ECS K7S5A MB won't boot at all

[PCDumbass]

I have a K7S5A mainboard that just won't boot for me.

The processor is good, the PSU is good, the power controls from the case to the board are also good.

I had no problems starting it up and installing Windows XP on this system about a month ago, but now all of a sudden it just won't boot. Once I press the power button on the case, it makes a "buzz" sound for about 1 sec, but that's it. You can see the CPU's cooling fan try to start (makes about 1/8 turn then nothing) but it just won't power up.

Does anybody else agree with me in thinking that the MB just decided to die?

Any comments/questions/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

-Rob
robpilgrim@hotmail.com

 

[23skidoo]

I would check your main ATX power connector to make sure nothing worked loose and then pull the power plug, push the power on switch to clear the start-up charge in the caps, remove the battery and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then put the battery & power cable back in and try to power up while holding down the Insert key to see if it will take off. If that fails, turn the system off, remove the two-pin Power On jumper at the front panel connection header and very carefully use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the two power on pins; if it fires right up it could simply be a bad power on switch. I'm assuming you are getting a "buzz" and not a "beep" here. If all that fails try following the instructions in this link to test your power supply. If that's good, your board may be bad. Good luck.

http://www.sysopt.com/articles/troubleshoot/index.html

 

[johnjkr1]

Also, are you sure the cpu is compatible with that board? You didn't list what cpu you were trying to use.

 

[amdskip]

What exact power supply is it?

 

[PCDumbass]

Originally posted by: johnjkr1
Also, are you sure the cpu is compatible with that board? You didn't list what cpu you were trying to use.

I'm using a Duron 1.2GHz. Like I said, I installed windows on this system no problem, it was just since I let it sit for a while that it started acting up.

-Rob

 

[PCDumbass]

Originally posted by: amdskip
What exact power supply is it?

It's a Codegen 350W ATX PSU. Works fine with my other PC (identical) and it's brand new.

Hmmmmm

-Rob

 

[PCDumbass]

Originally posted by: 23skidoo
I would check your main ATX power connector to make sure nothing worked loose and then pull the power plug, push the power on switch to clear the start-up charge in the caps, remove the battery and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then put the battery & power cable back in and try to power up while holding down the Insert key to see if it will take off. If that fails, turn the system off, remove the two-pin Power On jumper at the front panel connection header and very carefully use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the two power on pins; if it fires right up it could simply be a bad power on switch. I'm assuming you are getting a "buzz" and not a "beep" here. If all that fails try following the instructions in this link to test your power supply. If that's good, your board may be bad. Good luck.

http://www.sysopt.com/articles/troubleshoot/index.html

It IS a buzz I am hearing, not a beep. I know the beep codes and have used them to identify several problems with previous systems. I will try some of the tricks you mention here to try and troubleshoot the board itself, thanks for the input. I'll post up my results shortly.

-Rob

 

[Pudgygiant]

Sounds like a short to me. If it's dusty, clean it out.

Also, turn it on, leave it on for a bit, and check the processor. I've had bad luck with ECS mobos frying processors (although admittedly I can't pin either incident on the mobo itself).

 

[ToeJam13]

I've owned two of this boards before (different revisions), and they both ate my Athlon CPUs. I consider them nothing but a cheap, midnight Taiwanese boat special.

Save yourself some grief and get an Asus or Abit.

 

[SeTeS]

The only problem I've had with my 2 k7s5a's is the cmos battery being/going bad. That shouldn't cause the buzzing you're describing tho.

 

[PCDumbass]

Originally posted by: 23skidoo
I would check your main ATX power connector to make sure nothing worked loose and then pull the power plug, push the power on switch to clear the start-up charge in the caps, remove the battery and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then put the battery & power cable back in and try to power up while holding down the Insert key to see if it will take off. If that fails, turn the system off, remove the two-pin Power On jumper at the front panel connection header and very carefully use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the two power on pins; if it fires right up it could simply be a bad power on switch. I'm assuming you are getting a "buzz" and not a "beep" here. If all that fails try following the instructions in this link to test your power supply. If that's good, your board may be bad. Good luck.

http://www.sysopt.com/articles/troubleshoot/index.html

23skidoo, I checked everything in this list and it really looks like the board is a POS. PSU works in another system - no problem, did the battery reset - no difference, tried the screwdriver jumper - did the same as when I press the power button on the case.

Yes, it does buzz (not beep) for about one second when I try to power-up the system. I have used the beep system to identify badly inserted video cards and other misc. problems in the past.

The only thing I can see it being is a faulty MB. I have another K7S5A on the way as I write this, I will post up my results.

Thanks again for the excellent diagnostic guide.

-Rob

 

[PCDumbass]

UPDATE:
======

After replacing the MB woth yet another ECS K7S5A, it appears that the real problem must be with the CPU. I changed out the PSU and the MB, now the only real variable remaining is the CPU. It's still doing the same crap with the "Bzzzt!" thing going on, even with all other devices disconnected.

Off to get a new CPU.....!

Oh well, at least I'm learning

-Rob

 

[Cheetah8799]

PCDumbass. I've had that happen. I won't touch that model anymore. Apparently with the older revisions there were strange issues. On mine, I pulled out the CPU, put it back in, and that was it. No more post. I tested with many different CPUs and nothing would work. I ended up trashing it... I remember digging all over the net and reading about lots of people having similar issues as me.

Good luck with yours.

 

[PCDumbass]

Thanks for the note....well, I figure the chances of me getting two bad ECS K7S5A's is pretty slim, hopefully it's just the CPU that decided to take a crap and not two boards. FYI the original problematic board AND this new board are both older revision versions of the K7S5A, so they could be acting up just as you say. Hopefully not though....I just grabbed another Duron off eBay, maybe that one will solve the problems. I am going to try to boot the board on a static bag there now, just to make sure the case is not grounding out weird.

-Rob

 

[amdskip]

I still vote that that power supply is not sufficient for your needs. I have built at least 20 systems with this motherboard and they work great but you need a name brand quality power supply and IMHO, yours does not make the list.

 

[imported_raybay]

My vote is for the power supply, despite it being new. You don have a respected motherboard. Any chance you can try the processor in another machine of a friend?

 

[PCDumbass]

Originally posted by: amdskip
I still vote that that power supply is not sufficient for your needs. I have built at least 20 systems with this motherboard and they work great but you need a name brand quality power supply and IMHO, yours does not make the list.

UPDATE: IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!
=====================

Totally weird outcome on this one...I took the board out of the case and tried to do a boot with the MB on a static bag. Didn't work. For some strange reason, I decided to try the original PSU that would not work with the original ECS K7S5A I had.

As it turns out, the original 300W PSU (PSU #1) that came with the case started to work perfectly with the second ECS K7S5A MB (MB #2). Totally weird. What's even weirder is that the new CPU I bought is a brand-name 350W PSU (Enermax) while the one that ended up working well was a 300W no-name brand.

Either way, I am very happy that the system appears to be working fine now.

Thank you all for your help.

-Rob

 

[PCDumbass]

Originally posted by: raybay
My vote is for the power supply, despite it being new. You don have a respected motherboard. Any chance you can try the processor in another machine of a friend?

You're not stupid!

-Rob

 

[PCDumbass]

Now I can't get the audio to work!!

Having a great time here...!

-Rob

 

[PCDumbass]

Got it...on-board sound was disabled in the BIOS, I just had to enable it and voila.

I have learned a few things today

-Rob