Need help with Epox 8k7a MB

[MattH56]

I recently purchased parts for a machine I'm building. I am attempting to assemble these together and can not get the machine to even post. Here's what I've got in right now:

Epox 8k7a MB
AMD 1.33GHz non-overclocked
Crucial PC1600 256MB ram (yes, I accidentially ordered the wrong one)
ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon

I plugged all of this in, put in the keyboard and monitor and it will not even do a bios display on screen. Looking at the post codes, it cycles through about 5 different ones, including C1, 24, 25, and FF. This cycles continously without stopping on one specific number.

I thought perhaps my problem was that I did not have any drives in the machine, so I put in an Adaptec 2940UW with a 9.1GB drive that didn't have any OS installed on it. Again, no change.

I have taken the CPU/HS off and cleaned them, then refit the pieces (with ASII each time). Again, no change. The CPU core does not appear burned or chipped.

I am at a loss here and of course the place I got my mb from is closed, so I cannot call and ask for help from them. Hopefully some of you guys have some suggestions that I might try.

My jumpers are set at 6.5 multiplier, 200Mhz DDR bus, default CPU and ram voltage, keyboard power on is off.

Help!

MH

 

[Zuluwarrior]

1. why is your cpu multiplier set at 6.5? should be set to default
which on your cpu would be 10x133mhz...........set the dip switches
on the block to all off for default, or set 1 and 5 to on with middle ones
all down for 10 multiplier manually

2. 200mhz DDR bus?????? don't know what that is, but your ddr uses the rising
and falling edge voltage of the 133mhz FSB speed and that's what it should
be set at using Jumper JP3 I believe, the default is 100mhz, but you NEED to
change it, otherwise your PCI bus will be running at 2/3 instead of 1/3 and will
make all your PCI devices freak out.

3. FInally, being a former newbie myself ....are you "SURE" you didn't hafta force
that heatsink down on the chip?????? did you use a screwdriver with a regular head like a good newbie should?????? or did you use something else, like your "HAND"

a cracked core is not always visible.........

If your shop has a cpu you could try, that might be a good option.

ALso, you should have NOTHING on the board when you're trying to post first other than the video card and keyboard......not even the mouse

If you can get into the bios, you should be off and running.......

BTW: I hope you made a windows startup disc that will find all your scsi drives and devices so u can reinstall windows.

To your question concerning harddrive presence, it should make zero difference to getting it to post.

In the end, you may have a dead mobo, but that wouldn't make much sense since your bios codes are cycling like they should.....and it should end with FF

 

[MattH56]

To answer your questions:

1. Re cpu multiplier: I was setting it at 6.5*200 Mhz (for DDR). I did not set it higher since my ram is rated at pc1600 instead of pc2100 and since I am getting a replacement soon, the crucial people asked that I don't overclock the memory.

2. Re DDR bus: I was meaning the 100/200 DDR bus vs the 133/266 bus. Again because of the memory, that is why I put that setting in.

3. Re Heatsink placement: I used a flathead screwdriver like was required in the SK-6 instructions. I did use a little force, but it did not seem extreme.

4. I bought all parts online, so finding a shop for a replacement CPU here would be both expensive and probably pretty hard to do. I am using only the video card, keyboard, monitor, and later the SCSI card. The screen remains blank and the postcodes continue to cycle. I tried another video card that I know to work in the board to see if the video card was a problem. This changed nothing in the setup.

Does this sound like a CPU problem? I hope not!

Thanks for the reply... What should I try next?

MH

 

[Mungla]

When your calculating your processor speed, you use 100MHz or 133MHz and not 200/266MHz. So, since you're wanting to run your processor at the 200MHz DDR speed you need to set the multiplier to the AUTO setting (which is all dipswitches set to OFF).

SO: 100x13=1300MHz or 133x10=1330MHz.

 

[MattH56]

Ok, I made a change to the CPU multiplier (now to the default setting), but it still insists on not booting. I'm beginning to worry that somehow the CPU is messed up. :/

MH

 

[Zuluwarrior]

doesn't take much force at all to crack em!

CPU would be my bet.

any other problem might show up as a symptom or difficulty but
not blank screen.

the pc2100 versus pc1600 should make NO difference
at all to your multiplier settings and PC1600
should do 133 just fine!


what HEATSINK/Fan combo are u using??????

 

[MattH56]

I am using an SK-6 HS with the fan from a Volcano II.

Would getting a shim help reduce these type of problems or would it be more trouble than its worth?

Is there any way to determine if the CPU is what's bad without sending it for RMA? I do not have any other CPUs available to test this board with, so that poses a bit of a problem.

Thanks,
MH

 

[Zuluwarrior]

local shop that does AMD should oblige just to put it in a board
and test it.

If the Core is indeed cracked, an RMA won't be of much use
as AMD nor the vendor will touch that return with a ten foot.........
but you've got to determine if it is indeed the cpu.

If that's a heavy hsf combo, and the core is cracked,
upon replacing, I'd recommend you find a nice hard, stable surface like
a desk or table, and fold a nice soft towel over in thirds and set the mobo
squarely on it. Then get the biggest regular head screwdriver you can find
and carefully without any excess force, bend that clip down and with another
small screwdriver in your other hand, tweak the clip down around the retention
tab on the cpu socket.

This method goes double if you're using a super heavy COPPER heatsink,
like the globalwin I'm using (CAK-38) Takes some serious finesse with
all that extra weight!

 

[MattH56]

IF the core is cracked, there is no warranty on the item?? That seems rather odd that not even AMD would have a warranty on their CPUs if they are prone to cracking.

If so, I sure hate wasting $180 for this... Maybe I shoulda gotten that shim...

MH

 

[CurtOien]

What power supply do you have?

 

[MattH56]

Antec 400W PS in the SX1240 case... Brand new.

MH

 

[Zuluwarrior]

hehe,

I don't thing AMD thinks of their cpus as prone to cracking,
but they might think of the heavy, giant, copper cpu's
people are using as of late as "PRONE" to cracking.......

That's why they have a lot of info on their website concerning
the risks, and although I'm not familiar with the hsf u have,
my globalwin came with a lot of documentation on the risk of it.

The CPU i busted a year ago was a tbird 850 under the weight
of a golden orb.

I didn't apply much force, but I didn't have the board on a firm
yet soft surface either.

It's easy to do, and neither the cpu, nor fan manufacturer is
liable for it, as it's only the home builders doing it.

 

[Zuluwarrior]

that power supply should be very optimal for that cpu

I think we've narrowed it down to a dead motherboard
or a cracked core.

just for what it's worth, those shims aren't worth much at all.

Just remember not to remove the little feeties on the cpu

 

[MattH56]

Well, it might be a cracked cpu then... as I placed the hs on while it was in the case... I guess that's not the best place to do that at...

Yes, this HS is big... with a delta on it, its supposedly better than the Swiftech. I guess i will have to wait till tomorrow and talk to tech support where I got the cpu and see what they have to say... Is there a way to actually test the cpu itself? I looked at the core and it appears completely intact. There is no obvious gouging or anything on it. I thought I was being as careful as possible...

ARGH!

MH

 

[Zuluwarrior]

Well Matt, tell us where u live, and maybe a user in your area
would let you come "plug it in" and have a look see.

never wanna install em in the case, because there's nothing
under the board besides those
copper spacers, and that puts all the pressure on the
CPU itself, probably not much of a problem with standard
aluminum hsf's but copper is a different animal.

kinda the difference between havin a compact car dropped on your
head and a dumptruck.

good luck tho, and if it's any help to ya, I'd go do the 1.2
instead if u have to replace the cpu. can be had for around 100 in
oem version and with a simple flip of two of those dips on the
board it'll sing along at 1.33 just fine.


Running my 1.2 right now at 1.333 and my cpu temp is a cool 32degrees

 

[MattH56]

Well this was an AJYHA 1.33 for possible OC above that... I'm in Amarillo, TX. We have a few computer shops in this town, but I dunno if they deal in AMD stuff and if they'd even let me test the CPU since I did not buy it there. I'm not running a delta fan and don't really care to have one of those hair dryers going in my case, so that's why I picked this cpu...

MH

 

[Zuluwarrior]

hmmmmm, i'm in Oklahoma City.
not a universe away from ya
but not in your neighborhood either.

If you can't find anyone to test it
in any fashion, I'll be glad
to do so for ya.

Just don't send the heatsink with it!

I don't think UPS handles things
quite that heavy


hehehehehe

 

[MattH56]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I looked around and there seems to be a local shop here in town (LekTech Computers www.lektech.com) that sells amd cpus and mbs, so MAYBE they will have some stuff I could test both the mb and cpu with to see what the problem is. I sent them an email asking if they could help me with my problem, so I'll let you know what they say.

Thanks,
MH