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Another Weird Computer Problem

Posted: 2006-06-11 09:41am
by Xenophobe3691
I just built my new computer, and strange shit has already happened to it.

I cleared the CMOS RAM cache on my motherboard, and now when I start the computer up, I don't even get a POST or BIOS screen, the monitor just stays black.

Anyone else have this problem?

It's an ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe, with an AMD Athlon 3800+ Dual Core Processor...

Posted: 2006-06-11 09:44am
by Ace Pace
Ugh, lets go back to basics.

When you start the PC, are the fans running? If this mobo is like my own A8N-SLI Deluxe, it'll have a little standby light in the bottom of the mobo, is that on?

Posted: 2006-06-11 09:53am
by Xenophobe3691
Ace Pace wrote:Ugh, lets go back to basics.

When you start the PC, are the fans running? If this mobo is like my own A8N-SLI Deluxe, it'll have a little standby light in the bottom of the mobo, is that on?
Yes. All the fans are running (Case, CPU, and GPU.) It just doesn't beep or do anything upon startup. In a morbid way, it sorta reminds me of Terri Schiavo...

Posted: 2006-06-11 09:56am
by Ace Pace
Okay, I admit this might be weird, but this gets my asus working. Start it, wait 10-15 seconds, no POST beep? Press Reset. Wait another 10-15 seconds. Boots. Repeat as neccesary. if that does not work, then I'm abit lost.

Posted: 2006-06-11 10:03am
by Xenophobe3691
Ace Pace wrote:Okay, I admit this might be weird, but this gets my asus working. Start it, wait 10-15 seconds, no POST beep? Press Reset. Wait another 10-15 seconds. Boots. Repeat as neccesary. if that does not work, then I'm abit lost.
Haha, no worries, if all goes wrong I just return everything and wait another week to get it all working again.

EDIT: I did that, didn't work. Ah well!

Posted: 2006-06-11 11:08am
by White Haven
That's....fucking....odd. Hmm. Were you running any overclocked memory?

Posted: 2006-06-11 11:21am
by Xenophobe3691
White Haven wrote:That's....fucking....odd. Hmm. Were you running any overclocked memory?
Nope, nothing at all. Everything's running straight out of the box, on defaults.

Which is what's weirding me out...

Posted: 2006-06-11 11:25am
by Ace Pace
Try Resetting CMOS again perhaps?

Posted: 2006-06-11 02:46pm
by Edi
Time to get out the mobo manual, and check the following:
  • memory compatible with mobo
  • memory installed correctly (if using dual channel)
  • all power cables right and in place
  • jumpers set correctly (if the mobo uses those to control things like processor speed settings etc)
  • all drives and so forth connected to the correct IDE/SATA slots
  • check that the reset, power switch and other connectors to the system panel are connected correctly. Doing it wrong can fuck up your machine.
If it doesn't POST, start removing things until you only have processor, memory and a graphics card (not necessary if it has an integrated one) connected to it and see if it boots. Remove everything extraneous.

Edi

Posted: 2006-06-11 03:14pm
by Ace Pace
Edi, jumpers are unneccesary...wait. Did you make sure to move the CMOS jumper away from Reset?

Posted: 2006-06-11 03:41pm
by Edi
Ace Pace wrote:Edi, jumpers are unneccesary...wait. Did you make sure to move the CMOS jumper away from Reset?
Depending on your mobo they aren't. There are still some fairly new mobos (relatively speaking) that do use jumpers to actually control CPU clock speed selection ranges. The Asrock K7A4VT or whatever the fuck it was does that, as I had cause to find out at work. Won't prevent the mobo from working, but it sure as hell will screw up your processor speeds from working correctly if they're wrong.

The CMOS jumper thingy is good to check, though, if he did change it to reset.

Edi

Posted: 2006-06-11 03:44pm
by Ace Pace
The ASUS A8N32-SLI does NOT use jumpers for that. It's a hardcore gaming board, everything is set by BIOS, including SLI settings. It's a very nice board, and having played around with it's predecessor, I'm thinking it's either the CMOS reset(which was what happened to me once) or the solution I offered.

Posted: 2006-06-11 04:10pm
by Edi
Ace Pace wrote:The ASUS A8N32-SLI does NOT use jumpers for that. It's a hardcore gaming board, everything is set by BIOS, including SLI settings. It's a very nice board, and having played around with it's predecessor, I'm thinking it's either the CMOS reset(which was what happened to me once) or the solution I offered.
That's okay then. I'm not familiar with a lot of recent mobos, as I've had the same rig for over six years and have not had much occasion to get acquianted with any models other than the specific ones I encounter at work. Didn't know that about the mobo in question, which is why I tossed out the advice of "check out jumpers if they're used".

Upgrade time is later this year or early next year.

Edi

Posted: 2006-06-11 05:18pm
by Uraniun235
Unplug the computer, pop the BIOS battery, and wait fifteen seconds. Then put the battery back in, plug the computer back in, and try starting it up.