New P4 Configuration behaving awkwardly!

[rmouradi]

Hey all, we're trying to setup a new pentium 4 computer with the following configuration:

Soyo P4X400 dragon ultra (using the via p4x400 chipset)
512mb pc3200 in the first dimm slot
2.26 ghz 533 mhz FSB pentium 4 (standard fan -- BIOS readings at 43 degrees celcius)
400w power supply
all enclosed in an aluminum case

This is all we put in so far mainly because it's having trouble posting after the first load. Here is what's happening... you plug in everything and reset the cmos and turn the computer on... it will let you enter the cmos setup and change settings and save/exit. But then when you try to turn the computer on again, it turns on but it never posts anything to the screen. The fans are going and you can hear the computer being on, but nothing ever appears... this is what we've tried so far:

Swapped out the RAM with a known working 512 mb stick in the same dimm slot
Swapped out the graphics card with a known working geforce3
Removed the motherboard from the case to see if it was shorting
Loaded failsafe settings in CMOS setup

The fan that is on the CPU is the standard intel fan with the regular thermal tape on it... any suggestions are most welcome we are completely frustrated with this setup!

thanks,
roupen

 

[rmouradi]

Update:

For the record, 400 mHz RAM speed is unstable for this motherboard as we found out. Busting the clock speed down to 333 mhz or 266 turned out to make it work... It finally posts after the initial boot sequence!

 

[mastertech01]

I think on Toms Hardware they also were unable to make that chipset work at 400MHZ.