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eVGA 680i AR - Won't POST with C2D, only shows 2 cores on Quad?

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JorisS

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Location
Uppsala, Sweden
Hi all

here's a strange problem; purchased a 2nd hand eVGA 680i AR motherboard the other day, together with the Q6600 the previous owner used on it. Installed everything but swapped CPU to a C2D E6600. No POST, nothing. Displays on the mobo would show to - only. Changed to the Q6600, worked fine. Figured the E6600 was dead, until I tested it in my other rig and it worked just fine. Tested my E6750 in the eVGA -> no POST, nothing.

So then proceeded with the Q6600, booted fine, came into Windows, but since all old drivers where there I couldn't use the DiNovo Edge and left it at that then. An exchange deal came up - I didn't like the board to sit in my HTPC, as it'd been clocked with SS and vaseline remained around the CPU socket (and in it). So I swapped the motherboard vs a P35-DS3, and made sure to tell the guy I swapped with about the issues. But since he was gonna run a Q6600 it wasn't too much of a concern.

However, apparently only two cores are being recognized. In the BIOS as well as in Windows with various utilities. BIOS was P31, tried to reflash with P31 and also with the just released P32, but to no avail.

Does anybody have the mildest clue as to what might be the problem here?

As far as I know, he's running at 4 x 900 now, 1.5V or such. I'm not sure if he 'defaulted' to this or if he tried with default/normal settings initially tbh.


But how can the board refuse C2D altogether and simply 'overlook' half the Quad? Does it 'overlook' half the C2D as well, making it a single core and therefore refusing to accept it? Could that be a pin not making contact (vaseline), or would a faulty pin mean that different symptoms would show?

Any thoughts appreciated!
 
Well, resetting the BIOS may have fixed the issue.

I honestly couldn't tell you anything beyond that though. I hated that board as well.
 
Flashing BIOS didn't help a bit :(

The odd thing is that the guy I bought the board from has used it for quite some time with his Q6600, clocking and all. No problems there. Bought it through the forums and he's a regular there, wouldn't risk his name by selling crap. So I don't believe he had problems and tried to get rid of it as such. But the fact remains, there's some odd problem going on.

Any further suggestions/thoughts?

I mean, could this in any way be a physical problem? I.e. the presence of vaselin on/in the socket, could that have an effect if it somehow keeps a pin from making contact?
 
I didn't mean flashing the BIOS, I meant resetting the CMOS via the jumper. ;)

If it was a physical problem, all processors would be doing it, not just one.

I can't think of anything else it could be, so I'm not going to be of much help :beer:
 
I didn't mean flashing the BIOS, I meant resetting the CMOS via the jumper. ;)

If it was a physical problem, all processors would be doing it, not just one.

I can't think of anything else it could be, so I'm not going to be of much help :beer:

Yes CMOS was cleared, both with jumper and by removing battery.

It does do it with all processors; I tested with 2 C2D's and they didn't POST at all. With my Q6600 (came with the board, same CPU that the previous owner had with it) it showed 2 cores, so it does with the new owners Q6600.

So it is a 'consequent' problem...

Thanks for giving it your thoughts though, should anything pop to mind let me know :)
 
i thought there was a option in the 680i to disable the other set of cores in the bios...never had a quad on mine so i never saw the option...
 
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