HELP! Machine Just Croaked. How Can I Bring it Back to Life?

[Caveman]

I built my first system ever and had it running solidly (specs are in my signature). Then I had a stupid attack and got greedy for more.

Here's a summary of the stupidity:

Got machine up and running stable for several weeks. So... I decide to try my had at OCing -- and nudge up the FSB to 140. Success at 140, but anything above that, and Win XP would give me an error message at boot, requiring me to shut down and reset the FSB back to 140 for Win XP to boot through to the desktop.

Then I read about the Epox boards having a clock divider that kicks in at FSB 160, and allows all the PCI slots to feel comfortable at their default MHz. This was something I "confirmed" on the forums here at Anandtech and elsewhere on the net... Guess I'll learn not to believe all I read.

So... This morning I get into the bios and pump it up to 160 and...

SYSTEM WON'T BOOT!

Just a blank video screen. Boot seems somewhat normal (checks the CD Roms and then the Floppy but no beep), then nothing but an idle machine. I can't use the power button to turn it off, but it will "reset" and check the floppys again. My disk boot order is: DVD Rom, CD Burner, Floppy, HD... The digital readout on the 8kha+ MoBo stops during the bootup at "26".

My system has ample cooling and runs cool at 133 FSB -- 35C idle 42C max load. My memory is Corsair 2400, so I can't believe that its having problems...

This is one of those can't get there from here paradoxes. It seems like if I could just get into the bios again, I could make the system run, but since I can't get in, I'm locked out. FRUSTRATING!!!

I thought about switching the jumper on the MoBo for a FSB 100 setting, thereby "cancelling" some of the effect of my bios OC but this is just a shot in the dark... I'm just grasping at straws here... Any ideas?

 

[LostHiWay]

reset the BIOS with the jumper

 

[Caveman]

Ok, I like short answers. But that was really short. Keep in mind that this is my first system and although I learned a lot, there are many gaps in my knowledge. I assume that you mean "clear my bios" or something like that? Or, do you mean do my jumper idea of switching it to the 100 MHz setting to "cancel" the overclock.

Please don't laugh too hard, I'm a newbie. Need more input so I don't "really" screw things up worse than they are right now...

 

Open your Mobo book to the page that says "Clearing CMOS/BIOS".
There is a jumper on that Mobo that clears the BIOS and sets it back to default.
Unplug the PC and follow the directions in your manual.

 

[MoleX]

1st reset CMOS jumper for good 20 secs, and try to boot

if no go

Pull cpu and hs/f and reseat

If no go

reseat VID card

if no go

reseat ram

If all don't work pull board from machine and test it with just 1 stick of ram vid card cpu hs/f and PSU

If THAT doesn't work, you may yourself a problem

Just take it slow and carefully, its all logic when trouble shooting this...

good luck

MoleX

 

[SpecialEd]

you have to clear the CMOS. Their should be a jumper some where on your board. just switch the jumper, leave it there for a few minutes and then switch it back. This should reset your BIOS back to its defaults. good luck!

 

[E3Art]

i have the same board you do, the jumper you want is near the middle of the board, there is only 3 jumpers on the board and it clearly labels it in the motherboard manual which one it is.

if you dont want to do that then just take the cmos battery out for a few seconds and problem solved, the battery is really easy to get out.

hope this helps

 

[Caveman]

Thanks for the advice all... I checked my MoBo book and it all makes sense, I assume that I have to put the jumper back to "normal" once I get the machine running again lest it keeps "resetting" at each boot? Also, I like the battery idea as it avoids one step by putting the jumper back to "normal". Sounds a bit easier, are there any disadvantages to this method when compared to resetting the jumper? Are there any risks associated with popping the battery out? I've never pulled a computer battery before. Anthing I need to know? Or... is it intuitively obvious how to get the battery out without causing any damage?

 

[RSMemphis]

Just use the jumper method. It's much easier to do.

Jumper to reset, wait a couple of seconds (good in any case), check if you even need to power up the system with the jumper set to reset (some do, some don't), if necessary power up, you can do all that with the computer open, and then just reseat the jumper with the system off again.

Batteries always go with the flat side on top, electrode side on the bottom, and it really only fits one way anyway.
I really just don't feel like taking the battery out when jumpering is so easy.

 

[Shack70]

Try this first!

Most newer MBs have a feature to reset the clock speed. Mine and all the others I've tried work like this:

hold the insert key down and turn on the PC. It should boot. Once you get the post screen up, go into the bios and turn down the FSB

If that don't work, go ahead a reset the bios.

 

[Caveman]

Hey Black Flag,

Interesting tidbit there... Considering page 4-25 of the Epox 8kha+ MoBo manual...

Regarding Frequency and Voltage Control it says:

--------------
Note: Overclocking failure will cause system No display problem. At this moment, please press "Insert" key to back to the initial or default setting to boot up your system.
--------------

That is a direct quote. I followed that advice but no dice but I didn't try your method of holding the insert key down "when" the machine is powered on (before it halt). I'm guessing that the MoBo book is trying to tell me to do as you say but that the Chinese to English translation isn't quite right there as the verbage does not imply holding down the insert key at power-up. I'll try your method and report back. I've notices several translation errors and things that don't quite "read right" because of Epox's American English with an Asian flair.

 

[Caveman]

Just tried the Insert Key trick... Although I was able to get as far as the bios screen that says "Press delete to enter bios", the machine wouldn't take the command. I'll have to try clearing the bios with the jumper. I wonder if this Insert trick would work if the OC wasn't so high?

 

[Burnt]

Yeah...reseting the bios always worked for me in the past

 

[mboy]

Here is another newbie tip:
Only post in 1 forum as we answered your questions to your problem in the motherboard forum.
Many here upon posting same topic (same exact post as a matter of fact) in more then 1 forum.

 

[Caveman]

Yes, I understand that posting in several areas is considered goush although I've never understood "why"...

Many people stick to one specific board or another so it only makes sense to post a question on several different boards... This post was the perfect example. I was very desperate (as I thought I'd screwed something up on my system, and was searching for any help I could get -- and got many diverse answers which helped me understand the topic in a detailed, clear manner.

Now, if I were to post a question on several boards and just home in on one thread, then I can understand people's gripe (since in effect, I would be posting a question and not a reply). But, I responded several times from all the places I posted and learned much from everyone...

It seems oxymoronish to be limited to one thread for "help" -- I just don't get that line of reasoning. Is it that you have to "look at" a similar post on another thread? I tried to only post the topic in areas where it was germaine. Sorry if I bothered you... I really appreciate the help you and others gave me no matter what thread it was on.

Thanks.

 

[HappyPuppy]

Caveman. All other considerations aside, making multiple posts concerning the same topic in more than one forum at a time will eventually get the mods on you. They will begin locking, moving or removing your posts.

Normally, if your back isn't against the wall and you don't need an instant resolution to your dilemna, you can post in one forum and if you don't get resolution within, say 24 hours, you can then post in another forum. After 24 hours I have noticed that most posts have fallen back at least to page 2 or 3 and nobody really cares if you repost.

This is in no way meant to be perceived as a lecture on protocols, it is merely an observation I have made on my sojourns through the forums.

I hope you have found the answer to your problem and your rig is humming along nicely crunching 1's and 0's.

Happy Holidays!

 

[E3Art]

taking out the battery and resetting the battery are both easy to do one our board, just the battery is easy to find, theres a tab that you push and the battery just pops right out. either way i know it will work, i did the same thing.

good luck