A7N8X Deluxe Posted once..then no more!

[tcbakerkw]

:frown:
I just purchased an A7N8X Deluxe motherboard with an Asus (9280?) AGP 8X TI4200 video card. With an AMD 2000+ processors and 2 ea Samsung 512 MB PC2700 DDR memory (On QVL of memory). When I first started up the MB (on the box, memory, CPU/fan, video card and pwr sw only) it started up to the A7N8X Deluxe Logo (posted ok) I shut it all down, installed all into the case tried it again...nothing..disconected everything..still nothing..took it back out of the case, re-tried starting with bare minumum..still nothing,,fans are on, no red lights by AGP, NO BEEP codes at all!! I shut everything down, un-plugged power, cleared the cmos (with battery out). re-tried..nothing. I have also re-inserted cpu, video card etc... no beeps! No post! Any ideas? I didn't see anywhere that the MB could of shorted in the case, and I was careful not to stress the board during installation. Van on processor rated to AMD XP-2800. Tried different Power supply. Please let me know if you can help.
Thank you!

 

[mechBgon]

Welcome to the forums

How about try this:

• Lay board on non-conductive surface, cardboard or whatever, and unplug the power supply from it
• Take out the RAM and CPU
• Take out the video card
• Unplug your PSU from the wall or flip its rocker switch Off, then plug the PSU into the bare motherboard (no CPU/RAM/fans/cards)
• Plug in your PSU's ATX plug and switch it on/plug it in
• The green LED should light up if your board is alive
• Now make momentary contact between the Power Button pins on the board and the PSU's fans should begin rotating

If it doesn't pass that test then something is amiss with the board itself, or else the power supply. What brand/model of power supply do you have, by the way?

 

[Broken]

Almost the same with me, except no first boot. I have A7N86 dlx, Athlon 2400+, 256 Corsair XMS low latency(2-2-2-6 t1) and leadtek GF2 pro( gainward 4200 on the way). Tried the CPU fsb jumper, moving memory, made sure the jumpers for the usb device wake up were on the default +5v and not +5vsb due to some pwer supplys not able to suply 2A on the +5sb lead as sean on page 20 ofusers man. Tried different memory, processor, and vid so I think it is board.... Any other suggestions?

 

[KidChaos]

Some have solved problems with this board by replacing the BIOS battery. Have no idea where to get one from. Probably $2 from radioShack.

 

[tcbakerkw]

Thanks for replying,
I am at work so I can't get the PSU info. But I do get a green light on the MB I also tried my old PSU (since this was a new one) I did start it up on the box with just the minumum (cpu,video,ram, remote sw connection) and the first time it started posting (got the A7N8X Deluxe splash screen) after that I installed it into the case and that's when nothing worked again (even when back out of case on non-conductive surface etc..) I get green light, no red light by AGP, fans turn, NO BEEPS. I've been reading about flashing the bios and a possible bad batch of batteries in these MBs. Or do I just have a bad mb? I have done this many times in the past and it acts like either a bad mb or bad processor to me.

 

[mechBgon]

Good idea

Broken, if you try the routine I mentioned, does the board at least cause the PSU fan to spin? You can plug headphones or powered speakers into the green audio-out jack to see if the POST Reporter is saying something (with the CPU, memory and video out, it's probably not going to know where to start! ).

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: tcbakerkw
Thanks for replying,
I am at work so I can't get the PSU info. But I do get a green light on the MB I also tried my old PSU (since this was a new one) I did start it up on the box with just the minumum (cpu,video,ram, remote sw connection) and the first time it started posting (got the A7N8X Deluxe splash screen) after that I installed it into the case and that's when nothing worked again (even when back out of case on non-conductive surface etc..) I get green light, no red light by AGP, fans turn, NO BEEPS. I've been reading about flashing the bios and a possible bad batch of batteries in these MBs. Or do I just have a bad mb? I have done this many times in the past and it acts like either a bad mb or bad processor to me.

I'd do like KidChaos says and try a new battery, any store with a camera bar will have them (CR2032). You may also want to plug in headphones and see what the POST Reporter is saying about the non-POST situation.

Also, did you guys make sure to really ream the AGP card into the slot firmly? There are two rows of contacts in there, and sometimes new boards have pretty stiff contacts.

 

[KidChaos]

Or do I just have a bad mb?

Quite possible. I would try buying a new bios battery. If that doesn't work, Try returning the mobo for a new one.

 

[tcbakerkw]

Thanks, I did read what you said about the post reporter, I never thought of that! When I get home I'll try that, also I do have some spare batteries lying around. What about the bios? I tried to get it at the ASUS site but they most be having problems. Can you point me to the most recent bios ver. and the correct flash utility?

 

[Broken]

Thanks for the info, but I tried that. I also get the green light and no red agp light. Fans spin, hard drive spools, dvd and burner spin and then it just sits there. No audible tones from either case speaker, board, or headphones... Think it is the board..

 

[mechBgon]

With this board, you can download a Zip file that contains the BIOS and a couple other files, then unzip the files to your hard drive, put the BIOS file on a floppy, leave the floppy in the drive, reboot the computer and press Alt + F2 when you see the POST screen.

Of course, in the situation you're in now, you don't want to try that until the system will POST reliably and remain running. :Q

Because Socket A heatsinks are not symmetrical, sometimes people put them on backwards and the heatsink then cannot make square contact with the CPU. Look at this picture of the A7N8X-Deluxe (photo) and this picture of a typical heatsink (photo 2).

In the photo of the board, you see the solid-plastic "cambox" at the right end of the CPU socket, which is the top when it's installed. In the photo of the heatsink, you see the step cut into the one end of the base, which provides necessary clearance over the cambox on the socket. Also, on the heatsink, you see the screwdriver-tip receptacle is at the same end of the heatsink as that cutout.

So when you go to install the heatsink, the cutout and the screwdriver-tip end of the heatsink MUST be at the cambox end of the socket. Unfortunately, this is the least convenient place, right between the heatsink and the power supply but that's the only way it'll work.

Usually, if the heatsink were installed backwards, the overheat-protection circuitry would cut power completely within seconds, so that may not be the issue, but it has come out to bite a lot of people, so I thought it was worth a mention.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Broken
Thanks for the info, but I tried that. I also get the green light and no red agp light. Fans spin, hard drive spools, dvd and burner spin and then it just sits there. No audible tones from either case speaker, board, or headphones... Think it is the board..

What hard drive do you have, and what is its current jumper setting? If it's a Western Digital that's solo on its own cable, make sure to try Single Drive on the jumper (refer to label).

 

[Broken]

Actually, it is a Quantum 13.5, not sure of the model #. On this mobo, does a hdd have to be installed to post? I had one installed earlier but took it out to make more room.

 

[mechBgon]

It should POST without any drives, so you're good there.

 

[Broken]

Thats what I thight too. Well, looks like it is the mobo.

 

[tcbakerkw]

Thanks for the info, I know about the step and I made sure that the heatsink was attached correctly.

 

[mechBgon]

Broken, if you didn't try it with just the CPU/heatsink, RAM and video, outside the case, you might try that too. Nothing to lose at this point And for the heck of it, you might try each stick of RAM individually in different slots.

tcbakerkw, good deal, hopefully something will get it working, battery or whatever. Maybe dangle it menacingly over a bathtub full of water for a while...

 

[mechBgon]

I mean, show me one place in the manual where they say you can't submerge the motherboard.

 

[Broken]

Haahaha thats a good one mechBgon.

Actually, I did try the out of the box experience... and moved mem around dif slots. Will try the dangle over the toilet thing and see if that works any better. RMA Away!!!!!!!!!

 

[tcbakerkw]

Thanks. I know what you mean...I think the bathtub is a good idea! I'm pretty sure it's RMA time, but I keep thinking maybe there's one little thing that I missed! I hate the hassle of sending it form Key west FL all the way to Newegg in CA.!! Thanks for all your help!

 

[Doomer]

I just had to send a Biostar MoBo back to Newegg for the same problem. Seems like this is far too common. Do they even check these things to see if they will post before they leave the factory ?

 

[Broken]

Hehehe, damn that Newegg... same place I bought mine....

 

[mechBgon]

If you guys have any other systems that you know can run your CPUs, you might want to test the CPUs in the other system to make sure it's not a DOA CPU.

 

[Broken]

I thought of that also, tried an 1133 athlon, and a 750 duron in the Asus, but have not tried my 2400+ in another system since I figured if the other processors don't post it has to be the board. But to be safe, when I got my RMA from newegg I put both board and proc down.

 

[ctk1981]

Oh great..you guys are making me feel better. I just bought a A7N8X board from newegg. Looks like im gonna have to break out a spare processor and test fire it when it gets here. Thanks for the heads up everyone. I have the 1002.001 bios ready and a new CR2032 Energizer battery from work. Should be ready to go, cross my fingers on this one.