Riddle of the A8N-SLI POST problem solved !

[evilmrroboto]

I need some help with my A8N-SLI. After running the computer for about a wek I put the Enermax EG495P power supply in which I thought would be great but it wouldn't boot up. The chipset fan spun for about a half of a second then stopped. I tested the power supply in my older computer and the heatsink fan spun for the same half second. No post errors or anything after that, just nothing. So I RMAed that power supply hoping there was a problem with it and not anything of mine.

But now I am trying to get the computer running with my older Allied 400watt power supply that I had working for a week. I have read about people saying that the CMOS goes bad after you remove the power from the wall so I thought maybe thats my problem but I tried taking the batter out for an hour and it didn't help the computer boot. I removed every piece of hardware from the mobo and it gave the no CPU installed error over my speakers but after installing the CPU (Athlon 64 3500+) it didn't give any more errors. I thought it should be giving a memory error or something because I hadn't installed those yet. To me it just sounds like the mobo is dead or something, I dont really know because I don't have the parts to test everything like the CPU, and PCI-E video card. The ram does work in my other computer so I know its not that.

Does anyone have an ideas for me to try? The only other thing I can think of is to RMA the mobo back to Asus and try this all over again. When I get the parts back should I wait for the replaced Enermax power supply before I power on the system with the replacement mobo?

 

[evilmrroboto]

Well user1234 can u help me on this one. I've been told to flash my bios when my computer won't even post. How do I do that cause I thought u had to still be able to use your floppy and the only to use the floppy drive is to wait til the post is done and then boot to the floppy.

Please help, someone, I am still thinking of rmaing the board, just have to wait on asus.

 

[bellang]

Got exactly the same problems as you evilmrroboto, and mines the 2nd A8n that I've had it with.....

 

[evilmrroboto]

Originally posted by: bellang
Got exactly the same problems as you evilmrroboto, and mines the 2nd A8n that I've had it with.....

This is really annoying me cause I just wanted a really cool and new mobo with some advanced features THAT WORKED. Apparently I didn't try all the bios flashing methods or whatever that some people are saying. Have you tried pressing Alt and F2 as you turn on the computer or right after to see if you can get anything to come up on the screen that resembles a BIOS flashing utility. I guess that is how you flash the BIOS when your board won't work. Tell me if you get any sucess with this. Of course you will need to dl the 1003 bios from some website other then Asus at the moment. I found some on google and then put that unzipped bios onto a blank floppy and try that.

If anything happens that gives you some progress tell me cause I'd like to know that maybe there is some hope for something when the board has a problem like that cause I sent mine back to Asus cause I was so fed up and am having to wait 10 days for it to get sent back.

 

[bneiderman]

God I wish I looked this topic up already. I was at a loss and took my computer to a local place to diagnose only because I have no resources at home to pinpoint problem. No extra SATA harddrive, ram pci-e videocard etc... I know more than these guys and now it will cost me $60 and I called them to try the CMOS thing for me. GOOD GOD! If it is the CMOS thing I will shoot myself as I just wasted $60 for no reason. I did upgrade to the beta bios when all went to hell. I was thinking it was a videocard issue. Sometimes video, sometimes not, sometimes boot, sometimes not.

Now, if we could only figure out the Diamond Max 10 not detecting issue. That was the reason I tried the BIOS. ASUS DAMN YOU!!!!!

 

[Tripp17]

I too figured this out......when i went to 1003.5, so i could overclock, all went well. I unpluged my system to install a fan and all hell broke lose. After realizing that if you cut total power you go threw hell untill you clear cmos i learned to deal with it. So, i still use the 1003.5 because the newer bios screw around with the hyperbus without showing that it does and i want to overclock so i dont go back to the 1002. I just dont ever unplug my system, but i never do anyway so im fine. I just want a official bios so if i have to unplug, i wont have to pay the price in doing so!

 

[Coroner]

Oh my god! Thanks so much for figuring this out. I thought I was going insane.

I just installed a new CPU HSF and Zalman northbridge cooler on the A8n, and got your exact problem. Of course, this was the first upgrade I've done since flashing to the 005 bios, and therefore it was also the first time I pulled the power plug out.

After pulling the whole thing apart, and putting it back together 4 times (very bruised fingertips!) I gave in, had a cry and took it to a computer store. The guy thought it was thermal paste gone awry, and cleaned the whole thing, then said it was working stable there. He neglected to say that he had cleared the BIOS!

When I got it home, of course the power had been pulled, same problem, very mysterious. Finally we figured out it was the CMOS that needed clearing - and he suggested that this is usually due to a bad motherboard. I nearly flipped because I knew I couldn't have damaged it, and up till the installation of the HSF and heatsink, it had been fine.

Thank god I found your post just before RMAing the mobo! I owe you a beer!

 

[renew]

Saw the same problem at an Austrian board.
But the user wrote, that he was using the final 1002 Bios. Kinda weird...

Did anybody of you try the final 1003 Bios? It isn't linked at the Asus webpage, but there is a final 1003 Bios at their FTP Server. (here's the link: http://www.asus.com/pub/ASUS/m...SLI%20Deluxe/1003.zip)

I am asking, because i will get my new computer with the A8N-SLI on Friday and want to know if anybody has had issues with the new final Bios.

 

[pnyxxpress]

I installed the final and haven't had any issues. But others are having troubles. Final 1003

 

[atom519]

Had the exact same problem as everyone else did with that BIOS. Flashed it to get rid of error during overclocked reboot, then cut power and rearranged my cables to find my computer not posting. I reset CMOS about 5 times and it eventually worked.

Flashed to the new 1003-07 bios and haven't had any problems so far.

Cheers!

 

[atom519]

Ok, so 1003-07 is still doing the same thing. Computer is completely fine when it posts, but takes about 5 retries after completely powering down.

Guess I will try the 1003-08 or 1003-final bios now. Sigh.

 

[AnimalAsteroid]

I've been all over the internet trying to find an answer to this boot problem. I have the same problem. Just flashed latest BIOS 1004-001, problem is still there. No problem as long as I leave power switch "ON" on PS, soon as I turn it off I have to clear CMOS.

 

[atom519]

Damn, don't tell me that I will prob. end up trying just for the hell of it. I don't think it had this problem with the 1002 retail, so it must be bios sensitive.

Keep me updated.

 

[AnimalAsteroid]

I've tried every BIOS update I could find, must be about 4 or 5 of them. The problems is there with every release i've tried. Pretty frustrating!! I've emailes ASUS about this problem several times already and they keep replying that they don't know of any Bios issues! The rate they keep cranking out releases they must know about problems but don't want to acknowledge them.

 

[renew]

For me it isn't a real problem, because I don't switch of the power to my computer.
But if there is a blackout and you are not at home then it is a little weird - you try to turn on the computer and nothing happens.

 

[user1234]

As I said before, ever since updating to 1003.008 (beta I guess) the problems have gone away. I disconnected from power many times since then, and never saw the POST problems come back. I'm not sure if this bios is available from asus website, as I got it from some german website, which later seemed to be offline, but I'm not going to update the bios to any new beta or official version, until I'm sure they do not have this problem, and that the new bios provides tangible benefits, such as better overclocking.

I also read an official story about ASUS admitting that some of the bioses were hanging in POST because of creating a peak demand of power, and that this is supposedly fixed in the new offical bioses. Not sure, though, if it's the same problem exactly. Anyways, my advice is once you find a good bios, stick with it.

 

[renew]

Of course thats a good advice - never change a running system.

And yes, the 1003.008 is a Beta Bios - AFAIK all Bios with an additional identfier like .xxx at the end are Beta.
Actually it is really odd. Some say that the 1002 works, but I know a user here in Austria who has this version and reports about the same POST-problems. Sometimes there are still problems with the 1003 (final, which should be the 1003.010) bios. You've got the 1003.008 beta and it works.
I am really looking forward to getting my computer on Friday - to see if it works or not.

Another new Beta seems to be out - 1004.1 (as AnimalAsteroid wrote). But I haven't seen this one right know ready to download anywhere.....
Anyway, if someone is looking for a particular Bios version I would just "ask" google for "A8N-sli" and the version number - this is the way I found the 1003 final.

One last question: Where did you read the story about Asus admitting some POST problems? Do you still have the URL - would like to read it.

 

[user1234]

I think I saw that in the changelog for bios 1003.006 on asus's on website, but it seems they removed it now. It said they fixed a bios POST hang issue relating to the power supply or something

 

[walkure]

I plugged all my stuff together last night for the first time:

Asus A8N-SLI
Vantec Stealth 520W PSU (28a on 12V rail)
AMD 3200+ winnie
Thermalright XP-120 with Antec blue LED 120mm fan on top
Leadtek 6600GT
1 stick of Mushkin 512MB RAM in dimm slot B1


I plugged the monitor (Samsung 193p) in with DVI cable, and finally pressed the power button on the front of the computer (Antec Super Lanboy case). The fans started spinning, blue LED was on brightly, etc. But the monitor was showing "no video signal" or something like that.

I thought that my DVI cable was not connected all the way. So first I shut off the PSU, and then unplugged it. Then I adjusted the DVI cable and made it as tight as I could.

Then I plugged the PSU back in, flipped it to the "ON" position, and tried powering up. No response at all. No fans spinning, nothing.

I tried moving the CMOS jumper cap from pins 1-2 to 2-3 for 15 seconds, 30 seconds, a minute, etc (after unplugging the PSU again). Then I moved it back to pins 1-2, plugged PSU in again, and tried turning on the system. Still no response whatsoever.


Note that after the fans were running that 1 time, I never got into BIOS or any POST screen at all. So I've never updated the BIOS or any settings at all. In fact, I only had the fans running for about 10 seconds before I shut it down, since I had the "no video signal" message.


I decided to go to bed at that point, cause it was really late. When I get home today, I will try taking out the CMOS battery (as per the Asus manual). Do you think that will help? Or any other suggestions??

Thanks everyone!

 

[ahurtt]

Go over all your power connections very carefully, make sure you didn't maybe knock loose the lead to the case power switch or something. Did you connect the 4pin ATX power connector as well as the big 20 or 24 pin connector? Also, you are supposed to remove the battery, then move the jumper cap to clear the CMOS. If you don't take out the battery, I'm not sure if moving the jumper will have any effect. You really need to power down, unplug the PSU, wait for the green light to go off totally, remove battery, move jumper cap. Then do everything in exact reverse order. . .replace jumper cap to original position, replace battery, plug in PSU, turn on PSU. And if this still doesn't work, consider getting some of those little red washers to put under the motherboard mounting screw heads incase somehow you are grounding out.

 

[walkure]

ahurtt, yes, I will definitely try removing the battery and following that process when I get home later. Yes, I did have the 24 pin ATX as well as the 4 pin ATX 12v 2.0.

<stupidity>
I attempted for a minute to remove the battery last night, but my damn stubby fingers were not cooperating! It seems that you have to press that little clip (closer to the jumper cap side), but any tips? LOL
</stupidity>

 

[Vince1974]

I had the exact same problem! Fixed motherboard, inserted CPU, two (qualified vendor) 512mb Ram modules and video card, hooked up keyboard and monitor, switched on machine and nothing happened! Just the fans and the green light on MB switched on, no video at all or any leds on. Asked some people who are supposed to know more about it, contacted the shop it came from and nobody knew. I cleared the BIOS with the CMOS jumper (removing the battery as well) and nothing noticeable happened. All power cables are connected properly by the way.

I rma'd the MB and received a new one, tried again and similar experience, but this time, after clearing the BIOS the power led at the front lights up and the leds on the keyboard flash on powering up. Nothing at all has appeared on my screen so far though. It does seem like I've taken a (small) step in the right direction, there might be light at the end of the tunnel after all.

If anyone has any good suggestions that I could try, I'm happy to.

 

[babyjocko]

Originally posted by: user1234
Update: I think I figured out the cause of the POSTing problem with the 1003.005 bios !!! At least the external reason....well here it goes, as you know everything was fine until I opened the box and TURNED OFF THE PSU (either disconnect from power outlet or shut it off using the PSU switch). When you turn off the PSU, the green LED on the mobo turns off as well. After you turn the PSU back on - YOU WILL START HAVING PROBLEMS WITH POST !!!! You will need to clear the CMOS to be able to POST normally again. So bottom line is that the 1003.005 bios has a bug which causes it to corrupt itself when the PSU is turned off (not when the computer's front panel power switch is pressed).

That can't be a BIOS problem. That's a battery problem. Replace your battery.

The BIOS doesn't care whether or not your PS is on. The CMOS setup within the BIOS is RAM, which means it requires power to stay alive. When your PS is off, it depends on the mobo battery to sustain power. If power becomes insufficient, the data will become garbled or totally lossed.

You think that since your mobo is new, the battery is new and fresh? Think again! Notice how your mobo is shipped in an anti-static bag? Well, the reason why it is anti-static is because it is essentially a ground. It keeps all mobo circuits at a common reference point, which means the bag is conductive. That means that it will short the batery, not severely, but a nice slow drain. By the time you get the mobo in your system, the battery may have weakened to the point of unreliability.

My suggestion to you is to replace your battery. Your BIOS/PS bug theory is impossible.

 

[ahurtt]

check and make sure all your IDE cables are plugged in with the proper orientation and that the case leads to the power switch, reset switch, case LEDs, etc. . .are connected in the correct orientation. Dunno what else to say except be sure you're not grounding out somehow somewhere. Did you try removing everything except CPU and memory (leave th cpu fan on and plugged in of course. . .) and see if it comes on that way?

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: walkure

I attempted for a minute to remove the battery last night, but my damn stubby fingers were not cooperating! It seems that you have to press that little clip (closer to the jumper cap side), but any tips? LOL

Just use a small screwdriver or the tip of a pen or even some needle nose pliers to push the little metal retainer over and that side of the battery under the little retainer should just pop right out. Then you can carefully grab it with your needlenose pliers. Just make sure the PSU is unplugged and you are grounded when you do this all.