I just built a new system with this board. Nothing fancy, 1G duron, 1 stick of 256MB sdram, ati rage 128 agp video and maxtor 20gb hd. Whenver I try to boot, the screen would hang at checking nvram..., I couldn't even get into the bios. So far, I've tried switching rams (crucial, infineon, kinston) several times, change memory slots, switched cmos battery, reset cmos, and it still hangs at checking nvram... I'll paypal $20 to anyone who can solve my problem. thanks.
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Need help with K7S5A, reward offered!
- Thread starter llew
- Start date
Keep the money, you might need it.
I am thinking that message may be from your mobo (non volitile ram, isn't that the boot prom). Are you saying that this message is coming up before bios initiates or when you see the message press XX key to enter setup/bios. Because the board boots the video card first and you usually see it initializing its' bios first (sometimes they only say their name but this is what its doing). Then after this it hangs? Either your system is very unstable from heat or not enough voltage from your power supply (probably 300watts would be recommended for what your running, in case you want to drop a bigger processor in). It is also possibly a bad mobo (actually this may be what it most likely is) or bad processor (pretty much only things going during that portion of the boot). I think you should be able to rule out memory because of the number of different sticks that didn't change anything.
To rule out everything else, you could boot with only the video card, memory, and processor in. Pull all your drives and other peripherals out. If it starts working, then its one of those peripherals or your powersupply is weak and adding the peripherals makes it too weak. If its working then start adding them back one at a time in order to determine the fault.
I am guessing removing all of that won't fix this one. Your next step normally would be to swap those primary (necessary components) until you determine the culprit. The order you swap them is pretty much determined by your RMA shipping funds and patience or by what you have available from your own stock of parts or a really good friend who wouldn't hate you for life if you killed one of their parts by swapping it into a bad mobo or a bad powersupply that may harm their parts. Most of the time thats not the case, so it is reasonably safe.
Just be warned it can and has happened and will happen again. (Is that enough of a disclaimer.....😀).
If your going to start the RMA process, start with your mobo. If thats no go, then processor, then power supply then lastly video card.
Forgot to add that you should also check and make sure that no extra risers were left in that might be shorting the mobo. Pull the mobo out and see if any extra standoffs might of got left in.
I am thinking that message may be from your mobo (non volitile ram, isn't that the boot prom). Are you saying that this message is coming up before bios initiates or when you see the message press XX key to enter setup/bios. Because the board boots the video card first and you usually see it initializing its' bios first (sometimes they only say their name but this is what its doing). Then after this it hangs? Either your system is very unstable from heat or not enough voltage from your power supply (probably 300watts would be recommended for what your running, in case you want to drop a bigger processor in). It is also possibly a bad mobo (actually this may be what it most likely is) or bad processor (pretty much only things going during that portion of the boot). I think you should be able to rule out memory because of the number of different sticks that didn't change anything.
To rule out everything else, you could boot with only the video card, memory, and processor in. Pull all your drives and other peripherals out. If it starts working, then its one of those peripherals or your powersupply is weak and adding the peripherals makes it too weak. If its working then start adding them back one at a time in order to determine the fault.
I am guessing removing all of that won't fix this one. Your next step normally would be to swap those primary (necessary components) until you determine the culprit. The order you swap them is pretty much determined by your RMA shipping funds and patience or by what you have available from your own stock of parts or a really good friend who wouldn't hate you for life if you killed one of their parts by swapping it into a bad mobo or a bad powersupply that may harm their parts. Most of the time thats not the case, so it is reasonably safe.
Just be warned it can and has happened and will happen again. (Is that enough of a disclaimer.....😀).
If your going to start the RMA process, start with your mobo. If thats no go, then processor, then power supply then lastly video card.
Forgot to add that you should also check and make sure that no extra risers were left in that might be shorting the mobo. Pull the mobo out and see if any extra standoffs might of got left in.
Jeff7
Lifer
I get that sometimes with conflicting settings in the BIOS. Try setting it to the Fail-Safe defaults, and see if it boots then. Then go back into the BIOS and start enabling things like AGP, UltraDMA, etc.
Example of that: I recently flashed my AK35GTR to a new BIOS. Once it got past the POST and showed the device listing, it would lock hard. It turned out that Enabling the USB Keyboard support was what did it - that was all. I have a PS/2 keyboard, so that's probably why it freaked out like that.
Doh; ok, missed the thing about not being able to get into BIOS. Yeah, do what WarCon said....😱
I think I'll go to bed now.😕
Example of that: I recently flashed my AK35GTR to a new BIOS. Once it got past the POST and showed the device listing, it would lock hard. It turned out that Enabling the USB Keyboard support was what did it - that was all. I have a PS/2 keyboard, so that's probably why it freaked out like that.
Doh; ok, missed the thing about not being able to get into BIOS. Yeah, do what WarCon said....😱
I think I'll go to bed now.😕
Warcon, the message comes up right after the bios detects my cpu, I do have amd recommended 300watt PSU and the cpu works in another board. I really hope it's not the board because the rma process will take a while and I need to get this system to work almost immediately. I'll try to boot with only the bare essentials and see what happens. thanks for your help.
Jeff7, the problem is I couldn't even get into the bios menu, it hangs right before it displays press del to enter the bios and clearing the CMOS doesn't help.
Jeff7, the problem is I couldn't even get into the bios menu, it hangs right before it displays press del to enter the bios and clearing the CMOS doesn't help.
GregANDTCH
Golden Member
Hold down the "insert" key while you boot.
YMMV
😕
YMMV
😕
hopeless879
Senior member
My friend had the same problem with his k7s5a, it ended up being the board, he returned it and got a new one. I have heard horror stories about the k7s5a, but i have one myself and its been working fine for about 5 months now.
it's way too early to see if the mobo is defective.
with k7s5a, the first question i have is....
what's your powersupply?
what's it's rating at 3.3v+5v?
if you have at least 180w on 3.3v+5v rail...
then try doing this.
unplug everything from mobo.
- pci, agp, cpu, ram
unplug the psu from mobo.
unplug the battery. (cmos battery)
and reset the cmos while the battery is unplugged.
and let it sit for a good hour.
reseat the cmos clear jumper to normal.
replug the battery.
replug the cpu, ram, agp. (and make sure your agp card is seated all the way)
replug the psu.
and boot it up with delete button down
with k7s5a, the first question i have is....
what's your powersupply?
what's it's rating at 3.3v+5v?
if you have at least 180w on 3.3v+5v rail...
then try doing this.
unplug everything from mobo.
- pci, agp, cpu, ram
unplug the psu from mobo.
unplug the battery. (cmos battery)
and reset the cmos while the battery is unplugged.
and let it sit for a good hour.
reseat the cmos clear jumper to normal.
replug the battery.
replug the cpu, ram, agp. (and make sure your agp card is seated all the way)
replug the psu.
and boot it up with delete button down
This is exactly the same problem that I am having. In case it adds to the discussion, I have done the following:
obtained a new motherboard
obtained a new BIOS chip
and it still hangs on "checking NVRAM . ." (I looked up NVRAM, and it stands for non volatile random access memory. I'm obviously not technically sophisticated--or I wouldn't be having this problem--but to me that means that it never even gets to the BIOS.)
My power supply is also supposed to be 300 watts and athlon approved. Is there a way to check the power supply?
obtained a new motherboard
obtained a new BIOS chip
and it still hangs on "checking NVRAM . ." (I looked up NVRAM, and it stands for non volatile random access memory. I'm obviously not technically sophisticated--or I wouldn't be having this problem--but to me that means that it never even gets to the BIOS.)
My power supply is also supposed to be 300 watts and athlon approved. Is there a way to check the power supply?
I appreciate the tips (and apologize for sending an incomplete description of my efforts above). I also have tried
using a PCI video card instead of the AGP video card
booting with only the mobo and video card attached
clearing the CMOS 57 different ways from Sunday
replacing the CMOS battery
I feel like an midieval alchemist at this point, but I am starting to convince myself that it has to be the power supply. Since I yanked the power supply out of the mobo six thousand times (in order to clear the CMOS), I wonder whether I "jiggled" (technical term) loose a wire.
Any way to check that without electrocuting myself or buying a new power supply?😱
using a PCI video card instead of the AGP video card
booting with only the mobo and video card attached
clearing the CMOS 57 different ways from Sunday
replacing the CMOS battery
I feel like an midieval alchemist at this point, but I am starting to convince myself that it has to be the power supply. Since I yanked the power supply out of the mobo six thousand times (in order to clear the CMOS), I wonder whether I "jiggled" (technical term) loose a wire.
Any way to check that without electrocuting myself or buying a new power supply?😱
briansdad...
llew's problem is after the boot.
the computer powersup.
meaning, the screen displays something.
once you can get past this part, you can assume that at least your cpu is getting powered.
whether cpu and mobo is getting powered enough has to do with the stability of the system.
which in llew's case is none. he can't get past nvram check.
when you clear your cmos, you don't really have to unplug your powersupply...
although that would secure the cutoff of any power being supplied to the mobo.
but usually just taking out the jumper and repositioning for 30 sec-1 min works fine.
as for your problem briansdad...
let me try to understand a bit more.
when you turn the computer up... the system boots up.
but it hangs at checking nvram?
or does it display anything on the screen?
as i asked llew, what's your psu's rating on 3.3+5v?
is it over 180w?
if something does come up on the screen, then at least you know that your psu is working.
it might be underpowering the mobo... hence the problem.
if nothing is coming up on the screen,
is the psu's fan running? if neither is happening,
then unplug the powersupply from your mobo.
and unplug the power cable from the wall socket.
short circuit / cross the green wire and any black wire.
(you can do this easily by sticking in a paperclip in the sockets)
and replug the power cable to the wall socket.
(not that i'll kill you, but don't touch the paperclip until you power it down)
see if the psu's case fan runs.
if not, then you have a dead psu.
go grab yourself a new psu.
if you're looking for a psu and your budget is a bit tight...
i'd say get yourself a 350w enhance psu from newegg.
they do have 300w for $1 less, but i'm sure you can spare a $1.
enhance's psu has 220w on 3.3+5v. so that should be sufficient to powerup.
if you have some cash to burn, then i'd say invest in a nice psu.
chieftech's 420w is quite nice. 🙂 it comes with a pod adjusters.
while k7s5a is a nice mobo...
due to it's chipset design, it requires a solid voltage at 5v.
if this falls below 4.8v, then your computer will most likely crash ... and randomly.
if there are any perspective k7s5a buyers reading this with a cheap 300w (ie deer) psu...
look elsewhere... avoid the headache.
but if you have a decent psu, the price is definately right with k7s5a. choose accordingly.
llew's problem is after the boot.
the computer powersup.
meaning, the screen displays something.
once you can get past this part, you can assume that at least your cpu is getting powered.
whether cpu and mobo is getting powered enough has to do with the stability of the system.
which in llew's case is none. he can't get past nvram check.
when you clear your cmos, you don't really have to unplug your powersupply...
although that would secure the cutoff of any power being supplied to the mobo.
but usually just taking out the jumper and repositioning for 30 sec-1 min works fine.
as for your problem briansdad...
let me try to understand a bit more.
when you turn the computer up... the system boots up.
but it hangs at checking nvram?
or does it display anything on the screen?
as i asked llew, what's your psu's rating on 3.3+5v?
is it over 180w?
if something does come up on the screen, then at least you know that your psu is working.
it might be underpowering the mobo... hence the problem.
if nothing is coming up on the screen,
is the psu's fan running? if neither is happening,
then unplug the powersupply from your mobo.
and unplug the power cable from the wall socket.
short circuit / cross the green wire and any black wire.
(you can do this easily by sticking in a paperclip in the sockets)
and replug the power cable to the wall socket.
(not that i'll kill you, but don't touch the paperclip until you power it down)
see if the psu's case fan runs.
if not, then you have a dead psu.
go grab yourself a new psu.
if you're looking for a psu and your budget is a bit tight...
i'd say get yourself a 350w enhance psu from newegg.
they do have 300w for $1 less, but i'm sure you can spare a $1.
enhance's psu has 220w on 3.3+5v. so that should be sufficient to powerup.
if you have some cash to burn, then i'd say invest in a nice psu.
chieftech's 420w is quite nice. 🙂 it comes with a pod adjusters.
while k7s5a is a nice mobo...
due to it's chipset design, it requires a solid voltage at 5v.
if this falls below 4.8v, then your computer will most likely crash ... and randomly.
if there are any perspective k7s5a buyers reading this with a cheap 300w (ie deer) psu...
look elsewhere... avoid the headache.
but if you have a decent psu, the price is definately right with k7s5a. choose accordingly.
Evadman
Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
<< Whenver I try to boot, the screen would hang at checking nvram >>
Your board is gone. NVRam is the static ram in the bios. If it hangs the checksum did not match, and the computer tries to fix itself. ( thats why it hangs, I have never seen it work )
If a bios reset does not fix it, then RMA it. only option. Sorry.
and you can keep the $20, get another $30 and buy an extra K7S5A. I love that board.
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