K7V DRAGON Plus Problems

[ucfswimmer]

I just put togehter a system for a friend of mine...here are the specs:

Soyo Tek K7V Dragon Plus
Athlon XP 1800
OCZ technology 512MB pc2700 ddr memory
Seagate 60 GB 7200 RPM HDD
lite-on 40x12x48 cd-rw
lg 52x cd-rom
8mb ati ragexl pci video card

well physical installation went fine, however when we booted it up, it turned on and fans spun, however no image...but it did beep...continously..with long beeps

everywhere ive sreached on the net says long continous beeps means its a problem with the memory, well i just tested the memory out on another computer and it worked fine...is it possible this memory isn't compatible with the dragon mobo, or is it possible there is a problem with the DIMMs? i reseated the mrmory a few times and tried all 3 slots..no luck still the same problem...none of the other components have been tested, except for the memory which was working on another system?

any help would be apprciated soon, because if he needs to send back the memory, he has to get the RMA in the next day or two...thanks guys

~jeff~

 

[mbigna]

First of all--you may have trouble with that old PCI video card. Read pages 71-72 of your manual--you may have to DISABLE everything in order for your video card to run. Try to hold down the INSert key while booting--see page 47-48 in your manual.

You may also try to disable the video BIOS shawdow (page 66).

As far as memory goes--try booting with only ONE DIMM at a time. If it boots with one and not the other, you have probably found your problem.

Furthermore, DON'T SKIMP on the POWER SUPPLY!!! The Dragon+ needs a lot of stable power because of all the on-board peripherals. Add in RAID and a bunch of fans and you will probably have problems with anything LESS than 400W. Get your multimeter out and check your 5V rail.

Also--just to be sure--check the seating of your HSF. Make sure you used some thermal paste and that the fan is running.

 

[ucfswimmer]

I haven't tried using a different vid card yet...was going to do that next...didn't read through pages 47-48 that I can think off of the top of my head..there wasnt really anything to disable though? I will try holding insert I guess next time...

Couldn't disable video bios shadow because it never POSTed...

and he is only booting up with 1 DIMM...1 512MB DIMM of OCZ PC2700...like i said, tried it on another computer and everything was good...as far as power goes...I tried booting up with just mobo, cpu, hdd, pci video card and thats it...if a 350W PSU cant handle that, then there are much larger problems than it not being able to post...

checked CPU, it's in fine and i used a very very thin layer of AS3, its seated perfectly flat so no problems there..if the cpu wasnt seated right than i dont think I would have even heard any beeps..

thats what im concerned about..those beeps...if i can figure out what they mean then i think i can figure out what the problem is...thanks for the input...will try a diff vid card tomm...anyone else have any suggestions?

~jeff~

 

[LiquidConfusion]

I had this problem when I first put mine together took me 2 weeks to figure it out and damn I felt stupid... try unscrewing the MOBO and booting it free of the case... If it boots when not in the case then check where all you put studs for mounting if you just went through and put a stud in all the ATX holes thats your problem there is one stud that sits directly to the top right of the DIMM slots it is unused on the Dragon+ and shorts the capaciters to ground causing you to lose your VDIMM which is why no boot. Let me know if that was it

 

[knack4it]

Do you see anything with the pci in? No bios even? Try another video card and maybe an agp. If you see the bios, it is your memory more than likely. While there have been a lot of people with bad boards, the majority have a FOC or memory problem. FOC for the fan to be on the correct cpu1 header. Power is a possibility. Cpu could be a possibility. In short, all you have been told could be it. But my money is on the memory. And just because it works fine in another machine don't mean squat. The dragon is a finicky diner when it comes to memory. If you got to rma the board back real soon, you got to decide what to do. I would find someone with a piece of ram and try it out, as well as a different video card. agp preferably. Even a pci and memory that the dragon does not like should post. Most of the memory problems won't allow people to go above 100mhz with it. But you should see something.

Later.

 

[ucfswimmer]

you guys are awesome...ill be going over to my friend's after work today to try all of the above...there is no picture at all..no bios...which i should have paid more attention to because it could indeed be the video card....however ive never had a problem with memory before so i wasnt sure of the symptoms (didnt know if no memory meant a computer wouldnt display bios, etc...) ill also try removing that screw by the DIMMs...i did put a screw in every mount, if it's something as easy and silly as that, i should be so lucky..im also going to try and borrow some of my roomie's ddr memory and see what happens with that in the dragon. if you guys can think of anything else, throw it out there...i'll let you all know what happens..thanks again.

~jeff~

 

[crazyman]

you guys are awesome...ill be going over to my friend's after work today to try all of the above...there is no picture at all..no bios...which i should have paid more attention to because it could indeed be the video card....however ive never had a problem with memory before so i wasnt sure of the symptoms (didnt know if no memory meant a computer wouldnt display bios, etc...) ill also try removing that screw by the DIMMs...i did put a screw in every mount, if it's something as easy and silly as that, i should be so lucky..im also going to try and borrow some of my roomie's ddr memory and see what happens with that in the dragon. if you guys can think of anything else, throw it out there...i'll let you all know what happens..thanks again.

~jeff~

if it is the video card,here is a killer deal on a decsent card.
VISIONTEK Xtasy 5632 GEFORCE2 GTS-V 4X/2X 32MB DDR AGP
$48>
here

 

[ucfswimmer]

lol, thanks but we both work for bestbuy and got in on an employee purchase program..he is waiting for his visiontek xtasy GF3 ti200...got it for $100, but its gonna take 6-8 works to ship..thus the crappy pci card he had in there now temporarily...

 

[Malakai]

hey, tell me how the above stuff goes. I used to have a dragon+ and i can help out if the above stuff doesnt work.
-Malakai

 

[ucfswimmer]

well..he tried switching the pci video card to a different slot...no go

tried using an agp video card...again no go

tried using a stick of tested 128mb pc2100 ddr memory that has worked in multiple systems...and again no go..

unscrewed the entire mobo and booted it up from a piece of cardboard to make sure there were no shorts...and again no go


what the hell do these friggin beeps mean!? think you can suggest something else to try malakai? otherwise im gonna tell him to RMA the board...

this whole experience hasnt left him with such a great impression of soyo as a mobo manufacturer, which is kind of unfortunate...any other help would again be appreciated.

~jeff~

 

[mbigna]

You still haven't mentioned if you tested your power supply or tried a better power supply. Some no-name companies' power output is TERRIBLE compared to where it should be. They state that they are X watts, but in reality, if even a small load is placed upon them it is more like X - 40% watts.

Keep in mind, that it could be the CPU as well. Have you tried using the CPU in a different mobo?

Oh, and BTW--do you know for sure that your MONITOR hasn't blown? Check your video cable for seating and shorts as well.

 

[LiquidConfusion]

you have 2 systems there right? What I would do establish a known good system by simply starting up with your puter that works then remove everything from your mobo and put it on the dragon + using the same case power supply moniter cpu ram etc. If it still doesnt work RMA...

 

[alc]

mbigna has a good point.Check this out http://www.amdworld.co.uk/power.htm

 

[knack4it]

Of this you can be sure. First beep, checking cmos and seeing if it as it should be. Second beep, checking video. Third beep, ready to boot. If you hear the second beep and your monitor powers up, your video is good to go. If you get any beeps, it at least means that your memory and cpu are recognized. That does not mean that they are good, just there for the powerup to begin. Usually with bad memory you will not get to the second beep, that goes for vid cards too.

Remind your friend that any mobo maker will not be perfect. I had to return a brand new gigabyte one time for a faulty agp slot. I consider gigabyte to be a non overclockers board, but REALLY reliable and stable. So now what? RMA?

You do need to verify the power and cpu just as the other guys say.

Later.

 

[LiquidConfusion]

maybe he is right... know anyone with a 400+W ps? I know my board ran a ton better when I got my enermax 430

 

[Obayme]

lol no this guy is stupide ur talking to those long beeps either mean that ur video card isnt in all the way or ur memory isnt in all the way if that doesnt work then check to see if ur grounding the board and check the pins on the vid card and the memory for burnt pins and try all the pci slots for that vid card

 

[Obayme]

smell ur power suply if it has a wierd bunrt smell its the power supply

 

[eternalprophet]

My K7V Dragon Experience

Hola, fellow dragon plus owner here. I had the SAME problem. FIrst off, clear your dang cmos, that fixed mine right up first time. Second, reseed the video card. Third, take out the ram and put it back in, make sur eyou are using the right slots Hrm, what else, oh yeah, I cleared the cmos, unhooked the floppy, hdd, and cd drives, and tried to boot it, sometimes that will work. Did I mention, clear the cmos, that seems to honestly solve most of my problems.

I do have a problem now though. WHenever I shut down my comptuer and go to start it back up, i get one cntinuous beep, or one beep then one continuous beep. It takes clearing the cmos tons of times, unhooking the drives and swapping out the memory to get it to boot. I havent figured out why it always wants to screw up when I need to boot after shutting down, but it does. Other then that, great board, great overclock. Reliability not to sure right now considering my problems at hand.

Honestly though, try clearing cmos, I havent heard of anyone else having problems with pci vid cards Make sure when you clear the cmos the power is unhooked from the motherboard though.

Lemme know if it works, if not, i might have a few more ideas.

 

[XtC]

hi there, i had/have exactly the same problem with my NEW soyo mobo.....

1. that beep sound definately means a problem with the memory (information i got from the soyo support)
2. the problem isn't caused by the memory itself (i tried three different sticks, same thing)
3. it definately isn't a vid card problem (tried three different vidcards as well)
4. the only thing that gets my system running after one of those crashes is clearing the CMOS! i still don't know WHY the board crashes and why the CMOS doesn't seem to know the memory after the crash anymore......
2. it has to be a board problem!!

however, after clearing the CMOS everything works fine for some hours, then the system crashes again -> CMOS clear blabla.....

if anyone finds the answer, please let me know.
well, have to try that screw thingy, maybe it helps

a pretty frustrated soyo owner.....

 

[eternalprophet]

Possible Answer

I think I might have an answer. I flashed my bios yesterday to the new revision and I have had ZERO PROBLEMS since then. I can start up, shut down, leave sitting, no beeps, no crashes, no noises. Now if I go home today and its off and beeps when started again, I am going to scream, but to my knowledge it's still stable...so flash the bios