New rig ($150 rig for friend)

[imported_goku]

Ok, this isn't the first time I've built a computer so don't hassle me with obvious answers..

I picked up a frys combo yesterday that came with an ECS Nforce 3 board and sempron 2800+ for $70. I normally would NEVER buy a low end brand like this but because I've heard good things about this model board and the fact I'm building a $150 rig for a friend, I said, what ever.. So as I was picking up the processor, I asked the clerk if I could see the processor because it was obvious that the box had been opened. I opened up the box and surely enough the pins were bent, lots of them. So I argued a bit and finally went home with the processor with the bent pins (has plans on exchanging the processor).

So I re-bend the pins back and assemble the system systematically like it was another computer build, no really big deal but when I tried to boot up the system the PSU fan turned for a second then stopped.

Here three possible problems:
1. The powersupply is bad; I'm a bit iffy on this point because the LAN leds illuminate and the fan DID spin, also the PSU worked before I removed it from the last system build. One thing though is the fact it's a no name brand so it's kind of 50/50

2. It's the damned processor; god I hate frys for their policy, they claim they test their components before putting them back in the cage when it's very obvious they didn't test THIS processor because the pins were bent and would have required to be straight in order to test the processor. I don't really know why the guy returned the processor but I have a feeling it was because it was bad but I won't know until I go tomorrow and exchange the processor.

3. It's the infamous ECS board's fault, this seems like the least probability since the LED lights are illuminating on the LAN that it gives the impression the board is getting power but again, I won't know until I eliminate the first two possibilities.

So, can you guys help me figure this out? This isn't exactly 'common' for me so I don't really know what is more likely the culprit of this..

 

[Tig Ol Bitties]

Let me get this straight....you knew the pins on the processor were bent when you were still at the store and yet you still went home with it?? Never never never buy a processor that has an open box or was returned...demand another one and dont leave until you get another. You bought it new, so you should get a new product.

Anyways, bent pins on a processor, especially "lots" of them means your processor is screwed. I know of some who have luckily bent maybe one or two back into place without any problems, but "lots" is more than likely to result in failure. Go get another processor and try again.

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: Tig Ol Bitties
Let me get this straight....you knew the pins on the processor were bent when you were still at the store and yet you still went home with it?? Never never never buy a processor that has an open box or was returned...demand another one and dont leave until you get another. You bought it new, so you should get a new product.

Anyways, bent pins on a processor, especially "lots" of them means your processor is screwed. I know of some who have luckily bent maybe one or two back into place without any problems, but "lots" is more than likely to result in failure. Go get another processor and try again.

Looking at a technical standpoint, why would bent pins really matter so long as they don't break off and are bent back in the the correct position? You make it seem like a symptom of a fried processor would be bent pins.. The reason why I picked up the processor is because that day was the end of the sale for that combo of processor and motherboard and since the only other processor was an even worse condition processor, I just said to hell with it.

 

[imported_goku]

bump

 

[Paperlantern]

Tig Ole Bitties is right, but if it was the end of the sale theres no reason not to just wait it out, pick up another proc, cuz lets face it, its the proc, hands down. I say just head back there tomorrow and say look, I bought this yesterday, i told you guys the pins were bent but you assured me it worked, the PC doesnt boot with this proc in it, give me another one please. They cant deny you a replacement, if they do, id be calling the BBB.

 

[allanon1965]

look, a processor doesn't have to be "fried" not to work...any one of the pins could have a stress fracture where its not visible (even at the base where it passes into the silicon) that could create an "open circuit effect" and making it not post....get a new CPU and try again....I would never make a sweeping generalization like that about ECS or any other board, they all have their problems and even the best makers have duds....for the record, I have 3 ECS boards that work perfectly, all 939 KN1 Extremes...and also have had DFI boards that wouldnt work properly for love nor money.....bottom line....get a new CPU

 

[imported_red5]

I've actually had an old pentium 1 with bent pins. I got some needlenose pliers and carefully straightened them out to whe they looked straight. I had to keep tweaking for a while but I got it to the point where I stuck it in the board and never had any problems with it at all!

And the best part is that it still works to this very day. When one my friends and myself get bored, we make it into a project box - called Project Blast from the Past . Right now we have MS-DOS and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 on it. We have all the old DOS games like Doom and Doom II and the original Wolfenstein 3D on it. It's next project will be OS2 Warp.

 

[SunSamurai]

wow.........lol

 

[imported_goku]

Ok well I went to frys today, exchanged the processor, same thing. This time though the system turned on (after pressing the power button multiple times) and it now emits a long beep about every 5 seconds. I switched out the power supply with an Antec True 480 power supply and still the same thing going on. I don't believe it's the ram because I just switched it out of my current desktop system which obviously works fine. What kind of voltages does this motherboard support?

 

[allanon1965]

remove the ram and try to boot again, see if the beep is the same, if it is, you have ram that is not compatabile with that board....did you go to the ECS website to see about the list of approved ram for the board? if the beep is not the same, try it with the ram installed and the video card out....is the beep the same? what bios chip is on this board? I hope you dont get offended by my questions since you said you didnt want to hear the obvious....but that is where you have to start....I would have thought you would have already done this.....

 

[imported_goku]

Yea, it looks like it's the ram. This is the first time I've ever encountered a board that didn't work with my ram. I don't usually work with cheap boards so this is probably why... I also can't find out any information on what type of ram it DOES support so this isn't exactly helpful..

 

[allanon1965]

Number one, the ram compatability problem isnt exclusive to "cheap" boards....it can be with ANY board...I know, I have built hundreds of systems since the 486 days.....I have had DFI,Asus,Abit and all manner of boards have issues with ram, low density, high density, single sided, double sided, etc.....and you never know when it is going to be a problem, and a lot of it is not with the motherboard, sometimes its the chipsets, other times its the poor designs and implementations by the manufacturers with regard to chipset instructions, etc...bottom line is, if you build systems, keep a few different brands of ram around to try in case one doesnt seem to work. I usually have the best luck with crucial, kingmax, and infineon....but not always

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: allanon1965
Number one, the ram compatability problem isnt exclusive to "cheap" boards....it can be with ANY board...I know, I have built hundreds of systems since the 486 days.....I have had DFI,Asus,Abit and all manner of boards have issues with ram, low density, high density, single sided, double sided, etc.....and you never know when it is going to be a problem, and a lot of it is not with the motherboard, sometimes its the chipsets, other times its the poor designs and implementations by the manufacturers with regard to chipset instructions, etc...bottom line is, if you build systems, keep a few different brands of ram around to try in case one doesnt seem to work. I usually have the best luck with crucial, kingmax, and infineon....but not always

Well I don't normally build systems as a business and I personally only own 1 DDR based system, the rest being EDO/FPM, SDRAM, or RDRAM. I also still don't know if it's the ram or not because I could try any amount of modules and have it still not work, realizing that it's actually the board's fault.

 

[allanon1965]

my point was that you are assuming its problems are caused by a "cheap" board....that is the most common thing I hear, when in reality is is more of a compatability issue that can affect many boards and components, not just "cheap" ones. now, onto the problem at hand. Do you know what bios the board uses? AMI, Phoenix, etc... if so you can find out what the beep code means and work from there....

 

[allanon1965]

oh, BTW the qualified memory list is in the manual...check out the list, it shows samsung, hynix, amongst others, but I dont know what ram you are trying to use....what kind to you have? single sided, double sided...etc...it appears yours uses phoenix-award bios... according to my research, the beep you are getting is indeed a memory problem, compatability most likely

 

[imported_goku]

Originally posted by: allanon1965
oh, BTW the qualified memory list is in the manual...check out the list, it shows samsung, hynix, amongst others, but I dont know what ram you are trying to use....what kind to you have? single sided, double sided...etc...it appears yours uses phoenix-award bios... according to my research, the beep you are getting is indeed a memory problem, compatability most likely

I checked out the list and by the looks of things it would seem like it would support it.
CMX512-3500C2PT
CMX512-4400PT

Mine is CMX512-4000PT so I don't see why it wouldn't support it if it supports the other ones so similar to it..

 

[allanon1965]

I would think it would, but if it is not specifically listed as supported, then it may not be...only thing you can do is try another stick of something different...I personally quit using corsair a couple years ago because of compatability problems with my asus boards at the time...couldnt get them to work right, bough a stick of crucial and the asus board was happy....and so was I. Please dont anyone take this as a personal attack on corsair, just stating my experiences with it.

 

[imported_goku]

:|:|:|:|:|:|:|

I just purchased a stick of kingston memory and can you guess what happened? :|

 

[allanon1965]

well, then it looks like the board is doa, but I would make sure I did at least these things before taking it back, assemble the ram, mb, video card on cardboard and power it up outside the case.....if it still does the same thing outside the case then you have done everything you should have done in order to rule out all possibilities, then the MB is most likely the cause, and this is presuming the PSU is known good and that all connectors are firmly seated and properly connected. These things can be very frustrating I know, but you have to follow a diagnostic routine to eliminate the possibilities and get to the defective part, even if you suspected it was the board, you need to be able to prove it, it would have been worse to blow money on a Motherboard to find out it was the cpu, or ram....the ram was the easiest thing to eliminate by substituting a known good part.

 

[imported_goku]

Well I went back and replaced the board, turns out it was bad. sigh, god I wish I had returned it long before...

 

[imported_goku]

Well I just got the replacement board and I've observed that there seems to be a great deal of changes on the board. The AGP slot is different and the connectors for the LEDs etc. are also different.. Hmmmm