Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of pcchaos
pcchaos

asked on

Need ADVANCED help with ASUS Rampage III Extreme mobo and no post.

I have been trying to get help on this issue but have not had much luck.  I have been attempting to contact ASUS but always get told they will have a Tier II tech call me back.  I need Advanced help.

I purchased an Asus Rampage III Extreme. I would like USB 3.0 and SATA III.
For this board I purchased  <b>CORCORSAIR DOMINATOR 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMP12GX3M3A1600C9</b>

In fact, I purchased 2 of the above memory kits for a total of 24GB of memory.


MY OLD SYSTEM was an MSI Eclispe SLI.  It worked just fine.  This board has DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1866C9DF.

In fact, the old board also had 2 of those kits for a total of 12GB of memory.

THe old board used an Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition Bloomfield 3.2GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80601965   AND an ULTRA 1600w PSU AND 2 x EVGA nVIDIA GTX 285 in SLI.

I wanted to use the NEW ASUS board and keep my CPU and PSU.  

Originaly I hooked up ALL 24 GB of memory, the CPU, and 1 video card.   The system did POST and I was able to access BIOS.  I changed ONE single setting.  AHCI to allow use of an SSD I purchased and rebooted the pc.

THe system NEVER POST again... the CPU light on the south edge of the mbo lights up and stays on..... all the fans etch work.

I removed all memory, save 1 stick.  ANd nothing I could do would get it to POST again.  I did clear CMOS.
I had New Egg send me a NEW MOBO.  Hooked up 1 stick of memory, 1 video card and the same thing..only it would NEVER POST.  CPU light comes on and stays on..... fans start working...but no post....no video.

I called Intel to set up an RMA for CPU.  I thin hooked up my old hardware...mobo and cpu.... that system fires up JUST FINE.

What is the issue?  PSU has PLENTY of power.  CORSAIR i suppose to be good stuff.  

Nobody seems to know the answer or be willing to tackle this for very long.  

I have done basic stuff such as swapping video cards, swapping them to diff PCIe slots ....no hd or cdrom for boot etc. I also tried the OLD memory from the old board and get the same results.

I have tried booting with both 1 single 8pin and with the 8 pin and a 4 pin connector.

Any body?
Avatar of willcomp
willcomp
Flag of United States of America image

Have you removed mobo from case and tried booting with bare minimum components? Check that both mobos use the same number of standoffs in the asme locations. An unused standoff will cause the mobo to short.
From looking at the manual it looks like both 8-pin eatx12v connections need to be plugged in, so if you have an 8-pin and a 4-pin you'll need a 4-pin to 8-pin adapter for the 2nd 8-pin.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200459
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201005
Avatar of pcchaos
pcchaos

ASKER

All system builds have been done outside the case.  I will order the adapter and have it shipped over night.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

From what im reading the extra 8 pin connector is for over clocking.  Im not doing this. I have a feeling that this will not fix the issue.
Avatar of nobus
i believe you have a BIOS reset switch, near the keyboard switch - does resetting the bios help?
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

Bah. Didn't mean to say im not doing this. Meant if I do this I don't think it will help.

Rest a factor default bios on ths 2 ns board?
what do you mean ? with "Rest a factor default bios on ths 2 ns board?"   very obscure
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

I cant use my driod in here it changes spelling to what it thinks lol.

Why would you want me to RESET the bios... the 2nd mobo showed up with all default settings already.

Only made the cange on the first board that I RMA.  Is it poss I have 2 bad boards???
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

NOBUS... I was thinking..

If you overclock a CPU... are those changes saved in the CPU? Say if I used the MSI Eclisp board and used its AI feature to allow an automatic 5% increase/overclock.   Would those changes follow that cpu to the new motherboards?  Could this be the issue??  Perhaps I should put it back in old board and make sure that was off?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of willcomp
willcomp
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

Boards never get to memory test on led.  It has to be socket issue.

A.) Bad CPU  (even though it works fine in MSI board)
B.) 2 bad boards broken the same way.
C.) Not enough power to board.

Even though I think the 2 8 pin connectors wont help, I will be able to test this out in about 24 hours. If that does not fix the issue, Intel will be getting a package from me in the mail.
Faulty memory will not allow POST to do much, if anything.. POST verifies low memory so it can copy into memory as POST begins. What makes you think it never gets to memory verification? Do you have a POST card or on-board POST hex read out?
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

Yes but this board  should get to the memory led before the post. If it was hanging due to memory then te  memory led should stay on and no post...... not the cpu light. .... at least this is how I understand this board
After reviewing the motherboard manual, I think that jamietoner was correct in the beginning. That mobo requires both 8 pin EATX connectors and you may need to purchase a compatible power supply.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

Got the connector.  No go.

Took out the CPU. Cleaned it up and put it BACK into the old motherboard... the MSI Eclipse.
It posts JUST FINE.

Im lost.   If it is not a memory Issue (according to ASUS) .... perhaps it is a 2nd bad board?

Ill RMA the cpu..( 2 weeks) and if that doesn't work. I guess I RMA the mobo again?
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

All the trials are on a 2 lvl tech bay. I bought. No case. The bards stand up on plastic rings.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

I tested the CPU like no tomorrow on the MSI board.....

I am going to order an OCZ-ZX1000W ZX.

If this doesn't work then I will ship CPU.

Anybody agree?
Sounds like a plan. I know these high end gaming boards can be picky but this is getting a bit ridiculous.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

Ultra x3 1600w PSU. Is this crap?  I read on line and see lots of GOOD things said.

I wonder if I wasted $200 buying this new OCZ 1k W  psu....

ASUS says all Ultra products are crap (Tier 2 tech support)... but the reviews of this PSU say other wise.

Why do all these ass hats blame each other parts when stuff doesn't work.

I hope this works... if it turns out to be a RAM issue after all (though i would think not) im out of money =(
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

Nobus.... Gary where are you guys !? =)


SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

The set of ram I plan to use is not. But my old ram from the old board is. Both types of ram result in the same behavior.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

when speaking with AUSUS TIre 1 and Tire 2 both did not seem worried about the Ram. They were looking at the LED marked CPU and what it ment.

They felt it was a SOCKET issue.  Either CPU bad (no way I tested the hell out of it) or perhaps socket not getting enough or correct power.

I hope it is not the ram.  =(
>>  They were looking at the LED marked CPU   <<  not sure what you mean
if you test with correct ram, then that's not the problem
Power issues are possible - fyi - if you want to calculate the power you need, you can do that here : http://www.antec.outervision.com/
just enter ALL your devices you use
also - did you reset the biso as asked?  since it stopped booting after changing a setting..
all settings are stored in bios -not cpu (overclocking)
did you test the board OUTSIDE the box?  and check all screw holes match with a standoff (so no one shorts the mobo?)
the other option i see is more than 1 defective device
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

On the side of the board, next to the RAM slots are a series of LED's to indicate where the board is as the BIOS takes control.
First LED is CPU. If cpu passes then it moves on to Memory and the Memory LED lights up.  If memory passes, it moves on to VGA as it test the display adaptor.
It never gets to the Memory LED. It stays on CPU.  Thus, the ASUS guys are telling me it is an issue related to the socket.  Bad CPU or bad power to CPU.   They said if it was any kind of memory issue, then when it got to the memory to test... the memory LED would light up and it would hang  there.  I am told the LEDS light up before that component is tested. Then if the component passes, it lights up the next LED and tests that component.


All testing has been done using This computer case.

So I believe I can say yes to your question, though technically it is no.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

link didnt work, it is a top deck tech work station.  It is 2 levelsof plastic.
what link?  the antec link does work for me
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

My link to show you what I was testing the systms in. it did not work.  I am using a top deck tech work station. It is 2 plastic trays that are stacked and has a bracket to support the riser cards.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

OK.  Looks like PSU fixed the issue.

Have no clue how ot award the points to this thread so please all recomend and help me figure this out.


I have new issue for a new thread.  This SSD seems much slower then my old SATA 2 controller card and 4 Raid 0 Raptor drives.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

ALL    4     500MB              C: 56%  (63/112)

                  Read [MB/s]               Write [MB/s]
Seq             333.3                         240.2
512k           353.6                         236.5
4k                31.51                         58.38
4k qd32      238.9                         195.8


That is the CrystalDisk Mark results on the SSD.

File extraction does not seem very fast.  BUT  Office 2010 Word loads hella fast like 2 sec. And Adobe Photoshop opens up in like 3-4 seconds.

Those speeds seem normal?
That raid 0 is definitely going to have a faster xfer rate than a single ssd but as you have noticed the response time is much better.  I also replaced a raid 0 with an ssd and overall im much happier with quicker ssd vs the raid 0. Glad to here the system is up and running.
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

yeah i may load my raid card and those drives in this box for the horse work. And just use the SSD to load progams and OS.
that's  how i setup my box
Avatar of pcchaos

ASKER

I elected to give Will the credit for solution as he was the first to to talk about PSU replacment.... but I feel that everybody had a hand in this. No one thread solved it to tell you the truth. I decided to split the points up amongst the 3 of you.

Thanks.
OK and thanks. Glad to help.