Biostar TForce 550-SE: Won't POST

The specs:

• OCZ 500W StealthXStream
• Biostar TForce 550-SE
• BE-2400 @ 2.9ghz 1.35v w/aftermarket cooling
• 2x1GB Kingston HyperX 8500 @ ~430mhz 4-4-4-12 2.2v
• 36GB Raptor

Symptom:

• The machine turns on, all fans spin up, but no POST and no BEEPs at all

I bought this mobo from a user @ this forum a while back. He had custom fit his own chopped down piece of metal onto the chipset, but it was a tight fit getting a pci-e card in there, though it was still safe. The pci-e x16 slot's clip to hold down the video card was not in great shape, but it had locked my 8800gt in (accelero s1v2 cooler on it, so it was a VERY tight fit)

When I tried to remove the 8800gt, I had a lot of trouble. I could NOT get to the pci-e clip with my fingers, so I had to use a thin flat-head screwdriver... I may have slipped a bit in doing this, which caused the clip to BREAK OFF.

This didn't bother me... I've seen this happen before. I popped out the video card and ever since I have not been able to get the system to POST.

Methods I've tried:

• Took the system out of the case
• Tried 2 diff pci-e video cards
• Tried several different pci video cards
• Tried running the RAM in different slots one-by-one
• Obviously cleared the CMOS countless times and even let the battery sit out for a couple of minutes
• Tried a different PSU
• Tried DVI, VGA, and also 2 different LCD monitors

What I have yet to try:

• Different CPU
• Different Mobo

I don't have a chance to try a diff CPU and mobo yet, but would you guys say it's safe to say I killed the board?

Or perhaps the custom mounted chipset cooler crushed something? The chipset cooler the previous member mounted was BOLTED in. It's a pretty tight mount.

I get NO BEEP codes at all. No sounds whatsoever... which is why I feel like perhaps the board is just dead.

Did you scratch the motherboard? Any sign of damage near that clip?

You might take a good look inside the PCIe slot (and elsewhere near there) to make sure there isn't some micro-piece of metal in there from the block (maybe you nicked it with the screwdriver).

Have you taken the block off? Could be you managed to move it a hair and a bolt is grounding? Maybe worse - cracked NB chip?


Just throwing stuff out there ... and I hope it's something simple ...

QuietIce said:

Did you scratch the motherboard? Any sign of damage near that clip?

You might take a good look inside the PCIe slot (and elsewhere near there) to make sure there isn't some micro-piece of metal in there from the block (maybe you nicked it with the screwdriver).

Have you taken the block off? Could be you managed to move it a hair and a bolt is grounding? Maybe worse - cracked NB chip?


Just throwing stuff out there ... and I hope it's something simple ...

Click to expand...

I didn't think about looking INSIDE the pci-e slot, but that's a good call.

I'm going to definitely remove the bolted down chipset cooler (it's a big heatsink he had cut down). I mean... if the board is shot anyway, might as well take things apart.

Thanks for the post, QI!

Okay, so I checked the board by the PCI-E and it looks fine. The PCI-E slot itself doesn't look damanged either.

I tried a different CPU, different RAM, and even tried a few PCI video cards... tried 2 diff PSUs as well.

No matter WHAT I DO, I can't even get the speaker to BEEP!! Does that meant he board is dead if it can't even beep?

My next move (right now) is to take the NB heatsink off, but either way I feel like the board's dead if it can't even give me BEEP codes...
*Edit* Removed the NB heatsink since the previous owner had custom mounted it... made sure nothing was crushed, and still the machine won't POST

What do you think?
Have I tried everything possible... I don't know what else to try now.

What about a blind BIOS update? I'm guessing it's a waste of time, but the thought just came to my head.

At this point anything is worth a try. You've swapped everything there is to swap and the only thing left is the board itself so you can't kill it ...

QuietIce said:

At this point anything is worth a try. You've swapped everything there is to swap and the only thing left is the board itself so you can't kill it ...

Click to expand...

LOL... just hate wasting time on things that are highly worthless, ya know? That's why I asked... if I'm to do it, I have to download the bios from biostar (slowest website ever), prepare the floppy, write the autoexec, pop in a floppy drive, etc etc

Can't flash from USB? That's too bad ...

QuietIce said:

Can't flash from USB? That's too bad ...

Click to expand...

I'm gonna just give up. I know it's gonna be a waste of time. Like I said, the board doesn't even BEEP. I tried two different speakers and still no BEEPs at all.

You'll at least salvage parts I hope ...?

QuietIce said:

You'll at least salvage parts I hope ...?

Click to expand...

I have done that so many times... what do I salvage now, the BIOS chip?

I have enough jumpers, enough heatsinks... I mean, what else could I salvage that's worthwhile? =)

This board was so stable, too... I can't believe it died. If I didn't put it in the piece of crap case it was in, I probably WOULDN'T have had this problem. The case had such a stupid design. There was a rivet right where the PCI bracket goes for the pci-e slot. When you unscrew the PCI-E card and try to pull it out, the pci bracket on the video card would hit the rivot... I'd have to pull hard against the case and angle it to get it out.

And on top of that... the stupid design of the pci-e lock was SO DAMN HARD TO GET TO!!!!!!!!!! It was IMPOSSIBLE to get to it with my fingers, so I had no choice but to use a flat-head screwdriver.

At least it wasn't a $150-200 board... I'll take it as a $40 loss. Not too bad... even if I had a receipt I couldn't have returned it if it was no foul play. Biostar warranty is a wimpy 1-year... that's why I'm always hesitant to pick up their new boards... I always buy them used, knowing it's cheap b/c it's already out of warranty.

There's always the heatsink bracket around the CPU - if you don't already have a couple!

I tend to agree about cheap boards. I switched to ASUS three years ago when I built my first s939 rig and have since tried 2-3 cheap boards. No more of that - it's just not worth the hassle and expense. Used is a good idea, though, and one that never occurred to me. And you know you're getting a board that's been working awhile, no DOA's if you're careful who you buy from ...

QuietIce said:

There's always the heatsink bracket around the CPU - if you don't already have a couple!

I tend to agree about cheap boards. I switched to ASUS three years ago when I built my first s939 rig and have since tried 2-3 cheap boards. No more of that - it's just not worth the hassle and expense. Used is a good idea, though, and one that never occurred to me. And you know you're getting a board that's been working awhile, no DOA's if you're careful who you buy from ...

Click to expand...

LOL I thought about the bracket but I found 2 others in stock.