AMD Athlon XP 3000+ Retro Build!

[storm-chaser]

Just a quick question. What is stopping you from using XP on this rig?

Just wanted to run the later OS with improved UI and better web browsing capability.
I assume I can run XP without issue and then Install Mozilla firefox or something similar, so I will likely test both OS'es and see what I get.

That being said, I am running into a no post situation. Tried multiple sticks of ram and known good video cards, multiple PSUs with the same result: Fans spin up and green indicator lights up on the mainboard, no beeps and no post on the monitor. Not sure what to try next. I reset the CMOS and removed the battery. Still nothing.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Is that board new to you? Has it been run by you before now?

 

[storm-chaser]

The board is new to me, yes. So this is the first run.

eBay seller said it worked when pulled, but then again you never know how long it's been sitting or what the history is. I'm thinking it's either the board or the CPU. I just wish I had another known good CPU to test before I replace the board, guess that's the next step. While my AMD Athlon XP was working fine when I pulled it, it's been almost 15 years so again, pretty sure it's either the CPU or the board. Triple checked all my jumpers, everything is set correctly.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

It is very important that the cooler has a flat solid seating on that cpu or it will not post. Only use 1 stick of ram for first startup.

 

[Mr.Scott]

I agree. Need to check with another CPU first.

 

[storm-chaser]

Damn wouldn't that be nice... I will try re-seating the heat sink tomorrow, hopefully that's what it is. And yes, only using one stick of ram for initial boot.

I know for a fact the memory is good. Even tried some DDR 333 in there, no dice.

If the re-seat fails to resolve the issue I will pull the trigger on another Athlon XP.

 

[OptyTrooper]

Don't rule out a bad BIOS if all else fails it's not unheard with S-462. Do you know how to hot-flash or blind?


I just got a bit of a windfall for S-462 stuff so I have a known working 2200+ Thoroughbred you can have on the house to check the board. Let me know ASAP and I'll get it tomorrow or Tues.

 

[storm-chaser]

Don't rule out a bad BIOS if all else fails it's not unheard with S-462. Do you know how to hot-flash or blind?


I just got a bit of a windfall for S-462 stuff so I have a known working 2200+ Thoroughbred you can have on the house to check the board. Let me know ASAP and I'll get it tomorrow or Tues.

At that point I would need another motherboard to perform the hot flash with. So I don't think that's feasible in this case.

You have a PM about the CPU

 

[OptyTrooper]

PM'ed X2 I got you covered on the BIOS thing.

 

[Richo999]

Be careful with the socket mount on that! I see people going crazy about about de-liding their CPUs now, and I just chuckle to remember strapping 1+ lbs copper onto a bare die that I spent all summer saving for. Makes me wonder if the smaller process is more fragile, or if people are just wimps now . Of course CPUs are more expensive too. I had a lot of fun taking apart old computers and chopping up their heatsinks with a dremel or hacksaw, then gluing them to mosfets / video card ram. Except that one time I reached into the case to move a temp probe and knocked one loose.

how many have lost their CPU in the proces back then? friend of mine lost his duron back then due a bad mount (cracked die). I also was uncomfortable strapping nearly 700g of copper + a loud fan to my cpu, so I decided to just strap a waterblock onto my Athlon XP (beside the reason that Athlon XP and its chipsets ran hot as hell even though it had direct die cooling, then again if AMD went with a heatspreader at the time they wouldn't have made a name for having hot CPU)

@storm-chaser
I have the exact same Mobo and am very happy with it, it runs a Athlon XP 3200+ @ 2700(ish) Mhz with 2 gb of dual channel Kingston PC 3200 (I have 1 broken memory slot sadly otherwise I would've gone for 3x 1 gb). all being cooled by a asetek blocks (cpu, gpu, chipset and using the chipset cooler + 30 mm fan on the VRM)
Also I didn't know you could run a boot drive off the sata ports or does that require a bios flash? Would love to strap a 128 gb SSD to that Athlon XP (although the CPU is already the prime bottleneck in the system)

 

[Zerileous]

Maybe a dumb question, but what if you replace the battery? It's just supposed to save your CMOS settings, but maybe there is some need for it...

It was certainly a risk Richo. I was always pretty scared to mess with it, and also always transported it with the mobo flat. I always envied you water guys though, and wanted to go pull a heater core from a junk yard (I would have had to find it first, didn't have any auto skills at the time) and save up for a block and pump, but never got around to it. Now I'm doing my first loop and it's crazy to think how much it's changed with everything sized just so and so many products to choose from.

 

[storm-chaser]

Maybe a dumb question, but what if you replace the battery? It's just supposed to save your CMOS settings, but maybe there is some need for it...

I will pop a new battery in when I get home this afternoon, in addition to re-seating the CPU heat sink. The install was smooth, one click with a bent screwdriver and it snapped right into place... Opty has me covered on the BIOS issue and is sending me a known good CPU to test. Thanks again!

 

[storm-chaser]

Well I tried a new battery and re-seated the cooler, yet still it will not post.

I have a known good CPU on the way so hopefully we can narrow down the problem after that shows up.

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

 

[ShrimpBrime]

You could post a picture of the board. I'm interested in seeing the Caps. Mine posts but needs caps badly. Not leaked out but swollen. Wondering if you have a similar issue.

 

[storm-chaser]

You could post a picture of the board. I'm interested in seeing the Caps. Mine posts but needs caps badly. Not leaked out but swollen. Wondering if you have a similar issue.

Here is one picture I took the other day. Doesn't show all the caps but I did inspect them and all appear to be in good shape...

 

[MaddMutt]

That looks like a mirror image of my NF7-S2G (Been Dead for ~4+ yrs) that I'm sending to Opty. All the caps look good but it would not power on

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Not a great picture for Cap inspection sadly to say, But looks like a pretty clean board.

If your new cpu shows up, and it still doesn't post, try a PCI video card. Gotta rule out what you can.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Corrupted bios.
You too MM.
Frequent and easy to do on these older boards. Just a bad setting can take out the bios.

 

[storm-chaser]

Damn these boards! I wish it just worked. These things are getting hard to find. Especially the 400Mhz FSB variant.

But we will get this running, one way or another the mighty Athlon XP will live again.

 

[WhitehawkEQ]

Hey, it's Alfalfa from the Little Rascals :rof