KT7A-RAID users pls help...

[Gum]

Do you ever experience boot-up problems with the KT7A-RAID mobo? My system specs as below. Duron 800 is NOT overclocked.
I am frequently unable to boot my system. After pressing the power-on switch on my casing, nothing happens. Meaning fans won't move, HDDs won's spin, etc...Totally no power supplied to all components. I am using a AMD-Certified Wintech 300W PSU. Tried another 235W CWT PSU also same result.

I have also tried to configure all components part-by-part, starting with bare mobo with CPU, RAM and Graphics card. Adding each component and test if system boots. But addition of each component works flawlessly and system boots normally each time!! It's only when I try to power-on system after system has been off for long period(eg. cold-booting system in morning), then will the system be unbootable as decribed above.

The only way I can boot the system is to plug out some cables(eg. ATA cables), then re-attach them and system will boot!! Pulling out the power-cable that connects the wall electrical-socket to my PSU, then plugging-in again will also boot the system!! I am damn freaked-out by this menacing problem!!

Help?

 

[Mindlink]

Your system is failing during the soft-off process. Basically, ATX motherboards and power supplies go into a deep type of "sleep" state (a state which preserves neither ram nor cpu states) when you shut down using windows or the power key. When starting up, the power button simply tells the motherboard to come out of the deep sleep state. When you pull out the IDE cables, you probably also pull the main power cable, which resets the system to a complete off state, from which you can boot up.

Solutions are problematic, because it's hard to determine what causes the problem to begin with. I once got this problem after installing the HPT raid monitor, so it can (and seems to be usually) be caused by a problem in software or APCI.

EDIT
First solution: reset the CMOS to clear garbage. To do this, shut down. Then move the CMOS clear jumper (see manual for location) to position 2-3. Wait 10 seconds. Move the jumper back. Start up and reconfigure the BIOS (you will have to renter all settings). If the board is old, consider putting in a new CMOS battery. You may be suffering from CMOS corruption due to low power out from the battery itself during long power-off cycles.

If the easy solution fails, make sure that the APCI is properly configured, and is enabled in the bios. Also, make sure that all the cables are properly seated into the connectors, especially the ATX plug and the power switch header. Also try moving the system to a different outlet and trying again, since the power needed to restart may not be coming through properly because of a faulty power plug, etc. Finally, make sure it's not the system config first, ie, APCI sharing with a non-sharing card like the (troublesome as ever) SBLive. In that case the problem may be solved by clearing slots 2/3 (or exchanging the cards for ones in other slots).

As a last resort, try reinstalling windows fresh (with no cards in, bios set to NON-PNP OS mode) and then putting in all the cards (one at a time) after installing the latest 4-in-1 drivers.

Yes, a lot of suggestions capable of solving 90% of problems out there. I suppose you might save the reinstall for a while, see if someone has the same specific problem.

Well, good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Gum]

Well, thanx!!

I seem to have solved my problems. I have received suggestions that my mobo might be in contact with some metal parts for example the metal-spacers attaching the mobo to the casing mobo-plate, or maybe even some metal-screws!!

I have checked and re-sit my mobo and made sure there are no direct contact with any metal parts. Now system is bootable even on first boot, and is also quite stable. Time for overclocking!!