problems and can report them back. My machines are also a bit older, still AGP computers not PCI express. I tried downloading teh manual and while it claims to list the beep codes they don't apepar to be in there

From what I have been told, the processors themselves rarely die so that is doubtful.
It does not appear to be the memory or video card because you tested them.
That seems to only leave the motherboard or power supply. Is there anything else other than drives plugged in?

[General Zod]

I have lots of spares off non-critical equipment. Example six hard-drives ranging from 40 gig IDE drives to 250 gig SATA.

The problem is with most other issues is the fact the computer will not boot. It powers on, nothing is display then the single beep, double quick beep which per Award's own site means video or memory error. I switched both the memory and the video card for know good parts and there was no change.

What I'm asking for is possible screwball reasons why this could happen.
Keep in mind the details, computer powers on, nothing is display to the monitor(Any of the three I have sitting around, an old CRT via VGA, or the two flatscreen's via DVI. I have a know good video card which works in the computer I'm posting from right now(It's a franken computer) and in the dead computer it will not boot. Agian, beep code, switch memory, switch video card, switch monitor.

I don't have a spare power supply but the one I was using is in the computer I built and am posting from now, so good power supply. I suppose I could borrow a voltmeter but I keep coming back to dead motherboard.

Is it possible one of the caps on your mobo is damaged?

[Dominus Atheos]

Do you still have the sound card card installed? Try taking that out and see if you have the same issue.

[Mr Bean]

Is it possible one of the caps on your mobo is damaged?

It's what I suspect but given the fact my motherboard is almost five years old now and capacitor rebuilding is a skill I lack.

Do you still have the sound card card installed? Try taking that out and see if you have the same issue.

Another idea, sadly the first thing I did(Following experience) was undo the last change and I uninstalled the card and still same issue. At present the only thing installed is the video card.

[DaveJB]

Have you tried the CMOS reset jumper?

[Mr Bean]

Have you tried the CMOS reset jumper?

Yes, no change, followed manual directions and no change.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Have you also removed the mobo battery?

[General Zod]

It's what I suspect but given the fact my motherboard is almost five years old now and capacitor rebuilding is a skill I lack.

You'd probably be better off getting a new motherboard anyway if the caps are fucked up.

[Mr Bean]

Have you also removed the mobo battery?

Asus A8N SLI MB directions are as follows
Step 1, Remove MB battery leave out
Step 2, Move jumper to reset position wait thirty seconds
Step 3, Move jumper back
Step 4, replace battary.

Yeah no change.
Thanks for all the help, or rather confirmation that everything I tried so far was in the right veine. If I can't find anything by tomorrow I'll declare the MB dead.

[Pu-239]

Might have something to do w/ video card
http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/award.htm