Asus KV8 - No Video

[EglsFly]

I am putting together a AMD 64 system with a Asus KV8 motherboard, SATA HD (Samsung), Radeon 9800Pro, Corsair XMS TWINX 1G (512x2), Antec True 380W Power Supply.

First powering up the system and I have no video output.
Popped in a GF3 video card I have and still no video output.
Pulled all the data cable for the drives and removed all other cards, other than the video card.
Chassis Fan and CPU fan, and HD, CDRW all power up.
Also the system does not beep.
Are there any jumpers to set on the SATA HD? Its my understanding that SATA HD's do not use Master/Slave jumpers?

Suggestions?

 

[mechBgon]

Here are some things to double-check:

• Is the auxiliary power plugged into the video card, and is the ATX12V secondary power plugged into the motherboard?
• Is the Clear CMOS jumper in the normal position for sure? You might unplug the system and clear it while you're at it.
• Check the voltage slide-switch on the rear of the power supply to ensure that it's set to the correct voltage for your country
• Is the video card truly bottoming out in the slot? AGP slots have two rows of contacts, and can be surprisingly stiff when new. Also watch for that retention thingie at the right end of the AGP slot.
• Tried with just one memory module yet? How about with a more plain-vanilla module such as Crucial PC2100, too. It might need a bit more voltage for the Corsair, 2.7-2.8V, although I'd hope it would at least kick over at 2.6V.
• Also double-check that the springy finger things on the I/O-panel openings aren't getting into the USB or LAN ports.
• If all else fails, take the motherboard out of the case, double-check that you didn't have any extra standoffs under it, lay it on cardboard, reset its CMOS, and try it running outside the case on cardboard with just the essentials.

Good luck! What model of Corsair did you pick, by the way?

 

[EglsFly]

Thanks for your reply.
Here are my answers:
Yes, the P4 (4pin) power connector is plugged in the motherboard.
I unplugged the system, pulled the cmos battery, moved the jumper to short it out, then moved it back and put the battery back in.
Voltage slide is correct, 115v for me.
The video card appears to go all the way in, no fingers exposed and I can lock it.
Tried with one memory stick, in either Dimm1 or Dimm2 locations.
The ground spring connectors on the i/o panel are ok.
I have not taken the motherboard out of the case, will have to do that anyways to ship it back, so will look at that when I pull it.

Here is a link to the Corsair memory I purchased:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-449&catalog=147&depa=1

 

[mechBgon]

Is the power supply verified good, it powers other systems ok? Got any others you could swap in for a quick test? I know it's a good brand, love Antec myself, but you might want to verify that, if it's a brand-new one.

And you didn't say, but I presume that the video card has its auxiliary-power pigtail plugged into the PSU? And if you do happen to have some run-of-the-mill slower DDR, try it out. The A64's memory controller supports all the way down to PC1600, maybe it just needs its pump primed with some slow stuff so you can get into the BIOS and bump the DIMM voltage. A similar scenario occurred with the first nForce2 boards and low-latency modules from Corsair.

 

[mechBgon]

I was reading the official K8V Deluxe thread and at least one person reported that the system worked when he used a VGA cable instead of DVI. That's a pretty funky one but it could be worth a shot as a fact-finding step.

 

[EglsFly]

Yea, I have the power connector on the Radeon plugged into the power supply, besides as I mentioned, I tried my GeForce3 and it made no difference. I am using the VGA connector. I do have an extra PS, well not extra, but one on another system, its a 350W Enermax, I will try that.

 

[EglsFly]

Well I hooked up the integrated sound and the motherboard is reporting with an audiable voice:
"CPU TEST FAILED"

So I removed the heatsink, cleaned it up, re-applied some heatsink compound, and it still reports the error.
I also connected up my Enermax supply just in case the new PS was faulty, and it still failed.

So is it really the CPU, or the MB, or something else?

Getting ready to RMA the CPU....

 

[mechBgon]

Next suggestion: try a slow memory module like a stick of Crucial PC2100. I remember from the launch of the nForce2 that there were some Catch-22 situations for a while where people had to throw in some slow memory as a one-time means of getting into the BIOS to set it up for their fast memory. Couldn't hurt to try, if you have some lying around.

 

[EglsFly]

I RMA'd the CPU and got a brand new one.
SYSTEM STILL FAILS!!!
Reports: "System Failed CPU Test"
& no video, no post.

I also tried an old stick of Crucial 256MB PC2100 I have in another system, didn't help.
Both power connectors are plugged in, and the cpu fan is plugged into its connector as well.

Thinking maybe its the motherboad?

BTW, I filled out their Technical Inquiries form under Contact ASUS about this over a week ago when this first happend,
I have still not recieved a response! So I called Asus Tech support a couple of hours ago, and they took my info and said they would call back.
They haven't called me back.

Thinking of replacing it with the MSI K8T NEO.

 

[mechBgon]

Bummer!

I would be thinking "RMA the motherboard" too. You've tried known-working parts everywhere else. For the record, my similar system is working (A64 3000+, same RAM except not twin-packed, Antec TruePower PSU, same mobo, and a lowly Radeon 7500) and has never failed a POST so far. Wishing you better luck on the next go-around... :beer: ...and do check out that AOpen review on AnandTech's front page before you decide, because among its other virtues, they got actual replies to their anonymous tech-support requests :Q

 

[EglsFly]

Got the MSI K8T in today. It works!
Sending back the malfunctioning Asus K8V.