A7N8X Deluxe problems

[Dr Teeth]

Upgraded PC about 1 month ago.

All went well for two weeks, ran perfectly.

Then, got sudden power loss and would only reboot after 30 mins. From
another NG, got a tip to enable me to reboot: turn off PSU switch,
'turn on' PC, switch on PSU again, turn on PC and press INSERT key.
This works every time.

Lately, get trouble booting up, usually several BSODs, mainly of the
STOP variety though occasionally others. Got a couple of BIOS checksum
error messages, but PC will boot eventually.

I have swapped PSU without change.

Specs:

Athlon 3200+ XP, FSB 200MHz
BIOS 1007
I Gb ram (512 x 2 Crucial) dual channel configuration.
PSU 460 W Enermax (previous one was 350 W version)

I assume that it isn't the CPU as it would either work or not. Asus
probe gives the m/b temp as 22-25C and the CPU temp as 42-45C.

Any ideas before I RMA the 'board?

Cheers,

Guy

*** I may not be perfect, but I'm
*** British, and that's the next best thing!

 

[KB]

XP3200 runs on 400 fsb.

CPU external Freq(MHz) [200 MHz]
Resulting Frequency should be 200MHz

 

[D R Tester]

Which is shown as 200Mhz in the Bios as it is dual pumped DDR 200*2=400Mhz

Dom

XP3200 runs on 400 fsb.

CPU external Freq(MHz) [200 MHz]
Resulting Frequency should be 200MHz
---------------------------------------------------------------

Upgraded PC about 1 month ago.

All went well for two weeks, ran perfectly.

Then, got sudden power loss and would only reboot after 30 mins. From
another NG, got a tip to enable me to reboot: turn off PSU switch,
'turn on' PC, switch on PSU again, turn on PC and press INSERT key.
This works every time.

Lately, get trouble booting up, usually several BSODs, mainly of the
STOP variety though occasionally others. Got a couple of BIOS checksum
error messages, but PC will boot eventually.

I have swapped PSU without change.

Specs:

Athlon 3200+ XP, FSB 200MHz
BIOS 1007
I Gb ram (512 x 2 Crucial) dual channel configuration.
PSU 460 W Enermax (previous one was 350 W version)

I assume that it isn't the CPU as it would either work or not. Asus
probe gives the m/b temp as 22-25C and the CPU temp as 42-45C.

Any ideas before I RMA the 'board?

Cheers,

Guy

*** I may not be perfect, but I'm
*** British, and that's the next best thing!

 

[Dr Teeth]

Further Info:-

Using 3.13 driver set, IDE 2.0 driver installed.

If I have omitted any info that you may find useful to help me, I
apologise and will supply it on request.

TIA,

Cheers,

Guy

** I may not be perfect, but I'm
** English, and that's the next best thing!

 

[rstlne]

Then why do you set ur box to run at 200?..
This is AMD not Intel so you have to stick with the non DDR freq

 

[rstlne]

Further Info:-

Using 3.13 driver set, IDE 2.0 driver installed.

If I have omitted any info that you may find useful to help me, I
apologise and will supply it on request.

TIA,

Cheers,

Guy

** I may not be perfect, but I'm
** English, and that's the next best thing!

This might be a stretch.. Possibly clear the bios using the jumpers..
I THINK that the INS key feature was added to make the board(s) start at a
100mhz FSB to help solve some of the non-booting issues. If clearing the
bios and resetting your values in after doesnt help then I might even try to
flash a new bios..
Bar that it sounds like somethings a bit sezozzled..
Bios checksum errors shouldnt happen so if you have a DVM (or better yet a
battery tester) then check the bat when you remove it to reset the bios..

all i can guess

 

[D R Tester]

Overclocking
I am running my XP2500+ (AQZFA Week 038) @ 215Mhz * 11Multi with memory in
sync PC3500EL (OCZ)

Dom

Then why do you set ur box to run at 200?..
This is AMD not Intel so you have to stick with the non DDR freq

XP3200 runs on 400 fsb.

CPU external Freq(MHz) [200 MHz]
Resulting Frequency should be 200MHz

 

[Kyle Brant]

Try running a memory test program such as docmen or memtest86, both
can be found via google.

--
Best regards,
Kyle
| Upgraded PC about 1 month ago.
|
| All went well for two weeks, ran perfectly.
|
| Then, got sudden power loss and would only reboot after 30 mins.
From
| another NG, got a tip to enable me to reboot: turn off PSU switch,
| 'turn on' PC, switch on PSU again, turn on PC and press INSERT key.
| This works every time.
|
| Lately, get trouble booting up, usually several BSODs, mainly of the
| STOP variety though occasionally others. Got a couple of BIOS
checksum
| error messages, but PC will boot eventually.
|
| I have swapped PSU without change.
|
| Specs:
|
| Athlon 3200+ XP, FSB 200MHz
| BIOS 1007
| I Gb ram (512 x 2 Crucial) dual channel configuration.
| PSU 460 W Enermax (previous one was 350 W version)
|
| I assume that it isn't the CPU as it would either work or not. Asus
| probe gives the m/b temp as 22-25C and the CPU temp as 42-45C.
|
| Any ideas before I RMA the 'board?
|
| Cheers,
|
| Guy
|
| *** I may not be perfect, but I'm
| *** British, and that's the next best thing!

 

[KB]

This might be a stretch.. Possibly clear the bios using the jumpers..
I THINK that the INS key feature was added to make the board(s) start at a
100mhz FSB to help solve some of the non-booting issues.

????????
Since when did the INS key feature start then?
AND why doe it not work with every pc using the same motherboard??
There is no way the INS key can reset anything in the Bios.

 

[KB]

Upgraded PC about 1 month ago.

All went well for two weeks, ran perfectly.

Then, got sudden power loss and would only reboot after 30 mins. From
another NG, got a tip to enable me to reboot: turn off PSU switch,
'turn on' PC, switch on PSU again, turn on PC and press INSERT key.
This works every time.

Not all PSU's have a switch so you can not do that.
Also how can you turn off psu switch, "turn on" pc, switch on psu, and then
turn on pc??
What Do you mean turn on PC, then turn on psu and then turn on pc?

 

[Ben Pope]

Not all PSU's have a switch so you can not do that.
Also how can you turn off psu switch, "turn on" pc, switch on psu, and
then turn on pc??
What Do you mean turn on PC, then turn on psu and then turn on pc?

Attempting to turn on th machine with the PSU unplugged results in a drain
on the PSU which will discharge the capacitors. These capacitors can feed
the CMOS memory, so I tend to do that when clearing CMOS, however, its
usefulness in the OPs case would be debatable.

Ben

 

[Ben Pope]

Upgraded PC about 1 month ago.

All went well for two weeks, ran perfectly.

Then, got sudden power loss and would only reboot after 30 mins. From
another NG, got a tip to enable me to reboot: turn off PSU switch,
'turn on' PC, switch on PSU again, turn on PC and press INSERT key.
This works every time.

Lately, get trouble booting up, usually several BSODs, mainly of the
STOP variety though occasionally others. Got a couple of BIOS checksum
error messages, but PC will boot eventually.

BIOS checksum errors are weird unless you've cleared CMOS or have a dead
CMOS battery. Many booting problems have been fixed by replacing the CMOS
battery on this board, I kid you not. Might be worth trying if you are
having problems booting.

Sudden rebooting is strange... if it powered itself off, it sounds like
C.O.P. kicking in, which would also explain the delay (for everything to
cool down), but if you can run it under load usually without it switching
off, obviously disregard C.O.P. as the cause.

Ben

 

[rstlne]

????????
Since when did the INS key feature start then?
AND why doe it not work with every pc using the same motherboard??
There is no way the INS key can reset anything in the Bios.

The feature was added as a ADDITION to the bios, an early check is done to
see if this key is pressed and if it is then the cpu is throttled down. I
read this as a "BIOS" upgrade to solve problems for motherboards that
omitted a jumper that would allow you to force a 100mhz FSB.. If I am wrong
then please feel free to correct me on this, If you dont know for sure then
dont tell me I am wrong until you look it up.

 

[KB]

Ok so if so then why does it not say on the screen where it says to hold Del
key down to enter bios, or where is says what key(s) to hold for boot
options(safe, or the others)?
Also what motherboards? and why nothing said in bios notes?.

 

[KB]

Did it say for Asus boards and the A7N8X range?

 

[rstlne]

Did it say for Asus boards and the A7N8X range?

Sigh

"
As with all nForce2 boards, the remedy for the BIOS bug is extremely simple,
disconnect the system from power, hold the insert key on the keyboard (this
may not work with USB keyboards, though), reconnect power while holding the
Insert key and start her up. The board will default back to a 100 MHz FSB in
this case and allow to enter the CMOS setup to change the settings to what
is workable.
"

http://www.lostcircuits.com/motherboard/soltek_sl75mrnl/5.shtml

Like I said, this was an addition that I dont think the bios initally
supported..
ANYHOW..
I guess your gonna ask me for documented proof, but that's the best i am
going to do for you as it's a know, discuss'd item..

 

[KB]

"I guess your gonna ask me for documented proof"

Nope

 

[Kathy Gorman]

I recently had a client with a similar problem. He moved into a new
apartment with aluminum wiring that had a grounding problem (and other
problems).

It turned out that the hard drive (primary/master), DVD writer
(secondary/slave) and CDRW drive (secondary/master) were killed by the
experience.While the Stop BSODs alerted me to the hard drive problem
(it actually destroyed his C partition), it wasn't until I plugged the
machine into a APC UPS Pro, which would give me the auto shutdown
message if either drive (CDRW and DVD) were plugged in, that I was
aware of the extent of the problems - these two drives were causing
havoc, and I hadn't even considered them.

Since you say that you had a power loss, perhaps you had some hardware
damage that you aren't aware of. The motherboard, chip and memory
survived in my case - it was just the drives that got it.

I was very frustrating and time consuming trying to find the many
sources of the problems caused by the electricity - I hope you will
find them soon.

 

[Dr Teeth]

Since you say that you had a power loss, perhaps you had some hardware
damage that you aren't aware of. The motherboard, chip and memory
survived in my case - it was just the drives that got it.

It was not a power loss in my house, the PC just went blank with a 'no
signal' message on the monitor.

When PC is running, all seems well.

Favourite BSOD on boot is Stop 0x0000008E together with probs with
NDIS.SYS. Booted up at fourth attempt tonight.

Run Win XP (FAT 32), Win XP (NTFS), Win 98 SE and SuSe Linux 9.0. All
Windows partitions have boot probs. Not using Linux much ATM as want
to get booting probs sorted.

Cheers,

Guy

** I may not be perfect, but I'm
** English, and that's the next best thing!

 

[Dr Teeth]

I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a palaver. RMA'd the motherboard to Simply, who agreed to a
refund on the spot...none of this sending away for testing for weeks
business.

All now seems to be well, but I'll be wearing brown trousers for a few
weeks.

Some probs that I had after fitting the second m/b and their
solutions:-

1) PC would not boot up. Swapped CPU, still no joy. Starting to think
I should take up knitting instead of messing with PCs <g>. Checked
power connection to ATi Radeon, not secure. When fixed, booted.

2) Taskbar locking up during boot, desktop still okay. Turns out
McAfee Firewall v4 did not approve of some network changes I had made.
Had to boot into safe mode to stop its services etc loading, then
booting normally (taskbar okay) to uninstall. Reinstalled and all is
well.

I cannot begin to say how useful I found having multiple OSs was for
troubleshooting: running Win XP Pro on FAT 32 and NTFS, Win 98SE and
SuSe Linux. Toward the end, I gave up trying to boot the PC as none of
the OSs would boot.

Thanks for all your help and contributions.

Cheers,

Guy

** I may not be perfect, but I'm
** English, and that's the next best thing!