Another Weird Computer Problem

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2006-06-11 09:41am

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...

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-11 09:44am

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?

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2006-06-11 09:53am

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...

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-11 09:56am

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.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2006-06-11 10:03am

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!

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2006-06-11 11:08am

That's....fucking....odd. Hmm. Were you running any overclocked memory?

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2006-06-11 11:21am

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...

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-11 11:25am

Try Resetting CMOS again perhaps?

Post by **Edi** » 2006-06-11 02:46pm

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

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-11 03:14pm

Edi, jumpers are unneccesary...wait. Did you make sure to move the CMOS jumper away from Reset?

Post by **Edi** » 2006-06-11 03:41pm

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

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-06-11 03:44pm

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.

Post by **Edi** » 2006-06-11 04:10pm

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

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2006-06-11 05:18pm

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.