CALLING ALL VETERANS What the &%#@ All I did was take out the memory

[Stephan28]

Ok, I'm baffled and frustrated. I took out the one stick of PC2700 memory and reinstalled it. Now the computer doesn't even post. I get nothing...no beeps....no code except FF....nothing comes up on the monitor...and I can't shut it off unless I pull the plug...I've tried different memory in different slots...looked everything over....disconnected the drives except one HDD....the other strange thing I noticed when I had the cd drives still installed....the lights would come on and stay on....wouldn't flash like normal.

What is going on?!!? Please Help!

Epox 8RDA+ 1.1
Barton 2500
Radeon 9800 Pro 128
512 PC 2700

 

[flamingsnoman]

okay....i'm no expert, but i once tried to OC my brother's Athlon (1900+?). It did the EXACT same thing you're describing. I panicked too, but in the end, the only way i could get anything to work at all was to turn off all the power so i wouldn't electrocute myself, and then popped out the battery to the motherboard to reset the BIOS. I'm guessing this problem popped up for you because of ram settings or something? If you're skeptical about trying this method, then i guess my answer is "I don't know". If there's any veterans out there who have a better idea or can confirm that my method is safe, please reply to this topic

 

[Stephan28]

Ok, VETERANS please put in your two cents worth!! What would be better to try....clearing the CMOS or doing the battery trick that the previous gentleman suggested?

By the way what exactly does clearing the CMOS do? What would taking the battery out do? Thanks!! (I've never had to do either so I don't know what the results might be.)

Any and all Ideas and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[Twista]

clear the bios it wont kill or f anything up.

 

[cmdrdredd]

clearing CMOS wipes the BIOS info and restores the factory defaults. Taking out the battery does the same, but forces the mobo to reset everything and also drains any power from the CMOS.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I'd also try testing the memory in a different computer and see if it still works.

Oh and always remember...if it aint broke don't touch it!

 

[Sunny129]

yeah its possible you fried the stick of memory with static electricity when you took it out. thats why its important to keep yourself grounded when handling components.

 

[Stephan28]

Ok, I'll try clearing the CMOS. I sure hope that does it. If not I guess we'll be back to square one. Now I wish I had written down all my settings! Oh well.

As far as the memory goes.... I haven't tried it in another computer yet. But I did try other memory in the broken computer to no avail so I'm pretty sure it's not the memory.

I did ground myself out to the case before touching the memory by the way.

 

[Stephan28]

Well, I tried clearing the CMOS. I took the little yellow jumper off the two pins to one side and moved it over to the other two pins. Left it there for a minute or two and then replaced it the way it was. Powered the computer on and it's still the same. Power comes on (fans turn on) No beeps, FF code is posted, no video (monitor power led blinks), the two CD drive led's stay lit constantly, cannot turn power off unless I either disconnect the AC plug from the psu or hold the power button for about 10 seconds. I have moved the memory around to different slots and no help. Used different memory....no help.

Arrrggghhh!!!

 

[pspada]

remove all cards except for the video, and reseat that, making sure it is fully inserted. If the problem persists, try a PCI video card to see if that'll boot.

 

[flamingsnoman]

fine, dont try the new guy's method . j/k....
im gonna go sit in the corner read up what "CMOS" is now...

 

[MadScientist]

A FF post code on an Epox board means that the bios has found no errors with the system, including the memory, and is passing control on to the OS. You could have a grounded short in your system or a ps problem. Make sure all your ps connectors are fully seated in your components. Also check the case connectors to the mb, especially the Power On/Off wire. You may have inadvertently pulled one loose. As a last resort, you could try another ps.

 

[Stephan28]

Originally posted by: flamingsnoman
fine, dont try the new guy's method . j/k....
im gonna go sit in the corner read up what "CMOS" is now...

No, it's not that at all. I just wanted several ideas before I started gutting the computer.

 

[Stephan28]

I tried another PS...not a very good one...250 Watt...(the only spare one I had lying around) but it did the same thing. The FF code comes on as soon as the power is turned on....Doesn't take a moment at all....it's immediate. I reseated the AGP video card (but doesn't a bad video card have the long beep followed by two short beeps) to no avail. Could it be the processor? I kinda doubt it though. It would at least post and hang in that case I think.

I checked all the connections on the complex header and everything seems to be hooked up and in the correct positions.


Any more ideas? I'm going crazy here!!!

 

[shoman94]

Well, looks like you checked everything, your last choice to check is the processor. It will not post if the cpu is bad. Reseat that, and if no go, then it looks like you mobo is bad. Sorry......sounds like a freak thing.

 

[pspada]

Actually, I would remove the mobo from the case, and try running it that way. Perhaps the case is shorting something out. I'd also try a PCI video board - I had a system where the AGP slot would not run certain AGP cards after the power supply shorted out. It would run different (lower end) AGP video cards, but not the original one - which did run perfectly fine in a different mobo.

Oh, and my 8RDA+ does not output sound via the case speaker, thus I get no beep codes if something is wrong. It instead outputs the speaker sound via the onboard sound - so you may not be hearing any beeps.

 

[ericlp]

Did you try reseating the ram? Pop it out and pop it back in...

Try changing ram out with good ram, or changing the ram in a diffrent slot...


-------------------------

Still doesn't work?

Try this. Unplug everything keyboard/mouse/phone/cat5/ps2/printer etc..etc. everything but the power cord. Now go in... Pull out all the cards. Yep... Only want the ram and chip on the board. Turn it on any beeps? Yes? Goood... Should be the vidoe card 6 beeps... No Beeps (BAD)

Turn the computer off take out the ram... Hear anything? No??? VERY BAD. Could be 3 things... Power Supply, Motherboard... Or CPU isn't seated correctly...


Good Luck!!!!

I would unplug everything from the Power Supply too. Get rid of the hard Drive, floppy, cdrom... And also disconnect them from the motherboard and Power Supply...

If that didn't work... then take the board out of the case... and hook it up to see if you got a grounding issue... Nope? DEAD BOARD (RMA TIME)...

I left out one thing... Before taking the board clean out unplug all the reset and power led ... everything but the speaker. I've once had a reset switch that was stuck... That was fun trouble shooting. Remove speaker last... But then you got to put the vid card back in... or if you have a spear speaker??? hehehe Unlikly but I've seen some strange sh!t before!

Good Luck Again!

 

[Stephan28]

 

[DerwenArtos12]

it souds like you lost the mobo. try pulling the ram that you tried to put back in it may have gone bad while you had it out. if that doesn't work then try yanking the cmos completly and leaving out for atleast 30 seconds. and i wil try to thik of something else and get back to you.

 

[Stephan28]

Update:

Tried different RAM in different slots, tried the original RAM in different slots

Tried different CPU's

Tried different Video Cards a GF4 TI4400 & a TNT2 Ultra (only AGP though don't have a VGA lying around)

Tried different PSU's (only other one I had lying around was a 250 watt ATX but hardly anything was hooked up)

Took off the reset connector and tried running with it removed....no help

Took Floppy drive out of the system

Took CD & CD RW drives out of the system

Double checked all the connections on the complex header---removed and reseated as well

Removed and reseated ATX connector several times

Unhooked all the cables monitor, keyboard, cat5, removed video card, removed memory etc...only had the power cord and the lead for the ext speakers because someone earlier said with this particular m/b having onboard sound I may not hear any beeps. Results...no sounds.....

The only thing that has been mentioned that I haven't tried yet is taking out the mobo. I just highly doubt it's a grounding issue because even if I try to get it to move around I can't.

By the way....When I do take it out....how do I simulate the power on signal to the mobo or do I just try to hook up the case wires like they were but just out of the case?

This is not looking good for my motherboard at this point..... How long does Epox warranty their boards for? I bought it from NewEgg.... Do I return it to them or Epox? I'll have to try and dig up the receipt but I believe it's been at least 6 months.

Hang in there guys we'll get to the bottom of this...Don't give up on me yet!!!

 

[DAPUNISHER]

When you try booting barebones out of the case just take a screwdriver and short the 2 pins for the power to get it to start. When clearing the CMOS you are unpluging the power cable from the case correct? Since it's a NF2 board try unplugging the power cable, removing the CMOS jumper cap completely, removing the battery, and leaving it that way 10-15min replace everything and hold the insert key down while powering up. If that fails to get a boot and you are feeling lucky repeat the proceedure but this time carefully use the tip of a couple knives or small screwdrivers, whatever you can find that will let you get leverage in the corners of the bios chip and use them to pry it up in the socket enough to unseat it. Let everything sit 10-15min. again, then, firmly press down on the bios chip to reseat it, replace everything else again and hold the insert key while powering up again.

Still not working......the board is probably toast.

 

[KF]

> Now the computer doesn't even post. I get nothing...no beeps....no code except FF

It is looking like you have a case of SNDS (Sudden Nforce Death Syndrome) Are you sure you didn't change something in the BIOS?

> took out the one stick of PC2700 memory and reinstalled it.

Was there some problem you were trying to fix by doing that? I'm not saying there is anything wrong with taking the memory out, just wondering.

 

[ericlp]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
When you try booting barebones out of the case just take a screwdriver and short the 2 pins for the power to get it to start. When clearing the CMOS you are unpluging the power cable from the case correct? Since it's a NF2 board try unplugging the power cable, removing the CMOS jumper cap completely, removing the battery, and leaving it that way 10-15min replace everything and hold the insert key down while powering up. If that fails to get a boot and you are feeling lucky repeat the proceedure but this time carefully use the tip of a couple knives or small screwdrivers, whatever you can find that will let you get leverage in the corners of the bios chip and use them to pry it up in the socket enough to unseat it. Let everything sit 10-15min. again, then, firmly press down on the bios chip to reseat it, replace everything else again and hold the insert key while powering up again.

Still not working......the board is probably toast.

Good Idea... Also, Make sure the Jumper is set to normal. Some boards if you leave the Jumper on the BIOS RESET will never post. So make sure the Jumper is set to NORMAL position....

Never RMA anything with NewEgg, since you pay to ship it back then you wait to ship it to them then you wait some more to get your item shipped back... The real killer is if newegg has any defective parts or (refurbished) MoBo they will send you those.

The best way? Call up epox and ask them if they will do a warranty swap. I forget what you call it but ... They will take your Credit Card # and ship you out a board, then you ship them yours back ... If they don't get the RMA in 10-15 days they will charge your CC for the new board. Saves a lot of time! Plus your more then likly to get a new board or one fully tested from the maker as I went through this process with Kingston after new egg shipped me a stick of RAM (DOA). Not new eggs fault stuff happens but first DOA part that I ever got. Just happend to be from NewEgg.