ABIT NI8 + D805 not cooperating - RESOLVED

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
I made the mistake of getting in on the $49.95 ABIT NI8 deal. Also picked up a Pentium D 805 and 2 gigs of PC2-5300 (Pulls from a Dell XPS).

I can't get this thing to post for the life of me. On shorting the power switch pins the most it ever does is a half hearted fan spin up and then shuts back down. The LED diagnostic display is giving an ATX Power Ready message.

This seems to be a fairly common issue with these boards, I've checked out the ABIT forums & their solution for everything seems to be "power supply."

I'm running a three year old Antec TruePower 550, even by today's standards it's a decent power supply... right?

I mean even though it's a 20 pin PSU (which the manual says is fine) 40A on the +5V rail, 24A on the +12V, and 32A on the +3.3V should be more than sufficient for a simple system right?

Currently running it on a cardboard box with just the CPU, video card (tried both a GeForce 6800NU and a 7600GT), and memory (including one stick).

Unfortunately I don't have another power supply anywhere close to this level so I don't have anything to test (and no 24 pin whatsoever).

Update

OK I've had it up & running with OS installed but it's still giving me fits. As long as it's running it's OK but it rarely wants to do that. Most of the time it does something like this:

http://www.ttugly.com/images/anandtech/ni8sli.avi

Excuse the video quality, it was taken using a modded CVS camcorder. :D

If you let it do that long enough it will sometimes decide to turn on. But if you shut it off you're back to square one.

Any ideas?

Viper GTS
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
81
That PSU should be fine.

I assume you remembered to install the little SLI/Standard card?
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
81
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Also, referring to this photo:

http://www.overclockers.ru/images/lab/2005/09/08/ni8/ni8_sli-b.jpg

See the 4-pin Molex-style power receptacle at the upper-left in that pic, is that hooked up? And of course remember to hook up your square 4-pin ATX12V cable (towards the upper-right corner in that pic).

Actually, it is not necessary to have that 4-pin molex power connected. I've built a few systems with this board.
 

jonnyGURU

Moderator <BR> Power Supplies
Moderator
Oct 30, 1999
11,815
104
106
PSU should be adequate.

If you leave everything hooked up (drives, etc.), but disconnect the 20-pin from the motherboard and jumper the green to black with a paper clip do you get more than just the half hearted fan spin?
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
1
0
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Also, referring to this photo:

http://www.overclockers.ru/images/lab/2005/09/08/ni8/ni8_sli-b.jpg

See the 4-pin Molex-style power receptacle at the upper-left in that pic, is that hooked up? And of course remember to hook up your square 4-pin ATX12V cable (towards the upper-right corner in that pic).

Actually, it is not necessary to have that 4-pin molex power connected. I've built a few systems with this board.
I figure more power delivery lines never hurt. Spread the load out?

 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
All power connectors are connected (20 pin + P4 + extra molex).

Yes, the power supply turns on if I short the 20-pin directly. All fans spin up, LED displays "F." (which does not appear to be a valid code). I've seen that , 8.3 (ATX Power Ready) and 00 (standard when off, yet receiving power apparently).

[EDIT]Actually I see it briefly displays ".1" before switching to "F." which I guess could mean F.1 which = SoftMenu Reset. Sometimes after a BIOS reset or just letting it sit powered on it will go to 00, but as soon as you short the power switch it flashes 8.3 and then goes to ".1" and then "F."[/EDIT]

Viper GTS
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
WTF I leave the room for a while & come back & it's up & running.

I won't question it, I'm into the BIOS.

:roll:

Viper GTS
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
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Originally posted by: Viper GTS
WTF I leave the room for a while & come back & it's up & running.

I won't question it, I'm into the BIOS.

:roll:

Viper GTS
It's doing that on purpose, you know... :evil:
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: mechBgon

It's doing that on purpose, you know... :evil:

Probably.

I've got it up & running with OS installed but it all goes to hell if I shut it off.

Sometimes it doesn't do anything when I hit the power button, sometimes it will flash 8.3 once & go back to F.1, & sometimes it will sit there & flash all the LED's on the board + 8.3 on the diagnostic display incessantly until I hit the power again (and then it finally turns on).

Whatever as long as it works I'll just never shut it down.

:D

Viper GTS
 

stevty2889

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2003
7,036
8
81
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Now with video!

Viper GTS

If you haven't already, also make sure you have the most recent bios. I needed a bios update on my 8N-SLI before it would work correctly with my 805.
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: stevty2889
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Now with video!

Viper GTS

If you haven't already, also make sure you have the most recent bios. I needed a bios update on my 8N-SLI before it would work correctly with my 805.

Did it yesterday while I had it up & running.

:(

Viper GTS
 

stevty2889

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2003
7,036
8
81
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: stevty2889
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Now with video!

Viper GTS

If you haven't already, also make sure you have the most recent bios. I needed a bios update on my 8N-SLI before it would work correctly with my 805.

Did it yesterday while I had it up & running.

:(

Viper GTS

Hmm, well your power supply should be more than plenty. Have you tried using 1 stick of memory at at time? Disconnected other components such as hard drives? Doesn't sound like those would be the problem, but doesn't hurt to try.
 

sky2002

Senior member
Sep 18, 2003
395
0
76
I have the same setup.
Ni8 + Pentium D 805.

It's running at 3.6GHz with 2GB Patriot DDR2 667 RAM
CPU running at 35-45 degree celcius
Ran Prime95 and no error.


I was able to run 4.0Ghz and had it run stable, except that when I run Prime95, the North Bridge is getting too hot. So.. went back to a comfortable level of 3.6GHz.

Right now. I have an Antec 80mm fan blowing at the Northbridge. Btw.. I have ThermalTake Big Water SE on my CPU.

Love my new setup.
Good Board + Excellent CPU
+ Excellent price
 

stevty2889

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2003
7,036
8
81
Originally posted by: sky2002
I have the same setup.
Ni8 + Pentium D 805.

It's running at 3.6GHz with 2GB Patriot DDR2 667 RAM
CPU running at 35-45 degree celcius
Ran Prime95 and no error.


I was able to run 4.0Ghz and had it run stable, except that when I run Prime95, the North Bridge is getting too hot. So.. went back to a comfortable level of 3.6GHz.

Right now. I have an Antec 80mm fan blowing at the Northbridge. Btw.. I have ThermalTake Big Water SE on my CPU.

Love my new setup.
Good Board + Excellent CPU
+ Excellent price

2 instances of prime95 or just 1? if you didn't run 2, you didn't fully test the CPU, or reach max temps.
 

slpaulson

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2000
4,414
14
81
I don't know if this helps, but last year I had an otherwise perfectly working Antec Truepower psu that just absolutely refused to work correctly with my Asus A8V motherboard. Everytime I booted it would say cpu failed. Changing to an Enermax power supply fixed everything, so I wouldn't rule out the power supply being an issue.
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: cRazYdood
I don't know if this helps, but last year I had an otherwise perfectly working Antec Truepower psu that just absolutely refused to work correctly with my Asus A8V motherboard. Everytime I booted it would say cpu failed. Changing to an Enermax power supply fixed everything, so I wouldn't rule out the power supply being an issue.

Must be something with the TruePowers, I pulled an old 300W 20 pin Antec I had in a file server, hooked it up, & it's running like a champ.

What a PITA.

Viper GTS