Can't get my A64 System to show video/post

[SilthDraeth]

I really need someone I can call and talk to, I been racking my brain and cant figure out why the system wont boot up.

If you can help me out over phone, please send me a pm, and Ican provide you my cell phone number or vice versa, I am going crazy here.

Thanks.

Ok I will try to explain as best I can.

I had a Compaq with Athlon xp 2600 that worked fine, then one night I turned it off, and it wouldn't boot the next morning, though all the fans would come on.

I swapped out all the hardware into my system, and they all tested good.

I bought an MSI K7n Delta Moboard, dropped the cpu in there, and hooked it all up to a 350 Watt powersupply.

Still same thing.

The monitor never gets a signal from the video card.
The cdrom tray will eject.
The fans all spin.

So I thought maybe the processor is bad.

so I bougth an athlon xp 64 3000+ 939, and a Neo 2 plat, and hooked it all up, and same problem.

I cant figure it out, and instead of replying 1000 times with more information, if someone is really experienced, and is willing to help me out, I would love it.

Thanks.

 

[blodhi74]

system specs ?

 

[mechBgon]

I can't call you (no long-distance service) and you can't call me (my phone line doesn't take inbound calls for some reason), but if you want to post your specs in detail, like the sample below...

Or I have a pretty robust list of no-POST/no-run causes on this page, the first link at the top there.

• CORE HARDWARE
  • Power supply Antec TruePower 430
  • Motherboard Asus K8N-E Deluxe
    • Revision 1.03
    • BIOS 1005
  • CPU Athlon64 3000+
    • Core 130nm Clawhammer
  • Memory (2) 512MB Corsair XMS 3200C2 modules
    • Voltage Manually set to 2.7 volts
    • Timings AUTO, results in 2-3-2-6 @ 200MHz
• CARDS
  • Primary video card ATI Radeon 9800Pro AGP 8x
  • PCI slot #1 (top) empty
  • PCI slot #2 empty
  • PCI slot #3 LeadTek Winfast TV/FM tuner card
  • PCI slot #4 Creative Audigy 2 ZS
  • PCI slot #5 LSI Logic Ultra160 SCSI
  • PCI slot #6 (board only has five PCI slots)
• DRIVES
  • Boot drive 160GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Serial ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 SATA controller
    • Jumper setting not applicable (SATA)
  • Additional hard drive 40GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, primary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Additional hard drive 18GB Seagate Cheetah 15k.3
    • Interface SCSI
    • Controller hosting this drive LSI Logic U160 card
    • Jumper setting SCSI ID 01
  • Optical drive #1 NEC 3500A DVD burner
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Optical drive #2 Lite-On combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Slave
• OS AND SECURITY
  • Operating System WindowsXP Professional
  • Service Pack SP2
  • Internet connection Cable
  • Hardware firewall Netgear RP614 router
  • Software firewall WindowsXP firewall
  • Antivirus Norton Antivirus 2004

 

[SilthDraeth]

MSI K8n Neo2
Radeon 9800 Pro
Fortron 250 Watt Powersupply.
Athlon 64 939 3000+
Micron pc 2700 ram
Um ask me for more, as we go, cuz I cant think clearly right now.

 

[Cook1]

Have you had the same video card throughout all your CPU/Motherboard swapping?

 

[SilthDraeth]

I have 2 9800 pros, and I have tested both of them to work just fine in the computer I am making these posts from.

 

[mechBgon]

250W power supply. Ding-ding-ding!!! Run out to CompUSA and grab an Antec SL400 or another decent-quality brand (Enermax, Fortron) in the 400W area. No, not the cheez-O-matic CompUSA house brand! *slaps hand away from it*

Other random tips:

1) if you have any front USB ports built into your case, unplug them from the motherboard. MSI has some funky pinouts going on some mobo models

2) make sure your ATX12V cable is plugged into the motherboard or you ain't goin' nowhere. If your video card takes an auxiliary power cable, which I believe it does, make sure that's plugged in as well.

3) the motherboard should be mounted on top of standoffs: photo page

 

[mechBgon]

One other tip: look inside the first pages of your owner's manual for your MSI and see if you see the sticker that tells what BIOS revision it's got from the factory. You need at least revision 1.2 to run a Socket939 3000+ because they all have the new 90nm core, if I recall my MSI infos correctly.

 

[SilthDraeth]

sorry I mistyped that 80 times.
350 Watt
I actualy have this on order should be here monday, I was just trying to get a head start with the installing windows on the hard drive.
Thermaltake silent purepower 480 watt xaser http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=17-153-007&DEPA=1

I dont have the manual, got the board from a fellow anandtecher, thing is, I had this same problem with my k7n delta board for my athlon xp 2600.

 

[SilthDraeth]

Even so, though shouldnt the moboard at least post? I guess the psu is only factor, though its not the original psu that was in the first xp 2600 when it stopped working.

 

[mechBgon]

Did you get both the CPU and mobo from the trader, and were they working together before? That would eliminate the question of the BIOS revision for 90nm-core support. But if the BIOS doesn't support your CPU, then no, it won't POST. Ask your trader if he/she recalls what BIOS revision it's got, perhaps.

 

[SilthDraeth]

no, got the cpu from newegg, and the mobo from the trader, he stated it was just back from rma.

gah if its the bios, how do I update the bios if it wont post?

 

[mechBgon]

gah if its the bios, how do I update the bios if it wont post?

It's a Catch-22, you can't. You would need a 130nm-core CPU, or else buy a new preprogrammed BIOS chip and a chip-puller tool from BadFlash.com or maybe from MSI. I would hope MSI would've sent the board out after RMA with the latest BIOS on it, but what do I know

 

[SilthDraeth]

Well, I browsed that site mech, and I even set it all up on cardboard, I verifed the vid card was pressed all the way down firmly enough, I tried popping the cmos batter for a good 20 minutes with powersupply disconected. I took off the heatsink (even without retention in place was a ah heck to pop off) I reseated the processor.
Made sure the 4 wire and the main power where connected.
made sure vid card had auxilary power connected.

Still same issue, so I am hoping the powersupply is the prob, and the new one will solve the issue, and if not, I guess I am calling MSI next.

Thanks for all the assistance.

 

[SilthDraeth]

MSI Tech Support is shipping me a nice new bios chip. I hope that does the trick. BTW my Thermaltake powersupply is super Sexy.