New system post problem

Starman Ghost · Post by **Starman Ghost** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:00 pm

So I've built a new system but it won't post.

Basically it's a:
Amd Phenom quad 9600
Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe/WiFi-AP
Sapphire radeon hd3870
Crucial ddr2 1066mhz 1024meg * 2
PSU OCZ 600 watt something

So I turn it on and it beeps, like it is posting, but nothing comes on screen. Then it beeps once more about 5-7 secs later, then nothing.
I've tried reseating the ram, in different configs, plugging and unplugging stiff, but nothing. I think maybe the vid card might be bad. Any ideas?

funkyass · Post by **funkyass** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:36 pm

read the motherboard's manual about its beep errors? thats a good place to start.

try booting the machine with one stick of ram.

Post by **odditude** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:54 pm

First off, follow funkyass's recommendations.

If it still doesn't post, double-check your power connections - there should be two connections to the board (24-pin and 4-pin) as well as one to the video card (6-pin).

If you're still down, try posting just the motherboard, CPU, memory, and video card outside the case. If the mobo anti-static bag is the clear kind, lay that on the mobo box and use that as a platform. If the anti-static bag is the grid kind, use the box alone and be careful.

Assuming that POSTs, double-check your mount points on the case (no spacers where they shouldn't be, as many marked spacers as possible).

If not, try another power supply. Most stores have a return policy; abuse that if necessary.

If everything is still bad, try removing the video card and memory and power it on. If you've still got the same beep code, you've got significant problems (mobo, CPU, or some combination of voodoo badness).

BTW, if any of these directions draw a blank look, find someone who knows more about building PCs - you don't want to go frying any (more?) hardware if you happen to be the cause of the issue. Don't take that as an insult - after spending years as a tech figuring out what went wrong with newbies' builds, 90% of the time it was user error.

Starman Ghost · Post by **Starman Ghost** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:44 pm

@Funkyass

There is a section for post troubleshooting, and it says listen to to beep and look at bios beep table below, but there is no table! wtf?

@odditude

I actually tried with two different psu, one was my old 350w, which i figured wasn't enough for this much of an upgrade, so I went and bought the 600w. If I post without the memory in it gives no memory error code, although nothing on the screen. If I remove the video card it gives the error code for no video card. I had a similar type problem, and it was because my video card died. However this one is brand spanking new. I suppose it is possible it arrived DOA.

Post by **odditude** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:52 pm

Starman Ghost wrote:There is a section for post troubleshooting, and it says listen to to beep and look at bios beep table below, but there is no table! wtf?

Verified in the online manual. That sucks.

Starman Ghost wrote:I actually tried with two different psu, one was my old 350w, which i figured wasn't enough for this much of an upgrade, so I went and bought the 600w. If I post without the memory in it gives no memory error code, although nothing on the screen. If I remove the video card it gives the error code for no video card. I had a similar type problem, and it was because my video card died. However this one is brand spanking new. I suppose it is possible it arrived DOA.

You did connect the 6-pin power connector to the video card, right?

Do you have any older PCIe or PCI video cards lying around to test with?

Starman Ghost · Post by **Starman Ghost** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:57 pm

odditude wrote:
Starman Ghost wrote:There is a section for post troubleshooting, and it says listen to to beep and look at bios beep table below, but there is no table! wtf?
Verified in the online manual. That sucks.

Starman Ghost wrote:I actually tried with two different psu, one was my old 350w, which i figured wasn't enough for this much of an upgrade, so I went and bought the 600w. If I post without the memory in it gives no memory error code, although nothing on the screen. If I remove the video card it gives the error code for no video card. I had a similar type problem, and it was because my video card died. However this one is brand spanking new. I suppose it is possible it arrived DOA.
You did connect the 6-pin power connector to the video card, right?

Do you have any older PCIe or PCI video cards lying around to test with?

Yes, I did connect the 6 pin connector.

I have no other pcie cards, however, I think i have a really old ati rage 2 pro pci or some junk somewhere. I'll try that and see if it works. Just have to find it.

funkyass · Post by **funkyass** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:02 pm

well, way to go Asus. If you hit up the website for the BIOS(either phoenix or award) it should have a table somewhere of beep error codes.

Hell Asus should have one.

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:37 pm

try... http://www.amptron.com/html/bios.beepcodes.html

if that doesnt help then er, do a bit more googling! if it is a AMI bios (i think it is >.>) then you got a bad processor or motherboard.

Post by **odditude** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:53 pm

Video card seems likely. If there is anything else currently attached (hard/optical drives, other PCI/PCIe cards) I would disconnect them for the time being to make sure you're not misdiagnosing.

Also, since this is a Crossfire board - do you have the video card in the correct slot for singular operation?

Starman Ghost · Post by **Starman Ghost** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:16 am

I had to go out for a while, but now I'm back to work on this problem. I managed to post with an old pci card. So I'm 99.99% sure the vid card is dead. Either that or my 600w psu isn't enough(which I doubt). Yes, it is in the right slot. On this board, any slot can be used for single card use, but two of the slots are limited in speed. Now I got to call the tech support of the site I bought it from. Fun, online returns!

Post by **odditude** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:15 am

A 500W Antec SmartPower is enough to drive a Core 2 Duo E6300 on a G965 board with 2GB of RAM, an HD 3870, two hard drives, and an optical drive. Unless your PSU is defective, it should be able to provide plenty of power.

I.S.T. · Post by **I.S.T.** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:07 am

odditude wrote:A 500W Antec SmartPower is enough to drive a Core 2 Duo E6300 on a G965 board with 2GB of RAM, an HD 3870, two hard drives, and an optical drive. Unless your PSU is defective, it should be able to provide plenty of power.

Hell, a 350 watt PSU could do that provided it's not a POS.

Post by **odditude** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:19 pm

I.S.T. wrote:
odditude wrote:A 500W Antec SmartPower is enough to drive a Core 2 Duo E6300 on a G965 board with 2GB of RAM, an HD 3870, two hard drives, and an optical drive. Unless your PSU is defective, it should be able to provide plenty of power.
Hell, a 350 watt PSU could do that provided it's not a POS.

Probably, but I prefer to respect manufacturer's recommendations - no sub-400-watters for a 3870. That Antec happens to be modular, which was perfect for my chassis.

Starman Ghost · Post by **Starman Ghost** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:58 am

Ok, well I bought the same videocard local, plunk it in and it all works. Now I just gotta return the other one. Thanks for the help guys.