grimfid
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Barebones kit. No BIOS, no beeps.
Barebones kit. No BIOS, no beeps.
I bought a barebones kit from CompUSA, figuring everything would be compatible. Here it is.
1. Asus M3N78 PRO Motherboard
2. AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Processor ADX6000IAA6CZ - 3.0GHz
3. RAM Corsair Dual Channel TWINX 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz E.P.P. Memory (2 x 1024) - came with kit
Corsair 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz (2x1024MB) DHX - bought extra
4. Video - I am plugging the provided slot adaptor into the VGA plug on the motherboard.
5. PSU - Ultra LS600 Lifetime Series 600W Power Supply - ATX, SATA-Ready, PCI-Express
6. DVD/CD - Sony DRU-V200S/BR DVD Rewritable Drive SATA
7. HD - Seagate 250GB Serial ATA w/NCQ 7200/16MB/SATA-3G
8. Case - Ultra X-Blaster Black ATX Mid-Tower
9. Fan/heat sink -Masscool 5F9001B1H3 CPU Cooling Fan - Socket 939, 940, AM2
Using same numbers from above....
1. The first powerup, nothing happened, except the fan operated. No BIOS. No beeps. On the second, there was a spark, a flame, and smoke at the location of the CPU fan plug. This is four pin, but compatible with 3 pin. On subsequent tests this still provides power, but weakly. The other (3 pin) plug/jack does provide good fan speed, but Asus does not recommend using that.
2. Clamping down the heat/sink and fan was extremely hard. Can a CPU or mobo be damaged that way?
3. I admit I had doubts about the RAM configuration, even before trying to power up. The manual is not clear to me. Can anyone tell me how it should go, and how I should go about testing to see if RAM is the start up problem?
4. I do have a card, but thought it better to get it running without the card. The card is XFX GeForce 9600 GSO Video Card - 768MB DDR2, PCI Express 2.0, Dual Link DVI, SLI Ready.
5.
6.+ 7. I also doubt myself here. SATA is new to me. The PSU had a plug for the DVD, but I had to use an adaptor (provided) for the HD. I've tried moving the signal cables around in SATA 1-4. Is there a proper configuration for this? It's not in my documentation.
7.
8.
9. See #2 above
Thanks
I bought a barebones kit from CompUSA, figuring everything would be compatible. Here it is.
1. Asus M3N78 PRO Motherboard
2. AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Processor ADX6000IAA6CZ - 3.0GHz
3. RAM Corsair Dual Channel TWINX 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz E.P.P. Memory (2 x 1024) - came with kit
Corsair 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz (2x1024MB) DHX - bought extra
4. Video - I am plugging the provided slot adaptor into the VGA plug on the motherboard.
5. PSU - Ultra LS600 Lifetime Series 600W Power Supply - ATX, SATA-Ready, PCI-Express
6. DVD/CD - Sony DRU-V200S/BR DVD Rewritable Drive SATA
7. HD - Seagate 250GB Serial ATA w/NCQ 7200/16MB/SATA-3G
8. Case - Ultra X-Blaster Black ATX Mid-Tower
9. Fan/heat sink -Masscool 5F9001B1H3 CPU Cooling Fan - Socket 939, 940, AM2
Using same numbers from above....
1. The first powerup, nothing happened, except the fan operated. No BIOS. No beeps. On the second, there was a spark, a flame, and smoke at the location of the CPU fan plug. This is four pin, but compatible with 3 pin. On subsequent tests this still provides power, but weakly. The other (3 pin) plug/jack does provide good fan speed, but Asus does not recommend using that.
2. Clamping down the heat/sink and fan was extremely hard. Can a CPU or mobo be damaged that way?
3. I admit I had doubts about the RAM configuration, even before trying to power up. The manual is not clear to me. Can anyone tell me how it should go, and how I should go about testing to see if RAM is the start up problem?
4. I do have a card, but thought it better to get it running without the card. The card is XFX GeForce 9600 GSO Video Card - 768MB DDR2, PCI Express 2.0, Dual Link DVI, SLI Ready.
5.
6.+ 7. I also doubt myself here. SATA is new to me. The PSU had a plug for the DVD, but I had to use an adaptor (provided) for the HD. I've tried moving the signal cables around in SATA 1-4. Is there a proper configuration for this? It's not in my documentation.
7.
8.
9. See #2 above
Thanks
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SOLUTION
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ASKER
I am trying different combinations. The only progress: I have the board out of the case now and while I've heard no beeps, I noticed that the CPU fan is running steady and strong again. Before it was slow and sometimes stopped.
I've put the graphics card in and at least its fan is running. Still no display.
I started to remove the cpu sink/fan to check the cpu but realized it was going to be as difficult as clamping it on was.
I've put the graphics card in and at least its fan is running. Still no display.
I started to remove the cpu sink/fan to check the cpu but realized it was going to be as difficult as clamping it on was.
>> I have the board out of the case now and while I've heard no beeps, I noticed that the CPU fan is running steady and strong again. Before it was slow and sometimes stopped.
This is starting to sound like a short somewhere between motherboard and case. I still wouldn't rule out problem between CPU and motherboard though yet.
This is starting to sound like a short somewhere between motherboard and case. I still wouldn't rule out problem between CPU and motherboard though yet.
ASKER
No. The short may have caused it. I found a small area on the board above the cpu that's burnt. Can this be prevented? Is there something you can put behind/under the board?
It's going to take more dramatic effort to get the fan off. Is it the board's or the fan's fault it's so hard?
It's going to take more dramatic effort to get the fan off. Is it the board's or the fan's fault it's so hard?
If the board is an an appropriate type case the standoffs should prevent anything on the mobo from touching the case and causing the short. With the mobo out of the case, look at the floor of the case there you will mount the board and see if it's flat or not or if the mobo has a something that extends from underneath the board that would cause contact with the case. Also, when mounting the board, make sure that there are standoffs near the CPU if there are holes in the board for that. This will help keep the board and the case from touching.
I don't use AMD CPUs so I can't for sure comment on your question about the hardness of removing the fan. However, I do know that in recent board designs, Intel went from something that was fairly easy to get on to something that really requires a lot more force that I really thinnk should be necessary. I did two boards last year for my kids and one of them was almost impossible to get the heat sink/fan combo on correctly. I was really afraid that I was going to crack the board. My guess is that it's like the Intel system where it's just the design or it's the fan itself. Most likely the board was just built according to current specs.
I don't use AMD CPUs so I can't for sure comment on your question about the hardness of removing the fan. However, I do know that in recent board designs, Intel went from something that was fairly easy to get on to something that really requires a lot more force that I really thinnk should be necessary. I did two boards last year for my kids and one of them was almost impossible to get the heat sink/fan combo on correctly. I was really afraid that I was going to crack the board. My guess is that it's like the Intel system where it's just the design or it's the fan itself. Most likely the board was just built according to current specs.
>> I found a small area on the board above the CPU that's burnt.
Above the CPU?
Don't you mean below the CPU?
Above the CPU?
Don't you mean below the CPU?
ASKER
When the board is mounted in the case, the burnt patch is "up" above it along the edge. This is about where I saw the flash and smoke.
Can anyone recommended a new board for the above list of components?
Can anyone recommended a new board for the above list of components?
Warranty. Can you use the warranty?
SOLUTION
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I also wanted to add that if it only runs the fans and no display with the MB out of the case you probably destroyed the MB/CPU when you saw the sparks. I owuld return Both items and get new replacements. Then reinstall everything. (useing the electrical tape/O rings at every single screw hole location. On top of board and bottom of board, better safe than sorry.
Sata HD will work in sata slot 1, then put dvd in slot 2.
ASKER
I already have a return authorization for the MB. I will add the CPU if I can. It does not look like CompUSA has another in stock, not as a single item (not part of a kit or paired with a cpu).
So the question of what to buy now is still open, except now it might be a CPU and MB. Maybe they have the same cpu and mb paired together.
Slim, I'll use the electrical tape idea.
So the question of what to buy now is still open, except now it might be a CPU and MB. Maybe they have the same cpu and mb paired together.
Slim, I'll use the electrical tape idea.
about the lectrical tape : i NEVER had to do that. he probably put stand-iffs where they did not belong.
a mobo should be mounted like the manual says, and none mention using tape
a mobo should be mounted like the manual says, and none mention using tape
ASKER
I'm returning both the board and the cpu. Thanks for your help.
Objection. Experts pointed out various means of diagnosing and basically confirmed problem. Recommend points split as follows.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/M_2790094.html jhyiesla
https://www.experts-exchange.com/M_68938.html dbrunton
https://www.experts-exchange.com/M_1522481.html nobus
https://www.experts-exchange.com/M_4784108.html slimpicken
https://www.experts-exchange.com/M_2790094.html jhyiesla
https://www.experts-exchange.com/M_68938.html dbrunton
https://www.experts-exchange.com/M_1522481.html nobus
https://www.experts-exchange.com/M_4784108.html slimpicken
ASKER
And yes, I am worried about more than one bad part!