Computer refuses to boot. Turns on, then off immediately.

[mingsoup]

I'm working on an AMD 4000+ in an EVGA NF41 motherboard, with Corsair Value Select DDR400 ram. Today, I shut off the computer after doing some rather extended maintenance, big CCleaner, uninstall AVG to install Microsoft Security Essentials, etc.

The computer never came back.

The board turns on and then off immediately.


Things I've tried.
Took out the CPU, double checked it. Reseated it with new thermal compound.
Took the motherboard out of the case.
Tried another PSU, same behavior.
Did some pretty extensive compressed air work.
Took the battery out and left it out for 5-10minutes.
Reset bios by shorting the Bios reset pins.
Motherboard has a boot button on its very self. I've used this, as well as my cases power button, and then just shorting the appropriate pins with a screw. All produce the same behavior.

Right now, I sometimes can make it stay on with just the CPU in it. Sometimes not. I've got it sitting out of the case on a wood surface. A debug LCD display reads "C1" if and when it decides to stay on. However, if I remove the ATX12V 4 pin from the motherboard, it always boots and holds at FF. (I wonder if I just left out the ATX12V connector and went from there....hmmm.)

Long story short, extremely erratic boot process. If I leave the ATX12 4pin out, it always boots to FF. If I keep it in, 80% of the time it will just turn on and then immediately off. The rest of the time, I can get to a C1 error which may or may not stay powered on, with a repeating beep. From EVGA this means, "C1, C3, and other Cx errors are usually related to memory or memory controller errors." But its not consistent.

Is the motherboard just kaput?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm at a loss.

 

[Fardringle]

C1 is a memory test error, apparently indicating bad (or missing) memory. Try booting with just one stick of RAM at a time.

 

[mingsoup]

C1 is a memory test error, apparently indicating bad (or missing) memory. Try booting with just one stick of RAM at a time.

However, this doesn't answer my main problem. The computer won't boot even without any memory. It should boot and then error out without any memory modules.

Thought I would link to the most relevant EVGA FAQ I could possibly find.

http://www.evga.com/support/faq/?f=58462

 

[Intexity]

try one stick at a time in the number one ram slot. if nothing then try other ram if that doesn't work chances are good your memory slot is gone. this is one of the basic tips in troubleshooting..

 

[mingsoup]

I've tried everything.

@Intexity, the board should boot, hold, and error even without ANY memory inserted. It won't even do this.

CMOS, Battery, Shorts, Reseat CPU, other PSU, even reseated Bios.

Without ATX12V or Bios Chip, the board will boot and stay at FF, but that's pretty much useless.

I'm going to drop the CPU into another 939 socket mobo I have running, and see if its good. If it is, I think I'll just replace this EVGA NF41 MOTHERBOARD, with another mobo. Any suggestions? What would be the best option there.....The ram is DDR400. Stick with a 939 or try get into a new socket for forward looking. Seeing as that Newegg.com doesn't even sell 939 motherboards anymore.......Suggestions?

I can't see anything wrong with the motherboard besides some caps that leaked a little.( I don't know how bad that is.)

 

[Fardringle]

Wow. Lots of blown capacitors. That could definitely be causing your problem. If it was just one or two, it might not be a big issue depending on their location and purpose, but I count nearly a dozen bad caps in your pictures. It's time for a new motherboard.

 

[mingsoup]

Where would be the best place to try track down a 939 motherboard. I find Ebay is mostly overpriced. Ideas?

Thanks.

I think I also may break out the soldering iron, and replace those caps....and see if it fixes the board. Seeing they are electrolytic, I do wonder about polarity however. hmmmm. Don't want acid in my eyes. Thats just a side note.

 

[aftershokk86]

Sorry miningsoup if your not done with this thread, let me know/ but i searched and came up with this thread instead of starting new one.

my computer had been runnning for close to 3 years since i built it. wwas oc'ed at 2.9 from 1.9 for about a year before i had heating problems, past 2 yrs just been running stock speeds.

come back from leaving my house and my comp wont turn on. it would power on for about a split second(fasn would light up mobo leds beeped on) and would shut right off.

replaced psu mobo ram cpu since i could use an upgrade...and still wont work!!!

amd 4000 phenom am2+(arctic 64 cooler)
4gb gskill ddr2 1066
xfx 750a sli nforcce mobo
cooler master xtreme power plus 600
evga 7600gt (aftermarket hsf)
with the new harddware i noticed the led 1 and led 2 lights are red when i try and turn it on?

even using the power on button on the mobo doesnt work

help??

 

[markdvdman]

I suspect your CASE is at fault.

I have had that happen to me.

Look out for an old case and test.

 

[mbevolution]

i suspect your case is at fault.

I have had that happen to me.

Look out for an old case and test.

lol

 

[C1]

Seeing those blown CAPS, I wouldnt be too excited with replacing the MB with the same version. There are a lot of Socket 939 MBs available:

http://www.agreatserver.com/cgi/search.pl?S=939&C=1244

PS: Ive had my ASUS P4 now for probably eight years. It has been OCed & cooked to the point where even the HDDs report SMART OT, but the MB CAPS look just fine.

 

[aftershokk86]

tested my old hardware, amd 3600+ brisbane, stock hsf, one hd, old psu(tt 420w), inside the mobo box, and it turned on and stayed running(didnt put vid card in, so no monitor)

whats this mean, case or vid card at fault>?

 

[mingsoup]

Yep. I've researched it, and its definately the bad caps. Badcaps.net, a great resource for this, identifies certain caps on my motherboard as notorious. Other people have reported in with the exact same problems with this same motherboard, EVGA, NF41.

Guess I will never buy another EVGA part again.



Gonna buy some caps, and recap it and see if I can bring it back to life. Just for fun.

 

[mingsoup]

Seeing those blown CAPS, I wouldnt be too excited with replacing the MB with the same version. There are a lot of Socket 939 MBs available:

http://www.agreatserver.com/cgi/search.pl?S=939&C=1244

PS: Ive had my ASUS P4 now for probably eight years. It has been OCed & cooked to the point where even the HDDs report SMART OT, but the MB CAPS look just fine.

However, buying old computer parts is more trouble then its worth. Ebay is atrociously overpriced for 5 year old dead end hardware. I don't understand. It some cases, it would be cheaper to just get into a new AM2/3 motherboard.

That site looks promising however. Forums look to be one of the best places to find something decently priced. Like this one.

 

[pf100]

...Guess I will never buy another EVGA part again...

It's not eVga's fault. I've seen almost every brand motherboard with this problem. There were millions of these bad capacitors from Taiwan supplied by parts distributors to manufacturers from 1999 to 2007. Intel, Dell, HP, video cards, cameras, DVD players, Apple; almost everyone was hit by this.