Howdy, maybe someone here has some ideas..
First off:
There are no BIOS Updates for this board available, it is brand new.
I bought this board for my brother, since it's cheap and the a7n8x is a good board. Everything is integrated, which is dandy for this purpose.
Problem is, I get the system all setup, plug everything in and put it all in the case. When I first boot the computer up, I get a CMOS Checksum BAD message, which I thought normal since I'd never started it and the BIOS settings hadn't been set.
So I go through and set everything up. So far so good. I install WindowsXP Pro. So far so good.
I install all the nForce drivers and video drivers, etc. So far, everything is fine.
I then try to install the Asus Probe program (monitors hardware stats), which causes the screen to start having some nasty graphical glitches. The program still manages to install, however. Then I try to run it, and the computer spontaneously reboots itself. Upon trying to start, it displays a CMOS CHECKSUM BAD message again, and all BIOS settings have restored to defaults. When I get into Windows again, it tells me Windows has recovered from a serious error.
I try to load IE to see if there's any BIOS updates or some such available, which causes the computer to crash again. CMOS CHECKSUM BAD error.
Ooohkay, so I install the Asus Auto Updater, which causes the computer to spontaneously reboot once again, same error.
Anyway, I take the board out of the case, isolate it with only the HD connected. It's sitting on a dinner plate by itself. Same problems.
So I exchange the board, bring the new one back, install it. Now whenever I unplug the power cord or shut off using the switch in the back, the BIOS resets itself and I get a CMOS CHECKSUM BAD error.
So, again, I seperate the board from the case, etc, so it's just by itself. It seems to be working fine now, so I figure I must be shorting /grounded wrong in the case or something. So I install XP, install all the drivers, updates, etc. Then I try to install the Asus Probe program, which installs fine this time with no crashes, but it causes some graphical glitches. Not only the Probe program, but just even the autorun installer on the CD.
Now the computer is doing the exact same thing again. CMOS CHECKSUM errors, rebooting, etc.
I've checked all the connections, cleared the cmos, checked jumpers, etc.
I am beyond frustrated now. Now I figure it's either the cpu, ram, or power supply, since it's the only thing outside of the mobo besides the HD (which I doubt is the culprit) that's connected. CPU I doubt personally too, it's kind of odd for a CPU problem.. and I don't see how ram would be causing this problems. I am going to try a different powersupply, but I don't hold out much hope..
Please, help me. Have you ever seen any problems like this ever?
Stats are:
AthlonXP 2000+
512mb pc2700, Infineon ram
Asus A7N8X-VM/400 mobo, with integrated sound, vid, and nic
300 watt power supply
I also don't have any additional CPUS / DDR ram, so I can't test that quite yet :\
First off:
There are no BIOS Updates for this board available, it is brand new.
I bought this board for my brother, since it's cheap and the a7n8x is a good board. Everything is integrated, which is dandy for this purpose.
Problem is, I get the system all setup, plug everything in and put it all in the case. When I first boot the computer up, I get a CMOS Checksum BAD message, which I thought normal since I'd never started it and the BIOS settings hadn't been set.
So I go through and set everything up. So far so good. I install WindowsXP Pro. So far so good.
I install all the nForce drivers and video drivers, etc. So far, everything is fine.
I then try to install the Asus Probe program (monitors hardware stats), which causes the screen to start having some nasty graphical glitches. The program still manages to install, however. Then I try to run it, and the computer spontaneously reboots itself. Upon trying to start, it displays a CMOS CHECKSUM BAD message again, and all BIOS settings have restored to defaults. When I get into Windows again, it tells me Windows has recovered from a serious error.
I try to load IE to see if there's any BIOS updates or some such available, which causes the computer to crash again. CMOS CHECKSUM BAD error.
Ooohkay, so I install the Asus Auto Updater, which causes the computer to spontaneously reboot once again, same error.
Anyway, I take the board out of the case, isolate it with only the HD connected. It's sitting on a dinner plate by itself. Same problems.
So I exchange the board, bring the new one back, install it. Now whenever I unplug the power cord or shut off using the switch in the back, the BIOS resets itself and I get a CMOS CHECKSUM BAD error.
So, again, I seperate the board from the case, etc, so it's just by itself. It seems to be working fine now, so I figure I must be shorting /grounded wrong in the case or something. So I install XP, install all the drivers, updates, etc. Then I try to install the Asus Probe program, which installs fine this time with no crashes, but it causes some graphical glitches. Not only the Probe program, but just even the autorun installer on the CD.
Now the computer is doing the exact same thing again. CMOS CHECKSUM errors, rebooting, etc.
I've checked all the connections, cleared the cmos, checked jumpers, etc.
I am beyond frustrated now. Now I figure it's either the cpu, ram, or power supply, since it's the only thing outside of the mobo besides the HD (which I doubt is the culprit) that's connected. CPU I doubt personally too, it's kind of odd for a CPU problem.. and I don't see how ram would be causing this problems. I am going to try a different powersupply, but I don't hold out much hope..
Please, help me. Have you ever seen any problems like this ever?
Stats are:
AthlonXP 2000+
512mb pc2700, Infineon ram
Asus A7N8X-VM/400 mobo, with integrated sound, vid, and nic
300 watt power supply
I also don't have any additional CPUS / DDR ram, so I can't test that quite yet :\
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