Fried mobo?

Do not wildly suspect or replace things. Procedure should
be step by step to first obtain basic information. The
foundation of a computer is its power supply. Anything can
act flaky or not work if PSU 'system' (not just PSU) is not
first confirmed good. Procedure is found in a previous
discussion:
"Computer doesn't start at all" in alt.comp.hardware on 10
Jan 2004 or
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://tinyurl.com/2t69q" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/2t69q</a>
Chart for limits and wire colors:
Voltage Wire Color Min V Max V
+5 V Red 4.75 V 5.25 V
-5 V White -4.75 V -5.25 V
+12 V Yellow 11.4 V 12.6 V
-12 V Blue -11.4 V -12.6 V
+3.3 V Orange 3.135 V 3.465 V
+5VSB Purple 4.75 5.25
!Power On Green 0.8 2.0
Power OK Gray >2.4 when power is good

Nothing posted yet says power supply works properly which is
why the few minutes required by this procedure is so
important. Least expensive and most reliable procedure also
teaches how a PSU 'system' works. Once a PSU is confirmed
good, only then are you ready to investigate the other usual
suspects.


TE wrote:
 > Hi all, I just received my A7N8X-X mobo w/AMD athlon 2200+ in the
 > mail. When I tried to install it, I got nothing. Power is flowing
 > to the board becuase the fans spin and the power light is lit, but
 > no beep codes and video. Tried removing various components and
 > still nothing. Video and RAM are fine as I've tested them in
 > another system. Also tried starting while on a cardboard box
 > (to eliminate grounding issues). Is the mobo..*sniff*...dead????
 > I'm hoping its something really basic I've overlooked, but I
 > can't think of anything else... what do you guys think????<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

One thing in your posting troubles me: you say you "ALSO tried starting
while on a cardboard box (to eliminate grounding issues)".
Did you initially have the motherboard somewhere else? If so, where?

(One does not put the motherboard on a cardboard box "to eliminate grounding
issues"...one does that to keep from shorting everything together...laying
the board on the case could randomly fry stuff and even the ESD bag is
conductive to an extent that could be destructive with a powered MB
(typically, something like 10k ohms to 1M ohms per inch).)

"TE" <fr33b3m3.DeleteThis@SPAMMENOTyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.01.28.01.15.37.961022@SPAMMENOTyahoo.com...
 > Hi all, I just received my A7N8X-X mobo w/AMD athlon 2200+ in the mail.
 > When I tried to install it, I got nothing. Power is flowing to the board
 > becuase the fans spin and the power light is lit, but no beep codes and
 > video. Tried removing various components and still nothing. Video and
 > RAM are fine as I've tested them in another system. Also tried starting
 > while on a cardboard box (to eliminate grounding issues). Is the
 > mobo..*sniff*...dead???? I'm hoping its something really basic I've
 > overlooked, but I can't think of anything else... what do you guys
think????<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

I'd try another power supply just to be sure, even though this one appears
to be working. All it would take is one bad lead to the motherboard to keep
things from running.

--
Wayne Morgan


"TE" <fr33b3m3 DeleteThis @SPAMMENOTyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2004.01.28.01.15.37.961022@SPAMMENOTyahoo.com...
 > Hi all, I just received my A7N8X-X mobo w/AMD athlon 2200+ in the mail.
 > When I tried to install it, I got nothing. Power is flowing to the board
 > becuase the fans spin and the power light is lit, but no beep codes and
 > video. Tried removing various components and still nothing. Video and
 > RAM are fine as I've tested them in another system. Also tried starting
 > while on a cardboard box (to eliminate grounding issues). Is the
 > mobo..*sniff*...dead???? I'm hoping its something really basic I've
 > overlooked, but I can't think of anything else... what do you guys
think????<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 01:15:23 GMT, TE <fr33b3m3.TakeThisOut@SPAMMENOTyahoo.com>
wrote:

 >Hi all, I just received my A7N8X-X mobo w/AMD athlon 2200+ in the mail.
 >When I tried to install it, I got nothing. Power is flowing to the board
 >becuase the fans spin and the power light is lit, but no beep codes and
 >video. Tried removing various components and still nothing. Video and
 >RAM are fine as I've tested them in another system. Also tried starting
 >while on a cardboard box (to eliminate grounding issues). Is the
 >mobo..*sniff*...dead???? I'm hoping its something really basic I've
 >overlooked, but I can't think of anything else... what do you guys think????

Ive seen tons of posts similar to this about 6 months ago you dont see
it as much now.

Ive had weird problems with the older refurbs I had and though my
newer Asus refurb doesnt have as major problems I do see some
weirdness.

I think theres a good chance your board is OK. My recent bout with my
ABIT was like that. Seemed totally dead - tested everything and tried
running it out of the case and reset the CMOS. Nothing. Then suddenly
a few days later I reinstalled it and it worked.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

Is it just me, or does w_tom have stock in some multimeter companies?

"w_tom" <w_tom1.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:40172D15.F6D2A62F@hotmail.com...
 > Do not wildly suspect or replace things. Procedure should
 > be step by step to first obtain basic information. The
 > foundation of a computer is its power supply. Anything can
 > act flaky or not work if PSU 'system' (not just PSU) is not
 > first confirmed good. Procedure is found in a previous
 > discussion:
<snip><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 04:20:06 GMT, "Noozer" <postmaster.TakeThisOut@127.0.0.1>
wrote:

 >Is it just me, or does w_tom have stock in some multimeter companies?
 >

Naw, it's a pretty much essential piece of equipment if you're not
SURE the power supply is not only working, but fit for the applied
load, and even then, provides hints of shorted boards/wires/etc....
sometimes it's even the more experienced builders that make casual
mistakes, or overlook some simple things like the power supply input
voltage switch.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 23:23:20 -0500, "George" <nowhere.TakeThisOut@newsonly.com>
wrote:

 >One thing in your posting troubles me: you say you "ALSO tried starting
 >while on a cardboard box (to eliminate grounding issues)".
 >Did you initially have the motherboard somewhere else? If so, where?
 >
 >(One does not put the motherboard on a cardboard box "to eliminate grounding
 >issues"...one does that to keep from shorting everything together...laying
 >the board on the case could randomly fry stuff and even the ESD bag is
 >conductive to an extent that could be destructive with a powered MB
 >(typically, something like 10k ohms to 1M ohms per inch).)
 >

Good point... I recall having a board that failed to post because it
was lying on an ESD bag.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 01:15:23 GMT, TE <fr33b3m3.DeleteThis@SPAMMENOTyahoo.com>
wrote:

 >Hi all, I just received my A7N8X-X mobo w/AMD athlon 2200+ in the mail.
 >When I tried to install it, I got nothing. Power is flowing to the board
 >becuase the fans spin and the power light is lit, but no beep codes and
 >video. Tried removing various components and still nothing. Video and
 >RAM are fine as I've tested them in another system. Also tried starting
 >while on a cardboard box (to eliminate grounding issues). Is the
 >mobo..*sniff*...dead???? I'm hoping its something really basic I've
 >overlooked, but I can't think of anything else... what do you guys think????

Are these parts, memory and video, confirmed compatible with that
board? Sometimes there are odd, unforseen incompatibilities... for
example I once had an Asus A7V333 that wouldn't post with a GF3TI500
video card, even though a GF3TI200 and GF4 4600 both worked (power
supply was also plenty beefy, several were tried).

nForce boards are known to be pickier about memory that some... if
it's PC2100 memory, I'd be wondering about it.

You might try testing the power supply as w_tom mentioned, and
double-checking the jumpers on the board. You might try unplugging
the CPU fan, but be sure to turn off system within a couple dozen
seconds when running (or in it's seemingly dead, no-POST state)
without the fan.

What make/model/wattage is the power supply?
A brief description of the other components might be helpful (or might
not, but couldn't hurt).

You might double-check the jumpers, and if they were all correct, try
the jumpered mode, manually setting the board to 100MHz FSB & Memory,
see if that works.

Also as philo suggested, clear the CMOS.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

Noozer wrote:
 > "w_tom" <w_tom1.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
 >
  > > Do not wildly suspect or replace things. Procedure should
  > > be step by step to first obtain basic information. The
  > > foundation of a computer is its power supply. Anything can
  > > act flaky or not work if PSU 'system' (not just PSU) is not
  > > first confirmed good. Procedure is found in a previous
  > > discussion:
 > <snip>
 >
 > Is it just me, or does w_tom have stock in some multimeter companies?
 >
It is just you displaying abysmal ignorance. It is obviously more
efficient to rant, rave, scream and shout while ripping components
in and out.

--
Chuck F (cbfalconer@yahoo.com) (cbfalconer@worldnet.att.net)
Available for consulting/temporary embedded and systems.
<http://cbfalconer.home.att.net> USE worldnet address!<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

CBFalconer wrote:
 > It is obviously more efficient to rant, rave, scream and shout
 > while ripping components in and out.

As I do about the 'stupid human' when I forget to bring my
multimeter. A tongue then becomes a "poor man's multimeter".
With practice, I can ballpark a voltage measurement based upon
the pain; leaving the reader to speculate how serious this
post may be.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 23:23:20 -0500, George wrote:

 > One thing in your posting troubles me: you say you "ALSO tried starting
 > while on a cardboard box (to eliminate grounding issues)".
 > Did you initially have the motherboard somewhere else? If so, where?
 >

Well I had it in my sink at first but then I remember that water is a
conducter and might be causing some difficulties... No seriously, I had in
my case to begin with. I bolted it in just like a regular one (secured by
screws) then turned it on - or at least tried to. I later read that
sometimes a motherboard may refuse to start because of grounding issues in
the case. It was recommended to take it out of the case and place it on
some cardboard to rule that out... Apparently grounding is no the issue
here =(<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 22:31:33 -0500, w_tom wrote:

 > Do not wildly suspect or replace things. Procedure should
 > be step by step to first obtain basic information. The
 > foundation of a computer is its power supply. Anything can
 > act flaky or not work if PSU 'system' (not just PSU) is not
 > first confirmed good. Procedure is found in a previous
 > discussion:
 > "Computer doesn't start at all" in alt.comp.hardware on 10
 > Jan 2004 or
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://tinyurl.com/2t69q</font" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/2t69q</font</a>>
 > Chart for limits and wire colors:
 > Voltage Wire Color Min V Max V
 > +5 V Red 4.75 V 5.25 V
 > -5 V White -4.75 V -5.25 V
 > +12 V Yellow 11.4 V 12.6 V
 > -12 V Blue -11.4 V -12.6 V
 > +3.3 V Orange 3.135 V 3.465 V
 > +5VSB Purple 4.75 5.25
 > !Power On Green 0.8 2.0
 > Power OK Gray >2.4 when power is good
 >
 > Nothing posted yet says power supply works properly which is
 > why the few minutes required by this procedure is so
 > important. Least expensive and most reliable procedure also
 > teaches how a PSU 'system' works. Once a PSU is confirmed
 > good, only then are you ready to investigate the other usual
 > suspects.
 >
I'll have to look into getting a multimeter I guess... The PSU works great
with my current system (1.4Ghz AMD, 256MB RAM). But it sounds like the
PSU is more complex then simply "good or bad". I've had no issues with
it, but perhaps the newer hardware is placing a greater demand. It is a
300W PS and in a Antec case - not sure on more specifics at the moment....<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo? 

 > try resetting the bios
 > there is often a jumper near it...that you can move over the the other
 > position
 > then back again

Yeah I tried that - no luck. Actually had to take the battery out and
unplug it before moving the jumper... still nothing...<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Fried mobo?