Think I discovered the problem!

[7AIR28]

Follow up on previous threads about motherboard/RAM issues on new build:
After testing out the PSU with multimeter I have ruled out that the Power Supply is the problem. Tonight I picked up a Gig of Crucial DDR3 set at 1333 with a CL of 9. Tested stick out on all four DIMM slots and no luck. So the RAM is not causing the problem. The HDD is functioning fine (LED indicator) and I highly doubt the CPU is the problem. Now the only part left appears to be the motherboard-the DIMM slots appear to be bad.

Before I turn in the motherboard for a new one, is there any possiblity that the processor is at fault? (this sounds like a dumb question but i just want to check)
Note: No onboard speaker so no BIOS beeps*

 

[wingman99]

The one possibility of it being the CPU, is if there is a broken pin that's all I can think of.

 

[QuietIce]

Yeah - CPUs usually work or don't work, there is very seldom a halfway point with them ...

 

[shadowdr]

Have you tried forcing the mobo to redetect hardware by holding the delete key down and tapping the insert key repeatedly while booting?

 

[QuietIce]

Have you tried forcing the mobo to redetect hardware by holding the delete key down and tapping the insert key repeatedly while booting?

That's a new one on me. Does that generally work for all boards or just ASUS?

I have heard of resetting CMOS with one stick of RAM to force the same thing, though ...

 

[7AIR28]

That's a new one on me. Does that generally work for all boards or just ASUS?

I have heard of resetting CMOS with one stick of RAM to force the same thing, though ...

Found both of those on the internet a few days ago-Tried it and still refused to detect the RAM.

 

[wingman99]

Have you tried running mem86 in bios yet, just to see.

 

[7AIR28]

Have you tried running mem86 in bios yet, just to see.

No POST no BIOS=no memtest

 

[shadowdr]

That's a new one on me. Does that generally work for all boards or just ASUS?

I have heard of resetting CMOS with one stick of RAM to force the same thing, though ...

All mobo's as far as I have seen. It can still be difficult, needing to be unpluged inbetween tries, pushing reset, unpluging and so on. I have seen some of the older Dell's that took over thirty minutes to post.

 

[wingman99]

No POST no BIOS=no memtest

Do you have a friend or PC, you could swap the memory.

 

[7AIR28]

Thanks for the help everyone! Walked into Micro Center and exchanged the board for a new one, typing from it now!

 

[wingman99]

I'm glad it was the board and you received a exchange, with no problem.

 

[7AIR28]

I'm glad it was the board and you received a exchange, with no problem.

same here, i didnt even want to venture into begging best buy for an RMA for the processor!

but running excellent now, took an hour for the CPU fan to reset its speed correctly (screaming at first but now hummiong quietly) but other than that looking good! but one thing i noticed is that the old mobo did not have a back plate on the underside of the CPU socket unlike the new one and the new one has a bunch of blue and gray rubber risers on the underside, unlike the old one.

thanks again for all the help guys!

 

[QuietIce]

same here, i didnt even want to venture into begging best buy for an RMA for the processor!

but running excellent now, took an hour for the CPU fan to reset its speed correctly (screaming at first but now hummiong quietly) but other than that looking good! but one thing i noticed is that the old mobo did not have a back plate on the underside of the CPU socket unlike the new one and the new one has a bunch of blue and gray rubber risers on the underside, unlike the old one.

thanks again for all the help guys!

An AMD board without a backplate is either a fake, an open box, or a factory reject. All AMD boards (from at least s939 and up) have backplates with the cheaper board's backplate being made from plastic instead of metal ...

 

[Parad0x420]

Have you tried forcing the mobo to redetect hardware by holding the delete key down and tapping the insert key repeatedly while booting?

I've never heard of that before... But I don't think I've come across a problem before where that would fix the issue. Thx for the tip anyways, I like learning new little tricks for computers.

 

[7AIR28]

An AMD board without a backplate is either a fake, an open box, or a factory reject. All AMD boards (from at least s939 and up) have backplates with the cheaper board's backplate being made from plastic instead of metal ...

that one must have been a dud! there was definitely not a backplate

 

[QuietIce]

that one must have been a dud! there was definitely not a backplate

We could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble if you had mentioned that in post #1! But how could you know?


I am curious how the CPU heatsink mount (the black surround) was held on, though. Just bolts through the board with nuts on the backside ...?

 

[7AIR28]

We could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble if you had mentioned that in post #1! But how could you know?


I am curious how the CPU heatsink mount (the black surround) was held on, though. Just bolts through the board with nuts on the backside ...?

I actually didnt notice until i removed the old board that there was no backplate (thus after my first post). very strange though, i am curious as to what's the reason.

 

[wingman99]

I actually didnt notice until i removed the old board that there was no backplate (thus after my first post). very strange though, i am curious as to what's the reason.

What was on the back of the old board, screws or nuts, flanged nuts?

I think it's suppose to be nuts, like the other Asus AM3 AMD 880G

 

[7AIR28]

What was on the back of the old board, screws or nuts, flanged nuts?

I think it's suppose to be nuts, like the other Asus AM3 AMD 880G

I do remember nuts, how ever its just strange how the new one has a backplate while the old board had nuts when they were purchsed less than 3 weeks apart.