computer nightmare

[Jzeidenb]

A while back i posted about how my motherboard would not cooperate with both my sticks of ram. Long story short I found out that particular board had issues iwth ram over 1.8V so i RMA'ed and got a new board:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...p?Item=N82E16813131180
ASUS P5K LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail



So i got the new board and started putting everything together. I finally get it all put together and i load up the bios and i notice the CPU temperature is at 73 C. Which is pretty damn high to only be in the bios. So i took a look at it and noticed the thermal paste was worn off. So i shut down for the night and i went to COMPUSA and bought some of their generic white thermal paste. I put it on, a nice thin film and put it back together (if you want know exactly what i did i can spell it out). Then i turned the computer on and i get nothing on the monitor. It stays powered on, i dont hear any beeps at all (i dont even know if the speaker is even connected though, i put it in and im never hearing beeps). So i double checked to see that no paste got anywhere it shouldnt be and made sure the HSF was fastened and tried again.. nothing, but after about 30-45 seconds the computer powered off. I reset CMOS and tried again.. same thing

weird i thought, so i took out everything in the computer except the CPU and same thing, it powered off shortly after. Then i took out the CPU and booted with just the mobo on, power stayed on. Then i put the video card in, nothing else.. no image still on the monitor. Now im really confused. i never boot a computer without the CPU in it so i dunnot if im even supposed to be able to get to the bios with just the video card in but i dont know what the F is going on now. and am really confused. It doesnt seem to be the mobo since it doesnt shut off when nothings connected. I also tried the video card in both pci-e slots, still no image.

what the hell should I do now.. ive never been so aggravated with a computer before.


Here is the rest of my specs:

*Case
COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel , SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

Power Supply
CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX ATX12V V2.2 450W Power Supply 90 - 264 V UL, CUL, CE, CB, FCC Class B, TUV, CCC, C-tick

Motherboard
ABIT IP35-E LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard

Processor
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz 4M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail

Ram
Patriot eXtreme Performance 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

Video Card
VGA 256-P2-N761-AR GeForce 8600GTS 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail

Hdd
Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

DVD/Writer
SAMSUNG Black 18X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 18X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner With LightScribe Technology - OEM

 

[mechBgon]

From the description, it sounds like at a minimum the heat is not getting from the CPU to the heatsink very well. The CPU might not be seated in the socket well either... as you probably know by now, it only goes in one way.

Without the CPU, you won't get a POST screen (no video = normal). So triple-check that the socket has no bent pins, that the CPU is in the socket in the correct direction, give it a new coat of thermal paste, fasten the heatsink down, then remove the heatsink and look at the thermal paste. Does it look like it got an even sqwooshing? Flat contact across the whole face of the CPU?

If so, redo the thermal paste and try again. If not, investigate what could cause the heatsink to not sit flat on the CPU, such as the heatsink landing on something near the socket.

 

[Jzeidenb]

ok ill try it again.. im positive ts in the right way.. it only goes in one way..

would that explain why i get no picture at all even wit hthe cpu in?

 

[Jzeidenb]

ok well i got into the bios, it worked this time.. however my CPU temp reads 73 C still

really really high

could this reading be inaccurate? what is going on

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Jzeidenb
would that explain why i get no picture at all even wit hthe cpu in?

It's not a perfect explaination for that, no BTW which motherboard do you actually have now, the Abit or the Asus?

 

[Jzeidenb]

Asus board now.

i get picture now, but it is shorting out again. my guess is overheating of the CPU still?? the bios shows temp at 73, every time look, doesnt change, stays right there.. thats where it was before i dd the paste job? should i put more or less on? i dunno whats going on here, im 100% positive its fastened in correctly.. the paste looks smeared and altered when i take the hsf off again

 

[Jzeidenb]

when i boot a lot of times i get a message saying overclocking failed

is it so hot that the mobo thinks its overcloccked?

the thermal paste seems to have done nothing as it is the same temp as it was before i applied it

 

[Cutthroat]

Take the mobo out of the case, lay it on some cardboard, hook everything up and give it a shot. If it's still acting weird and if the temps still read 73C, I'd say you have a bad motherboard. Or that you damaged your CPU somehow, but that's very, very unlikely.

 

[MadAmos]

I suggest trying a BIOS reset either with the mobo jumper should be instruction in the manual, or unplug and remove the mobo batt let it sit 15 min the reinstall batt and start from there. do not try to Oclock or any major BIOS changes untill you are up and running.

Amos

 

[Jzeidenb]

I am pretty sure its the processorbecause it doesn't auto shutoff without the processor plugged in. Also I have never attempted to overclock, it said that on its own

 

[jjzelinski]

Not to encourage you to zap your CPU but perhaps you can see what the temperature is WITHOUT the heatsink. This won't instantly fry your CPU but obviously don't run like this for more than 30 seconds or so. If there's very little change that implies your heatsink is not making proper contact with the CPU.

And don't run the PC without the processor in, it won't tell you much anyway. If you had to troubleshoot the CPU you would need another one to test with. It's hard to differentiate symptoms between a faulty motherboard, RAM, or CPU without substitutes. To narrow your options a bit, Cutthroat was correct in saying CPU's aren't usually to blame; RAM and MB or significantly more volatile.

One thing you should do if you haven't already is run with only 1 stick of RAM, that's if you have more than 1. Crap I just read your component list. Make sure you aren't UNDER volting your RAM. Be sure to check it's VDC rating but I'd be willing to be it needs to be AT LEAST 2VDC. It's very possible that your motherboard is defaulting to 1.8VDC which would explain your issue.

 

[JustaGeek]

Originally posted by: jjzelinski
Not to encourage you to zap your CPU but perhaps you can see what the temperature is WITHOUT the heatsink. This won't instantly fry your CPU but obviously don't run like this for more than 30 seconds or so. If there's very little change that implies your heatsink is not making proper contact with the CPU.

Sorry, jjzelinski.

@Jzeidenb,

DO NOT ever attempt to run your CPU without the heatsink, ever.

Not even for 5 seconds.

Never.

Why would you take a chance...?

Never.


Thermal Paste application instructions:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/in...ute_step2intelas5.html

 

[Jzeidenb]

when i turn the computer on with everything but the cpu, obvioously its not telling me much, but what it doesnt do is shut off.

when the cpu is in there, it shuts off. thats telling me where the problem is.

and i definately agree with you guys that the cpu is not often the source of problems.. however, i may have accidentally fried it the first time i turned the computer on.. i didnt hit the del button to get to the bios fast enough and it actually booted up windows from my HDD.


in windows i was on for about a minute before shutting down the computer.. now imagine if the cpu is 73 degrees in my bios, how hot it could have gotten with vista booted up for a minute.

its ver possible i fried the **** out of this

 

[jjzelinski]

Originally posted by: JustaGeek

Originally posted by: jjzelinski
Not to encourage you to zap your CPU but perhaps you can see what the temperature is WITHOUT the heatsink. This won't instantly fry your CPU but obviously don't run like this for more than 30 seconds or so. If there's very little change that implies your heatsink is not making proper contact with the CPU.

Sorry, jjzelinski.

@Jzeidenb,

DO NOT ever attempt to run your CPU without the heatsink, ever.

Not even for 5 seconds.

Never.

Why would you take a chance...?

Never.


Thermal Paste application instructions:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/in...ute_step2intelas5.html

It's not going to blow up man, at least not if he doesn't run more than a half a minute or so Judging by his temp that's about what it would be without a HS anyways. I've done this without incident so it's like I'm advising him to do something I wouldn't.

 

[Jzeidenb]

I applied a little more thermal paste than I had previously and the temp was 55c for about 25 seconds, them it creeped up every couple of scones right back to 72c

 

[JustaGeek]

Are you using the Intel Stock heatsing? Did all the pins make the little "click" sound when you pushed them in?

Get a different HSF. Install it properly, possibly outside of the case, with only the Video Card, Hard Drive, CPU w/HSF, 1 stick of RAM, possibly the CD drive.


Did you remove the jumper to reset the CMOS? If yes, did you put the jumper back on the proper pins...?

Hope something works. If not, RMA the CPU.

Good luck!

 

[Jzeidenb]

yeah they all clicked, i know the fan is in right.. i dunno what then hecks goin on.. im just RMA'ing it.. ive had too much of a headache with this already

 

[jjzelinski]

Originally posted by: Jzeidenb
yeah they all clicked, i know the fan is in right.. i dunno what then hecks goin on.. im just RMA'ing it.. ive had too much of a headache with this already

Your PC is turning off as a precaution, at least that's what it sounds like. When you turn it on without a CPU it doesn't have the minimal functionality of disabling itself in the advent of a fault.

I just recently ran into an issue very similar to this and it was partially due to bad RAM and partially due to the fact that the motherboard is undervolting the RAM.

If you can make it into your BIOS at all, do yourself a favor and check your RAM voltage. If it's a goofy BIOS that only let's you see +1, +2 etc rather than your actual voltage then set it for AT LEAST +2. That's .2VDC over default DDR2 voltage of 1.8VDC, or 2VDC. DDR2 800 is almost invariably >= 2VDC. Scouts honor

EDIT: Just for the sake of certainty, set your RAM voltage for at least 2.2VDC temporarily. That will accommodate any sloppiness in your motherboards memory voltage.

 

[Jzeidenb]

hi, first of all, i just want to thank you all for being patient with my stupidity. secondly.. i ran out to compusa and got my paste exchanged with artic silver.. i applied that and booted up the bios.. no shutdowns and my max CPU temperature never exceeded 22 degrees C after 10 minutes of leaving the screen up.


i think i fixed the problem.. lesson learned.. never use anything else

before i put the seccond stick of ram back in, i want to fix the ram voltage in the mobo, however i cannot find this setting. The mobo manual states it should be the second to last option in jumperfree settings, however, both that AND cpu voltage are missing options in the actual bios.

Anyone know whats up? im afraid to put in the second stick of ram and f more stuff up

 

[lenjack]

While I'm glad you fixed the problem, the differences between thermal pastes should not be more than 5 to 6 degrees. I'd say there was a misapplication of the paste or the hs mounting, or hs fan, that you corrected with the new paste.

 

[Jzeidenb]

or the stuff from compusa wasnt real paste.. i dunno everything else i did was exactly the same.. do u have any idea about the ram voltage issue though?

 

[JustaGeek]

Brand Patriot
Series Extreme Performance
Model PDC24G6400ELK
Type 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM
Tech Spec
Capacity 4GB(2 x 2GB)
Speed DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
Cas Latency 5

Timing 5-5-5-12-2T

Voltage 2.0V


If this is your memory, set your timings and voltage as highlited above. If you have to set your memory frequency manually, set it to 800MHz.

Good luck!

 

[Jzeidenb]

hi justageek

this is where im having problems.. the mobo manual states that the memory voltage option is in the jumperfree configuration menu. however when i go there, it is not there.. no is cpu voltage option for the record.. both are mysteriously missing. ive looked everywhere possible and set every auto to manual to look and i dont see that option to change voltage.. very strange

the DRAM Timing Control is there however

im a little confused wth how i should set these.. listed are (and their current settings):

CAS# Latency [5]
RAS# to CAS# Delay [5 DRAM Clocks]
RAS# Precharge [5 DRAM Clocks]
RAS# Activate to Precharge [9 DRAM Clocks]
TWR [Auto]
TRFC [Auto]
TWTR [Auto]
TRRD [Auto]
TRTP [Auto]

 

[Old Hippie]

This page has pics of your bios screen. This close-up shows the adjustments for your ram voltage. It's marked DRAM Voltage. You don't have these settings?

 

[Jzeidenb]

everything under PCIE Spread Spectrum is missing completely.



ill take a screenshot if u want