ASUS A8N-SLI-Deluxe - suddenly fails to POST..

[BlueMagician]

I've followed several threads relating to similar, but wanted to start my own so I don't hijack! Plus, I've been reading that many people have been having problems with corrupt BIOS when using the beta1003 a few weeks back, but I was using the final1003 so wouldn't expect it to have issues like that.


There I was, having just sucessfully installed my SoundCard with drivers that WindoseXP was FINALLY happy with. On a final restart, half way through POST, the system dropped instantly to standby. Push the button, fans fired up, I think HDD's fired up, but no POST screen - no display - monitor went to sleep/no signal mode.. Wtf?!

Bear in mind that this hardware has been working fine for 4 days.
he only hardware problem of note is the 'tick tick tick-ing' power supply - which I was assured by OCZ tech support was safe to use until I get my RMA swapout.

I had removed/replace the SoundCard a few times before, as I'd found that it was causing Windows Setup to fail cause of the crappy driver SP2 tries to hit it with - but that's a different issue. Bottom line is, the system has been fine, and benching some good results in 3Dmark etc. I had NOT got round to doing any overclocking, so I haven't pushed anything too far in that respect. My case temps have been in the 40's as I haven't fitted my better fans yet, but GPU's idled at 45deg and CPU idled at 35-40deg - fan RPM's were sweet, so I don't think anything got cooked my not being cooled properly.


My initial reaction was that one of the PSU rails had toasted, but I don't have any other gear here to test with, so I'm kinda screwed. I unplugged all the power cables from everything, and reseated them, but no joy.

All the lights are on, but no-body's home. The green lights come on on the mobo and both GFX cards. IIRC the IDE CD light lights up for a second or two, and the HDD light does the same - ie: normal 'I've just got power' scenario.

But no VGA BIOS display, no POST. One time, out of the dozen that I tried to fire it up over 20 minutes, it posted and then hung at the 'Detecting Hard Drives' on the 'NVRAID' bootup screen.. I had to hold the power button to shutdown, but when I powered up again - back to square one - no POST.

Has the CPU died? Or has the clicking PSU finally met it's maker, and not supplying to the 'P4' connector or something? The lights on the PowerStream are green, ie: correct voltages, but I have no multimeter to hand to start testing outputs.

I'm having thoughts about the PSU, but why would it happen just like that?
If it were a rail issue, surely after the system did it's first shutdown, it wouldn't power up again? I'm confused.

I would have tried one GFX card only last night, but as I said, the green lights were on on both cards, so I figured no power issues - at least none serious enough to not get a POST! I've taken the soundcard out, and never had any firewire/usb devices plugged in. So, now it's just mobo/cpu/mem/2hdds/2gfx/fans. Trouble is, I don't want to damage anything by trying stuff, if it IS power related..

I don't want to start randomly RMA'ing bits and pieces, cos that'll take months to turnaround - and none of my mates have got any technology like this to swapout - so I'm battered....


I am running Windows XP Pro SP2, with ASUS BIOS 1003final..


Any insights are welcome,
S.

__________________

NEW RIG: AMD 64 3500+ | Asus AN8-SLI-Deluxe | 2 x OCZ 512MB PC3200EL C2 R2 | 2 x XFX 6800GT's | Creative SoundBlaster Live | 2 x 74GB Western Digital Raptor's (RAID-0) | Optical drives TBD | OCZ Powerstream 600w | ThermalRight XP-120 | 1xLuxotop-R120 1xAC-3TC-80 2xAC-ProTC-80's | CoolerMaster Wavemaster Black | Iiyama VisionMaster Pro454 19" CRT | Cambridge Soundworks Digital 5.1 Surround | MS Sidewinder Force Steering Wheel | MS Sidewinder Force Joystick | MS Intellimouse Explorer Optical | El-cheapo PS/2 keyboard | WinXP Pro

 

[BlueMagician]

Ok.. I've done the following:

> Removed Soundcard again. No POST.
> Removed one GFX card, leaving the one in PCIe slot nearest CPU. Switched EZ card to SINGLE. No POST.
> Tried other GFX card in SINGLE mode. No POST.
> Stayed in SINGLE GFX card mode. Removed CD-ROM IDE Cable. No POST.
> Stayed in SINGLE GFX card mode. Removed SATA HDD Cables. No POST.
> Performed CMOS jumper reset/normal cycle. No POST.

No beeps, no voice errors. Just fans and Green LEDs.

My RAM pair was running fine, so I've left that as it was, in the correct slots.
And anyway, if it were RAM or CPU, I'd expect beep codes or ASUS voice to pipe up!
The CPU temp was fine when I last saw it, and all the fan RPM's were good, so nothing should have cooked. I have no other RAM or AMD CPU to test.


I am more and more suspicious that I have received a pre-used/returned product:

1> I remember that although the motherboard accessories were freshly wrapped when I opened the box, the ANTI-STAT BAG containing the motherboard HAD NO STICKER or SEAL on it.. Is this usual?

2> Reading the manual states that "by default, the [asus EZ selector] card is set for a single graphics card". MINE WAS SET TO DUAL.


What does everyone think I should do now?
S.

 

[BlueMagician]

Bump Sooo many people looking, but no suggestions...?

TIA,
S.

 

[BlueMagician]

NEW INFO! The only thing I left in the board, was the RAM. I have now removed both sticks, and for the first time in 2 days, I have beep codes, and that annoying woman says "System failed memory test"

I tried putting one stick back in DIMM-B1 (as recd in the manual for single channel), but NO POST, NO BEEP CODES. I tried the OTHER stick of RAM in DIMM-B1, but NO POST, NO BEEP CODES.

What the hell does that mean?! Either BOTH of my OCZ sticks have fried at the same time (somehow), or the mobo sockets/CPU mem controller is s**gged.. I have no other memory to test, but I serious doubt both sticks are crackered...

Comments?
S.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

Have you updated the bios lately? And after you updated have you unplugged the computer from the back or turned off the power using the switch on the psu? Thats the same thing that happend to me and now my mobo is useless. Instead of waiting for an RMA from asus I just ordered a DFI ultra D.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Here are a few more things to try.

Check the power supply output at the mobo connectors with a multimeter if you have one.

Try both graphics cards in the first blue slot

Try the SLI selector card in both the Single and Dual positions with one card. Mine also came in the dual card position and works either way with one card.

Try reseating the SLI connector several times, this thing is really picky and doesn't always make proper contact.

And each time you try a new hardware configuration if it doesn't work clear the RTC again before you give up on it. This board is known for corrupting CMOS when you make hardware changes or shutoff power to the mobo.

 

[BlueMagician]

I have reseated the EZ selector card several times, and tried both cards in the blue PCIe slot one by one. I know people had issues with the beta1003 BIOS corrupting every 5 minutes, but I'm using 1003FINAL, so don't expect this!!

I also can't figure out why I get a "System failed memory test" voice prompt when I have no memory installed, but NOTHING when either stick or both IS installed.

Everything in this rig is new, apart from the Soundcard, which has worked fine in my old rig for 3 years, so I am stumped. I'm leaning towards an RMA on the mobo, cos even if I do get it working again, I'm not sure I want a board this touchy running a £2000 SLI setup...


Many thanks so far guys,
S.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

As a last resort. Set the mobo up outside the case on a cardboard box and connect only CPU, 1 stick of ram, 1 GPU, and power supply and see if it will post.

Were you able to test the power supply with a multimeter or PS tester? PS testers are like $8 at newegg. If you can verify that the power supply is OK and you can't get it to post using the method above, I would agree it's RMA time.

 

[BlueMagician]

GD, thanks for the suggestions.. I have tried the cpu/1ram/1gpu/psu combination you have suggested, albeit not outside of the case - are you thinking this could be a grounding issue?

I don't have a multimeter handy, but the LED's on the back of the OCZ PSU indicate green/green/green, which implies that voltage is correct for all rails.

As I've said, the more I read about this seemingly doomed board, methinks I'm gonna RMA and give the DFI aqivalent a try.. Shame it has a tighter PCI and PCIe1 slot layout, meaning that NV5 coolers on the GT6800's could be, er, entertaining...


S.

 

[pchu]

Try to reset your CMOS this way:

1. Remove everything: memory, vga card, pci card, power wires/cord (you can leave your CPU and CPU fan on the mobo).
2. Remove the ASUS EZ selector card connector.
3. Remove the on-board battery.
4. Move the jumper cap from pins 1-2 to pins 3-4. Wait 30 secs, then move the cap back to pins 1-2.
5. Re-install the battery.
6. Re-install the ASUS EZ selector card connector.
7. Connnect just enough to boot.

Hope this work for you.