HELP == Cold Boot Problems with P4PE

[seeker]

I've read that quite a few people have the same problem as I do with
my P4PE motherboard.

Approximately 50% of the time, during an attempted cold boot (eg
startup with ATX pushbutton), I get no POST screen, no beeps, no error
messages. The CPU fan does spin. Pushing the HW RESET button does
nothing.

Even by removing everything from the system except for memory and
video (which have also been exchanged with others) the problem is not
resolved.

My system is using a 2.4B CPU, Crucial 512 PC2700 DDRAM 2.5. Have
also exchanged the memory to other brands, exchanged the power supply
(usred PC Power&Cooling 400w, Antec 480 & 550 Watt-no good), video
card for another brand etc. NO JOY.

The only solution is no hol;ding the ATX power PB for > 20 seconds and
then it mostly will power off. Also, starting from a completely off
(that AC power removed) condition makes no difference.

After restarting the system, the boot up brings up the Bios screen a a
message saying the prior boot failed due to a frequency error?

Normally, this problem is more likely to appear if the system has been
off for more than 1 hour.

Once running, the system runs perfectly for days.

Idieas? I've seached the web and only found that quite a few people
seeeem to have the same problem. Asus hasn't even answered my inquiry
after 1 week!

Thanks for any ideas!

 

[NSN]

Welcome to the club!

I put up with the problem for almost a year. It got progressively
worse. I finally returned the board with a nice letter of explanation
to ASUS and they replaced it. It took 3 weeks.

However, I had purchased a Black Pearl edition before sending the
board in and did an immediate replacement so I was not without my
P4PE. I have not as yet tried the replacement board out.

BTW .. I tried everything I could think of to correct the problem ..
no luck. It did seem to be worse the colder the ambient temperature.

Norm

 

[seeker]

Thanks for the report!
I have the exact same problem. Actually I bought the mobo 9 months
ago, tested it (it seemed ok) and just now I tried to get it running.
I'm in New York, and the room where the pc is setup is cold ( about 60
deg F overnight)...this is exactly when it began... During the
summertime, I had ZERO problems.

I'll almost bet it's a mistake in the RESET circuit on the board.
I'll likely phone Asus Monday.

If I find out anything, I'll post it here.

Seeker*

 

[really-not-me]

What settings do you have in BIOS?

Do you have SYSTEM PERFORMANCE MODE (TURBO) should be AUTO

Do you have MEMORY TURBO MODE (ENABLED) should be DISABLED

This seems to make a HUGE PROBLEM

 

[Totor]

High,

I've been using a P4PE for over a year with a P4 2.0A without the slightest
problem. I live in the south of France, temp gets very high in summer, and
quite low in winter (107.6°F in summer max. and 17.6°F in winter min.). Now,
central heating is not on in my office at home, and temp is around 66.2°F.
And have absolutely no problem at all... weird. I use a single 512 Mb
Corsair XMS memory module CAS2, I can even OC the CPU to 2.5Ghz (the only
difference is that it takes ages to boot, while it boots instantly running
at nominal 2.0Ghz). I have a 350W Enermax PSU (EG-365PVE), 4
CD-roms/writers, A SCSI card, an audigy platinum ex, a GF4 Ti4200, a TV
card, so you see the PC is quite "loaded".
Maybe a bad production batch passed through testing.

good luck.

Alan.

 

[NSN]

Yes, there was a bad batch. I believe that the specific problem
related to the ICH4 chip. Apparently some had a weak signal strength.
Also, this seemed to be worsened by cold ambient temperature. That's
about the best I can do for an explanation .. and the explanation may
be wrong. The problem, however, is real and caused by a manufacturing
defect. This specific problem, the "cold boot", is not BIOS related.

Norm

 

[NSN]

Seeker:

Via E-mail I sent you a copy of the letter I sent to ASUS with my
board. However, I am not sure if your E-mail address as listed below
is valid. Mine is not....

Norm

 

[seeker]

NORM...

No my email address is different...but thx. I got an RMA No. today
and I think I'll send it back. I'm not 100% sure if the boot problem
comes from temp (but I didn't see this until it got cold) ...BUT also,
I've noticed that the problem mostly happens on the FIRST boot of the
day...rarely does it happen in any following boots...seems like the
longer it's powered off, the more likely as well. Of course, these
two even are (for me) related...that is typ. is overnight...to first
morning boot.

 

[NSN]

Seeker:

Same here. It started from the very beginning last winter about 10% of
the time and like yours, usually the first boot of the day. Then,
during the summer it rarely happened. As soon as the cold weather
returned it was back with a vengeance. I switched boards to the Black
Pearl and never saw the problem again. The switch was totally
painless ..required nothing in the way of driver changes on my part.

Norm

 

[dale.hall]

I too have this same problem, i am very disapointed. its very
difficult for me to take the board back now, because it means being
without a computer for however long it takes.

maybe i will just put up with it and then get a new board later in the
year

dale