PC wont post to bios

[s0n]

Ive recently run into a problem with my computer that once happened before. It wont post to bios just hangs there dead. Originally I dont know what caused the problem but i seem to have gotton it to work. This time it happened when i took the ram out of my computer (which I have done a couple times) and replaced it with new ram, it didnt post bios, so i figured it was the ram, put back the other ram and no go, once again it didnt post. I tried taking it out of the case, just using the power supply,video card,cpu, and ram. I have checked the ram,video card and the cpu gets warmer as it sits. The mobo is an a7n8x. If any ideas can be given to my problem I would greatly aprreciate it.

 

[bozo1]

Did you clear CMOS?

 

[s0n]

yup, I tried clearing cmos by the jumper and by taking the battery out. nothing. all done out of the case

 

[DieHardware]

Did you have the PSU unplugged/turned off when you cleared CMOS?

 

[mechBgon]

Also, have you confirmed that (yes, I'm gonna say it again) your heatsink is on in the correct direction? The end of the heatsink that has a step cut into the base has to face the top edge of the motherboard. If your board is the Deluxe version, also plug a set of headphones or powered speakers into the audio-out jack (green) and see if the POST Reporter is saying an error message such as "System memory test fail! :Q" or so forth.

What power supply do you have (brand + model)?

 

[s0n]

tried both, no go. tried taking the battery out with and without the power in. ans setting the cmos jumper

 

[s0n]

I have a koolance water cooled supply, I also tested the cpu by taking it out the case and instead of using the water block, I used the hsf and placed it on, If it wasnt tight the computer would start then turn off, when placed on correctly it would just failt to post bios. No i have the regular version and im still not getting anything.

 

[mechBgon]

What brand/model is that new memory? Some low-latency memory modules cause a no-post with nForce2 boards and the solution is to throw a stick of "normal" DDR memory in for the first POST, then manually set the motherboard to use the low-latency settings such as 2-2-2-6, then reboot and complete another POST so the mobo knows the settings are ok, and then shut down, take out the slower "normal" memory and finish adjusting your memory timings after that. So the slower "normal" DDR memory module kick-starts the system, basically.

 

[s0n]

I know the one piece of memory I had was a mushkin 512 basic stick, these other pieces are samsung ddr26, not too sure on what EXACTLY they are but it sounds like you are on to something, could you perhaps give me some more advice on like exact ram i could possible use to get it to post.

 

[mechBgon]

It's easier to say what RAM won't make it boot: Some early Corsair XMS C2 sticks, Corsair XMS LL or TwinX LL modules, presumably other modules that are pre-programmed for tight timings like 2-2-2-6 instead of the typical 2.5-3-3-7 or such. If you have more than one module and they're not the same, the board should use the timings of the slowest module, and that's why sneaking a everyday stick in with the high-octane ones gets you past this impasse.

Crucial modules are programmed with these "everyday" timings, so they're one possibility, but I don't think your other modules are low-latency ones so they ought to be working. Wish I had some better ideas for you...

 

[s0n]

are mushkin and crucial modules the same thing, these samsung ones I have here I am not too sure exactly what they are. Maybe i should try and clear CMOS and then put the mushkin ones in and see if it boots?

 

[mechBgon]

Mushkin and Crucial both build their own modules (usually... I just remembered an exception that I've mentioned below).

Yeah, why not give the Mushkin another whirl. There's a lot of memory out there with Samsung chips, but not as much of the actual Samsung Original memory that's Samsung chips on a Samsung printed circuit board, so maybe your Samsung modules aren't jiving with the board. The Samsung Original modules are supposed to be some pretty reliable stuff though... Crucial was shipping Samsung Original modules with a Crucial sticker, and they may still be doing that for all I know.

 

[s0n]

Alright I will give it a try once I can get my crucial ram back, hopefully this is the trick I dont know what else could be causing it. Will the computer post bios if there is no ram inside?

 

[mechBgon]

Nope, it needs the RAM for POST. Good luck with getting it up and running, I hope it's nothing serious

 

[s0n]

Nope didnt work, I dont know exactly what is wrong, this kind of happened before and i dont know the exact thing i did to get it working I thought it was a Bad Hard drive but it turnd out the Hd was fine, weird. What do you think about a hairline crack on the mobo, I returned the first one cause i thought it was messed up and this is new, but could a hairline crack do something like this?

 

[mechBgon]

Yeah, but motherboards are made of something along the lines of fiberglass. Try breaking one sometime, or an old memory module you don't have a use for.

 

[s0n]

Check this out, i this what you were talking about

http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/archive/topic/34356-1.html


Im not exactly sure of what kind of ram that he put in to make it boot.

 

[McCarthy]

Will it post/not hang with the HD disconnected?

What brand/model HD?

 

[s0n]

I took the ide cables out and it still doesnt post, I have two hard drives 2 wester digitals one 18 and one 60.

 

[s0n]

Nevermind I fixed that problem , but still having problems getting the BIOS to post

 

[mechBgon]

That's interesting... what happens if you leave the CPU fan unplugged completely, and the other fans too? Some boards get confsued by low-rpm fans, and there are some fans that draw dangerous amounts of current (usually large or extreme-output fans, plus the freaky 8.4W ThermalTake Smart Fan II).

 

[s0n]

what had happened was it is a variable speed fan and i turned it down to i can listen to things boot but for some reason if it is low when it boot it doesnt start until i turn it up. If i leave it out its the same story no posting.

 

[s0n]

I dont know if these will help but i tok some pics in case maybe i am not seeing something, there is nothing plugged into the computer at this point, only the power wire

http://www.eden.rutgers.edu/~vincents/pc/

 

[mechBgon]

Hmmm... what happens if the variable-speed fan is running medium-fast and plugged into the CPU_FAN header? That would fool the motherboard into thinking that there's a CPU fan. I'm running out of other ideas

 

[s0n]

Ive tried messing arund with the fan, I dont think thats it. I dont know know exactly what it oculd be though. I figure I got it to work with the hardware I have, all i did was change the memory and it wouldnt boot. Something has to be up.