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The mother of all computer problems and I need a little help

PClark99

PClark99

Diamond Member
About 2 weeks ago, I had to RMA my Abit IC7 Max3 due to a bad DIMM slot. In the meantime I picked up a used Asus P4C800E Deluxe. The guy that sold it to me told me after he shipped that it had been used in a prommy setup and that it worked fine but there was some dielectric grease around the socket. But he told me it worked fine.

Now before I got the Asus board all of my processors were functioning fine.

When I got the asus board I dropped in a P4 2.4c and ran the board about 5 minutes at default. After 5 minutes I bumped the chip to 250 FSB (the chip was an MO stepping) and it ran fine there at default. The board powered up then shutdown mysteriously.

At this point I tried everything, I tried different RAM, vid card, processor (2.6c), cleared CMOS, unplugged drives it would not power up. Board was still dead so I returned it to the guy for a refund.

Here is where the fun starts.

Fast forward 2 weeks. I get my IC7 Max3 back from RMA and I get a brand new IS7 E for another rig.

Drop the 2.4c in the IS7 and the 2.6c in the IC7 Max3. Machines power up but no post. Hmm, try all of the above things, swapping things back and forth, etc. Machines power but don't post.

So I immediately think its the CPUs. Maybe they got fried.

Fast forward again to today, I got my new MO stepping 2.8c, put it in the IC7 Max3. Powers but no post.

I can't believe I got a bad board back from RMA, and maybe a bad IS7 E too.

So I tried swapping the power supply and the same thing has happened.

I am thinking now this could be a video card situation but again this is doubtful because I used a 9800 Pro, 9800 NP, and a 9600 Pro for troubleshooting. No go with any of the three. I sold the 9600 Pro to a friend locally and he said that it works fine. So it does not appear to be a video card issue.

I have checked and rechecked all wiring and pulled the boards and tried them outside the case. All no go.

I just need a fresh mind to look at this situation because I am officially out of ideas.


The only working machine I have left is my shuttle and I am afraid to try anything with any of the components for fear of losing it too.


HELP Please.



 
Yessir I did. everything. no fix though.

Well I can guarantee the video cards are not bad. They work in my shuttle.
 
Don't know much about dielectric grease, but it seems to be the one common denominater. Any chance that has caused some problems?
 
This is getting weirder and weirder. My new 2.8c would not work in either my new IS7E or my recently RMA Abit IC7 Max3, but I dropped it in my shuttle and it works perfectly fine.

So now I have to think it is either the two new motherboards or the power supplies.
 
Again the only thing I can think of when I re-read your post is the dielectric grease. Maybe if you cleaned the CPU pins with isopropyl alchohol It may work. Dunno I am out of Ideas.
 
Well,

I tried the new 2.8C CPU and the 2.6C Cpu that I thought were dead.

They both work fine in my shuttle XPC. So does the memory I was trying to run in the IC7 Max3.

I have ruled out.

Video card, memory, and the CPUs.

The odds of getting 2 bad boards in a row are slight.

I was thinking maybe the asus board messed up 2 of my power supplies.

But a third PS I did not use with the asus did not make the board work either.
 
It might be a casing or grounding problem. Are you working with the pc in a high static environment? Are you using anti-static wrist straps? Do you at least hear the beep sound when you try turning it on? Try taking the motherboard out of the casing and just attach the cpu, memory, and video card with nothing else and try booting up that way.
 
dielectric grease *shouldnt* cause problems. that stuff is not supposed to conduct, which is why people that use peltiers to cool use that to seal the socket to prevent condensation. try what tango said
 
This might sound dumb, and a bit out of right field, but are you by any chance using an USB keyboard? Bios not seeing it and refusing to boot?
 
I will try everything out of the case. The keyboard is PS2. Oh and there are no beeps from the motherboard.

Thanks for the suggestions guys I appreciate them all.
 
Originally posted by: Tango57
It might be a casing or grounding problem. Are you working with the pc in a high static environment? Are you using anti-static wrist straps? Do you at least hear the beep sound when you try turning it on? Try taking the motherboard out of the casing and just attach the cpu, memory, and video card with nothing else and try booting up that way.
Click to expand...

Tried exactly as you have suggested and am still getting the same symptoms. Checked my power supplies with a Power supply tester, they pass. Even checked the 4 pin P4 connector with a fan and it spins up to full speed.

I am going to try the other motherboard outside of the case. I don't know what happened here.
 
Try plugging everything into a different electrical outlet? It's possible that the one socket is undervolting.

Hey you never know!
 
First, take a break and walk away from it for a bit. Sometimes the crazyness of trying to troubleshoot can make you blind to some obvious things.

Comeback to it.

this may sound stupid too but try swapping the electric cord from the PSU. I had one once that broke inside the insulation and made intermitant contact and would power up but not enough to POST. Weird but easy to try at least.

 
Thanks for the suggestion, but this is the same electrical outlet my shuttle runs in just fine.

I have tried everything I can think of and it just isn't happening for me.

 
It almost sounds like there is no Bios... My friend bought a refurbished Ga-7zxr and the same thing happened at the shop (power up but no post), thankfully the tech was extremely cool and took it to their main Hq to get it flashed, it worked fine then.
 
Fastcat,

You might be right. Here is the thing though.

I received 2 motherboards via UPS on the same day on the same truck.

My IC7 Max3 from abit rma, and a new IS7E from Zipzoomfly.

Both exhibit the same thing and all of my other hardware works when I plug it into the shuttle.

What are the odds of 2 bad bios in one go?

Unless something happened in transit maybe.
 
Hmm...how are you resetting the bios?? Are you sure all the jumpers are in the correct positions? standoffs? backplate foam insulation etc?
 
I cleared the cmos by the jumper and by pulling the battery.

I tried the board outside the case too.

Abit seems to think its a bad bios chip and are sending me one straight away.
 
ok yeah 'cause for my board, to clear the bios i have to uplug the psu, switch the jumper for about 5 secs then switch it back and plug the psu back in. just pulling my battery doesn't always work. it's good you called Abit. they could probably help you troubleshoot better since they know more about the board. good luck with your system!
 
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