Attn:JonnyGURU: Power Supply Question

[John P]

I can power up now, but I don't seem to get power to keyboard and I get no video to monitor. I have a 512mb stick of Mushkin DDR RAM in DIMM1. This is bugging the crap out of me.


BTW, the pin configuration for the CMOS is wrong in the quick install guide and in 2 places in the manual. It is shown correctly one other place in the manual.

 

[zzzz]

ok..the default connection was right. May be the diagram is wrong as the symptoms after you switch the jumper indicate that it is in clear cmos position

 

[John P]

Crap.....

 

[John P]

Aaargh!! Still no luck. I gotta hit the sack. Please share your thoughts if you can help. Would the computer not post if the power supply wasn't powerful enough? I figured my Antec 300w would be enough? Maybe not??

 

[John P]

Come on guys, anyone????

 

[PlatinumGold]

do u have both the keyboard and Mouse plugged in? trying booting up w/ only the keyboard plugged in.

this is a strange thing i've noticed w/ PS/2 connectors. w/ some machines having both plugged in on FIRST boot prevents me from booting all the way.

good luck

 

[jonnyGURU]

Assuming you installed the CoolerMaster heat sink correctly (release clip going up towards the north edge of the board, just under the power supply) and didn't fry the CPU or chip the die in the process of installing the HSF, you could use this troubleshooting No POST issues column to at least narrow the problem down to the board and/or CPU.

REMEMBER: You have on board sound that is enabled by default. You have to have speakers plugged in to the onboard sound to hear POST codes.

If you get it narrowed down to a problem with either the board or CPU, email tech support and get an RMA for the two pieces so they can check them out there.

 

[John P]

johnnyGuru,

I took everything out and fired it up, the fans spin on the CPU and chipset, but no beeps. Would it still beep if the CPU was fried? I was extra careful with the CPU mounting. I used the Cooler Master heatsink/fan with the default pink thermal stuff on it. I used the flashlight trick to make sure there was no gap between the heatsink and CPU. Can you verify for me that the CMOS jumpers 1-2 are towards the raid slots and that I should have it set to 133 clock speed - with the 2 yellow jumpers on the 2 pins towards the raid slots also. Is there any other jumpers to check??

 

[jonnyGURU]

Pin 1 and 2 on an M7MIA is away from the BIOS chip. The white hash mark on the PCB denotes Pin 1. Default CMOS position is NORMAL. Default FSB position is 266 MHz.

A dead CPU will not allow a motherboard to POST beep typically.

Does the red LED come on in the upper right hand corner of the board when the board is powered up?

 

[John P]

johhnyGuru.

First of all the confusing part is that I don't think pins 1-2 are the ones toward the BIOS (edge of the mb). Look at page 1-21 in the manual on the CD. It shows pin 3 next to the BIOS chip. The jumper was on the pins toward the center of the mb when I received it, which would be pins 1-2 per the diagram on page 1-21. However, this does not jive with the diagram shown on the quick install card or the mb diagram on page 1-7 which shows pin 1 next to the BIOS chip. I have been trouble shooting with the jumper on the 2 pins towards the center of the mb. If I put the jumper on the 2 pins closest to the BIOS chip nothing happens at all, no fans, nothing.


The red LED did come on the first time I turned the computer on and the computer (mb) beeped at me (one beep over and over). After moving the RAM from DIMM1 to DIMM2 the red light never came back on or beeped, but nothing else ever happened either. Now nothing happens no matter what I do, where the RAM is, everything but the CPU removed, etc... The chipset and CPU fans spin, but that's it.

This is the RAM I bought.


I removed the heatsink to check the CPU and it does not appear to be fried. The pink stuff appears to have done what it is supposed to do. The CPU is intact, not cracked, etc... I would be able to tell by looking at the CPU if it were fried right?? I can remount it with some arctic silver and try it again I guess..... waddya think??

 

[jonnyGURU]

<< johhnyGuru.

First of all the confusing part is that I don't think pins 1-2 are the ones toward the BIOS (edge of the mb). Look at page 1-21 in the manual on the CD. It shows pin 3 next to the BIOS chip. The jumper was on the pins toward the center of the mb when I received it, which would be pins 1-2 per the diagram on page 1-21. >>



What did I say? I said that Pin 1 is AWAY from the BIOS chip. 3 is closest to the BIOS chip. This is correct.



<< However, this does not jive with the diagram shown on the quick install card or the mb diagram on page 1-7 which shows pin 1 next to the BIOS chip. >>



This diagram is wrong. I can understand how you're confused.



<< I have been trouble shooting with the jumper on the 2 pins towards the center of the mb. If I put the jumper on the 2 pins closest to the BIOS chip nothing happens at all, no fans, nothing. >>



Right. Motherboards tend to not power up when the clear CMOS is on the clear position. Therefore, I think you answered your own question here.



<< The red LED did come on the first time I turned the computer on and the computer (mb) beeped at me (one beep over and over). >>



This would tell me that the board and CPU are live. Typically, a dead motherboard or a dead CPU do not give beep codes.



<< After moving the RAM from DIMM1 to DIMM2 the red light never came back on or beeped, but nothing else ever happened either. Now nothing happens no matter what I do, where the RAM is, everything but the CPU removed, etc... >>



This is strange. First you get a no RAM beep and then you get nothing even with no RAM installed? Look at the DIMM. Are any of the contacts burnt? Look at the DIMM slot. Is any of the plastic melted? In other words, did you unintentionally put the RAM in backwards? I know you're not SUPPOSED to be able to, but I see it done about two or three times a week with DDR.



<< The chipset and CPU fans spin, but that's it. >>



Great... That means you have power.[/i] >>





<< This is the RAM I bought. >>



Moot point. Without RAM you should get a beep over and over again. You got that once, but after moving the RAM you got nothing. With no RAM, you should still get the beep. Either the CPU overheated and fried between getting the RAM beep and not getting the RAM beep (maybe the beep you got at first was because it wasn't all of the way in the slot) or the board fried somehow. Either way, if you have nothing but a motherboard, CPU and power supply and nothing else, you should get a beep.

Pull the board out of the case and try it with the speakers plugged in. What happens?




<< I removed the heatsink to check the CPU and it does not appear to be fried. The pink stuff appears to have done what it is supposed to do. The CPU is intact, not cracked, etc... I would be able to tell by looking at the CPU if it were fried right?? I can remount it with some arctic silver and try it again I guess..... waddya think?? >>



What good is that going to do except for make a mess? The computer is not even posting. Improved thermal interface is not going to change this. An hour into an operating machine may benefit from a better thermal solution, but right now it would be nice to have it come up.

 

[John P]

Well I guess I just wanted to rule out the fact that the CPU was ok...



<< This is strange. First you get a no RAM beep and then you get nothing even with no RAM installed? Look at the DIMM. Are any of the contacts burnt? Look at the DIMM slot. Is any of the plastic melted? In other words, did you unintentionally put the RAM in backwards? I know you're not SUPPOSED to be able to, but I see it done about two or three times a week with DDR. >>





The RAM and RAM slot look fine. I took special care to align the slot when I put the RAM in the first time.



<< Pull the board out of the case and try it with the speakers plugged in. What happens? >>



I tried it, the chipset fans spins, that's it. No red LED, no beeps. Crap, I don't see that I could have done anything to fry the board. I guess I need to RMA it??

 

[jonnyGURU]

Trying to get something with no CPU is like trying to get video with no video card.

Motherboards don't POST with no CPU.

Motherboard, CPU and power supply. Nothing else. No USB header, no IDE, no floppy, no video, no RAM, no PCI cards, nothing. Just a speaker plugged into the back to see if it beeps.

If you have just the three pieces outside of the case (so it's not grounding out anywhere) and it still doesn't beep then there's something up with one of those three pieces. The Antec is a known working power supply, right? If so, the problem would be the board or the CPU as there is no issue (that I know of) with Antec power supplies and Biostar boards.

 

[jonnyGURU]

I see that you edited.

Put the CPU back in and try it outside of the case. Does the LED on the board come on now? If not, the problem could be the board or the power supply because the red LED denotes "good 5V", but does not account for any other aspect of the power supply. Have any other power supplies?

 

[John P]

OK, I'll put the CPU back in and try it outside the case again.

The Antec PS was running my TBird 750 @850, 2 HD's, 2 CD-ROM's, 4 case fans, and 6 slots full of peripherals about 2 days ago so I have to assume it's ok.

I have other power supplies in my other computers, I have a 300w older model Enlight in one machine I could try hooking the board to.

 

[jonnyGURU]

I'm not saying that there's something wrong with the Antec.... just that maybe it doesn't like that model. Stranger things have happened. Ever put an Asus A7M on an Enermax/TTGI/Topower power supply? Power but no POST. The Enlight may be worth a shot.

 

[John P]

<< I'm not saying that there's something wrong with the Antec.... just that maybe it doesn't like that model. Stranger things have happened. Ever put an Asus A7M on an Enermax/TTGI/Topower power supply? Power but no POST. The Enlight may be worth a shot. >>



Not a problem. I've seen plenty of weird things with computers too, although I'm sure not as many as you since it's your profession, so I know exactly what you mean. I'll try the Antec and then the Enlight and let you know what happens. I really appreciate all the help.

 

[John P]

Aww, fer gawds sake!! I get the beep and LED with the Enlight PS, but not the Antec. Go figure. Swapping PS's, stay tuned.......

 

[zzzz]

can you try to change the fsb jumpers to the other position?

 

[jonnyGURU]

Whoa zzzz! what board are you looking at?

There ARE no multiplier jumpers! :Q

 

[zzzz]

I meant the fsb jumpers!

 

[jonnyGURU]

<< I meant the fsb jumpers! >>





Good thought, but since it's a 266 MHz FSB CPU and there's only two choices for FSB (200 and 266), it should POST either way.

 

[John P]

WE HAVE POST, WE HAVE POST!!

JohnnyGuru roccks!! Thanks a lot.

BTW, I actually tried this very PS last night when I was troubleshooting, but it wouldn't switch on for some reason. I probably had the wrong lead on for the power switch like an idiot. Thanks again....

 

[ScrapSilicon]

<< WE HAVE POST, WE HAVE POST!!

JohnnyGuru roccks!! Thanks a lot.

BTW, I actually tried this very PS last night when I was troubleshooting, but it wouldn't switch on for some reason. I probably had the wrong lead on for the power switch like an idiot. Thanks again.... >>

hehe....I abstain from voting on that. Glad you got yours working too...put a Volcano 7 on mine...that Coolermaster was loud...temps were too high(62c at idle in the BIOS after 20 minutes) ..put my 65240 Vantec with Delta 60mm 7k rpm on it got down to 51c...) ..temp w/ Volcano 7.. 45-46c at idle ...CPU fan..quiet at 3110 rpm.

 

[John P]

nm