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new motherboard install trouble
Just installed a new "PCW TX Pro AT W/Video 4MB and Sound" from micro x-press with AMI Bios. Using known good 166 CPU and tested 32 mb SIMMs. Triple checked all jumpers and connections and fired it up - Get nothing. No post beep. Slight flicker on monitor w/ gray screen. Keyboard lights flash at turn on, no floppy light, HD spins up and light shows for a while, then goes out. Anyone with experience with this board or help in general with MB installations?
these are signs of faultyness take it to your supplier and let them test it
ASKER
That is an obvious last resort solution. I need more specific info (bad BIOS, onboard video, etc.) on how to trouble-shoot a MB. I don't want to return it and have them just say that "no trouble was found" and send it back to me (or worse, charge me for testing it and send it back!)
You may have checked the main jumpers but make sure the "clear cmos" in not set to the clear position, I've seen it a few times and it drives you nuts.
Hippy.
Hippy.
Pull all cards and cables from the motherboard (keyboard,front panel connectors,everything) - see if you at least get some beeps.
ASKER
Hippy - checked that - should I maybe clear it once - then try it? Don't want to lose my BIOS or anything :(
Mattcei - Will at least need speaker to hear beeps. Should I leave memory installed?
On the speaker connection I have pin 1 and pin 4 in the 4 pin plug coming from speaker. Block pins for speaker on MB are labeled 1) data out, 2 NC, 3) Ground, and 4) +5vts. Which two pins should I connect too? I would think 1 and 3 but the plug is setup for 1 and 4? My experience with speakers is a signal lead and ground.
Mattcei - Will at least need speaker to hear beeps. Should I leave memory installed?
On the speaker connection I have pin 1 and pin 4 in the 4 pin plug coming from speaker. Block pins for speaker on MB are labeled 1) data out, 2 NC, 3) Ground, and 4) +5vts. Which two pins should I connect too? I would think 1 and 3 but the plug is setup for 1 and 4? My experience with speakers is a signal lead and ground.
Is the memory "known-good"?
try to unplug all drives, power and cables and see if it fires up, leave only the video card in, also make sure you are running the correct voltage for the cpu, triple check all jumpers.
Yes,sorry - leave the speaker in.And the RAM.It won't do much of anything without that.By the way,I'm assuming from your description this has the video on the motherboard - if not,pull the video card too.We're just trying to get some noise from that speaker,then go on from there.
As for the speaker connector: 1 and 4 are the ones,with no polarity required.Motherboards commonly 'anchor' the audio at +5 and vary the signal at 'data out' with respect to it.
However,you've brought up a good point - it's possible (but not likely) that you're speaker is dead AND you have another unrelated problem.If the only thing you've changed is the motherboard and the speaker previously was OK,we'll have to assume that's not the case for now,but keep it in mind for down the road.I've never seen a motherboard with bad speaker circuitry,but I have gotten dead speakers.
As for the speaker connector: 1 and 4 are the ones,with no polarity required.Motherboards commonly 'anchor' the audio at +5 and vary the signal at 'data out' with respect to it.
However,you've brought up a good point - it's possible (but not likely) that you're speaker is dead AND you have another unrelated problem.If the only thing you've changed is the motherboard and the speaker previously was OK,we'll have to assume that's not the case for now,but keep it in mind for down the road.I've never seen a motherboard with bad speaker circuitry,but I have gotten dead speakers.
have you checked your powersupply? And the connection to the MB?
Does the supply fan come on and stay on?
Power suppy color codes: red=5v, yellow=12v, black= ground
these should be identified on the MB at the main connector.
make certain you have the power plugs in the proper orientation (black on both plugs next to each other) on the MB.
Check the voltages with a load on them.
Does the supply fan come on and stay on?
Power suppy color codes: red=5v, yellow=12v, black= ground
these should be identified on the MB at the main connector.
make certain you have the power plugs in the proper orientation (black on both plugs next to each other) on the MB.
Check the voltages with a load on them.
ASKER
Speaker is ok. Worked with previous MB and checked it with a 1.5 vt battery for click. Memory was checked in other system. Wouldn't run at fastest 60 ns setting, but worked at 60 ns to 70 ns speed setting. Power supply worked with old MB and is wired OK. Fan comes on and power light. CPU setup correctly and known good. New MB has video onboard, but this time left it disconnected for beep test. Still none. Should I try to clear BIOS and retry? I'm still in the dark about this POST stuff. Thanks all.
By all means clear CMOS.It's the only thing left to try!If that doesn't do it,you've got a DOA motherboard.
Scraping the bottom of the barrel,you might also try:
-Pull and re-install the CPU.I've had ZIF sockets in the past that don't always clamp down on all the CPU pins.
-Pull the motherboard out of the case and try it - a mounting screw could be shorting something to ground.
Scraping the bottom of the barrel,you might also try:
-Pull and re-install the CPU.I've had ZIF sockets in the past that don't always clamp down on all the CPU pins.
-Pull the motherboard out of the case and try it - a mounting screw could be shorting something to ground.
ASKER
Mattcei - tried reinstalling the CPU and clearing the CMOS. Motherboard is out of case. (double checked for mounting screws and such)
One last thing and you can post it as an answer to get the points - This board has a "over-ride power button connector" that is for a suspend mode. Since the case (old 486) has AC to and from the front panal switch, that this feature is for a case with a different type swich and I don't know if it needs to be jumpered or not to DEactivate it. I'd sure hate to find that all it was was in suspend mode or something wierd :(
One last thing and you can post it as an answer to get the points - This board has a "over-ride power button connector" that is for a suspend mode. Since the case (old 486) has AC to and from the front panal switch, that this feature is for a case with a different type swich and I don't know if it needs to be jumpered or not to DEactivate it. I'd sure hate to find that all it was was in suspend mode or something wierd :(
Has nothing to do with suspend mode. The simple answer is you have a bad MB (assuming all previous info is correct). If the video card, RAM, and power supply are in, you will get something on the screen with any good MB, and if yours is giving nothing, it is bad. 1 last try: install a known good PCI video card and disable the onboard. If still nothing shows, then return the motherboard.
This sounds suspicious - what's the manual say about this? If it's not obvious,might as well jumper it and see what happens.It's probably just a standard 'Suspend Mode' connector and SHOULD be unjumpered.
BUT - reminds me of ONE more thing to check: The PON signal from the Power Supply.We havn't been picking on the PS since it works with old MB,but now you really should look at the output with a meter,especially PON (usually orange or yellow,on same plug as 3 black GNDs,last wire on end).Should be +5,and if it ain't,will cause exactly the problem you're seeing.
>>> One thing that will give a bad PON is the 110V/220V switch on the back of the power supply being set to 220V for a 110V input.
BUT - reminds me of ONE more thing to check: The PON signal from the Power Supply.We havn't been picking on the PS since it works with old MB,but now you really should look at the output with a meter,especially PON (usually orange or yellow,on same plug as 3 black GNDs,last wire on end).Should be +5,and if it ain't,will cause exactly the problem you're seeing.
>>> One thing that will give a bad PON is the 110V/220V switch on the back of the power supply being set to 220V for a 110V input.
Hardlock,
When and if you do get that board running, you won't have much.....
I tried three of them about two weeks ago with poor results.
Hard drive controller trouble, video problems with certain multimedia files, sound problems when used with a voice/fax modem, etc., etc., etc.
Those wannabe clones just aren't worth the trouble. You may save a couple of dollars on the sound and video cards, but it's just not worth the aggravation.
My advice is to return it and get one with an Intel chipset.
Regards, (and good luck)
Ralph
When and if you do get that board running, you won't have much.....
I tried three of them about two weeks ago with poor results.
Hard drive controller trouble, video problems with certain multimedia files, sound problems when used with a voice/fax modem, etc., etc., etc.
Those wannabe clones just aren't worth the trouble. You may save a couple of dollars on the sound and video cards, but it's just not worth the aggravation.
My advice is to return it and get one with an Intel chipset.
Regards, (and good luck)
Ralph
ASKER
jkpcs - sorry, but got the MB working!
MATTCEI - something you said about "if no memory installed, nothing happens" was the clue I needed! Please repost something as answer so I can give you the points!
As a last resort, I switched memory again with another computer just to be sure. This time I noticed that even with the memory securely clipped in the board that one of the two cards stuck up just the slightest bit higher. With closer inspection (with a magnifing glass) found one pin in the connector out of place causing the card to not properly seat!!!
Once the pin was reworked to it's proper position, everything worked!
RMAROTTA - I didn't expect much for $59. I just bought the board since I had a 486 sitting around and an extra P-166 cpu and SIMMS. Figuared it would allow me to make it a cheap extra game machine. Actually, so far (with 32 mb) it seems solid and stable. Video is running at 800x600 w/24 bit color at 75 hz refresh! I know that the onboard video is using 4 mb of the ram, but hey - ya get what you pay for - just wish their quality control was better :) Thanks all.
MATTCEI - something you said about "if no memory installed, nothing happens" was the clue I needed! Please repost something as answer so I can give you the points!
As a last resort, I switched memory again with another computer just to be sure. This time I noticed that even with the memory securely clipped in the board that one of the two cards stuck up just the slightest bit higher. With closer inspection (with a magnifing glass) found one pin in the connector out of place causing the card to not properly seat!!!
Once the pin was reworked to it's proper position, everything worked!
RMAROTTA - I didn't expect much for $59. I just bought the board since I had a 486 sitting around and an extra P-166 cpu and SIMMS. Figuared it would allow me to make it a cheap extra game machine. Actually, so far (with 32 mb) it seems solid and stable. Video is running at 800x600 w/24 bit color at 75 hz refresh! I know that the onboard video is using 4 mb of the ram, but hey - ya get what you pay for - just wish their quality control was better :) Thanks all.
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